The Ways of the Devout. {229.}

The Ways of the Devout. {229.}
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“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.
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Wisdom Dispels Darkness from Life. {188.}

Wisdom Dispels Darkness from Life. {188.}
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“Out of compassion,
I destroy the darkness of their ignorance.
From within them, I light the lamp of wisdom
and dispel all darkness from their lives.”

---- The Bhagavad Gita.
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Where, Pray, After You Die? {155.}

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

Choose the Path of Meditation. {79.}

Choose the Path of Meditation. {79.}
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“Meditation brings wisdom;
lack of meditation leaves ignorance.
Know well what leads you forward
and what holds you back,
and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
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Ignorance is Darkness; Shun it. {28.}

Ignorance is Darkness; Shun it. {28.}
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“Ignorance is the night of the mind;
A night that’s without moon or star.”

---- Confucius.