Published in Times of India (Dated: July 24, 2013):
TRANSLATION OF WORDS INTO DEEDS DISTINGUISHES SAINTS
- Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji
Words in themselves are not enough. If humility is talked about, it has to be practiced. We have to love others; mere talk of love will not suffice. If we talk about large-heartedness, large-hearted we must become….. Here is a holy discourse by Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji, abridged by Dr D.K. Mehta, UK.
Wherever I go, I find the lovers of Truth embracing spirituality. Their lives are rooted in the love of God. They follow the path of humanity, with compassion and care for the welfare of others. They cherish these common feelings, wherever they happen to be, whichever language they speak, and whichever culture they may belong to. They all share the same sentiments of humility, love and selfless service. Their lives are exemplary because they translate the teachings of the holy beings into deeds.
The advice is to walk in their footsteps, but we tend to do the opposite. We would rather walk in front and ignore them. As a result, instead of imbibing love and humility, a false sense of pride, anger and conflict rule us.
The enjoins of prophets, sages and seers can liberate us, enlighten us and make us the means to enlighten others. They fill us with nectar and cleanse our minds. Their purifying words help to keep us on the right path. They help us to shun impurities and undesirable thoughts so that we do not soil ourselves or malign others; and do not poison our own lives, or the lives of others. For in so doing, lies the welfare of the whole world.
Although this wisdom has been there for ages, man has preferred to follow the path of destruction, which not only harms him, but harms others too. His words and actions damage and poison the atmosphere, causing restlessness and upheaval.
Those who love the Truth have always eschewed these negative tendencies. They rise above narrow-mindedness and focus on self-reform and self-refinement. They do not entertain jealousy or contemplate any thoughts of denigrating others. They have always given top priority to this noble goal and coloured their words with the acts of deeds. Such a refinement of the self lends a pleasant aroma to the environment and beautifies the surroundings.
Words are important only if acted upon, and based on love, faith and devotion. This is what distinguishes the saints. Although they may not be with us any more, their fragrance still touches us today; they have become worthy of our respect and honour. They attained lofty heights not with mere words, but with practical action.
Words in themselves are not enough. If humility is talked about, it has to be practiced. We have to love others; mere talk of love will not suffice. If we talk about large-heartedness, large-hearted we must become. People can gauge our intentions; we cannot hide them for long. We must, therefore, watch what we say and always exercise control.
We must not forget that God is with us all the time and knows our thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Him. We are all answerable to Him. We cannot argue before Him. Through the exemplary lives of saints and seers, He teaches us exactly how to live. Like a drunkard who stumbles, we can never walk the straight path, bewitched by wealth, education and ego. A stable walk requires the awareness of the Truth.
There is a tendency not to accept responsibility, but to readily blame others. Yet, if we were to overcome the weaknesses of mind, stop indulging in slander and remain steadfast, then nothing would affect us adversely. By making the Truth as our base, we usefully concentrate on healing and providing solace to others.
A poet reminds us that one evil word spoken within a short moment can have far reaching consequences, giving rise to suffering that lasts for centuries. It is like a pebble thrown in pond, the ripples of which reach far and wide. The careless remarks – the blind son of a blind father – gave rise to the epic of Mahabharata. These were words, uttered by one of the main characters, directed at an antagonist, who misjudged a shallow pool of water for a shiny stone surface. These seemingly harmless words originated the mighty war.
A word can redeem, and a word can hinder. But, if we live by the words of saints, our status remains intact and cannot be lowered. The life of Kabir Ji is an example. In spite of people’s attempts to disrepute him, his status was high, is high, and will be high for years to come. History is replete with many similar examples.
Our real worth is not gained through education, high rank or ego, but through humility and selflessness. The humblest, therefore, is the highest. To remain the highest, we have to ditch the selfish ego.
The one, who is imbued with divine love, gives up his ego. He forsakes his ‘I’ and gives prominence to the ‘Thou’. Sufi saint Bulle Shah says, such a person considers himself naïve, low and without merit; he owes his existence solely to the grace of God. We have to live in the light of God-realization.
If we close our eyes, the sun does not lose its light; only we do. Hence, we must keep our gnostic eyes always open to be enlightened within and to be able to see without. By so doing, we can never stumble. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji used to say: “Both the inner and the outer eyes need to be enlightened. If you choose to close your physical eyes, the light does not go away; it is still there. By the same token if you choose not to use your gnostic eyes, you will not see the goodness all around.”
This means that the inner vision should yield outwardly. Our good intentions should manifest into equally good deeds. We are to listen sacred words with our mind and recite with our deeds. Putting into action what we hear is the real adoption of truth.
I, therefore, pray that everyone marches on with the torch of Truth, and live their lives to accord with the teachings of the seers and sages. May they continue to inspire others, and ask the Lord to endow them with wisdom to choose the right thoughts, words and deeds
- Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji
Words in themselves are not enough. If humility is talked about, it has to be practiced. We have to love others; mere talk of love will not suffice. If we talk about large-heartedness, large-hearted we must become….. Here is a holy discourse by Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji, abridged by Dr D.K. Mehta, UK.
Wherever I go, I find the lovers of Truth embracing spirituality. Their lives are rooted in the love of God. They follow the path of humanity, with compassion and care for the welfare of others. They cherish these common feelings, wherever they happen to be, whichever language they speak, and whichever culture they may belong to. They all share the same sentiments of humility, love and selfless service. Their lives are exemplary because they translate the teachings of the holy beings into deeds.
The advice is to walk in their footsteps, but we tend to do the opposite. We would rather walk in front and ignore them. As a result, instead of imbibing love and humility, a false sense of pride, anger and conflict rule us.
The enjoins of prophets, sages and seers can liberate us, enlighten us and make us the means to enlighten others. They fill us with nectar and cleanse our minds. Their purifying words help to keep us on the right path. They help us to shun impurities and undesirable thoughts so that we do not soil ourselves or malign others; and do not poison our own lives, or the lives of others. For in so doing, lies the welfare of the whole world.
Although this wisdom has been there for ages, man has preferred to follow the path of destruction, which not only harms him, but harms others too. His words and actions damage and poison the atmosphere, causing restlessness and upheaval.
Those who love the Truth have always eschewed these negative tendencies. They rise above narrow-mindedness and focus on self-reform and self-refinement. They do not entertain jealousy or contemplate any thoughts of denigrating others. They have always given top priority to this noble goal and coloured their words with the acts of deeds. Such a refinement of the self lends a pleasant aroma to the environment and beautifies the surroundings.
Words are important only if acted upon, and based on love, faith and devotion. This is what distinguishes the saints. Although they may not be with us any more, their fragrance still touches us today; they have become worthy of our respect and honour. They attained lofty heights not with mere words, but with practical action.
Words in themselves are not enough. If humility is talked about, it has to be practiced. We have to love others; mere talk of love will not suffice. If we talk about large-heartedness, large-hearted we must become. People can gauge our intentions; we cannot hide them for long. We must, therefore, watch what we say and always exercise control.
We must not forget that God is with us all the time and knows our thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Him. We are all answerable to Him. We cannot argue before Him. Through the exemplary lives of saints and seers, He teaches us exactly how to live. Like a drunkard who stumbles, we can never walk the straight path, bewitched by wealth, education and ego. A stable walk requires the awareness of the Truth.
There is a tendency not to accept responsibility, but to readily blame others. Yet, if we were to overcome the weaknesses of mind, stop indulging in slander and remain steadfast, then nothing would affect us adversely. By making the Truth as our base, we usefully concentrate on healing and providing solace to others.
A poet reminds us that one evil word spoken within a short moment can have far reaching consequences, giving rise to suffering that lasts for centuries. It is like a pebble thrown in pond, the ripples of which reach far and wide. The careless remarks – the blind son of a blind father – gave rise to the epic of Mahabharata. These were words, uttered by one of the main characters, directed at an antagonist, who misjudged a shallow pool of water for a shiny stone surface. These seemingly harmless words originated the mighty war.
A word can redeem, and a word can hinder. But, if we live by the words of saints, our status remains intact and cannot be lowered. The life of Kabir Ji is an example. In spite of people’s attempts to disrepute him, his status was high, is high, and will be high for years to come. History is replete with many similar examples.
Our real worth is not gained through education, high rank or ego, but through humility and selflessness. The humblest, therefore, is the highest. To remain the highest, we have to ditch the selfish ego.
The one, who is imbued with divine love, gives up his ego. He forsakes his ‘I’ and gives prominence to the ‘Thou’. Sufi saint Bulle Shah says, such a person considers himself naïve, low and without merit; he owes his existence solely to the grace of God. We have to live in the light of God-realization.
If we close our eyes, the sun does not lose its light; only we do. Hence, we must keep our gnostic eyes always open to be enlightened within and to be able to see without. By so doing, we can never stumble. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji used to say: “Both the inner and the outer eyes need to be enlightened. If you choose to close your physical eyes, the light does not go away; it is still there. By the same token if you choose not to use your gnostic eyes, you will not see the goodness all around.”
This means that the inner vision should yield outwardly. Our good intentions should manifest into equally good deeds. We are to listen sacred words with our mind and recite with our deeds. Putting into action what we hear is the real adoption of truth.
I, therefore, pray that everyone marches on with the torch of Truth, and live their lives to accord with the teachings of the seers and sages. May they continue to inspire others, and ask the Lord to endow them with wisdom to choose the right thoughts, words and deeds
