Distribute the Wealth of Divine Name, Make life Richer - Baba Hardev Singh ji Maharaj

(Each breath granted by God is precious, but human life becomes all the more valuable if adorned with the wealth of Divine Name.  Let’s attain this true wealth, distribute it and become richer, says Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj.)

Each moment of our life spent in the company of saints is considered meaningful, useful and important, because it is here that we are inspired to get attached with Truth, unite with God and live life adorned with divine virtues. We may live a long life, but the moments that are spent while remembering God, realizing His presence and making Him the base of our life are really auspicious, a blessing.

Saints, therefore, always pray to God for dwelling in their heart as well as mind so that they spend every moment of their life in God-awareness.  They describe Divine Name as the ocean which, like fish, they would not like to leave even for a moment.  They compare the Truth with wealth which they would like not only to attain in abundance but distribute further also.  In material world, people are not prepared to share their wealth even with their brothers and sisters.  Devotees, however, feel happy to share this true wealth, the wealth of Divine Name with every fellow-being since they trust that by distributing, this wealth increases only and they render their life richer and more prosperous.

No doubt, human life is valuable by itself; each breath granted by God is precious.  But it finds its value in real terms when adorned with the wealth of Divine Name, when one unites with God and imbibes divine virtues. This makes life beautiful and hence all the more valuable. The soul also finds its Supreme Source and gets liberated from transmigration from one body to another; it attains salvation.

Devotees, therefore, not only pray to unite with God themselves but inspire others too to get linked with the Almighty.  Then, they would also like to remain linked with God and warn others also against getting distanced from the Almighty.  Separation puts one to disadvantages only.  Even a branch or fruit separated from the tree gets withered and decays.

Saints understand that getting linked with God is important, but more important is to remain linked with Him rather constantly.  Like we need petrol to start a vehicle, but we need the fuel to keep it moving also.  Once the supply of petrol is disconnected, the vehicle comes to a standstill and even its starting loses significance.  That is why saints attach importance to getting linked with God and then maintain this link; they would never wish to be disconnected.  They would seek and attain God-knowledge, but then they would also like to adopt it in life, experience it, live it.  They would like to see that their outlook and their feelings are hued in the colour of God-knowledge.  They would like to spend every moment of their life while fully conscious of the presence of God in everything they do.

God-knowledge is not a wealth to be kept in a safe or a locker. It must be used. Otherwise, we shall remain as poor as we are.  God-knowledge is important not as an academic or intellectual achievement but as something to be used, lived and experienced.  It must be shared and distributed also.

And while sharing and distributing this wealth, only words will not be sufficient.  Once I read a slogan written on the wall of a church.  It said, “Spread the gospel everyday but use the words if most necessary.”  You can create a lasting impression only if you adopt your message in practical life. Only then you will be able to convince others about the desirability and utility of what you seek to teach or preach.

This, however, does not mean that words have no importance at all.  Pleasant and sweet language has its own significance, its own impression.  In fact, it becomes a part of one’s behavour which is so important to convince others about the usefulness of what you want to preach.

We talk about certain principles accepted as true since ages. Certainly they are accepted because people adopted and followed them and established their infallibility.  We call such people as men of principles.  They are able to show the right direction, the right path to others also, simply because they have lived those principles.

It is such people who point out that even the spiritually enlightened persons are in trouble if they deviate from the path of devotion. Devotion is a sacred means that keeps the devotee (Bhakt) linked with God (Bhagwant). God-knowledge is, therefore, like a candle whose flame has to be protected from worldly winds.  We use our palms to save it from the current of air, to keep it burning. Otherwise, the flame may start flickering. Similarly, our devotion to God has to be safeguarded from worldly forces that are always likely to shake our faith. That’s why we are advised to seek the company of saints. They guide and help us to keep ourselves steadfast in our faith and devotion to God.

Saints, Gurus and prophets, therefore, have always given the two-fold message.  One, they wake up those who are sleeping in ignorance and advise them to remove the darkness of ignorance with the light of God-knowledge.  And people who do listen to their message, move in the direction they show and seek the company of saints. They attain God-knowledge and become spiritually enlightened.

Then, they have the message for those who are already blessed with God-knowledge.  They are advised to live it, experience it. No doubt they suffered from ignorance until they attained God-knowledge, but now that they are blessed with this divine wealth, they must use it and be happy and prosperous here and hereafter.  Let them lead the rest of their life with love, compassion, humility, tolerance, contentment, large -  heartedness and sweet language.  Let them make their dealings with others clean and honest and shun all kinds of vices and negative feelings.  Let them prove with their behaviour that their life is beautiful. Only then they will be able to motivate others to follow this path of truth, faith and devotion, distribute this wealth of Divine Name and become richer.

(Abridged by Kirpa Sagar, Incharge Press and Publicity, Sant Nirankari Mission)

Why Man is in Distress - By: Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj

Published in Times of India article:

His Holiness Article published in Times of India on Why Man is in Distress
Divine masters never opposed material progress. They, however, did say that increased possession of worldly materials might bring suffering if it were not accompanied by spiritual enlightenment, says Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj.

Man today has made tremendous progress. He has acquired vast material resources, powerful appliances and instruments. There is no dearth of goods that make life comfortable. Even luxuries are available in abundance. But even then we find man in distress. He does not find his life and property safe or secure. Violence may erupt anywhere anytime. Hence, fear keeps him deprived of the peace within. Tension tends to prevail all the time due to one reason or the other.

Who is responsible for this state of affairs? The answer is : 'Man himself'. Along with numerous achievements in the field of science and technology, he has made all kinds of weapons also. We have bombs that can create havoc on the earth and in the air. And human mind is so unpredictable that it may trigger any weapon any time anywhere quoting any reason. Obviously that is what is keeping man under constant fear and tension.

Why weapons alone? Humanity is sought to be split by man through all kinds of boundaries and walls erected in the name of caste, creed and colour, language, religion and culture. He is shut out from the reality of the world outside. He is cut off from the rest of the world and finds himself in utter bewilderment. As you know criminals are kept in closed cells. Behind the bars, they are cut off from the world. Each and every moment of their life, therefore, passes like hell. Man has also created this hell for himself. He thinks everything for himself, for the fulfillment of his own interests. The result is conflict between man and man, distance from each other, pain and suffering.

All that is created by God is meant for all. But man divides even natural resources when they come under his control. We find water being divided. There have been disputes over the distribution of water resulting in bloodshed. Had man been able to control the air, he would not have allowed the wind to blow from one country into another. The same would have been the case with sunshine.

Guided by selfish motives, man takes such steps that saints describe him as an animal: Kartoot Pashu Ki, Manush Jat. His actions are that of animals while by appearance he looks to be a human being. We lock our houses and shops. In other countries, people go in for alarm system. Why?

Do we take these steps to guard our lives and properties from animals? No, we need them against man. He appears to be man whereas he is not. His actions are guided by animal instincts. We find how one animal pounces upon the other to snatch a piece of meat. The same is the condition of man, it appears.

The farmer puts manure in order to make the land fertile and the crop healthy. But what happens is that along with the crop there is lot of unintended and superfluous growth of grass, etc. A wise farmer removes this unwanted growth before pouring any more fertilizer into the land, because he knows that otherwise it will be consumed by the wild growth and the actual crop will starve correspondingly. This is exactly what is happening in human world. Along with the material progress are growing the unwanted feelings of jealousy and narrow-mindedness. The vices like passion, anger, greed, attachment and ego tend to destroy the peace of mind for himself as well as others. Unless these negative factors are weeded out, human energies will get wasted in bad deeds, producing nothing but destruction.

God has blessed man with body with physical strength and intellect to be used for good purposes. In fact these qualities have been given by God to every human being. Then where does this difference come from? Everybody knows that fire is quite useful to us in many ways. We use it in the kitchen and cook all types of food. It is used in industrial units also. But it will be an utter misuse of fire if it is applied to burn the houses of others, burn the people themselves. Like this, all human energies and virtues stand misused, when we utilize these gifts of God to harm others. No object or power is bad by itself, bad is its misuse.

Not that man is facing such a horrible situation only because of those who run after material world. Those who claim to be above Maya (worldly objects) and boast of their being religious, too are in no way better. Almost every day we read in the newspapers reports about the bloodshed of innocent people committed in the name of religion and spiritual masters. No religion, no spiritual master, no holy person does preach or endorse such killings. Even then there is bloodshed in the name of religion. People quarrel over the very name of God. A man who describes the Almighty as Ram is found to be ready to fight with the other who calls it Allah. Why do they fight when Ram and Allah are one and the same? This is so because we have not allowed the divine light to enter our minds, enter our lives. Since we are away from God, worldly improvements too lead to destruction. The reason for disputes in the name of religion is, of course, ignorance.

The Spiritual masters teach us that man must stumble or fumble at some place or the other, if he forgets this God - Nirankar and attaches importance to material wealth only. Take for instance a building. We all know that houses are meant for men. If we start thinking the other way round, give priority to houses or consider that men are meant for houses, it will be our mistake. Shoes are meant for the feet; not that the feet are meant for shoes. This is a question of attaching importance, giving priority. We must give top priority to God, to know it, to realize it.

Divine masters never opposed material progress. They, however, did say that increased possession of worldly materials might bring suffering if it were not accompanied by spiritual enlightenment. If God enters one's life, the feelings of hatred, jealousy and pride disappear and then all the material progress of the world becomes a source of joy. Once the distance between man and God goes, the distance between man and man goes too. Nobody appears to be an enemy, nobody remains an alien. There are no conflicts, no tension, no distress