(Excerpts from Discourses of Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji)
Gyan (enlightenment) is not a miracle. It is an understanding. When it comes to anyone,
there is no enemy on him, everybody is his friend. The whole world shines and sparks with
his radiance. At that stage, the stratification, classification, division or designation,
has no meaning for him. Then he knows that there is only one religion and that is
Humanity. He treats the whole humanity as one. Caste, creed or dress have no value for
him. He sees the whole creation belonging to Him. That is why there is no enemy for him.
Everyone is responsible for his actions, whatever he does he will have to bear the
consequences of them. Once a man said to a Gurmukh, “If God does everything, then I
am going to steal, God will be responsible for this, not me.” The saint replied,
“O.K. If you are caught and beaten up don’t blame others, blame yourself;
because if God makes you steal, he gets you beaten up as well.”
In case of an epidemic, doctors don't sit at home, they go to the spot and help people to
get well. While working they are conscious of the epidemic, and get vaccinated before
going there, lest they might be infected. Exactly the same way, there is an epidemic of
enmity, jealousy and hatred in the world. You saints can cure this by love and affection,
but you will have to be vaccinated before you go to cure the epidemic, and that
vaccination is the vaccination of enlightenment. Then only you could be able to go to the
world undaunted of the epidemic and won’t catch the disease yourself . the humblest
in me prays to God that neither you get the disease of arrogance, jealousy nor you spread
it, you rather help in curing it.
One who runs away from the battle field is not considered brave. We know that the soldier
who absconds from the army is not honored. The one who fights in the field is honored with
medals and becomes famous. Who runs away from the Godly struggle is not honored. The one,
while living in the world is not lost in the whirlwind of temptations, is honored.
If anybody has feelings of enmity about us we are to change it, not by hatred and
arrogance but by love and affection. Hatred begets hatred. If we put something inflammable
on the fire, it will not put off the fire rather it will inflame it, although the
inflammable material looks like water, which can put off the fire, but it will not.
We are to give respect to others. If we give respect we will be reciprocated in the same
way. It is true that after having Gyan (enlightenment) we are saved from pangs of births
and deaths but as long as we are in human body, we will be subjected to the worldly laws.
I pray to the Almighty God, the way you have put your unwavering faith on Him in the past,
you march ahead with the same vigour, intensity and strength.
The true believer cannot do any wrong thing. When a police-man is standing at the crossing
the drivers stop at the red lights, when he is not there, the drivers looking around jump
the red lights even, because they think nobody is watching them. Just the same, one who
realizes God to be Omnipresent, where ever he is, whatever he does, he knows God is
watching him, so he doesn’t do anything wrong. Only God can give us strength and
would not let us do any wrong.
When we are respecting a devotes, we are respecting our Guru in fact. One is respected
when one’s deeds are noble, his actions are good. The talkers only are left behind,
It is of no use to have noble intentions, if it is not backed by noble deeds.
Gurmukh earns honour by his noble actions, but loses by arrogance. He earns bit by bit,
but loses is one go. One who stays away from evil, God blessed him immensely.
A saint lives under the will of God. He is always grateful for the bounties bestowed upon
him, does not complain. He loves God. Bounties he accepts only as a gift from Him (God).
If ever he has to chose between the bounties and Bountiful, he will without hesitation
choose the Bountiful.
As a wife looks to her husband for her needs, but when her husband cannot provide her with
a new saree, she doesn’t say, “You will be my husband only if you get me a new
saree, otherwise not.” Saints love God for loving sake, Devotee never complains.
Whatever you have got, is a gift from God. You can use it for your genuine needs. You
don’t become arrogant and selfish for the wealth you have got, and use it to harm
other. While enjoying the material comforts, we should appreciate the provider. Saints
know it, so they don't get upset if they don’t have it. They are like a cashier of a
bank. Their job is to manage and look after the cash, and not to misuse it. The saints
know that wealth, body and soul are the gift from god, it belongs to Him. He can take it
back if and when He likes.
God is the sole Creator. All belong to Him, neither we nor anybody else can claim any
credit. That is why saints always live in His bliss, always praise Him. Even in adversity,
they don’t complain to Him.
Contentment gives us pleasure and happiness, discontentment is a recipe for disaster. If
saints abandon the path of nobleness, they could be affected by the adverse circumstances
in the world and can get upset.
At the altar of devotion, the devotee offers his total submission, and sacrifices his
complete self.
Sometimes we are not prepared to accommodate, we insist on our own argument to be
accepted. We quarrel over very petty thing. This way we cannot enjoy the bliss of
devotion.
When we come into the Mission, we take oath, that whatever we have got belongs to Him, we
are only the trustees. God has given us wealth only for our maintenance. He can take it
whenever He wants. In that case we are neither to be upset nor become thankless.
The Saints are to understand that the more they are courteous and humble, the more they
will be respected. That is why they remain humble and modest. They don’t criticize
anybody, they believe everybody is His glimmer, that is why they love everybody, respect
everybody.
Devotee, when performing any task, believes he is not the doer, the doer is God. He is
making him do. As Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji used to say, “When somebody offers a gift
of food for the congregation, someone is given the job of distributing it. If the
distributor is thinking, he is the provider, he is mistaken, he is the only the
distributor. Provider is somebody else.” Saints know the Provider is God.
Nobody in the family hurts each other, but when someone from outside tries to do it, they
defend each other. so if we think the whole humanity belongs to us, we won’t hurt
anybody, we will wish well of everybody.
We call him a saint/ devotee, who has known God, who is linked with Him. Such a person
will have no ill will for anybody, he owns the whole of humanity, considers human being a
human being, To have such sentiments is true devotion. Now a days man thinks devotion is
to hurt others, make them fight each other, sometimes in the name of language, sometimes
in the name of religion. But the saints always try to unite people, bring them together.
Because man has started on the path of destruction, he quotes the scriptures to justify
himself. he will tell them, people took arms to face the aggressor, but forgets under what
circumstances they did that, what forced them to do it. Fighting is not man’s basic
instinct. godly people know it, they take the weapon of love and affection to defend
humanity.
Never a Prophet, or Guru has taken up arms to destroy the world. Only savages of that, due
to their ignorance and arrogance. When saints oppose anybody, they don’t do it
through malice.
When stuck in the marsh, the ,ore we try to get out the more we are submerged into it, but
if somebody from outside gives us a little support, we are able to get out. This world is
like a marsh. At every step there are worldly temptations to lure us in. Bu ourselves if
we try to steer through, it becomes next to impossible, but by taking the Divine Hand one
can easily sail through.
May God bless you to sustain your enthusiasm. acting on the principles of your faith, you
have achieved miracles. Take the torch of divine Truth to every corner of the world, so
that everybody unites with the Supreme and is blessed. that is my wish. In the past your
have shown rare courage and unflinching determination. I, very humbly pray to God to keep
the flame of your determination burning to spread the message of Truth.
Saints always praise the Lord. What we consider suffering and sorrow, they had experienced
them too. they accepted them as blessing from Nirankar. They always said, “If I am
praised, glory is Yours, if condemned, forgive me.”
Those who submit to the will of God and leave everything in His hands, are great. they are
the true disciples.
God had given man hands to do good deeds, help and serve the needy, but today he is using
them to destroy His creation. God gave him tongue to speck kind and sweet words, he is
spreading/speaking hatred and animosity. If anybody can calm the flames of hatred and
animosity, Saints! it is you, and only you. Eyes of the world are at you, because you are
the chosen ones. On fact, it is the task of the saints to soothe the world. their path is
the path of love. those who are ignorant of this become inhuman.
Saints live under the divine will of God. they are not perturbed by the events. They are
not swayed by the glitter of honors. In humility they show their sincere gratitude to the
Lord.
One who has earnestly submitted to God, never goes the wrong way. Whenever one does, he is
not with god. he will have to reap the fruits of his actions, both good and bad.
Having known the Truth, one acquires its virtues. he is always keen to learn, As long as
he is ready to learn as a disciple, he progresses and benefits from it. the moment the
intention to learn stops, ego over-powers him. he then starts thinking other low, the
progress stops, and he starts going down. Humility is the key to success.
Saints mention others’ virtues only, that is how their life becomes virtuous. If
there is a heap of dirt and you start scattering it the foul smell spreads all around. the
air around becomes polluted. So, we start scattering foulness. Saints don’t do that.
they always spread fragrance only.’
When we go to the congregations to do some service, if we waste our time in gossiping, all
the tine will be wasted, nothing will be left for which we come for.
If we are really somebody’s well wisher, if we see any failings in him, we will pray
to God to forgive. It is just possible we may have some failings, we can pray to be
corrected.
We usually notice others’ bad points. They might have good qualities as well. We
don’t notice them, we don’t want to know them. We exaggerate others; weaknesses.
The saints only look at the good qualities.
If one sees a piece of gold in the dirt, he will pick it up, irrespective of it being in
the dirt. He might say, “I will wash my hands.” What is meant is that if there
is a good thing in the muck go and pick it up. Even if a person has one quality, go and
get it. Worldly people accept this argument for worldly possessions. It may be good for
them but it is good for us as well. We should try to pick up everybody’s good
qualities.
If some body has fallen into the pit and warns us not to come near him, there is no harm
in listening to him. Though he is fallen, he is at least warning us. But if we think, he
has fallen himself, how can he warn us, it is a wrong attitude. so if there is any good
thing anywhere, go and get it.
A saint is conscientious, has nobleness in his heart. He is humanity’s well wisher.
Who-so-ever comes into contact with him, he unites him with God. Saints have always done
that.
Those who cherish Truth, adore it to the last. Truth is engrained in them. If we are truth
lovers only for a short while, then we are only pretenders, we are not the true ones.
Though pain and pleasures are part of life, saints don’t get bogged down by them,
they steer through the whirlwind of life.
As lotus flower does not get submerged in the muddy water while growing in it, it keeps
its beauty while there, the saints, while living in the world don’t run away from it,
rather battle with it. Only people like this can salvage the world.
Saints do not celebrate their occasions like the worldly people; they don’t conform
to the worldly customs. They try to get inspiration from great masters and make themselves
virtuous. Unless their qualities become part of our life, it is not going to lead us
anywhere.
Saints stay away from backbiting and bickering, beseech the support of the Almighty and
pin their hopes on Him, meditate his ‘Name’ and dedicate their lives for the
cause of humanity. The greatest virtue of a devotee is his belief that everything belongs
to Him. He lives by it, obeys his Master with dedication.
Man should pray all the time to be blessed. The hands given to him for the kind deeds be
used for them, the feet should take him to holy places. Wherever any help is needed he
should be there, his eyes should see good things and not bad things.
Truth is not propagated by words, it is done by actions. Our words should be supported by
actions. If we dedicate ourselves to the Truth, people will automatically be drawn towards
us.
Today, lot of responsibilities have fallen on your shoulders. You saints have proved that
the blame put on the Sant Nirankari Mission was totally baseless, there was no truth in
that. Now if somebody comes into contact with you, he will become the harbinger of peace
and truth.
We spent so much time for the Truth, gave our lives for it. If we want to benefit from it
we shall have to treat the Gursikhs with courtesy and respect. Perceiving the Almighty
Omnipresent we are to be on the path of service, we are not to do any injustice to
anybody. By swindling or by pilfering, if anybody has amassed the wealth it will cost him
much more. So Saints! Live by the fear of God, don’t rob others, don’t do any
injustice, rather sacrifice your life for the cause of justice. Saints are never short of
anything, they have always plenty of everything.
Never think or do evil. Don't maltreat even your servant. You are the blessed ones, unite
people with the Truth and make your lives sublime.
If someone is to please God, he should love His people. If one is to please the mother, he
shall have to please her children. Hurting her children, if somebody thinks, he can please
the mother, he is mistaken. Yes! only by the kind sentiments and behaviour you can please
them. This is the message, which the Mission is to carry forward to the people.
The one who believes God only after realizing Him, lives a pious life. He feels happy, and
tries to make others happy.
A saint lives by the will of God, perceives His presence every where, is grateful to Him,
sees His reflection in His creation. No vice, ego or arrogance can come near him. Saints
rise above shabby sentiments, because they are dyed in His colour, all earthly colors fade
away in front of
Him. We get this sentiment from the company of saints.
True disciple is the one whose actions and words speak the same language. If one says,
“I am your servant,” he will have to be his servant. There is a well known
parable. There was a person, who one moment will say,” I am your servant, I am at
your disposal.” Next, he would threaten to teach him a lesson. The disciple is not to
teach people lesson, he is to learn lesson. Servant is the one who is filled with
humility. He is happiest and the blessed. He is elevated in the eyes of God. Only his
prayers are accepted.
Devotee is a work oriented saint. He earns his living by the sweat of his hands. He is not
a parasite on the society. He is not repugnant to other people’s food and dress. He
accepts unity in diversity. He has no vanity.
When you are initiated into the Mission, you make some promises to fulfill. You don’t
go back on your promises. You stick to them. Serve the Lord with devotion and dedication.
The disciple accepts his Master’s word as a command. He forgets his own honour and
status, submits to his Master. One who becomes like that is transformed. He becomes great
and noble. He is worshipped like his ‘Master’.
Once a Master said to his disciple, “It is morning, go and fetch water.” The
disciple went to fetch water. When he came back the Master said, “It was too early,
why did you go to fetch water?” The disciple said to his Master, “I have nothing
to do with morning or evening, I am to obey you, allow me to do that.” This is the
true submission.
If your Gyan (God-knowledge) does not match with your words and vice-versa, you are not
salvaged. As you have heard a parable: Parrots had learnt to say, “The hunter will
come, spread his net to catch us. We won’t be trapped in the net.” When the
hunter heard this he was very upset. But he said, “Let me try and see what
happens.” He put up his net and some grains on it. The parrots came down from the
tree and started nibbling the grains. The hunter caught them. The parrots were still
repeating the same meaningless words.
So even if you have Gyan, and still go on reciting the words without understanding
anything, it is of no use.
There was a businessman who used to rent utensils. Once a man hired some utensils from
him. He paid him the rent, but when he returned them he gave some extra ones. The
businessman asked him why he is giving some extra. The man said, “The extra ones are
the children of utensils I hired.” The businessman kept quiet, but thought him to be
a good customer. Next time the man came and asked the businessman to lend him some silver
utensils and crockery, because he had to entertain some very important friends. The
businessman first hesitated, but then lent him some silver ones. The man took them home,
but did not come to return them. The businessman went to the man’s house and asked
him to return the silver utensils. The man said, “I am sorry, the utensils have
died.” The Businessman said, “How can utensils die?” The man said, “If
they could have children, they could die as well.”
The world is like this. For greed we become blind and cannot see right or wrong. Saints
warn the world not to be greedy, listen to the voice of fairness and honesty. Do not
forsake the truth or you will have to repent.
We have known the Truth by the grace of God. Now it becomes our duty to live by it. We are
not to be entangled in the world of vices. We are to live by love and stay away from
enmity and malice.
Where we are to give due respect and love to saints, we are also to treat the rest of
world the same way, because God lives in everybody.
When we come to the congregation, we should meet those who strengthen our faith and bring
us nearer to God. We should not stay in the company of those who take us away from God and
make us waver. We should pray that we be kept on the path of truth and love, and mould our
lives like that.
Saints do not simply talk, they behave. They don’t only give sermons, they act.
When we have compassion for society, we are in true devotion and accepted in the Kingdom
of God. Contrarily if we hate people, may be we have done some good deeds, we cannot be
called saints.
To love His creation is to love Him. To please mother you will have to love her children.
We cannot get blessings from the mother if we hate her children.
Everybody is to leave this world sooner or later. We are to see who is praised. It
doesn’t matter whether we have lived longer or shorter. That one will be praised who
loved people.
We see during a journey, the one who has been courteous is remembered even after he has
left the train. He leaves his impression upon us. Conversely if some one had been rude and
offensive we don't want to know about him.
The one who is nice and kind is really acting on his Master’s teachings. But if
somebody is only quoting and reciting the Master’s teachings, he is not acting on his
Master’s teachings and the scriptures.
The great masters were not only preachers, they were men of action. Their deeds inspired
people. Their life became a model for other. Saints are always on the look out to serve
the mankind. They think if they have missed the opportunity, they have missed everything,
everything is wasted.
Great is the one who moulds his life according to the teachings of great men. Just
narrating their tales won’t make anybody great. The great men will not feel flattered
by the praise. We are to become great by doing great deeds.
Keeping God in their heart, saints pray for the welfare of the people. They don't parrot
the phrases of the greatest good of the greatest number, they say it from the core of
their heart and do it. This is act of devotion. People think doing something for somebody
is devotion. If you have some malice in your hearts, even good deeds are of no use. We say
we adore the teachings of Gurus. If we don't follow their directions, it does not mean
anything. If you adore somebody, you will have to listen to what he tells you to do.
A man was going to put a new drain to his house. His neighbor told him not to put it
there, as it would damage their house. He did not listen. They took him to the village
council, which forbade him to do that. But he still did that. When the neighbor asked him,
“Don’t you obey the council?” The man said, “I do, but the drain will
stay there.” Are we too doing like him?
The meaning of respecting is to obey and follow. We are taught to love and respect each
other. We are to dismantle the walls of status, caste, creed and colour. If we have done
that our lives will be worthwhile. If we really want to follow the great man. We will have
to put into practice what they preached.
As the lotus flower is not affected in the mud it grows, so the saints do not get tanned
by the worldly vices. They stay aloof of them. That is the test of the true saints.
If we look at the life of saints, men of God, or Prophets, they all had to face
oppression, cruelty, brutality and atrocities in the world. To undo that they did not
resort to the same ways and methods which the world did. They rather responded with love
and affection. History is witness to the life of Prophet Mohammed. Due to his teachings of
Truth, the people of Mecca became hostile to him. He had to leave Mecca, But when he
returned to Mecca victorious, he did not treat the Meccans the way they had treated him.
He forgave them, and told them to live in peace, because they were all brothers.
Every single word of Prophets and sages should be a word of command for us. By leading
noble lives, they taught us what devotion is. It is my earnest intention that the way of
life you have adopted, should become a model for the rest of the world. It is my sincere
intention and I hope the people of the world adopt the ways of peace and make the world
lovable and livable.
Love, affection and respect is the greatest treasure of saints. Those who respect others
get the respect in return. The one who feels jubilant at exposing others’ faults and
failings is mistaken. If we think by doing that he has achieved greatness, we are
mistaken. Worldly people try to find weaknesses in others, though they themselves might
have more than others. Saints don't indulge in that sort of things. They rise above those
petty things. That makes them noble and loving. Saint is spotless, simple, pure and
sublime.
Mere preaching won’t achieve anything. Somebody may be a good speaker, a nice singer,
if he does not practice what he says, or what he sings, is useless. If somebody gives a
very impressive lecture in the harms of tea drinking, but drinks tea himself, he will have
no impact. Contrary to it if someone is not a good orator, but practices what he says, he
will impress the people more. Such a person is the real missionary.
In whatever field a Gurmukh works, his prime object of life is to preach Guru’s
gospel of love for humanity. He is to motivate people to serve humanity. One who dedicates
oneself to the service of humanity enjoys real happiness.
Service can only be done under discipline, under direction. Those who serve under
discipline, experience the bliss of happiness. One who thinks that to do service is to
give orders to others, is mistaken. It is not the right way. Now-a-days if somebody gets a
little position, he starts commanding others, although he may not be worth a pinch of salt
himself. When a saint gets position he knows it is to serve. It is for him to do the job
himself and not pass the buck on to others.
Service polishes devotion. He who serves lives in bliss all the time, but the service must
be selfless. Pride destroys the bliss of service. History remembers only those, who served
selflessly.