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.
****

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.
****

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.
****

Death Enables More Evolved Life-forms. {196.}

Death Enables More Evolved Life-forms. {196.}
****

“I died from minerality and became vegetable;
And from vegetativeness I died and became animal.
I died from animality and became human.
Then why fear disappearance through death?
Next time I shall die
Bringing forth wings and feathers like angels;
After that, soaring higher than angels.
What you cannot imagine,
I shall be that.”

---- Jalaluddin Rumi.
****

The Way of the Gurumukh. {194.}

The Way of the Gurumukh. {194.}
****

“Everything comes from the Naam, the Name of the Lord;
without the True Guru, the Naam is not experienced.
The Word of the Guru’s Shabad
is the sweetest and most sublime essence,
but without tasting it,
its flavor cannot be experienced.
He wastes this human life in exchange for a mere shell,
who does not understand his own self.
But if he becomes Gurumukh,
then he comes to know the One Lord,
and the disease of egotism does not afflict him.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru,
who has lovingly attached me to the True Lord.
Concentrating on the Word of the Shabad,
the soul is illumined and enlightened.
I remain absorbed in celestial ecstasy.
The Gurumukh sings the Praises of the Lord;
the Gurumukh understands.
The Gurumukh contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
Body and soul are totally rejuvenated through the Guru;
the Gurumukh affairs are resolved in his favor.
The blind self-willed manmukh acts blindly,
and earns only poison in this world.
Enticed by Maya, he suffers in constant pain,
without the most Beloved Guru.
He alone is a selfless servant,
who serves the True Guru,
and walks in harmony with the True Guru’s Will.
The True Shabad, the Word of God,
is the True Praise of God;
enshrine the True Lord within your mind.
The Gurumukh speaks the True Word of Gurbani,
and egotism departs from within.
He Himself is the Giver,
and True are His actions.
He proclaims the True Word of the Shabad.
The Gurumukh works, and the Gurumukh earns;
the Gurumukh inspires others to chant the Naam.
He is forever unattached,
imbued with the Love of the True Lord,
intuitively in harmony with the Guru.
The self-willed manmukh always tells lies;
he plants the seeds of poison,
and eats only poison.
He is bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death,
and burnt in the fire of desire;
who can save him, except the Guru?
True is that place of pilgrimage,
where one bathes in the pool of Truth,
and achieves self-realization as Gurumukh.
The Gurumukh understands his own self.
The Lord has shown that the Word of the Guru’s Shabad
is the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage;
bathing in it, filth is washed away.
True and Immaculate is the True Word of His Shabad;
no filth touches or clings to Him.
True Praise, True Devotional Praise,
is obtained from the Perfect Guru.
Body, mind, everything belongs to the Lord;
but the evil-minded ones cannot even say this.
If such is the Hukam of the Lord’s Command,
then one becomes pure and spotless,
and the ego is taken away from within.
I have intuitively tasted the Guru’s Teachings,
and the fire of my desire has been quenched.
Attuned to the Word of the Guru’s Shabad,
one is naturally intoxicated,
merging imperceptibly into the Lord.
The Name of the Lord is known as True,
through the Love of the Beloved Guru.
True Glorious Greatness is obtained from the Guru,
through the Beloved True Name.
The One True Lord is permeating and pervading among all;
how rare is the one who contemplates this.
The Lord Himself unites us in Union, and forgives us;
He embellishes us with true devotional worship.
All is Truth; Truth, and Truth alone is pervading;
how rare is the Gurumukh who knows this.
Birth and death occur by the Hukam of His Command;
the Gurumukh understands his own self.
He meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
and so pleases the True Guru.
He receives whatever rewards he desires.
O Nanak, one who eradicates self-conceit from within, has everything.”

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

Transitory Relationships & Worldly Possessions. {187.}

Transitory Relationships & Worldly Possessions. {187.}
****

“Does anyone know, who is our friend in this world?
He alone understands this, whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy.
Immaculate and unstained is his way of life.
Mother, father, spouse, children, relatives, lovers, friends and siblings meet,
having been associated in previous lives;
but none of them will be your companion and support in the end.
Pearl necklaces, gold, rubies and diamonds please the mind,
but they are only Maya.
Possessing them, one passes his life in agony;
one obtains no contentment from them.
Elephants, chariots, horses as fast as the wind,
wealth, land, and armies of four kinds,
none of these will go with one;
one must get up and depart, naked.
The Lord’s Saints are the beloved lovers of God;
sing of the Lord with them.
O Nanak, in the Society of the Saints,
you shall obtain peace in this world,
and in the next world,
your face shall be radiant and bright.”

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

A Salute to God’s Greatness. {186.}

A Salute to God’s Greatness. {186.}
****

“The Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds --
Who created me, and it is He who guides me;
Who gives me food and drink,
And when I am ill,
it is He who cures me;
Who will cause me to die,
and then to live again;
And Who, I hope,
will forgive me my faults
on the Day of Judgment.”

---- The Quran; 26:77-82.
****

Difference between Gurmukh & Manmukh. {180.}

Difference between Gurmukh & Manmukh. {180.}
****

“Everything comes from the Naam, the Name of the Lord;
without the True Guru, the Naam is not experienced.
The Word of the Guru’s Shabad is the sweetest and most sublime essence,
but without tasting it, its flavor cannot be experienced.
He wastes this human life in exchange for a mere shell;
he does not understand his own self.
But, if he becomes Gurmukh, then he comes to know the One Lord,
and the disease of egotism does not afflict him.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru,
who has lovingly attached me to the True Lord.
Concentrating on the Word of the Shabad,
the soul is illumined and enlightened.
I remain absorbed in celestial ecstasy.

The Gurmukh sings the Praises of the Lord;
the Gurmukh understands.
The Gurmukh contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
Body and soul are totally rejuvenated through the Guru;
the Gurmukh’s affairs are resolved in his favor.

The blind self-willed manmukh acts blindly, and earns only poison in this world.
Enticed by Maya, he suffers in constant pain, without the most Beloved Guru.
He alone is a selfless servant, who serves the True Guru,
and walks in harmony with the True Guru’s Will.

The True Shabad, the Word of God, is the True Praise of God;
enshrine the True Lord within your mind.
The Gurmukh speaks the True Word of Gurbani,
and egotism departs from within.
He Himself is the Giver, and true are His Actions.
He proclaims the True Word of the Shabad.

The Gurmukh works, and the Gurmukh earns;
the Gurmukh inspires others to chant the Naam.
He is forever unattached, imbued with the Love of the True Lord,
intuitively in harmony with the Guru.

The self-willed manmukh always tells lies;
he plants the seeds of poison, and eats only poison.
He is bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death,
and burnt in the fire of desire;
who can save him, except the Guru?

All is Truth; Truth, and Truth alone, is pervading;
how rare is the Gurmukh who knows this….
He receives whatever rewards he desires.

O Nanak, one who eradicates self-conceit from within, has everything.”

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

Meditation Leads to Eternal Bliss. {173.}

Meditation Leads to Eternal Bliss. {173.}
****

“My tongue sings the Praises of the Lord of the world, the ocean of virtue.
Peace, tranquility, poise and delight well up in my mind, and all sorrows run away.
Whatever I ask for, I receive; I serve at the Lord’s feet, the source of nectar.
I am released from the bondage of birth and death,
and so I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Searching and seeking, I have come to understand the essence of reality;
the slave of the Lord of the Universe is dedicated to Him.
If you desire eternal bliss, O Nanak, ever remember the Lord in meditation.”

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

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.

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.
****

Death: Like Changing One’s Clothes. {118.}

Death: Like Changing One’s Clothes. {118.}
****

“There has never been a time
when you and I have not existed,
nor will there be a time
when we will cease to exist.
As the same person inhabits the body
through childhood, youth, and old age,
so too at the time of death
one attains another body.
The wise are not deluded
by these changes.”

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

Death Inevitable for All Living. {88.}

Death Inevitable for All Living. {88.}
****

“Every soul shall have a taste of death:
And only on the Day of Judgment
shall you be paid your full recompense.
Only he who is saved far from the Fire
and admitted to the Garden
will have attained the object {of Life}:
For the life of this world
is but goods and chattels of deception.”

---- The Quran; Surah 3:185.
****

Immortal Soul Continues Beyond Death. {83.}

Immortal Soul Continues Beyond Death. {83.}
****

“There has never been a time
when you and I have not existed,
nor will there be a time
when we will cease to exist.
As the same person inhabits the body
through childhood, youth, and old age,
so too at the time of death,
he attains another body.
The wise are not deluded by these changes.”

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

Death Variously Relieves Dead, Living. {74.}

Death Variously Relieves Dead, Living. {74.}
****

“Narrated Abu Qatada bin Rib’i Al-Ansari:
A funeral procession passed by Allah’s Apostle, who said, “Relieved or relieving?”
The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What is relieved and relieving?”
He said, “A believer is relieved (by death) from the troubles and hardships of the world and leaves for the Mercy of Allah, while (the death of) a wicked person relieves the people, the land, the trees, (and) the animals from him.””

---- Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book: To Make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq), Hadith 519.
****

Conquer Death while Yet Alive. {68.}

Conquer Death while Yet Alive. {68.}
****

“While you are alive, conquer death,
and you shall have no regrets in the end.”

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

Humility is Best for All. {54.}

Humility is Best for All. {54.}
****

"What good is social class and status?
Truthfulness is measured within.
Pride in one's status is like poison;
holding it in your hand and eating it,
you shall die."

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

Conquer Death while Yet Alive. {40.}

Conquer Death while Yet Alive. {40.}
****

"While you are alive, conquer death,
and you shall have no regrets in the end."

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