After Rajasthan Gurudev went to Gujarat.  After blessing the Sangats at Ahmedabad, Baroda and other places on his way, His Holiness then entered Maharashtra and blessed the saints who had gathered for the Annual Samagam of Bombay.  Thereafter, Gurudev reached Madras after blessing the Sangats of Bangalore and surrounding areas with his holy words.

The Sangat of Madras consists of a large number of Sindhi Mahapurushas.  A major part of the programme was held in Hindustani.  A few resident Mahapurushas expressed their feelings in Tamil also.  Gurudev stated in his discourse:

"Saints selflessly work for the welfare of all.  The God-knowledge and the bliss that they attain with the grace of their Satguru is further distributed to the world by them.  They do not keep it to them alone but give it to others as well.   Mahapurushas' hearts are devoid of any feelings of high or low.  They do not discriminate on the basis of caste or creed.  They have an equable vision and do not differentiate between rich or poor.  They love everybody in an equal manner.  Their only concern is that the happiness that they have attained through God-knowledge should be enjoyed by others too; everyone should benefit from it.   That is why they visit each and every street as well as colony to give this message.  They do not keep the bliss of God-knowledge limited to themselves only."

The unique feature of the Sangat of Madras is that after the conclusion of Satsang, most of the Mahapurushas reach the place where Baba Ji halts for rest.  Virtually, another Satsang is then held there in a homely and informal manner.  There is neither a stage nor a stage secretary for such a gathering.  Sometimes one finds a Mahapurusha singing a devotional song and some time later one finds another Mahapurusha seeking Gurudev’s guidance in his personal matters.  Actually it is always more like a family get-together.

This time too, most of the Mahapurushas reached the place where Gurudev was halting for rest after the congregation.  The discussion there proceeded once again in a friendly and co-ordial manner.   Gurudev said very clearly that we should try and take the message of the Mission to local residents and for that we should encourage and take the help of local Mahapurushas.

On hearing Gurudev’s words, I remembered an incident of a few days ago, when a Mahapurusha from Tamilnadu who had come to attend the Samagam of Bombay, had discussed the same matter with Gurudev.  He had appealed to Gurudev in an overwhelmed manner, "Baba Ji!  Bless us, so that the Sangat of Madras too increases in number as the Sangat of Bombay.  We should also hold a Samagam in Madras just like the one in Bombay."

With his natural smile, Gurudev had said, "The Almighty Nirankar would bestow His benevolence.  But you must have definitely observed during this Samagam that the Sangat in Bombay consists of Marathas, Gujaratis as well as Mahapurushas from U.P. and Bihar.  There are Sindhi and Punjabi Mahapurushas too.  But this is not the case with Madras.  There is a very small number of resident Mahapurushas there."

Making an effort to explain his helplessness that Mahapurusha had appealed, "Baba Ji!  Language is a major problem there."

Trying to unveil the secret behind the popular acceptance of the Mission, Gurudev had said, "It is not the spoken language, but love and feelings of co-operation and brotherhood that spread our message.  One needs the language of love to spread God-   knowledge and the language of love belongs to heart; it is neither Tamil nor Sindhi nor Hindi: everybody can understand it.

You mentioned about the Sangat of Bombay sometime back.  You must be knowing that Vyas Ji is a Punjabi.  He spread the message of God-knowledge amongst thousands of Gujarati and Marathi Mahapurushas with the same language of love.  He took the help and co-operation of resident Mahapurushas for the same.  He worked hand in hand with them, gave them respect; so much so that all of them are great Parcharaks of the Mission today.  It is because of the inspiration of Vyas Ji as well as the spirit of dedication of resident Mahapurushas that the Sangat has assumed such large proportions here.  You must also be knowing that most of the Mahapurushas of Bombay's Sangat belong to economically weaker sections of society.  Many Mahapurushas work in mills, some are harbour workers whereas others do ordinary jobs on daily wages.  They live in very small houses in extremely narrow streets.  Some of them do not even have electricity in their houses.  The Parcharaks of this place have been visiting their homes and spreading the message of Truth with the same language of love.   Parcharaks have become like their family members, and meet them as such during all their family functions, whether sad or happy.  The local Mahapurushas love Paracharak Mahapurushas like their own kith and kin and reciprocate their feelings of love by going out of their way to serve them.   Because of this natural co-operation, all the Mahapurushas have started understanding each others' spoken language also."

That Mahapurusha was listening intently to Gurudev's words.   May be, this mode of spreading the message of Truth was new to him.  Proceeding with his words, Gurudev had said, "You might be knowing perhaps that Bengali Sangat of Calcutta too is increasing manifold like Bombay's Sangat.  And you must also be aware that this expansion was made possible by the love and spirit of dedication of Pradhan Ji (Bhai Sahib Labh Singh Ji), who could not speak even Hindi properly.  Still he succeeded in giving such a huge shape to Bengali Sangat.   All this could be achieved only through the language of love."

Clarifying his words even further Gurudev Dev had said, "Pradhan Ji had invented a very good solution to solve the problem of language.  He gave prominence as well as respect and inspiration to the resident Mahapurushas to spread the message.  It was through their help that the message of the Mission could reach each and every corner of the city in their local language.  For this purpose, Labh Singh Ji did not bother to highlight his own services and project his personality; rather he gave eminence to other Mahapurushas.  As a result, the Sangat there has multiplied into thousands.  Bengali Pracharaks are busy day and night to spread the message of the Mission.  All the Pracharaks feel that their recognition as well as the expansion of the Sangat is an outcome of Pradhan Ji's spirit of service for the welfare of all."

Concluding his words, Gurudev had stated,  " The Sangat of Madras has a firm –faith, a strong spirit to render service as well as enthusiasm.   In Madras too, by encouraging the resident Mahapurushas and taking their co-operation, the message of the Mission can be spread.   By making a contact with the general public and sharing their weal and woe, we would definitely bring them closer to us.  It would help in an increase in Sangat."

I had been lost in thinking the above mentioned incident for sometime.  All of a sudden, I was pulled out of my reverie with somebody's laughter and found myself sitting in the same homely atmosphere.  I tried looking for that Tamil gentleman but he was not there.  During the time when I was lost deep in thought, I do not know as to what all was discussed.

I offered a prayer in my heart to the Almighty God to bless us so that we can understand the hint of Gurudev and devote ourselves to spread the message of the Mission with love and compassion along with giving due respect to fellow Mahapurushas.  This way we can take the Mission from door to door and increase the Sangat manifold.

After blessing the saints of Madras, Gurudev reached Bheemavaram, a small town in Andhra Pradesh.  A Samagam had been organized there at the inspiration of resident Mahapurushas.

Bheemavaram is an ordinary town but the Sangat here is quite large.  The local residents are very simple and religious minded by nature.   They accorded His Holiness a traditional (Sanatan) welcome.  While reciting Mantras from Vedas and sprinkling flowers all the way, they brought Gurudev to the venue in a colourful procession.  Then they performed 'Aarti' in front of Gurudev in an extremely devotional manner.  Several women clad in their traditional costumes also sang a welcome song.  The elegance as well as the beauty of the venue in which the Samagam was held has not left my mind till date.   The complete venue had been studded with leaves.  Even the ground was covered with leaves instead of carpets.  One felt as if one was sitting in the cottage (Ashram) of an ancient sage (Rishi) as depicted in holy Puranas.

A major part of the programme was held in Telugu.  Two of us who had come from outside, the Chief Editor of 'Sant Nirankari', Shri 'Nirmal' Joshi Ji as well as myself expressed ourselves in Hindi.  Raju Ji and Rajesh Ji, two dedicated Pracharaks solved the problem of language.  They know Hindi as well as Telugu and have contributed a great deal in the spread of God-knowledge in their area.  They were simultaneously translating the views expressed in Hindi into Telugu and vice-versa on the mike.   This way everybody could partake the thoughts of each other and enjoy the same.  A Mahapurusha who had come from outside, expressed his devotion towards Satguru in an extremely emotional manner.  Each and every word by that Mahapurusha was reflecting his devotion as well as his deep faith in the Satguru.

After the conclusion of the programme, when Baba Ji halted there for sometime, the same Mahapurusha came and sat near Gurudev.  Just then, another Mahapurusha who was standing near by, said, pointing towards him, "Baba Ji!  This Mahapurusha speaks so well.  He is so full of love.  He is indeed great."

That Mahapurusha submitted in an extremely humble manner, "Lord!  I attained God-knowledge quite recently, just six months ago.  I come nowhere near those Mahapurushas who have been at your holy feet since many years."

Gurudev looked smilingly at that Mahapurusha and stated, "God-knowledge is neither new nor old - it is always the same.   Whether somebody got it today or ten years ago, that does not matter; God-knowledge is always the same.  Just as gold is always gold, whether you bought it today or ten years ago, it would have the same value today."

On hearing Gurudev's words, that Mahapurusha said in a gratified manner, 'Lord!  You are kind and can exalt even a lowly being; but these Mahapurushas have been devoted for years together.  They have been enjoying the bliss of God-knowledge; I will take many more years to reach the state that they have attained."

"You are right," Gurudev said smiling benevolently.  "The devotees who have surrendered themselves after God-knowledge, accepted the will of God and moulded their life according to God-knowledge are definitely enjoying its bliss."

Sensing that Mahapurusha's curiosity, Gurudev stated further, "Time is not an important factor here.  The vital factor is the genuineness of feeling and a keen desire to embrace God-knowledge.  For example, a shopkeeper's shop might be well-stocked with a vast variety of goods but if the shopkeeper is himself lazy, careless and arrogant by nature, he will not be able to do a good business.  Even after years of shop-keeping, his business would not expand and give him the desired profit.  On the contrary, another shopkeeper might have opened a shop quite recently; but if he is hard working, takes a  keen interest in business and is also pleasant in his dealings with customers, he would definitely be able to do better and make more profit; he would be more successful and thus happier too.

Same is the case with spiritual life.   If someone does not use the God-knowledge that he has attained, he is not polite and humble in his behaviour towards fellow Mahapurushas, rather he is arrogant and disrespectful towards them, then he will not be able to derive any bliss even though he might have received God-knowledge much earlier.  On the contrary, if a person has attained God-knowledge quite recently, surrendered himself completely, and is ever-eager to obey the instructions, then his life would definitely be filled with bliss.  What I mean to say is that bliss comes with the application of God-knowledge in life.  The variation in time has no connection whatsoever with bliss."

Hesitatingly, that Mahapurusha submitted again, "Guru Ji!  Your words are indeed true.  This humble being has been enjoying the bliss of your grace for the last six months only.  Naturally, other Mahapurushas, who have been enjoying this bliss since years must have accumulated a treasure of bliss within them, they must be extremely blissful."

Gurudev explained in his natural manner, "It is right that bliss is attained the moment God-knowledge is perceived.  But bliss is not something to be stored or accumulated.  The examples which are generally quoted, as I gave the example of a shop just now, are related to worldly objects and are cited only to simplify the explanation of a certain topic.   If we apply them to spirituality in a hard and fast manner, then it would be an error on our part.  They are only a means to explain subtle spiritual matters.  Therefore, do not take bliss in the verbal sense of a shop’s earnings.  Spiritual bliss is ever-consistent.  The moment soul attains unison with God, it becomes blissful.  Till the time we stay linked with God, we remain blissful.  Therefore, the state of bliss enjoyed by devotees, whether old or new, is the same.  The difference is there only because of the variation in the application of God-knowledge and not because of its being new or old."

After pausing a little, Gurudev explained further, "Yes, one thing is there, the older the God-knowledge of a Mahapurusha is, the more he would have rendered service to saints, dealt with them in a loving manner and helped in spreading the message of the Mission, which in return, essentially helps him in his day-to-day life.  He becomes a source of inspiration to new devotees quite naturally."

Thus satisfied, that Mahapurusha paid his obeisance to Gurudev.   After sometime Gurudev left to attend another Satsang.

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