Criteria Constituting a Pure Gift. {244.}

Criteria Constituting a Pure Gift. {244.}
****

“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.
****

Guru Is the Greatest Giver. {243.}

Guru Is the Greatest Giver. {243.}
****

“My mind, my mind the True Guru
has blessed it with love ...
The Name of the Lord,
dwells within my mind;
it is the Destroyer of all pain.
By great good fortune, I have obtained
the Blessed Vision of the Guru’s Darshan;
blessed, blessed is my True Guru.
While standing up and sitting down,
I serve the True Guru; serving Him,
I have found peace and tranquility.
My mind, my mind the True Guru
has blessed it with love.
I live, I live, and I blossom forth,
beholding the True Guru....
He has implanted the Name of the Lord within me;
chanting the Name of the Lord, ...
the heart-lotus blossoms forth,
and through the Name of the Lord,
I have obtained the nine treasures.
The disease of egotism has been eradicated,
suffering has been eliminated, and I have
entered the Lord’s state of celestial Samadhi.
I have obtained the glorious greatness of
the Name of the Lord from the True Guru;
beholding the Divine True Guru,
my mind is at peace....
Cutting my mind and body apart,
cutting them into pieces,
I offer these to the one,
who recites to me
the Words of the True Guru.
My mind has become disillusioned
and renounced the world;
obtaining the Blessed Vision of the Guru’s Darshan,
it has found peace....
If only someone would come,...
and lead me to meet my Perfect True Guru.
A Giver as great as the Guru,...
I cannot see any other.
He blesses me with the gift of the Lord’s Name,...
those very fortunate ones meet Him;
their minds are attached to the Guru’s Feet.
Says Nanak, the Lord Himself causes us to meet the Guru;
meeting the Almighty True Guru, peace is obtained.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

The Prophet’s Mysterious Testing Ways. {242. }

The Prophet’s Mysterious Testing Ways. {242. }
****

“Narrated Abu Huraira:
Once Allah’s Apostle prayed two Rakat
{instead of four}
and finished his prayer.
Dhu-l-yadain asked him
whether the prayer had been reduced
or whether he had forgotten.
Allah’s Apostle asked the people
whether Dhu-l-yadain was telling the truth.
The people replied in the affirmative.
Then Allah’s Apostle stood up,
offered the remaining two Rakat
and then finished his prayer with Taslim
and then said, “Allahu Akbar.”
He followed it with two prostrations
like ordinary prostrations, or a bit longer.”

---- The Hadith; Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1,
Book: Call to Prayers, Hadith 682.
****

Do Rightly & Trustingly Hope. {241.}

Do Rightly & Trustingly Hope. {241.}
****

“So, do not give up your hope,
which will be greatly rewarded.
For, having done what was
right in God’s eyes,
you have need of waiting before
His word has effect for you.”

---- The Bible; Hebrews 10:35-36.
****

The Elementary Rules of Friendship. {240.}

The Elementary Rules of Friendship. {240.}
****

“The rule of friendship means
there should be
mutual sympathy between them,
each supplying what the other lacks
and trying to benefit the other,
always using friendly and sincere words.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Living True to One’s Self. {239.}

Living True to One’s Self. {239.}
****

One ought to always live
true to one’s own self.

That’s easier said,
but difficult to quite understand,
& even harder to practice.

For starters, does everyone really
possess a concrete “self” worth the name,
other than the human ego?

I wonder, indeed, I doubt,
for I am quite sure,
the true “self”
is too lofty a term
for the base ego
& cluster of impulses & motives
that people normally represent.

So, it can still be concluded
that knowing about and understanding oneself
can perhaps enable one to even
really “be” one’s self.

It appears being & becoming
are rather intricate parallel processes.

What “living true to oneself” stresses
is one’s innate integrity.
If something doesn’t gel with one’s
fundamental values, tendencies,
aspirations, goals, purposes,
then one should avoid it,
or fight it, if required.

For the self is sacrosanct
& alien & hostile invasions
seek to corrupt or pervert
one’s core faith & beliefs.

Let the faith remain absolute
it is one’s only means to God.

The confused & indecisive fritter
all their abilities & opportunities
getting more distanced with time
from both themselves & God.
****

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

Acceptance with Fortitude & Gratitude. {238.}

Acceptance with Fortitude & Gratitude. {238.}
****

“If you are destined for good fortune,
you will be blessed;
if afflictions have been ordained,
no matter where you hide,
they will seek you out.
Submit therefore before the will of God;
be grateful in well-being
and endure adversity with fortitude,
that His light may radiate within your being.”

---- Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani; Futhul Ghaib.
****

Persevere in Practice of Yoga. {237.}

Persevere in Practice of Yoga. {237.}
****

“This yoga should be practiced
with firm determination and perseverance,
without any mental reservation or doubts.”

---- Lord Krishna; The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Guru’s Sanctuary Grants one Consummation. {236.}

Guru’s Sanctuary Grants one Consummation. {236.}
****

“I bow in reverence to the Lord, I bow in reverence.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, my King.
By great good fortune, one meets the Divine Guru.
Millions of sins are erased by serving the Lord.
One whose mind is imbued with the Lord’s lotus feet
is not afflicted by the fire of sorrow.
He crosses over the world-ocean in the Saadh Sangat,
the Company of the Holy.
He chants the Name of the Fearless Lord,
and is imbued with the Lord’s Love.
One who does not steal the wealth of others,
who does not commit evil deeds or sinful acts,
the Messenger of Death does not even approach him.
God Himself quenches the fires of desire.
O Nanak, in God’s Sanctuary, one is saved.

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

Guard against Priding Your Religiosity. {235.}

Guard against Priding Your Religiosity. {235.}
****

“Do not strut proudly
on account of your good deeds.
Do not let pride waylay you.
When you deem yourself holier than others,
know that you have fallen into grave error,
because in your pride,
you believed yourself equal to God.”

---- The Prophet Mohammed; The Hadith; Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani.
****

The Lord Upholds Believers’ Trust. {234.}

The Lord Upholds Believers’ Trust. {234.}
****

“The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for
those who trust in him.”

---- The Bible; Nahum 1:7.
****

Be Wary of Excessive Attachments. {233.}

Be Wary of Excessive Attachments. {233.}
****

“You only lose what you cling to.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Humility Alone Kills One’s Ego. {232.}

Humility Alone Kills One’s Ego. {232.}
****

The trait of humility has been stressed
ad infinitum in our religion.
What does humility really mean?
Why is humility so important?

Humility cannot mean pretending
to have no ego at all.
We all have our egos
& it serves various purposes.
Indeed, civilized life
would be virtually impossible
were ego to vanish altogether
from human society & life.
Imagine every person walking off
with another’s goods just because
nobody had any “ego” left.
Jungle law would prevail thereby,
leading to chaos, strife, misery.
Obviously, this cannot be meant by ego,
so, what is actually meant by it?

The ego is the gravest threat
to the soul’s quest for God & salvation.
It intrudes in one’s spiritual practices
& prevents a quicker & closer Darshan,
or beholding of the Divine Countenance.

The ego causes the human to succumb to the
other four “dooth” or demons of
kaam, krodha, lobha & moha,
or lust, anger, greed & attachment.

These five together combine to keep the soul
enmeshed in sensual & worldly quicksand
for years & decades & lifetimes & eons.

So, victory over these can occur only if
you first destroy their leader, or ego.

The ego gets destroyed by true humility.

True humility is realizing
one’s innate human imperfections & limitations.

This causes a dependence upon one’s Guru,
which in turn evokes His Grace.

When the ego is annihilated,
you become quite free from
the other four named baser tendencies.
You are then secure
& headed fast towards your salvation.

Therefore, one’s ego is one’s greatest enemy,
& cultivating true humility benefits
only one’s own self incalculably.
****

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

God’s Attributes: Essence & Effects. {231.}

God’s Attributes: Essence & Effects. {231.}
****

“Everyone can see the effects of God’s mercy.
But who, except God himself,
understands the essence of his mercy?
Most people cannot understand
the essence of any of God’s attributes;
they only know his attributes through their effects
and also through analogy.
Only mystics have eyes to see
the essence of God’s attributes.”

---- Jalaluddin Rumi; Mathnawi.
****

Goodness & Strength Cement Prosperity. {230.}

Goodness & Strength Cement Prosperity. {230.}
****

“Wherever is Krishna, the lord of yoga;
and wherever is Arjuna, the archer;
there will be everlasting prosperity,
victory, happiness, and morality.
This is my conviction.”

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

The Ways of the Devout. {229.}

The Ways of the Devout. {229.}
****

“The Jewel of the Lord’s Name
abides within my heart;
the Guru has placed His hand on my forehead.
The sins and pains of
countless incarnations have been cast out.
The Guru has blessed me with the Naam,
the Name of the Lord,
and my debt has been paid off.
O my mind, vibrate the Lord’s Name,
and all your affairs shall be resolved.
The Perfect Guru has implanted
the Lord’s Name within me;
without the Name, life is useless.
Without the Guru,
the self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant;
they are forever entangled
in emotional attachment to Maya.
They never serve the feet of the Holy;
their lives are totally useless.
Those who serve at the feet of the Holy,
the feet of the Holy,
their lives are made fruitful,
and they belong to the Lord.
Make me the slave of the slave
of the slaves of the Lord;
bless me with Your Mercy,
O Lord of the Universe.
I am blind, ignorant and totally without wisdom;
how can I walk on the Path?
I am blind O Guru,
please let me grasp the hem of Your robe,
so that servant Nanak may walk in harmony with You.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

The Prophet’s Prayer for Seeker. {228.}

The Prophet’s Prayer for Seeker. {228.}
****

“A person once asked the Prophet Muhammad to pray for him.
So the Prophet implored,
‘Allah, kindle within his heart the light of faith,
and afford him with the courage to avert earthly wiles
and submit himself before Your will.’
When a person turns away from the world,
he adheres to God,
and God lavishes incredible bounty on him.”

---- The Prophet Mohammed;
The Hadith; Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, “Fayuz E Yazdani”.
****

Divine Words Shall Remain Unchanged. {227.}

Divine Words Shall Remain Unchanged. {227.}
****

“The heaven and the earth will pass away,
but my words will positively not pass away.”

---- The Bible; Matthew 24:35.
****

Sage Lives Benignly among Others. {226.}

Sage Lives Benignly among Others. {226.}
****

“As the bee collects nectar
and departs without injuring the flower,
or its color or fragrance,
so let the sage dwell on earth.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Remember Big B Is Watching. {225.}

Remember Big B Is Watching. {225.}
****

Yeah, God may be regarded
as one’s big B also
& He is Omnipresent,
always watching,
but far from being irksome,
that’s jolly good news, indeed!

God, the elusive, the infinite
has invited the gamut of appellations,
such as the Supreme Father,
Mother Goddess, Guru, friend,
beloved, & the like.

In our Faith, the Revered Leaders
have often Expressed Themselves as being
an elder brother of the Satsangis.

So, the title of Big B for God
sounds quite right, albeit limited.

Well, so let’s never forget
that Big B is watching.

The sinners may wince at that
not wanting their sundry furtive misdeeds
to have been Observed by God.

But those sincere in faith
& the believing, devout, trusting
ought to be extremely happy
with a Caring & Omnipotent Big B.

As the soul prays
does God respond & satisfy accordingly,
as per innate principles of justice
that may not always be fathomed.

So, let’s really rejoice that there is
the Eternal Big B God
up there {rather, within ourselves!}
Who is always Loving, Watching,
Protecting, Caring, Fulfilling ....
****

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

First Earn & Then Spend. {224.}

First Earn & Then Spend. {224.}
****

“God has said, ‘Spend’; so earn something,
since there can be no expenditure without income.
Although He used the word, ‘Spend’ absolutely,
read it, ‘Earn, then spend’.”

---- Jalaluddin Rumi; Mathnawi {V, 579-580}.
****

Yoga is Transcendence over Pain. {223.}

Yoga is Transcendence over Pain. {223.}
****

“The state of severance of union with sorrow is known by the name of yoga.”

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

Beneficial Company of the Holy. {222.}

Beneficial Company of the Holy. {222.}
****

“The Lord and Master destroys the pain of the poor;
He preserves and protects the honor of His servants.
The Lord is the ship to carry us across;
He is the treasure of virtue; pain cannot touch Him.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
meditate, vibrate upon the Lord of the world.
I cannot think of any other way; make this effort,
and make it in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
In the beginning, and in the end,
there is none other than the perfect, merciful Lord.
The cycle of birth and death is ended,
chanting the Lord’s Name,
and remembering the Lord Master in meditation.
The Vedas, the Smritis, the Shastras
and the Lord’s devotees contemplate Him;
liberation is attained in the Saadh Sangat,
the Company of the Holy,
and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
The lotus feet of the Lord
are the support of His humble servants.
They are their only capital and investment.
The True Lord is Nanak’s strength, honor and support;
He alone is his protection.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

The Sincere Shall Be Rewarded. {221.}

The Sincere Shall Be Rewarded. {221.}
****

“Those who steadily seek absolution shall find
that the Lord eases their way out of every difficulty,
providing for them from unimaginable bounty.”

---- The Prophet Muhammad; The Hadith,
as reported by Abd’Allah ibn Abbas.
****

Grant God Your Entire Responsibility. {220.}

Grant God Your Entire Responsibility. {220.}
****

“Let him have all your worries and cares,
for he is always thinking about you
and watching everything that concerns you.”

---- The Bible; Peter, I, 5:7.
****

Perception Lends Reality to Objects. {219.}

Perception Lends Reality to Objects. {219.}
****

“Objects have no reality in themselves
but are only seen of the mind and, therefore,
are of the nature of Maya and a dream.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Character Is All; Be Choosy. {218.}

Character Is All; Be Choosy. {218.}
****

Character is all.

Be choosy,
be very choosy,
be very, very choosy,
about your faith & beliefs,
about your thoughts & desires,
about your words & deeds,
about your associations & interactions,
about your experiences & reactions,
about absolutely everything,
whether obviously important or not.

Life is real,
things do matter,
Radhasoami Dayal Is always
Observing everything.
The purpose to life will be realized,
& justice shall finally be.

The one leads to the second,
& the second to the third,
until it becomes a habit,
& a necessity.
The one leads to lots of others.

The single lie, the one compromize,
the first weakness, the one sin,
the first crime, the single affair,
each leads to others.
Be, therefore, on your constant guard.

Nobody need be really bothered about you,
but you ought to matter to yourself.

Likewise,
the first memorable Arz {or supplication} to Gracious Huzur,
will inspire others,
the single Satsang,
the one Teerath or pilgrimage to Dayalbagh,
the single attendance at sacred Bhandara or congregation,
the first purchase of a holy scripture,
the one Kheth ki Seva or service in agricultural fields,
the single meditation,
the one Dhan ki Seva or monetary service,
will each cause & enable
the second, third, & next
until an entire chapter gets written,
& your destiny stands transformed
incalculably for the better.

So, develop & form your character.
Be clear about all your values
& goals in life.
Be extremely choosy in your entire living.

Perform good deeds of devotion & service,
that the one might lead
to an entire train of it all.

Living is quite like an investment,
& we all reap just as we sow.
True: “Jaisi karni, waisi bharni!”

There is no time to waste.
A single error & you risk
throwing back your spiritual progress
towards God & salvation by eons altogether,
with all the entailed suffering
of several lifetimes as punishment!

Decide your next best investment
for your life & fate,
for love of God
& your own sake!
****

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

Desirelessness, Desires, Motivation to Live. {217.}

Desirelessness, Desires, Motivation to Live. {217.}
****

“A man was lying sick.
His friends asked him:
‘What would you most desire?’
The sick man answered,
‘My greatest desire is to desire something.’”

---- Sadi: Gulistan; Sufi Quote.
****

Harmless & Beneficial Karma Yoga. {216.}

Harmless & Beneficial Karma Yoga. {216.}
****

“In Karma Yoga no effort is ever lost,
and there is no harm.
Even a little practice of this discipline
protects one from great fear {of birth and death}.”

---- Lord Krishna; The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Lord’s Embrace Scares Death Away. {215.}

Lord’s Embrace Scares Death Away. {215.}
****

“The Lord is always with me.
The Messenger of Death does not approach me.
God holds me close in His embrace,
and protects me.
True are the Teachings of the True Guru.
The Perfect Guru has done it perfectly.
He has beaten and driven off my enemies,
and given me, His slave,
the sublime understanding of the neutral mind.
God has blessed all places with prosperity.
I have returned again safe and sound.
Nanak has entered God’s Sanctuary.
It has eradicated all disease.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

Loving the Poor Grants Paradise. {214.}

Loving the Poor Grants Paradise. {214.}
****

“There is a key for everything,
and the key to Paradise
is to love the poor.”

---- The Prophet Mohammed,
as reported by Ibn Umar.
****

Conquer Inspired by God’s Love. {213.}

Conquer Inspired by God’s Love. {213.}
****

“Yet in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.”

---- The Bible; Romans 8:37.
****

Keep Mind Open & Clear. {212.}

Keep Mind Open & Clear. {212.}
****

“If you cling to an idea as the inalterable truth,
then when the truth does come in person and knock at your door,
you will not be able to open the door and accept it.”

---- Udana Sutta.
****

Salvation at One’s Own Initiative. {211.}

Salvation at One’s Own Initiative. {211.}
****

How often is an individual a prisoner
of his past & conditioning?

How invariably is a person a slave
of her or his circumstances?

It calls for considerable clarity,
vision, planning, will & courage
to fundamentally alter
the fabric that one finds oneself in.

People are too careless in matters
of their essential religious beliefs,
their very religion,
& quite indifferent at heart
to where their souls might be headed
in the afterlife.

Perhaps they don’t deeply, really
believe in God, the soul,
& the possibility of salvation.

Individual responsibility always remains final.
God judges & arbites on this basis.

The Guru can take you to God
{only the True Guru, & there is
presently only One on earth!}
only if you really believe
& want it intensely, passionately.

Anything short will fail;
nothing else will do!

So, earnestly care for your own salvation
& make the right, sustained
& persevering efforts for it!

You alone are responsible for yourself,
it can only be your individual act
to transfer your spiritual responsibility
to the Living Param Guru of Dayalbagh,
but you alone must decide,
& only you can personally do it.

So, what might you be waiting for?
Pralay or apocalypse is but
a whisker’s breath away
in the cosmic scale of things
& the brief human lifetime
flashes past in the twinkling
of an eye.

Go for your redemption: NOW!
****

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

Three Qualities of God’s Friend. {210.}

Three Qualities of God’s Friend. {210.}
****

“The sign of a friend of God
is that one has these three qualities:
a generosity like that of the ocean,
a compassion like that of the sun,
and a humility like that of the earth.”

---- Bayazid in ‘Attar, Tadhkirat.
****

The Freedom of the Sage. {209.}

The Freedom of the Sage. {209.}
****

“Governing sense, mind and intellect,
intent on liberation,
free from desire, fear and anger,
the sage is forever free.”

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

Chant Name for Divine Elixir. {208.}

Chant Name for Divine Elixir. {208.}
****

“Wash the vessel, sit down and anoint it with fragrance;
then, go out and get the milk.
Add the rennet of clear consciousness to the milk of good deeds,
and then, free of desire, let it curdle.
Chant the Name of the One Lord.
All other actions are fruitless.
Let your mind be the handles,
and then churn it, without sleeping.
If you chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
with your tongue, then the curd will be churned.
In this way, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained.
Wash your mind in the pool of Truth,
and let it be the vessel of the Lord;
let this be your offering to please Him.
That humble servant who dedicates and offers his life,
and who serves in this way,
remains absorbed in his Lord and Master.
The speakers speak and speak and speak,
and then they depart.
There is no other to compare with You.
Servant Nanak, lacking devotion, humbly prays:
may I sing the Praises of the True Lord.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

Deserving Suffer Prior to Salvation. {207.}

Deserving Suffer Prior to Salvation. {207.}
****

“When Allah desires the redemption of His People,
He causes them to suffer in this world.
But when He is averse,
He leaves them to transgress until death overtakes.”

---- The Hadith; Anas bin Malik.
****

Remain Fearless; Keep Your Faith. {206.}

Remain Fearless; Keep Your Faith. {206.}
****

“But Jesus paid no attention to what was said,
but said to the leader of the synagogue,
‘Do not be afraid; only keep up your faith.’”

---- The Bible; Mark 5:36.
****

Live Rightly, Face Death Calmly. {205.}

Live Rightly, Face Death Calmly. {205.}
****

“Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Loving God; Abstraction or Personal. {204.}

Loving God; Abstraction or Personal. {204.}
****

God is love personified.
The Guru is God personified.
So, the Guru is love personified.

Perfectly logical & very true!

The Sant Math represents the way
of ‘Ishk-e-haqueeki’ or ‘love for the Real’
as opposed to love for ‘Maya’
or illusory reality.

Satsangis are, therefore, expected to
perceive, value & seek beyond
the merely unreal, false, superficial,
apparent or temporary,
in their lives.

Satsangis’ love ideally ought to be
only for the Supreme Lord Radhasoami.

However, if God has Personally
Chosen to Incarnate
as the Param Guru,
then we are to believe in
a perfect unity
between God & the Guru.

Hence, love for God
will naturally manifest itself as
love for the Guru.

Likewise, God’s love for the devotee
reflects in the Guru’s love
for her or him.

The Guru functions as the vital
link for the devotees with God.

The human actually does not
even have access to God,
& can reach God
only through the Guru.

Hence, the paramount importance
of the Param Guru
in the Sant Math
or the mystical Peer-Murid tradition.

Loving one’s Guru is proving
one’s love for God,
& the Guru’s love evoked
thereby enables & causes God’s love.

Loving the abstract principle
or force of Divinity
may be more difficult for most,
though love for the Guru
comes about naturally & easily.

However, as per Guru Bachan,
loving the abstraction of God
is in no way a lesser devotion
or a less effective mode to salvation.

Indeed, for certain exceptional souls,
love for the abstract God
rather than the Personal Form
of the Living Param Guru
may in certain ways prove more desirable.

After all, an abstraction is
elusive, complex, infinite & eternal,
while the Guru appears manifest
in the mortal human frame.

So, basically, what matters is
genuine love for God
or the Param Guru
as leads to one’s salvation.
****

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

Confusion, Danger & Order, Security. {203.}

Confusion, Danger & Order, Security. {203.}
****

“Danger arises when a man feels secure in his position.
Destruction threatens when a man seeks to preserve his worldly estate.
Confusion develops when a man has put everything in order.
Therefore, the superior man does not forget danger in his security,
nor ruin when he is well-established,
nor confusion when his affairs are in order.”

---- I. Ching; Great Commentary, 2.5.9.
****

Self-mastery, Renunciation, Freedom from Karmas. {202.}

Self-mastery, Renunciation, Freedom from Karmas. {202.}
****

“The person whose mind is always free from attachment,
who has subdued the mind and senses,
and who is free from desires,
attains the supreme perfection
of freedom from karma through renunciation.”

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

Become True Warrior & Conqueror. {201.}

Become True Warrior & Conqueror. {201.}
****

“He alone is called a warrior,
who is attached to the Lord’s Love in this age.
Through the Perfect True Guru, he conquers his own soul,
and then everything comes under his control.
Sing the Praises of the Lord and Master,
with the love of your soul.
Those who seek His Sanctuary,
and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
are blended with the Lord in celestial peace.
The feet of the Lord’s humble servant abide in my heart;
with them, my body is made pure.
O treasure of mercy, please bless Nanak
with the dust of the feet of Your humble servants;
this alone brings peace.”

---- Guru Nanak Dev; The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

Be Regular in Your Prayers. {200.}

Be Regular in Your Prayers. {200.}
****

“Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle said,
‘Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayer {intentionally},
then it is as if he lost his family and property.’”

---- The Hadith; Sahih Bukhari,
Volume 1, Book: Times of the Prayers, Hadith 527.
****

Rewards are Commensurate with Efforts. {199.}

Rewards are Commensurate with Efforts. {199.}
****

“Remember this: the man who plants few seeds will have a small crop;
the one who plants many seeds will have a large crop.”

---- The Bible; Corinthians 9:6.
****

Tongue is a Powerful Weapon. {198.}

Tongue is a Powerful Weapon. {198.}
****

“The tongue like a sharp knife ... kills without drawing blood.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

An Ounce of Practice Matters. {197.}

An Ounce of Practice Matters. {197.}
****

Several Guru Bachans have repeatedly
exhorted Satsangis to continue performing Seva,
with one's “tan, man, dhan & surat,”
or the whole of one’s body, mind, purse and soul.

The emphasis on Seva is understandable.
The many might idly praise an ideal,
but the few actually strive to realize it.
An ounce of practice remains far better
than tons of precept.

Let us, therefore, not be idle,
afraid, lazy, indifferent or lax,
in the performance of Seva.

Umpteen fortunate opportunities for Seva exist,
in Dayalbagh {both fields & otherwise},
our respective Satsang Branches,
among other Satsangi acquaintances,
or even one’s Satsangi
relatives or family members.

Anything done for a Satsangi is Seva
if it is done with the right motive
& in the right spirit,
because Radhasoami Dayal Wants that
Satsangis should care for one another.

We have to care to think,
to look around us,
and to actively seek more
avenues & chances of Seva.

It is true,
“Seva hee mewa hai,” or
“Service itself is its own reward.”
****

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