THE SUBJECT OF SATGURU
Various disciplines of knowledge are being studied today. It is interesting that a True Master’s discipline of expertise is humanity. And it is the most difficult discipline because of its gamut. It encompasses the whole world. His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj once said in His discourse:
It is very easy to carve out God out of a stone but it is extremely difficult to carve out a human out of a man.
This is the purpose of the endeavours of the True Master and his expertise on humanity. To make each man humane is the euphoric cherished objective of the study of humanity.
A mountaineer who aims to conquer a formidable height studies the geography of the terrain. He takes into account the freezing low temperature, treacherously covered pits (of snow), defiant steep heights, lethal avalanches, et cetera before he starts the expedition. In addition, the mountaineer arms himself with the state-of-the-art expeditionary paraphernalia like night vision devices, oxygen cylinders, extremely light yet warm and durable attire to protect himself from frost-bite, snow-blindness and other related ailments. The aim is to move forward. Similarly, to know and convince a person is also a Himalayan task like conquering Mount Everest. A True Master also takes into account the various factors, which characterize the people of the world. For example, different communities, cultures, beliefs, nationalities, languages, religions, et cetera. Besides, a True Master is also aware of the increasingly degrading human values which are harming mankind. Global or religious terrorism is just on of the effects of such depraved values. It is in this regard that such satirical comments have been made:
The more I see of man, the more I like dogs.
- Mme Stael
The whole idea is that humans have lost basic values like gratitude and sympathy towards fellow beings which is the hallmark or the distinguishing feature of human beings. A brief story I once listened to is very relevant in this context.
A young tongawalla who was the sole son and breadwinner met an untimely death. Under such catastrophic grief, his old and fragile father took over the work of his son. One day a sudden remembrance of his loveable son made him sad. As he was driving the tonga, he started talking to the passengers about his young son. He shared with the commuting passengers that “My son was a very young, handsome and loveable boy…He served us a lot….” And he could utter no further. But these emotive words to his great dismay did not even earn a mere nod from any of the passengers. Old as the father was, the apathy of the passengers maimed his heart. At the end of the day when the old father could no longer contain his emotions, he involuntarily bursted out the same words while tying the tether in the stable and mournfully said “My son used to yoke you to the tonga and took full care of you.” The horse quite surprisingly and unexpectedly nodded in response to emotional words uttered by his new senile master who saw tears flowing down the horse’s eyes. The old master kissed his horse as he would have kissed his son and went away. The human beings in contrast are not even ready to listen to the grief of others let alone sharing them. That’s why it has been said:
BANDE NALAON PASHU CHANGERA
JE BANDE WAALI GAL NAHIN
- Avtar Bani(239)
(An animal is better than a man, if man does not possess human qualities)
The True Master listens to everyone even when others share irrelevant things. He tries to lessen the sorrows and anxieties of people by listening patiently to their problems. It is in this respect that a True Master’s expertise on humanity is of immense use. He knows and understands that the cornerstone of our existence is love, sympathy, empathy, and respect for our fellow beings. If we are not responding lovingly or sympathetically towards our fellow beings, there is a reason to it. One cannot communicate with the other if there is a wall separating them. Similarly, we are incapable of loving each other when there are walls of ego, communal frenzy, hatred and ignorance separating us.
In the year 1987, I visited the site of the “Berlin Wall” which once separated the East and West Germany. But after it was demolished the following was one of the several messages that were found written on the part of that wall which was preserved as a lesson for the coming generations:
The world is too small to have walls.
And we completely understand that if a small room is further divided by erecting some more walls in it, it becomes congested, prison-like, and killing. A True Master simply demolishes such walls of hatred, communal frenzy and ignorance and, therefore, ensures the continuous whiffs of fresh air for a healthy survival. But to restore the glory of humanity in a human being, a person has to implore the “Divine-Knowledge” from the True Master. Prostrating oneself at the feet of the True Master is no guarantee of humility. One has to be like beggars i.e. feel a dire need to be blessed with the Divine- Knowledge. Then, if one prostrates at the feet of the True Master and urges Him, one will be blessed with the Divine- Knowledge.
It is true that the discipline of humanity is complex. But for a qualified expert and a veteran doctor it is, paradoxically, easy to treat and cure even the most acute ailments. His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj is also treating the endemic acute ailments of ignorance and hatred ailing the humanity. But a patient must visit a doctor to get himself cured. So must you come and seek the refuge of the Divine- Knowledge so benevolently and bountifully bestowed by the True Master of the present time, His Holiness Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj. Else, as His Holiness puts it:
The one who bends, drinks to his full, but the one who stands erect stays thirsty. In other words, the egoistic remains ‘thirsty,’ while the humble drinks the elixir and experiences bliss and happiness.
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