Daily Routine Ensures One’s Destiny. {162.}

Daily Routine Ensures One’s Destiny. {162.}
****

People are generally alike in their fundamental nature.

It is character & values & morality that set them apart from one another.

One’s habits are crucial in the formation of one’s character.

You cannot aspire to a certain destination without striving to make some progress towards it, during the course of the 24 hours that comprise a single human day & night.

Hence, it is important that one frames & follows a daily routine that is indicative of one’s quest & objects.

One’s daily routine determines, leads to & ensures one’s destiny.

If you don’t pray for your salvation to the Revered Leader of Dayalbagh today & right now, God cannot quite be expected to drop salvation into your lap from paradise.

Make your necessary efforts today, & beginning right now, if you care for your fate.
****

Note: This is drawn from & inspired by the scriptures, practices & teachings pertaining to the Radhasoami religion of Dayalbagh.

Attain Equanimity and Maturity Thus. {161.}

Attain Equanimity and Maturity Thus. {161.}
****

“Things that are done, it is needless to speak about ...
things that are past, it is needless to blame.”

---- Confucius; The Analects.
****

Practice Makes Perfect in Meditation. {160.}

Practice Makes Perfect in Meditation. {160.}
****

“The mind is restless and difficult to restrain,
but it is subdued by practice.”

---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Benefits of Meditating on God. {159.}

Benefits of Meditating on God. {159.}
****

“When the Lord God shows His Kindness, O Nanak,
one is no longer engrossed in Maya.
The burning fire has been put out;
God Himself has saved me.
Meditate on that God, O Nanak,
who created the universe.
When God becomes merciful,
Maya does not cling.
Millions of sins are eliminated,
by meditating on the Naam,
the Name of the One Lord.
The body is made immaculate and pure,
bathing in the dust of the feet of the Lord’s humble servants.
The mind and body become contented,
finding the Perfect Lord God.
One is saved, along with his family,
and all his ancestors.”

---- The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

God: The Savior from Dangers. {158.}

God: The Savior from Dangers. {158.}
****

“Who rescues you from the darkness
of the land and the sea {dangers like storms},
when you call upon Him
in humility and in secret {praying}:
If He {Allah} only saves us from this {danger},
we shall truly be grateful.”

---- The Quran; Surah Al-Anaam: Verse 63.
****

Solid Foundation for One’s Life. {157.}

Solid Foundation for One’s Life. {157.}
****

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine
and puts them into practice
is like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
The rains came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house;
yet it did not fall,
because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not put them into practice
is like a foolish man
who built his house on sand.
The rains came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell with a great crash.”

---- The Bible; Matthew 7:24-27.
****

Greatness in Various Contexts Defined. {156.}

Greatness in Various Contexts Defined. {156.}
****

“The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming to the world’s ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances."

---- Gautama Buddha; The Dhammapada.
****

Where, Pray, After You Die? {155.}

Where, Pray, After You Die? {155.}
****

Every human or other living being represents the effect of all one’s past impulses & deeds in all one’s earlier lifetimes.
You may believe you suddenly do something, but actually you have been preparing yourself for several lifetimes for doing it.
Besides, we are all essentially ignorant, imperfect and limited beings leading lives in an evil world.
Hence, one’s present karmas are extremely important.
Your present thoughts, desires, words & actions are preparatory to your future state of life, & to your ultimate spiritual end.
It is everyone’s individual responsibility to value, choose, decide, care, & actually make the proper efforts in striving to ensure one’s state of life &, far more importantly, one’s desserts & status in the afterlife.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE AFTER YOU DIE?
This is the key question that ought to determine your entire living.
It is surprising -- actually unbelievable -- that people care so tremendously for their worldly gains that can at the most last a few months, years or decades.
Human lifespan itself is so severely limited, in the cosmic timeframe.
However, spiritual benefits acquired by securing a berth in the redemptive Radhasoami Ferry & performing good deeds last one till eternity.
It behoves the sensible to care for their eventual spiritual welfare & destiny at least as much as they do for the next meal that they are to eat, or about the house that they so keenly wish to purchase.

Haven’t we had enough of collective & continuing ignorance, wrong valuing and myopia?
What do you care more about: that petty & stupid trinket, or actually persevering to deserve that your soul could rejoice in ineffable bliss in an eternal paradise?
It is only humans, among the living beings, who might ponder over such choices, because they are the only ones who actually face these options.
Please don’t waste your priceless human birth!
Please don’t ignore my words as not containing truth, or as irrelevant for you!
Please don’t forego this opportunity that you now have of seeking to really ensure your eventual redemption.
None of the others, & nothing of the usual sort, matters.
Life is a fleeting illusory play, but God’s Grace will really work, if you take care to deserve it.
Just how truly, honestly and intensely do you really care for what happens to your soul in the afterlife?
That’s more important than absolutely anything else!
Yes, seek the truth, while you can, & it will, indeed, enable your freedom, transcendence and salvation.
****

Note: This is drawn from & inspired by the scriptures, practices & teachings pertaining to the Radhasoami religion of Dayalbagh.

Intoxicating Ecstasy of God Realization. {154.}

Intoxicating Ecstasy of God Realization. {154.}
****

“Ride one! Ride on! Do not remain behind.
Know this! Know this! Your situation is most clear.
Gallop! Gallop! You are fast riders.
Be proud! Be proud! You are among the beauties in the world.
What do you have?
What do you have that the beloved does not have?
Bring that! Bring that! Whisper it in my ears.
The night before last, the night before last, what was the tavern like?
Tell me that! Tell me that, if you are drunken wanderers of the night.
God has a wine; God has a wine hidden from all;
You and the world were created from a sip of that wine.

---- Jalaluddin Rumi; Divan 637:1-5.
****

Become Fearless by Comprehending Reality. {153.}

Become Fearless by Comprehending Reality. {153.}
****

“Fear Not.
What is not real, never was and never will be.
What is real, always was and cannot be destroyed.”

---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Cut the Noose of Death. {152.}

Cut the Noose of Death. {152.}
****

“The noose of Death is cut, and one’s wanderings cease;
victory is obtained, when one conquers his own mind.
O Nanak, eternal stability is obtained from the Guru,
and one’s day-to-day wanderings cease.
After wandering and wandering for so long, you have come;
in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga,
you have obtained this human body,
so very difficult to obtain.
This opportunity shall not come into your hands again.
So chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
and the noose of Death shall be cut away.
You shall not have to come and go
in reincarnation over and over again,
if you chant and meditate on the One and Only Lord.
Shower Your Mercy, O God, Creator Lord,
and unite poor Nanak with Yourself.”

---- The Guru Granth Sahib; Raag Gauree, 108:38.
****

The Prophet Mohammed’s Humble Personality. {151.}

The Prophet Mohammed’s Humble Personality. {151.}
****

“The good sense of Mohammed despised the pomp of royalty. The Apostle of God submitted to the menial offices of the family; he kindled the fire; swept the floor; milked the ewes; and mended with his own hands his shoes and garments. Disdaining the penance and merit of a hermit, he observed without effort of vanity the abstemious diet of an Arab.”

---- Edward Gibbon; The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire {1823}.
****

I am Dependent on God. {150.}

I am Dependent on God. {150.}
****

“My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

---- The Bible; Psalm 62:7.
****

Life’s Too Short for Quarreling. {149.}

Life’s Too Short for Quarreling. {149.}
****

“Knowing life is short,
how can we quarrel?”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Deplorable Effects of Religious Divisions. {148.}

Deplorable Effects of Religious Divisions. {148.}
****

To begin with a banal observation, there are several major religions in the world.

In addition, there are thousands of minor religions as well as millions of sects & branches of the existing religions.

Everyone remains free to believe in the god of her or his choice.

So far, so good.

However, I fail to fathom how religious diversity gradually gets converted into hatred among the followers of diverse religions.

I can never understand how apparent devotion to one’s religion can possibly take the form of violence against the believers of other religions.

Religious plurality is a fact of life, but it need not lead to dividing humanity against itself & in such deplorable manifestations & consequences as terrorism & wars.

You would agree with the essence -- if not all -- of this, wouldn’t you?

What might emerge as the only possible solution to this virtual collective failure of all the world’s existing religions?

The true goal of education and civilization ought to be a spiritually evolved human individual, with an enhanced consciousness, a nobler perspective, and a greater ability to love.

Can this reformed and ideal human be brought about by the present setup?

Not really, since the inadequacies of the status quo cannot be wished away, & they can only perpetuate & compound themselves ad nauseum.

So, only an entirely new religion altogether can inspire a better – more spiritually evolved -- human, and do it meaningfully, effectively, & on a global scale.
****

Note: This is drawn from & inspired by the scriptures, practices & teachings pertaining to the Radhasoami religion of Dayalbagh.

“I’m Wind, You Are Fire.” {147.}

“I’m Wind, You Are Fire.” {147.}
****

“O you who’ve gone on pilgrimage --
where are you, where, oh where?
Here, here is the Beloved!
Oh come now, come, oh come!
Your friend, he is your neighbor,
he is next to your wall --
You, erring in the desert --
what air of love is this?
If you’d see the Beloved’s
form without any form --
You are the house, the master,
You are the Kaaba, you! . . .
Where is a bunch of roses,
if you would be this garden?
Where, one soul’s pearly essence
when you’re the Sea of God?
That’s true -- and yet your troubles
may turn to treasures rich --
How sad that you yourself veil
the treasure that is yours!”

---- Jalaluddin Rumi.
****

What Constitutes a Pure Gift? {146.}

What Constitutes a Pure Gift? {146.}
****

“A gift is pure
when it is given from the heart
to the right person
at the right time
and at the right place,
and when we expect nothing in return.”
---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

The Sheer Joys of Gurubhakti. {145.}

The Sheer Joys of Gurubhakti. {145.}
****

“I sacrifice everything for Him.
Twenty-four hours a day,
sing the Glorious Praises
of the Lord of the Universe.
Do not forget Him,
for even one breath.
He is a companion, a friend,
and a beloved of mine,
who reflects upon the Lord’s Name,
in the Company of the Holy.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
cross over the world-ocean,
and the noose of death shall be cut away.
The four cardinal blessings are obtained
by serving the Lord.
The Elysian Tree, the source of all blessings,
is meditation on the Unseen and Unknowable Lord.
The Guru has cut out the sinful mistakes
of sexual desire and anger,
and my hopes have been fulfilled.
That mortal who is blessed by perfect destiny meets the Lord,
the Sustainer of the Universe, in the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, if the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
dwells within the mind,
one is approved and accepted,
whether he is a householder or a renunciate.”

---- The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

God Wants His Exclusive Worship. {144.}

God Wants His Exclusive Worship. {144.}
****

“God forgiveth not {the sin of}
joining other gods with Him; ...
one who joins other gods with God,
hath strayed far, far away
{from the Right Path}.”

---- The Quran; 4:116.
****

God Can Even Transfer Diseases. {143.}

God Can Even Transfer Diseases. {143.}
****

“And the Lord will take away from you all sickness,
and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt,
which you have known,
but will lay them on all those who hate you.”

---- The Bible; Deuteronomy, 7:15.
****

Flow and Overflow with Love. {142.}

Flow and Overflow with Love. {142.}
****

“Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.”

---- Gautama Buddha; The Sutta Nipata.
****

Materialism: Its Purposes and Uses. {141.}

Materialism: Its Purposes and Uses. {141.}
****

Satsangis have been enjoined to aim for and remain satisfied with merely a moderate degree of worldly success. Why is this so? What does the above injunction really mean, in practical terms?

There is, of course, no end to human desires. As the Buddha had very rightly described as his first Great Truth, desires are at the root of all human suffering. Hence, being extremely selective in one’s desires makes eminent sense, both practical and spiritual.

Moreover, globalization and consumerism subject the lay person to a virtual barrage of material products that are desirable and apparently necessary for one’s living. Under such circumstances, it is rather tempting for one to succumb to the craze for more & more material possessions.

This would naturally entail a greater focus on & efforts expended in amassing wealth. Not for nothing had the holy Bible also asserted that “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

So, if Satsangis were to recklessly seek money by hook or by crook, & determinedly rival others in the possession of worldly success & material possessions, then they would forget their real goal in life: that of ensuring their salvation.

Life in human form is precious, not because of the consumerist goods that we can buy while alive, but because it offers one the chance to mystically secure one's eternal seat in the loftiest paradise of Radhasoami Dham.

However, Satsangis are also mandated to live by one’s honest efforts, and not to have any loans pending against others. Thus, financial independence & integrity are central to the Satsangi lifestyle.

Further, various studies conducted around the world suggest that if a person’s material needs have been well taken care of, the person becomes naturally drawn towards religion & spirituality.

It is also an obvious truism that even the performance of one’s devotions and services by an individual requires money.

Besides, the spread and establishment of a new religion in the whole world will naturally entail finances of a mind-boggling order.

Hence, Satsangis should responsibly draw the line rightly on how to earn enough money for a comfortable & dignified living that enables one an adequate performance of their religious duties & aspirations, while taking care not to get caught up in the senseless vortex of naked pursuit of wealth or the acquisition of material possessions.
****

Note: This is drawn from & inspired by the scriptures, practices & teachings pertaining to the Radhasoami religion of Dayalbagh.

Meditation: Words Cease, Allowing Vision. {140.}

Meditation: Words Cease, Allowing Vision. {140.}
****

“Silently and serenely one forgets all words;
clearly and vividly That appears before you.
When one realizes It,
It is vast and without edges in Essence;
one is clearly aware.
Singularly reflecting is this bright awareness;
full of wonder is this pure reflection.”

---- Hung Chih {Zen philosopher; 1091-1157}.
****

Special Favorites among Equal Devotees. {139.}

Special Favorites among Equal Devotees. {139.}
****

“I look upon all creatures equally;
none are less dear to me and none more dear.
But those who worship me with love live in me,
and I come to life in them.”

---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Grace Works Umpteen Wonders Spontaneously. {138.}

Grace Works Umpteen Wonders Spontaneously. {138.}
****

“Millions of silent sages dwell in silence.
Our Eternal, Imperishable, Incomprehensible Lord and Master,
the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is permeating all hearts.
Wherever I look, I see Your Dwelling, O Lord.
The Guru has blessed Nanak with enlightenment.
The True Guru has blessed me with this gift.
He has given me the Priceless Jewel of the Lord’s Name.
Now, I intuitively enjoy endless pleasures and wondrous play.
God has spontaneously met with Nanak.
Says Nanak, True is the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praise.
Again and again, my mind remains immersed in it.
Spontaneously, I feed on the Love of God.
Spontaneously, I take God’s Name.
Spontaneously, I am saved by the Word of the Shabad.
Spontaneously, my treasures are filled to overflowing.
Spontaneously, my works are perfectly accomplished.
Spontaneously, I am rid of sorrow.
Spontaneously, my enemies have become friends.
Spontaneously, I have brought my mind under control.
Spontaneously, God has comforted me.
Spontaneously, my hopes have been fulfilled.
Spontaneously, I have totally realized the essence of reality.
Spontaneously, I have been blessed with the Guru’s Mantra.
Spontaneously, I am rid of hatred.
Spontaneously, my darkness has been dispelled.
Spontaneously, the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praise
seems so sweet to my mind.
Spontaneously, I behold God in each and every heart.”

---- The Guru Granth Sahib; Raag Bhairao, Part 033, 1538-1563.
****

Feed Poor for God’s Sake. {137.}

Feed Poor for God’s Sake. {137.}
****

“And they feed, for the love of Allah,
the needy, the orphan, and the captive, saying:
‘We feed you for the sake of Allah alone.
No reward do we desire from you, not any thanks.’”

---- The Hadith; Al-Insan, 76:8-9.
****

The Rich Ought to Care. {136.}

The Rich Ought to Care. {136.}
****

“Command those who in the present world are rich,
not to be arrogant, or to place hope
in anything so uncertain as wealth,
but to repose confidence in God,
who lavishly provides us
with all things for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good,
to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share.
In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves
as a firm foundation for the coming age,
so that they may take hold
of the life that is truly life.”
---- The Bible; Timothy I, 6:17-19.
****

The Buddha's Very Last Words. {135.}

The Buddha's Very Last Words. {135.}
****

“Work out your own salvation with diligence.”

---- Gautama Buddha’s very last words,
contained in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta.
****