of recent times, some humble teachings –
JEEVAN MUKTI
(Liberation in Life)
By Baba Faqir Chand Ji Maharaj
Copyright © 2006
Chapter Four
The Satnam: Part I
O’ mind, contemplate Naam, life is short
Four came to carry you on wooden horse
Burn (you) they will, by collecting wood
(Such) as holi of Brindavan
(In the) glass palace of ten doors
Death makes complete seizure
‘Agar’ is cut, ‘nagar’ torn, breath gone and skull broken
Mother weeps holding cot, holding (her) arms (the) brothers weep
Spouse cries with dishevelled hair
Of her husband’s company deprived
Recall o’mind the Satnam, restraining yourself completely
Says Kabir, hear (me) o’saints, (the) Creator is the destroyer
These two or three persons have come from Jammu and a few more have
come
from another village. They wish me to initiate and address them. As a
true man I ask my own Self, “Will they be freed after being
initiated and preached to by me?” His Holiness Hazur Data Dayal,
Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal, opened my eyes by making me responsible for
this duty. His Holiness had great mercy upon me.
O’ mind, contemplate Naam, life is short
Rishis, munis and saints have been Awakening mankind from time to
time.
This life span is very short. You have been passing through this cycle
of life and death for many lives, so contemplate the true Naam and
meditate on the Holy form (of the Guru) to get rid of this cycle.
Now here arises a very important question. This boy, who has come here
to become initiated, tells me that he suffered a typhoid attack when
he
was only a year old. Due to this attack he became permanently
disabled.
You see how painful it is for him. A child of one year did not commit
any sin, nor did he injure any one’s feelings. Why did he lose both
of his legs? There must be some reason behind it. He must have
committed
some transgression in his previous life for which he suffers
retribution
now, or if you do not believe in the philosophy of karma then you will
have to admit that the Creator of this world is cruel. He gave birth
to
the child and disabled him of both of his legs within the very first
year of his life. Therefore, you have to agree on one point out of
these
two. We will either have to accept the philosophy of karma (action and
reaction) or admit the Creator is cruel.
To remain safe from karmas and free from the laws of the Creator, Sant
Mat has proposed this Naam (theory in this context). I ask myself, you
have spent the whole of your life in bhajan. Are you sure that you are
free from the effects of your own karma? Will you go scot-free from
the
cruel hands of the Creator of this world? These people have come for
Naam. If you give them Naam, will they be free from the pains of the
world by your initiation? Daily I receive a package of letters. Some
writers are ailing, some are infertile, others are suffering for one
reason or another and still others have disturbed lives. The whole
world
is full of pain. I often put this question to myself: “You remember
Naam, (however) are you now sure that you will not come to this world
again?” I have a firm belief that if I continue this bhajan, then I
shall not come after death, but if I abandon it, then surely I will
not
be free and will have to take re-birth.
Now what is Naam? It is to gain this definite belief that whatever
colour, form, thought, vision or feeling is visible within is all Maya
(illusion). This is all mental creation. None of them have any real
existence, but still they occur within and (we) continue to be
prevailed
upon by each of them. Due to ignorance we accept these internal
visions
as true and thus enjoy or suffer accordingly.
Mr. Krishan Lal Sahni came from Yamuna Nagar yesterday and narrated to
me an incident about his son’s marriage. He said that he had virtually
no money for the marriage and was completely helpless. However he kept
on meditating on my form continuously. He was full of praise for me
and
did not feel tired while praising Baba Ji who did so much in this
marriage for him. He offered some clothes, sweets and 21 Rupees to me.
He offered adorations and salutations to me. Now I on my own part go
within and ask myself, did I know anything about the marriage of his
son? No. Did I go to Yamuna Nagar to help him in his financial and
other
difficulties? No. Mr. Sahni is settled at Kanpur and he arranged the
marriage at Yamuna Nagar. After the marriage ceremonies were over he
sent me a telegram. However I was not aware of Mr. Krishan Lal, the
sender of the telegram from Yamuna Nagar, so I could not reply. A few
days later, I received a reply-paid telegram and I replied to the
same.
Now the question is who helped him? Was it myself who helped him? No.
He
was helped by his own faith, by faith, belief and devotion. However,
the
real help that I want to render to the suffering humanity, is wanted
by very few. A true Guru guides humanity to the path of Liberation so
that it may get Liberated and end the entire struggle forever.
You people have come to me for Naam Dan (initiation). What Naam should
I
give to you? The first and foremost rule that works in this world is
that whatever you gain or lose is the result of your own longings and
desires or the result of your previous karmas. As you think, so you
become. On psychological conditions depends the body’s fate. As you
sow,
so shall you reap. The samskaras of your previous karmas stand by you.
If you do not believe this philosophy then you will have to believe
that
the Creator is a tyrant. I do not say that the Creator is cruel, but
the
intellect is forced to accept it that way.
What sin did this boy commit at the age of one year? Why was he made
legless? Why is he suffering? You know it rained heavily yesterday so
that millions of germs and creatures must have died, and even more
must
have been born. During floods thousands of buildings are washed away
and
men are drowned, large numbers of birds and animals are swept away.
Saints name the Creator as Kal. He created this world at His own Will
and therein exist both pains and pleasures. Then the real Satnam is to
go beyond the mental existence and merge into Brahm (Divine Light).
Beyond this stage is Shabad (Primordial Sound). If you have understood
the forces of mind both constructive and destructive and if your Ideal
is formless, Light and Sound, then at the ultimate end you will
definitely merge into Light and Sound .You will not be trapped by the
mental visions. Sant Kabir writes :
Far off (is) your abode hansa, house unbounded, limitless
Neither body nor Maya exists there, nor (does) trinity pervade
Four castes do not exist, nor the family traditions
Nine, six, fourteen learnings neither, nor the thought of scriptures.
Meditations, penances, nor pilgrimages, nor rules and regulations
Neither creation of five elements, it is beyond destruction
(Neither) three gods nor thirty-three
Nor the ten incarnations
Far beyond the sixteen sankh, exists court of (the) Lord Eternal
Sitting on (an) Enlightened throne, there resounds (the) Shabad
Eternal
(To a) manly form, how do I explain? He is beyond explanation
Brightness equal to (a) thousand Suns (is) one cell of the Satpurush
Different from sound and silence, that is our true Naam
(Who) came here with (the) secret Word, to this mortal world
Meet the Guru to find out
Who creates the whole world
Hold His arm forever hansa
And go beyond
To that great island you belong
Hansa, listen to my word
(At) this time, humble Kabir
Follows (the) footprints of the Formless
That is our Desh (home). That is our Origin. What happens after
reaching
that abode? Man gets salvation. He merges his own self into Light and
Shabad. However, every individual cannot have an easy approach to that
Desh. It was due to this very fact, that among the Hindus, (the)
Gayatri
Mantra used to be introduced to every child at the age of nine so that
Light and Shabad may manifest in them and they may be able to attain
Naam. One who feels detached from this world and wants to be above the
pains and pleasures of this mundane world; Naam is for him (or her).
He
(or she) is the true claimant of Naam.
Edited and revised by Sant Harjit Singh