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.
****

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.
****

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.
****

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}.
****

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.

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.
****

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.

Power of Believing Fulfills Prayers. {192.}

Power of Believing Fulfills Prayers. {192.}
****

“This is why I am telling you:
When you are praying
and asking God for something,
believe that you have received it,
and it will happen for you.”

---- The Bible; Mark 11:24
****

Worship: Pure or With Motive. {190.}

Worship: Pure or With Motive. {190.}
****

Worship of God ought to be pure,
as an end in itself.

One shouldn’t seek anything from God,
beyond Her Love & Grace.

It appears unfortunate
that God is generally viewed
as an avenue for the
fulfillment of one’s selfish desires.

People seem to be
conducting a ‘trade’ with God,
on the assumption
that their worship
obliges Him to
grant them their desired ends.

But the people’s assumption
of ‘trade’ with God
may not be shared by God.

Is it not likely that God
may have Her Own
Criteria & Expectations
with regard to people’s
faith & prayers?

The Param Guru of Dayalbagh
Is here only to guide sincere devotees
in their striving for salvation.

All other worldly matters
are of lesser significance.

God’s worship should be sincere.
Worship of God corrupted
with one’s base desires
cannot be expected to
either please God,
or to grant one satisfaction
in the ends sought
in either worldly or spiritual sphere.
****

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

Believe to Allow Prayers’ Fulfillment. {185.}

Believe to Allow Prayers’ Fulfillment. {185.}
****

“This is why I am telling you:
When you are praying
and asking God for something,
believe that you have received it,
and it will happen for you.”

---- The Bible; Mark 11:24.
****

God is Omnipresent; Keep Faith. {183.}

God is Omnipresent; Keep Faith. {183.}
****

God is omnipresent.
Let us not doubt it.
Let us never doubt it.

Regardless of the fact that
life may apparently contain much
that might disappoint a devotee
about God’s love & omnipotence,
God remains omnipresent,
loving and caring.

God’s ways are mysterious indeed
& His Plans work subtly,
but the truly devout shall
finally be adequately satisfactorily redeemed.

One’s faith may frequently be
put to test & trial,
& we should emerge therefrom
the purged, stronger, more resolved!
****

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

The Ego is a Cage. {176.}

The Ego is a Cage. {176.}
****

The human ego
acts as a virtual cage,
imprisoning the soul
within the narrow confines
of a limited believed ‘self’.

The soul remains one with the SuperSoul.
The self is connected with all the other selves.

The human ego sets up
false differences, barriers, hostility, clashes ...

Sure, individuality is a fact,
as one’s own primary responsibility,
but the essential unity
between God & all beings
ought to be well realized.
****

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

Pray for All Good People. {171.}

Pray for All Good People. {171.}
****

“Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help.
Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads.
For this reason keep alert and never give up;
pray always for all God’s people.”

---- The Bible; Ephesians 6:18.

Pure Devotion Leads to Fulfillment. {166.}

Pure Devotion Leads to Fulfillment. {166.}
****

“I meditated on my Guru.
I met with Him, and returned home in joy.
This is the glorious greatness of the Naam.
Its value cannot be estimated.
O Saints, worship and adore the Lord …
Worship the Lord in adoration,
and you shall obtain everything;
your affairs shall all be resolved.
He alone is attached in loving devotion to God,
who realizes his great destiny.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam,
the Name of the Lord.
He obtains the rewards of all joys and peace.”

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

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.
****

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.
****

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.
****

God Caused Creation through Word. {108.}

God Caused Creation through Word. {108.}
****

“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.”

---- The Bible; John: 1: 1-5.
****