If you wanted to acquire academic knowledge, where would you go? You would go to schools or colleges which have the complement of staff to teach the various subjects. To learn about the physical form--what it comprises and how it decays--you would go to a medical college. To become an engineer you would need to attend an engineering college, and so on. Where would you go to realize God? You would go to a Satsang, where the Teacher, Sant or Master has Himself realized the Truth and is competent to impart this wisdom to those present. Actually, Satsang is the medicine for that disease and pain which comes from ignorance of the Truth, from searching for the answer to: Is there a God and how does one realize Him?

In anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc., the subject is demonstrated to the students by means of dissection, performed and taught by those with specialized knowledge. In the company of those who have realized the Truth, we can learn how to realize it, also by means of demonstration. It is this competency which determines who is selected as a Guru, Sadhu, Sant or Master--not the mere acting of a part, or a particular mode of outer appearance. He Who has the knowledge of the Beyond teaches that within us is a mind of everlasting life, and that we should realize this fact in truth. All the great Masters have said that this life everlasting is attainable only in the human form, and in no other species. Listen to the Master's true words, for He speaks of what He has seen. However, those who are intoxicated with the influence of their own mind and thoughts, who have never seen God and merely imagine that God is omnipresent, are like a woman who acts as married, but has never met her husband. They just talk of the everlasting marriage but cannot perform the ceremony. Even if you travel the four corners of the earth, you cannot have this marriage without a Satguru. He is the Truth in physical form, and only He can unite you with the Lord. Mira Bai got a permanent marriage through the Imperishable Bridegroom. I want you to understand the true meaning of Satsang--for the question these days is: Where and how can we experience the Truth?

The common man derives some kind of intoxication by singing hymns and playing instruments, or through belief in God by reading the scriptures. The Masters have given two statements: that there is a God, for They Themselves have seen Him, and also that God cannot be seen. Both statements are correct from their own level. God Absolute, which has not come into expression, is nameless, formless, and soundless, and therefore cannot be seen. This is the stage where one must become absorbed into Him. But, when He wished to become from One to Many, that Power came into expression, and that true Lord we can see--we can experience. When the expression came forth from God Absolute, there was vibration, and two things were created--Light and Sound. Both denote the same Truth, and we can experience both, through the company of a True Master: One Who has seen and heard for Himself, and can demonstrate it by giving the experience to others.

Guru Nanak Sahib said, "Nanak's Lord can be seen clearly." Jesus said, "Behold, the Lord." Kabir Sahib said, "O Kabir, my doubts were allayed when I saw the Truth in the True Form." Sri Ramakrishna told Vivekananda, "My child, I see Him as I am seeing you--even more clearly than that." Dadu Sahib said, "What I say is from seeing, not like others who talk from hearsay." So, if you want to know God, go to He Who has seen Him. What can a man know of the Truth who wags his head in a trance of feelings, or theorizes from books? If a person meditates upon the Absolute God, the very finest image will appear. I am saying in very clear and simple words, that who has not seen cannot show. It is a matter of revelation; as Christ said, "No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him". This means that the child actually sees his Father. The Son is He Who sees God, Who has acquired the knowledge of the Beyond and can reveal it to others. To reveal is to uncover something which is already there--there is no question of inserting something from outside. That which is to be revealed is within each being; the only difference is that in some it is hidden and in some, manifest.

The soul is of the same essence as God, and the glory of the body remains only as long as we are in it; but we are imprisoned within it. There are openings at the eyes, ears, etc., but the indweller (the soul) cannot run out. The breath goes out, but does not stay out; some Power is pulling it back into the body. Within this human form lies the Amrit (a never-ending spring which is the Water of Life), but we are searching for it among outer things. Here in our country (India), people do not understand the difference between spiritism, which is belief in the existence of disembodied spirits; spiritualism, which is contacting those spirits who are on a little higher level; and Spirituality, which is knowing oneself by self-analysis and knowing the Overself. The spiritualists, who contact spirits, can only reach the wandering spirits from the astral region, very near the earthly atmosphere. This is not hypnotism or mesmerism, through which a man's mind can be controlled, but it is also not Spirituality. Spirituality is a science by which the soul can be freed from the mind and senses, and realize itself and the Controller of the physical form. So, to know yourself and to know God is Spirituality.

Kabir Sahib says, "He can be called a Satguru Who can reveal the Ever-permanent Being." Go and search for a Master Who can teach you to rise above the body consciousness--above the physical and astral bodies. See how many such Masters you can find. There are many who will teach you through the senses, by reading, writing, thinking, devotional rituals, customary rites, pilgrimages, fasting, giving alms to the poor, fire worship, and intellectual wrangling to arrive at a conclusion; but all these methods come under the heading of apra vidya, or outer knowledge. They can all be taught by anyone who has had a little training. But One Who will free the soul from mind and senses, giving an inner experience by separating consciousness from matter to bring the soul above the astral form, and Who will open the Eye through which the Inner Light or God's own Form in Radiance can be seen, is called a True Master or Satguru--and the company of such a Master is called Satsang.

As such, Satsang is very rare. Self-realized people have always been and even now are rare, but because of the law of demand and supply, the world is not without Them. Therefore, there is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. Some people waste the whole of their precious life in searching for the Truth outwardly, through outward observances or drawing intellectual inferences. They don't see anything, and, therefore, do not get anything. The outer practices do set up a yearning and give birth to some desire for God, but this is only preparing the ground, just as clouds come before the rain. They are good actions and bring the fruit of reward, but do not end one's coming and going in the world. Until man can see that He is the Doer and not "I," the I-hood will remain and so, therefore, will the birth and rebirth, for all actions whether good or bad will effect reaction. But when one becomes the seer of the Truth--the conscious co-worker of the Divine Plan--the situation as it truly stands becomes apparent. I can do nothing,' whatever God wills, happens.

From the day that one realizes God is the Doer, one will cease to come and go in the realm of action, and will no longer be tied up by the sanchit karmas. So, in the company of He Who sees, you will receive a particle of that which is called Truth. In the company of the Saint, the Lord is seen within. Only then will one realize how sweet is the Name of God. The Naam is something to be enjoyed, like nectar; to derive happiness from its association. Only then will true love develop.

How many people can you find who can see? It is very well to say, "this book says this, that books says that," but what have you seen? Dadu Sahib tells us with authority, I have seen It--others speak from hearsay. It is not a subject of words alone. Kabir Sahib says, "Through words alone you cannot become a devotee--leave this hypocrisy." So, do you understand what Satsang is? What can the poor wooden puppet do ? The Puppeteer knows what He is doing. As long as this level is not reached, your coming and going will not cease. Satsang is the school where the experiences of the great Masters are retold, and where some experience is given to the student, that he may see a little of the Truth himself and develop further.

Forgive me, Dadu Sahib was an illiterate person--He had not acquired a degree of any kind. In which college did Guru Nanak study? What school did Kabir Sahib attend? Hazrat Mohammed Sahib (the Prophet) used to be called Umi, which means "illiterate." Did Christ learn His wisdom in any school? The knowledge that these great people had was the free knowledge of the Beyond.

At the time of Kabir Sahib, there was a certain pundit or religious teacher. His story is written in the scriptures, and it tells of how he studied the holy and other books extensively and became the most learned man for many miles around; so he called himself Sarbajeet, meaning one who has won above all others. On completion of his studies, he returned to his mother's house. She was a follower of Kabir Sahib, and when he said to her, "Mother, I have become Sarbajeet; you should call me that from now on," she replied, "I will, if you can beat Kabir Sahib in knowledge." Worldly knowledge often encourages pride, and carelessly picking up his books he said, "Oh, that is nothing," and went off to Kabir Sahib's humble dwelling.

Kabir Sahib said to the young man, "Well, Punditji, what has brought you here?" The proud pundit replied, "I am Sarbajeet, and I have come to beat you in knowledge." Kabir Sahib smiled at him and said, "I do not want to argue over this; so you just write down that Sarbajeet has won and Kabir has lost, and I will sign it." The pundit was very pleased that Kabir had given in so easily; he quickly wrote the words and got Kabir to sign it. He went home, and flourishing the paper at his mother, he said, "Now you will have to call me Sarbajeet, for Kabir Sahib has acknowledged it." She took the paper and read aloud, "Sarbajeet has lost and Kabir has won." Unbelieving, he read it for himself, and said, "How is this possible? There must be some mistake--I will go back to Kabir Sahib." On arriving at the Saint's house, he blurted out, "Maharaj, I made a slight mistake; so I want to rewrite the paper." Kabir Sahib amiably agreed and signed the new declaration. When the pundit reached home, his mother read the paper and said, "But it is still written, 'Sarbajeet has lost and Kabir has won.'" In frustration he shouted, "I will go again to Kabir!" and hurried off. It is a rule with all great Masters that They never belittle a person, but with love They make the people understand. If one does not listen even then, They will go to the extent of operating, like a doctor who will do his very best to cure a tumor, even it if means resorting to surgery. So, with great kindness, Kabir Sahib pointed out to the pundit, "How can your mind and mine become one? I say what I have seen, and you say what you have read from printed matter."

Even then, there are very few who understand the scriptures. For example, if four men went to Kashmir and visited the same places there, when asked to write a description of what they had seen, each would write about whatever impressed him the most--so all the accounts would be different, though they would all be accurate. A person who had never been to Kashmir would think that the writings referred to different places, but one who had been there would say, "Yes, all four are correct, for I have seen these places." Through seeing for himself, the latter would be the one qualified to explain the descriptions to others. You can only get Spirituality and pure perception from Those Who have seen the Truth.

A group of learned priests once went to Maulana Rumi Sahib, similarly to test His knowledge. He also explained that the subject could not be discussed between them, for their learning was from prose and writings, whereas His was simply knowledge from the Beyond -- something full of sweetness.

Kabir Sahib continues the subject by saying, "I speak to untangle, but you are entangled." He is making it very clear that there is a wide gap of difference between bookish learning and actual experience. In other words, when I speak to people the mysteries are solved and the knots untangle themselves, but your words only serve to keep them in bondage. For another example, one lights a candle and rings a bell in the holy places, but I say that the Light and Sound is within you; hear that Sound through which you will get salvation. Everything has its own value--outer knowledge included--but it is only the preparation of the ground. When you meet a Satguru, the darkness is dispelled.

If after hearing these sayings of the great Masters, there are still some who are not convinced, then what can be done for these poor people? Within you is the Nectar of Life--go inside. You and God are both residing in the same temple. Search it out from where it lies, not outwardly wasting your whole life through. Kabir Sahib says, "I tell them to awake, but you yourself are sleeping." The words of the Master are clear and at the same time free; there is no compulsion there. He is telling us to awake, but we are going into further forgetfulness. The whole world is sleeping in the illusionary attachment. We are sleeping, having completely forgotten who we are. We have got a body, but have become the body and though it is changing, just like the whole world is changing, yet we think it is all stationary. The Masters tell us to awake, know thyself, and become the seer of God. In the Vedas, we are told to Awake, arise, and stop not until the goal is reached. Kabir Sahib says, "Awake, beloved, why are you sleeping? The night has passed, do you want to lose the day also?" All great Masters have exhorted man to awake, but the so-called masters are putting two extra quilts on him saying, "Sleep, child, sleep; what you do at the level of physical body, outgoing faculties or intellect is all sufficient." If we do not awake while we have got the human form, when will we do so?

Some worship spirits, some worship tombs--going adrift in whichever direction they are led by the selfish-minded people. Kabir Sahib says, "I say, be detached; you are going along in attachment." Whatever life's give and take may be comes through the prarabdh (fate) karmas; so accept the ups and downs cheerfully. God's pen writes according to our own karmic reactions. I was once in a court when the judge was passing sentence on a murderer, and his words were, "In view of the facts before me, I decide that he should be hanged by the neck until dead." According to your own karmas, some people are your brothers, sisters, wife, husband, etc., and the joys and burdens of life should be accepted cheerfully. Wife and husband should have the joint aim in life to help each other to realize God. Otherwise, wherever your attention is, you will go to that.

Kabir Sahib says, "For age after age I have tried to make people understand; but no one listens." Very few people accept the truth. When the Masters come and see the condition of the world, They awaken them to the truth and warn them as to what they are doing. The lessons They give always have deeply profound meanings, but they are always corrupted. Prayers were started that God should be remembered, but after a while people began to keep symbols of God and started worshiping them, saying this is God. The soul, which is a conscious entity, should only worship the All-consciousness. Otherwise, if the conscious being starts worshiping matter, it will retrogress to lower species of life. A certain Master said, "It was through very high destiny that you got this physical form. If you do not get connection with the Naam, you are a murderer of your soul." Christ called it the death of the soul. Ironically, we have become so much entangled in lower things, that to give even a single thought to something higher seems like a sin--we feel guilty.

Kabir Sahib continues: "You are like an early widow, who never got to know her husband, and who is losing all her wealth." You are not only wasting your own life, but others' also. If you had even a little connection with God--your husband--it would be all right, but you have never even seen Him. These people who pose and say, "Yes, we have seen and will show you" waste the seekers' precious years in outer practices. If by chance a seeker requests to be given some experience, he is usually told, "Should it be given haphazardly? First do this, and then do that, etc." Wherein lies the True Master's greatness? In that He gives you the inner experience of the Light and Sound Principle; this is true Spirituality. If you do not get this, then how can you advance? How can one who is under the control of the senses rise above those very senses by his own efforts? If a True Master takes pity, He will give you the way up. As long as I do not see with my own eyes, I cannot believe even the words of my Guru.

There is a profusion of black marketing in the world, but none to compare with that which is done in the name of God. But, The gentle stream of Peace which flows from the Satguru, washes mind and matter. God is everywhere--there is no place without Him--but He flows through a certain human pole in His fullness. Wash your sins away in that cleansing stream. Remember always that the Satguru is not a physical form; He is the Word made flesh. He is manifested God in man, and we should honor that human form because God expresses Himself through it, Kabir Sahib also tells us that if we do what the Satguru wants, we will become His image.

Guru Nanak says, "When you meet a perfect Master, you get the highest jeweled thoughts." On meeting a Satguru, He gives the seeker an invaluable jewel which is of the highest and purest quality. Are not the outer rituals performed in order that one may come to realize God? There are various roads, but only one destination. The perfect Master will not only tell you the true way, but will give an experience of it, which, if you practice daily, will steadily increase. Guru Nanak continues, "Oh, bewildered and forgetful mind, surrender at the Guru's feet." O lost man, you are roaming on this earth like a madman; go and sit at the feet of One Who has the knowledge of the Beyond, a Guru of the highest order, Who will dispel the darkness. The Guru did not tell us to go to a person who is intellectually qualified. Every being has the everlasting Nectar of Life within him, but only He Who is in constant contact can give you a contact. Many say that to reach the Goal, a Guru is not necessary. Forgive me, but such people desire to be Gurus themselves, and expect others to listen to their words. The practical meaning of Guru is "One Who has the inner knowledge and can reveal the Light to others." Christ told us, "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." He said, "As long as I am in the world," but the Christ lives even now. How can he who has met a True Master continue to walk in darkness?

The holy books cannot be accurately explained by those who have not seen what is mentioned therein. There are learned people who can expertly expound their own theories, but a wise seeker will not follow a mere philosophy, but will seek to have the darkness within dispelled. Who can give Light? He who hasn't got, cannot give; but remember that a True Master actually gives a portion of His life, just as a mother gives her blood to the child and nourishes it on her milk. The Master does the same thing, spiritually, and asks for nothing in return. He never asks for money in pretense of devotional practice. Spirituality is a gift of nature given freely to everyone. Some people in the West once wrote to my Master saying, "We have got wealth, so please give us Spirituality in exchange for it." My Master replied, "l do not want your wealth, and what I have got will be given free, being a gift of nature." Even today, through His grace the world is receiving this gift.

The Lord of Death runs in fear from he who meditates upon the Holy Naam. It is also said, "Through the Naam comes the Light of millions of suns." There is the Light and there is the Sound, the Music of the Spheres--the wealth attained by a true Gurumukh. There are two kinds of bhakti: one through the mind and senses, and the other is that which you get through the Guru.

Death is no bugbear; it is the name given to a change which comes when one leaves the coarse atmosphere of the earth and enters a finer one of Light. Something like the sun setting in one place and rising in another. We have to leave the body one day, and at the very first sitting, the Master raises the consciousness above the body and gives an experience of the Light and Sound Principle. Then, through daily practice this is increased. The fear of death will leave. He who is afraid of birth and death should sit at the feet of a Perfect Master. The whole world is afraid of death, but true seekers go to the Master and request Him to teach them how to die. Why? Because one must learn to die before one can truly begin to live. How does the Master release one from the fear of death? When the soul leaves the body, there is a finer body inside called the astral body. Further ahead, there is the causal body, and when one rises from the physical body, one begins to get some indication of the Oversoul. This is the order of the soul's experience within, having which, all fears will leave. This is why the Masters stress again and again that one should truly know oneself.

Trying to achieve self-knowledge through feelings, emotions, or through inference is accompanied by doubt of error, for nothing is seen. Realization does not come until the soul has risen above the physical and astral forms, and this one can only do through the help of a Guru. With the Guru's blessing, you come to know yourself. By going into the astral plane you get some self-awareness then beyond that, in cosmic awareness, you see that, I and my Father are one. Go then, to the Person Who will lighten your darkness and give you real life insurance.

Just after I was initiated, an insurance agent approached me in the hope of selling some life insurance. I told him that my life had already been insured in Hazur Maharaj Ji's hands. "You have, in fact, come to insure my death, for only if I die before ten years will someone receive full amount of the policy insured; is that not so?" After all, each one must give up his life one day. Instead of handing yourself over to the Lord of Death, why not repose in the care of a God-realized Man Who will show you the way up by teaching how to rise above the body while living? When you get such an opportunity and you reject it, naturally we delay our going to our True Home.

The last words of the Guru Granth Sahib are: "O God, give me Your Darshan." What is the value of a fruit tree which never bears fruit, no matter how much it is tended and watered? The Guru's work is to connect the soul with God, and the company of such a Guru is called Satsang, which one gets with great good fortune. He who has good karmas from very far back will get connection with Naam. Nanak says, "Only then will you have perpetual happiness; when in this abode the Sound is struck."

Oh brother, I have no other place to go. It means that there is no other place than the Guru to get what I want. And in gratitude: The Guru has given me such wealth, I am overcome with gratitude. It is also written, All glory to the teachings of the Master; I wish to never be separated from Him. Guru Nanak has expressed many profound thoughts on separation. "I cannot live for one second without the Naam, for that is death to me." Also: "I am blind without the Naam, through which is the only means of reaching my true home." It will take us back to the Source, from whence the Light and Sound started; it is the true road to God.

Philosophical paths are built upon hypotheses, though they do have some connection with the teachings of the True Masters. But to be connected to the Truth, to experience the Controller or God, and to further realize Him--this is the true teaching in practice. What a great blessing it is! Outer practices and theories are well enough in their own sphere, for all have the same aim in view, but If the guru is blind, what is the disciple's destination ? Who is a blind man? A blind man is he whose inner eye is not open, 0 Nanak, how can he see God? So we have, When the blind leads the way, only the blind will follow. If he had eyes, he would not be in this predicament. Those who follow the one who does not see, are obviously blind themselves. They get nothing and waste their whole lives obeying blindly. How many masters can you find who will give something practical? If the master is hungry and naked, how can the servant be well fed? When the blind leads the blind, both will fall in the ditch.

Just like today, there were many so-called gurus in the days of Guru Nanak. Without being invited, He would visit the sadhus, sants, and rishis, and sitting down quietly with them, with great love and patience, He would explain what they were doing. Transport and travel was difficult in those days, but He went to the Himalayas to see the yogis there--He went to Burma, China, Arabia, and many other far-distant countries for the sole purpose of awakening the souls to the Truth. Without the human pole in which God has expressed Himself, it is impossible to achieve the Truth. In past history, many have tried to reach God through many and varied types of practices, some even who withered away into dust in the attempt, but all in vain of having a glimpse of the Lord.

Those who come into the world and do not get a true Guru can be likened to a crow who flew into an empty house calling, "caw, caw, caw" but had to fly away without being fed. The people who have not experienced God inside them will always be unhappy. True happiness will always remain just out of reach. There is great bliss in the soul, which will only be realized when it is connected back to the Oversoul which is Sat, Chit, and Anand--ever existent, all wisdom, and eternal bliss. If one has got the Nectar of Naam, then each pore of his body will be intoxicated. Even the blood circulation in the physical systems will become rhythmical, and many diseases will go. If the soul is strong, the body and mind will derive strength, coolness, and peaceful serenity.

Many years ago in Peshawar, I was sitting one day in the office of a doctor whom I knew very well. I observed that a certain prescription he gave the compounder to be made up was very lengthy, comprising many ingredients, but he prepared the prescription by putting only one or two in the bottle. When I remarked on this, the doctor replied, "Oh, actually I just give something to clean the stomach. Only the soul has the power of curing physical ills." Many diseases today are worsened, simply because at the advent of a slight indisposition, people run to the doctors for medicine, which means that too many drugs get absorbed into the body and cause trouble. Simple sicknesses can be helped by eating less or taking only water for two or three days.

The thing is in one place, and you search elsewhere clutching at anything; Kabir says, "You will only find it when you take the Knower with you. Only One Who knows can show you where your desire lies; it was the work of many lives to come, but He took you there at once." Masters are similarly described in the Ved Shastras (ancient Hindu scriptures). But this does not apply to the common gurudom which is becoming notorious these days, where followers are fighting amongst themselves and even killing each other in the name of religion. All religions belong to God; so join back to Him.

A Satguru is He Who makes all children of God to sit on one platform. Some time back, I gave a talk on Gandhiji, and described that he was successful in his mission because he had no particular preference for any religion. When the people sat before him, prayers were sung in different languages: Arabic, Sanskrit, and others. The language or religion made no difference to him. To learn to sit with one another is the first lesson; then search for a Master to give you an experience of the Truth. The single means back to the Source is the path of Nad, the Sound Principle, which is vibrating in each being.

Creation, then dissolution, comes through the Shabd; then through the Shabd, creation again. The Lord is Soundless, but when He expressed Himself, the expression resulted in vibration and came into being. That Power is sustaining the world, and through that Power the world falls into dissolution. Then again, through the same Power, it is created. It has many names: Shabd, Kalma, Naam, Word, etc. A Persian prophet said, "O Khuda (Lord), show me that place wherein, without words, the Kalma is proceeding." Fourteen planes were made through this Kalma. It is not the name which is important; but the Power itself, which the name portends, is the very Lord. He who becomes saturated with the Shabd or Naam will experience such intoxication that through it he will go into the Soundless (Ashabd) or Wordless state.

This is the only way you can go back. You will then realize that which is beyond illusion, with its three stages: prakriti, maya, and pradhan. I only obey my Guru's words and nothing else. How clear are these words! Always we should do as He commands, but we prefer to obey our own minds. Dwell in the Shabd, through which the devastating I-hood will burn itself out.

When your I-hood is finished, you will be the seer of the Lord. A gurumukh who sits at the feet of the Guru will get the Pure Light. Within you is the Sound of the Naam and the radiance of Light. If you experience this and know that God is doing everything and not yourself, then where will be the place for I-hood? Then, as the Guru says: "With ease, the meeting with Truth will take place." It will be like entering a lift, pressing the button for the desired floor, and reaching there without any effort on your part. You will meet the True God with ease.

The work ahead of us is to earn the Naam. It should dwell in our hearts so much in evidence that it becomes apparent in us. We should be moulded in it. It should be manifested inside and outside. The outcome of this will be: When you become as the Shabd, humility will banish all lust, anger, and ego. Having the Nectar of Life, all taste for small things will fade away. Renounce this poisonous forest, O friend; drink the Nectar of Life. Without tasting this, there will be no peace and happiness. This boat we are in--the image of our life--is meaningless without the Naam. By pride or force it is impossible. Only by giving yourself to a Perfect Master will you get it. This Nectar which outshines all others is beyond the dominions of wealth, intellect, or worldly power. Go where it is being distributed. How can it be abandoned--that which is the Preserver of all life? When He is the very life of our life and of the whole creation, how can we forget Him? We are living on this very Nectar. He Who dies absorbed in the Shabd will never die again. If the soul is connected to God, how can it return to the world? The coming and going is finished. With the Guru's blessing, you die whilst living and fully understand His commands. Nanak says, "He who dies thus, lives the true life."

Outer religious music and song has a great attraction, but it takes you to the verge of matter and does not transcend you; so the soul remains in the matter. The Shabd (the Sound Principle or Nad) begins when you rise above the five elements of body, and is vibrating inside and outside, and is food for the soul. This illustrates again the difference between outer and inner practice. Only through the Shabd will you learn to truly love God. If you want to reach the sun, follow its rays. Through the company of the Saint, God can be seen within; then the Name of God will become sweet. How can one develop love for something one has never seen? When praises are sung through seeing, such singing will gain benefit. If you sing the praises of that which another has seen, then, forgive me, but you can liken it to attempting to find some scraps of food from someone else's empty plate. Earn something for yourself. Do not keep the picture of another's beloved over your heart. Would you hurt him? Have a Beloved of your own and rejoin God yourself. When you drink deeply from the Nectar of Life, even those around you become intoxicated.

Without the Shabd the world is in forgetfulness. Death and birth come again and again. This labyrinthine loss of memory continues until we taste the Water of Life. In actual fact we go wherever our attention is. You all live for self-greatness. Whosoever comes into the world thinks there is no one like himself. Some say, "I am the greatest mahatma" and others say, "I am this, I am that," etc. A Mahatma is not made by his own efforts but by the blessing and grace of a Higher Power. It is not the work of man, but of the True Lord, Who manifests Himself in some human form or pole. No true Mahatma has ever said, "I am doing all this," but always acknowledges the Lord or His Guru as the Doer. Bheeka says that the Beyond is far from all description and understanding. He who knows, speaks not; he who speaks, knows not. It is impossible for one who sees the Truth to say that he is doing anything.

No experience comes without the Guru. Of what benefit are mere words? You can say a million times, "I am not the body, I am not the mind, the intellect, the pranas; I am the soul, the atma," but this is just talk. I say, "This is my watch," and I put it aside. I say, "This is my coat," and I can take it off when I wish. This is my body, but can I take it off when I choose? This is my intellect, but can I rise above it? I have got senses, but am I competent to work through them or stop doing so, just whenever I like? When the Guru takes you above into the higher planes and shows you the inner path to the regions of radiance, you will see for yourself that the body, intellect, and mind gain strength from you--the soul. As this awareness becomes stronger, your condition will be such that you will be in control of your senses and able to work through any one of them you choose. You will see the world through the inner eye of knowledge. At present we are under a false impression and our conclusions come through intellect and thought; we have not seen the Truth. For example, when we rise in an airplane, at first the mountains, etc., look huge, but as the altitude is increased the mountains begin to look like small mounds, and the large rivers and lakes appear like thin threads and puddles. So, all the seeming greatness of the world will not leave your heart until you have risen above the body and senses.

Those who have risen above and have realized the Truth admonish us with the words, "Oh brothers, you are sacrificing a valuable jewel for a worthless sea shell. You are building castles out of sand." You can only meet a True Master with very good karmic background, and His blessing. Unfortunately, when we do get a Master we do not value what we have received and, therefore, derive very little benefit, by comparison. Obey the commands of the Guru one hundred per cent, then you will know what God is. The company of a True Master is called Satsang, and if you are fortunate to have such company, then obey Him. When He gives you something, increase it through daily meditations. We do not like to do it and say we haven't got the time, but remember you have to die for yourself; no one else will do it for you.

The Masters do not come here to fight, though it is true that They openly give out the facts of life. Their purpose is not to belittle, but to explain the true value of things. If you have understood what I have told you today, then try and achieve it. If you have been given even the smallest knowledge of the Beyond, then increase it. When you meet a True Master, you will get His jeweled thoughts. All the essence of thought, which is like an invaluable jewel, is being given to you, in addition to an experience of the Beyond. Derive from this the utmost benefit.

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