14th August, Ramgarh Sardara: From Kila Raipur, after commemorating Kali Kambli Wale Prabhu Ji’s Barsi, Swami Buddh Puri Ji (Maharaj Ji) visited Ramgarh Sardara, 15 odd kms. from Kila Raipur, where he was invited by Swami Shankar Puri Ji. Swamiji belongs to the lineage of Swami Gokul Puri Ji, who were the direct disciple of Sri Kali Kambli Wale. Maharaj Ji were also accompanied by Br. Guru Chaitanya and Sadhwi Yoganjali. The occasion attracted a huge mass of listeners, as was obvious, for two streams were merging into one surging river.
Br. Guru Chaitanya’s message on the occasion was full of a deep sense of spirit of attachment to the great purpose of life. Quoting from Rehras Sahib (the soulful hymn from Guru Granth Sahib),
Bhae paraapat manukh deh uriya, gobind Milan ki ehe teri bariya
Avar kaaj tere kite naa kaam, mil sadh sangat bhaj keval naam
which implies, ‘You have obtained this human body, it is your means to meet the Lord. The other affairs are of no use to you. Meet the Holy Congregation of saints and only recite the name of the Lord.’
But this name is not to be found everywhere. The Gurbani also says,
“Sukhmani Sukh amrit prabh naam, bhagat janaa ke man visram”
i.e. the name of the Lord is the pearl of happiness, bliss, and nectar. It rests in the minds of the devotees of the Lord.
Sadhwi Yoganjali carried on from there. She asked the audience of their real abode. This body changes constantly. The child’s body changed and there stood an adult which then waned and old age set in. Then the body was consumed by the death. But through all this the sense of ‘I’ was the same. The real abode of the ‘I’ is the Dasham Dwara (or the tenth door). The key to open it and rest in that permanent abode is the recitation of Guru mantra, with breath, as disclosed by the Guru.
She also said, that when someone working for Rs. 10,000 a month, gets a job offer for Rs. 100,000 a month, he does not hesitates even for a second to hold on to the offer. That is so because he realizes the importance of money. Similarly, if we realize the great importance of Lord, and attaching ourselves to his feet, how can we even miss one practice session of remembering Him. Further on, how can we forget Him even for a moment. For the Lord is the very basis of life.
A thief knowing that a treasure is hidden in the house, cannot rest even for a moment. Similarly, if we were to understand what great treasure is hidden in our own being, how could we neglect that even for a moment and squander our energy elsewhere.
After that Maharaj Ji addressed the gathering. The speech is presented in a bulleted form, highlighting the salient points:
- The attainment of Godhead is not possible in the bodies of plants and animals. Even the bodies of devas are not conducive for such an attainment. It is the human body that is the most fit means of communion with God, becoming one with Para-atman.
- But what is God? The names, “God”, “Allah”, “Waheguru”, “Raam”, “Krishna” are only hints to the real Divine. Where does the Divine reside? Merely groping in the dark, merely reciting the name will not bring us to the Divine. It has been said in the Gurbani, “Raam Raam kartaa sabh jagg phire, raam naa paaya jaye” i.e. the entire world is going on chanting Ram, Ram but the Ram is not to be attained (in this way). So we must know how we can reach him. How can we attain that, which we say is the highest attainment in human life, failing to attain which this human birth is futile. But, first we must know, that which we call God, what is that?
- There is a huge trend these days in Punjab, to go to Canada, America etc. The moment we say this, the mind begins to imagine something about these places. But, when we say God, what does our mind imagine? In fact, closing the eyes and chanting Raam Raam, more often than not, we can only see darkness; the mind goes on imagining about its daily affairs. So, we must know what we mean when we say God. Merely, groping the dark is of no use.
- So let us discuss what God is? Let us understand what is that attainment, attaining which one does not need or desire anything more. Attaining which, even if one suffers great loses, one’s bliss is not ruined. So let us understand what “that” is.
- The texts describe, “Anando Brahm”. That which is the Lord, or is signified by the word “God” is supreme bliss. Bliss – immeasurable, devoid of any want or suffering. One who attains such that Bliss – the turmoil of the world becomes insignificant. Even if the body of such a one gets diseased, say even acquires cancer, it is nothing more than a mere itching sensation. That Bliss is indestructible. That is God. What does the Gurbani say? It says, Simar simar simar ____ paavo? What fills the blank? It is “Sukh” or happiness that fills the blank. But what kind of happiness it is? The complete verse reads
“Simar simar simar sukh paavo, kala kalesh tan maahe mitaavo”. Happiness – through which all turmoil of the body and mind is erased, ceases to be.
- Only, if we understand the significance of this attainment, would be easily we able to rise above the hindrances on the path – the outward inclination of the mind. If we understand that there is no higher achievement than this, why would we not strive to attain it, and then why would we fight over minor tracts of land, wealth and property. Why would be allow the seeds of anger, greed, attachment to flower within. Certainly then the mind will be brought within. Travelling on the path of sushumna, it will also attain the Ultimate Attainment, Supreme Bliss that is signified by the word “God”.