Online Magazines > Manav Dharam (December 2007)
Discourse - Param Sant Sadgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj

MEDITATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR REALISATION

Today, great learned scholars recite verses of the Bhagavad Gita. This is a good thing, but is reciting verses of the Bhagavad Gita enough to awaken spiritual Knowledge in us? Arjuna says that the mind is much speedier than even the wind and it is impossible to still it. Then Lord Krishna says, "Though it is difficult to still the mind,. it can be controlled by practice and detachment". Now, the question arises about how to practise. People read the Bhagavad Gita and talk about it but nobody understands the essence. If one knows the right road, he will reach his destination in a day or two. But if one does not know the road, then how will he reach there? So the question is, how to practise and what is detachment? What is required is to detach one's mind from worldly thoughts and desires and to hook this mind to God. Thus, practice and detachment both are accomplished. It is said, "sumiran surati lagay ke mukh se kachu na bol. Bahar ke pat band kar, andar ke pat khol." "One is required to hook his attention (surati) to the Holy Name of God and not to speak anything aloud. The external door is to be closed and the inner door opened".

Photo: Param Sant Sadgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj

Param Sant Sadgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj

In the beginning mind does not get hooked easily to the Divine Word and so one is required to practise this again and again. When the mind is settled in the Word, then automatically it gets detached from the external world. But, how to know this Divine Word? We have to strive to know it. We have ten organs - five organs of action and five sensory organs - eleventh is the mind, twelfth is the intelligence. That Word cannot be known through any of these twelve organs. In the eightfold path of yoga, meditation is the seventh step and union of meditation, the Meditated (Divine Word) and the meditator is known as 'samadhi'. Knowledge of God is acquired in that state. This is to be experienced. It is like when we taste sugar, we experience its sweetness. Simply reading about the taste of sugar does not make your mouth sweet.

People say that the sanctity of Kashi Vishwanath temple is lost when low caste people enter it. However, it is written in the Ramayana, "Sumiri pawansut pawan namu. Apne bas kari rakheu Ramu", meaning that Hanuman meditated on the Holy Name and captivated Lord Rama. Lord Shiva meditated on the Holy Name. If He can become impure, then what is left that can sanctify?

I know a cleaner in Shimla. Whenever there was a satsang program, he used to come and listen at a distance. One day he expressed his desire to know the Divine Knowledge. He was initiated. Brahmins and Pandits there resented a cleaner being initiated. They were told, "The first mistake is God's for residing in the heart of the cleaner, which means that he also has God's Holy Name within his heart. He was simply shown what is already within him. So, if at all it is a mistake to initiate, then it is also a mistake on God's part for concealing Himself within his heart." The sun gives us light and warmth equally, whether we are high or low caste. So we should not involve ourselves in such casteism and we all should strive to acquire and know the Holy Name of God within our heart.

It is said, "Yah tan vish ki belari, Guru Amrit ki khan. Shish diye jo guru milen, to bhi sasta jan." "This human body is full of vices whereas the Master is the infinite well of nectar. Even if we have to sacrifice our head to get the Master then consider it a bargain". The Holy Name of God has been so glorified in our scriptures that simply by knowing It one is saved from bad luck. How one is saved should be understood. When we know the Holy Name, then we will not be reborn in other species, so says the Bhagavad Gita. For example, if a person cannot complete a job that has occupied him all day, he goes to sleep then takes up the task when he wakes up the next morning. A traveller reaches Haridwar, then next morning continues his journey. The man who can't complete a task in one day, continues working at it day after day and thus completes the job one day. No other species can experience Divine Light, so those who know the Divine Word and Divine Light get reborn as human beings.

So Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, "Eko sumiro Nanaka jal thal rahyo samay. Dooja kahe sumiriye jo jamme te mar jay." Remember the Holy Name, which is one and omnipresent. Why remember anything else which is transitory? It means that power is the same in everyone. Even if one dies while remembering It, he will get a human birth again and will acquire Spiritual Knowledge. Again, if he does not acquire perfection in devotion, he will get another human birth, will acquire Spiritual Knowledge, will do meditation and this will continue until he becomes perfect in devotion. Dhruva, for example, had the spiritual capital from many previous human births and so in his final birth he experienced God and merged in Divine Light while still a child. Once a person knows this he is saved from a bad destiny. That Name is within everyone, but people generally search for it in the outside world. So it is said, "Vastu kahin dhoondhe kahin, kis vidhi awe hath. Kabir vastu tab paiye, jab bhedi lije sath." The thing you want is here but if you look elsewhere, how will you find it? That thing is within, but people search for it in the outside world. So, how can they find it? St. Kabir says that we can reach that which is within only with the guidance and help of the Spiritual Master.

One of the German scientists who succeeded in making an atom bomb, revealed his secret to others. He thought that if he did not reveal to others how to make it, then Germany would overpower the whole world, which would be wrong. So he told this secret to others so that they could prevent its misuse. A humanitarian attitude is a great thing. So do something for the good of others. Ask true saints. My point is, that one should know the Holy Name of God. For peace and well- being in this world as well as hereafter, knowing the Holy Name and Divine Light is most essential.

Lord Buddha left his kingdom, his wife, his son and everything to find the Truth. He saw that this world is an ocean of grief and miseries. He knew that he would leave this world behind one day, so why not leave it now to find true happiness? He searched for Truth, got it and then spread it. That is why it is said that only what is available at the present time is valid. Only a living doctor, political leader and Spiritual Master can do good for people. We will benefit from asking the living Master who is here now. It is also written in the Bhagavad Gita that if we know the Divine Light, we will be benefited. But if we do not know it, then we will suffer great loss, so much so, that even this human body will be snatched from us and we will have to be reborn in other species. It is not certain when we will get another human birth and even if we do get a chance, it will go to waste like the present one. So, it is said, "Ran ganwayi soy kar, dibas ganwayo khay. Hira janam amol tha, kouri badle jay." "Night is spent sleeping, daytime is spent eating. Human birth is most precious but it is being wasted for nothing".

Saints said, "Bhakti swatantra sakal sukh khani, binu satsang na pawahin prani ." "Devotion is independent of any worldly thing and it has treasures of unlimited joy, but it is not possible without satsang". We will not get devotion from any book or written papers. Rather, devotion is awakened within by attending and listening to satsang. The same Holy Name of God resides within everyone whether he is blind, deaf or whatever. Many people complain that they could get no benefit even though they have taken spiritual initiation. They should ask themselves why they are not benefitting.

In chapter 8, verse 5 of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, "Whoever leaves his human body remembering My Name, comes to Me." Again, in verse 6, He says, "It's a mistake to think that you will remember God's Name at the time of death. Only what you have remembered throughout your life will come to your mind on your deathbed." So, in the 7 th verse, He says to Arjun to remember Him all the time continuously and to fight. So those who say that they are not benefitting even though they have taken initiation, should know that the Knowledge revealed in initiation is to be practised continuously and is not to be neglected.

Once there was a big snake which had caught a frog in its mouth. The frog was also quite big, so the snake could only swallow it slowly. Now, only God knows whether the frog was conscious of this or not, but it was gradually being swallowed by the snake, yet it was still trying to catch mosquitoes. It's the same with us. We are also gradually approaching death, but still we are busy enjoying worldly things and our various desires go on increasing day by day.

So, we should all try to know the Holy Name and Divine Light as soon as possible and meditate as much as possible.


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