WISE WORDS FROM A WISE PERSON...
...OBVIOUSLY

In late summer last year Rev. Satyarthi Ji, otherwise known as Shastri Ji, made a visit to Italy where he propagated the Satguru’s message to thirsty devotees. Preet Anand reported on a illuminating discourse… 

Dear Brothers and Sisters it is good to view these statues of Shri Krishna Bhagwan and Radha, Shiv Ji, Guru Nanak Ji, Ram Ji and Bhole Nath Ji. It is great to praise them for they have come to this earth and have joined mankind with this one formless God. They have shown they way we should praise God once we know him. However, despite all the greatness of viewing them and all the goodness of praising them, the real greatness lies in looking at what these profits preached and looking at what they have accomplished and then incorporating those teachings into our own practical lives through our actions. If we do this then it has been worthwhile for Krishna Bhagwan and Guru Nanak Ji to come to this earth. It is only then that can we say that we are devotees of these great saints. If we are not using their teachings to make our lives better, then it is of no use praising them.

If this is the case, then we must ask ourselves why we are not living our practical lives in the way in which these prophets have preached. We must also question how we can incorporate such teaching into our practical lives. The answer is very simple. We must totally surrender ourselves to this one Nirankar. We must distinguish the fire of A hankar (ego) and live in complete harmony as these prophets have preached.

What these prophets have taught us is very similar and simple. Shri Krishna Bhagwan taught is that there is only God, who is indestructible, whome fire cannot burn, wind cannot, blow, and swords cannot cut. Similarly, Guru Nanak Dev ji has taught us that:

Ikko simro Nanka jo jal thal reha samaya, duja kahe simriye jo jame to marjaya.

The Holy Bible teaches us that ‘when there was nothing there was God and when there will be nothing there will be God.’ This is the only ever-lasting trugh, which Guru Nanak Dev Ji has told us is:

Aad sach, jogad sach, hai vi sach, Nanak hosi vi sach.

Now, we must look into ourselves and ask whether we know this one god and whether we are praising him corrently. Further, we must ask whether we have totally surrendered to this one god. One day all of the devtas (Saints) got together and decided to drain the sea. When the sea was drained, two things came out – amrit (holy water) and vish (poison). All of the devtas drank the amrit but none were willing to drink the vish. Then Bhole Nath Ji (Shiv Ji) drank the vish. All the Amrit drinking devtas were known as Devs (saints) and only Bhole Nath Ji was known as Mahadev (Great Saint). The moral of this story is that in life you get both happy and testing times. Ad devotee handles both alike by remaining connected with god.

Draupadi was a great devotee of Shri Krishna Bhawan. However, during her disrobing at the hands of Duryodan, she did not ask for the help of God, nor did she remember him. Krishna Bhagwan was palying a game of Chaucer at the time and seemed really upset. When Radha questioned him he told her that Draupadi was being disrobed. She questioned him as to why he was not doing anything to stop the atrocity. He replied that he was helpless to do anything, as she was not calling upon him. Furthermore, she was not even thinking of him but was turning to her five husbands and many other tht were present. Radha replied that Draupadi had forgotten God because she had not been to Sangat for a very long time, as a result of staying in Yudhister’s place. Radha then threw a flower upon Draupadi, which helped her to realize that all supports were false and the only real support was that of God. When Draupadi did remember God, he came to her aid with the ever-lasting sari.

From this we must ask ourselves whether we are in constant touch with God and whether we have surrendered ourselves to god and see god as our one and only true support. If we see ourselves in this light then we have the right call ourselves devotees of Krishna Bhagwan. If we do not do this, but rather see ourselves as looking for support in areas such as friends, family, money, etc. then we have no right to call ourselves devotees. Instead we should pray that we are able to incorporate Krishna Bhawan’s teachings and see only this one almighty God as our saviour. Before we can perceive God as our saviour, we must first visualize God. We must ask ourselves whether or not we know the God we worship.

King Akhbar once questioned his subject Birbal as to where God was, what he did and how he could be visualised. Birbal went home a very worried man, as he would be sentenced to death if he did not giving three satisfactory answers. Birbla’s son was how worried his father was and asked him what the problem was. After learning what the problem was, his son, who regularly attended congregation, told him not to worry and to tell the King that such questions were so easy, that even his son could answer them. Looking astonished at Birbal’s response, the Kind invited Birbal’s con to come and answer the questions.

When he arrived, Birbal’s son asked for a glass of milk. He then asked the Kind that if he was asking the questions and he was answering them, then surely he was the King’s teacher. The king agreed with Birbal’s son, who then proceeded to ask that if he was the King’s teacher, then the King should sit on the floor and he should sit on the throne. The King agreed and immediately switched places with Birbal'’ son. Birbal'’ son then asked the King to look where he was sitting asn where Birbal’s son was sitting. He then informed the King that this is what God did, he put normal people like him on thrones and made them into Kings and he took Kings like him off the throne and made and them into normal people.

Birbal’s son then started staring at the milk inside the glass. This continued for about ten minutes before the King finally asked Birbal’s son as to what he was doing. Birbal’s son replied that he was looking for butter in the milk. The King laughed and replied that the butter could not be seen although it actually was present in every part the milk. He also informed Birbal’s son that in order to see the butter, a very laborious process was required, where by the milk had to be churned gradually in order to separate the butter. Birbal’s son then told the King that in the same way the butter is in every part of the milk but could not bee seen, God is everywhere in one and all but cannot be seen. That is until someone shows us how to visualize God, just as someone must show us how to separate the butter from the milk. As with churning the milk, one must similarly churn away in life through regular Sewa, Simran and Satsang to realize God.

If we did not understand these questions we must ask ourselves whether we understand now. If we do understand then it has been worthwhile listening. If not then we must understand these questions and their answers. Although everyone feels that God is everywhere, until someone actually separates God from the world and shows him in all his glory, those feelings are of no use. God can only be seen when a person meets a saint who knows this one God and can disclose the Knowledge of God.

We must also focus our attention to how we can achieve eternal bliss and happiness. In order for this to happen, we must firstly realize God and secondly see God in one and all. We must see everyone as our own and we must see ourselves in others. Only then can we achieve happiness. We must reach a state of mind where we follow in teachings of saints and truly feel that:

Aval Allah noor upaya kudrat ke sabh bande, ek noor ton sabh jag upajaya kaun bhale ko mande.

We must realize that all humans are the creation of one God, one father, and we are all his children. Therefore we are all one big family living as brothers and sisters. We must always wish well for others and have the well being or others in our hearts. Always, we must have one humble request in our minds, the same humbleness expressed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji:

Nanak naam chardi kalan tere bhane sarbat ka bhala.

Praying for the welfare of others will automatically have our own best interests sorted out as our best interests are in the best interests of others,