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.
****

Beware of These Base Impulses. {107.}

Beware of These Base Impulses. {107.}
****

“There is no fire like passion,
there is no shark like hatred,
there is no snare like folly,
there is no torrent like greed.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

God is Infinite Love Personified. {106.}

God is Infinite Love Personified. {106.}
****
Radhasoami!

The essence of God is love. The sole cause for Incarnations to descend upon earth is love.

The single inspiration for Grace is love.

The root motivation for the urges to devotion, service & quest for salvation is love.

The prime impulse for harmony, peace, help, goodness, compassion, philanthropy and charity is love.

To love is to be good.

To love is to worship & serve God.

To love is to inch forward along the path to one’s redemption.

The Omnipresent Radhasoami Dayal Is always Keeping a minute record of all the karmas or deeds of every being.

HE Will finally Reward or Punish Justly.

Let us never doubt this.

Let’s keep the Faith, under all circumstances.

Let’s love & do good, to the infinite glory of Radhasoami Dayal’s Avatar Swaroop or Incarnated Form as the Param Guru of Dayalbagh Actively Functioning & Showering His Grace for the real spiritual welfare of all living beings & the entire creation.
****

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

Key to Morality and Character. {105.}

Key to Morality and Character. {105.}
****

“To see what is right, and not to do it,
is want of courage or of principle.”
---- Confucius.
****

Yoga as Work and Peace. {104.}

Yoga as Work and Peace. {104.}
****

“When the sage climbs the heights of Yoga,
he follows the path of work;
but when he reaches the heights of Yoga,
he is in the land of peace.”
---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Service of Guru is Greatness. {103.}

Service of Guru is Greatness. {103.}
****

“Serve your True Lord and Master,
and you shall be blessed with true greatness.
By Guru’s Grace, He abides in the mind,
and egotism is driven out.
This wandering mind comes to rest,
when the Lord casts His Glance of Grace.”
---- The Guru Granth Sahib.
****

Nobly Wage Battle for God. {102.}

Nobly Wage Battle for God. {102.}
****

“Fight in the cause of God
those who fight you,
but do not transgress limits;
for God loveth not transgressors."

---- The Quran; Sura 2:190.
****

Move from Darkness to Light. {101.}

Move from Darkness to Light. {101.}
****

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention
what the disobedient do in secret.
But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for it is light that makes everything visible.
This is why it is said:
‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’”

---- The Bible; Ephesians 5:11-14.
****

Be Open, Expansive and Inclusive. {100.}

Be Open, Expansive and Inclusive. {100.}
****

“Let yourself be open and life will be easier.
A spoon of salt in a glass of water
makes the water undrinkable.
A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Sachhe Baadshah Ke Raaj Mein. {99.}

Sachhe Baadshah Ke Raaj Mein. {99.}
****

True power lies in none of the following: physical, intellectual, emotional, romantic, financial, sexual, societal, worldly, political, military, philanthropic, & the like. Though among the preceding types, several have their positive aspects, particularly philanthropy, but it is only the “emotional” that can approximate the ideal.

After all, God is love, the Sant Math is the religion of Ishq-e-haqueeki or love for reality, & the Peer-Murid mystical bond is one of pure & eternal love. The best worship & service of the Guru is constituted by loving Him. Even the Bhagavad Gita asserts that the Lord loves His loving devotees the most of all.

Power does not flow from the barrel of a gun. Power does not depend on how deep one’s pockets are. The heart that can love, & that does really love, attains access to the Guru; the Guru is God Incarnate, & this constitutes living redemption.

In Kaliyuga, true power is vested only in the Sant Satguru. Sachhe Baadshah ki huqumath har jagah hai. Har insaan ki athma par hai, har praani ke karmon par hai, rachna ke har zarre mein hai, wa jannath ki har oonchayi mein hai. Sachhe Baadshah ki Taaqathon ka kisi ke liye andaza lagana thak asambhav hai. That is, the Supreme Master’s suzerainty extends over the whole of creation, and in every shred of existence. The Param Guru’s writ runs in every heart, on the deeds of every creature, as well as in the sublime heights of the heavens. It is impossible for anyone to fathom the extent of the Grand Master’s omnipotence.

Blessed are the Satsangis of Dayalbagh, who have a Living & Loving Guru to Guide them through this world’s trials & life’s plays of Maya to strive & progress to return to one’s true Abode!
****

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

Responsible Awareness, Caution, & Security. {98.}

Responsible Awareness, Caution, & Security. {98.}
****

“The superior person, when resting in safety,
does not forget that danger may come.
When in a state of security,
she does not forget the possibility of ruin.
When all is orderly,
she does not forget that disorder may come.
Thus, her person is not endangered,
and her states and all their clans preserved.”
---- Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551 B.C. to 479 B.C.
****

Being and Beliefs: Causally Related. {97.}

Being and Beliefs: Causally Related. {97.}
****

“The human is made by her or his belief.
As one believes, so one becomes.”

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

Shun Selfishness to Attain God. {96.}

Shun Selfishness to Attain God. {96.}
****

“Give up your selfishness,
and you shall find peace;
like water mingling with water,
you shall merge in absorption.”

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

Keep Praying Always; It Counts. {95.}

Keep Praying Always; It Counts. {95.}
****

“Narrated Abdul Rahman: Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri told my father,
‘I see you liking sheep and the wilderness.
So whenever you are with your sheep or in the wilderness
and you want to pronounce Adhan for the prayer,
raise your voice in doing so, for whoever hears the Adhan,
whether a human being, a jinn or any other creature,
will be a witness for you on the Day of Resurrection.’
Abu Sa'id added, ‘I heard it {this narration} from Allah's Apostle.’”

---- The Hadith; Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book: Call to Prayers {Adhaan}, Hadith 583.
****

God: the Creator & Sustainer. {94.}

God: the Creator & Sustainer. {94.}
****

“For by Him all things were created,
both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities –
all things have been created by Him and for Him.
And He is before all things,
and in Him all things hold together.”

---- The Bible; Colossians 1:16-17.
****

Love Always Prevails over Hatred. {93.}

Love Always Prevails over Hatred. {93.}
****

“Hatred does not cease by hatred,
but only by love;
this is the eternal rule.”

---- Gautama Buddha.
****

Satsang Ideal: Mystical yet Better-worldly. {92.}

Satsang Ideal: Mystical yet Better-worldly. {92.}
****

Religions, cults, sects & denominations are normally categorized as:
** Mystical or ritualistic; &
** Unworldly or worldly.

Buddhism may be regarded as having been initially at least essentially mystical, focusing on the practice of meditation. Rituals mark most major religions.
There may have been unworldly elements in certain major religions, but since no religion or its followers could have survived & spread on such a basis for long, most chose to adopt the worldly route.
Only minor sects can afford to be unabashedly unworldly, & even exhort their followers to commit suicide as a way of exiting from the earth & gaining heaven, as one in Japan does.
The quest for paradise came to be regarded as not being in conflict with one’s acquisition of material possessions; indeed, worldly prosperity came to be viewed as an indication of one’s likely gains in the beyond as well.
Hence, there has been a growth of capitalism worldwide, with the active involvement of Christians {particularly Protestants, as studied extensively by Max Weber}, Jews, Jains, Sikhs, Hindus & others.

So, how may the Radhasoami religion of Dayalbagh be described?
** Is it mystical or ritualistic?
** Is it unworldly, worldly or “better-worldly”?

Does being a Satsangi mean that one:
** Pray to the exclusion of all life, or merely superficially perform certain rituals timely?
** Scorn & shun the use of material trinkets, or actively rival with the Joneses in the modern consumerist culture?
Or, is there a middle & optimal route instead that Satsangis are enjoined to practice?

The actual Satsang worldview regards the world as real, but perishable, & as headed for destruction at the end of Kaliyuga in the form of a MahaPralay.
Life is an opportunity to progress spiritually, so that the soul attains access to higher divine realms, & ultimately achieves salvation by reaching Radhasoami Dham.
Hence, Satsangis are NOT to confuse their essential worth or Grace merely with their stock of material possessions.
Satsangis are NOT to rival others over such trinkets.
Satsangis are NOT to lose their lives or lose sight of their true goal in life by a blind, mad & never-ending chase of the numerous attractive products being thrown up by the present consumerist culture worldwide.

However, a dignified life requires a certain degree of material success. Certain “scientific research” {I really do not know what such words are exactly supposed to mean, but more on this perhaps later!} has even apparently confirmed that when someone’s material requirements have been adequately met, the person’s focus turns more towards God.
Moreover, since Satsang is to spread in the world, we shall require finances in mammoth quantities.

The Satsang ideal exhorts Satsangis to aim for “ausath darje ki” or moderate degree {& not “aala” or superior} material facilities. Perhaps this was based on the expectation that any human who pursues wealth and possessions to a great degree gradually gets attached to them, & begins to greed them more. This effectively diverts her or him from the true goal of salvation.

Yet Satsangis are not to beg, borrow or steal to subsist, but are to live by their own work, or by the sweat of one’s own brow. However, several Satsangis are in dire straits and amelioration of their state may be regarded in certain ways to be the responsibility of others.

Most importantly, for Satsang to adequately spread in the world
{“Badhath Satsang ab din din / aha ha ha oho ho ho.”},
phenomenal finances will be required. Hence, Satsangis may be excused a greater attempt at more earnings, if their focus on the true Abode remains foremost in their minds, & the striving is oriented towards Seva in some form or the other.

Paisa saath nahin jatha hai, sachi Bahkti aur Seva hee saath zarur jathe hain. That is, one doesn’t lug one’s lucre or cash into the afterlife, only one’s devotions and services get carried forward into the beyond as one’s spiritual capital. More money is good, desirable & beneficial, to the extent that it enables more & better Bhakti & Seva. The efforts for added riches become bad, undesirable & self-defeatist if they are at the expense of one’s faith, or distance oneself from one’s quest for salvation.
****

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

If God Were to Manifest. {91.}

If God Were to Manifest. {91.}
****

“If the flowers of His face, from the garden they are in, burst into laughter;
The spring of life would be renewed, the tree of body would burst into laughter.
If that essence of the essence of life appeared all by Himself;
My body would come to life with the Grace, my soul would burst into laughter.
If that speaker par excellence opened His mouth to speak;
The dead body would gain the power of speech,
the stuttering heart would burst into laughter.
If that master of all beauty revealed the beauty of His face;
All the robes of beauty would {be torn apart and } burst into laughter.”

---- “Reading Mystical Lyric: The Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi.”
Translated by Fatemeh Keshavarz; Divan 2525:1-2, 4-5, 7.
****

Still Yourself for Divine Union. {90.}

Still Yourself for Divine Union. {90.}
****

“Still your mind in me,
still yourself in me,
and without a doubt
you shall be united with me,
Lord of Love,
dwelling in your heart.”
---- The Bhagavad Gita.
****

Stay Content; Shun Idle Gossip. {89.}

Stay Content; Shun Idle Gossip. {89.}
****

“Faith, contentment and tolerance
are the food and provisions of the angels.
They obtain the Perfect Vision of the Lord,
while those who gossip find no place of rest.”
---- The Guru Granth Sahib.
****