On September 19, 1982 a huge congregation was held in the vast compound of the local Satsang Bhawan.  Mandi Gobindgarh is one of the main centres of iron business.  As a result, the local inhabitants are generally affluent.  Even the labour class earns enough not to face any difficulty to make both ends meet.  Apart from the well to do residents of the city, a large number of simple and innocent devotees from the surrounding villages were also present to receive the blessings of Satguru. 

His Holiness stated in his discourse here:

The Lord of the whole universe is the Almighty Formless One.  Saints lead their lives with a spirit of surrender to this Formless One only.  They consider their body, mind and material possessions gifted by God and do not have any feeling of pride on their account.  They lead their lives in modesty.  Saints do use the gifts that the Almighty has bestowed upon them, but do not get entangled in them to the extent that they should forget the One who has given them.  Even those who are not so affluent do not feel jealous when they see others with more wealth. Rather they remain grateful to God under all circumstances.

By midday, His Holiness reached Ropar.  There was no programme for any congregation here but a large number of devotees had already reached there to see Baba Ji and seek his blessings.  Blessing everybody, Satgurudev reached Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh as per the tour programme.  As Satguru, it was his first visit to the place.  So, eminent persons of the town kept pouring in for blessings even after the conclusion of the congregation there. The congregation had been organised in the vast compound of the Grain Market.  The pleasant confluence of devotees from Himachal Pradesh as well as Punjab presented a wonderful view.  Satgurudev stated in his discourse:

God is not far from us.  He is ever present with us.  Those who look for Him sincerely, can certainly behold Him; He appears before them.  When we are united with this limitless Supreme Power - God, we too shed our boundaries and become large- hearted.  All the feelings of discrimination towards others as strangers or our own disappear from our hearts.  Since we may come from different countries and live in different circumstances we may have different cultures and civilizations, but as far as the Supreme Being is concerned, He is one and only one.  Great spiritual masters whether they belonged to Punjab or Himachal Pradesh, they shared the same view about this Supreme Truth that it cannot be split or divided by any means.  In fact, to know One as one and believe One as one, is true religion.  Religion cannot be identified with the boundaries created on the basis of rites and rituals or the modes of living.  Even today, in your congregation, you have people from Punjab, Haryana as well as Himachal Pradesh sitting together and singing the praise of God.  May God shower His kindness so that this feeling of unity and harmony goes on increasing day by day, so that the distances created in our minds by selfish people come to an end as early as possible and thus peace and tranquility can be established on this part of the earth which has always been an abode of saints, seers, Gurus and prophets.

Before Baba Ji could take his dinner and go for rest, some religious minded gentlemen came to the residence of the Pramukh of that area Rev. Roshan Lal Ji to seek Baba Ji's blessings.  They met Gurudev and expressed their happiness and said, "Baba Ji, kindly keep on blessing us with your visits from time to time so that people like us who are stuck in the mire of materialistic world can also be salvaged."  One of those gentlemen started speaking in an extremely emotional manner and said, "Today your words have clarified many of our misconceptions.  We have been under the impression that this Mission is a sect of a particular religion.  It is only today that we came to know that you are expounding the same principles of Truth which have been believed in by everyone since times immemorial."  In his own simple way Gurudev said, "Whichever part or corner of the world or time the saints belonged to, all of them possessed the same view about Truth.  Nirankari Mission is also trying to establish the same Truth in everyone's heart so that all may lead a life based on Truth."

The gentlemen left after bowing at Gurudev's feet and His Holiness proceeded towards the Dining Room.

Next day, i.e., on September 20, Gurudev reached Nangal to preside over a function to mark the inauguration of the newly constructed Hall of the Satsang Bhawan there.  Addressing the devotees, Gurudev said:

The world today is keenly observing the Nirankari saints.  We have, therefore, to take everybody along with us. We should never forget the fact that our Satsang Bhawans are the centres for the message of Truth.  We are not seeking to establish any new religion or sect.  We are only repeating the message of Truth professed by the past saints and seers so that people who claim to be their followers can adopt their teachings in life and become the true followers of those Gurus, saints and prophets.

As Gurudev was leaving his seat, an old gentleman who appeared to be the head of some religious institution there said in his wavering voice, "Baba Ji, if you are only repeating the teachings of the saints and seers of the past, then why are you constructing separate Bhawans?  Why don�t you use the existing religious places for the propagation of Truth?"  Although the organisers were requesting the gentleman to come after sometime, Gurudev resumed his seat and replied in his own simple manner, "With due respect to you I would like to say that we too want the same.  But the atmosphere these days is such that for the time being it does not appear to be possible to do so.  God willing, a day will come soon when those who believe in Truth will be able to give the message of all the saints and seers from all the places.  We want that people with all shades of opinion may sit together in these Bhawans and glorify the One Formless God.  These Bhawans are not meant for the people of any particular religion or sect."

His Holiness reached Maihre after blessing the devotees at Thana Kalan on the way.  A huge congregation had been organised there.  Satgurudev stated there:

A sharp knife may cut or trim a bamboo in such a way that its sharp edge may hurt anybody.  But the same knife can also be used to convert the same bamboo into a flute which pleases the mind of the listeners by its melodious sound.  So, nothing is good or bad in itself; only it's use makes it so.

While expressing these feelings, Gurudev�s words were so touching and meaningful that all the listeners' hearts were overwhelmed with compassion.

Truly speaking, I started feeling that this great spiritual master (Gurudev) is bringing about a silent revolution with his pure and noble feelings and my heart became overwhelmed with the feeling that the message of the Mission must find wings so that the terrified and the suffering people may stand liberated from fear and make their lives happy as early as possible.

On September 21, an open programme was organised in the market opposite the Town Hall in Hamirpur.  Besides Nirankari devotees, hundreds of passers-by felt blessed to see Gurudev and listen to his discourse in which he stated:

It is very easy to knock somebody down, but to lift someone who has fallen is quite difficult.  It is not difficult at all to push somebody into a river but to save a drowning person one has to risk one's own life.  A saint is the one who accomplishes such an arduous task.  The lives of Mahapurushas are filled with the lofty feelings of selfless service for others.

From Hamirpur, Gurudev reached Bilaspur where a congregation had been organised on the sprawling lawns of the local Town Hall.  Thousands of people had the opportunity to have a holy glimpse of Satgurudev.  In the same congregation, a marriage was also solemninzed in a simple Nirankari way.  Addressing the gathering, His Holiness said:

Saints lead their lives rising above the feelings of discrimination.  No religion does teach to hate others.  The real reverence that we can show to the saints and seers lies in not merely repeating their words but adopting their teachings in day to day life.  Social customs and rituals have broken the backbone of our society.  Families are getting crushed by the burden of costly costumes and other articles of dowry, etc.  In view of this, the followers of the Sant Nirankari Mission have determined to perform simple marriages and all of you witnessed one such wedding with your own eyes here today.

Tea and snacks for Baba Ji had been arranged in the Town Hall itself.  Some eminent social workers also came and started talking to Gurudev while he was taking his tea.  They asked Gurudev if he was not in favour of giving dowry to the girl at all.  Another gentleman interrupted in-between and said, "Dowry is really causing a lot of anxiety to the parents today.  In case two daughters are born in a family, the whole life of the parents is spent in earning money for their marriage only.  But I want to know why you have given up the old practice of going round the sacred fire during weddings.  Do you find something wrong with the ceremony?"

Gurudev replied in his simple manner, "So far as the question of giving something to the daughter is concerned, the Mission as such is not against it.  But we are absolutely against the demand or display of the same.  The practice of dowry is making the poor still poorer because just to save their honour in the society, they take loans and suffer for the whole life. Otherwise who are the parents who would hide from their children what they possess?  As far as the marriage ceremony is concerned, it has always been undergoing change with the change in time and circumstances.  The purpose behind going round the sacred fire, as far as I feel, was that it should be a witness to the solemnization of the marrige. I further consider that fire symbolises enlightenment and our Mahapurushas have solemnized this marriage in the presence of the enlightened ones only.  Thus, in no way the old custom seems to have been violated in this ceremony.   The consideration of witness to the ceremony is there, of course." The social workers appeared keen to ask further questions but because of the restraint of time Gurudev stated, "Please continue to attend the congregations off and on.  Keep in touch with these Mahapurushas. God willing, all your doubts will get removed automatically." Speaking thus, Gurudev proceeded towards the next place.  The local people too returned to their homes while still discussing the teachings of Nirankari Mission and appreciating the simple marriage in particular.

Next day, at Sunder Nagar a huge congregation had been organised in the �Link� theatre because there was a possibility of rainfall.  Here also one could see a colourful confluence of devotees from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.  Speaking on the occasion, Gurudev stressed two or three points as under:

Saints have always been inspiring man to attain happiness here and hereafter.  They know from their experience that those who are not happy here in this world can never hope for the bliss hereafter either.  Such people do not find peace of mind and they fail to seek the company of saints even for a moment; they do not realize the Truth.  All of you are wise enough to understand as to how can one feel blissful after one's departure from this world.  Everybody wants that humanity should rise above all the discriminations and be united.  Such unity, however, can be attained for sometime at some places.   It is impossible to have it everywhere all the time.  Real unity will be established only on the day when we are made to realize that Ishwar, Allah, Waheguru and God are different names of one and the same Supreme Power only.  The realisation of One Father fosters love amongst the children.  It is quite possible that the children may have some tension, conflicts or animosity, but because they are the children of the same father, a day must come when they will again embrace each other and thus their unity may become a permanent feature.    What we mean to say is that in order to have lasting unity, it is essential to know One, to believe One.

From Sunder Nagar Satgurudev reached Kathiyal.  It appeared as if the entire rural area became saturated with the divine fragrance due to Gurudev's arrival.  The whole village accompanied His Holiness.  Satgurudev also appeared to be enchanted by the simplicity and innocence of the villagers.  But when he observed some men and women shaking their heads violently, he went straight to them and put his hand on their heads one by one.  He asked them to say "Tu Hi Nirankar", and repeat the Simran after him.  Gurudev also kept stating that, �God is there to protect us form all sides.  God is such an armour which does not let even the most demonic spirit enter our minds."  Within minutes, those person stopped shaking their heads and feeling themselves normal they too proceeded to attend the congregation.  On this occasion, Gurudev said:

Evil spirits do not come near those whose minds are occupied by God and who remember God all the time.  Evil spirits attack only those who forget the existence of the Almighty God.  The term �gods and goddesses� is used only for those who remove our suffering and bestow happiness of body, mind and wealth upon us.  These gods and goddesses too derive their powers from the Almighty only. The God-realized Mahapurushas believe that the Supreme Giver is One only and He gives to all. Therefore, they worship only the One Supreme Being and neither bow before nor worship any other power. Even for worldly objects they do not pray before any other power.  Those who take the shelter of the Almighty One, do not fall prey to any worldly lust or greed.  After getting liberated during their lifetime, they live in this world very peacefully.  No attraction of this material world can delude them or shake their mind from its firm faith in the One Supreme Being.

From here, Gurudev reached Pandoh.  The congregation here had been organized at the Bhawan which he inaugurated.  He said:

From this Bhawan, people will be taught that all human beings are the children of one Supreme Father.  These Bhawans have been built with the objective to bring man closer to man.  Till the time man does not respect the living idols or human beings created by God, this world cannot be happy.

On September 23, 1982, Satgurudev reached Morinda via Mandi Joginder Nagar.  The congregation had been organized in an open ground there.  Besides the followers of the Mission, many local citizens had also come to attend the Satsang with great enthusiasm.  Addressing the gathering of these God-loving people, Gurudev stated briefly as well as discretely:

Among creatures, human birth has been acknowledged as the loftiest.  If we waste this golden opportunity in amassing the wealth or in worldly pursuits, then we will not be able to fulfill the aim for which we got this birth.  Saints tell us that if this opportunity goes in vain the principle of the cycle of birth and death will apply on us also.  As a result, we will have to be born as worms, insects, etc., and have to undergo suffering and carry heavy loads as oxen or buffaloes.  We should not be under the impression that we have become human beings simply because we are born as human beings or we have got this human body.  This human body offers only an opportunity to become a human being and for this we will have to seek the company of devotees of God.  Only then can we become truly human and find happiness for ourselves and work for the welfare of others.  Now it is our duty that we should be ever immersed in the remembrance of our Creator, serve His men, His devotees, saints and Mahapurusha, and achieve the supreme objective of our lives.

I could make out from the faces of the audience that the words of Gurudev had definitely touched a deep chord within them to realize that they had been wasting their lives in useless pursuits of the world as also the meaningless disputes and discords. 

After this, Gurudev Hardev reached Kangra.  Here too, a congregation had been organized in a spacious ground.  Not only Nirankari devotees but hundreds of other people too were able to receive Baba Ji's holy glimpse.  Those were the days when people were generally unaware of the teachings of the Nirankari Mission and were keen to watch the activities of the Mission for themselves from close.  Those were the times when some selfish elements had spread innumerable misconceptions about the Mission almost everywhere.  In his discourse Gurudev Hardev clarified these misconceptions in such a way that the audience felt compelled to admit that this saint (Gurudev) is venerable indeed.  They wondered why such a holy person was being maligned in such an evil manner.

In his discourse Gurudev Hardev had clarified in detail that Niranakari devotees consider one Supreme Being, God, to be the anchor of their lives.  They also believe that all the sages and seers who were born at different times inspired man to take the shelter of this one Eternal Truth only and that they proved with their actions that whatever they were doing was because of God's grace.  Ego never touched them.  Citing the examples of the lives of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and other incarnations of God, Gurudev said that Nirankari devotees are also trying to teach the same art of living.  Nirankari devotees believe from the core of their hearts that all the sages and seers, Gurus and prophets during their respective times spent all their lives to make this Eternal Truth their base.  They described the performing of all the actions without the sense of doership as key to success.  Gurudev also said: 

All our Gurus and prophets performed their worldly duties with full sense of responsibility.  They never encouraged asceticism or the tendency of escapism.  Today, the true face of devotion has been distorted.  It is being believed that we cannot tread the path of devotion while leading a householder's life and looking after our children.  Let us determine today that we will also adopt the way of life taught by our Gurus, sages and prophets based on fulfilling our responsibilities.  Only then can we be called their followers or devotees.  Our soul will not be emancipated only by repeating their names or building religious places in their names.

The arrangement for the night-stay had been made in Kunihar.  Here also hundreds of people assembled in no time.  Gurudev not only blessed them with his holy glimpse but also obliged them with his words that made them aware of the true way of living.

Next day, i.e., on September 24, His Holiness reached Nurpur, where the congregation was organiaed in the premises of a Sanatan Dharma temple. A marriage was also solemnized as per simple Nirankari practice.  It was appreciated a lot by the local residents.  Satgurudev stated in his discourse here:

Saints perform their domestic duties while remaining devoted to God.  Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, who are our ideals, performed their duties towards their families.  We too will have to lead our lives like them as men of action.  Devotion means performing one�s duties and not running away from the same.   I am happy to see your spirit of devotion and dedication.  It is such feelings of devotion based on love and dedication which have always come to the rescue of our country.  All of you must keep strengthening such feelings in your own lives and keep trying day and night to take the same to others too.  Till the time this love and devotion exist in this world, there would be an atmosphere of happiness and peace.  Devotion does not mean escapism.  Rather it stands for leading an active and practical life.  And the foundation of this devotion is the consciousness that my Lord Almighty, my Master permeates each and every being and none is devoid of the spark of the divine light of this Formless One.  Therefore, to love everyone, to make this feeling that God dwells the whole Universe an integral part of one�s life means to make this edifice of life splendid.

On September 25, 1982, Satgurudev reached Dalhousie where a congregation took place in the premises of Nirankari Satsang Bhawan. Devotees listened to Satgurudev in an exceedingly loving manner here too.  The local people were terror-stricken because of the activities of terrorists in the town.  But the Mahapurushas of that area were busy day and night to spread the message of peace and unity in a fearless and congenial manner.  Over here, Gurudev stated clearly in his words:

Life and death are controlled only by the Almighty; they take place according to the divine law and the arrangements.  Nobody can kill the one who is protected and shielded by God.  As is said, �None can kill the one who is protected by God;  the one who forgets Him is as good as dead� (Jis Rakhe Tis Koi Na Mare, So Mua Jo Mano Visare).  We cannot be finished by anyone but we die when we forget our Lord Almighty and start relying on the support of worldly powers.  Devotees do live in the world.  They love everyone.  They deal with everyone and treat everyone pleasantly but they take the support, shelter and reliance of the Creator only.

The local saints served Gurudev Hardev and other Mahapurushas with deep sense of faith and devotion and thus earned their blessings.

On September 26, 1982, Gurudev reached Chamba (Himachal Pradesh).  The congregation here had been organized on the sprawling lawns of Town Hall in front of Ramlila Maidan.  The local citizens turned up to attend the congregation in a large number and received Baba Ji�s holy glimpse.  The Ramlila Committee gave their full co-operation to make the congregation a success.  In his discourse Gurudev stated :

We have to see the image of Lord Rama (God) in everyone and love all equally. Just as Lord Rama accepted Shabri without discriminating on the basis of caste, similarly we have to give equal respect to all.  Only then can we be called the true devotees or the followers of Lord Rama.  Today the values established by Lord Rama are being shattered in every family.  One brother is fighting against the other in the court of law; mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are standing in the court and trying hard to prove each other guilty; and the relationship between the father and the son is shattering.  The need of the day is that Lord Rama should be worshipped by putting into practice the values set by him.  Lord Rama killed Ravana and liberated the world from evil.  But today we can see the evil forces like Ravana performing their ugly dance in every street.  During Ramlila we burn the effigy of Ravana and celebrate the victory of Lord Rama.   We feel happy to name it Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi.  But if we consider somewhat carefully, we will realise that Ravana is still alive.  The tendencies of pride, envy, animosity, anger, greed, etc. are still taking on the minds of the devotees of Lord Rama.  If we want to establish Ram-Rajya (the kingdom of God) in this world, then we have to burn the Ravana who is there in our minds. Only then can we be called the true followers of Lord Rama.

The faces of the audience were clearly reflecting their feelings.  It seemed as if someone had shaken their sleeping conscience with a jolt and from now onwards the mere burning of the effigies of demons like Ravana and Kumbhkarna will not be enough for them to feel that they have done their jobs; rather they will also try to destroy the evil tendencies within their minds by attaining the knowledge of the Rama (God) who pervades each and every particle of the universe.

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