When a soul reaches the stage of a conscious co-worker in the Divine Plan, the burden of its karma of aeons past is lifted by the soul gaining knowledge and realization that the Lord is the Doer always, and not the self. When I-hood, ego, and attachment vanish, so the balance of the karmic debts is written off. The soul, rising above the law of cause and effect, at once ceases to sow any new seeds in the fields of action.

    A Guru has in His charge the means of bringing the souls back to God. Although only those accepted by the Lord Himself are eligible for this inner path to the Source, yet they must get the key of the door from the Guru, Who not only opens the way, but guides the soul through and on the extent of the entire journey. The teaching of such Masters is one and the same, for They also have searched and traversed the inner path that lies within the mortal form, until They reached the ultimate realization of Themselves and of the Lord. He alone knows the Highest, Who has Himself reached that height.

    The true Master's teaching is not of outer knowledge, which is the Apra Vidya category, covering all practices having connection with body, mind, intellect or senses. Neither is the ultimate goal achieved in this category, for while good actions bring forth good fruit, yet they do not put a stop to coming and going in creation, under the law of cause and effect. Masters never interfere with outer teachings, however, because They come to fulfill and not to destroy. Furthermore, man is a social being; and it is necessary for him to live in society and so must necessarily form his customs, mode of living, etc. The Masters come to tell us simply to realize God.

    When little girls are small, safe under their parents' protection, they play with dolls and other toys, thereby unwittingly acquainting themselves with a housewife's duties in preparation for a future phase of life. Similarly, outer buildings of worship are made to help man's understanding; but God does not reside in man-made models. He resides in the temple of the human form, upon which the outer edifices are molded. The Hindu temple is dome-shaped somewhat like the human head, while Christian churches have nose-shaped spires. The mehrab of the Muslim mosque is forehead-shaped, and in all these holy buildings the symbols of God's Light and Sound are displayed; but our own mehrab or forehead is the place where man can really hear the true Sound and actually see the Light of God. So it then becomes obvious that the human form is the true temple of the Lord. We respect the outer things that have been made with holy purpose, for people are trying to learn the truth through them; but if a person spends his whole life trying and does not succeed in realizing his aim, what is the use?

    Outer temples, mosques, etc. are for those people whose eye as yet has not been opened; but for those who can see, the body is the temple of the Lord. O ignorant man, that which you seek already resides within you; He is within, but you procrastinate to go within where He resides. It is also said,
Everything is within this house, nothing is outside; Those who search without, they remain in delusion. If one does not seek the thing in the direction in which it lies, how can one expect to find it? There is no harm in attending places of worship; but if no inroad has been made within yourself, then you are very far from God realization.

    Tulsi Sahib very frankly says, What great tragedy, attending the imitation mosque or temple; Misery's burden increases thereby for the dweller of the natural mosque. A man enters a temple and rings the bell; but without a true Master, he will remain outside the true temple wherein the true Light is burning and the Sound of God's Naam is resounding. Whilst going on the Haj Kaaba I met the Lord Who asked me sternly, "Who told you I was there?" Kabir describes how He was going on pilgrimage to Mecca when God arrested His intentions, pointing out the futility of going so far when He is within Kabir's own self.

    All holy places have been made in the remembrance of some Master or other, and we have every respect for Them; but what of the instructions of those Masters Who told that God is within us? In the Holy Koran it says, I am that Hidden Treasure within you. Why toss around outside in a bewildered state? Body is the temple of God, and the jewel of knowledge is apparent within. When you realize that One you are trying to remember, then you have succeeded. The first step is to increase our remembrance. One bed is spread for Husband and wife; the Husband is ever awake, but wife sleeps on. Both God and the soul reside in the same place, but the soul is sleeping in illusion and attachment. Deep in this forgetfulness it roams around outside in a dream-like state - if only it would withdraw its attention from all this, it would find the Beloved waiting there. It would discover that they have never really been separated; but wherever the attention goes, it absorbs that kind of knowledge. Naturally, if it goes farther and farther in an outward direction, all its knowledge will be the outer kind.

    Our Hazur, Baba Sawan Singh Ji, used to give the example of a man sitting in a room. One may not expect him to be there; but upon entering, naturally one will encounter him. The body is enlivened while the soul remains; When it leaves, body crumples to dust. What is that which enlivens the body? We - the soul, but only as long as the soul remains in the body. It is an astonishing fact, however, that the body has so many doors or outlets, and yet the soul is unable to run out through any of them - that is due to some Power holding it there in the body, and that Power is the Lord. In the language of the Masters, it is called Naam. O Nanak, Naam controls everything; With great good fortune is it attained. There are millions of created worlds in existence, and with what perfect control in movement - not once do they clash with each other! When the Controlling Power withdraws, dissolution occurs. When that Power leaves the body, the soul must also leave. So God is within us. The nine supernatural powers of Amrit are the Lord's Naam, which resides in this body. He is the very Life Sustainer of us all. Inexpressible, Inconceivable is the infinite Naam; This beloved Naam is
exceptionally sweet.

    Naam is not a subject which can be seen or studied outwardly. For this science, one must withdraw from outer things. Neither can it be expressed in words - one must rise above to understand even a little of its nature. When mind and senses are stilled, there is great love in the heart for the Lord,
which is like a sweet nectar. All Masters tell us that all the glory and beauty lie within - why then bother to waste precious time on outer things for only while in the human form can one realize God? It is man's hereditary right to do so, but how many claim that right?

    One can say that soul is a model of the Lord, on a smaller scale, of course. Kabir says that this is God's entity. The Masters tell us, God speaks through a human form. How can God speak to us without the human form? It is a very intriguing house into which we have been born. A Persian Saint
says, You within are the very life of all worlds, all knowledge; The two worlds lie within you who are the mother of all books. All the knowledge contained in all the holy scriptures came from within. How did this happen? Those Enlightened Souls Who went within tapped the inner knowledge and brought it outside. It follows, therefore, that a similarly Enlightened Soul Who traverses inside can teach us the same science. If a person desires to go on a pilgrimage, he should take along someone who has already done the same pilgrimage. What difference does his creed or nationality make as long as he has the knowledge? If you start going within, you also will obtain that inspiration of knowledge. You will also hear the Voice which comes from far above the earthly existence. Just search in this wonderful house wherein you are residing. Unfortunately, we show it little respect.

    The journey starts from above the senses; for where the world's philosophies end, there true religion starts. How many examples can be given? All the Masters tell us the same things, in slightly different modes of expression. The outer teachings are but elementary, and the true spirituality has merely a mention; and so people are very far from the Truth. Unless the soul rises above the senses, even the meaning of the word spirituality cannot be grasped; so this is the level at which the Masters start the knowledge. They all tell us to search within the mortal form, which is itself the biggest Granth (scripture), a huge Bible, gigantic Vedas. The Path was sought within, and then the Master's secret was found. Only those who seek within will find the true Path - filling our minds with the knowledge of entire libraries will hardly give an indication of the Truth. Supposing a person reads all the medical books in existence, but he has no qualified doctor as tutor. How will he get a complete knowledge of the subject? The theoretical side is all right, but what about the practical side: the anatomy, surgery, pathology, etc., and the clinical work of the physician, all of which require practical tuition? Practice is very necessary as well as the study of books. Holy scriptures are the Guru's shop, which point the way to get across; But without a Satguru one cannot understand - until He comes in human form.

    Man's best teacher is man. A Personality Who is the very form of Truth in the human form, Who has gone within Himself and has experienced Truth Himself, is the only competent Master to give the true meaning of all the scriptures. Those people who want to bind the knowledge of the holy books to the level of the intellect will go into error. In the New Testament it indicates how God did not give the inner secret to the worldly-wise, but rather to the innocents - those like children - the pure in heart,  who are free from biased thoughts and beliefs. The intellectuals did not get it. What I want to impress upon you is that this knowledge is a practical thing. We are very grateful to all the religious orders, which have kept the holy scriptures and records in safekeeping all through the years - especially the Holy Koran and the Guru Granth Sahib, which are even today still intact in their original forms with nothing changed. Other scriptures through the decades have been subjected to changes in the original texts.

    The very meaning of the word religion gives direct information: re means back, and ligio - to bind, to bind the soul back to God. This is a task which can be done only above the consciousness of the body.

    The Masters teach this science, and They give true interpretation of the scriptures. Those who have not seen the Truth go on saying,  "This is it, that is it," - what is the outcome of all this intellectual wrestling? As one Persian Saint can reply for us: O seekers of God, you have lost Him in the folds of the mind. The ABC of spirituality starts above the body. The macrocosm is within the microcosm of the body. There are worlds within worlds. Whatever is in Brahmand is in the physical; Whosoever seeks will find it. The astral plane is far more vast than the physical plane, and the causal or Brahmand, even greater. As Maulana Rumi plainly says, How can a single particle of sand compare itself with the entire desert? The very thought of such approach to the subject baffles the intellect. There are planets in their orbits which can be seen with the naked eye but only every five thousand or so years! How old then is creation? How many creations are there? What to speak of the astral and causal planes!

    To understand that man is something great is the first lesson. It is said that a single word from the Lord brought the whole of creation into being - and man's soul is the entity of that Lord. You are a ray of the great Sun. If you become a single-focused attention, you have great power-potential. Could you not then make one small town? Everything is in this body. When you meet the Guru, you will see with your own eyes that everything is within.

    Within each man, the Lamp burns incessantly. Kabir says, This Lamp burns perpetually without wick or oil. Paltu Sahib says, There is an inverted well in the gaggan (seat of soul), wherein a Lamp is alight with neither wick nor oil. That inverted well is in the seat of the soul. A Voice emits from the flame of this Lamp; Through gaining samadhi one can hear It. Only those who go into samadhi can hear It, and It can be heard on the first day.

    The Light within and the continuous Sound rejoin you to the True One. That is the means of returning to our True Home. It is mentioned also in the Upanishads that the sun of Maha Brahmand is within, and the Sound is vibrating there, the secret teaching of which was given to the son of Devki,
Lord Krishna, by Ingris Rishi. Truth is one, and the true teaching has been in existence for countless ages. The Light does exist within, but It must be manifested to be seen. Unfortunately, we are too. lost in the outer environments to have the incentive to withdraw and seek that Light. Within the one whose ten senses are in control, that Light becomes effulgent. If you withdraw from outer consciousness, you will find the Light already there - within. If you shut the doors of the temple of the body, you will see the Light of Heaven. Christ said, If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall
be full of Light.

    All mankind is one - this is the very basic teaching of the Masters. All men come with the same God-given privileges and are born in the same manner. The outer and inner construction of the physical form is the same in everyone. So physically we are the same, and spiritually all souls are
entities of the one Lord. We are all brothers and sisters in God, and are all worshippers of the one Omnipotence - call Him by any of the various Names. Hundreds of lovers, but the Beloved is one for all. All the religions may be different, but their work is the same. So the very first thing the Masters do is teach mankind the oneness, the unity in all men; the unity already exists, but we have forgotten it.

    Regardless of a man's religion, whether he be a Hindu, Sikh, Christian, or other, to experience the Light of God within makes him a true worshipper of the Lord. If the symbols of Light and Sound are found in the places of worship of all the religions, what actual difference can there be? They were all made with the same purpose - remembrance of God - to achieve the realization of God. However, a man may spend all his life attending these models, but to no avail unless he enters the original of those models - the God-made temple of his own physical form.

    I will take a hymn of Guru Amardas, which explains this very subject: that you must search within the physical form, if you want to realize the Lord.

This mortal form is very beautiful,
When the Beloved resides there.

    Many years ago, about forty or fifty years back, I read a book in which it related of a girl who was so ugly of feature that none wished to marry her. She despaired finally, and left her hometown, taking up residence in a small village and spending all her time in the remembrance of the Lord. Some years passed by in this wise. Remember, whatever our thoughts, so will our face and form change. One can very easily estimate the type of a man's daily occupation from his outer facial appearance. So, after a few years, a certain man stated his desire to marry the girl, who was astounded, saying, "But I am the one who has ever been rejected." He told her that she was indeed very beautiful, and to look into the mirror if she could not believe his words. This is a simple story illustrating the fact that one's entire features can change according to the thoughts one indulges - the eyes, the forehead, even gestures. Whatever a man's thought, so he becomes.

    The form that is drenched in the Lord's remembrance is truly beautiful; and even those who come into contact with that form, and are connected to it, will be changed by the radiation which issues forth from it. As I have mentioned, as a person thinks, so he becomes; and also each person has his own radiation, his own smell. Spiritual people have radiation of blue and golden light. Those who are drenched in love for God are called Masters. Those who have open eyes can see that radiation. Our Hazur used to say that a person's character can be seen as clearly as the contents in a glass jar, and one can easily tell whether they are pickle or jam! There is also a smell or fragrance.

    Once, Hazur was walking home from His office when He noticed the perfume of a delightful fragrance. He looked around but could see no person nearby, and so continued walking. But after some small distance He came upon a fakir sitting by the wayside, and there was a distinct radiation  round him. So you see, people who really meditate can experience the inner fragrances, and can also see the manifestations from within. Again, from His own experience, Guru Amardas stated once, From being low we become pure, brothers, by coming to the Lord's feet; The sinking stone was drawn out from poisonous out - going faculties; all praise to Him. This tells how Masters were also at the sense level once, but through God's Grace, They reached the pure stage. He also mentioned that a man can smell like burning rags, but even that can change to a sweet fragrance.

    If you want to see your own aura, stand with your back to the sun and look at the shadow of your shoulders which falls; and according to your type of life, so that type of ray will issue forth at that place. Those with the yogic eye can see this very clearly, just as Hazur could see if a man were more like pickles or jam. One who has constant remembrance of God and has contact with Him within experiences a change in his bloodstream which incurs a change throughout the system, including the features, countenance, etc. People who are receptive can be aware of and have the benefit of such
radiation.

    The gift of the Masters is free. If you visit a perfumery, even without buying any of the perfume, you will at least get the fragrance free. If you keep a single flower in a room, the room will become fragrant with the scent of it. Our Hazur once visited my village, and afterwards I locked up the room He had used; and whosoever entered that room at any time could hear the Sound vibrating there. That place now lies in the territory of Pakistan. Masters have very powerful radiation. They are the mobile God on earth, and the company of such Personalities is called Satsang.

Connection with the True Beloved is a permanent matrimony,
  so treasure the Guru's word.

    The physical form is very beautiful, but not from the application of toilet requisites. If the body is not washed with soap for three or four days and dressed with perfume, etc., it starts smelling. Where does the smell come from? It comes from the person's thoughts. The Masters do not use perfume, but a fragrance issues forth from Their person. Such golden opportunity is at hand because we have the man-body, but what are we doing with that opportunity? Brothers, even the gods and goddesses are anxious to be born into the mortal form. It is no ordinary thing. When the human form was made, God put His own breath of life into it - His very own essence. Then He ordered the angels to bow before it. It is exalted enough, therefore, to be fully respected.

Devotion to the Lord brings a radiance which burns out all ego.

All praise to the Perfect Master's Word;
From Him one gets the true union.

    The Sound that vibrates is the Guru, and the Guru is the Sound. All these different words refer to the same thing - the Hidden Sound. The Hidden Naam is made manifest. Also, Word is the Guru; Guru is the Word; In that Word is the Nectar of Immortality. It has the power to give everlasting life. When the disciple desires, the Guru will appear, and when He appears the Word is given - Word which has been vibrating since the world began, and which will stop only at the end of the world. It can also be called Gita, for Gita means song. I once went to a place where the people requested that I give a discourse on the Gita; and so I told them that when the world began, this Song began; and that will finish only when the world finishes. It is a Song which is taught only by those who have an inner knowledge.

In this mortal form, everything exists: Khand, Mandal, Patala.*
  * The astral, the physical, and the lower physical worlds.

The Gurumukh treasures the Naam, which makes this mortal form ever beautiful.

In this mortal form, God resides;
But that invisible Lord cannot be seen.

Ignorant manmukh unravels it not, but searches only outwardly.

    A Persian Saint relates that God once said, "I am so big that all the highest peaks and lowest valleys cannot contain Me. The entire earth, sky, and sea are not fit to receive Me, I am so great; but strangely enough in the heart of a devotee do I dwell. And if you would like to realize Me, then go to Him." So it is that, With the Guru's blessing, you see that God's temple is within you, but the manmukh will merely protest that the bag of filth we call a body cannot possibly be God's temple. Brothers, even in the finest palaces you will find toilets and garbage receptacles. This mortal form is God's temple, and not a bag of filth; and, furthermore, you have only got this form through God's Grace. He resides within, and so do we; and the tragedy is that we do not talk to Him. It is a golden opportunity, and the Guru has the key to it. If you do not meet the Master and use that opportunity, then the hidden wealth remains hidden.

By serving the Satguru one achieves perpetual happiness;
The Satguru reveals the Invisible.

Within this mortal form is a treasure of jewels;
It is a treasure-house of pure devotion.

    The Realized Person gives the way up. Yogis have spent lives hundreds of years long just to learn how to rise above the physical form, and the true seeker can get that gift on the first day. A little experience on the very first day - what a wonderful concession!

In this mortal form are the nine worlds with towns, markets, shops;
In this form you get the nine supernatural powers through the Guru's Shabd
  and Thought.

Within this mortal form the scales are weighing the goods
  - the Lord Himself is the Weigher;
Mind is a precious jewel there, of great value.

There is no price on Naam;
It is given by the Guru.

    The true benefit of Naam comes only to the Gurumukh, and the Gurumukh must first become a gurusikh (disciple of the Guru). The Guru comes to the world to give away this gift freely to whomsoever seeks it, but the tragedy is that there is no one to take it. The whole night long, while this great blessing is being distributed, all eyes are so sleep-laden that no human being is aware how or to whom that gift is given.

If you would be a Gurumukh, search within this mortal form;
All others will remain in forgetfulness.

    If, for example, a thief knows there is a great deal of treasure hidden under the floor of a certain abandoned house, do you think that when night comes he will be able to refrain from entering that house when all is quiet to dig the treasure out? He will not rest or sleep until he has dug every bit of it up. All the scriptures then tell us that the spiritual treasure lies deep within us - have you ever even thought about digging it out? No, because you have no time for that. Search within this form - this advice especially applies to those who would become Gurumukhs, for this is the essence of the Guru's teaching.

To whomsoever He gives, receives that Gift;
What will cunningness avail the others?

Within that mortal form, fear and awe develop with the Guru's blessing.

In this mortal form are Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, through Whom
  the world is maintained.

The True One created this play of transmigration.

The Perfect Master Himself revealed and freed us with the True Naam.

That is the form which serves the Satguru,
which is adorned by the True One Himself.

    To worship in an outer edifice is a helping factor, whereby we can learn about the true temple. But there is a dearth of Realized Souls; so we simply draw a line and worship to that point only, within the frame of outer teachings. Since paid preaching started, the real Truth in each religion has become a forgotten thing.

Without Naam there is no protection against onslaughts from the Lord of Death.

O Nanak, he realizes the true exaltation, on whom God showers His mercy.