THE

SAR BACHAN

An abstract of the Teachings of

Swaraiji Maharaj, the Founder
of the Radha Swami system of
Philosophy and Spiritual Science :

THE YOGA OF THE SOUND CURRENT

RADHA SOAMI SAT SANG, BEAS

Dera Baba Jaimal Singh
BEAS (INDIA)

HUZUR SWAMI J i MAHARAJ

The text of this book was translated from the

original Hindi by Sardar Sewa Singh, B.A., Judge in
the Civil Courts of the Punjab (India). Dr. Julian
P. Johnson assisted him in this task. The first Edition
was published by the Beas Sat Sang under the authority
of HUZUR MAHARAJ SARDAR SAWAN SINGH SAHIB.

PREFACE TO

THE SECOND

EDITION

Sdr Bachan, as its name connotes, represents the

quintessence of Rddhd Swdmi teachings, and was first rendered
into English by the late Sardar Sewa Singh, Sessions Judge,
Punjab, with the assistance of the Dr. J. P. Johnson, for
the benefit of the western and English speaking seekers and
disciples, at the request of our Great Master, Baba Sawan
Singh Ji Maharaj, of revered memory. The steady demand for
the publication has called for a second edition and shows that
il fulfils a real need.
How we wish that the Great Master Who sponsored
the translation and the two gentlemen who carried out this
difficult task, were living today and could see this second edition
also through the press ! As things stand, this duty has been
entrusted to me, unworthy as I am, by the present Master,
Sardar Cliaran Singh Ji Maharaj.
The occasion has been utilized to correct the typographical
and grammatical errors that had remained uncorrected in the
Jirst edition, and also to revise the glossary. Slight changes have
also been made here and there to make the translation conform
more fully to the letter and spirit of the original.
Thanks are due to Miss Louise Hilger for kindly
comparing and typing the manuscript, and seeing the book
through the press.
Jagmohan
Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, via BEAS,
Visit. Amrilsar, E. Punjab (India)
April, 1955

Lai

s
HLZUR MAHARAJ BABA SAWAN SINGH JI

INTROD

UCTIO

PART I
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
The writer has been asked by the beloved Master
who sponsors this translation to write a few words in
explanation, so that the reader may, in a measure, be
prepared to grasp its contents.
At the same time it was thought expedient to give
a short biographical sketch of the lives of the Masters
who have been most vitally concerned in the development of the particular Satsang which gives this book to
the English speaking world. As the work in other
centers has had ample consideration in other publications, no attempt will be made here to give an account
of them. This account is concerned only with the work
in the Punjab and the three Masters who have figured
in its development.
As all students of this faith know, the Radha
Swami teachings were first formulated and given to the
world by
Param Sant Hazur Swami Ji Maharaj,
whose real name was Seth Shiv Dayal Singh. He was
born in Agra, United Provinces, India, at about 4 A.M.,
August 25, 1818. His family were of the Baikal Seth
Kshatriya., His father's name was Seth Dilwali Singh.
His mother's name was Maha Maya. From early
childhood he began to expound deepest spiritual
teachings. Many gathered to hear his words of wisdom.
Later he put into writing the cardinal precepts of his

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

message. His teachings were embodied in two volumes,

the Sar Bachan in prose and the Sar Bachan in poetry.
The prose work is the one herewith given to the world
for the first time in English. Swami Ji gave out his
teachings and began to hold public satsang in January,
1861, after he had spent seventeen years in meditation
in a dark, back room.
The teachings of Swamf Ji were not entirely new,
having been given out by many earlier Saints, such as
Kabir Sahib, Guru Nanak, Tulsi Sahib, and others.
Nearly all ancient religious literature makes reference
to the Sound Current, of course, under different names.
The Vedas call it Nad; the Mohammedan Saints call
it Kalma, or Ism-e-Azam; the Bible calls it Word, in
the first chapter of John, and the modern Saints in India
call it Shabd. But the unique service rendered to mankind by Swami Ji was the simple and lucid manner in
which he taught the practice of the Sound Current,
and thus brought its inestimable benefits within the
reach of all. In doing this Swami Ji made all ancient
Yoga systems out of date and unnecessary. The system
of Sound Current practice taught by Swami Ji brings
to the devotee all the benefits ever accruing to the followers of the old system, doing it safely and much more
speedily, and then carries the student on to heights
never dreamed of by the ancient Yogis. It begins its
practice at the Tisra Til, or third eye, a focus just back
of the eyes (the pineal gland), and from this point it
goes upward. It thus begins at a point where most of
the old systems ended, and then goes on up to regions infinitely higher. The first station attained by the devotee
in this system brings to him super-consciousness and
powers equal to any possessed by the ancient Yogis, or
Mdhatmds, who were not familiar with the Path of the

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Saints. When the final goal of the Radha Swami disciple

has been reached, he is in the pure spirit realm, the
first Grand Division of Creation, far beyond all the
heavens familiar to most of the ancients. To point out
the Path to this sublime achievement was a part of the
mission of the great Saint of Agra. It is said that during
his life-time he initiated more than four thousand. He
departed this life on the 15th day of June, 1878.
One of the most devoted disciples of Swami Ji was
Hazur Baba Jaimal Singh Ji Maharaj
Baba Jaimal Singh was born in July, 1839. His
father's name was Sardar Jodh Singh, and his mother's
name was Shrimati Dayakaur. When he was only a
child of seven years, he read Gurmukhi with Baba
Khem Das, who was a Vedantist and a good Mahatma.
Through the influence of this good man, and by reading
the sacred writings of the Sikh Gurus, Baba Jaimal
Singh imbibed a great desire for spiritual practice.
Even at that time he saw some spiritual light inside.
While studying the sacred Granth Sahib, he discovered
mention of the Five Melodies in man which were said
to be constantly reverberating in him and might be
heard, by proper training. He referred this matter to
his good friend, Baba Khem Das; but the latter could
throw no light on the subject. While still a boy, he
travelled about seeking light on this problem from
different Mdhatmds. None could help him. Finally
one sage who was a student of the Granth Sahib agreed
with him that there were Five Melodies inside of man;
but he had personal knowledge of only two, and could
not help him as to the others. He consulted other
spiritual teachers, but to no avail, finally returning
home. He was now sixteen years old. When he
reached Beas, in the Punjab, he met a group of sddhus

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

who were going to Rishi K6sh. He went with them.

At Rishi Kesh he attended the satsang of every mahatma
there, constantly in search of the one truth. None of
these could help him. He at last heard of a sadhu who
lived in a distant jungle. He went to him. When
told by this sadhu that it was dangerous to live in the
jungle on account of the tigers and bears, he told the
sadhu that if the wild animals did not harm him, there
was no reason for another to be afraid. The sadhu was
much pleased and told him to go to Agra where lived a
perfect Mahatma who could instruct him in the
Five Melodies. Baba Jaimal Singh then went to Agra,
much delighted and hopeful of a final solution to his
problem. He had some difficulty in finding the
Mahatma; but finally he overheard two men who were
bathing in the Jumna river talking of the satsang of the
great Mahatma, and after enquiring of them where this
Mahatma lived, he found him. His long search was
ended. Swami Ji, after a few discourses (Satsang),
initiated him; and from that time on, the spiritual
practice was his chief concern. He made rapid progress.
One day Swami Ji asked Baba Jaimal Singh if the Path
of Guru Nanak was the right one. He answered:
"The Path is all right; but although I want to go up,
my soul finds obstacles". Swami Ji replied: "You
have already done the practice; the obstruction is only
superficial." Baba Ji asked : "What is the proof that
I have already done the practice?" Swami Ji replied :
"If you want proof then sit down for Bhajan and close
your eyes." Then Swami Ji drew up his soul and took
it as high as Daswan Dwar; and Swarup (the Master's
radiant form) was with it all the way. Then he brought
it back. Baba Ji said: "By your kindness you have
taken me through all the stages of Maya. Now the

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

higher stages are easier to cross. Now tell me what holy

place I shall go to for doing the practice?" Swami Ji
smiled and said : "If you lead the life of a recluse, you
will depend on others for your sustenance, and that will
affect your Bhajan. Better earn your livelihood yourself." Baba Ji said: "I am a farmer by caste, and if I
work as a farmer, I shall have to marry and that I have
no inclination to do". Swami Ji replied: "Get
enlisted in the army". So he was enlisted in the 24th
Panjabis on the 14th July, 1857. It is said of him that
on many occasions he was found to have been sitting for
spiritual practice the whole of the night while in strenuous service, and even after returning to Beas, he spent
long hours of the day and night in such practice.
Sometimes when he was here on furlough, he would live
on stale bread which he soaked in water and ate,
returning at once to his practice. After thirty-four
years in service, two of which were not credited to him
because he was under-age when he enlisted, he retired
on pension on the 18th of August, 1889. After a short
stay at home and at Dhaliwal, he came to Beas in 1891
and began to hold satsang. At that time the Dera
was little more than a doby cabin squatting on the
desert beneath the hot suns of summer and unsheltered
from the chill winds of winter. The spot selected by
Baba Jaimal Singh for the future Dera is in the District
of Amritsar on the west bank of the Beas river, three
miles north from where the North Western Railway
crosses that river and where the Beas Station is located.
It is a place sacred to fifty thousand satsangis. Thus the
work in the Punjab was founded by Baba Jaimal Singh,
and here he carried on that work for eleven years.
Turning over his work to Sardar Sawan Singh, whom
he nominated as his successor some eight months before

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

his decease, he departed his life on the 29th of December,

1903.
Sardar Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj Sahib
was born on the 27th day of July, 1858, in the village of
Mehmansing-walla in the district of Ludhiana, the
Punjab. He has forbidden any detailed or lengthy description of himself. Much that we would like to say
must, therefore, be omitted. When but a young man
he entered the government service, military engineering department, after receiving his training in Thomason Civil Engineering College, Roorkee, U.P. His
father was a commissioned officer in the 14th Sikh
Regiment, and on the death of his father he joined that
same regiment and was promised a commission in three
years. After his college training he returned to this regiment and was sent out to service in the military works,
in which he served for twenty-eight years, retiring on
pension in 1911. From that time to the present he has
devoted his time entirely to Sant Mat.
One incident forms the connecting link between
his life as an ordinary citizen and his present work. It
seems fitting therefore that this incident should be related
here. He had long sought a real Master. He had earnestly studied the Sikh scriptures and had visited many
Mahatmas in search of light. Finally while on duty in
the Murree Hills, Baba Jaimal Singh, then renowned
for his holiness and deep spiritual insight, made a visit
to those hills. That saint said to one of his disciples one
day, while the young officer was passing them: "That
is the man we have come to initiate". The disciple replied : "How can that be when he does not even notice
you?" But the saint said: "On the fourth day he will
come to us." And so it happened that on the fourth day
this young officer, Sawan Singh Sahib, having heard

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

that a holy man was holding satsang nearby, came to

see and hear him. He was deeply interested and attracted to the Mahatma, and after several conferences, he
was initiated by Baba Jaimal Singh on the 15tii day of
October, 1894. Subsequently he devoted himself assiduously to the Master's work, and to him Baba Jaimal
Singh turned over his work in Beas in June, 1903.
When the old Master passed to higher regions the following December, the new Master continued to carry on
the Great Work in the Punjab.
We may be permitted to say that under his gracious administration the Dera has grown from a spot on
the desert to a little city of nearly one hundred houses,
and the number of initiates has grown from about four
thousand to fifty thousand*. Good buildings are in
process of construction all the time, and work will
shortly start on the new auditorium which will seat over
ten thousand people.
The Master goes to all parts of the Panjab, and
beyond, to hold satsang as often as possible. The high
in worldly position and the lowly, the educated and the
ignorant, all come to him, gladly receive his message
and give to him their love and devotion as disciples.
The work of this great Master now extends to far
off America where a goodly number are already receiving his help in their efforts towards emancipation. This
is the day of their opportunity. The Great Light is now
breaking upon the West. To aid in that work this little
book is sent out as a personal message to all who are
seeking Light on the Path.
'Presently, gatherings at the Monthly and Bhandara Salsangs run into the
several hundred thousand, and the number of initiations granted yearly to about
twenty thousand. The Dera has grown into a modern township with a unique
layout and amenities. The wide roads, varying (reclined avenues, lawns and
parks, and, above all, the air of calm and quiet, greatly add to its charm.

PART II
DOCTRINAL AND EXPLANATORY
The text of Sar Bachan, presented herewith, is
based upon notes taken from the discourses of Swami
Ji Maharaj. They were not given at a single sitting, nor
to the same audiences. Hence some repetition will be
observed. This repetition while objectionable from a
purely literary standpoint, is not without real value to
the student. Any great truth, especially if it be quite
new to the reader, has to be repeated many times in
order to take root in the mind. It will, therefore, be
understood that those who read this book will not read
it for the sake of literary diversion, but in order to discover a vital Truth.
The entire volume was most ably and accurately
rendered into English by the scholarly translator, but
if there has been any deviation from the strict wording
of the original text, the writer alone is responsible.
Some changes had to be made to meet the inflexible
demands of the English language. But it is confidently
hoped and believed that the real meaning and purport
of the original has not been lost in any case.
A glossary of technical terms has been added at
the end of the book. This appeared necessary, because
technical terms cannot always be translated. And
technical terms are quite as necessary in this science
as they are in chemistry, astronomy or medicine. It
must be borne in mind that while this sort of teaching
is comparatively new to the western mind, the East

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

and particularly India, was well trained in spiritual

philosophy and science ages before the Romans, or
Alexander the Great ever dreamed of world empire,
and when nought but savages roamed over the vast
prairies and through the deep forests of what is now
proud America. This science was familiar to the great
Teachers of India long before Egypt came to be regarded as the world's repository of occult knowledge. In
fact Egypt took her first lessons in such knowledge from
the great Mahatmas of India.
Dear old India! The world owes her a debt of
gratitude it is slow to repay. All the round world has
sat at her feet and learned the ancient wisdom. But
not all the world knows the soul of India. The West
does not yet understand her. Many look upon India as
the land of mystery or of poverty and ignorance. They
look only at the drifting tide of human life breaking
upon her unhappy shores in vast lacs of incarnations.
They know not the real India. They know not her
great Teachers; for they are her soul. From them
streams of life have gone forth to heal the nations, during immemorial ages. They have always been the world's
fight bearers. The sunrise of India's spiritual glory is
only just now breaking upon the world. That glory is
not a thing of the past ages. It consists not in the wisdom
of her ancient Vedas, nor in the life and words of her
adorable Buddha, is IT EMBODIED IN HER LIVING MASTERS.
In them this wisdom of the ages takes living form and
is more vital today than ever. In them the word of truth
has become flesh and dwel s among men. This book is
a memorial to one of these great Masters. It contains
the most important precepts of his teachings. The living
Masters who now carry on the Great Work are the
modern Christs, the Elder Brothers, the Saviors of

10

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

mankind. The everlasting gratitude of a few disciples

in America is now due to one of these noble Sons of
God whose loving kindness has already connected the
East with the West in a stream of living light.
As the Master sends out this little volume to
English readers everywhere, but especially in America,
He looks hopefully for an immediate response from
many who have been waiting for an authoritative word
on the subject. This book is not only the product of a
great Master, but it is now sponsored and sent forth
by one of the greatest of modern Masters. Its teaching
is therefore authoritative. It contains nothing speculative. It is not another volume of beliefs. It is positive
fact and truth, because it is based upon the actual
experiences of the Teacher. He gives out only what he
has seen and heard and knows to be true.
Some of the teachings in this book are so new and
so startling to the western student that he will find it
quite difficult to grasp its deeper significance at the
first reading. In the absence of some explanation, many
would read it with but little idea of what it was all
about. In this introduction an attempt has been made
to prepare the mind of the student by giving him a
sort of bird's eye view of the entire scope of the contents
of the book. But we fear much that in this case the
"bird" will be found with rather defective vision. The
view may not be as clear as it should be. It will be quite
readily understood that it is extremely difficult to gather
into a few short sentences the substance of a scientific
system so vast and all-inclusive. But an attempt has been
made and the writer hopes that the reader may obtain
at least a partial glimpse of the sublime reality.
While the teaching of these modern Masters goes
far beyond that of all extant religions, there is but little,

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

11

if any, contradiction between their fundamental precepts. Students should bear this in mind and not permit
any dogmatic preconceptions to interfere with or to
block their investigation. This science is offered as a
supplement to what they already have, no matter who
the students may be or to what organization they may
belong. It aims not to do away with what they already
have, but to give them additional light. If the time ever
comes in the life of any student when he feels that he
has discovered something which carries him a step further toward the light, then he may relax his hold on
the old and take up the new. But this he should do, not
as if he were casting aside something false and worthless, but he should lay it aside reverently as something
which has well served its purpose. The light of understanding must always increase as races and individuals
rise to higher levels of spiritual consciousness.
The Saints teach that the entire scheme of creation is divided into three grand divisions, as follows :
I. SAT DESH, the highest and only perfectly pure
region. It is the realm of absolutely pure spirit, unmixed with any sort of matter. Its primary attributes
are Wisdom, Love, and Power; or as some of the orientals
prefer to name them, Intelligence, Joy and Energy.
This is the abode of the Supreme Creator and numberless hosts of pure spiritual beings possessed of unimaginable god-like greatness and splendor and enjoying the
most intense happiness. This region is practically
boundless, or limitless, in extent. It knows neither
death nor change nor any imperfection. From it all
regions below were derived and by it they are sustained.
The Supreme Lord of that region is the beneficent
Creator and Preserver of all that lives, even to the remotest bounds of creation.

12

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

II. BRAHMAND is the next Grand Division. It is

mostly spiritual, but is mixed with a certain amount of
refined matter. It is therefore called the "Spiritualmaterial region". Its inhabitants are happy beyond
our conception, but they are not immortal, as many
believe. They live for extremely long periods of time,
finally undergoing a change somewhat analogous to death
only at the time of the Grand Dissolution when all
Brahmand returns to its precreation status after an
extremely long cycle of time. It is the region of Paradise
and of most of the heavens of extant religions. It is vast
in extent, beyond our power to think, but is very small
in comparison with the First Grand Division.
ANDA IS SOMETIMES CALLED A DIVISION, but it is a

subdivision of Brahmand.
III. PINDA is the third Grand Division. It is the
region of gross physical matter, with a limited admixture
of spirit, necessary to its life. For all life depends upon
spirit. Matter is here dominant. It is therefore called
the "material-spiritual" region. This region includes
all material suns and their planets, of which our own
earth is one. All of the untold millions of universes
known to our astronomers are but a very small portion
of the grand total of the Pinda region. And the entire
Pinda region is but little more than a speck floating
in the sky of the Brahmand region. All of these physical
universes move in endless procession around the larger
region of Brahmand, and are sustained by it, even as
Brahmand is sustained by the higher region.
It may help the student to understand many of
the Radha Swami teachings if he will bear in mind that
the creation, government and maintenance of the entire
universe of universes is in the hands of a great spiritual
hierarchy, ranging in rank and power all the way from

SAR BACHAN RADHA

SWAMI

13

the Supreme Central Spirit down to man. That is why

in all of the Radha Swami literature mention is so often
made of the presiding deities of the several regions.
Each one in his own sphere is the divine center for
the distribution of the creative life forces. They all carry
on their work in harmony with the Supreme Will.
That deity or power commonly called the Negative
Power is the Kal, or Universal Mind, which with delegated and limited powers, presides over all creation
below Daswan Dwar. He is also an emanation of the
Supreme Power and in his region carries out the
Supreme Will. The Positive Power is Sat Pursh, or
Sat N'im, the gracious and Supreme Lord of all below
Him. His throne is in Sach Khand.
These physical universes and worlds are subject to
death and change for more than Brahmand is. They undergo complete dissolution at the end of each life cycle
which is much shorter than the life-cycle of Brahmarrff:'
These dissolutions are followed by new creations and
their inhabitants reappear under changed conditions
which make for their betterment. As we all know, this
is pre-eminently the region of ceaseless changes and of
many imperfections. This state of affairs obtains in all
of the vast numbers of planets scattered throughout the
starry depths of space.
The outlook for all in these lower regions would be
a dismal one indeed were it not for one thing. The
Great Father has not forgotten us, although we have
forgotten Him. He has permitted us to descend into
this world for purposes which appear to be wholly evolutionary, disciplinary and remedial. When we have
grown clean and strong and brave and god-like, the
Father looks for our return to the Home land. To
facilitate this return He sends His beloved Sons whom

14

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

we call Saints, and the world is never without at least

one of them. Their mission is to take us back home,
and all who seek shelter at their holy feet are sure of
their complete liberation from the wheel.
One of these divine personalities was the author
of this book. Others of like character are now carrying
on the Great Work of Liberation.
In case some of our western students become disturbed by this view of things, thinking it sets aside the
generally accepted doctrine of evolution, let them remember two things.
1. It does not run counter to the law of evolution in any aspect, but it looks upon the evolutionary
scheme of life from a vastly higher and more comprehensive viewpoint. It takes account of human history running through millions of years, while the scope of the
ordinary scientist embraces only a few thousand years.
The physical scientists deal with only a few fragments of
mankind who have left some records and specimens.
Old races and tribes die out and new conditions give
birth to new races which in response to the same general
law of evolution rise to higher levels of civilization for
a time. These in turn are succeeded by others, and so on
to the end. This process has been going on for millions
of years, since the dawn of Sat Yuga. This ebb and
flow of civilizations, the rsie and fall of great races, the
advance and retrogression of vast portions of mankind,
are phenomena not embraced in the limited view of the
modern physicist. And he is not to be blamed for his
Hmitations.
2. The student must bear in mind that evolution simply points to method of Nature. It is Nature's
method 6f trying to improve species and individuals.
If this teaching points to a general decline of races

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

15

and of the world as a whole, it does not apply to individuals. The individual is the finished product towards
which all the processes of evolution look. And the individual does not decline, except by his own voluntary
conduct. A race may decline, while the individuals of
that race, each appearing on the scene for only a
moment comparatively and then disappearing may pass
to other worlds to complete their evolution. The individuals of a race come up from lower levels of life to
meet the demands of their own evolution, and when
they pass on, they do not necessarily return to that
same country or race. They go where their own Karma
takes them. The fact that a race or a whole world may
have their periods of youth, manhood and decline, is
no more contrary to the general law of evolution than
are those same phenomena in individual life. In fact
such periods are as necessary to races and worlds as
they are to individuals. The world undergoes dissolution in order that it may give place to another. This
affords its inhabitants new and better conditions under
which to carry on their own higher evolution. So this
process must go on through countless ages until every

individual has reached his true Home.

Only then will

the grand scheme of evolution have accomplished its

supreme purpose.
It only remains now to point out the cardinal
points of doctrine of the Saints and their method of soul
liberation. It must be emphasized that the teaching and
method of the Saints are based entirely upon personal
experience and demonstration. There is no guess or
belief entering into the system. In that respect it differs
from all prevalent religions. The Saints who have
traveled this way cannot be mistaken as to the efficacy
of their methods. And they are able in every instance to

16

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

so direct their disciples that they may make the same demonstration and reach the same results. It is therefore
an exact science. It has been called by one Great Saint,
"The science of connecting the soul with its Creator."

The

gist of this science, and the substance of the Sar Bachan,

may be stated as follows.
1. Mankind is hopelessly entangled in the meshes
of mind and matter. The individual cannot disentangle
himself and effect his escape. He can only struggle,
and the struggle generally leaves him worse off than he
was before. No method of religious ceremony, study,
ritual, pilgrimage or prayers, can extricate him. Not
even good works of charity can save him. Notliing
he can do in and of himself can save him. Moreover,
he should remember even God Himself cannot save him,
if he depends upon God to do it by direct intervention
God has a very definite method of accomplishing His
work. The divine and natural method admits of no
substitute. This helpless and destitute condition of the
individual soul is the very first lesson to be learned. It
must be fully realized. This, then, leads us to the second
great truth, which is a natural corollary to the first,
viz.
2.

T H E VITAL NECESSITY OF A LIVING MASTER.

To acquire salvation, to accomplish liberation from the

wheel and from the tyranny of the five deadly enemies,
and to control the mind, every soul must find a Guru
or Master. This is the divine method. The work can be
accomplished in no other way. It is not simply a matter
of correct information. Certainly the student must gain
knowledge, but vastly more important than that, he
must have the personal and individual assistance of the
Master. The downward streams of mind and matter,
the surging currents that sweep over the human race,

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

17

lashed as they are by the five deadly enemies of man,

cannot be overcome alone. The soul is always carried
rapidly downstream, the yawning gulf of death and
rebirth always roaring in his ears, as he is swept onward
against all his efforts to save himself. At this critical
moment the gracious Master extends His strong hand,
and none may oppose Him. He is the Lord of life and
of death; above the lord of this region. He is able to
save; and without Him there is no escape. This
fundamental truth will be found much elaborated in the
pages of the following book.
3. The next great truth of this message is the
Sound Current. This stupendous and vital fact of
Nature is not much known in the west. It does not
appear in the literature of western philosophy. Yet it
is the most fundamental and vital fact in all the realms
of Nature. It is the supreme essential in the liberation
of every soul. Without it all religion and philosophy
are but empty words. Through the Sound Current
came the creation of all worlds and of man himself and
by it alone can man escape from the thraldom of
worldly ills. By it the life of the universe is sustained
and by it must man return to his Spiritual Home.
At the time of his initiation by the Master each
student is given certain vital secrets which are necessary
to his success, and he is definitely instructed in the best
methods of concentration and meditation by means
of which he is to develop the inner sight and hearing
and begin his upward journey. Eventually, he is able
to leave the physical body and with his Guru, travel
in those upper regions. His Guru connects the student
with the Sound Current at the time of initiation and
is with him all the way through the regions o Light
until he reaches his final Home.

18

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Just what the Sound Current is may not be so

easy to tell. It is the Creator Himself reaching down
into the realms of mind and matter in a perpetual
stream of his own divine spirituality. It is the Holy
Ghost of the Bible, while the Master is the Son and the
Supreme Lord the Father, forming the Holy Trinity
of the church. It is mentioned frequently in ancient
religious and philosophical literature under different
names. It is the Logos, or Word, of the Bible, the Nad
of the Hindus, or the Kalma, or Ism-e-Azam of the
Mohammedans, and it is the Shabd of modern Indian
Saints. This Sound Current may be heard by all disciples who have received the Initiation by any Saint
and who follow the instructions of their Master. Of
course, it is not heard by the physical ears, but by a
finer sense which has to be developed. At first it is feeble
and variable in tone, but as one proceeds it becomes
more distinct and more musical until finally it becomes
sweeter than all earthly sounds. It then draws the soul
upward. It purifies and ennobles the soul, fitting it for
higher abodes. The soul, under its benign guidance,
aided always by the Master, begins his upward journey.
Soon he realizes an awakening super-consciousness,
and the development of powers never before realized.
With the beloved Master as his guide, he now traverses
all of the heavenly regions of Brahmand, and stands at
last upon the radiant shores of the pure spiritual realm.
Through innumerable and enchanting worlds he passes,
now free and filled with delight. Home at last, his long
and weary pilgrimage is over. He has now transcended
all of the heavens known to the prevailing world religions.
He is now in the highest Grand Division of creation.
He is in the region of the Supreme Father who speeds
bam on to Radha Swami Dhim, the region of immortal-

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

19

ity. Deathless and changeless, he will abide forever in

the Home of the blessed far away in the depths of Infinite
Light, where all attempts at explanation or description
become futile. Only he who attains those regions will
know.
All of this is achieved while the disciple and his
Master are both living in the phsical body. The achievement is accomplished in the light of full consciousness and perfect memory, and this is the goal of all
Yoga, all philosophy, all religion and all science. It is
the realization of all human hopes.
The inspiring story is told, imperfectly no doubt.
But it is told, and the rest is left to the student, to elect
if he will or not, enter upon the Path. But if he elects
to enter the holy way, let him remember that his very
first step is to find a living Master and seek initiation
at His hands. All the rest will be made clear to him,
and he cannot fail of ultimate realization.
Tours at the Master's Holy Feet
Dera Baba Jaimal Singhji,
Via Beas, Distt. Amcitsar
the Punjab, India,
March I, 1934.

JULIAN P. JOHNSON

LAST COMMANDMENTS OF SWAMI JI

MAHARAJ
The words that Swami Ji Maharaj uttered with
His own sacred tongue on the last day before He went
in forever, for the guidance of Sadhus, Satsangis and
Satsangans (male and female followers). Date, 15th
June, 1878, A.D., corresponding to Asarh, Badi Parwa,
Sambat 1935, Saturday, early morning.
1. Swami Ji Maharaj called Chandarsen, a
Satsangi who used to come from Village Kursande
every full moon day for the Darshan of Swami Ji
Maharaj, to come near, and said: "Sit down, look intently and let this dwell in your mind, for you will
not have Darshan on the next full moon day. Your
bhakti is complete."
2. At 8 o'clock in the morning Swami Ji Maharaj
said: "Now I am preparing to leave." After that
Maharaj took His surat up and drew up all the consciousness; only the whites of the eyes were visible, and
the body began to tremble. After fifteen minutes He
brought His surat down and then said : "The Mauj is
now changed. There is yet some time". Then Lala
Seth Partap Singh (Chacha Ji) asked: "When is the
Mauj ?" On which He replied : "Sometime this afternoon."
3. Then Sadhu Bhara Singh and Satsangis began making offerings and performing obeisance. Thereupon Lala Jagannath Khatri, a neighbor, said: "Let
the Dhyan (attention) of Maharaj be fixed inwards;
this is not the time for such offerings." Then Swami Ji

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

21

Maharaj turned to him and said : "To be able to send

the surat up whenever you like (at will) and to bring it
down whenever you like, this is called Dhyan. As for
me, I had already taken myself up last night and put
the surat into the lap of SAT PURUSH, but have come
down to say a few things to you people."
3. Then He said: "You know I was six years
old when I applied myself to Parmarth; thus I have
been able to perfect this Abhyas." And He gave
this analogy in its support: "Tell an imperfect swimmer to swim when he is about to drown. He will not be
able to swim but will sink. Whereas, if you throw one
into the river, who has learnt swimming from boyhood,
he will not drown. As for the body, it is only a skin
cover. In no case has it lasted. Life-long Bhajan and
Simran is only for this reason: That one should not
forget at this time (at the time of death). Therefore,
practice Nam in such a way that you do not forget It
even while moving about and talking."
5. Then, turning to Rai Saligram and all
Sadhus and Satsangis, male and female, Swami Ji
Maharaj said : "Look upon Radha Ji (Swami Ji's wife)
in the same way as you look upon me, and consider
Radha Ji and Chhoti Mata Ji as equal.
6. Then He told Radha Ji (His wife) not to turn
her back on Sibbo, Bukki and Vishno.
7. About Sanmukh Das He said that he was
appointed the Mahant or the head of all the Sadhus
and explained : "Not that type of Mahanti (leadership)
as is current in the world. That is, Sanmukh Das and
Bimal Das are appoited officers over the Sadhus, and
the arrangement for and the administration of the
Sadhus will be their responsibility. They will stay in the

22

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Bagh (garden) and Partapa (Seth Partap Singh) will

be the owner of the Bagh.
8. Then He said that persons with families
(householders) should expect no devotion from the
Sadhus.
9. Radhi Bibi
then asked who would be
appointed for them. Swami Ji replied: "Radha Ji
for Grihasthis (householders) and Sanmukh Das for
Sadhus."
10. Swami Ji Maharaj said that Grihasthi women (women living a family life) should not go to the
Bagh to offer service or devotion to any Sadhu. "They
should all go to Radha Ji to have Darshan and to offer
devotion." He then added : "It is I who have made the
tiger and the goat drink from the same pool. It is not
possible for anybody else to do it."
11. Then Bibi Bukki entreated Swami Ji to take
her also along with him. Whereupon He said : "Do not
worry. I shall call you soon. Fix your attention on the
Lotus Feet inside."
12. Then Lala Partap Singh requested that he
also be taken along, to which Swami Ji Maharaj replied : "I have still to take a lot of work from you. You
will live in the Bagh, hold Satsang and make others
hold Satsang."
13. Then Sudarshan Singh (Swami Ji's nephew)
asked: "Whom shall we ask, if there is anything to be
asked (if there are any questions to be answered)."
To this he replied: "If anyone wants to ask anything
(wishes anything explained), he should ask Saligram."
14. Turning to Lala Partap Singh, He said:
"My Mat (ideal or teachings) were of Sat Nam and
Anami, and Radha Swami Mat has been started by

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

23

Saligram. Let this also go on. Satsang should continue,

and Satsang will flourish more than before."
15. Then He said: "No Satsangis, whether
Grihasthi or Bhekh (Sadhu), should in any way feel
perturbed. I am with every one of them and in the
future they will be looked after even more than before.
16. He continued: "No other Kami (effort)
will be successful in Kaliyug. Dhyan or contemplation
of the Sarup of the Satguru and Simran of Nam will
be successful."
17. Lala Partap Singh then requested that
Shabd be opened. Swami Ji replied: "To hear the
Dhun and to enjoy its bliss is equivalent to the opening
of the Shabd."
18. Then Swami Ji Maharaj turned to Radha
Ji and said: "I have practised both, Swarath and
Parmarth. Therefore, follow the wordly rule also and
let the Sadhus too follow their own customs."
19. Swami Ji Maharaj then moved out of the
courtyard into the inner room and passed away at
about 1-45 p.m.

BOOK I

THE SAR BACHAN

OR

THE TEACHINGS OF RADHA SWAMI

Translated from the Hindi by
Sardar Sewa Singh, B.A., P.C.S.
(Assisted in the English Construction by
Dr. Julian P. Johnson)

"GRANT MERCIFUL RADHA SWAMI T H Y GRACE AND PROTECTION'^

Abstract of the the teachings of Radha Swami Sahib, the founder of

the Radha Swami System of Religion and Philosophy; or
the Practice of the Sound Current.

This world is perishable and so are all worldly

things. The wise man is he who realizes the transitory
and illusory nature of this world and all things pertaining to it, and makes the best use of this body by worshiping the Supreme Being, through Bhajan and Simran.
He thus derives benefit from all that the Creator,
through His grace, has placed in the body, and takes
that priceless jewel, the essence of allthe Surat (the
soul) to its real abode.
1. Jivdtmd and Surat are other names for soul.
It has descended into the body from the highest planes

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

25

of Sat Nam and Rddhd Swami. But it has become entangled here by the three gunas (attributes), five tattwas ten Indriyas (sense organs), the mind etc., and has
developed such strong ties with the body and the things
related to it that it finds it most difficult to free itself
from those bondages. Freedom from these bondges is
called liberation. The sense organs, the tatlwas, the
mind, etc., are the inner bonds, while worldly things,
the family and other relationships constitute the external
bonds. The jivdtmd (soul) is so inextricably caught by these bonds that it now has no recollection of its real
home. It finds itself so far away from that home that
it is very difficult to return to it without the grace of a
perfect Sat Guru.
What man should do now, is to take the Surat
back to its source and real treasure house, Sat Nam and
Rddhd Swami. Till this is done, one is not free from the
pains and pleasures of this world.
2. The aim and object of all religious and of all
ancient seers has been to take the soul, by one means
or another, back to its source. Perfect is he who, by
practice and meditation, lifts his soul to its real abode,
freeing it from all bonds, both internal and external,
gross, subtle and causal, and thus detaches his mind
from the world and its phenomena. The perfect sadhus,
real gydnis, true lovers or devotees of the Lord, are those
only who reach the last stage. They who only talk of
the Perfect Ones, or read their teachings to others without reaching the stage or practising towards that end
are only intellectuals and theorists.
3. All the Teachers, Sages, Incarnations {Avatars)
or Prophets in the past, in every religion, started towards
the real abode within themselves by means of spiritual

26

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

practices, but all of them did not reach the final stage.
A good many of them stopped at the first stage, some
few at the second, and a few sddhs and devotees reached
the third stage. Saints alone reached the fifth stage, Sat
Nam; and only a few among them reached the eighth
stage, i.e., Rddhd Swami Dhdm. It was from this place
that the surat (soul) descended originally. During its
downward journey, however, it seemed as if the soul
had descended from the intermediate stages, such as
Sat Lok, etc., and they who did not reach even this stage
and finished their upward journey in the lower planes
felt as if the soul had originally descended from those
lower regions. As they were not instructed by a Perfect
Guru, they naturally looked upon those lower stages as
the source of the Surat (soul); and likewise they regarded the Lord of those regions as the Lord and Creator
of all creation. They thus taught their disciples to worship the lord of those regions and to believe in him as
the Supreme Being.
4. It should be known that Rddhd Swami Pad is
the highest of all. This is also the name of the Supreme
Being, the real Lord God. Two stages below this is the
region of Sat Nam. The Saints have called it by various
names, such as Sat Lok, Sack Khand, Sar Shabd, Sat Shabd,
Sat Nam and Sat Punish. From this it would appear that
these regions are the resting places of the Saints and
Supreme Saints. It is on account of this that the Saints
rank as the highest. Mind and Maya do not exist
in those regions. They envelop all of the lower regions
of creation; i.e., the whole of creation is within their
orbit.
The Rddhd Swami Pad is also called Akah (Unspoken or Indescribable) or An ami (Nameless), as this

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

27

region is Immeasurable, Endless, and Without Beginning. It is THAT from which all other regions were
created or manifested. This is the true Lamdkdn
(without any location) and Ldmuqdm (which cannot
even be termed a region).
5. Sddhs, Gydnis, Bhagats, Incarnations, Prophets
and other holy personages who did not reach the Real
Home, all rank much below the Saints. As, in their upward journey, they stopped at different planes, and they
founded different religions corresponding to their
several attainments. The stage reached by any one of
them was regarded by him as the final region, and the
presiding deity of that region was looked upon as the
Supreme and Almighty God, and his worship as such
was enjoined. This was due to the fact that all the different regions were created by the Supreme Being as reflections of the Real Region, so that the lower regions
also share to some extent the features and conditions
of the highest, but there is a lot of difference in regard
to permanence and other conditions. Each region has
its own distinct creation, marked by different grades of
subtleness and purity. Only he who has seen all the
regions can appreciate the difference. Otherwise, the
form and effulgence of the Lord of the region reached
by anyone was regarded as limitless and boundless, and
that deity was considered Supreme. The ecstasy of the
moment of realization caused the devotee to lose
himself in an indescribable state of eagerness and blissful intoxication.
6. The Sural attains to a different state at every
stage that it reaches. At each stage it feels as if it controls and pervades through everything below. For instance, on reaching the first or the second stage, the
Sural or Lord of that stage appears to create and govern

28

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

all the world below, as if he were its manifestor and

supporter. And since these instructors had no knowledge of any higher region, they taught their disciples to
regard the Lord of that plane as the Supreme God.
Only the Sant Sat Guru knows of the higher regions. Had
these teachers been instructed by a Sant Sat Guru, those
higher regions would have been revealed to them.
Then they would have been shown the way and helped
on the onward Path.
Likewise, one who crossed the first, second or
third stage in the course of his upward journey, was
looked upon as perfect. The fact is that the devotee
acquires all power when he reaches the first stage and
on account of that attainment, he is regarded as a perfect being or Mahatma. There is no doubt that this first
region is much superior to the regions of lower consciousness, and one who reaches this stage is absolutely
freed from all personal and worldly dross.
7. It has been mentioned above that Sat Nam,
called also Sat Lok or Sach Khand, is a very high region
and is the Court of the Saints. There are three planes
above it which were not formerly revealed by any
Saint. Out of His extreme love, they are now clearly
described by the Par am Purush, Pur an Dhani, Rddhd
Swami Daydl. He. has also revealed the Highest Region,
that of Rddhd Swami, which is the source and origin of
all creation and is the real mansion of the Param Sanls.
In the beginning, the Surat descended from this region,
and all regions below it only mark the stages in the descent of the soul. It is now located in the body below
Sahasdal Kamal (thousand-petalled lotus). Its light
radiates into the body from that place and energizes the
mind and the various organs of the physical, subtle and
mental bodies.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

29

8. There are two minds, Brahmdndi (universal)

and Pindi(individual). T h e former has its seat in Trikuti
and Sahasdal Kamal, and is called Brahm, Parmdtmd
and Khudd. T h e latter is behind the eyes and in the
heart. It is the Pindi mind which carries on the business
of the world, with the help of the soul, which has become so attached to it as to acquire a downward
tendency along with it towards the lower physical
regions. T h e mind and the sense organs derive their
sower of action from the soul. If the jivdtmd, surat or
soul were to turn towards its real home and decrease
its attachments to the physical world, it would find the
way to liberation. When the surat reaches its real home
in Sat Lok, beyond the regions of the Brahmdndi mind, it
will break all bondswhether causal, subtle or gross,
phys ; cal, sensual or mental. Its activities in the world
will be in name only, will be reduced to a minimum,
and that too to be terminated at will. In short, till the
surat or jivdtmd succeeds in breaking or at least loosening
the Sukshm and Kdran bonds which it has developed
with the mind and the senses, and turning its back
upon the impure regions of Pind and Brahmand inclines
towards its Real Home and crosses the Brahmdndi mind,
the knot between thenar (unconscious) and the chaitanya
(conscious) will not be undone. T h e mind, the senses,
body, worldly, actions, enjoyments, etc. constitute the
'unconscious'. T h e soul is subtle and conscious, and
the connection of the soul with the 'unconscious' is the
knot. So long as this is not unravelled, the connection
of the soul with M a y a is not ended and there is no
Liberation or Moksha, no destruction of the seeds of
desires and hopes.
9. As the result of Spiritual Practice and traversing the upward Path, the force of desire is lessened, and

30

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

temporarily suppressed and may lead one to think

that it had been annihilated, but so long as the surat does
not reach Sat Lok, desire cannot be fully eradicated.
Therefore, a devotee who has reached only the first
or second regionSahasdal Kamal or Trikuti, but not
Sat Lok, may not able to withstand the influence of the
Brahmdndi mind and Maya and the strong impulses of
sensual pleasures, and it should not be surprising if he
falls. He may soon realize his mistake and by disdaining pleasures and performing Spiritual Practice
regain this lost ground through the grace of the Guru, but
there is no doubt about his being somewhat stained.
A devotee should, therefore, take his soul to such a
high plane where there is not even a trace of desire
worldly or parmdrlhicand where he may experience
only the BLISS of living in the presence of the Supreme
and Almighty Rddhd Swdmi Daydl. After this attainment
one escapes all temptations and has no downward tendencies, because he is out of the orbit of Maya. He is
then entitled to be called a Saint.
Because they had not reached this high plane is
the reason why many great Avatars, Rishis, Munis, Mystics
and Prophets were at one time or another successfully
tempted by Maya and they forgot their exalted status
for the time being, as in the cases of Narad, Vyds,
Shringi, Pdrdshar, Brahma, Mahddeo and Avatars. As these
instances are more or less well known to all, it is not
necessary to dilate upon them here.
10. The above references are not meant to indicate that the sages mentioned were absolutely captivated by Maya, or incurred very heavy spiritual losses.
The object is to show that Mdyd succeeded in deceiving them by various devices. The reason for this is
clear. Although they had reached a high stage in their

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

31

development, they had not attained that region beyond

the scope of Maya, which is the final stage of Sat Nam and
Rddhd Swami.
Now, a description is given of the descent of the
soul, and this will show how high and far is its Original
Home; also from what regions Avatars, Prophets, Auliyds,
Devatas, manifested themselves, and how far their jurisdiction extends.
11. The first and foremost region, which is the
highest and the largest, which cannot even be called
a stage or a region, is that of Rddhd Swami, Andmi
(Nameless), or Akeh (Indescribable). This is the beginning and the end of everything and circumscribes all.
The love and energy of this region vibrate at every
place, in Ansh Roop (part of the whole).
In the beginning the Mauj emanated from this
region and came down in the form of Shabd. This is
the region of Par am Sants. Only a few Sants (Saints)
have reached this region and those who did are called
Param Sants.
12. Two stages below the Rddhd Swami Region
is that of Sat Nam or Sat Lok, which is highly effulgent
and pure, and is the region of pure spirit and consciousness. It is the beginning and the end of all creation
below. Two spiritual currents emanated from this
region and pervaded all the regions below. Acording
to the teachings of the Saints, the Ruler of this region is
the True Lord and Creator. As the Sal Shabd manifested
itself from this region, it is called also Maha Nad, Sdr
Shabd; it is also called Sat Punish or Ad Purush. It is not
subject to destruction or change and is always the same.
Saints are embodiments or incarnations of the Lord of
this region. It is the region of the Daydl Purush (Merciful

32

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Lord), where love, mercy and bliss reign eternally.

In this region innumerable Hansas (loving souls) live
in different Dweeps (islands) and enjoy the bliss of the
presence of Sat Purush, and live upon ameen (ambrosia).
There is not even a trace of death, karma, anger, punishment, virtue, sin, pain and suffering.
The Lord of this plane is called Hoot by true and
perfect faqeers, is named Daydl or Rahman (Merciful).
In the beginning the Surat, in its descent from the Rddhd
Swami Region, first came here and, after a temporary
sojourn, descended farther into the lower regions.
Whoever, keeping Rddhd Swami as his ideal before him
and having firm faith in His Feet, crosses all the stages
and reaches Sat Lok, can also reach the Rddhd Swami
Region, and in no other way. The Saints, therefore,
especially enjoin the worhip of Sat Purush Rddhd Swami,
Who is Their Lord God. Only he who reaches this region is entitled to be called Sant (Saint) or Sat Guru, and
no one else.
13. Two stages below Sat Lok is the region of
Sunna or Daswdn Dwdr, where the Surat made its first
stop in its descent from Sat Lok, and thence came down
into Brahmdnda and Pinda. Daswdn Dwdr is the Atmd
Pad of the Saints, and the region of Hahoot, according to
Faqeers (Muslim Saints). When the soul reaches this
region, after freeing itself from the five lattwas, the three
gunas (qualities or attributes), and the three bodies
gross, subtle and causal, then it becomes fit for the
Bhakti (devotion, worship) of the Lord, and from here,
with the force of Divine Love, proceeds to Sat Lok, and
then to Rddhd Swami Region. One who reaches the
Daswdn Dwdr Region is termed a perfect Sddh, according to the teachings of Rddhd Swami or Sant Mat. In this
region also, groups of Hansas or devoted souls dwell in

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

33

bliss and all manner of delights, and live on the water

of immortality.
Puruska (creative energy) and Prakriti (Nature)
emanated from this very region. This is also called the
Par Brahm region.
14. Below the Sunna or Daswdn Dwdr, is the region
of Trikuti, also called Gagan (Heaven). This is the
region of Pranava, Brahm or Onkdr. True Muslim Faqeers
call it Arsh-i-Azeem (The Great Heaven) or Alam-i-Ldhoot.
Yogishwars and perfect Gydnis reached this plane. From
this region emanated Ishwari-Mdyd or Shakti, the subtle
material of the whole of the creation below, the three
gunas, and the five tattwas, in their highly subtle form.
This is the source of the "Word" of all revealed books
such as the Vedas, The Koran, The Ad Purdn of Sardogis,
and other sacred books. Avatars of a high order, such as
Rama and Krishna; Yogishwars, such as Vyds, Vashisht and
Rikhab Dev of Sardogis, came from this region. It is also
called Mahd Akdsh (Great Heaven). The Chaitanya Prdna
(conscious life force) also originated from this region.
The Lord of the region is called Prdn Purush or Khudd-iAzeem. Saints call him Brahmdndi mind.
15. Below this is the region of Sahasdal Kamal
(thousand-petalled lotus). Niranjan Jyoti, Shiv Shakti,
Lakshmi Ndrdyana, Ndray ana Jyoti Saroop, Shy dm Sundar,
Arsh (Heaven), and Khuda are also names of this region.
All avatars of the second degree, prophets, auliyds and
yogis of a higher order come from this region and return
to it. Faqeers and Saints call it Nij-Mana (real mind).
Tan-mdtrds of tattwas were created in this region; and
then were created the gross tattwas, the senses and their
organs, Prdn and Prakritis. The reflection or shadow of
this region first appears in the Nuqtd-i-swaidd (black
point) or Til behind the eyes, and again in the two eyes

34

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

themselves. The Jivdtmd dwells in this very Til during

the waking state. Chidakdsh or Chetan Akdsh, called
Brahm by some Gydnis, comes from this region of Sahasdal
Kamal, and pervades in the body or Pinda and the whole
creation below it. The entire creation below Sahasdal
Kamal derives its life and vitality from the manifesting
power of the Chelan Akdsh of this region; that is, this
Chetan Akdsh vitalizes all the creation below it.
This finishes the description of the heavenly or
higher regions. Below this are spheres of Brahma, Vishnu
and Mahddev or Shiva, where may be seen the real forms
of these Devatds. The Saints and Faqeers elevate the
Jivdtmd or Surat, from the eye center, first of all, to this
very region. There is no other way of ascent except
this.
16. There are stages of Shabd or Nad down to
this point corresponding to the five regions from Sat Lok
down to Sahasdal Kamal, i.e., there are Five Melodies
or Sounds which can be made known to us by a perfect
Master or Sat Guru. Each region has its own distinctive
Sound and its own characteristic secret. The fifth Sound
is in Sat Lok. It is not possible to give any description,
oral or written, of the Shabd beyond that. There is no
parallel in this world to which that Sound can be compared. The adepts realize that Shabd when they reach
that region. The five Shabds mark the five regions. It is
via the Dhun (Sound) of each region that the soul can,
by degrees, ascend from one region to another, up to the
highest stage. The ascent of the spirit is absolutely
impossible in any other way, especially in this age of
Kali Yuga.
17. Be it known that in the final region of Rddhd
Swami there is no form, color or delineation, as we
know them here; even the Shabd is not manifested there.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

35

No description of the region can be given by word of

mouth or by writing. This is the final resting place of
the Parani Sants and Perfect Faqeers.
18. Like the six superior or heavenly regions
from Sat Lok down to Sahasdal Kamal, there are six lower
or physical regions below them in Pinda, which are in
reality reflections of the heavenly regions. Their names
and locations are separately given. Although in accordance with the teachings of Huzur Rddhd Swdmi Daydl
and the comparatively easy and natural system which
He has given to us out of His abundant grace, it is no
longer necessary for the initiate to cross these lower
regions, it is deemed proper and necessary to give some
description of these regions for the sake of information
and correct understanding, and to remove the misunderstanding and errors which have been created by
mere intellectual discussions of the subject. These six
regions are called Khat Chakrds (six centres or ganglia).
All of them relate to Pinda or the physical body, while
the superior regions are related to Brahmand and
beyond it.
19. The first ganglion is just behind the eyes and
is the abode of the surat or rooh (Soul). From this center
it spreads by degrees into the body, through the five
lower centers. It is the Parmdtmd or the Brahm, or
Bhagwdn, according to many religions. In the wakeful
condition the Jiva resides here. Some Prophets, Avatars,
Yogis and Sddhs descended from this region also.
20. The second ganglion is at the throat. The
dream creation is produced by the reflection of the
Jivdtmd upon this center. It is the Virdt Sarup Bhagwdn
and Atma Pad (Spirit Pole) of some religions. It is the
region of the prdna or vital force of the body.
21. The third ganglion is at the heart. The

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Pindi mind is located here, and the image of Shiv

Shakti is also reflected here. It regulates the economy
of the entire Pind. This reference to the Pind or body
is to the subtle body. It is the region of feeling and
desire, and the effects of grief, pleasure, fear, hope,
pain, and peace are felt at this region.
22. The fourth ganglion is at the navel. It is
the seat of Vishnu and Lakshmi. This center supplies
nourishment to the body. The store of gross prdna
(vital force) or gross pawan (air) is also here.
23. The fifth ganglion is at the organ of reproduction. It is the seat of Brahma and Sdvitri. It is the source
of the physical frame, its energy and carnal desires.
24. The sixth ganglion is at the rectum. It is
the seat of Ganesha. In former times, when practising
Prdndydm or Ashtdngyoga, the start was ordinarily made
from this center. It was for this reason that the worship
of Ganesha, the deity of the sixth region, was enjoined
before undertaking anything.
25. It should be remembered that all these
stages, higher and lower, are within the human body.
We are not concerned with the external physical part
of the body.
The lower regions extend from the ganglion at
the rectum up to the center behind the eyes, which
marks the limit or the extent of Pind. The body is also
called the world of nine portals. These are the two
openings of the eyes, two of the ears, two of the nose,
one of the mouth, one of the organ of reproduction,
and one of the rectum.
26. The region of Sahasdal Kamal begins above
the eyes and this is the beginning of Brahmand. This
ends below the plane of Daswdn Dwdr, that is, it extends
up to Pranava. The region above that is called Par

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

37

Brahmand. According to the teachings of the Saints, the

lower regions form part of the Gross Sarguna, while the
two regions of Sahasdal Kamal and Trikuti are called
Pure Sarguna and beyond that is the Sunna, called Pure
Nirguna. The region of the Saints commences beyond
that. This is why it is said that the Home of the Saints
lies beyond Sarguna and Nirguna. This would also
explain why Lord Krishna advised Arjuna to cross the
limit of the Vedaswhich deal only with the gunas or
sargunain order to attain the Real.
The nature and mystery of the creation, and the
spiritual power and glory with which these regions are
endowed are immense. A true devotee learns all these
tilings from a perfect Sat Guru, and will himself realize
them all during the process of his spiritual development.
27. It is important to state that the ancient
Sddhs, Yogishwars and Sages, feeling that the secrets of
the higher spiritual regions were too fine and complicated to be within the power of ordinary understanding
and also that their realization by the practice of
Prdndydmaespecially in the olden times when only the
Brdhmans were allowed to read religious bookswas
very difficult, taught their disciples only the secrets of
the lower regions, in the beginning and not those of the
higher spiritual regions. The idea was to make known
to the devotee the secrets of the higher regions by degrees,
as he mastered the lower regions. But this path proved
so difficult and tiring that there were very few practitioners even of the lower stages.
The spiritual leaders of those times, in view of the
gross ignorance of the common people, considered it
expedient to inculcate the worship of external forms,
incarnations, gods, etc., with the ultimate object of
leading the people to the inner worship of those regions

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

and their Lords by first familiarizing them with their

external names and forms. But the common people
failed even in doing this correctly. Then, to facilitate
spiritual practice, some of the premis (loving practitioners) started worship of images of superior incarnations,
as a means of contemplation and concentration and
developing the equipoise of soul. But the priestly class,
to serve their own ends, induced rich persons to build
temples and images of goods and important incarnations
and, to promote their trade, while they stated a campaign of external worship, also began to suppress the
old books which contained instructions concerning spiritual practices. All this led to the gradual adoption of the
system of idolatrous worship of incarnations and gods.
No difficulty is experienced in such worship and anybody
can do it with ease. Thus, all applied themselves to such
worship, with the result that the inner secrets were
gradually lost and all forms of pseudo Parmdrth (false
Spiritual Practices) spread throughout the world. This
mode of worship was much liked by the worldly people
because they could carry on their worship according to
the bent of their minds, and made even this a means of
pleasures and enjoyments.
28. Seeing that, in this dark age of Kali Yuga,
humanity was tormented by a thousand ills such
as poverty, disease, plagues, quarrels instigated by
jealousy, and had strayed far from the Path of Truth,
Sat Purusha Rddhd Swami was moved to incarnate Himself as a Sant Sat Guru, and preached the True Path of
Liberation in simple and easy language. When it was
found that the priestly classes, for their livelihood, had
suppressed the important and true religious books, the
Sat Gum explained the Spiritual mysteries in the
language of the people. He also wrote scriptures for

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

39

them and initiated disciples into His teachings. It was

not easy to cut through the net cast by the priestly class.
Still many people of thoughtful and discriminating
nature were benefited and accepted the teachings of
such Saints as Kabir Sahib, Guru Ndnak, Jag Jiwan Sahib,
Palloo Sahib, and Gharib Das Ji, who came and popularized the teachings at different times and places during
the last seven centuries.
29. The priestly classes and orders have offered
great opposition during the lifetime of every Saint, and
have tried their best to prevent the spread of the real
teacliings of the Saintswhich are in agreement with
the Vedic Religion up to Pranavbecause they were
afraid that their livelihood would be affected. They
therefore frightened and instigated the worldly people,
in different ways, and the teachings of the Saints did
not flourish as much as they should have.
30. Generally speaking, it is true that all persons
are not fit to be initiated into the teachings of the Saints.
People who are given to sensual pleasures and have no
desire to work out their own salvation and to realize
God, feel bewildered and are unable to understand these
teachings. Because the pundits and the priestly
orders misled and frightened them, they cannot firmly
believe in these teachings, and find it difficult to give up
the worship of old deities and to adopt the new ideals
(Isht) enjoined by the Saints.
The Saints also do not wish that people should
follow them in large numbers, without properly understanding the Truth, because blind faith will lead to the
same degeneration which we find nowadays in the
worship of incarnations and gods. Outwardly, people
are worshipers of Rama, Krishna, Mahd Deva, Vishnu,
Shakti and Brahma; but, in reality, their heart is set on

HI
40

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

riches, fame, worldly pleasures, wife and children.

They pay no heed to the commands of their Ishl nor do
they entertain any fear or love for it. Such devotion
can yield no spiritual benefit, whether it be for an
incarnation or a god, or Sant Sat Purush, the Supreme
and All Gracious Lord Rddhd Swami.
31. A belief based upon miracles or a show of
supernatural powers cannot endure. So long as a doctrine or tenet is not fully comprehended by intellectual
and theological reasoning, it is not likely to impress
the mind strongly. Nowadays it is quite apparent that
many people outwardly profess the Hindu or Moslem
faith but do not really believe in religion. This loss of
faith is due to their ignorance of their own scriptures
which they do not take the pains to read or understand
properly, nor do they seek explanation from an adept.
That is why they do not believe in their own scriptures,
whether they are love-inspiring or awe-inspiring. Nor
do they care to spend as much time in religious inquiry
as they do in worldly affairs. Everyone follows his own
inclinations or the examples of his ancestors, in matters
of religion, without making the least effort on his own
account to find out the Truth. Such religious belief
is only nominal, and that is why evil is constantly on
the increase in the world. As there is no (deterrent)
fear and no one feels any concern about his fellowmen,
people are drifting downward.
32. Pundits, Sanydsis, Sadhus, Maulvis, who were
the leaders and starters of the Vedic and Koranic Faiths,
are now themselves devoid of spiritual wealth and are
overpowered by worldly desires, greed and love of fame,
more than others. Who is then to point out the mistakes
of all of themincluding such religious teachers and
the householdersand direct them to the right Path ?

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

41

This is the work of the Saints only. Whoever understands their teachings and practises them, will
undoubtedly be saved from the snares of the Mind
and May a; otherwise everyone is at liberty to follow
his own inclination. No force or pressure can be used
in such matters.
33. The mercy and love showered by the Saints
is undoubted, in that They have revealed the essentials
of True Faith and shown an easy and simple path of
God Realization. Formerly the initiates had to begin
their spiritual practice from the Mul Chakra, known also
as the Gttdd Chakra or the ganglion at the rectum. With
great difficulty and after spending much time, a few of
them reached the sixth Chakra, and but very few ever
reached Sahasdal Kamal, or Trikuti, thus attaining the
status of Yogi or Yogishwar. The Saints have now
introduced the practice of concentrating the attention
at Sahasdal Kamal from the very outest, instead of starting with Ashtdng Yoga which involves breath control
and Prdndydm. They have inculcated Sahaj Yoga, also
called Surat Shabd Yoga, which anyone can practise
easily. The spiritual benefits derived from it are much
greater than the practice of Mudrd, Hatha Yoga, etc.
Besides, the benefits of all other methods automatically
accrue to the practitioner of Surat Shabd Yoga in the
course of his progress. This will be explained more fully
later.
34. Now just think how far away from the
Original Place are those who concentrate on the navel
center or the heart center, which are only reflected
images of the Real. Even if they succeed in mastering
those centers, what they will achieve will be only a
reflection of the Original. Nowadays, it has become very
difficult to gain access even into the heart and navel

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

centers, because no one can properly and correctly perform Prdndydm or Mudrd. Since they have no knowledge
of the higher regions and have confused the lower
regions with the higher regions and the Goal, how then
can they reach the Final Stage or attain the Region of
the Supreme Being? That is why the Saints Who
have reached the Highest and the Purest Regions
of Sat Nam and Rddhd Swami tell the people that they
are mistaken and deluded because they are seeking
God where He cannot be found. This is the condition of
those who are trying to penetrate the six chakras or are
engaged in some sort of inner worship. Those who are
devoted only to external forms of worship, such as
pilgrimages to holy places, fasts and idol worship, are
in absolute darkness and don't count at all. If they
continue like that and do not seek their true Lord, they
will never be able to realize Him.
35. The Khat Chakras (six centers) range from
the Gudd Chakra at the rectum, up to Sahasdal Kamal.
It is a pity that the Supreme Lord and Gracious
Creator, Who has created the world with all its beautiful forms and endowed man with this superior body,
should be worshiped in metal and stone, in waters of
rivers like Gangd, Jumna and Narbadd; in trees and plants
like pipal and tulsi; or in animals like cows, monkeys and
serpents. Obviously, the sun and the moon and man
himself are superior to those things. Not to seek the
True God, but to worship His creation as God Himself
and to worship the things which man himself has made;
how much does it speak for the negligence, ignorance
and carelessness of the people ? How sinful for one
endowed with such a precious body, to so degrade
himself that he becomes fit only to descend into hell or
into lower forms of life, instead of making use of that

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

43

body to ascend to the Lord Himself. Had he known the

True Lord, he would have been inspired with awe and
love for Him. Things fashioned by man cannot inspire
either awe or love.
36. If one were to meet a perfect Sat Guru
that is One Who has realized the True Godor a true
Sddh or Faqeer, and secure His grace, that is His merciful gaze, he would get an easy start on the Path. There
is, however, one difficulty here too. People class the Sat
Guru also with other self-seekers and consider Him a
cheat and a greedy impostor, and therefore do not submit to Him. On the other hand, some persons who are
really given to sensual enjoyment and are slaves of the
world, taking advantage of the simplicity and ignorance of the people, set themselves up as Guru and are
thriving on this as a money-making business. They
mislead the poor and ignorant people by tempting them
with the prospect of obtaining wealth, wife and children, health and fame, which is what they (ignorant
people) really want. Thus did they (the false gurus) delude them by making them worship stones and waters,
trees and animals, etc. and take to pilgrimages, fasts,
sacrifices, etc. And all this to serve their own ends !
They have gone to the length of proclaiming that a
single fast or single pilgrimage would secure emancipation.
Even if diey had made it their profession, at least
they should have shown the right Path to these poor,
negligent people so that they too might have been benefited; but they (the false gurus) are themselves unaware
of the Path as well as the technique. However they are
all adept in reading, reciting and theoretical exposition.
From what Shri Krishna Maharaj told Udhoji, it

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

is perfectly clear that he could not take him to Param

Pad {Krishna's highest stage), even though Udhoji had
spent years in Krishna's service and company. He asked
him to practise Yoga first, after which only, he would
be fit to go to that region. Now just think, when a
worthy devotee like Udhoji, even after association with
and rendering personal service to the living Shri Krishna
Maharaj, was not fit to reach that region {Param Pad)
without abhyds (spiritual practice), how will those who
are worshiping the stone or the metal images of Krishna
Maharaj, wasting their time in service and attendance
upon them, and are absolutely ignorant of Sahaj Yoga
and Sat Gur Bhakti, ever reach that stage ? Even as it
is, of all worshipers from the Goshdin and the priests
down to the sdligrdm worslupers, there is hardly anyone
who has true faith even in the image or the idol. All
of them are really worshiping and inculcating the worship of the world, that is, of Maya and its ramifications.
37. The same is true of the many places of pilgrimage. They were designed originally by the ancient
sages to be used as places for satsang, for exercising
charity, and as temporary retreats from the discords of
the world. They have degenerated into fairs and festivals. Everybody goes there for enjoyment and pleasure,
for general sightseeing, for meeting friends and buying
souvenirs; there is not even a trace of prayer and worship. Such people should ask themselves how they can
ever expect such pilgrimages to lead to emancipation ?
The same is true, more or less, of many fasts which have
degenerated into festivals. These fasts were devised by
the ancient sages for controlling the mind and senses
and for keeping vigils, also for worship and satsang.
The days of fasting are now spent in playing chess and
draughts, in sleeping, and in eating dainty dishes and

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

45

fruits at the time of breaking the fasts.

38. Image worship was originally sanctioned as
an aid to meditation and concentration; but this aspect
of it was lost sight of later. Mere visits to the temple
and offerings of garlands and water to the images were
substituted for the original purpose. The priests turned
all this into a source of income for themselves, and instituted dances and plays in the temples which were decorated for that purpose. The main object, which was Satsang
or giving religious discourses, was lost sight of entirely.
In order to please the worshipers, a variety of entertainments and temple decorations was introduced.
Thus fasts and pilgrimages now lead to exactly the
opposite resultsso much so that if a person does not
visit the sacred places, and at home also does not repeat
the name of the Deity, he avoids many sins and evils.
He is far better than those who go to such places, take
exciting foods and drinks, indulge in pleasures, waste
their time in useless pursuits, and then boast of having
been to a place of pilgrimage.
Saints were moved with compassion at the degeneration of the times and such sad conditions of the
people; and, although They found but very few who were
true seekers, They instructed those few in the secrets of
the Supreme Region, by both spoken and written words.
All those who believed in Them, comprehended Their
teachings and devoted themselves to the practice of the
spiritual exercises taught by the Saints in their times,
were taken to the Supreme Region. For the rest, the
Saints left their Bdni (recorded teachings) so that anyone
who studied them carefully would realize the importance of Saints and seek a perfect Sat Guru, with a view
to ultimate God Realization. Such people would then
give up all Karma and Bharam; that is, they would dis-

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

card the worship of idols, waters, animals, trees, gods,

incarnations, and put their firm faith and devotion in
the Supreme Being Who is the Creator and above all,
and try to have the Darshan (Vision) of His Holy Feet.
39. Names of some of the perfect and true Saints,
Sddhs and Faqeers who manifested themselves during the
last seven centuries are given below: Kabir Sahib,
Tulsi Sahib, Jagjiwan Sahib, Gharib Das Ji, Paltoo Sahib,
Guru Ndnak, Dddoo Ji, Tulsi Das Ji, Ndbhd Ji, Swami
Hardds Ji, Surdds Ji and Raidds Ji, and among the
Mohammedans : Shams Tabriz, Mauldnd Room, Hdfiz,
Sarmad, and Mujaddid Alif Sdni. Their writings reveal
their spiritual attainments.
40. One may recognize true Saints and Faqeers
in this way. They always inculcate the realization of
God within one's self and do not permit waste of time
in image worship, pilgrimages or the reading of religious
books; nor do They preach the worhip of gods, incarnations and prophets. They teach only the practice of
Sahaj Yoga, or the Surat Shabd method, excepting which
there is no other way of realizing the True God, and
inculcate attendance on and service to the perfect Sat
Guru of the time, with love and faith. They develop love
for the Supreme Being in the minds of the seekers and
the devotees by weaning them away from their attachments of wife, children, wealth, honor and glory. They
Themselves spend most of Their time in Bhajan and
Dhydn, and insist upon Their disciples doing the same
They resolve all doubts, gradually lead Their devotees,
to give up the religious and spiritualistic practices of
the old times as well as the isht (worship) of all others
excepting the One True God. By gradually severing
all attachments, both internal and external, They enable
the disciple to realize God in this very bodythat is,

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

47

during this lifetime. But there is one condition: The

disciple should not give up his Sevd (service) and Satsang.
On the other hand, his love and faith should go on increasing from day to day, and he should continue his
practice according to the directions of the Sat Guru.
41. According to Vashisht, there are eight types
of bondages, as below :
1. Pride of family honor and respectability.
2. Pride of high caste.
3. Pride of exalted position or office.
4. Fear of public criticism.
5. Attachment to wife, children, wealth and
property.
6. Partiality for false and shallow beliefs.
7. Hopes and desires, and love for the pleasures
of the world.
8. Vanity or egotism.
42. If the Society of and service to any Mahdtmd
leads to the gradual loosening of the above mentioned
ties, and promotes love and faith in the Feet of the Supreme Being, you may be sure that He will free you from
such bonds by and by, and take you to the Supreme
Region. There is no other reliable way of recognizing
a Saint or a Sddh. It would be a great mistake and a folly
to judge the Saints by the extent of conformity of
their conduct and behaviour with descriptions in old
scriptures, or to expect Them to perform miracles, or
to test Them in any other way. It is not possible for an
ordinary mortal, with his limited intellect and reason,
to test the conduct and spiritual knowledge of a Saint.
One should first think of his own personal needs,
and see how far the company and words of the Saint
create a longing within him for God Realization. One

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

should go to a Saint in the spirit of true humility and

should never try to display his cleverness before them,
nor should one, with his imperfect intellect, judge Their
ways and behavior or meddle in the same. The acts of
Saints, even if apparently childish, are not without
some underlying purpose for the good of humanity.
Our intellect can't reach that height where it can truly
perceive what is good or bad for us. For this reason,
many people, on account of their ignorance and lack
of understanding, criticize the ways of the Saints and
so needlessly lose by keeping away from Them.
43. Saints do not desire that worldly people in
large numbers should flock to their congregations. They
want only those who are eager to realize God, to come to
Them. They abhor the company of persons whose desires are all for the world. They do not generally perform miracles or display supernatural powers, for this
would attract many worldly people and cause much
inconvenience to the Saints and Their true disciples.
However, one who truly believes in Them and Their
teachings is shown real miracles within; that is, he is
shown the light and effulgence of the Lord into Whose
Holy Presence he is ushered. The Saints also pay special
attention inwardly to all the affairs of the disciple.
He then fully realizes the supernatural powers of the
Saints and his love and confidence in them goes on
increasing day by day.
44. Generally the poor and the needy frequent
the places where the Sant Sat Guru establises His Satsang.
This is welcomed because the offerings of the rich
disciples are utilized in charity to such people. Saints
do not keep such offerings for Their own purposes.
45. When a Sant Sat Guru, by His Mauj, begins
Satsang at any particular place, He deliberately behaves

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

49

in some respects in such a manner as to offend the worldly people or give them cause for complaint and hostile
criticism. The reason is to prevent egotistic people from
coming and meddling in Their Satsang. Saints keep no
watchman or gatekeeper to prevent undesirable persons
from coming. The adverse comment and criticism of
Them by vain and worldly people serve to keep such
people away for fear of public ridicule and taunts. A
true seeker, however, will not care for the opinion of the
world and he eagerly goes to the Saint, no matter what
the world says.
Public criticism is a sort of test for finding out
whether a person is a true seeker of liberation. It shows
at once if a person is a true seeker or not. A person who
is in earnest is not deterred by the taunts of the ignorant,
or by worldly criticism. He will go to the Saints for the
realization of his object, but an insincere person will
not.
46. Observe the worldly man : Because he really
loves the world, he will not hesitate to go anywhere,
or to any person, however low, or submit to any sort of
humiliation. For example, a high caste Brahman will
not mind serving other castes or even knocking at the
door of a sweeper if the latter can cure his children.
Against his own belief, he will visit and worship the
tombs of Sayyads, Sheikh Saddoo and others. He will even
worship ghosts and evil spirits.
When people, to gain their worldly ends, willingly
go against their religion and their established practices,
and brave spiritual loss also, can the seekers after God
Realization be considered sincere when, for fear of a
little calumny or taunts of the ignorant, they fail to come
to the Saints ? That shows that they are not sincere and
they have not suffered enough in the world, and do not

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

think it so much of an enemy that they should seek an

escape from it. The thirst for God Realization is not so
intense that they can ignore public opinion and the
censure of society. Such people are not fit for Satsang of
the Saints because they are not sufficiently in earnest
to go to the Saints in all humility and get the medicine
for their ills.
47. Be it noted that slander and criticism strengthen the faith of the disciples of Saints, and make them
firm. If there were no slander and criticism, they would
remain as they wereunproved. To put up with insult
and slander is a mark of true love and none but true
lovers and devotees arc able to rise above the censure
of the world. A Persian proverb says: "Censure and
rebuke of the world act as a Kotwdl (police officer) of
the market of love. It removes its dirt and rust."
The world-loving gurus keep on friendly terms
with the world and the worldly people, humor them in
every way, wish for their honor and advancement, and
take care not to offend their disciples, lest it should affect
their own income and business. On the other hand,
Saints who are the true and ardent lovers of the
Supreme Being, do not like that worldly people should
enter Their Satsang and cast their shadow on Their disciples. That's why They love slander and calumny.
It plays the part of the watchman and keeps such
people away from Them.
48. Be it also known that when anyone comes to
Them, it is a way with the Saints to talk and dilate only
on the Salt Vastoo (Abiding Reality), that is, Sat Purush
Rddhd Swami; and describe all others as inferior and
impermanent. The ignorant and foolish look upon this
attitude as a criticism of the gods, incarnations and
prophets, and they call the Saints slanderers. They do

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

51

not stop to think that when the Saints speak lightly of

Brahma, Vishnu, Mahddeva and others, then Whom do
They exalt and consider Supreme? If they exalt Sat
Purush and Param Purush Puran Dhani Rddhd Swdmi, then
it is but right and correct.
It is proper to praise Him Who is the Supreme
and the Most Exalted Lord, and inculcate faith and
belief in His worship and in His Holy Feet; for without
it, the uplift and the redemption of the Jiva are not
possible. How shameful to feel offended on hearing the
praise of the Supreme Being and, as a result of ignorance and misunderstanding, to think ill of the words
of the Saints instead of appreciating them, and to dub
the Saints as slanderers!
49. The age spans of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and
others are given in the Vedas, Shdstras, Bhdgwat and
Purdnas. Even the incarnations have departed from this
world. That clearly establishes the mortal nature of their
bodily forms and of the bodies of Brahma, Vishnu, and
Shiva. When these bodily forms have been proved
perishable, how can it be right and proper to worship
the imitations of those forms and look upon them as
immortal? If the devotees had found out the Nij Roop
(real form) of the incarnation or god, and meditated
upon that and took it as their ideal, they might have
been benefited to some extent; but it is clearly wrong
on the part of the people to worship the imitations of
these forms, which would profit them nothing. And
when the Saints try to do away with this practice,
people, especially those who have made a trade of
religion, like Pundits and bhikhs, out of their-egotism
and ignorance, condemn the Saints.
50. If some one were to maintain that they
revere that form and that place where the real form is to

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

be foundthat is, the region from which the incarnations

have descended, it would be quite correct. But still,
one point has to be considered: Instead of worshiping
that form or that region, why not worship and hold the
Supreme Power as the ideal? It is He from Whom
evolved the region which gave rise to incarnations. The
method is the same in both cases and so is the labor
involved, but the final results are substantially different.
Hence, the Highest Region and the Highest Ideal should
be worshiped. This is the Isht or the ideal of the Saints
and that is what They teach.
That does not mean that we should harbor hostile
and envious feelings towards the presiding deities of the
lower region. On the other hand, even those whose goal
is Sat Purush Radha Swami will have to contemplate on
all those regions which come between, without which
they could not be traversed. Before starting on the
journey, however, the final goal, the Region of Ultimate
Reality, and the worship of its Supreme Lord should
be clearly grasped, and the distinctive features of every
region should be understood, because there are many
people in the world who lead one astray and create
confusion in the mind.
Likewise, there are many who talk of God, Parmeshwar, Parmdtma, Brahm, Par Brahm, Shuddha Brahm and
Sat Nam; but they do not possess even detailed theoretical
knowledge of these regions and the intermediate stages
through which they must pass on the way. Such persons
are always confused because they do not know the
presiding diety of which region they call Brahm or God or
Sat Nam. But the Saints first teach Their disciples the
distinctive marks of each region and then fix the Highest
Region of Sat Purush Rddhd Swami as their goal, and give
practical instructions for traversing the Path. In this

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

53

way the devotee can reach his goal and also know all
about the conditions prevailing in the various stages.
If he does not get the knowledge and proper understanding (of these mysteries), the disciple will neither be
able to develop true love for the Holy Feet of the Lord
nor will he be able to make steady progress. He will not
have strength enough to reach the final goal, and will
very likely be deceived at some place or other on the way
and stop there.
51. As for the incarnations and gods themsleves
not being the Supreme Power, it is sufficient to say that
they first appeared in the world after the evolution of
creation, during the second and third yugas (ages).
They were not known during Sat Yuga, the first great
cycle. It may then be asked, who was worshiped and
through whom did the people reach the Supreme
Region during that cycle? The worship of Hiranyagarbha, also known as Pranava or Onkdr, was prevalent
then. This fact is mentioned in the Vedas and Upanishads.
Why, then, did people give up His worship and start
worshiping images and sacred places. What holy place
was worshiped during the time of Bhagirath, before the
Ganges appeared? In short, all these new forms of
worship which are in vogue today had their origin in
the second, third and fourth yugas. The real worship
is that of the Supreme Lord, and thisaccording to the
Saintscan be performed by all. The worship of
incarnations and prophets began in those countries in
which they wre born. They are not generally known
or worshiped in other countries.
52. That the incarnations and prophets in their
own time, declared the deity of the region from which
they came as the Supreme Being, described themselves
as their messenger or their beloved, and encouraged

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

people to worship them or hold themselves up as their

Isht, was not wrong. But this served the purpose of only
those people who lived in their times. They bestowed
the Muktl of that region upon them. But those who
embrace their religion after their departure, without
effecting any change in their mental and physical outlook, can never achieve redemption by this blind faith.
This also applies to the followers of the Saints.
All those who came to the Saints, offered service and
devotion to them and were instructed by them, became
deserving of liberation. Those who came later and only
adopted the (departed) Saints as their Isht or Tik (that
is, had blind faith in them), and did not seek a living
Perfect Guru or Saint, or Perfect Sddh, and did not
practise the method prescribed by the Saints, they too,
like the followers of other religions, would not be
deserving of Mukti.
Like people of other faiths, some followers of
Saints too have taken to the worship of images, holy
places, books and scriptures, shrines, flags, etc. They
did not know the Nij Roop of the Saints, the mysteries
of Their region, the description of the way and the
method of practice. Like other external worshipers,
they put blind faith in shrines and scriptures, and
missed redemption.
The real Sant Panthi (one who follows the path of
the Saints) is one who practises according to Their
instructions and, crossing the intermediate stages,
reaches the Region of Sat Purush Rddhd Swdmi, or starts
travelling on that Path. Such a one will undoubtedly
achieve true Mukti (liberation) one day. In short, it is
impossible for any one to attain salvation by simply
believing in or worshiping a Saint, prophet, incarnation
or god, who lived in the past.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

55

53. A true seeker should find out the perfect

Saint or Sadh of his own time, and he should then go to
this perfect Guru wherever He might be. He should
understand that the worship of the living Guru implies
the worship of all past incarnations, sages, Saints or
gods. He must then offer love and whole-hearted devotion to the living Master, and achieve his objective
through Him. Past kings, however just and munificent
they may have been, cannot now bestow wealth, power
or rank upon us if we sing their praises or extol their
deeds. If we want these things, we must seek them from
a reigning sovereign, otherwise we shall get nothing but
confusion and perturbation. Maulvi Rum says, "When
you accept the Murshad {Sat Guru), that includes both,
God and prophet." That is, there is no difference
between God and the Perfect Sat Guru, and that the
Murshad or the Sat Guru includes God and the
incarnations. If one is keen on God Realization, he
should look for a Sat Guru among the Saints and Faqeers.
It is not necessary that the Saints should wear colored
robes. Those who have reached Sat Lok and realized
their True Maker are called Saints, whether they live
in a family or a life of renunciation. They may be
Brdhmans, or belong to any other caste.
You cannot see the Lord anywhere in the world
except within yourself, or within a perfect Sadh or Saint
Who is the natural Guru of the whole world, and the
seeker will see God only in these two places. He will find
no sign of God in any image, sacred place or temple,
in fasts or in all the four places of pilgrimage. Maulvi
Rum says, "Within the Auliyd is the mosque where lives
God to Whom all bow." That is, the mosque and the
temple are within the Mahdtmds (Great Souls), and
whoever is eager to fall in obeisance to God or his

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Maker, should do so there. It is also said that God said

to the prophet, "I do not live in any place, high or low,
except in the hearts of the true believers. Want'st thou
Me? go and seek from them." In other words, God said
to the prophet: "I do not reside in any particular place,
either on earth or in heaven, but I do live in the hearts
of my loving devotees. Whoever wants Me, should go
and beg of them." Therefore, every true seeker should
search for the living Sat Guru, get instructions from Him,
and offer love and service and whole-hearted devotion
at His Holy Feet. He will thus realize his goal in a short
time.
It is also said in Sanskrit: "Guru is Brahma, Guru
is Vishnu, Guru is MahSshwar and Par Brahm; therefore,
obeisance to the Guru." Lord Krishna too has said in the
Bhdgavadgitd that any person who wishes to meet him
and serve and love him, should offer that love and service
to his Bhagats, Sddhs and loving devotees: "Service
rendered to them will be service rendered to me, and I
shall be immensely pleased. I love those who love my
Bhagats. I do not live in the Akdsh Lok or the Pdtdl Lok
or the Swarg Lok or the Baikunth Lok, but I dwell in
the hearts of my loving devotees."
54. The human form of the Sant Sat Guru is for
the purpose of making Himself known. His real form is
One with that of the Lord, as He is always enjoying the
bliss of the Holy Presence of Sat Purush. A true seeker, so
long as he does not realize the Nij Saroop (Real Form) of
the Sat Guru or Lord within himself, should contemplate
on the human form of the Sat Guru as that of the Lord
Himself, and should have faith and love in His Holy
Feet. When he is able to see the Real Form within himself, he will then become One with the Supreme Being
in the Perfect Sat Guru, and thus achieve his goal. This

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

57

should make it clear that whoever has succeeded or will

succeed, has done so and will do so through the service
and love and Satsang of a living Master.
Past Saints, Gurus, incarnations, prophets or devatds
cannot give us instructions nor can they manifest their
real forms to us. A seeker cannot, therefore, cultivate
true faith in and love for them. Even if one should have
such faith and love, he would gain but little. Though his
mind would be purified to some extent, the seat of his
surat would not be changedthat is, there would be no
elevation of the spirit. Even if some purity of mind is
achieved after so much time and labor, the soul still
remains at the lower stage, and even this purity of mind
will not endure. The wheel of Maya is moving ac this
stage. When it exercises its force, the devotee will have
a fall, lose his faith and love, and will be entangled in
sensual enjoyments and pleasures. Without winning the
Grace and Mercy of a living Sat Guru, in service and
Satsang, it is impossible for anyone to see the Nij Saroop
(Real Form) or to overcome evil propensities.
There are many doubts and obscurities which a
man may not even imagine he has until he comes into
the presence of a living Guru. He may think he has overcome all doubts and obscurities, but when he attends
the satsang of a living Sat Guru, he will realize how far
he is yet removed from the final goal. Then his terrible
ignorance will become apparent to him, and he will see
how difficult it is to have true faith in the Lord.
In short, true devotion and realization are impossible without the assistance and grace of a living Sat
Guru. Even the incarnations who came into this world
had to accept a Guru. Even a Gydni like Sukhdev, who had
attained Gydn (true knowledge) while still in his mother's
womb, could not progress without the instructions of a

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Guru. Even Narad, who could visit Baikuntha (Paradise)

at will, did not have the power to sojourn there
without first being instructed by a Guru. How then
can an ordinary mortal tread on the Path of Parmdrth
without the assistance and grace of a living Sat Guru?
55. Some persons believe the Vedas, Shdstras,
the Granth and other scriptures to be Guru. No doubt
their study is very illuminating, but it would be foolish
to depend entirely on their study and not search for a
living Sat Guru. The secrets of spiritual practice, which
can be learned only from a living Sat Guru, are not, nor
can they be, mentioned in any scriptures. There are only
vague references here and there, sufficient only to serve
as testimony; the rest has been left to the Guru. The study
of books can impart only theoretical knowledge, and
cannot show the practical way to God Realization.
Books are only aids; their careful study enables
one, to some extent, to regulate one's conduct and
discriminate between what is right and what is wrong.
A person who is sincere will follow what is right and give
up the wrong; but without the grace of a perfect Sat
Guru, it is impossible to control the mind fully and to
do away with all lower impulses.
So long as the lower mind is active, the seed of
both good and bad actions exists. What matters if the
leaves and branches of the tree of evil fall away; the
seed exists, and the branches and leaves will sprout
again, and even fresh twigs will spring forth whenever
nourished by the sensual pleasures and enjoyments of
Mdyd.
Thus is should be clear that the Vedas, Shdstras and
other books can be of help only in the discernment
of right and wrong, or good and evil, afford some insight
into the mysteries of the Supreme Being, and serve

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

59

as a guide to the seeker in finding a perfect Sat Guru;

but books can be of no further help. Real knowledge of
the Lord can be obtained only with the help of a perfect
Sat Guru, and it is imperative that the seeker should find
such a Sat Guru. Those who are content with only the
teachings of departed Saints are not true seekers and
shall not see Him.
56. A Sat Guru should be accepted only after
thorough inquiry, and a perfect Sat Guru is He who,
having access to Sat Lok, is One with the Sat Punish.
He is called a Saint. When you find him, He will teach
only the practice of Surat Shabd Yog and no other. He
will reveal the secrets and give descriptions of the stages
that mark the Way. He will insist on the elevation of
the soul within, with the help of the Saroop (Form) of
the Sal Guru and the Sound Current. His discourses and
books also deal with these very secrets and the greatness
of the Sat Guru Sat Purush and His Shabd Saroop (WordForm). A description of the Path, detachment from
the world, and love for the Lord will also be discussed.
But if a Satsang consists only of stories and legends
of past heroes, and stress is laid on vairdg (mere detachment from the world) without reference to the inner
secrets or the methods of controlling the mind and elevating it, then, according to Saints, it is not true Satsang.
Satsang means association with Sat (Truth)namely,
Sat Purush. Saints are embodiments of Sat Purush,
and association with them is Satsang. Their works and
discourses extol Sat Purush Radha Swami or His Sant Sat
Guru Form, or the technique by which to reach the Real
Region and to see the Real Form. They will also deal
with love and faith in the Holy Feet of the Saints and in
the Shabd Dhun. They tell of the joy which a devotee
experiences during his spiritual journey, while travers-

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ing the different regions. To listen to such discourses

and to dwell on them, and to apply the mind and the
Surat internally to Their Holy Feetthat is, Shabd
this is Satsang.
Old scriptures of every religion are throughout
full of the praises of Satsang, maintaining that a moment's
Satsang is sufficient to remove the sins of a million births
and to save the soul from rebirth. Anybody who likes,
may ascertain the truth of this statement in Sat Guru's
Satsangcither by remaining at His Feet (in His Presence), listening to His discourses and having His
Darshan, or by applying the mind and the surat to abhyds
(spiritual practice) enjoined by Them. The application
of such a test will establish the truth of the foregoing
statements. The devotee will himself see how his
association with the Sat Guru for a short time, coupled
with the internal spiritual exercises, has benefited him.
57. It is a pity that nowadays most people hold
in great esteem those who practise austerities such as
sitting between fires, standing in water, sitting on pegs
and nails, moving about naked day and night, and
making a display of torturing the body in some other
way. They deny themselves food, living on milk alone,
recite from scriptures the whole day or the whole night,
meditate in underground cells, reside in forest or hill,
observe the vow of silence, or display similar hypocritical behavior. Their outward aspect seems wonderful and elicits praise, but a little conversation with them
will betray their real motive. That will reveal for what
purpose, or for gaining what pleasure they are acting
in this way. Then the truth will be known, whether
they are sincere devotees or only hypocrites.
Now, who is a true Parmdrthi and who is a hypocrite and a self-seeker? The true Parmdrthi is he who

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

61

does everything with the sole object of having the

Darshan of the Supreme Being and winning His grace,
that He may give him a place in His Nij Dkdm (Real
Home), so that he may have Perpetual Bliss and escape
the pleasures and pains of dwdgawan (coming and going
birth and death). He has no other desire in him. On
the other hand, he is a hypocrite, and an impostor, and
a self-seeker, who does everything with the ulterior
motive of securing honor, fame, popular applause or
approval, wealth, position, power, pleasures, etc. It
does not make much difference whether he is scheming
for the pleasures of this world or for the finer pleasures
of Swarga or Baikuntha (Paradise), or Brahm Lok. The
pleasures of the one place last for a short time while
those of the ether last longer. Whether a person is on
earth, or in Paradise, or in the region of Brahm, he is still
within the domain of Kdl and Maya and cannot obtain
true liberation. He still has to undergo birth and
death, and endure pains and pleasures.
Pointing to a black ant, Lord Krishna once
remarked to Udho that it had incarnated many a time as
Brahma and Indra and other such high beings, but it was
then merely an ant. If such high deities as Brahma and
Indra cannot escape the cycle of transmigration, how
can a poor mortal, when he has kept their regions as
his goal ? People who are engaged in the practice of
some form of yoga, pilgrimages to holy places, image
worship, fasts, roaming about aimlessly, or engaged
in the worship of sun, moon, Gandsha, Shiva, Vishnu,
Brahma, Shakti, or incarnated Ishwar, cannot go beyond
the region of Ishwar that is, of Baikuntha (Paradise).
Such devotion will take them only to the region of the
deity they worship. They will stay in these regions
for a certain period and again take birth in this

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mortal world, and be subjected to the cycle of transmigration. It is scarcely necessary to mention those who
worship lower deities. They will simply enjoy the fruits
of their devotions in this mortal world, in the form of
some worldly greatness and pleasures or supernatural
powers, and will then again be involved in chaurdsi
(wheel of eighty-four).
58. You may come across many persons nowadays who call themselves Brahm Gydnis (Knowers of
Brahm), and who regard themselves as superior to all
others. Brahm Gydn, provided it is true Brahm Gydn, is
really much higher than the practices mentioned above,
but the knowledge acquired by reading books is merely
theoretical. It can never confer salvation.
It is stated in the books of spiritual wisdom that so
long as the mind and its impulses are not absolutely
overpowered, there can be no knowledge of the Reality
or the Supreme Being, and this is not possible without
practising yoga. Consequently, so long as yoga is not
practised, all such knowledge is merely book knowledge
that any educated person can claim. Wherein lies the
superiority then? And in what sense were the mind
and desires controlled ?
If you ask a self-styled Brahm Gydni by the practice
of which yoga he acquired Gydn (Knowledge), he is
offended. Some say that they practised yoga during
their previous incarnation. If this were true, at least some
recollection of that sddhand (practice) should be there; for
there is no difference between Brahm and Brahm Gydni.
It is said in both Sanskrit and Arabic that the Knower
of Brahm becomes Brahm himself, or, he who practised
faqar {yoga) became Allah. A Gydni, or a Sufi, then should
be aware of all states and conditions. But Brahm Gydnis
of the type referred to, do not even know how they are

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

63

using their own minds and senses. It appears to be a

great blunder on their part to call themselves Gydni or
Brahm, under such circumstances. Such persons must
meet the same fate as other worldly-minded peoplethat
is, return to the wheel of eighty-four (transmigration).
59. Gydnis of the past, such as Vyds, Vashisht, and
Rama and Krishna, were all Yogishwar Gydnis and had
the inner light. They had mastered the four sddhands
(practices) of yoga, and, accordingly, imposed the
condition that no one could be a Gydni until he had
completed these four sddhands; in fact without having
completed them, he was not even entitled to the
privilege of reading books of inner spiritual knowledge.
The four sddhands are :
I.
II.
III.

IV.

Vairdg (Detachment)
VivSk (Discrimination).
Khat Sampalli (six types of riches), which are :
(?) Sama (Balance, Equanimity)
(M)
Dama (Self-restraint)
{Hi)
Uparti (Freedom from ceremonial
worship, indifference)
{iv) Titikshd (Patience)
{v) Shraddhd (Faith)
{vi) Samddhdntd (Deep Meditation)
Mumukshtd (Longing for Emancipation).

Gydnis of today do not appear to possess any one

of these qualities. They look upon leaving one's home
as Vairdg, and reading the scriptures they consider as
VivSk. In like manner, because they can endure thirst
and hunger, are able to withstand inclement weather
such as excess of heat and cold, and because while reading the scriptures, they are able to control their minds
and senses to some extent, they believe that they possess

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the Khat Sampatti. Association with Gydnis and reading

and teaching from spiritual books, they consider as
Mumukshld. When this is the extent of their understanding, what can one say of them? Their ignorance is
pitiable. They say that they have renounced the world
but they are so keen on going about the country and
visiting shows and fairs, holding Bhanddrds for the sake
of fame, displaying their own banner and gathering
followers around it, that they humble themselves before
ordinary householders to collect money for the Bhanddrds
and the expenses of the railway journey, and amass riches
by collecting money from wealthy people and ruling
princes, and still call themselves Vairdgis. That shows
that they have no idea what Vairdg is. They are eager
to read and teach from the scriptures, and one wonders
what type of Brahmdnand have they got, which has not
brought about the slightest change in their minds. If
you question them, they reply that they do all this for
upkdr (for the good of others). Such a reply betrays
their ignorance of what upkdr really means.
A Gydni should be competent to lead men to salvation. Freeing men from bondage and leading them to
the region of Moksha or Mukti (Liberation) is upkdr.
To educate people and make them egotistic, or to feed
them, or to build temples and dharmsdlds, or lay out
public gardens, or start free kitchens, this is not Upkdr
{i.e. in the true sense). Rich people and ruling princes
are meant for this type of Upkdr, and not Brahm Gydnis.
Brahm Gydnis should free men from the bondage
of mind and senses and make them realize their own
nij saroop (know themselves), and so remove all pains
and miseries and spare them the pains of births and
deaths. But they are themselves helpless. How can they
liberate others when they have not liberated themselves?

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

65

Possibly poverty, or desire for indolent living, or some

calamity or family discord induced them to give up
their home life and join the so-called Holy Order, so that
they might obtain free food and clothes, and might be
honored and revered. When they somewhat succeeded
in this, they began to look upon themselves as superior
beings, or even as Brahm himself. In order to come more
into prominence, they start collecting money from people
and to use it for carrying on business, or put it on interest.
They attract sadhus in fifties and hundreds and feed
them so that they might get service from them, and use
them as their escorts and followers when, after borrowing horses, elephants, palanquins, banners and kettledrums from here and there, they ride in miles-long
procession. Now it is a point to consider if such
people, whose minds are full of such ambitions, can
be Brahm Gydnis. When their desires are realized,
they are mighty pleased and feel very elated, fling
taunts at others, and call themselves Mahdtmds, Pundits,
Mahants and, with the help of the householders, try
to impress the rival groups with their possessions and
pomp and show. They are lost in pride and vanity^
and are so entangled in mind and Mdyd that they
cannot come out. If their shortcomings are pointed
out, they get angry and come down upon such people,
calling them unbelievers and lacking in devotion,
and such bad names.
60. What difference is there between such
Gydnis and those who worship images and sacred
places? The latter are ignorant but are willing to listen
if someone explains things to them, and are therefore,
better than the Gydnis who deliberately run after Mdyd
and if anyone tries to convince them (that they are in
error), they call him ignorant and jealous and pay no

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attention to him. The reason (for the two classes

acting in this way) is that neither of them met a perfect
Sat Guru. If they had come across a Sat Guru, He would
have made them practise Sural Shabd Yoga and instructed
them in Bhakti Mdrg (Path of Devotion). Then everything would have been automatically revealed to them;
that is, first their minds would have been purified, then
they would have been blessed with the gift of Prim
(Love), and then they would have got Darshan of Saroop
internally and enjoyed its bliss. Then they would not
harbor desires for the enjoyments of this mortal world,
and would be above the worries and disputes in which
they now appear to be entangled.
61. The same is true of those householders who
associate with such Gydnis. They call themselves Brahm,
but their conduct and dealings with people are no
better than those of ordinary men of the world. They
are puffed up with the superiority of their own understanding and knowledge, and this vanity is the root
of all evil. Whoever entertained ahankdr (became
egotistic) had a fall. All such persons and their teachers,
the Bhikhs and the Pundits, are within the orbit of Kdl,
Karma and Mdyd, and will have to bear the consequences of their actions. This way they cannot earn
Mukti (Liberation).
62. Education is wide-spread these days and,
owing to the development of intellect, external forms
of worship appear to be shallow and worthless, and
there is no doubt that they are all useless imitations.
But people don't seek such Updsnd and Abhyds (Meditation and Practice) which involve control of body
and mind, nor are they willing to endure such labor
and hardship. Hence, educated persons of all creeds
believe in and like to follow Gydn Mat (Path of Knowl-

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67

edge), and are fast becoming (so-called) Gydnis, Sufis,

or Brahm Gydnis; but they will not test the real state of
their minds, nor would they have it tested by others.
Consider carefully how the final stage of Brahm
can be reached so long as passion, anger, greed, attachment and egotism still control their minds. If Brahm
Gydn (knowledge of Brahm) consisted only in reading
and mastering two or three scriptures, it would not
require much effort to become a Brahm Gydni. Any
person with some education and intelligence could
gain this type of knowledge without, much trouble or
effort. But the inner purity which results from the
control of mind and senses is something quite different.
It is not possible to attain it without the practice of
Yoga.
63. If you ask such Gydnis to devote themselves
for some time to sitting in meditation and to contemplate their saroop (form), their restless minds will not
let them do so for a moment. By the practice of Surat
Shabd Yoga, according to the instructions of the Saints,
they would have tested themselves and discovered the
restless character of their minds. They do not know
what Surat Shabd Yoga is, nor are they eager to perform
Yoga. They do not even think it necessary. And what
is the Abhyds (Spiritual Practice) that some of them
perform? To read and ponder over what is given in
the scriptures, to think themselves detached from
everything: "I am not mind; I am not senses nor any
worldly goods; I am distinct from mdyd, unborn, undented; I am such and such and such." This mental
repetition they consider Abhyds, and mistake a little
steadiness of mind, resulting from this thinking, for
Atmdnand (Spiritual Bliss). Such bliss was enjoyed even
by Sheikh Chilli when, during this soliloquizing, he

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pictured that he was the ruler of a particular country,

had got a fine palace resplendent with all sorts of pomp
and show; but when he opened his eyes, there was
nothing.
64. On careful consideration, the above seems
to apply to these Gydnis. They call themselves Brahm
Saroop, and Sat-Chit-Anand (Truth, Consciousness, Bliss),
but fly into a rage when somebody talks to them unpleasantly or tauntingly. When they hear of or see
anything pleasing, they are willing to look at it and
even try to obtain it; they are pleased if anybody
praises them and get offended if anybody talks ill of
them and are ready to quarrel with him. Owing to
the restlessness of their minds, they can't stay at one
place or in one country. Had they enjoyed true bliss,
this would not have been their plight. They would not
have wandered from door to door to beg money in
order to attend fairs and shows, and roam about with
worldly people at sacred places and temples.
When a person who has no money obtains a few
thousands, he invests it in business and works peacefully
at one place. A person who gets a job does not worry
to find another one, but keeps happy in the performance of his duties. What sort of Brahm Gydnis are they
who identify themselves with dtmd and Brahm and still
lack even as much bliss of dtmd and Brahm as would
make them stay at one place even for a few years and
enjoy that bliss, and not roam about in different countries and interest themselves in houses, gardens, fairs,
shows, etc.? These things show that their knowledge is
merely book knowledge or superficial knowledge and
not the real knowledge, and they haven't got even a
particle of that atmdnand and Brahmdnand which they
extol so much.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

69

65. Real knowledge consists in beholding Brahm

face to face. The resulting bliss makes one scorn the
lordship of seven kingdoms not to say anything of
domestic pleasures, but only if one gets that bliss.
According to Saints, Brahm is the name of the Laksh
(Invisible) form of Ishwar, which form is Mdyd Sabal
(with matter); but the Veddntisls call this Laksh Saroop
of Brahm as Shuddh (Pure) {i.e. Shuddha Brahm) and call
the less pure or the Ishwar form as Vdch phenomenal and
Mdyd Sabal. But the Saints, Who go beyond these forms,
say that both forms are Mdyd Sabal. In one form Mdyd
is vividly manifested, and in the other, that is in Laksh,
it is subtle and hidden.
66. It should be noted that all incarnations of
the higher order, Yogishwar-Gydnis, Devatdsand prophets and incarnations of the lower order came from
either the Laksh or the Vdch Saroop of Brahm. Worshipers
of either of these two forms of Brahm, therefore, do not
go beyond the jurisdiction of Mdyd and Kdl, and thus
cannot escape the cycle of births and deaths.
67. The Path of Sant Sat Guru is the highest,
and inculcates the worship of the true Lord, Sat Purush
Rddhd Swami, Who is beyond Brahm and Par Brahm.
By worshiping Him, the devotee may cross the limit
of Mdyd.
A true Sadh goes up to Daswdn Dwdr, also known
as Sunn Pad. He alone is Yogishwar-Gydni. Whoever
has not reached the stage, is not a perfect Sadh. Anyone
who desires true emancipation should have the Isht
(Ideal or Goal) of the Saints, that is, Sat Punish Rddhd
Swami. The Supreme Lord Himself has revealed this
Name, Rddhd Swami. Whoever obtains the secret of this
Name and putting his faith in Rddhd Swami, repeats
this Name according to the instructions of the Saints;

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that is, repeats internally or mentally, or listens to the

Inner Sound, will surely be redeemed. This he will
realize within himself after a few days of Abhyds.
68. It has been mentioned previously that all
incarnations, Yogishwar-Gydnis, prophets, Yogi-Gydnis
and others came either from Daswdn Dwdr, or Trikuti,
or Sahasdal Kamal and that the four Vedas were revealed
at Trikuti by Nad or Pranavand that gods such as
Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahd Dev originated from below
Sahasdal Kamal. Their status is, therefore, much lower
than that of the Saints and of Sat Purush, Who are
superior to all of them. They are all subordinates to
Saints, but the Saints are subordinate only to Sat Punish
Rddhd Swami. It is for this reason that the scriptures
of the Saints are superior to the Vedas, Shdstras, the
Quran and the Purdnas. These latter comprise rules
and instructions for the regulation of society. They
are primarily devoted to Privritti, with the continuation
and maintenance of the world and its economy, and
deal only briefly with Nirvritti or Salvation. But the
books of the Saints are devoted to the real object of
Nirvritti or Moksh. Their sayings and Their writings
are therefore superior to all revealed books, and herein
lies the greatness of the Saints because they talk only
of Nirvritti or Salvation, while the others talk of both,
Privritti and Nirvritti, but more of Privritti.
The Vedas and all other revealed books originated
from the region which gave rise to the three gunas, the five
tattwas, and Mdyd or Nature. The sayings of the Saints
come from that region where there is not even a trace
of Mdyd. Therefore, they talk only of Nirvritti, while
the others talk of both, salvation and the world. In
the Vedas, eighty thousand shlokas (couplets) are devoted
to rituals alone, that is, to Privrittisixteen thousand

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

71

sklokas to Updsnd, that is, to meditation and worship,

and only six thousand shlokas deal with Nirvritti or real
knowledge (literally: returning or going back). The
same is true, more or less, of the Quran and other
revealed books. They are full of historical material
and touch but lightly on methods of spiritual exercises
and God Realization. Even Lord Krishna told Arjuna
to go beyond the Vedas, which are associated with the
three gunasthat is, to reach the region which is above
that of the Vedas. The shloka says: "The Vedas deal
with the three gunasbe thou above those three gunas,
Arjuna." It is said that so long as a person is entangled
in Karma and Dharma, which is the Updsnd prescribed
by Varndshram Dharma, he is a slave of the Vedasthat is,
he has to follow the Vedas. But, once he crosses the
region of Mdyd and the three gunas, his feet are on top
of the region of the Vedasthat is, he becomes the maker
of the maker of the Vedas, is superior to them, and his
commands are superior to the commands of the Vedas.
A shloka in the Quran states: "Perfect Muslim Faqeers
are not bound by the Shard or the law of the Quran.
Rather, their commands supervene the commands of
Shard (Muslim Religious Law)."
69. This is the saying of the Saints and other
true and perfect lovers of God, who have reached Sat
Lok and become one with Him. From there they behold innumerable worlds and Brahms, each with its
own Brahm, Ishwar, Mdyd, Shaktithat is, the god and
power of the worldly people. Incarnations, Brahmds,
Vishnus, Shivas, gods, prophets, auliyds, qootubs, angels.,
yogishwars, gydnis, rikhishwars, munishwars, siddhas, yogis,
Indras and gandharvas. How can the Saints obey the
commandments of such deities, incarnations, prophets
and gods, or even look at them?

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Each Triloki (aggregate of three worlds) has its

own separate Lord who is called Brahm, Ishwar, or
Mdyd Sabal, and is located respectively in Trikuti and
Sahasdal Kamal. The Supreme Region, that of Sat
Purush Rddhd Swami has created myriads of Brahms
and Ishwars. Only Saints, and none other, have
reached that Supreme Region. But, whosoever firmly
believes in Their Teachings and loves Them, and
attends Their Satsangs or Discourses, out of Their grace
and mercy, They free him also from the clutches of
Mdyd and take him to the Feet of Sat Purush Rddhd
Swami.
THE END OF BOOK I.

BOOK II
THE SAR BACHAN
Some Of The Sayings Of Huzur Radha Swami
Sahib Reduced To Writing For The Benefit of
Satsangis
1. It is a pity that no one seeks a Sat Gurualthough the Granth Sdhib emphasizes everywhere, almost
in every couplet, that one should seek a Sat Guru.
All waste their time and energy in scriptures and
pilgrimages.
2. Devotion to the Sat Guru is most essential.
He who loves the Sat Guru will eventually obtain all
that he seeks. One who seeks only Nam and Sat Lok, but
has no love for the Sat Guru, will get nothing. Love for
the Sat Guru is of first importance. It detaches us from
all bonds.
3. We should constantly subject ourselves to
introspective examination to see whether or not we
have been able to control our passions of lust, anger,
etc. If not, we should go on with our Abhyds (spiritual
exercises), and should not enter into useless talks and
discussions with others. Keep this advice even in mind.
4. Sat Guru says, the relation between me and
the disciples is purely for the sake of Parmdrth. I cannot
associate with those who are given to the evil impulses
of the mind.
5. Karma (action, rites and ceremonies); Updsnd
(worship, in the esoteric sense); Gydn (knowledge); and

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Vigydn (knowledge in the esoteric sense) are the four

stages; and none of them can be attained without the
help of a Sat Guru. A perfect Guru will instruct the
disciple in these qualities according to his deserts. An
impostor, on the other hand, instructs the disciple
according to what seems pleasing to the disciple. Such
instructions spell no good. In fact, they are injurious
because such a disciple becomes incapable of anything
else.
6. When Kabir Sdhib explained the Truth to
Brahma, he became eager to search for Sat Purush, but the
was misled by Ksl. How then can an ordinary mortal
seek Sat Purush without the help of a Sat Guru ?
7. The Sat Guru says that the testimony of the
Lord can be given if there be a Bhakta with sufficient
love and devotion. Nobody has sufficient love or Bhakti
(devotion) to deserve testimony. What you are doing is
merely imitation. But worry not. Such is the Mauj
this time, and even thus, all shall be taken across.
8. Love is essential for both, Kami (effort) and
Saran (unqualified submission). Without love, neither
of the two is possible.
9. There is ghee in milk and fire in wood. But milk
cannot serve as ghee, nor wood as fire, so long as those
qualities are not developed. In the same way, if we claim
to be Brahm when he is not manifest in us, it is a lie.
10. Devotion to the Guru comes first. Without
this, nothing will be accomplished. Perfect and sincere
Gurbhakti, though it be difficult, is absolutely necessary.
11. The Lord is within you, like the fragrance in
the flowers. The flower is visible, but not the fragrance;
yet it may be detected by the sense of smell. Likewise,
he who possesses the real knowledge which the Guru
imparts is able to realize God within himself.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

75

12. You do your Bhajan much in the same way

as the bullock of the oil press, who walks the whole
day and thinks he has traveled twelve miles but still
remains in the house. The mind within you is like this
bullock. It goes through the spiritual exercise, but does
not go up. The idea that you devoted two hours to
Bhajan (spiritual practice) only develops ahankdr
(egotism, pride) but no bliss is experienced. If the bliss
were experienced, there would be no ahankdr. But you
cannot have pure bliss so long as you do not go beyond
Trikuti.
13. All have the right to Bhakti (Devotion), but
they are not fully qualified even for Bhakti. There is no
harm in following the Path of Bhakti, as the Lord loves
that attitude of mind and nothing else is so dear to Him
as Bhaktibut Sat Guru Bhakti is the only kind that is
acceptable and pleasing to Him.
14. A camel driver holds the nose string of only
one camel in his hand. But that camel is followed by
thousands of other camels. In the same way, there is
only one Gurmukh, but by His grace, many others cross
over.
15. Satsang is like the Paras (Philosopher's Stone).
Just as iron is changed into gold by mere contact with
it, those who sincerely follow Satsang are turned into the
gold of immortal life. But a hypocrite with mental
reservations, in spite of Satsang, remains the same iron
as before. Satsang, however, is Paras all the same.
16. It is not proper for Satsangis to fly into anger
at the time of SSva, as they sometimes do. That is the
way of worldly people i.e. to become angry when crossed
in their purpose. If Satsangis behave in the same way,
they are no better than others. They must cultivate
the habit of forbearance. Anger is the instrument of

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Kdl. Do not let it enter into you. If someone is obstinate

or overbearing you should forgive.
17. It is easy to hear and understand; but if you
hear and understand only superficially and do not let
it enter into your hearts, it is useless. If it enters our
hearts it will be reflected in our conduct too. It is a rule
that what is within is reflected outside. Satsangis should
always, therefore, be very discerning; and they are, as a
rule, discriminating at all times because they are always
under the guidance of the Sat Guru. In fact, without
keeping the Sdtgur Swami always in heart discrimination
is not possible; that is, without a Helper the mind who is
your enemy will stand in the way of correct discrimination. It behooves you, therefore, to keep the Shabd
and the Satgur Swami in your mind always. Never
forget even for a moment.
18. Man has been hankering after worldly things
throughout all his lives. If he were to have a similar
desire for Parmdrth (spiritual gain), only then would he
attain something.
19. This world, which is a wildness, has been
mistaken for a residence; and its good things which are
all perishable are taken for true and real, while that
which is actually real is altogether lost sight of. How,
then, can this Jiva prosper and take to Satsang?
20. Really, the Jiva is not entitled to Satsang
(to sit in the presence of a Saint). Only after attending
the Satsang for some time would he be worthy of sitting
here. However much you may try to explain, he would
still insist on showing his cleverness and bringing in his
own arguments. But this is the Path of Love and not of
intellect. How can PrSm (love) be developed without
Satsang? Kdl stands in the way of people coming to
Satsang. Thus the Jiva too is powerless and can't help.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

77

21. You should love the Saints as fish love the

water. He who loves Them in this way is beloved of
Them, and he alone gets detached from the world.
22. Let the mind and the Sat Guru stand before
you. If you obey the Guru, you overpower the mind;
but if you follow the mind, you turn your face away
from the Guru. Whoever has the pain of love will
choose to follow the Guru, but one who has no fear {i.e.
of offending the Guru) will be carried away by the
currents of the mind.
23. Mere reading and memorizing the Bdni
(Teaching) of the Saints will avail nothing so long as
the teachings are not translated into action. Make
the Bachans (Discourses) that you hear, the rule of your
life; otherwise what you hear and understand will be
useless.
24. The Jivas of today (people nowadays) have
not one-fourth as much love in the feet of the Sat Guru
as they have in fasts, pilgrimages and idol worship.
That is why there is no change of heart in them. Their
hearing of discourses, repetition of Names, and Darshan
are all superficial. If they were to find a perfect Sat
Guru, He would turn all their senses inward. No one
except a Sat Guru has the power to send them in.
25. Not till you have firm faith in the living
Sat Guru will you escape Chaurdsi (Transmigration).
If you are a traditional believer in the Saints of the past
and have blind faith in them but have no love for the
Sat Guru of your time and do not act upon His words,
you will not escape the cycle of births and deaths. The
Saints who lived in the past have also laid down that
success will be achieved only by taking refuge in a
perfect living Sat Guru.
26. The mind, intoxicated by the passions as it

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is, can be controlled only by a person who has sincere

longing to see the Lord. An elephant in rut roams about
unrestrained in the forest and nobody can stop it. But
under the goad of the elephant driver, the same mad
elephant is tamed and is used by the king for riding
and thenceforth lives in comfort. Likewise, only the
Gurmukhs (those who are guided by the Guru) will be
admitted to the mansion of the Lord; while those who
are without a Guru will go through the cycle of births
and deaths. Hence, one should strive to the utmost
to attain Gurmukhtd. But the Guru must be perfect.
27. Whatever we (Saints) say and teach is according to the fitness of the people. Nowadays there is
hardly anyone who may be fully deserving. Those who
are reputed to be great Parmdrthis admit hundreds of
disciples and, irrespective of whether they are householders or ascetics, turn them into Gydnis by teaching
them "Vichdrmdld" (name of a book on Vedanta).
Such teachers and their disciples are all subject to error
and doubt, and gain nothing but pride. The present
followers of Guru Ndnak are no better. They keep the
Granth Sdhib wrapped in cloth, like a bundle, prostrate
themselves before it in adoration, and perform the Arti
Ceremony (Lamp Waving Ceremony) before it. They
have been doing so for a long time, but never did the
Granth say. "Peace be upon you and Name within your
heart". They never stop to consider that the Sat Guru,
Whose praises are sung in the Granth Sdhib, should be
sought by them. They do not act upon the injunctions
of the Guru, given by Him for all times.
Just think, where was the Granth when Guru Ndnak
appeared? He must have taught people by word of
mouth. Evidently no Granth can make a Saint. Saints
do not depend upon scriptures for They have the power

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79

to make Saints and to write Granths (scriptures) whenever they like. Many there are who have read Granth
Sdhib hundreds of times without understanding its
contents. Such reading is useless. It is imperative to
seek a Sant Sat Guru Who may remove all error and
doubt. There is no other way to escape the cycle of
births and deaths.
28. The Satsang of the Saints is such a Kalpataru
(wish-granting tree) that it eradicates all desires. It is
said that a Kalpataru fulfills all desires, but nobody has
ever been able to find one.
The society of the Saints is the real Kalpataru,
and should therefore be resorted to repeatedly. If one is
not able to go to the Satsang of the Saints frequently, let
him go whenever he can; but he should be sincere. A
hypocritical attitude will do no good.
29. Just as a diamond will pierce a pearl but not
a stone, so the discourses of a Saint will affect only the
deserving. Others derive no benefit. However, if even
the undeserving constantly attend Satsang, they would
finally become fit and deserving. But there is a snag
here in that it will not be possible for them to stay in the
Satsang.
30. In the beginning there was dhundhukdr (misty
chaos). The Lord Purush was in Sunn-Samddhi (absorbed within Himself). Till then there was no creation.
When His Mauj surged, Shabd became manifest and
brought into being the whole of creation; first the Sat
Lok and then, by the Kald (Emanation) of Sat Purush,
the three worlds and all the rest of creation were brought
into being.
31. Par Brahm Parmeshwar is present in everybody,
but he cannot take anyone out of this world. Instead
of taking us out, he is every day entangling souls more

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and more in this world. But when the same Par Brahm
Parmdtmd, in the form of Sat Guru, instructs souls, He is
able to deliver them from the bondage of this world.
Alas, men are so blind that they will not take to this
form of the Lord! The Supreme Being has ordained
that He will meet only him who comes to Him through
the Sat Guru, and without the Guru, no one may enter
His Court. Someone might ask why the people do not
believe in the words of the Saints. The reason is that
they have neither fear of the Lord nor eagerness to see
Him. He who entertains fear of the Lord will also be
fired with zeal to meet Him. Fear comes first.
32. The gurus of today accept disciples; but,
instead of asking them to love their guru, they encourage
pilgrimage and idol worship. But what can they do?
If they themselves had practised Gurbhakti, then they
would ask their disciples also to do the same. Such
gurus are not fit to be called Gurus.
33. He who longs to attain Parmdrth (Spiritual
Uplift) and has fear of Chaurdsi (Transmigration), should
first of all take to a perfect Guru. The Antahkaran (mind)
will not be purified without love for the Guru; neither
will Nam benefit until the Antahkaran is purified. A
farmer first ploughs and prepares the land, and then
sows the seed. Seed sown in unprepared soil yields
nothing. The soil of the heart is prepared by devotion
to Guru. Without love for Guru, Nam will be of no avail.
But people nowadays recite Nam at home without
having recourse to a Guru. Such people fail to get either.
They will get neither the Guru nor the Nam, for Nam is
in the hands of the Guru. When love for Guru has not
been cultivated, how can Nam be obtained?
34. All the gods, from Brahma downward, and all
the incarnations, from Rama and Krishna onward, rank

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81

lower than the Saints, while Saints rank highest of them

all. They are only ministers and executives while the
Saints are Kings.
35. Satsang comes first. Those who remain in
Satsang receive many benefits. A stone which remains
in water keeps cool although the water does not penetrate it; still it is better than the stones outside the water.
Likewise, the worldly people come to the Satsang and are
not affected by it, but this does not matter. Anyway
they are better than the out-and-out worldly people. In
course of time they will begin to accept the influence.
36. So long as there is life (lit: so long as you
breathe) you should go on with Gurbhakti. Devotion to
Guru is devotion to God. This should be done without
asking anything in return. He is all-powerful and will
bestow on us anything He likes, when He sees us fit.
37. Sat Guru is pleased with humility. If humility is genuine, then one need not worry either about the
restlessness of the mind or about the provisions for the
journey. Such a one should firmly take refuge in the Sat
Guru and rely on His protection. Then his boat will
cross over to the other side.
38. Those whose knot between Jar (Matter) and
Chailanya (Spirit) is still intact, are subject to Kdm, Krodh,
Lobh, Moh, Ahankdr and display Sheel (Continence),
Chhima (Forbearance), Santokh (Contentment), but it is
superficial. Inwardly, they enjoy the passions, whereas
those who have untied the knot between matter and
spirit do not feel the slightest touch of Kdm, Krodh, Lobh,
Moh, Ahankdr.
39. The Lord is always with us all and puts up
with our conduct, both good and bad. Wherever He
wishes, He will prevent one from misbehaving. Nobody
will heed another's advice. Then why hurt others?

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There is no harm however in giving advice to those who

have faith and confidence in you, and such alone will
accept advice.
40. Karmis (those devoted to ritualistic observances), Sharais (followers of Shar'aov Mohammedan religious law) and Gydnis (Intellectuals or Veddntists) will
never believe in what the Saints say. They are subject
to worldly desires and given to intellectual pleasures;
in fact, they should not come to the Satsang of the Saints.
This is applicable to all who belong to the Orders of
Nirmalds, Sanydsis, Gydnis, Veddntis, Nihangsto those
who believe in idol worship and pilgrimages to sacred
places; also to those who are slaves of the Vedas, Shdstras,
Purdnas and Quran, but have no desire to obtain real
spiritual advancement. They will only be a source of
trouble to the Saints because they are not in search of a
Sat Guru and are just dogmatic believers.
41. Three things alone will lead to salvation in
this age of Kali Yuga.
1. Surrender to a perfect Sat Guru.
2. The Society of a Saint.
3. Simran (Repetition) and listening to the Holy
Name.
Everything else leads to worry and confusion. Time
spent in anything else besides these three things is time
wasted.
42. The Jiva (human Soul) was sent into this
world to see the show of life; but when he came here he
became completely absorbed in the show and lost all
recollection of the Lord, like a child who goes out to see
a fair, holding on to his father's hand, but lets go the
father's hand and is soon lost in the crowd. Now he is
no longer able to enjoy the fair, nor can he find his
father and wanders from place to place; but those who

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83

hold on to the hand of a living Sat Guru make the most

of this world, and attain Parmdrth (spiritual benefit) too.
Those who are not devoted to a Sat Guru wander restlessly from place to place, and after death also are driven
into the cycle of birth and death.
43. If you wish to enjoy the bliss of the Divine
Shabd in this world, you should eat only one meal a
day(*). If you eat two or three times a day, you will
not be able to enjoy it at all.
44. Only that life is useful which is spent in the
service of the Sat Guru and devotion to the Lord. That
wealth alone is well spent which is spent in the service
of Sat Guru and Sddhs. Those alone are sons and relatives
who keep company with one in Parmdrth (spiritual life).
45. He who has faith in and love for the Sat Guru
will contact the Shabd too; but he who has no faith in
Sat Guru will be without the Shabd also.
46. The roots of lust, anger, greed, attachment
and vanity, and the dross of desires are within the
Antahkaran. Devotion to the Guru alone will remove
this dirt and foster love. When love is engendered, our
purpose will be accomplished.
47. The disciple should cease to look to anybody
else except the Sat Guru, and should put his reliance
entirely in Him. If the disciple fails to do this, Sat Guru
will Himself take hold of him; but this would be rather
hard on the disciple.
48. Service of the Chaitanya (Living or Conscious)
will lead to Life, and service of the Jar (Lifeless or Unconscious) will lead to inertness. All except the Sat Guru
*These instructions are meant for those who wish to devote themselves almost
entirely to the Shabd practice and do not have other worldly duties to attend to;
but when the disciple is enraptured with the divine sound, the physical needs of
the body, such as hunger, thirst, etc. are automatically reduced to a minimum.

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come under the classification of jar (inert). Only the

Sat Guru is Chaitanya (Awakened) in this world. Therefore, all those who seek their own good and wish to be
one with the Chaitanya, should devote themselves to the
service of the Sat Guru.
49. Gurmukhtd (devotion and surrender to the
Guru) comes first. Nam follows after. Without'Gtormukhtd you will never get Nam. All should, therefore, strive
to become Gurmukhs.
50. People who waste the whole of their lives in
the entanglements of the world go alone when they die.
They are followed to the crematorium by their kindred,
but beyond death they go alone, while Satsangis have
always got the Sat Guru with them. It is obvious that
alone, one feels unhappy both during life and the
time of death. In life one gets solace from wife and sons
(family), but at the time of one's death Sat Guru alone
helps. One can fulfill the purpose of human existence
by frequently associating with the Sat Guru so that he
may not have to suffer at the time of death. If physical
association be not possible, he should always keep Him
in his heart.
51. As intellectuals who only talk knowledge,
remain without any achievement for want of love;
so also do the followers of the Sat Guru, if they have no
love. Without love there will be no spiritual attainment. The only difference is that the intellectuals have
cut the very roots of the love and will therefore never
gain anything, but the followers of Sat Guru will one day
receive the gift of Love.
52. Nam or Shabd is a great power but nobody
realizes it. A sleeping person is awakened when his
name is called. Such is the importance of Nam. If you
call Him Who is always awake, by His Name, why would

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85

He not hear? But He tests your sincerity and firmness

of devotion. When He has made your eyes fit to behold
Him and your heart fit for Him to reside therein, He will
manifest Himself. If you lose heart and give up in the
meanwhile, He too keeps quiet. But he who is determined not to give up Nam so long as he breathes, will
surely realize Him.
53. After initiation by the grace of the Sat Guru
into the mystery of Holy Nam, one should do this best
to practise it, and continue to develop love for the Sat
Guru and faith in Him. If unable to do so, he should repent within himself and keep on trying. He should not
bother about explaining things to others but should
strictly mind his own business. He whose duty it is
to help others will attend to that matter.
54. In this age of Kali- Yuga, in place of the traditional fasts and pilgrimages, the Saints have ordained
that resignation to the will of Sat Guru is the fast, and
association with a Sat Guru or a Sadh is the pilgrimage.
These will benefit the Jivds, while observance of traditional fasts and pilgrimages will lead to nothing but
vanity.
55. The mind is like an elephant in rut. It goes
about unrestrained wherever it likes and drags the Jiva
also with it. Just as a Mahout is needed to control the
wild elephant, so this unruly elephant of the mind can
be controlled and corrected only by the goad of the
Sat Guru. Like the elephant, the mind will not give
up its frenzy except when the goad of the Sat Gum is
upon its head. If a man wishes to reach the Supreme
Region he must seek a Sat Guru. Without the Gum no
one can ever reach the Supreme Region. If he fails to
accept this truth, he will inevitably be driven again
into the cycle of transmigration.

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56. The Path of.SW.Sa/Guru is distinct from that

of both Sargun and Nirgun. The creation in Sat lok is
everlasting and real, and so is its Creator, the Sat Purush.
57. Saints and Faqeers are of the same essence as
God, and are manifestations of the Supreme Being.
One who loves Them and has faith in Them will also
become one with the Supreme Being.
58. It is difficult to become a Gurmukh, but
unfolding of the Shabd is not difficult. This depends
upon His Mauj. Nothing is possible without His grace.
59. In the Kali-Yuga the Saints have prescribed
Shabd as the means of opening Daswdn Dwdr (the tenth
aperture), which is hidden in the body. The tenth
aperture of other religions also can no longer be opened
by any other means.
60. If one wishes to succeed in the worship of
the Guru, he must give up the worship of the world. You
can't do both. If you wish to carry on with Gurbhakti,
you will have to break with the world; and if you go
with the world, your Bhakti will not be perfect.
But this is not a fixed rule. Those who possess good
Sanskdras (past impressions and tendencies) and have the
grace of the Sat. Guru, will be able to attend to both
effectively and without difficulty. But those with
Sanskdras of a lower order will be able to attend to only
one thing.
61. He who is eager to tread the Path of Shabd,
and happens to come across a Sant proficient in Its
mysteries, should dedicate his allmind, body, wealth,
etc. to Him without the least hesitation.
62. There is no other Rasayan (Elixir) like that
of Nam. He who has prepared this Rasayan has all
other Rasdyans at Iris disposal. When you have got hold
of die husband, how can the wife go away ?

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87

63. There are different views about Mukti (Liberation). Some seek it through pilgrimages and fasts,
others through austerities and the recitation of sacred
formulae, while still others think it can be obtained by
renunciation of the world. They are all mistaken.
Saints say that there is no Mukti till the soul reaches its
Real Home.
64. All the Shastras, from the Vedas downward,
all the Khat Darshans (the Six Schools of Hindu Philosophy), all the fasts from Chandrayana (a fast extending
over one lunar period) downward, and the entire universe will perish one day. Only the Saints and Their
devotees will survive. We should, therefore, decrease
our worldly attachments and increase our love for the
Saints. Love for Them leads to happiness whereas love
of wealth and honor and wife and family leads to
unhappiness.
65. Liberation will not come through the pundits
(priestly class) or the bhSkhs (religious orders). None
except a merciful Saint will be able to lead the Jiva to
liberation. One should, therefore, try his best to find a
merciful Saint and take refuge in Him. Then redemption would be possible even in a single life span.
66. Saints who live a householder's fife enable
many Jivas to go across. Those who have taken Bhikh
are not in a position to redeem anyone. The merciful
Saints, however, live in Grihast (the life of a householder) .
67. The Lord says that Sddhs and PrSmi jan (His
lovers) are His own flesh and blood, and if anyone
wishes to serve Him, he should serve his Sddhs and lovers.
But the foolish people worship water and stone and do
not turn to Gurbhakti, Satsang and Sadh Sevd (service of
Sadhus), which are of prime importance.

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68. Gurbhakti and Satsang are necessary for the

Jivas of these times. Without these they will not succeed.
69. Mere attendance at Satsang cannot destroy
Karma. It is only by acting on the teachings of Satsang
that the effects of Karma can be nullified.
70. Everyone recites the Name by tongue, but
feels no change in himself. It is because the Name
received is taken from some book and not imparted by a
Saint. If one were to repeat the Nam given by a Saint,
he would feel its bliss. Saints first prepare the soil of
Their (own) heart and then plant the tree of Nam and
eat its fruit. When a true and loving seeker goes to
Them, They give him the fruit of Nam.
71. Only those who have been initiated by a
Nddi Sat Guru (One versed in the practice of Shabd),
hear the Andhad Shabd. In these times they alone are
blessed who believe in this Path and are striving in it.
72. The mere hearing of discourses and attendance at Satsang is not sufficient. You should also
ponder over and mentally accept what you have heard
so that you might move on to the next step of practice.*
If you do not let it sink in your heart, you remain as
you were.
73. It behooves Satsangis to plead for one whom
Sat Guru reproves and to show respect to him whom He
honors.
74. If anyone feeds a Sadh without a feeling of
reverence for him, he gains; but the Sadh stands to lose.
75. For external contemplation we have the form
of Saints Who are One with the Supreme Being. He
Whom the Saints contemplate internally, is also Akdl
Purush. People neglect the root and worship the branches,
There are three steps:
and practice.

1. hearing;

2. mental acceptance,

3. firm faith

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

89

with the result that they do not get at the root, and the
branches also wither. Worship of the branches was
intended to lead eventually to the root, but people have
caught hold of the branches so firmly that they cannot
be induced to let them go. In other words, misled by
the priesthood, they have taken to all sorts of worship
and continue to do so. The reason is that the mind,
which is the agent of Kdl, being always with the soul, is
helpful when anyone expounds the religions of Kdl,
for the domain of Kdl is not crossed; but when Saints
proclaim the way of Daydl (The Merciful), this representative of Kdl, the mind, misleads him and does
not let him have faith in the words of the Saints.
76. The roots of desire should be cut, for when
the desires which one entertains are not fulfilled, he
feels very miserable. You should depend upon His
Mauj in whatever you do and not on yourself. But
the subtlety of these words should be grasped, otherwise one may get lax in effort. This utter reliance on
His Mauj will be fully attained only when you see the
Lord face to face. Without the Vision, this complete
surrender is not possible. This is the condition of the
Saints, Who recognize the Lord as the Instigator or
Mover in everyone. Sainst indeed enjoy the show
of this world as nobody else can.
77. To all who believe in Guru Ndnak or any
other Saint and who sincerely follow their teachings
the (living) Sat Guru knowing them to be followers of
Guru Ndnak or another Saint says that, they should look
upon Guru Ndnak or whatever Saint they follow as their
Father, and act faithfully upon His teachings.
It is the duty of the father to bring up his child
ren. The father brings up his daughter and tenderly
cares for her in all respects, but when he wishes that

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

she should have a son he secures a husband for her,

for she can't have a son in her father's house; in the
same way, Guru Ndnak and all the Saints say that one must
seek a Sat Guru if he wishes to reach Sack Khand (Region of
Truth or Sat Nam). Nowhere is it said that you will attain
Sack Khand by simply reading or having blind belief in a
Potki or Granth (Scriptures). Although in this life you
may be looked upon as a believer in and a follower of
the line of Saints, yet if you do not act upon Their
words and seek a living Guru, you will be driven back
into the cycle of rebirth. This advice is meant for those
who believe in the teachings of (past) Saints. But those
who have become the slaves of Pundits are no longer the
followers of Saints. Nothing should be said to them,
whether they accept the teachings or not.
"Satgur khojo ripidri. Jagat men durlabh rattanyehi."
(Seek ye the Satgur, my dear. This is the rarest
jewel in the world).
78. Men of the world are attached to their families and to their wealth, and take pleasure in them only.
That is why they are called worldly. Those who are
attached to their Satguru, who love to behold Him and
enjoy His discourses, are called Gurmukhs. Those who
love the Sat Guru are few, while those who love the
world are many; but if they come to the Sat Guru, He
will one day turn them into Gurmukhs.
79. Some people say to a Sat Guru : "Here I break
a piece of straw. If you are a perfect Sat Guru, make it
whole again." The Sat Guru replies; "Ask him whom
you believe to be Brahm to make whole the broken straw.
If he makes it whole, I too shall do it." For the Sat Guru
and Brahm are one, but Brahm cannot make a broken
straw whole nor bring the dead to life. But if anyone
loves the Sat Guru and believes in Him, he will be

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91

brought back to life and the broken straw of his life will
also be made whole. The men of the world are like the
dead. Only those who love a living Sat Guru are really
alive, and their broken straws have been mended.
80. The Murid (Disciple) should be as Murdd
(dead). He should act as ordered by the Gum, and not
interpose his own reason. So long as this attitude is not
developed, he cannot regard himself as Murdd (dead),
but as fully alive to the world. He should, however,
continue his efforts and act on the words of the Sat
Guruthat is, go on with Satsang and Bhajan and Satguru
Seva, and keep on increasing his love and Faith in His
Feet. One day he would become Murid (disciple, dead
to the world).
81. If anyone were to ask a Satsangi (follower of a
Saint) how he came to believe in the Saints, and how he
realized that his Guru was a perfect one, his reply would
be that it was the result of past associations, and not on
account of any spiritual exercises he had performed.
He would say that the message was believed as soon as
heard and that his attraction was as spontaneous as
that of a moth for the light or of a Chakor (moon bird)
for the moon.
82. Mdyd, which holds the whole world in its
grip, is under the control of the Saints only. If anyone
desires to be free from Mdyd, he should associate with
Saints and cheerfully submit to any reproof or slander or
praise which may come as a consequence. Only then
can he be a true Sadh. But one who has no endurance at
all; that is, stays on happily while pleasant things are
said, but prepares to pack up and leave when rebuked
for his own benefit and correction, will never become
a Sadh. He will be a Sadh only when he is willing to
endure all things.

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83. So long as one does not regulate his conduct

according to the commandments of the Saints, his mind
will not be purified. So long as one does not worship the
Sat Guru and the Shabd, the China (mind or mind stuff)
will not be still. Only when these two stages have been
fully attained, will one be fit for receiving Gydn (Knowledge) . And with the attainment of Gydn, the material
coverings (over the spirit) will be destroyed. The socalled Gydnis of to-day do not even know if their minds
and Chittas have become pure and tranquil. They have
become Gydnis only by reading books and they do not
understand that in Kali Yuga no one is fit to receive Gydn
(Real Knowledge). This shows that they are blind,
They will themselves be thrown back into Chaurdsi (whirlpool of transmigration), and carry their disciples with
them. But those who are eager to escape transmigration should believe in the teachings of the Saints and
make proper use of this human life which has been
obtained after much difficulty. It should not be wasted.
But if one will not believe, he is free to follow his own
course.
84. Nothing can be achieved without the help
of the living Sat Guru. When you devote yourself to
the service of the Sat Guru of the time and please Him,
then only you attain something. If you are seeking, Nam
no matter how much you may try, you will never get it
until the Sat Guru is pleased with you.
85. Just as glass melts in fire, so the human frame
gradually melts in the fire of sensual pleasures. Blessed
indeed are those who have come to a perfect Sat Guru
and who are devoting themselvesmind, body and
wealth in His Sangat.
86. Association with a Sddh, even for a short
while, is enough to wash off the sins of innumerable

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93

births; but he must be a perfect Sddh. It is, however,

difficult to find a true Sddh. Even if by good luck one is
found, it is difficult to stay in his company. Without
personal association there can be no faith, and without
faith there can be no love, and without these two, how
will the grace flow? Without the grace of Sddh or Sat
Guru the end too is not attained. Hence, association
comes first.
There is no loss if one's entire life is spent in seeking
a Sat Gum. On the other hand, it is very beneficial because it entitles the seeker to human life the next time.
If, however, he takes to pilgrimages, fasts, image worship,
display of supernatural powers and mental magic,
ritualistic worship, Brahm Gydn and the like, the right
to human birth also is forfeited and the individual is
thrown back into the cycle of transmigration. When
Brahma, Vishnu, Mahd Dev and thirty-three crores of
deities who are at the back of this worldly panorama
are all subject to birth and death, how can the poor
human being escape? But if by good luck one finds a
perfect Sat Guru, he will reach his Real Home, while the
aforesaid deities will continue to be subject to birth and
death. If you find it hard to believe this, confirm it by
referring to the writings of the (past) Saints. If, however,
you don't believe in either what I say or in the writings
of the (past) Saints, the path of Transmigration lies
before you. Walk upon it by all means.
87. Nothing will be attained by reading or repeating the Name given in Granths and Pothis (religious
books and scriptures). The Path of Nam can be had
only by contact with a Saint. But this advice is only for
those who are true seekers, and not for men of the world.
88. Ahankdr (Egotism) is the root of all worldly
bondage, just as SumSr (the top bead) is the principal

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SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

bead in the rosary. When you hold the SumSr, all the
other beads are in your control; and if you take the
thread out of it, all the beads are scattered. In the same
way, those who have the grace of the Sat Guru upon them
have cut at the root of Ahankdr and, turning away from
all the pleasures of the world, hold.fast to the Sat Guru of
the time. Blessed are such! Those who have not
achieved this are only beasts in human garb. These
words are meant, however, for Satsangis only. The
worldly people, instead of accepting them, would be
ready to pick quarrels.
89. It is useless to comment upon the condition
of the worldly people. And what can be said to them
when even among Swdmis (religious teachers) and their
disciples only some or few will be found to be without
greed? This is worth remembering so that one may be
testing his own state of mind from time to time.
90. The dirt of Homen (Egotism) must be removed by service of Sat Guru and by devotion of Shabd.
Only then will the Lord be pleased with you. In short,
one must replace vanity by humility. The grace of
the Lord is upon the humble. Only when you are humble
does the grace flow from Him, and then you succeed.
It is, however, not so easy to cultivate humility.
91. If a person should perform any ritual or
worship according to the instructions of his own Sat Guru,
he would derive some benefit, but if he should perform
any of the Vedic or Purdnic rites or ceremonies under the
instigation of priests, he would stand to lose.
92. The worship of the Gum is in a way the worship of the Lord Himself, because the Lord has said that
He will accept the worship of him only who approaches
Him through the Guru, but will not reveal Himself to
those who seek Him through other forms of worship.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

95

If anyone asks you what are the distinctive marks

of a Guru so that he may believe and then worship Him,
you should question him about the distinctive marks
of the Lord Himself whom he worships. How did he
recognize Him? The distinctive marks of the Lord and
the Guru are one and the same. The Lord and the Guru
are one and there is no difference between them. You
will not realize the Lord by worshiping Him direct,
but by worshiping and serving the Sat Guru, you will
realize God. If one were to say, why not worship the
Lord in the first place, if they are one and the same?
The answer is that this cannot be. Satguru Bhakti will
have to be done first and then the Lord will reveal
Himself, The Lord Himself has ordained that He can
be realized only through the Gum. One without a
Guru will have no access to His Kingdom. But the
Guru must be a perfect one.
93. If a man finds a perfect Guru, acquires full
faith in Him and completely submits to Him, he can
attain to that position which none right from Brahma,
Vishnu and Mahd Deva have attained, nor ever can attain.
94. Indulging in criticism or praise is sinful because no one can be described as he really is. If we
must praise anyone, we should praise our Guru, and if
we must find fault with anyone, it should be with ourselves. This does us good. Criticizing or praising
others is only a waste of time, but it is permissible under
one condition, and that is, if some friend has been or is
being misled by another, he should be told that he would
derive no benefit from that person and that he is being
duped. This involves no sin. But you may not say
this to everyone.
95. So long as the soul does not reach its Real
Home, it will not rest in peace. It behooves us, then,

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to give up all other cares and think of reaching our

Home. The way back to Home can be found within
the human body, and it is not good to miss this time.
96. So long as one does not devote himself to the
service of the Guru of the time, and to Bhajan and Simran
of the Holy Name, he will never attain Nam. One
should therefore serve the Guru to his utmostwith body,
mind and wealth. By His grace, love for Satguru will
one day replace love for all else. Then he will not be
unhappy even in the face of any trouble or calamity,
however great, nor feel elated if provided with objects
of pleasure. When you reach that stage you will have
achieved Jeevanmukti (Redemption during life). What
else remains to be done?
97. He alone will love Sat Guru and Satsang who
fears death and yearns for liberation. He who loves
the world and has no fear of death, will not be able to
come to Satsang nor love the Sat Gum.
98. Everybody is repeating some Holy Name.
No one is without it, but none is benefited. The reason
is that they do not get this Name through a Sat Guru.
They carry on their Jap (mental repetition) according
to their own fancy.
99. When a person has come to the Satsang of the
Saints and has also received initiation into the Path of
the Saints, he has, as it were, only the invoice delivered
to him. The wealth of Nam (that is, the goods) will not
be delivered to him until the invoice has been accepted.
100. When one comes to the Satsang of a Saint,
he finds out the extent of his indebtedness to Kdl. If
his debt is not so very heavy and can be repaid in this
life, he is accepted as fit for initiation. If, however, the
Saint finds that he is still food for Kdl (heavily in debt
to Kdl), he is not accepted. But in any case his coming

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97

before a Saint annuls numerous Karmas, and he becomes

fit for Nam in the future.
101. The dirt of Egotism must be removed first
of all. Nowadays some people, according to their own
opinion, do what they expect would remove Egotism
and secure Nam for them. But they do so independently, that is, egotistically and without the help or
advice of a Sat Guru. This makes them even more
egotistic, for they don't look to Satguru but act according to the dictates of their own minds.
102. According to the teachings of the Saints,
the Jiva (Soul) is conceived as a particle of the Supreme
Being, while the Veddntists believe in the sole existence
of Brahm and assign no importance to the soul.
103. He who loves the Sat Guru and longs for
Him alone, will one day reach his Real Home; but, one
who is eager to obtain Nam and reach Sat Lok, and has
no love for the Sat Guru, will secure neither, nor will he
be able to remain in the company of the Sat Guru.
104. Saints do not condemn Gydn, but They
insist upon internal purity first. Only then will one be
entitled to Gydn (Real Knowledge). It is well, therefore,
to beware of persons who possess book knowledge only
and go on with devotion to the Sant Sat Guru and the
practice of Surat Shabd Yog. This will purify the Antahkaran (Mind) and ultimately secure Nam also.
105. Satsangis should encourage and not chaff
any fellow disciple if he happens to make an assertion
beyond his reach. However much the statement may
be beyond his attainment, he should still be supported,
for the Sat Guru can, if it be His Mauj, make it come
true.
106. When the Papihd fervently cries for a drop
of Swdnti rain, the Lord hears it and orders the clouds

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to produce the rain which quenches its thirst. In the

same way the All-Knowing Lord hears the cries and
understands the yearnings of those who thirst for the
Holy Nectar of Nam, and orders a Sat Gum to go to
them and quench their thirst by the Ambrosia of His
Words. Then does the Sat Guru appear and, with His
Nectareous Discourses, bring solace to the suffering
souls. The Lord Himself cannot put water on their fire.
This shows the superior greatness of the Sat Guru.
Extremely fortunate are those who find a living Sat
Guru and believe in Him. They make the right use of
the human body.
107. It is through the Shabd that the soul has
descended into bondage, and so long as one does not
meet a Sat Guru proficient in the mysteries of Shabd,
he will not be able to return to his Real Home. He
can go up only via Shabd. There is no other way of
escaping from this captivity.
108. Some people come to hear discourses, but
are not sincere. They talk a lot but they do not possess
even a trace of Bhakti (Devotion) within themselves.
This is improper. One may be hypocritical with the
world but in his dealings with the Sat Guru he must
be perfectly sincere. You may not have much devotion
but if it is sincere, it will gradually develop and finally
become perfect, and the Lord will be pleased with you.
But hypocritical devotion, however great, is not accepted.
109. One cannot see in a dust-storm. In the
same way, Pundits and BhSkhs whom the world takes for
Parmdrthis and considers great, do not know at all what
Parmdrth is, owing to the dust of greed which envelops
their minds. How can the Lord be pleased with such
men? They and their disciples are bound to return
to Chaurdsi (Transmigration).

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99

110. It is permissible to impart the teachings,

but one should observe impartiality while doing so;
for, in the first place, one cannot know who is ready
to receive the teachings of the Saints. This can be
found out only when the teachings are imparted. Those
who are ready to receive the teachings of the Saints will
accept them; but those who are not ready, will simply
discuss and argue. With such, the subject should not
be further pursued. It is not absolutely forbidden
to give out the teachings, for if the teachings are not
given out, how will Sant Mat be made known?
111. The Lord loves humility first of all. It
behooves you, therefore, to do that which will induce
humility. The society of the Saints is the best place to
develop it. The company of priests and pundits who
care for nothing else but wealth and good food will not
develop humility, nor will the Lord be pleased. Whoever is eager to develop this quality should first seek a
living Sat Guru and devote himself to Him. Until he
comes across a Merciful Saint, he should not accept
anyone as his Guru.
112. People become offended when advice is
offered. One should, therefore, be careful before beginning conversation, and should not be persistent if anyone does not accept his views; nor should any attempt
be made to convince the other person.
113. Sat Guru will be recognized by him who
suffers from the afflictions of this world; but he who
looks upon them as pleasures, will never be able to
recognize a Sat Guru. The real recognition of a Sat
Guru is that which the Sat Guru Himself bestows upon
the disciple. No other recognition surpasses this one.
114. Saints tell us that it is not absolutely
necessary that everything which has had a beginning

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should also have an end. By Their Mauj the Saints

have brought into existence a Creation which had a
beginning but will never have an end.
115. Name is of two kinds, Varndlmak (expressible) and Dhundtmak (inexpressible, primal sound).
The latter is of much greater value than the former.
He who has fear of Transmigration should seek a Sat
Gum Who is proficient in the practice of Dhundtmak Nam.
He may then be saved from the cycle of rebirth. But
he who is content with Varndtmak Nam only, will not
escape Transmigration.
116.

LEAVING

MUST IMPLTCITLR
TIME,

AND

EVERYTHING

OBEY THE

FAITHFULLY

THIS WILL LEAD HIM TO

ELSE

SAT GURU

FOLLOW
SUCCESS.

HIS
THIS

ASIDE,
OF

HIS

ONE
OWN

INSTRUCTIONS.
IS

THE

LONG

AND SHORT OF EVERYTHING.

117. Man does not feel the need of Parmdrth

so much as the need of worldly goods; nor does he
humble himself so much for the sake of Nam as he does
for the things of the world; and when he does humble
himself, it is only assumed humility. But the Satgur is
omniscient. Why would He bestow Nam on such a person? It is man's own indifference which is responsible
for the lack of true humility. The truth is that so long
as the mind is not truly humble before the Sat Guru,
the Jiva cannot be liberated even if the Lord Himself
were anxious to save him.
118. Those who are alive to the external world
only, do not know what lies within. Without internal
devotion to Shabd, the end in view will not be attained.
Devotion to the Sat Gum and His Satsang externally,
and devotion to Shabd internally are both equally
necessary.
119. Even the believers in the Vedas cannot attain

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101

the region of the Vedas without a Sat Guru of the time

to guide them. Hence, it is important to seek a living
Sat Gum. However much you may extol Him, it is all
right if, by good luck, you come across One. In fact,
it is impossible to estimate His greatness, and it would
not be wrong to consider Him higher than all others
in the past, from Brahma onwards. The perfect Sat Guru
of the time, in every respect, takes precedence. Nothing
can be gained now from those who have passed away,
however perfect they might have been. Whatever we
are to get, we'll get from the Sat Guru of our own time.
120. Delusion and awakening, both proceed
from Karma. For instance, a boy may be enticed away
by other boys to join them in play, and after the play
is over, the same boys take him home. Forgetfulness
of the soul is due to Karma, and Karma also produces
recollection.
121. In this age one cannot succeed in any other
way except by devotion to the Sat Guru and the practice
of Surat Shabd Yog. All other forms of worship are like
striking at the snake hole. The snake will not be killed
this way. It is likely to reappear at any time. The
proper way is to catch the snake (mind), and this will be
done only by devotion to the Sat Gum and the Shabd.
By no other means will it be caught. Those who will
not accept these words will gain nothing, and those
who follow the instructions of such will also come to
grief.
122. Saints say that Nam is sweet, but few go in
for It; while if sweetmeats are offered, they are eaten
readily. Sweets taste bitter to a sick person. In reality
they are not bitter, but taste so on account of disease.
This shows that the world is sick. Recourse must be
had to the means which will restore taste, that is, one

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should go to a doctor who will one day cure the disease.

Then the sweets which formerly tasted bitter will again
taste sweet.
Those who want to enjoy the bliss of Nam in
Parmdrth should give up all other practices and firmly
take refuge in the Sat Guru, Who is Samrath (all-powerful),
and will make this Jiva pure and whole; that is, He will
cleanse his Antahkaran which is now filled with desires
for sensual enjoyments, and soiled with the filth of lust,
anger, greed, attachment and egotism. He will also
remove the impurities and disease on account of which
the Jiva can't taste the sweetness of Nam, and will
also bestow the Bliss upon him. And if this treatment
is not resorted to, he will be condemned to Chaurdsi.
123. The anger of the Guru and the father is like
water which, however hot it may be, extinguishes fire,
and will always be for our good. But the anger of the
worldly people is like fire which burns and destroys
wherever it falls.
124. Love for a living Sat Guru should be like the
love of a child for its mother. If a child is removed
from the mother's breast while nursing, it cries bitterly
and becomes so restless that it cannot be pacified. How
can one expect to get Nam and be liberated from this
world when he leaves the Guru and seldom thinks of him?
He cannot bear to part with his wife and children even
for a day, but goes away from the Guru for months.
What value can be attached to such a love? If a man
wants to work out his salvation, he must be prepared
to pay the full measure of devotion to his Sat Guru.
Then only will he succeed.
125. People think that the Satsangis and Sadhus
who are living in Satsang at the feet of the Sat Guru are
there only for getting their meals, but they fail to take

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notice of the fact that they (those who live such a life)
attend Satsang every day for four to six hours, do their
Bhajan too as much as they can, do not sleep their fill
and live only upon Charndmrit and Parshddi (blessed
food). What a great good fortune this is! Worldly
people eat and sleep to their heart's content and do not
even know what Parmdrth is.
126. Some there be who may be forgetful only
when far away, but the moment they come in the presence
of the Sat Guru their minds become tranquileven as a
honey bee which keeps on flying here and there, but
when it finds honey, clings to it and will not leave it.
It is such as these whose love bears fruit. Of course
there are numerous others who come and go away.
They also benefit, but much less.
127. Satsangis should love one another. If there
is envy, they will not be able to enjoy the Satsang. The
bliss of Satsang and Bhajan will be experienced only
when there is mutual love.
128. The anger of Saints is full of beneficence,
while the anger of the worldly minded is destructive.
But the worldly people cannot distinguish between
the two. They think Saints are subject to anger and
do not realize that there is love in the (apparent) anger
of the Saints, while there is a trap even in the kindness
of the ignorant.
129. The Lord Himself is present in both,
friend and foe, and we should not, therefore, mind
either the friendship of friends or the enmity of enemies.
The Lord is the Mover in both cases. But this cannot
be the view of everyone. Only those who have realized
the Lord within themselves take this view. And you,
who hear the holy discourses, should try to imbue
yourself with this idea so that no ill will may enter

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\our minds. This state of mind may not be attained

soon, but you will develop it in time if you attend the
Satsang every day and regularly practice inner Abhyds.
130. All living creatures, from one end of
creation to the other, are made of flesh. But Nam is
supreme in all this. Those who hold Sat Guru above
everything else will escape. Others will be cooked in
the fires of Transmigration, just as the flesh of animals
is cooked in the world.
131. Mind rushes toward the sensual pleasures,
attachment to which again and again leads to hell, but
runs away from love for Satguru and Nam, which really
confer eternal happiness.
132. Saints do not perform miracles. They
always act according to the Will of the Supreme Being
and remain unknown. If it be the Will of the Supreme
Being to make his Bhagat known, He performs miracles;
and if the Supreme Being likes to keep Him unknown,
then no miracles are performed. When Saints perform
miracles, they have to leave this world soon. This is
rather hard on the true seekers, while it attracts false
ones. It is not permissible to perform miracles in these
days, and those who are eager to see miracles are not
true Parmdrthis (seekers) either.
133. For the blind (spiritually), both among
the Hindus and the Mohammedans, there are fasts,
pilgrimages and worship in temples and mosques.
And for those who have eyes to see, there is only the
worship of the living Sat Guru. But this is not meant
for everyone. Only the Satsangis and those who have
eyes to see will appreciate the value of a Sat Guru.
A PARABLE:

A person extols Luqmdn, the physician, but finds

fault with the living physician. This shows that he has

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105

no pain or illness. If he were suffering, he would praise

a living physician. Though Luqmdn was a very able
physician (in his time), but if a patient (to-day) wishes,
to get rid of his disease by calling upon his name, he
cannot do so. He won't be able to get well till he has
recourse to a living physician.
In the same way, one who is pining for Parmdrth
looks upon the pleasures of this world as poisons and
longs for Moksha (Liberation), will know no peace
till he goes to a perfect Sat Guru; and he alone will
realize the value of the Sat Guru of the times. Those
who are false will remain deluded in pilgrimages,
fasts, idol worship and blind faith in those who have
passed away, and will not realise the greatness of the
Sat Guru.
134. Effort and grace go together. Without
grace, effort would not be possible, and without effort
there will be no grace. Dependence on grace alone will
make you lazy, and then effort would not be possible.
135. The soul is given the body of a cow after
passing through the whole gamut of eighty-four lakh
species, and then is born as a human being. If one
lives a good life, he will continue to be born as a human
being till the goal is reached. And by living a good
life is meant to keep on remembering one's exalted
origin, for Ins origin does not change when he transmigrates. That remains the same, for all souls belong to
the family of Sat Nam. But this (remembering one's
origin) will not be attained by any other means except
Gurbhakti.
136. Only he who reaches the end and dwells
there, really dwells and is the best dweller. He alone
enjoys perpetual Basant (spring time) who has taken
up his abode in the region where everything ends.

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137. Gydn (Spiritual Knowledge) will be attained

when you give up Rajo-guna (activity), Tamo-guna
(inertia), and Sato-guna (rhythm or harmony), and take
to Sdr-guna (essential quality), which is Bhakti; then
only will Gydn be attained. T h e knowledge obtained
from books cannot be relied upon, while the Gydn
(Enlightenment) which is obtained as a result of Satguru Bhakti is real and perfect.
138.

THE DISCIPLE ASKS THE SAT GURU :

When, according to the Saints, Shabd is everywhere

and is the Creator of all things, and even the soul itself
is a part of the Shabd, why is it that the Surat (Soul)
does not catch that Shabd?
Sat Guru ANSWERS :
In reality, the Shabd is all-pervading; but since the
soul's descent into Pind (the physical body), it has acquired an outward tendency and has become engrossed
in external sounds. But for that, the work of the world
could not go on. Now, the soul cannot get at the Shabd
within until it comes in contact with a perfect Sat Guru
and submits to Him. By depending on parents, the soul
has become ensnared in this world. When it submits
itself to the Sat Guru and Satsang, it will come out from
the snares of this world.
139. Except devotion to Sat Guru and Nam,
there is no other way or technique to purify the mind
in this age. Those who are engaged in pilgrimages,
fasts and rituals in order to purify their minds, will gain
nothing. No doubt it is difficult to find a true Sat Guru
but true seekers and Sanskdris find Him easily.
140. Some ignorant Moslems hold that a Murshid
(Moslem Sat Guru) should not allow anybody to bow and
prostrate before Him, because the Murshid sees God in
everybody and it is not fitting that God should be made

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107

to bow. This is a misconception. The God in the

Murshid is all-knowing, while the God in the disciple
is ignorant; therefore, it is proper that the ignorant
god should bow before the omniscient God. Besides,
Murshid never calls himself God. He regards himself
as a slave of the Lord; but it is proper for the disciple
to look upon his Murshid as God. Not till he cultivates
this attitude of mind will he succeed. Maulvi Rum
says : "In the person of the Murshid, both, God and the
Prophet are included." This teaching is meant for those
who follow the Tariqat (practice leading to spiritual
realization) and not for the followers of Shariat (Quranic
law and ritual). It should be borne in mind that when
the Prophet was alive, he could take his followers as
far as he had gone, but he can now do nothing for them
or anyone else. Only those who come in contact with
a perfect Sat Guru and accept Him as God can succeed
now. Nothing will be gained by any other way. People
may go on in the old way by reading scriptures and
following the path marked out by the Maulvis
(Mohammedan priests), but that will not generate
Love for the Lord. And till Love is kindled, Union
is not possible. And this Love will spring as a result
of faith in and devotion to a perfect Sat Guru. There is
no other way of achieving this.
141. One should first get onto the right road;
then he can reach his goal. The right road cannot be
found until one contacts a perfect Sat Guru. But, instead of seeking a Sat Guru, people busy themselves in
pilgrimages{Tirathsacred to the Hindus, and Haj
sacred to the Moslems); fasts{BratHindu fast, and
RozdMuslim fast); idol worship; Namdz (Muslim
prayer); and book learning. Such acts lead only to
egotism and confer no spiritual benefit. The secret

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of the True Path and of the True Region will be known

only from a perfect Sat Guru.
142. People who engage in ceremonial and
ritualistic worship will always be subject to the bondage
of the world. They will never gain admittance to
the Durbar of the Supreme Being. Only those who
serve a Sat Guru of their own time with all their hearts
and minds and with all their worldy goods, will reach
the Home of the Supreme Being. Sat Guru Himself
is the Lord incarnate, and to serve Him is to serve the
Lord. Those who try to realize the Supreme Being, but
ignore the Sat Guru, will never find Him. But those
who are in the service of a Sat Guru, have already
found the Lord, and when their eyes are opened, they
will recognize Him. So long as one's spiritual eyes
are not fully opened he should, relying on the teachings
of the Sant Sat Gurus, persevere in his devotion to the
Sat Guru and His Satsang, and continue to develop love
for and faith in His Holy Feet. One day the entire
mystery will be unravelled.
143. The main thing is devotion to the Sat Gum
of the time. That will purify the Antahkaran (mind),
and when the Antahkaran is purified, Nam will be conferred. Only those who are engaged in the service of
the Sat Guru enjoy His grace.
144. Neither inner nor outer purification is
possible without Shabd. The gross body will be purified
first, and then will come the internal purification. The
spoken words (of the Sat Guru) must first be accepted.
Till they are accepted, the inner Shabd will not be made
manifest.
145. Bhakti is of four kinds : That of body, mind,
wealth and speech. All can easily perform Bhakti
by word of mouth. Priests and BhSkhs might come to

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109

a Sat Guru and address him in flattering terms, telling

H i m that He is a perfect Sant, and may even offer H i m
garlands; but if the garlands are returned to them as
Parshdd (Sanctified), they turn their heads away. T h a t
shows that they were insincere in all that they had said.
They are proud of being Brdhmans and BhSkhs, and look
upon the Sat Guru as a mere layman. Such lip worship
is false worship. The true worshiper is he who has
offered his mind, body and all possessions to the Sat
Guru without reservationthat is, one who serves the
Sat Guru with all that he is and has. All others are
insincere. They will develop no faith and will only go
on talking.
146. It is difficult for a person to come to the
Satsang of a Sat Guru; even if somehow he comes, he
finds it difficult to stay. For, when the Saints refute the
Vedas, the Purdnas, and the Quran, and describe Their
own teachings as the highest and different from others,
it will not be possible for him to stand it. Only a true
seeker or one afflicted with the pangs (of Divine
longing) will be able to stay. Belief in the teachings of
the Vedas has been developed by hearsay and not by
personal experiencefor this belief is founded upon the
words of the Pundits and Brdhmans. In the same way,
relying on the words of the Saints, we should believe
in the existence of the Regions described by the Saints.
But only a true seeker would be able to do this, and not
one with mere blind belief.
147. Satguru and Satsang will appeal only to those
who are unhappy with this world, but this is not a fixed
rule. There are some who are miserable in this world
and yet have absolutely no desire for the Satsang.
Parmdrthis (true seekers) form a class by themselves
who, even though amply provided with all the comforts

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of the world, look upon its comforts as a source of misery

without the Sat Guru and Satsang. The worldly are
those who crave the pleasures of the world and feel
miserable when they don't get them or have to give
them up. They do not know that, as a matter of fact,
all worldly pleasures are a source of pain and eventually
will betray their possessors.
148. The only way to remove the impurities of
the mind is through Satsang (of the Satguru). However
dirty the clothes, they become clean when you wash
them with soap. Or, when you apply a spark of fire
to a heap of straw, it is reduced to ashes in a moment.
Satsang acts in the same way. It destroys the Karmas
of innumerable lives and changes the Sanskdr (spiritual
outlook and spiritual fitness) from day to day.
149. They are greatly mistaken who try to verify
the teachings of the Saints by reference to the Vedas.
Even the author cf the Vedas did not realize the exalted
status of the Saints. How then can the Vedas know of
Them? Saints are not chained to anything. They
promulgate whatever Path They consider proper and
suitable at the time. Those who accept, will stand
to gain, and those who do not, will remain unfortunate.
Even in the world, every ruler introduces his own laws;
those who fellow them benefit thereby, and those who
disobey, court loss and punishment for disobedience.
150. The all-merciful Saints repeatedly say to
the Jiva that he is the son of Sat Purush (God) and that
he should not do anything which would invite the blows
of Yama (angel of death). It is a pity that the Jiva will
not obey nor believe in the words of the Saints but,
instead, does those things which incur the wrath of
Yama. Saints have the power, if They choose, to force
the Jiva to obey and also to turn Yama away. But

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111

They do not give up Their merciful attitude (that is,

They never use force) and do not admonish the Jiva
in any other way except by verbal persuasion. Blessed
are those who follow Their advice, and unfortunate
are those who do not.
151. The object of the Saints in instructing and
explaining to the Jiva is that he should withdraw from
all sides and cling to the Satsang as the wife does to her
husband, after which she no longer cares for anybody
else. The modern gurus accept disciples but instruct
them to keep fasts, go on pilgrimages and meditate
on images instead of teaching guru worship. The reason
is that they are not fit to be gums and should not be
accepted as such. They are themselves deluded and lead
others into delusion. Only the Saints are entitled to
the position of Guru and only through Sant Sat Gurus
will the Jivas be liberated. The worldly gum cannot
liberate. Brahma, Vishnu, Mahddeva and Ishwar cannot
relieve the spirit from the cycle of transmigration, but
Saints can.
Only he who has suffered in the world and is
afraid of it will come into the Satsang of the Saints. It
is not possible for others to stay before the Saints. When
the Jiva is thus impressed with the greatness of the
Saints, he will not fall into the snares of the priests and
bhSkhs. He will put his faith in the Saints only and will
attach himself to Them only. What is required is that
he should go on seeking a perfect Sant Sat Guru till he
finds One. It does not matter if the seeker dies in the
course of his search, for then he will be born again as
a human being and will certainly find a Sant Sat Guru
too; and if the desire is very strong, he will meet Him
in this very life. If, however, the seeker gets caught in
the net of the priests and bhSkhs, he may obtain worldly

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riches, honor and family, but he will not escape the

cycle of rebirth, and then there is no guarantee that he
will have the human form.
152. A Gurmukh is one who obeys the Satguru and
never transgresses His orders. So long as one fails to
live so, he cannot attain the status of Gurmukh. It is
difficult. One should be careful to do only that which
is pleasing to the Sal Guruthat is, even while performing SSvd, he should see if the Guru is really pleased with
the service which he renders, or whether He accepts
it to avoid displeasing the disciple. If he succeeds in
finding out that the Sat Guru is accepting this on account
of his insistence only, and it is really troublesome to
Him, he should at once give up that Siva. He alone
will become Gurmukh who acts in this manner. As for
him who can't do this, he should attend the Satsang
regularly, carefully listen to what is said therein and
keep it in mind; then by and by the change will take
place.
153. The dirt of egotism has been placed in the
hearts of all beings. So long as this is not removed,
there is no chance to attain Parmdrth (Spiritual advancement). This fate cannot be removed by external
worship. Hence, performance of internal devotion
is necessary and this can be learned only from a perfect
Sat Guru. Every Parmdrthi (true seeker) should, therefore, find a living Sat Guru and devote himself to His
service. Only then will he succeed in Iris purpose.
154. The soul is surrounded by enemies. No one
is its friend. Even the mind, which is associated with
the three Gunas (attributes), watches the spirit just as
a cat does a mouse which it intends to devour. All
beings here are unhappy, for Kdl inflicts suffering even
on his own Jivasthat is, those who follow him and

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113

obey the dictates of the mind. But the Jivas of a Sat

Guru have always His mercy upon them, and even Kdl
is afraid of them and helps them. It therefore behooves
all of us to take refuge in the Sat Guru of the time.
This would insure safety and protection, both here and
beyond.
155. When one wishes to enroll a thousand or
two thousand persons, thousands of candidates flock to
him. Out of them all, only some fifty or hundred are
suitable; the rest are found below the mark, and some
absolutely unfit. In the same way, when a Sat Guru
starts His Satsang, many people flock to Him, filled with
various desires. The Sat Gum selects those who arc
inspired by unalloyed desire for Parmdrth, and places
the rest on the waiting list. Only those who are destined
to receive the blessing of Parmdrth stay in the Satsang
of the Saints; the others go away of their own accord.
They are unable to stand the shocks (of the Truth)
which they receive there, for they are not actuated by
a sincere and pure desire for Parmdrth. For this reason
the Saints also don't press them, but bless them for the
future.
156. Thousands of Brahmds, Gorakhs, Ndths, and
prophets are being consumed in the furnace of desire
because they failed to find a Sat Guru. If you ask how
an ordinary mortal may be expected to recognize a Sat
Guru when such great ones could not do so, the answer
is that they failed because their egotism stood in their
way and prevented them from believing in the Sat
Guruand for this reason, the Sat Guru did not manifest
Himself to them. Besides they were fit for carrying
on the work of creation and it was intended that they
should carry on this very work. If they had accepted the Sat Guru, they could not have carried on the work

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of creation; and there is no idea of desolating (depopulating) this world altogether. They have been created
to look after the worldly people. The teachings of the
Sat Guru are not meant for them, nor will they believe
in Him or His teachings, or regard the Sat Guru with
reverence.
The Saints openly assert that when such big
ones, in whom thousands of people put their faith,
cannot escape transmigration and hellfirc, how will
the poor Jiva do so by following them? But only those
will believe these words who are predestined for
Parmdrth and are about to be released from the cycle
of transmigrationthat is, those who have a genuine
and unalloyed desire for God Realization.
People who are steeped in all sorts of worldly
desires cannot believe in the words of the Sat Gum.
All should note, however, that only a Sant Sat Guru
can save us from the cycle of birth and death, confer
upon us the gift of Eternal Bliss and take us to our
Real Home. Brahma, Visknu, Mahd Deva, incarnations,
deities and prophets are themselves without a Guru;
that is, they did not find a Sant Sat Guru. They cannot
escape from the cycle of transmigration nor can they
save others. Those who, believing in this Bachan (these
words), seek a Satguru, are His Adkikdri Jivas (entitled
to meet a Satguru), and they alone will meet a Satguru;
and by His grace, He will accomplish their work (take
them to their goal) and those very Jivas will be freed
from birth and death.
157. The Jiva is being pursued by two lions.
One is the mind and the other is Kdl. So long as these
two are not vanquished, spiritual progress cannot
be made. But only a Sant Sat Guru has power to vanquish them. Therefore, only he who takes refuge in a

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115

Sant Sat Guru will be able to conquer them and cross

over.
158. Those who beg from a Sat Guru suffer no
loss of honor or dignity, because all are beggars before
the Sat Guru. There is none in the whole creation who
is not a beggar before the Sat Guru. And those who
feel shame in begging from the Sat Guru will have to
humble themselves before Kdl and bear the penalty.
Blessed indeed are those who beg from the Sat Guru.
159. Believers in the Vedas and the Purdnas say
that sins of a Jiva are removed by a moment's Satsang.
How then can we estimate the merits of the Satsang of
the Saints Whose worth cannot be described by even
the Vedas and Purdnas? There is no doubt that those
who attend the Satsang of the Saints have at least the
sins of that day washed off. This merit accrues to those
who always formally attend the Satsang and hear the
Bachan (words of the Sat Guru); but it is impossible to
describe what those gain who have faith in the Saints
and love of the Sat Guru of the time.
160. Those who slander a Saint and those who
praise Him will both be saved. But if a disciple of a
Saint speaks evil of Him, he will be the loser. Such
conduct from him is intolerable.
161. It is the inner hearing and accepting that is
beneficial. The words of those who superficially recite
or preach, have no effect. Many of those who belong
to the priestly class or religious orders teach and recite
scriptures to others, but they themselves do not show
any change of heart.
162. Without the grace of the Sat Guru, it is not
possible for a Jiva to have faith. And he alone should
be considered the receptacle of His grace who has love
and faith in the Feet of the Sat Guru. Many people wish

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that their relatives and family members would believe

in the Feet of the Sat Guru. The wish is not bad, but it
should be remembered that till the Sat Guru looks mercifully upon anyone, it is very difficult for him to have
faith and love. This should be left to the Mauj of the
Sat Guru, for when He so wishes, He will confer faith and
love in a moment and take them out of the snares of
the world.
163. Disciples of Saints feel no pain at the time
of death. Rather, they face it bravely because they have
already kept death in mind and have taken part in the
affairs of the world only as much as was absolutely
necessary. They have already struck at the roots of the
world in them. The worldly life of the Satsangis of a
Sant is like the short-lived greenness of a tree which
has been cut down.
164. It is very difficult to keep in the Satsang
of the Saints. Some attend the Satsang but are really
inattentive; that is, they seem to be sitting and listening
to what it said but do not listen to accept it. What good
will Satsang then do to them? They alone truly hear
and understand whose minds are affected and also
their conduct, more or less.
165. There is always more or less confusion in
scriptures. The same doctrine is at one time commended and at another place it is criticized. What should
a poor mortal accept and what should he reject?
Without the help of a perfect Sat Guru it is not possible
for a Jiva to decide. Scriptures can confirm, but cannot give you the Path. Only the Saints are conversant
with the secrets of the inner Path and only They can
reveal it to others.
166. A Sddh is he who, by discipline having detached himself from all others, places his trust in Sat

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Guru alone and holds fast to Shabd which is the cardinal

point of the creed of all Saints, and does nothing which
would be inimical to Gurbhakti (devotion to Guru).
Hence, he alone is a Gurbhakta and Sddh.
167. Only those who long to gain Parmdrth and
have fear of transmigration will develop love for the
Sat Guru and have faith in Him. They are not true
seekers who want to see miracles in order that they
may believe. Such people will not develop faith in the
Sat Guru (even if He showed them miracles). It is not
the Mauj to induce faith by showing miracle, for any
belief based on miracles is not to be relied upon. They
have true faith who hold dear the words of the Sat
Guru and love His Darshan, and are restless without
it. Such believers see miracles too. As for those who
are looking for signs and miracles only, it is not the
Mauj to give them any signs.
168. Except Shabd, there is no other way by
which the Jiva can be led to his Real Home. All other
paths are those of Kdl Purush. Shabd is present in the
heart of everyone, and it should be heard internally.
Those who do not hear it will suffer at the time of death.
Vocal and instrumental music will not achieve this end.
Greater will be the suffering of those who claim to
follow the Saints of the past and yet do not seek the
Shabd.

169. Pandits lost their dignity because they

led the people to the worship of images and sacred
places. When the Saints gave out Their teachings as
distinct from that of the Vedas and Shdstras, the Pandits
and BhSkhs failed to appreciate the same, but misled
the people, and thus lost their own prestige. The Saints
now openly declare that those who merely visit sacred
places, read scriptures and worship idols are moving

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into the cycle of transmigration. In Their mercy,

Saints exhort the people to give up all superstitions
and rituals, and seek a living Sat Guru and take refuge
in Him. There is no other way of escaping the cycle
of births and deaths. You may do this whenever you
like; but, whenever you do, you will have to adopt
this very course. Believe it or not, there is no other
way of escaping from Chaurdsi.
170. Jiva and Brahm are both brothers. The
only difference is that Brahm has an administrative
position, and the Jivas are all under him. It is the
business of Brahma and Vishnu and Mahd Deva to create
bodies and nourish them, and they are also responsible
for involving them in the world. But none except the
Saints have the power to bestow Mukti (Liberation);
for Saints alone are the partners of the Supreme Being
from Whom both, Jiva and Brahm, have emanated.
In other words, the Saints are Themselves the Lord
(in human form); for the Lord has taken human form
as a Saint for the purpose of emancipating souls and in
this form confers upon souls that region which even
Brahma, Vishnu and Mahddeva can never reach. But love
and faith in the Holy Feet of the Saints should be firm
and strong.
171. In the beginning there was only One, then
there were two, and then three, then many, then
thousands and lakhs, and finally there were countless
beings. Now he who finds a perfect Sat Guru, Who is one
with the ONE and is the form of that ONE, will succeed
through His grace in extricating himself from the illusion
of the many and reach his Real Home.
172. The fruit of worldly actions is quite manifest to the Jiva and hence he is easily entangled in the
world. But the fruit of Parmdrth hidden, and belief

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in its value is therefore slow to develop. Yet, faith is

a prerequisite; for without faith (spiritual) effort is
not possible, and when there is no effort, how can there
be any result and any advancement.
173. That which is Sat (Truth) cannot be
obtained by Jap (recitation), Tap (austerities) and
Maun Sddhan (vow of silence). All those following such
practices, stop short (of the goal), and no one (in this
way) has been able to find the secret of the Sat which
Saints have realized. That secret can be known only
by serving the Sat Guru of the time and taking refuge
in Himfor that SAT has incarnated Himself as Sat
Guru. Therefore, all those who wish to attain Sat Pad
should give up all ritualistic and superstitious practices
and strive to please the Sat Guru of the time. Thus will
they one day reach that Sat Pad.
174. It is very difficult for the child-widows and
the child-ascetics to pass their lives. Many are led
astray. But if they find a perfect Sat Guru and have faith
in Him, they may easily pass their days. However, if
they accept only an intellectual person as Guru, they
will waste their lives in book-learning, pilgrimages, fasts
and idol worship, and the noose of birth and death would
not be cut. Therefore, they as well as all others should
try their level best to find a Sat Guru. And even if they
die in the course of their search, they should not mind,
for the desire for finding a Sat Guru has been firmly
planted in the Chitta (Mind) and that is equivalent to
Bhakti (worship) of the Supreme Being. Such a person
would one day meet God in the form of Sat Gum.
175. The Jivas (People) of today are so unfortunate that they do not put faith in the teachings of the
Saints but cling to what is written in the Vedas, Shdstras,
Quran and Purdnas, even though they receive no proof.

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Kdl has so cleverly designed things that he makes the

people easily believe what suits his purpose, but they
will not believe the Saints Who mercifully explain the
Truth to them in the best possible manner, and demand
proofs of them. That shows that they are the Jivas of
Kdl, because they do not wish to accept the words of the
Saints without proof while they believe in the teachings
of Kal without demanding any evidence. Saints also
pay no attention to such Jivas.
176. Prdna Yoga and Buddhi Yoga do not go beyond Akdsh. Beyond that the Surat can go only with the
help of Shabd, and reach That Place where it can behold
the Marvelous Being Who did not reveal Himself to the
world during Sat Yuga, TrStd and Dwdpar. No one knew
His secret. Now, in Kali Yuga, The Saints have made
It known. Those who have faith in the words of the
Saints will alone behold that Marvelous Being and reach
Mukta Pad (Stage of Liberation).
177. So prevalent is ignorance nowadays that
many Sadhus, desirous of becoming Pundits (Learned),
go to Kdshi (Benares) and waste their lives in the company of Pundits If they had turned Sadhus instead of
wasting their time in book-learning they ought to have
sought and found a perfect Satguru and devoted themselves to His service and Satsang, and to some Antarmukh
Abhyds (inner spiritual practice), which would have made
them true Sddhs and enabled them to reach their Real
Home
No one can escape the round of births and deaths
by following Pundits. When even Brahma himself, who
is the author of the Vedas, cannot escape transmigration, what power then have the Pundits to escape? The
Pundits and Gydnis of today only talk knowledge and do
no possess even true learning or true Gydn (Wisdom).

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All these merit Chaurdsi because no one except the Sat

Gum of the time has power to save people from Chaurdsi
and take them to their Real Home.
178. How intricately Kdl has spread his net in this
world! Many of those who are engaged in (so-called)
Parmdrth and think they are engaged in Parmdrth
(spiritual effort) and are receiving popular applause
for being engaged in Parmdrth, are found, on a little
scrutiny, to be devoid of even a particle of Parmdrth.
They busy themselves with pilgrimages, fasts, sacred
recitations, idol worship, and spend their time in ceremonies and ritualistic observances. This leads only
to conceit. These practices are not acceptable to the
Lord in these times nor can they save us from
Chaurdsi. All are, therefore, drifting towards Chaurdsi.
Whoever wishes to escape Chaurdsi should practise
Bhakti of the Sat Gum of the time. There is no other
way of escape.
It is a pity that people work hard in other Sddhands
(Discipline, etc.) but do not accept Satgur Bhakti. Some
are wedded to a blind belief in Granth, etc. and believe
it to be the Guru. Now just consider what good will come
of looking upon scriptures as Guru and where is the
authority (for doing so) ? Scriptures are inanimate and
you cannot render them service. Will then such people
be able to practise Gurbhakti? Real devotion to the
Granth consists in acting upon what is written therein;
that is, to seek a Satguru and to serve and take refuge in
Him. Inability to accept this advice would mean that
faith in the Granth is superficial. Such people are in the
same boat with the idol worshipers. This error is due to
the fact that people do not come across someone who can
correctly explain things to them. Therefore, they are
all living in error and superstition. The gurus whom they

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meet have never themselves submitted to discipleship,

and only mislead and delude their followers. Whether
Pundits or BhSklis, they are all alike, for none of them
realizes the greatness of a Sat Guru or the importance of
Satgum Bhakti. They are themselves the slaves of books,
scriptures, old customs and traditions, and go on binding
their followers to the same. They do not teach Satguru
Bhakti, which alone can bring them salvation and take
them to their Real Home.
These teachings are given out only by Sants, that
is the Sat Purush, when He manifests Himself in this
world; for this is the Highest Path and quickly leads to
the Liberation of the Jiva. But only the Sanskdris (those
with a previous background) will accept these teachings,
and they alone will search for a Sat Guru. And those
who are satisfied with superficial performances and the
display of the Miraculous, would not be able to practise
Satgur Bhakti which involves a strain on the body, the
mind and the wealth. The highest Sanskdris (best fitted
spiritually) are those who hold Sat Guru and Nam above
everything else.
179. The worldly people feel pleased on eating
sweet and salted (tasty) dishes and on wearing fine
clothes. But all this is useless. What dishes taste delicious and daintily salted to a Gurmukh, and what clothes
does he like? Sant Satgur describes it thus : He is a Gurmukh who finds the speech of the Sant Satgur sweet,
because there is nothing more delicious than this; to
whom the hearing of Sat Guru's words are Salond (salty,
tasty), and having faith in the Sat Guru is the dress of a
Gurmukh. This is the gist of everything. But this applies
to a true and pure Parmdrthi (spiritual.devotee), for only
he will hold these things so dear as described above.
The worldly people will dislike them.

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123

180. The Gydnis of today put the Vedas first and

the Saints afterwards. This is a great mistake and is due
to the fact that they call them Saints who have studied
the Vedas and follow their injunctions and have somewhat attained the position of a Sddh but they are absolutely unaware of the Saints Who are the Creators of the
author of the Vedasl Those who are called Saints because of their knowledge of the Vedas do not come up to
the level of even the disciples of the Saints. For instance,
one received a high education but got no job while
another was not so highly educated but got a job in a
high place and is talented besides; so a person who is
merely educated cannot equal him. This applies to the
modern Gydnis. They have received good education
but secured no job; that is, they do not practise Satguru
Bhakti. The disciples of the Saints, even though they
be unlearned, if they practise devotion to and enjoy the
protection of a perfect Sat Guru, will one day reach the
Highest Stage, while those who only theoretically talk
of Yoga and Gydn will wander about in Chaurdsi.
181. The errors of the five Shastras were pointed
out by Veddnta, and the errors of Veddnta are now exposed by the Sant Sat Guru. The hollowness of these
Shastras was not exposed in Sat Yuga, TrStd and Dwdpar
because Saints had not then manifested Themselves.
Now, in Kali Yuga, the Saints have come down for the
redemption of the Jivas, and openly point out the errors
and imperfections of all religions and show the True and
Direct Road to Emancipation. But the Jivas arc so
shallow-minded that they don't accept Their Words
nor give credence to Them.
Now if you think a little, you will find that belief
in the Vedic teachings also was developed by reading or
hearing the same, and not by practice; nor, in fact, is

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practice possible, for it is not possible to carry on in this

Yuga the Abhyds (spiritual practices) described in the
Vedas. Again, they have no faith in Spiritual Adepts,
otherwise they would obtain the secret from Them
according to the technique of the Saints, and start
Abhyds themselves. If you continue to depend on books
alone and go on reading the same, you will never learn
the practical way from them. It would only lead to intellectual vanity, which will soil your Antahkaran all the
more and render it incapable of even following the Jugti
(Technique). That's what we notice in these days :
lots of talk, but no practice.
The Parmdrthi Jivas (true seekers) should, therefore,
confine themselves to the quest for a Sat Guru and to
Satguru Bhakti, and give up everything else; for the
purification of the Antahkaran is possible by no other practice in this Yugaand when the Antahkaran is not pure,
how will Salvation be obtained? Except the Sant Sat
Gurus, no one can tell the way for the attainment of the
Final Stage, for they alone know the secrets of His
Mansion, and no one else knows This Secret. It is only
by the service of and devotion to such Sant Sal Gurus that
the Antahkaran is purified, and it is only by Their mercy
and grace that the Mukta Pad (Stage of Salvation) would
be attained and the Path would be traversed. Except
this, there is no other way of Redemption.
182. No one can plant the seed of Bhakti except
a Sant Sat Guru. Only a merciful Sant will point out the
Straight Path to the Jivaall the rest only lead him
astray and make him wander, and are in fact themselves
deluded. For, just think, the stone imagefashioned by
man himselfwhich they place in temples of brick and
stone, is looked upon as God, and the People are exhorted
to worship the same; but they don't give to the Jiva the

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secret of that temple which the Supreme Being has

Himself made and wherein He resides, and where the
gong, the conch and various ether musical instruments
are being always sounded, and Arti (ceremony of
worship) is being perpetually performed. Such blind
ones, being themselves deluded, mislead others also,
and instead of doing them good, do them harm.
How can the blind lead the blind? Hence the insistence upon seeking a Sat Gum. So long as He is not
found, the Inner Secret of the Path cannot be known.
Sat Gum is He Who is enraptured in the Shabd within,
reveals the Inner Secret, and shows the way to the soul's
Real Home through Shabd. No Sat Guru can be judged
by external appearances. Men are ignorant and blind.
How can they (the blind ones) judge and each a Sat
Guru, Whose eyes alone are open. The blind cannot
catch One Who sees, but One Who sees may permit
Himself to be caught by whomsoever He chooses.
Therefore, it is not possible for the Jivas of the world to
recognize a Sat Gumbut Sat Guru may, of His own
Mauj (Will), manifest Himself to them if He likes.
However, in the beginning it is sufficient to note that
whoever explains the Inner Secret and inculcates or
teaches the Path of Shabd, may be taken for a Sat Guru
but one should also find out whether He is Himself
absorbed in Shabd or not.
Be it known too that the Inner Secret is known
only to a Sant Sat Guru or to one to whom He has revealed it. The Sant Sat Guru does not depend upon discourses or teachings or scriptures. He Himself is the
Supreme Being in human form. So long as one does not
devote himself to internal Abhyds, relying upon the mercy
and grace of a Sant Sat Guru, he will never reach Nij Pad
(Real Home). A Sant Satguru in His Mauj, can redeem

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a person in any way He likes, but faith in and devotion

to Him are most important. Then, if He pleases, He
may put a Jiva first in Satsang, or may make him practise
Shabd Abhyds, or let him apply himself to SSvd (Service).
He is all-powerful and, when pleased, may in an instant
bestow anything He likes. But it is very necessary to
please Him.
183. If a perfect Satguru is not met when the
pangs of separation are felt and there is an intense
longing to realize God, the longing goes fruitless. If the
Birhi (one with intense longing) were to claim that he
can realize God without the Sat Guru, he would be mistaken, because it is utterly impossible to reach the Goal
without a living Sat Gum.
Both, those who are fired with an intense longing
and those who are not, require a Sat Gum. Even if the
longing is intense, it will pass off if a Perfect Sat Guru is
not met and recourse is had to an imperfect teacher.
After that, if one meets a perfect Sat Gum, he has no more
desire or yearning left. However, if one without much
love or longing takes refuge in a perfect Sat Guru, the Sat
Guru will develop his love and yearning and accomplish
his purpose. On the other hand, if such a one contacts
an imperfect guru, he will be vain of his birek (longing)
and will not succeed in his purpose. The all-important,
in every way, is a Perfect Sat Guru. Hence it should be
known that no one can succeed in his object without
meeting a Perfect Sat Guru.
184. The stage of Saran (resignation to the will
of the Sat Guru) is very high, but also very difficult. Of
course, many say that they have resigned Uiemselves
(to the Sat Guru); but as a matter of fact, one who has
completely surrendered himself (to the Sat Guru), holds
no one dearer than Him. Only those who have reached

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this stage can make this claim. In former times the

Saints did not save anyone unless he surrendered his
mind, body and wealth; but now the gracious Rddhd
Swami, pitying the misery and weakness of the people
and out of His grace, confers salvation upon them if they
show even a little love and humility. Only those are
really fortunate who have the Darshan, SSvd and Satsang
of the perfect Sat Guru, and are carrying on Shabd Abhyds.
Anyone may enjoy wealth and family, but the SSvd of a
Sat Guru and the society of Sddhs (holy men) are rare in
this age of Kali Yuga.
185. Ram, who creates, preserves, nourishes and
destroys the three worlds, lays claim to the soul; for he
separated the soul from its Real Form, subjected it to
birth and associated with it various enemies, within and
without. Internally the soul is entangled in the net
of passion, anger, greed, attachment and vanity, while
externally it is attached to mother, father, son, wife,
friends, wealth, honor and all the sensual pleasures of
the world. Then why worship such a prosecutor? So
one should turn to the Sat Guru by whose grace alone the
soul can escape the snares of such an enemy and attain
the region of eternal happiness. No one else can rescue
the soul from the snares of Kdl.
186. The Name which a Sant Sat Gum reveals
is not to be found in the Vedas and Shdstras, and He alone
is a Sant Sat Guru Who has that perfect Name. Many
persons belonging to different holy orders call themselves
Sddlis and Saints, but they are not so in reality. They
get their bread owing to the greatness of perfect Saints
and Sddhs. Only he may attain the status of a Saint who
has secured the love of a Saint, and this will be possible
only to him who offers love and devotion at His Holy
Feet. Such love and devotion will develop in His

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service, out of His grace, and by Satsang. Even the

name and region of Triloki Ndth (the Lord of the three
worlds) may be attained in this Kali Yuga by practising
the spiritual exercises prescribed by the Saints and
through Their grace. By no other means can even these
be attained in this Kali Yuga.
187. They who love the Holy Feet of the Sat
Guru do not want to hear anything else except his glory
and greatness. And he who has faith in the Sat Gum
sees no blemish in Him. If he were to become critical
towards the Guru, he would lose his Satgur Bhdo (feeling
of love for the Sat Guru). One should, therefore, never
try to find fault with the Sat Guru. Only he who behaves
like this will be a Gurmukh and reach the final stage one
day.
188. Ishwar (Creator) is said to pervade everywhere in the higher as well as the lower regions, but
nobody finds him. What practical benefit can accrue
from his being omnipresent when no one can realize
him in that form? But when the Lord takes the form of
a Sat Guru, He shows Himself to the people and, out of
His grace, reveals to them the technique by the proper
use of which they gain their real Home and see His Nij
Roop (Real Form). Which, then, is the greater, the
living Sat Guru or the all-pervading form which cannot
help anybody?
When, by Satsang and Sevd the Jiva develops faith
in the Sat Guru, he easily accomplishes his purpose.
Without contacting a living Sat Gum, no one can have
perfect belief in the Lord, and when the belief is not
perfect, there cannot be perfect love and faith, and when
the love and faith are wanting, how will liberation be
possible? Under these circumstances, whatever spiritual
effort is attempted will bear fruit in various births, but

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will give rise to the Bhakti of the true Lord. The Bhakti
of the true Lord will never develop until one comes
across a living Sat Guru and has faith in him.
189. Nowadays, Sddhs, Brdhmans and Kshatriyas
have become conceited. Neither do the Sddhs possess the
qualifications of a Sddh, nor the Brdhmans the attributes
of a Brahman, nor do the Kshatriyas exercise sovereignty
any longer or possess strength and power. They only
boast. The Vaishyas and Shudras still follow their rule of
life to some extent.
Saints advise the people to go to Sddhs; but when
true Sddhs are difficult to find, what shall be done?
Without the company of Saints and Sddhs, salvation is
not possible. It should be understood that one cannot
meet a Saint or Sddh unless he has Sanskdr. One with
great good fortune will surely meet a Sant Sat Guru or Sddh.
If one were to say that a Sanskdri (one with previous impressions) does not need the company of Saints,
that would be wrong. Whether with Sanskdrs or not,
both need Sddhsang (association with or company of
Sddhs). The only difference would be that a Sanskdri
would be affected by the Bachans (sayings) very soon and
would easily accept them, while one without Sanskdrs
will not be able to readily accept the Bachan (word of the
Master) nor to act upon it so well. The seed will,
however, be sown in him and he will practise later on.
He is called Sanskdri who, in his past lives, has been
meeting and putting faith in the Sat Guru and Sddhs,
and whose Bhdg (destiny) is being gradually improved
through the grace of the Sat Guru. By the grace of Sant
Sat Guru, Asanskdri (one without Sanskar) can also be
made Sanskdri.
Such is the greatness of the Sant Sat Guru, that those
who have His Darshan receive some spiritual uplift and

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escape Chaurdsi; they are protected from much suffering and affliction, and, by His grace, the road to
ultimate emancipation is opened. Therefore, for their
own good and happiness, all Jivas should go to a Sant
Sat Guru, wherever He manifests Himself, and add to
their Bhdg (earn merit) by Darshan and SSvd.
190. He makes the best use of his body who is
blessed with the service of a living Sat Guru. The fruits
of that service may be explained thus. The feet are
made pure by walking to see the Sat Guru; the eyes are
made pure by looking at Him; hands are made pure by
ministering to His person, that is, by massaging His legs
and fanning Him. The entire body is purified by bringing water for His use. The Antahkaran (mind) is purified
by attentively hstening to His discourses, contemplating
upon them and translating them into action as far as
possible. The devotee, while thus leading a life of
service to the Sat Gum, will himself realize the benefits of
Satsang and His Dayd (Mercy). The spiritual status and
the bliss which he will enjoy cannot be described.
191. Nowadays, when both householders and
BhSkhs go on pilgrimages, they think only of visiting
sacred places. They do not look for Satsang, which is the
most vital of all, nor they have any regard for it. What
they take to be Satsang is not Satsang in reah'ty. Satsang is
really association with the Sat Guru, and does not consist
in discussions, hearing stories, legends, deeds of past
heroes and philosophical discourses. The form of the
Sat Gur is, in fact, the form of Sat Purush Himself. Therefore, association with Him alone is Satsang. All else is
mere dialectics, which can never lead to man's emancipation.
192. Those who look upon either Brahm or Ram
as all-pervading and make him the ideal of their wor-

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slup, ought to know that they will never realize their

goal by such Tik (blind belief). The all-pervading
forms of Ram or Brahm are similar to the light of a lamp
which provides light for everybody. Thieves steal in
that light, drunkards drink in it, the licentious engage in
sensual pleasures and the religious perform spiritual
practice in itbut the light itself makes no comment.
The recitation of such a name, or putting trust in
it, will not help anybody to escape from the cycle of
birth and death, and the mind will go on making them
dance to its tune. But, in the case of those who absolutely rely on the Sat Guru form of the Lord and who are
blessed with His holy Satsang, the licentious will abandon
such ways, the thief will stop stealing, and, shunning the
paths of sin, they will become pure and in course of
time reach their real Home and realize the Real Form.
But one may spend his entire life in reciting the name
of Ram or Brahm or any such Isht, without getting
rid of the vice; nor will the root of desire and cravings
for pleasures be cut. How can then emancipation be
possible?
193. When people think that they have renounced everything as a result of reading Pothis (holy books)
and by analytical thinking, they are only deceiving
themselves. It is a great mistake. They have not yet
tested their mind and senses. When they are brought
face to face with the allurements of sensual pleasures, or
flattered by the rich or powerful, they will see how the
mind feels happy and attentive to such seductions : and
also how the mind reacts to censure, dishonor, or the
denial of the object of desire. It shows that the desire
for honor and respect and fame and for travels and sightseeing is still very strong in the mind. To look upon
outward renunciation, detachment, or the reading of

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spiritual books as true Parmdrth is also a mistake, for the

mind is not vanquished by these means.
The way to vanquish the mind is to serve a perfect
Sat Guru or a perfect Sadh, to attend His Satsang and,
living on hard, unbuttered bread (rough food), follow
the technique given by Him; that is, to apply the mind
to Surat Shabd practice. But when one has no idea of
such things, how can he expect to control the mind and
make spiritual progress? What boots it to denounce the
pleasures of this world and the next as the refuse on
which crows feed, while secretly the mind harbors the
desire for and seeks the opportunities to enjoy those very
pleasures? Alas, they do not even realize the discrepancy between what they say and what they do! But
the masses are even more ignorant, because they follow
the ignorant, and so drown themselves while depending
on the drowning to save them.
194. Some learned people maintain that the
desire for pleasures and indulgence in lust, anger, etc.
is a natural characteristic of the mind and the senses,
and that the soul is distinct from all these things and is
not affected by them. If this truth is realized as a result
of careful thought this is a mistaken notion. Where is
the difference between a Gydni and a worldly man if the
cravings for sensual pleasures and the lower tendencies
of the mind and the senses are considered a part of their
nature? The one will pay for it by going into Chaurdsi
just as much as the other, for at the time of enjoyment,
both become equally attached and forget themselves
(their real nature).
It will be observed that such persons become filled
with anger and envy when they are let down or criticized
and blamed, or when they see others honored or praised.
If their desires are not fulfilled, they feel very unhappy

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133

and devise all sorts of plans and even ask for help to
secure their object. Imagine what a miserable plight
this is! In order to enjoy the sensual pleasures which
they say are mere refuse of crows, they descend to the
lowest rung of the ladder, after which lies the road to
transmigration.
It is therefore emphasized, out of mercy, that those
who wish for the redemption of their soul should avoid
merely learned Gydnis and should, somehow, seek the
Sat Guru and take refuge in His Holy Feet. Then only
will they achieve their object. No other form of devotion
will ever lead to emancipation. Pundits and BhSkhs cannot save us. It is proper to feed priests and bhSkhs, and
to give them what you can, but it is essential that both,
mind and body, should be offered at the Holy Feet of
the Sat Gum. However, this will appeal only to such
as are anxious to meet the Lord, and they alone will
act upon it. The BhSkhs, the Pundits zand the worldly
people will not like these words.
195. Learned and clever persons are not fit for
the society of a Sat Gum, because they are filled with
conceit and will not believe in the Sant Sat Guru. Saints
give out what They have seen, but these ignorant persons
depend on what they hear or read, and wish to prove
things by the force of intellect. Their minds are egotistic
and wavering and full of cravings for pleasures and do
not follow the practice prescribed, but look for miracles.
It is not, however, the Mauj of the Saints to show miracles, for the love based upon miracles is not reliable.
Miracles are shown only to true seekers who have developed faith in and love for the Saints as Redeemers of
tiieir souls. Such disciples always see miracles. But
those who are not sincere in their desire for Parmdrth, and
are really anxious to gain worldly enjoyment, and name

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and fame, do not deserve to be shown miracles or to be

introduced into Satsang. The Parmdrthis should therefore beware of the company of such people.
196. If, apparently, Saints show even some anger
or greed, it is for the benefit of the Jiva; but the anger
and greed of the worldly minded lead into Chaurdsi.
The un-informed cannot comprehend the subtlety of
this dictum. Only Satsangis understand this. Fools
slander, but the Saints Who are merciful, in their
mercy, emancipate them too.
197. Worldly people are afraid of death because
they are attached to the world and its objects; but a
Sddh is not afraid to die because he knows that this is not
his Home, and looks upon the world and what it offers
as a source of pain. He sojourns in this world as a
traveler and is keen on experiencing the joy of beholding the all-blissful form of the Sat Guru. He, therefore,
feels no pain at the approach of death; in fact, Sddhs
are accustomed to dying during life and are enraptured
in the delight of beholding the Nij Roop {Real Form)
of the Sat Guru.
198. No special rules are prescribed in the Durbar
of the Saints for service or Bhajan or Satsang, nor do the
Saints compel anyone. They correct only through
Their discourses. The highest type of people understand
and accept quickly; the mediocre type accept only
gradually; and those who do not understand and accept
the teachings, can't stay in Satsang. But the Satsangis
should not be spiteful toward any of these, nor should
they be anxious that all should conduct themselves just
as they do or go away, for it would mean a loss to them
and no gain to the Satsangis. On the other hand, if they
remain in the Satsang, then by and by they would one day
conduct themselves like the others.

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199. A religiously devoted daughter is better

than a Sdkat {manmukh or irreligious) son, because the
former would be the means of reedeeming both families
(father's and father-in-law's) while the latter injures
both. Blessed therefore is that family in which a Bhakta
son or daughter is born. One Bhatka born in a family
will emancipate eight generations of that family, while
Sdkat {manmukh) sonshow many there may bewill
only lead to hell.
200. When people cannot recognize the Sat
Guru even in the physical form which He has adopted
for the emancipation of Jivas, how will they recognize
Him in His Sukshm Saroop (Subtle Form)? So only
a Gurmukh is able to know Him fully, as only iron and
no other metal turns into gold by the touch of Paras
(the Philosopher's tone).
People wish to become Gurmukhs, but they do not
practice Gurbhakti as they ought to. They should, therefore, thoroughly practise devotion to the Sat Guru of the
time, and by and by they will become Gurmukhs.
Some foolish people say that they will accept this
or that one as a Sat Guru if they see Him change anyone
into a Sat Guru. Now suppose He did change someone
into a Sat Gum, what would be the gain to them? If
they want to become Sat Guru, they should themselves
take to Satgur Bhakti; then they will see for themselves.
They cannot practise Bhakti, and so they waste their
opportunities as human beings. But even this is Mauj,
for if everyone were to become a Gurmukh, how would
the world go on?
201. BhSkhs and Brdhmans are honored in the
world. But only those hold them in high esteem who do
not long for Parmdrth, because they do not possess the
secret which leads the soul to its Home. They have

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acquired knowledge or joined the holy orders for

worldly ends. A true seeker cannot have much regard
for both these types. Outwardly, he might entertain
them and even give them money presents, but he will
not give his mind to them.
Therefore, the Pundits and BhSkhs should rather
keep from the Satsang of true Parmdrthis; but if they go,
they should not do so hypocritically, for there is no room
there for hypocrisy and insincerity. If they behave sincerely, they may gain something; otherwise they may
be slighted. And to indulge in falsehood and hypocrisy
where the Saints are present in person and are holding
Their Durbar, is to invite rough treatment, for the Saints
are Samrath (all-powerful) and show great tolerance, but
Their Satsangis cannot put up with it and expose such
people. How can the hypocrites and impostors stay
there when the true seekers are being constantly winnoowed (from the false) in the Satsang, day and night!
202. Brahma, Vishnu and MahddSva are the gatekeepers of Ishwar's Court, and the disciples of a Sant Sat
Guru are His gatekeepers. They rank so high that
Brahma, Vishnu, MahddSva, and even Ishwar himself who
is their lord, cannot stop or challenge them. As Saints
are superior to all, their disciples too enjoy a position
which cannot be equalled by Ishwar and other gods.
203. The teachings of the Saints can best be
explained by Saints only. No one else is competent to
interpret the same. Whoever else tries to do so, will
depend upon his intellect. The teaching of the Saints
is based upon personal experience, and so is also its
interpretation. It is beyond the reach of intellect and it
is not possible for merely learned people to understand
it correctly.
204. If there were power in the Name, out of

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thousands who recite it, surely some would have been

benefited. This shows that the power is not in Name but
in the Sat Guru. Fortunate are those who are serving the
Sat Guru. Even sinners who have got hold of a Sat Gum
will be pardoned; but even the sinless will be considered
as great sinners if they have not accepted a Sat Gum.
205. Vain and haughty people who attend the
Satsang do not enjoy it because they come with the idea
of finding fault, and do not grasp the things explained
to them. Outwardly, they respect the scriptures very
much, but do not act upon a single maxim therein.
Instead, they look down upon those who believe in the
scriptures, who try to act upon them as far as possible and
who give the first place to the Sat Guru. Such egotists will
never derive any benefit from the Saints. They hold fast
to the Granth but ignore the commandment contained
therein, to seek a Sat Gum and serve Him, which would
benefit them. They look upon the Granth itself as Guru.
In so doing, they act directly against the teachings of
Guru Ndnak, for the Granth cannot be a Guru. It is lifeless and can neither speak nor give instructions. This is
the function of the Sat Guru only.
If the Granth could give instruction, Nirmalds and
Uddsis would not have gone to Kdshi and humiliated
themselves before pundits; they would not have regarded
the Granth as inferior to the Vedas and Shdstras; they
would not have taken to fasts or wandered about
in pilgrimages to sacred places, and would not have
directed their disciples to perform their last rites at
Gdya after their death. The Granth contains the secret
which even Brahma, the author of the Vedas, did not
know. But no one except a perfect Sal Gum can explain
that secret. It is therefore necessary that all should give
the first place to the Sat Guru. He can make known the

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secret of the Granth, and He can also confer salvation

without any scriptures. Those who do not seek the Sat
Guru of the time will wander about in Chaurdsi.
206. There is no salvation for Vdchak Gydnis
(those who only talk Gydn), for they only talk. In the
case of true Gydnis, the Asthool Karmas (gross karmas) only
are destroyed, but not the Sukshm Karmas (subtle karmas),
as they can be destroyed only after reaching the region
of the Saints. It must be borne in mind that only Saints
can lead to salvation in this age, because there can be
no salvation unless all Karmas, both gross and subtle,
are destroyed, and the Gydnis do not know the technique of destroying karmas.
207. Gurmukh is he who looks upon the Sat Guru
as the Lord God and does not question any of His actions nor let his faith in Him suffer. For instance, if there
is death in the family, or some misfortune or loss has to
be faced, or there is abnormal heat or cold, or excessive
rain or drought, or sickness or epidemic, or some other
calamity befallsthe Gurmukh will never say that it
should not have been so or that it was improper or bad.
On the other hand, he should think that whatever has
happened was according to the Divine Will and must
be right and contain some ultimate good. Only a perfect Gurmukh, however, will behave like this; no one else
has this ability.
208. Ram (God) is within every one, but nobody
knows him. People commit sins while He looks on, but
He does not prevent them, and makes them go through
Chaurdsi. What good then, is this Ram (God) to us?
But when we meet a Sat Gum and He explains to us in
what form Ram is present in our hearts, then we are
informed and avoid bad deeds, and escape Chaurdsi.
Hence, it is necessary to seek at Sat Guru, for He is the

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139

Ram manifest, and the search for the unmanifested Ram

is not possible without the help of a Sat Guru. Those who
don't do so, will neither find Ram nor escape Chaurdsi,
but waste this precious human life. And whoever seeks
the Sat Guru will surely find Him, for the Sat Guru is an
incarnation eternally present on this earth.
209. To hear the Shabd that is ringing within us is
Shabd Bhakti; to serve and love the heart (person) in which
the Shabd is manifest is Sat Guru SSwd, and He alone is
Sat Gum and the Shabd is His Nij Saroop (Real Form).
To accept His teachings and act in accordance with
them is the external form of Sat Guru Bhakti. To hear
the Shabd within is the internal form of Sat Guru Bhakti.
The first rung of the ladder is to love that form of
the Sat Guru by which He imparts instructions. Then
love for the Shabd Form of the Sat Gum will be developed.
He who has no love for the human form of the Sat Guru
will not be able to love the Shabd form too; and in spite
of his best efforts, he would not be able to hear the
Shabd within. However, if he is devoted to the human
form of the Sat Guru but has not developed much love
for the Shabd, the Sat Gum, out of His mercy, will emancipate him; but, of course, whoever has love for the Sat
Guru will have love for the Shabd too. Love and devotion
to the human form of the Sat Guru should come first.
This is indispensable.
210. Narad Muni saw Ram (God) face to face,
but Ram could not save him from the cycle of transmigration. His Guru saved him from that. How then
can those people nowadays expect to be saved who only
recite the name of Ram, whom they have never seen?
Without meeting a perfect Guru, how can they escape
Chaurdsi? It is, therefore, very necessary to seek a
living Sat Gum and submit to Him.

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211. Just ask Nirmald Gyanis why they do not

act upon the Granth of Guru Ndnak, to whom they claim
to belong, and why do they slavishly accept the Vedas
and Shdstras? In other words, why do they not perform
the Bhakti and develop humility as prescribed by Gum
Ndnak? If they look upon themselves as Gydnis, they are
mistaken. Without Bhakti, how did Gydn arise? The
Gydn (knowledge) they speak of is merely that of books,
which vanishes when the wheel of Mdyd is set in motion.
It is necessary, therefore, to practise devotion to the
perfect Sat Guru, so that real Gydn may be obtained.
Even Vyds and Vashisht, who had attained perfection in their line (they were perfect Gydnis), were assailed by Mdyd. Then how would you escape? Only
Saints and those who have taken refuge in Them can
escape from Mdyd, and no others. If you do not love the
Saints, you will remain enmeshed in the net of Kdl.
Give up all conceit of learning and intellect, and behave
humbly before a Sant Sat Gum, if you wish to make full
use of your human life. He is all-powerful and, protecting you from both Mdyd and Kdl, will take you to the
Real Region. You are free to accept this advice or not,
but it is given entirely for your own good.
212. In this age of Kali Yuga, Saints are the
Kings. All who follow Their commandmentsthat is,
live the sort of life and practice the devotion they have
prescribed for this Kali Yuga, will be happy and will
attain liberation. But if they act contrary to this and
engage in rites and ceremonies and forms of worship
prescribed for the previous ages and given in the Shdstras and Purdnas, they will not be able to carry them out
strictly according to injunctions and will only increase
their vanity. All old laws have been repealed; hence
they are of no value now. Whoever follows them now

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and pins his faith upon them will not succeed nor
escape Chaurdsi. All Jivas (people) should, therefore,
heed the commands of the Saints.
And the Saints have prescribed the following
Karam and Upasna:Satsang, SSvd and Darshan of the
Sat Gum; recitation of the writings of the Saints and
hearing of the same; and the Simran or Repetition of Nam
given by Them; this is the Karam (the ritual for this
age). Love for the human form of Sat Guru and meditation upon It; and hearing Shabd internally, with Surat
(rapt attention), that is Updsnd (worship for this age).
{Gydn is the Fruit).
213. Brdhmans and Kshatriyas have given up
their mode of life and Dharmas (duties), but not their
pride. The rituals of past ages they cannot perform
according to prescribed modes; and what their teachers
prescribe for Kali Yuga, they do not perform and so
remain unfortunate. They are helpless because in
this age Parmdrth (religion) is subordinate to livelihood; whereas formerly livelihood was subordinate to
Parmdrth.
But now the Saints who have appeared in Kali
Yuga have invented such a technique that by following
it a Brahman may become a true Brahman, and a
Kshatriya a true Kshatriya, but, owing to their conceit,
they don't believe in the words of the Saints. On the
other hand, they revile them. The reason is that these
people are not eager to get out of this world; a filth
worm is always happy in filth. Hence the worldly
people feel offended at the words of the Saints, but
the Saints nevertheless point things out for their good.
214. The Lord is within us but the ignorant Jiva
is always seeking Him outside. Residents of Kdnshi
and Praydg go to Ajudhiyd and Bindrdban to find the

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Lord, while residents of Hardwdr and Badrindth, Ajudhiyd

and Bindrdban go to Praydg in search of Him. Only a
perfect Sat Guru can put an end to this roaming about.
Hence, one should seek a Sat Guru. Pundits and Bhikhs
are themselves deluded and delude others too.
215. The human body is short-lived. It is not
worthwhile feeling proud of its youth and beauty.
As trees lose their leaves in the autumn, likewise this
youth and beauty also will be gone in a few days.
Therefore, we should not waste it away, but find a
beloved Master and devote our time to service and
attendance on Him.
It should be well understood that all relatives and
friends, father, mother, wife, sons and wealthare
not our true friends; rather, they all lead to unhappiness. People of the world, however, look upon them
as a source of happiness, and in this they are unfortunate.
Fortunate are those who are devoted to the perfect
Sat Guru, have faith in Him and serve Him with their
bodies, minds and wealth. Wise is he who has found
a Sat Gum in his youth; whoever neglected this will
have to repent.
216. Saints and Pundits have never agreed nor
ever will they, because Pundits advocate external
forms of worship, while Saints insist upon internal
devotion. Pundits mislead the people by making them
worship stones and water; some prescribe Varndtmak
Nam (spoken word), but they cannot properly explain
its secret. However, Saints reveal the secret of Dhundtmak Nam (Name associated with Shabda i.e. the Primal
Music) AND They also explain its mystery, form, action,
and Its Source, systematically. If people would accept
the message of the Saints, they would realize their goal;
otherwise they would go on wandering from life to life.

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217. The duty of the Jiva is to serve his Father.

Sat Nam Sat Purush is his Father, of Whose essence
he is. But Him he is not able to find. How can he then
serve Him? Now be it known that Saints are the
Incarnations of Sat Purush, and to serve Them is to
serve Sat Purush. They did not manifest themselves in
the first three Yugasbut They have now incarnated
themselves in this Kali Yuga for the redemption of the
Jivas. They have no other object in coming to this
world. Those who are Sanskdris (predestined) are drawn
to Their holy Feet as soon as they behold Them and
hear Their words; many others receive Sanskdrs (Impressions) and, in course of time, they too will escape
Chaurdsi. Except Saints, no one can save souls from
Chaurdsi and lead them to their Nij DSsh (Real Home).
218. Those who have no faith in Nam but are
outwardly living a good, pure life and striving for
inner purification also, will not receive the full benefit
even if they practise Jap (Recitation), Tap (Austerities)
and Abhyds (Spiritual Practice) to the best of their
ability. On the other hand, those who have got Nam
revealed to them by a Sat Gum and have full and firm
faith will enjoy the fruits of Jap, Tap and Sanjam
(Continence, Concentration) and, in addition, will
reach the highest stage.
A couplet states: "Yoga (Meditation), Yagya
(Sacrifice) and Achdr (Religious Observances) are all
included in Nam." Says Parasram, "Jap, Tap and
Sanjam follow in the wake of Nam."
This Nam is to be had from a Sant Sat Guru. It
will cut the root of all evil inclinations and gradually
lead to control of the mind and senses. If, however,
without this anyone tries to control the senses, he will
find it very difficult to do so; for if he will try to control

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one, another will assert itself. This seems to be the

plight of those who recite the Name as given in the
Scriptures. Even though they recite the Name assiduously, they can't get rid of Vikdr (evil tendencies).
But if the Gurmukh's Nam, that is the One given by the
Saints, is recited. It will gradually lead to the eradication of all evil propensities. There is no other way of
overcoming evil tendencies in this Kali Yuga except
by the practice of Nam.
219. In the teachings of the Saints no importance is attached to Vairdg (Indifference or aversion
to world). It is Gurbhakti alone which is important.
Sddhans, like Vairdg, etc., without any solicitation, stand
with folded hands before one whose Gurbhakti is perfect, because he gets them as a reward from the Sat
Guru. But the Satgur Bhakti should be like the love of
the Chakor (the moon bird) for the moon, the love of
the deer for music, and the love of the moth for the
lamp, and fish for water. He who has such love for the
Gum is alone called Gurbhakta (devotee of the Guru),
and the exalted description above applies only to him.
220. The Name which is soiled for want of a
little ceremonial purity is not true Nam. Nam is most
potent and can cleanse any impurity. There is no harm
in reciting it at any place or time. Even unclean
places will become clean by the power of Nam. This
Nam is with the Sant Sat Guru and nowhere else.
221. In this age of Kali Yuga all Karmas, with
the exception of Nam and Sat Guru Bhakti are forbidden,
and if anyone violates their injunction, that is, indulges
in forms of worship enjoined in past ages, he will
only develop egotism and become impure instead of
pure. To this fact the Vedas and Shdstras testify, as
well as the Saints. The reach of the Name of the

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Vedas is up to the three Lokas (Regions), but the Nam

of the Saints takes the devotee to the fourth Loka.
222. Man suffers from three obvious and three
dormant maladies. He tries to treat the known disease,
but is not even aware of the latent maladies. Only a
Sant Sat Guru diagnoses such ills. If, by good luck, one
gets His company, he will come to know those diseases
and will desire to get rid of them.
The first of these diseases is the liability to birth
and death; the second is that of strife and struggle with
the mind, which is the Lord of the three worlds. The
third disease is Ignorance, for man does not know
who he is, Whose essence he is, nor where He (The
Source) is.
It is evident that no disease can be cured, nor
quarrels decided by reading books. One has to go to
a living physician, describe his condition and get the
necessary medicineor to a living judge, state his case
and get the dispute settled. The Sat Guru is the living
physician and judge, and can cure these ills. Likewise,
the disease of Ignorance cannot be cured by putting
faith in those who are past and gone but it can be
cured by taking refuge in the living Sat Guru. He will
endow us with the sight which will enable us to know
both, ourselves and the Lord. There is no other remedy
except association with the Sat Guru of the time.
223. The Shabd is Sukshm (subtle), and the
human form is gross. How can the Jiva then take to
the Shabd all at once? The grossness can be overcome
by Satgum Bhakti. So long as Satguru Bhakti is not
practised properly, one will not be fit to contact the
Shabd.
224. It is difficult to know the Sat Gum. Whoever
knew the Sat Guru became fearless. If one becomes

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friendly with someone who holds a high worldly

position, he does not care for anybody. How then can
he who knows Sat Guru, the Lord of all, fear anybody?
But very few only would be able to attain this. Some
Jivas go even so far as to forsake the Guru out of fear
of the worldly ruler. How then can they know the
Sat Gum? In fact, it is not in the power of the Jiva
to know the Sat Gum. The men in worldly authority
overawe all people by the exercise of their authority;
but the Sat Gum does not reveal Himself and lives in
the world like an ordinary mortal. Therefore, only
those upon whom He showers His Dayd (Mercy)
can know Him. Others cannot do so.
225. Every one loves what the Satgur says and
His Leela (way of doing things); but it is some rare
one who loves the Sat Gum Himself. The love which
is based upon Bachan (words) or Leela (conduct) only
is unreliable. True love is that which is based upon
Sat Guru Himself. But out of those whose love is
based upon the Bachan and Leela of the Sat Guru, some
may develop true love for the Sat Guru. This is also a
stepping-stone to true love.
226. One praises anotherthat is, he who confers material benefits is praised and called great by one
who receives them, but such praise is not reliable. It
is like the braying of an ass which starts very loudly
but gradually gets weaker and weaker. Love of people
of this nature does not endure. That love alone is true
which remains constant throughout.
227. From the moment of one's birth Kdl is with
the soul as if the soul were married to him. When the
bridegroom comes to take the bride, she weeps as a
rule. Her object in weeping is to indicate her unwillingness to go, but nobody can detain her. In the same

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way, the spirit will weep when Kdl comes to fetch her,
but no one will be able to help her. He will take her
by a narrow path, less than a hair in width and on
which even an ant is not able to crawl. While traversing
this path, souls are cut into pieces and fall down into
pits of filth. No words can describe their suffering.
For this reason the Saints, out of mercy, repeatedly
explain to the people that the way is finer than a
hair and, if you fear it, you should try to realize yourself. And no one except a perfect Sat Guru has the
remedy. When the Jiva takes refuge in the Sat Guru,
He will make him do what He thinks necessary.
Avoiding such a dangerous path, He will take him in
His lap and carry him to the Nij Asthdn (Real Region),
where there is eternal bliss. This is the only way.
228. It is true that Nam is not easy to obtain,
but it is easy to submit ourselves to Him who has It.
It has always been the case, that all do not receive
Nam, but they have enjoyed the protection (of the
Saints). This protection is a source of great happiness.
Even the Saints missed this stratagem, for They
assumed power Themselves. It is the Jivas who have
been able to make use of this stratagem.
229. If any one tries to find out the Sat Guru
by applying the tests given in the Scriptures, he will
not succeed. But if he associates with Him for some
time, then he will know him. There is no other way
to recognize Him.
230. If the Jiva does not realize that Atm
Tattwa (Soul) which is the one reality in the human
body, but wastes it in the enjoyment of sensual
pleasures, he is but an animal in human form, leading
the life of an animal. But this is not possible without
a perfect Sat Guru.

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Now, in the first place, it is very difficult to find

a perfect Sat Gum and even if found, it is difficult
to have faith in Him. There are so many BhSkhs nowa-days who call themselves perfect Brahms and lead
their followers astray by teaching them (so-called)
Gydn. If questioned how they realized Brahm, they
are unable to answer. Hence, their claim to be Brahm
is false and so is their method, which is based on mere
intellect and book knowledge, is within the pale of
the Mind and can never lead to Liberation. Blessed
are those indeed who have found a perfect Sat Guru
Who has been pleased to endow them with faith and
love and has given them the privilege of SSvd. It is not
in the power of the Jiva to have faith in Him or to
continue in His service. This too is the result of His
mercy and grace.
231. The Jiva is under the sway of pain and
pleasure because it is covered with the dirt of egotism,
resulting from past sins. If he were to come before the
Sat Guru, He would wash away this dirt by the water
of His grace, make him pure and take him to the region
of Bliss, provided he stays on in His presence. But howcan Sat Gum help if he comes for one day and then
absents himself for a whole month? But only one who
has an intense longing for Parmdrth will be able to do
so. It is not possible for one who is apathetic.
232. Atheists, who deny the existence of a
Supreme Being, are wrong. The Lord is hidden, as
fire is hidden in the wood. Because they cannot sec
Him, they deny Him. Had they sought a Sat Guru and
subdued their minds according to the method given
by the Saints, they would have been able to see the
Lord and would have been saved from the sin of ingratitude.

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233. Just as a Malyagir sandal tree imparts

its fragrance to the tree near it and makes it also sweetscented, similarly those who frequent the company of
a Sddh, escape from the afflictions of the world and one
day become Sddhs themselves. Blessed are those who
enjoy Sddhsang (company of Sddhs) and thus make the
best use of the human life. Those who do not enjoy
such company nor care for it, are like beasts. What
boots it if they got the human form when it has not been
fruitful? They are like a miser who earns thousands
of rupees, but does not spend or put them to any use.
Of what use is his wealth? Who knows what will
happen to that wealth and into whose hands it will
fall? And if attachment for wealth remains in his
mindand it is impossible that the attachment would
not be therehe would be born as a serpent and sit
over it. See to what a low life he descends, and gets
into Chaurdsi. Likewise, those who are born as human
beings and do not use their life in loving and serving
the Saints will, in the end, have to go into Chaurdsi.
234. The Karma (Actions), Updsnd (Devotion),
and Gydn (Knowledge) Stages of the Vedic religion
extend only up to the Karma stage of the Saints, for it
is not completed till the region of Trikuti is reached.
Updsnd (of the Saints) extends up to Sat Loka, and Gydn
is acquired in the Andmi Region. But Saints never call
Themselves Gydnis. They always speak of themselves
as Bhaktas. Those who call themselves Gydnis are merely
the book-learned; but if questioned how did they acquire knowledge, they cannot answer. It is impossible
to have Gydn (Englightenment) without Karma and
Updsndand of that they know not, because they
never followed this course. They have learnt the
maxims of Gydn from books only and are therefore

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pseudo-gydnis. Those who follow their teachings will

stand to lose.
235. The importance of the Sat Guru of the time
is in every way supreme. The gross nature will be purified by sincere devotion and love in His Holy Feet;
then will one be fit to hear Nam (internally); and then
will he realize the identity of the Sukshm form of Nam,
the Sukshm form of the Sat Gum, and his own Sukshm
form. But this realization will come only when the
love for the Sat Guru is perfect.
236. Those who now have a human body but
do not seek the Sat Guru, will go to Chaurdsi and will not
get the human form again (this is subject to certain
conditions). It is time, therefore, to gain your release now
and if you lose this opportunity, you will not get it again.
237. Most people can perform external service
and devotion. This cannot distinguish the true from
the false. The real test for distinguishing the true
one is that when initiated into Shabd practice, he successfully applies his surat to it. The devotion of such alone
is to be considered true.
238. You should not beg for Sat Loka or any
other region from the Sat Guru of the time. You should
constantly pray that He may give you a place at His
Holy Feet; for that is the highest and greatest region
of all.
239. Those who themselves enjoy wordly goods,
eventually pass into the cycle of transmigration; but
those who offer these very things for the use of the
Sat Guru and the Sddh, earn the right to the highest
region; for the Saints are attached to neither those
things nor to the body. They have come into the physical body for the liberation of the Jivas and visit
Their own Region every day, The Jivas, however,

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are attached to the body as well as to the worldly

things; but those among them who utilize their body,
mind and wealth in Their (Saints) service will escape
Chaurdsi; and those who are wasting their fives in eating,
drinking and worldly pleasures will go into Chaurdsi.
240. As long as the Tatlwa does not unite with
the Tattwa, the end will not be achieved. As for the
five gross Tattwas, Surat (Soul) is their cause, and Shabd
is cause of Surat. It is no use bothering yourself about
the five Tattwas. The end would be gained by uniting
the Surat Tattwa with the Shabd Tattwa but this will not
be possible without the grace of a perfect Sat Gum.
The primary thing is, therefore, to find a Sat Guru and
cultivate love for Him.
241. The Papihd (rain bird) flies about from
one forest to another in search of a drop of Swdnti rain
and does not accept any other water, because that
cannot quench its thirst. The Lord, seeing its true
longing, sends the Swdnti drops to quench its thirst.
In like manner, one who is really keen on finding a
Sat Guru and keeps on searching, will meet the Sat
Guru and get Nam. But it lies not in the power of every
one to tread this path.
242. Says the devotee: "I wish that I may
grind my mind fine like the Mehndi leaves (type of
myrtle) and apply it to the Feet of the Sat Gum but
the Sat Gum does not accept it. Anyway, I have ground
my mind fine like the Mehndi leaves and hold it ready.
He may apply it to His Feet when He likes." This is
the Dhanna (duty) of the SSwak (one who does sSvd);
namely, that he pulverizes the mind with much effort
and labor and even then, if the Sat Guru does not
accept it, he does not give up humility but is contented with His Mauj. Not that he loses faith if he renders

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some little service and it is not accepted; for that is

not SSvd, but treating the Sat Guru as SSwak. When
this is the condition, how will the mind be pulverized?
But if, through good fortune, a gracious Sat Guru is
found, He, out of His mercy, will correct the disciple.
243. When a donor offers something to anybody, he extends his hand. In the same way, when
the Lord is Merciful, He causes it to rain, and the rain
is beneficial to the world. But when He is merciful
to the true seeker, He showers upon him a rain of love.
If one has all the virtues but is devoid of love, he has
nothing. And if one has no other virtue but is full
of love, he will enter the Durbar of the Lord. Love is,
therefore, most essential. But this love is not possible
without devotion to Sat Guru.
244. When the Saints call That Region boundless, it does not mean that they have not sounded It
or do not possess full knowledge of It. What it means
is that the Bliss of That Region is immeasurable. Saints
live in That Region just as fish live in water. If anyone
were to say that the fish does not know the extent of
the water in which it lives, or that it has not sounded
its depth, that would be wrong. As for those who have
merged themselves like water with water, they are not
to be admired. All glory to those who live in the
water like fish, and enjoy its bliss.
245. The Jiva cannot attain liberation by being
eaten up by Kdl, for the Surat is Chetan (Conscious) and
cannot be consumed by Kdl. He consumes only the
bodiessome through water, some through fire and some
through earth.
There is no concord between Kdl and the soul.
Ever since they have come down from Sat Lok, both
have been covered by sheaths after sheaths.

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153

Kdl cannot return. But if a Jiva comes in contact

with a Sal Guru, then by His grace or mercy, and by dint
of service rendered to Him, the sheaths can be cast
off and the Jivd can return to Sat Lok. But so long as
his sheaths are not removed, he cannot reach His Home.
These sheaths cannot be removed except by Shabd
and service and love of the Sat Guru.
246. So long as the soul does not reach beyond
the cricle of Alakh, it cannot be liberated. This Alakh
(Invisible) means mind and Kdl, for Kdl goes on
devouring the Jivas, but cannot be seen. If one is a true
seeker, he should give himself up to the Sat Guru and
drop all else. Then he will succeed, for the Saints have
seen this Alakh and They alone can take the soul beyond
the limit of the invisible.
The three worlds and all the incarnations and
gods did not cross the limit of Alakh. But the Saints
have gone beyond it. Therefore, only he who will take
refuge in the Saints will cross the limits of Kdl. But he
who pins his faith on those who have passed away,
and does not have faith and love for the Perfect Sat
Guru of the time, will not be able to realize the innermost Mysteries of the Saints and will not be able to
get out of the net of Kdl.
247. It has been said that if a person takes
refuge in the Holy Feet of Hari (God), he will be
redeemed. Now just think, where can the Jivd find
Him? He has been called formless and body-less.
When mention is made of taking refuge in His Feet,
He must have Feet; and if He has Feet, He must have
a Body too. Who is such a God? Saints say that it
means taking refuge in the Sat Guru, for God and
Gum are one. Hence one should seek the protection
of the Sat Guru of the time. Then he will receive that

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Nam which is called Patit Udhdran (the Redeemer of

the sinners). The practice of It will be possible in
the company of the Sddhsthat is, first one should
give up all bad company and resort to the company
of Sddhs, then the practice (of Nam) will be possible.
Be it also known that the company of father, mother,
son, wife and worldly people is (for this purpose)
bad company; for, in their company it will not be
possible either to take refuge in the Sat Gum or to
get Nam or to associate with Sddhs. But, if a perfect
Sat Guru wishes, by His kindness and mercy, He can
make everything possible.
248. As a matter of fact, there is no conflict
between the practices of the Saints and those of the
Vedic religion, but the ideal of the Saints is much higher
than that of the Vedas. The Vedas insist upon Karma
and Updsnd, and the Saints do the same; but They
teach that, serving the Sat Guru with body, mind and
possessions and attending His Satsang, this is Karma,
and that applying the Surat to Nam or Shabd internally,
the secret of which has been given by the Sat Guru,
is Updsnd.
Both, the Jiva and Ishwar, are described in the
Vedas as existing in three forms. Viskwa, Tejas and
Prdgya are the three forms of the Jiva; and Voir at,
Hiranya garbka and Avydkrita are the three forms of
Ishwar. The Gydnis of to-day do not believe in the
existence of God. They say that a collection of individuals is called a group and that a thousand soldiers
taken collectively are called a regiment; so the same
is the case with Ishwar. For, when the units composing
the whole are separated, the collective name also
disappears; so when the several constituents composing
Ishwar are separated, there is no ishwar.

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155

When there is no Ishwar, whose Updsnd will you

performas Updsnd is not possible without name,
form, action and location. That is why these people
have fallen into error and their knowledge is merely
theoretical knowledge, acquired by reading books and
by analytical thinking, but without Karma or Updsnd.
Even when true knowledge is obtained by Updsnd
(as prescribed in the Vsdas), that does not go beyond
the limit of Karma as understood by the Saints. The
Real Region of the Saints is much further and higher
than that. The Karmas described in the Vedas relate
to the past Yugas. They cannot be correctly performed
by the Jivas in these days, nor would they yield that
fruit now. If one wishes to perform Karmas in these
days, that too should be done under the guidance of
a Saint; and if any Updsnd is to be done, that is to be
performed through the grace of a Saint. Then only
will they bear fruitthat is, then only will they take the
practitioner to the goal of the Vedas and beyond. It is
not possible to achieve anything now in this age by
any other method.
249. No one except a Bhakta can gain admittance to the Durbar of the Lord. Rishis, Munis,
Jgis, Jatis, Gydnis, Sanydsis, Parmhansas, though
perfect according to their own standards, could not
enter into the Durbar of the Lord because they were
all full of ego and without a Guru. They failed to find
a Sant Sat Guru. How then can those who call themselves perfect by merely reading their books, without
putting in even one-fourth of the spiritual effort which
they did, and even slander the Sant Sat Guruexpect
to enter into the Durbar of the Lord? Now, all
should firmly hold it to be true that devotion to the
Sant Sat Gum is devotion to the Supreme Being, for

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there is no difference between the perfect Sat Guru of

the time and the Supreme Being. Both are One.
250. If anyone is accepted by a perfect Sat Guru,
has love and faith in Him, serves Him devotedly, but
before he has advanced far the Guru departs, he should
continue just the same with his love and faith, and go
on contemplating His form and performing the exercises
prescribed by the late G'uru. In the end, that Sat Gum
in that very form will do this work to the extent that he
deserves.
251. If a person at the outset finds a teacher
who does not know the mystery of Shabd, but subsequently finds a Sat Guru versed in Shabd, he should give
up the former and submit himself to the Sat Gum.
To quote a couplet: "Do not hesitate to give up a
false (imperfect) guru, otherwise you will not find
the portals of Shabd and will go on missing the right
path again and again." Rather, that guru should also
take refuge in the perfect Sat Guru along with the
disciple, and thus work out his own Salvation.
252. If one meets a j>ara who knows the secret
of Shabd but is not yet perfect, and later on finds a
perfect Sat Guru, he should seek the protection of the
perfect Sat Guru and consider his former guru as included in the perfect Sat Guru. His guru also should follow
his example but if he is jealous or conceited, he won't
submit to the perfect Sat Guru. The disciple should
then have nothing to do with him and should take
refuge in the perfect Sat Guru.
253. When you accept the Sat Guru as the Lord,
whence, then, another lord whom you accept or worship and consider Supreme? You have only one Lord
and that is the Sat Guru. Your object will be accomplished first by the physical form in which He has

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manifested Himself. His other form is that of the True

Supreme Beingthat is, Sat Purush Radha Swami, and
He alone is your True Lord.
254. It is said that at a certain place in Deccan
there once lived a Faqeer who was a perfect Guru.
One of his disciples was a perfect Gurmukh. One day
while Satsang was going on, a Moslem Maulvi who
was about to depart on a pilgrimage to Mecca, came
to the Faqeer and said that Mecca and Kdabd are very
holy and sacred places and that the Faqeer's disciples
should also visit those places, and began to praise those
places very highly. At this, the chief disciple who was
sitting by the Faqeer became very much displeased
and, catching hold of the Maulvi by the neck, forced
his head on the feet of the Faqeer, saying: "Behold I
crores of Meccds and Kdabds arc present in these feet."
When the Faqeer went out to attend to the call of
Nature, there was a hot discussion between the Maulvi
and the disciple. When the Faqeer returned, the
Maulvi complained about the conduct of the disciple.
The Gura Sdhib then told the disciple that Kdabd was
really a sacred place as stated by the Maulvi, and worth
paying a visit, adding: "Do you also accompany the
Maulvi just now, and visit the place." Being a perfect
Gurmukh, the disciple stood up and with folded hands,
said : "As the Guru is pleased to order" and then and
there boarded the ship with the Maulvi.
The ship had gone only a short distance when
it encountered a great storm and was wrecked. All
people on board were drowned with the exception of
the disciple, who continued to float on a plank. He too
was about to sink in a short while when a hand came
out of the sea and a voice was heard saying: "Give
me thy hand so that I may save thee." "Who are

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you?" asked the disciple and the voice replied: "I

am the Prophet." The disciple said, "I do not know the
Prophet. I don't know anybody else except my Sat
Guru." And the hand disappeared.
A little later, when the disciple was drifting on
the plank, and dousing too, another hand appeared
and (a voice) said: "Grasp the hand so that I may
save you." The disciple asked, "Who are you?" and
the voice replied : "I am Khuddor Ishwar (God)." The
disciple said : "My Khudd (God) is my Guru. I know
no other Khudd." That hand too disappeared, but
shortly a third hand came out. This was the hand
of his spiritual grandfather. "I am thy Gum's Gum"
said he, "Give me thy hand that I may take thee out."
The disciple thereupon replied : "Whether I am saved
or drowned, I connot give my hand to anybody else
except to my Gum. Whoever he might be, I will not
come out at the bidding of anyone except my Guru."
That hand also disappeared. Then the Gara Sdhib
Himself appeared, embraced the disciple and immediately took him home.
Now, note that the voices of the Prophet, God
Himself, and his Gum's Gum were all meant to test
his faith; and when he successfully passed the test and
proved his Gurmukhtd, Guru Sdhib Himself appeared
on the scene and saved him. The Jivas should, so far
as possible, try to develop such strong love and faith
in the Sat Guru.
255. A Pati Vratd (chaste and faithful wife)
looks upon her husband alone as man. All other males
are regarded by her as wanting in manliness, or
impotent. She even forgets her love for her parents.
Similarly, the disciples of a Sat Guru should not look
upon anyone except their own Gara as their Lord

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159

and giver of Salvation. As for the past Saints, they

may believe in them only till they find a living Sat
Guru. Once the Sat Guru is contacted, then, like the
Pati Vratd, they should consider Him as all in all, and
have no faith in anybody else.
256. The intermediary arranges the betrothal
and marriage, and thus brings the husband and wife
together. He advises the bride not to give her love to
anyone except her husband, and to have only as much
regard for the intermediary as she has for others.
Similarly, Guru Nanak and other past saints performed the duty of middlementhat is, they distinctly
wrote in their scriptures that a perfect Satguru should
be sought and Iris protection received. All who act
upon His advice and submit themselves to the Satguru,
should henceforth regard Him alone as their Lord
and Master.
257. The Jiva should always bear in mind the
grace and mercy of the Sat Guru, dwelling upon how the
Sat Guru has saved him from the cycle of transmigration
and cut the roots of all karmas and superstitionsthat
is, He has rescued him from fasts and pilgrimages and
from being misled, and made him steadfast in the path
of Shabd. Then will he be able to love the Sat Guru,
and no doubts will arise. Hence, it is necessary to
always keep in mind the grace and mercy of the Sat Guru.
258. The doubts and difficulties of a disciple
cannot be resolved by merely learned gums, although
they afford much intellectual entertainment in society.
By giving four or more interpretations of a single Shloka,
the Jiva is put still more in doubt as to which to accept
and which to reject. What is necessary for the good of
the Jiva is not picked out and declared. What can then
the Jiva do, and how to find the road to Liberation?

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Therefore, one should seek a Gara who has himself a firm

conviction. Till you meet such a one, you won't
succeed. One should seek a perfect Sat Gum and devote
himself to His SSvd and Satsang; and not waste this
valuable human life and spend it like so much salt
and flour while it is more precious than goldin
society of the Pundits, BhSkhs and Vdchak Gydnis.
259. The effort of those who recite such names
as Sat Nam or Hari Nam, but have no devotion for the
Sat Gum, will bear no fruit. Whoever will cling to the
Sat Guru shall attain Nam as well as Ram (God) and
one who does not love the Sat Guru after getting Nam
from Him, will also not attain Nam.
260. Nam, as revealed by the Saints, is not perceived by the physical senses. But the name mentioned
in the Vedas is perceivable by the senses. The latter,
therefore, cannot be the true Name, and when the
Name itself is not true, its region and form cannot be
real. The Name given by the Saints is true, and its
form and region are real. Varndtmak Nam can purifyto some extent, but cannot take the soul up. However,
with the help of Dhunydtmak Nam, the Surat can ascend
from Pind to Brahmand, and from there to its Real
Home, which is Sat Lok. And that Dhunydtmak Nam
can be had only from the Saints and from nobody else.
Only He who is extremely fortunate will get this Nam.
261. In case of any trouble, one should always
remember the Sat Gum, as He is always present with
the disciple in His Nij Roop (Real Form). Kdl and
Karma cannot come near That Form. They frighten
the disciple only from a distance and are themselves
afraid too. There is no fear of any sort when you are
in the lap of the Sat Guru. Sat Guru is always there to
protect and look after His disciples.

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161

The disciple cannot know what is His Mauj

and what He deems expedient, but He knows very
well. He may make even the disciple realize, if He so
pleases. He is Shabd Roop (the embodiment of Shabd),
Surat Roop (the embodiment of Surat), Prim Roop (the
embodiment of Love), Anand Roop (the embodiment of
Bliss), Harkh Roop (the embodiment of Happiness),
and still He is Aroop (without any form).
262. Out of mercy, the Sat Guru always takes
care of the Jiva and is desirous that all His disciples
should have great love and faith in His feet, but the
mind does not like that the Jiva should attain this
state. It therefore tries to draw him towards the enjoyment of sensual pleasures and wants the Jiva to obey
its dictates. The Jivas should, therefore, continue their
devotion at the feet of the Sat Guru, beware of the
ambuscade of the mind and see that they do no fall
into its trap.
A brief account of the ways of a Gurmukh and the
ways of a Manmukh is given here to enable the Jiva to
test and regulate his conduct. The Jiva should go on
applying this test to himself.
1. The dealings of the Gurmukh are always true
and straight with everybody. He shuns evil and does
not deceive anyone. Whatever he does, he does for
the Sat Guru, and relies upon His mercy.
A Manmukh is sly and insincere in his dealings,
and will deceive others to secure his own interests.
He depends upon his own cleverness and intelligence,
and wishes to proclaim himself.
2. A Gurmukh controls his mind and senses and
is humble in spirit. He puts up with taunting words,
lends a willing ear to advice and does not seek to be
honored.

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A Manmukh does not like his mind to be curbed.

He does not like to submit to anyone or obey anybody,
and is jealous of the greatness of others.
3. A Gurmukh does not oppress anybody. He is
always willing and ready to serve and please and wishes
to do good to others. He seeks not his own fame or
honor, but keeps happy and absorbed in the thoughts
of the Sat Guru and in His Holy Feet.
A Manmukh dominates others and makes them
serve him. He seeks honor and does not care for others
except for his own selfish interests. He enjoys being
honored and made much of and does NOT remain
absorbed in the Holy Feet of the Sat Guru.
4. A Gurmukh never gives up his humility and
gentleness. He does not resent it if he is slandered or
slighted or shown disrespect. He regards all this as
conducive to his own good.
A Manmukh feais slander and dishonor, does not
willingly put up with disrespect, and solicits praise.
5. A Gurmukh is not slack in service and never
likes to remain idle.
A Manmukh seeks bodily ease and comfort, and
is slack in service.
6. A Gurmuh leads a simple and humble life, and is
ready to live contentedly on whatever falls to his lot, be
it dry and unbuttered (bread), or rough and coarse
(clothing).
A Manmukh always loves and craves dainty
dishes. He does not like to have dry and unbuttered
bread and things of low value.
7. A Gurmukh is not engrossed by earthly goods
and the meshes of the world, and feels no pain or
pleasure in losing them or getting them. He is not
upset by unbecoming remarks made against him. He

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163

keeps an eye on the salvation of his soul and on pleasing

his Sat Gum.
A Manmukh thinks too much of the world and its
goods. He feels pain if he loses them and pleasure if he
gets them. If one talks harshly to him, he immediately
flies into anger, forgets the grace and power of the Sat
Guru, and does not rely on Him.
8. A Gurmukh is frank and sincere in all matters.
He is liberal-minded, helps others and wishes them
well. He is contented with little, and does not desire
to take from others.
A Manmukh is greedy. He is always ready to take
things from others, but does not want to give. He
always thinks of his own interest in everything and
does not care for others. He goes on multiplying this
desires and is not straight in his dealings.
9. A Gurmukh is not much attached to worldly
people. He does not crave or care for pleasures
or enjoyments, nor does he long for sight-seeing
and amusements. His only desire is to be at the
Feet (of the Sat Gum), and he remains absorbed in
That Bliss.
A Manmukh loves worldly people and things,
desires enjoyment and pleasures, and feels happy in
sight-seeing and amusements.
10. Whatever a Gurmukh does, he does to please
his Sat Guru, and craves for grace and mercy from Him.
He praises only the Sat Gum, wishes to see only Him
honored, and has no worldly desires.
A Manmukh has some self-interest or pleasure in
whatever he does, for he cannot undertake anything
which does not contribute to his self-interest. He wishes
to be praised and honored, and the worldly desires
predominate in him.

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11. A Gurmukh is not antagonistic towards anyone; rather, he loves even those who are antagonistic
to him. He is not proud of his family, caste, position
or the friendship of great men, and is more fond of
devoted and spiritually minded people. He always
keeps alive his love and devotion in the Feet of the Sat
Guru, and always wishes to gain more and more the
mercy and grace of the Sat Guru.
A Manmukh is anxious to have a big family and
friends, courts rich and inflential people and is proud
of the friendship of such persons and of his own caste.
He always wishes to do things for show and cares little
for the approval of the Sat Gum.
12. A Gurmukh is not distressed by poverty and
want, but bears with fortitude any calamity that may
befall him, always trusts in the mercy of the Sat Gum,
and is grateful to Him.
A Manmukh is quickly distressed by adversity and
calls aloud for help. He feels pain and grumbles if
he is poor.
13. A Gurmukh leaves everything to Mauj (the
Divine Will), and whether it turns out well or ill, he
never brings in his own ego. He does not try to prove
his own point nor does he try to prove the hollowness of
others. He will not permit himself to be entangled in
controversial acts. Always watching the Mauj of the Sat
Guru, he passes his days singing the Sat Guru's praises.
A Manmukh asserts himself in everything; for his
own delight and gain, he undertakes things involving
strife and dispute. He gets angry and is even ready
to quarrel to maintain his own side.
14. A Gurmukh does not run after new and novel
things, for he sees that they have their root in the material
world. He conceals his own virtues from the world,

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165

and does not like to be praised. From whatever he

sees or hears, he selects that point which is calculated to
contribute to his love and devotion for the Sat Gum,
and goes on singing the praises of the Sat Guru who is the
Treasure of all good.
A Manmukh is always anxious to see and hear novel
things. He is eager to pry into the secrets of others and
to know their private affairs. He wishes to add to his
intelligence and cleverness by gathering points from
here and there, with a view to display his great intelligence and secure praise, and is highly pleased when he
is praised.
15. A Gurmukh is steady in the performance of
Parmdrthi (spiritual) effort; always relies upon the grace
and mercy of the Sat Gum and has unshaken faith in
His Holy Feet.
A Manmukh is hasty in everything and wishes to
finish things hurriedly. In his haste, over and over
again he forgets his trust in the grace and mercy of the
Sat Gum and in His Bachan (Words).
16. All that has been said about the conduct
of a Gurmukh will be acquired solely by the grace of the
Sat Gum. Only he to whom He is merciful will receive
this gift. Those who love His Holy Feet and have faith
in Him will surely receive this gift one day. Love for
the Holy Feet of the Sat Guru is the source of all virtues.
All virtues will automatically come to him who receives
the gift of Love; then all the Manmukh characteristics
will disappear in a minute.
263. Saints have prescribed no other path nor
any other means except Satgur Bhakti and Shabd Bhakti
for the emancipation of the Jiva in this Yuga. The Vedas
and the Purdnas too prescribe this very means; namely,
Updsnd of the Sat Gum and of Nam for the salvation

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of the Jiva in Kali Yuga; and this can be supported by

many quotations.
Idol worship, pilgrimages, fasts, recitations, austerities, oblations, sacrifices, caste rituals and ceremonies, and Kriyd Yoga, that is, Hatha Yoga, and Astdng
Yoga were all for the past Yugas. In this age they cannot
be correctly performed nor can they yield that fruit
which would lead to the Liberation of the soul. Hence,
they are absolutely rejected. Now, observe carefully
the condition of those who perform such practices
through sheer obstinacy. In the first place, they are not
able to perform them as they should be performed; and,
if they seem to be able to succeed in performing some
superficial aspects, it only leads to Ahankdr, and instead
of purifying the Antahkaran (mind), makes it more impure and sinful. It therefore behooves the Jivas to beware of this trap and not to waste their bodies, minds
and wealth in such practices.
Note carefully that those who advocate such practices do so either for a living or out of egotism. They
preach these doctrines either to make a living or to gain
respect and esteem and have absolutely no regard for
the welfare of the Jiva; consequently, they should not
be followed. Many quotations from the works of the
Saints can be given to clearly show that these performances are absolutely forbidden in Kali Yuga, and those
who don't obey these instructions are either worldlyminded people or professionals (those who make their
living by inculcating such practices) or those who are
full of egotism; these instructions are not meant for
such people. Thoughtful and earnest seekers will find
on a little reflection, whether or not what the Saints
and Mahdtmds have said, in condemning the past observances and forms of worship, is correct.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

167

Idol worship was originally designed as a means of

concentrating the mind and Chitta (mind substance),
but has now become a mere pastime. No one concentrates his attention on the idol for an hour or two
with love and devotion. How then can they obtain the
results which were expected from this practice by the
Mahdtmds of old? On the other hand, the mental
currents go out in enjoying fun, which results in loss
instead of gain.
The same is true of pilgrimages. Formerly Saints
and Mahatmas lived in these places and those who went
there had their Antahkaran (mind) purified by Their
Darshan and Satsang. Whereas nowadays, after bathing
in the Ganges or the Jumna or in other waters, they
spend the remainder of the time in roaming about the
bazaars, purchasing souvenirs, or in eating and drinking
and making arrangements for bhanddrds (feasts). Satsang and introversion of the mind are not easily possible
in such noise, crowd and confusion. So, pilgrimages
have degenerated into fairs and shows, and the effects
of the pilgrimages also are the reverse (of what was
expected).
Similarly, Jap (recitation) and Tap (austerities)
are practised blindly or for the sake of show, without
the slightest attempt at controlling the mind. Therefore, that too leads to loss instead of gain. Years are
spent in Jap, and if you look carefully, you will find no
spiritual progress; rather, you will find worldly desires
to be on the increase.
Even really devoted and simple people lose their
devotion in the company of such professionals and worldly people, and waste their time in such fruitless observances. This is not the time for Kriyd Yoga and Ashidng
Yoga. Neither are the bodies strong enough now to

168

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

endure the hardships nor can they be correctly performed, because it is impossible to follow the Sanjam (prescribed rules of conduct). That too, therefore, leads to
contrary results.
In like manner, the fasts have also become festivals,
for delicious dishes are particularly prepared on that
day, resulting in lethargy and sleepnot a trace of
devotion or worship.
Such performances lead to much egotism which is
the root of all sins. The same is true of all other ritualistic observances, and a little thought will convince you
that in these days they don't lead to any spiritual gain
whatsoever On the other hand, they make the mind
and Chitta more impure and egotistic.
Some people read books on Gydn, which they describe as part of VSddntaShdstra, and having digested the
same, believe themselves to be Gydnis and embodiments
of Brahm. This path, now prevalent, is very misleading. In the first place, the gydn which is being taught
nowadays is not in accordance with the teachings of
VSddnta. It would be in accordance with Viddnta only if
all the elements were fulfilledthat is, they are entitled
to receive Gydn only after having accomplished the four
Sadhans, through the performance of Karma and Updsnd
The recent books on Gydn are, however, found to
contain no reference to Karma and Updsnd, nor do the
present-day Gydnis practise any Karma or Updsnd. How
then and whence can they receive Gydn? They say
that reading books on Gydn, pondering upon them and
mentally absorbing the contents, constitutes Karma
and Updsnd. Were then Vyds and Vashisht and the past
Gydnis who attained Gydn through Yoga practices,
ignorant and did they needlessly waste their time and
suffer so many hardships? The sort of Gydn which is

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

169

current in these days may be easily acquired by anyone

in a few days Their Sddhan (practice) and their Siddhdnt
(ideal) is to read and comprehend a few books. They
don't feel the need of making the mind pure and still.
Where then is the difference between a gydni and an
agydni? Only this, that one talks gydn but both behave
ah'ke
Liberation of the Jiva cannot be secured by mere
talk, for the knot of the Jar (matter; unconscious) and
the Chetan (Spirit; Conscious) which has always been
untied by the performance of Yoga, will not be undone
by mere verbal performance. By carefully considering
this in your mind, it will be unmistakably clear that
these teachings can never lead to the emancipation
of the Jiva or the control of the mind and senses.
When neither the Karmas (ritualistic observance)
of the past Yugas nor Ashtdng Yog is possible now, how
will the Gydn, which was the fruit of these observances,
be obtained? This shows that what the present day
Gydnis say and believe is merely book learning. It is like
a hungry man talking of sweets and naming them in
detail, but this talk will neither appease his hunger nor
satisfy his palate. Saints have, therefore, absolutely
discarded Gydn Mat (the path of knowledge ) during
the Kali Yuga and have prescribed Satguru Bhakti and
Shabd Bhakti for the spiritual uplift and the Liberation
of the Jiva. The conceited, the learned and those who
make a living of religion will criticize this and take
offense but those Jivas who are true seekers will thoughtfully contemplate upon this Bachan and accept it.

NOTE FROM SARDAR SEVA SINGH

The aim of life is to realize God and to become
one with Him. Sant Sat Guru can impart the secret of
Nam or Divine Word with which the soul can reach
its Primal Home. Self realization is essential for the
realization of God. A study of man is the study of
the cosmos. Soul is the unit for the study and
redemption.
The human body has five organs of sensation and
five of action. All are under the control of the mind.
Such minds control the different systems of the body.
Each cell has its own cell mind. Harmonious working of all cells subordinate to a particular system; likewise, the control of all systems (motor and sensory currents) by the individual mind, some bringing impressions to the mind, and some taking away orders from
it. The mind works with the senses for the acquisition
of knowledge of the external environment. Knowledge
of the environment is possible only when the object to
be known and the particular sense organ and the mind
are all in one line. Interpretation of internal stimuli
or impressions are at the mind centres. This is contemplation of the physical environment in order to know it.
When the senses are closed, mind contemplates the
external experiences by way of recital. This process of
recitation and contemplation of the external world is
continuously going on. This is contemplation of the
physical universe in the physical body. There is a perpetual whirl and motion of the mind at the five sense
centres. Mind can attend to only one sense at a time.
Time of sense' perception is perhaps one-tenth of a

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

171

second. This constant whirl and occupation of the mind

makes it oblivious to what is going on inside. The
mind is mid-way between soul and matter. It pervades
throughout the body. The body is its material characteristic. Its power of awareness and concentration
for acquiring knowledge is due to spirit or soul quality.
Mind is moved into action by the individual soul.
The Disassociation of the mind from sense organs and
stoppage of its constant motion by concentration is
the object of all yoga.
Recitation of the Name leads to concentration of
the mind and makes it aware of the more subtle universe.
Mind must be always applied, or kept busy. The best
way is to apply it to the Word within. Word is divine
music or melody within. The mind's contemplation of
the Divine Music or beauty is through the subtler senses.
For greater contemplation one must use still more
subtle senses inside. Concentration deepens as one
goes inside, from subtle to causal regions and one
contemplates the divine beauty and sound through
the causal senses on the causal plane. Then by still
further contemplation and concentration one acquires
complete Disassociation of the spirit from all mind and
matter. He then has access into the region of pure
spirit. Then soul has all knowledge. This is concentration par excellence. Then the soul contemplates the
Sound and beauty itself without the use of the mind.
It has gone beyond the region of the mind, and left it.
He is in Sat DeskSat Purush, True Being. Akdl Pursh,
as distinguished from Kdl Pursh below. Kdl Pursh is in
the region of the mind only.
What is the positive power and the negative
power? Kdl and his manifestations constitute the
negative powers, Sat Pursh the positive power.

172

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

The soul itself is unchangeable, the material

forms only are changeable. Kdl Pursh has all souls in
this region in his clutches. He creates bodies in which
souls are kept prisoners. Kdl {Brahm) of the Hindus
manifests through Mdyd, the material creation. The
material universe is within the circle of Kdl and is subject to change and dissolution. Kdl cannot make a
body that will last permanently. Bodies five on other
bodies, this explains attachment to life heresense of
self-preservation, perpetual struggle. Soul in different
bodies gives rise to the eternal cycle of transmigration,
of Karma going from one body to another, under the law
of Karma or cause and effect. Here is a law of strict
justice between souls, and Kdl maintains strict justiceno escape. There is no way to escape from the cycle
of births. Good actions of charity only give a better
birth next time. Dissolution of the individual body
starts from lowest center, the ganglion at the rectum,
up to the ganglion at the eyes, one after the other.
Dissolution obtains in the causal, the astral, or subtie,
and in Brahmand. It extends up to Bhanwar Guphd,
beyond which all is spirit and not subject to dissolution.
After dissolution all souls are reincarnated by force
of their first principles or ddikarma, primal karma. Sat
Desk is not subject to dissolution
Evolution: if
human souls behave like animals, they go downwards
and get lower bodies. Then they may complete the
cycle and return to human form. Sat Gum saves men
as one is released by the court of insolvency. Sat Gum
releases the man, gives some benefit to all creditors,
satisfies the law of justice and lets the man go free. All
his past debts are removed except his prdlabd karma
which he must endure in this life. All of a man's
relatives and creditors are benefited by Sat GumSoul is

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

173

the very essence of Sat Purush. Mind is of the essence of

Kdl Purushregions from subtle, causal, up to Sat Desk.
Word reverberates through all regions up to Sat Desk.
There are eight regions in all: Five up to Sat Loka and
three above Sack Khand. Soul is capable of comprehending the divine Form, its beauty and life up to Sat
Loka, but beyond that one cannot conceive of it. There
is nothing here with which to compare it. A living Sat
Guru is a real Savior. He imparts secrets of the Word.
Though in the human body, His Radiant Form is
Omnipresent. Even that of the individual man is
ubiquitous, if necessary. Radha symbolizes soul, and
Swami, Lord of the soul. Kalma is another name for
Word, Shabd or Sound Current; Prophet also means
Master.

GLOSSARY OF ORIENTAL WORDS AND PHRASES

Ar.
S.
H.
P.
Pb.

Abhyas
Abhyasi
Achar
Adhikari
Adi
Adi Granth

Adi Puran
Ad Purkh, or
Ad Purush
Ad Shabd, or
Ad Shabda
Agam
Agy&nfs
Ahankdr
Ahankari
Ajudhiya, or
Ayodhya
Akal
Akal Purkh, or
Akal Purush

Arabic
Sanskrit
Hindi
Persian
Punjabi

SH Spiritual practice; spiritual exercise.

SH One who performs spiritual exercise or
practice.
SH Conduct; manner of life, particularly religious observances.
H Entitled; worthy; deserving.
S Primal; first.
Pb. Original scripture; sacred scripture of the
Sikhs, compiled by the fifth Guru. It contains teachings of the various Sikh Gurus and
Bhaktas, as well as of other Saints.
H Ancient Hindu mythological books.
H Primal Lord.
H Primal Sound; Primal Word; Primal Music.
H Inaccessible, unfathomable.
SH Ignorant persons; those who have not received Spiritual Enlightenment.
S Egotism; pride; vanity.
H One who is egotistic.
H The capital city where Rama ruled, and a
place of Hindu Pilgrimage.
Timeless, beyond the limits of time.
Pb. The Lord who is beyond time; this name is
particularly used in the Granth Sahib.

176
Akash

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

S Sky; heavens; matter that surrounds the

earth beyond the air; 'ether'.
Akeh
H That which cannot be spoken; indescribable.
Alakh
H Invisible; unseen.
Alam-i-Hahoot Ar. Arabic name of the third Spiritual Region,
called Daswan Dwar in Sanskrit.
Alam-i-Lahoot Ar. Arabic name of the second Spiritual Region,
known as Trikuti in Sanskrit.
Allah
Ar. God; according to Sant Mat, Lord of the
first Region.
Ami
H Water of Immortality; Nectar.
Anam, An ami or H The Nameless; the Absolute; the Highest
Anami Purush
Deity, Radha Swami, the Ruler of the
eighth and Highest Spiritual Region.
Anand
S Bliss.
Anahad, Anahat
Anhad or
Uns truck;
Anhat
Anahad, Anahat,
Unstruck Sound; Unstruck Music; the Word
Anhad or
or the Spritual Sound which is present in
Anhat Shabd
everyone and can be heard under proper
conditions;
Antahkaran,
S
Antakaran or
Inner organ; mind.
Antashkaran
Antarmukh
H Introvert; esoterically, one whose energies are
directed to the realization of self, which is the
first step to God-Realization.
Abhyas
H Inner spiritual practice.
Arjuna
S One of the Piindavas and the hero of the
Mahabharata. It was to him that Lord
Krishna taught the doctrines known as
Bhagvadgita.
Aroop or Arup
S Without form.
Arsh
Ar. Sky; heaven; appellation of the first Spiritual
Region, Sahas Dal Kamal or Sahansdal
Kanwal.
Arsh-i-Azeem
Ar. The Great Heaven; in Sant Mat, the second
Heavenly Region.
Art!
H Lamp-waving ceremony; ceremonial worship;

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Asanskari

Ashtang Yoga

S
Asthool
Asthool Karmas SH
SH
Atma
SH
Atmdnand
H
Atma Pad

Atma Tattwa
Auliyas

S
P

Avatdrs
Avyakrita

SH
S

Awagawan

177

esoterically, the intense pull of the soul

towards Shabd.

One without sanskar; esoterically, without

mental bent or leaning towards spirituality;
without past impressions of spiritual practice
or longing.
The yoga of eight parts, the chief one being
Prdnaydma or the holding of breath.
Gross; material.
Gross karmas.
Soul; spirit.
Spiritual bliss.
Spirit pole; technically, the third heavenly
region where the soul gets rid of all its coverings and shines in its own effulgence; Daswan
Dwdr.
Spiritual essence; soul.
A term applied to high Spiritual Adepts
among Mohammedans.
Incarnations.
Unmanifestcd; one of the three forms of
Brahm.
Coming and going; birth and death.
B

Bachan or
Bachans
Badrinath
Baikuntha, or
Baikunth Lok
Bairat Saroop
Bhagwan
Bam'

Basant
Bhag
Bhigirath

H Word or words; discourses; sayings; instructions; orders; commands.

H A place of Hindu Pilgrimage in the Himalayas
S Paradise; the heaven of Vishnu.
H An appellation of the Ruler of the first
Spiritual Region, Sahansdal Kanwal.
H Teachings; particularly of the Saints, oral
and recorded; esoterically the Inner Sound
or Shabd.
SH Spring time.
S Literally-portion; destiny; good fortune.
S The ancient Hindu sage who invoked the
Ganges and brought her down to this mortal
world.

178
Bhagavadgita

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

S Literally "The Song of the Lord". It

embodies the teachings of Lord Krishna,
namely, the dialogue between Krishna and
Arjuna on the battlefield, and is the most
popular book on Hindu Philosophy.
S Lord; also a term of respect and esteem
Bhagwdn
applied to great Spiritual Personalities.
H One of the eighteen Purdnas.
Bhagwat
Bhajan
SH A form of spiritual practice; constant dwelling on the Lord; devotional songs; applying
the spirit to the internal Word or Shabd,
also called Surat Shabd Yoga.
S One who is spiritually devoted; religious.
Bhakta, Bhagat
Bhakti, Bhagti HS Devotion; worship.
H Path of devotion.
Bhakti Marg
Bhandard
H Religious feast; large scale feeding of people,
esoterically, the internal Spiritual Feast.
The fourth Spiritual Region.
Bhanwar Gupha
H Esoterically, love; affection.
Bhdo or Bhdu
HS Doubt; suspicion; superstitious belief; illusion
Bharam
and delusion.
H Disguise; assumed appearance; any religious
Bhekh
order, marked by special type of dress.
H Those belonging to such an order.
Bhekhs
S Once a forest near Mathura, the sacred city
Bindrdban, or
of the birth of Krishna; Bindrdban is now a
Brinddban
populated place with many beautiful temples
dedicated to Krishna.
SH
Separation; intense longing; pain of one who
Bireh, or Birha
has been separated from the beloved.
S Lord of the second Spiritual Region; the
Brahm
Power that creates and dissolves the phenomenal world.
S The first of the Hindu Triad (Brahma,
Brahma
Vishnu and Shiva), in charge of creation
below the first Spiritual Region.
S The priestly class; the first and the highest of
Brahman or
the four castes into which Hindu Society was
Brahmin
divided, the other three being: Kshatriya
the regal and warrior class; Vaisyatrading

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Brahmdnand
Brahmand

S
S

Brahmdndi
Brahm Gydn
Bram Gydnis
Brat
Brihi

S
S
HS
SH
H

Buddh
Buddhi Yoga

Pb.
H

Chaitanya
Chaitanya
Prdna or
Chetan Prdna
ChakSr

179

and agricultural class; Sudramenial and

unskilled labor.
Bliss of the Region of Brahm.
The entire universe over which Brahm has
jurisdiction. Literally, the egg of Brahm.
Pertaining to Brahmand; Universal.
Knowledge of Brahm.
Knowers of Brahm.
Fast; vow.
One who is suffering from bireh, or who has
this intense longing.
Intellect; the same as Buddhi.
The yoga of intellect or knowledge.

S Same as Chetan.
S Conscious life force.

H Moon bird. A bird of the pheasant species,

which is enamored of the full moon and goes
on contemplating it as long as the moon
shines. It would strain its neck backwards
till it almost touches the ground, but would
not change its position from the time the
moon appears in the east till it sinks in the
west, lest the moon should disappear.
Chandrayana
HS Fast, extending over one lunar period.
Charan Amrit HS Literally, Nectar of the Holy Feet; esoterically, it is the Divine Elixir received within.
or Charnamrit
H Literally means eighty-four; hence, "The
Chaurdsi
wheel of Eighty-Four"; the name indicates
the eight million four hundred thousand
species into which the soul may have to incarnate and which is called eighty-four lakhs
species; whirlpool or wheel of transmigration.
H
Conscious;
awakened; spirit; conscious living
Chetan
as opposed to 'jar' (inert or inanimate);
reason; soul; self; intelligence; wisdom.
Same as chaitanya.

180

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Chetan Akdsh

H The heavenly Region behind the eyes; part

of the first Region.
Chhimd
Pb.H Forgiveness.
Chiddkdsh
S The same as Chdtan Akdsh.
Chit or Chitta
S Hind; mind stuff.
Crore
H Ten million.

Dadu or Dadoo

Dham
Dama
Darshan

HS
S
HS

Darshanas

Daswdn Dwdr or H
Daswandwar

Daya
Dayal
Ddsh
Ddvtas

H
H
HS
SH

Dhani

Dharamsdlas

Dharma

SH

A Saint of Rajputana, well known for his

bold utterances in his beautiful poetry. He
lived in the sixteenth century.
Abode; region; home.
Self-restraint.
The vision or sight, particularly of some
Saint or holy person.
The six well-known schools of Hindu Philosophy, Veddnta Shastra and Yoga Shastra
being the most important and well-known of
them.
The tenth aperture; appellation of the third
Spiritual Region. The second Region,
Trikuti, is said to have an inner citadel or
'garh', having nine open gates. The tenth
gate, which leads to the third Region, is
closed; hence, the Third Region itself is
called Daswan Dwdr.
In fact both Sunn
and Maha Sunn are referred to as Daswdn
DwdrSunn being the Region itself and
Maha Sunn being the great vacuum between
Daswdn Dwdr and Bhanwar Gupha.
Mercy; Grace.
Merciful; Kind.
Region; country; territory; realm.
Literally, "shining ones"; personifications of
the forces of Nature; gods.
Rich; wealthy; owner; esoterically, Lord of
various inner Spiritual Regions.
Hindu and Sikh Temples; free guest houses
endowed by religious bodies.
Duty, religious or moral.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

181

Dhun, Dhwani

HS Sound; manifestation of the Shabd; Inner

Sound synonymous with Shabd or The
Word.
H Inexpressible, Primal Sound, which cannot
Dhundtmak or
be spoken or written, nor can it be heard with
Dhunydtmak
Dhunatmik or H the physical ears.
Dhunydtraik
Dhundtmak
H Another name of Shabd. See Nam.
Nam or
Dhynyatmik
Nam
Dhundhukar
H Misty chaos.
Dhydn
SH Contemplation; a form of spiritual practice;
esoterically, beholding the form of the Master
within.
S Sight; view.
Drisht
A Court; usually means the Court of Kings;
A Durbar
hall of audience.
Dwdpar
S The third of the four yugas or cycles into
which time is divided by the Hindus, the
first two being Sat and Trta. We are now
in the fourth, which is Kali yuga, also known
as the Iron Age.
S Islands, Island Universes.
Dweeps

Faqar
Faqeer

Gagan
Gandharvas
Ganges or
Ganga

Ar The qualities of a Faqeer or a Mohammedan

Saint; the Moslem equivalent of yoga.
Ar Moslem Saints.

Sky; heaven; firmament; esoterically, the

sky of Trikuti.
A class of mythical semi-divine beings devoted
to music and pleasure; celestial musicians.
A sacred river of India. Many places of
pilgrimage are situated on the banks of this
river.

182
Ganesha

Garfb Dis Ji

Gaya

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

The Hindu deity with an elephant head;
the lord of the first chakra, the rectal plexus,
called also the Ganesha chakra. This was
the first chakra to be controlled by the ancient
yogis aiming at the control of the six chakras.
A Saint of the Punjab, and a disciple of the
great Swdml Ji who preached Sant Mat at
Delhi; also the name of another Saint who
flourished in Rohtak District.
Place of pilgrimage where people go for the
performance of ceremonies and rites for the
benefit of the departed.
A famous Hath-yogi.

Gorakh or
Gorakh Nath
Goshain
S A Brahman priest of the Vaishnava order.
Granth
Pb.H Any book, especially a religious scripture;
the Sikh scriptures,
Granth Sahib
Pb. (see Adi Granth).
Grihast
SH The householder's way of life.
Guda Chakra
SH The rectal plexus, the first or the lowest of
the six chakras in the human body; also
called Mill Chakra.
Attributes or qualities. The creation of the
Gunas
world has been made possible by the interplay of the three gunas. They exist also in
the human body and are known as Satogun,
Rajogun, Tamogun; that is, harmony, action
or activity, and inertia or darkness respectively. These three gunas are also personified
as Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha or Shiva,
also called Mahddev.
Gurbhakta
SH Devotee of a Guru.
Devotion to Guru.
Gurbhakti, or
Guru Bhakti
H
Gurumukh
H.Pb One who has completely surrendered himself
to the Guru; one who is guided by the Guru;
literally, one whose face is turned towards
the Guru.
Gurmukhtd
H.Pb The quality of being a Gurmukh; devotion
and surrender to the Guru; obedience.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Guru
Guru Nanak
Gydn, or Gyana
Gydnis
Gydn Mat

Hdfiz
Hdhoot
Haj
Hansas

Haq
Hardwar

Hari or Har
Harkh
Hatha Yoga

183

S Literally one who gives light; Spiritual

Teacher; Master; Preceptor; Guide.
The famous Saint of the Punjab; the first of
the ten Sikh Gurus.
S Knowledge, true knowledge, i.e. spiritual
knowledge, wisdom; Enlightenment.
S Literally, those who possess knowledge; esoterically, the term is used for intellectuals.
H Path of Knowledge; Yoga of Knowledge.

P The famous poet-Saint of Persia.

Ar Arabic name for the Lord of the Third
Spiritual Region.
Ar Pilgrimage to Mecca, sacred to Moslems.
S Literally "Swans"; Fabulous birds reputed
to live on pearls and to be able to separate
milk from water; appellation of elevated
spirits that reach Sat Lok. Saints are also
called Hansas; Devoted souls or Bhagats who
dwell in Par Brahm. Also applied to highly
devoted and spiritually advanced persons.
Ar Literally Truth; Arabic designation of the
Fifth Region.
S A place of pilgrimage. It is from this place
that the holy Ganges, coming from the
mountains, gathers volume and flows out
into the plains. Orthodox Hindus throw
the bones and ashes of their departed relatives into the river at this place, believing
this will secure them salvation.
H God.
S Happiness; joy.
S A system of yoga consisting chiefly of physical
postures which are intended to keep the
body fit and to influence the mental currents.
'Ha' means 'sun' and ''tha" means 'moon',
and it is really the yoga of joining the sun
and the moon, corresponding to the 'Ida*
and 'Pingala' in the body.

184

SAR BACHAN RADHA WSAMI

Hiranya-garbha

S Literally, the golden egg; one aspect of

Brahm, the other two being Avyakrita and
Vairat.
S Heart; esoterically, the heart center of the
body is in the forehead, and the real heart
center is in Trikuti.
H Oblation; burnt offerings.
Pb. Egotism; I-ness; Ego consciousness.
Ar The Region of Daydl, also called Rahman
by Faqeers.
Ar Term of respect used in addressing or applied
to kings, holy men and high personages.

Hirda or
Hridaya
HOm or HOma
Homen
Hoot
Huziir

Indra

The god of Rain; the principal Vedic god,

wielding the thunderbolt; in later mythology
he is called lord of Swarga.
Senses; sense organs.
Ideal; goal; worship.
Creator.

Indriyas
Isht
Ishwar

Jag Ji wan Sahib

Jap
Jar
Jatis
Jeevanmukti
Jiva, or Jeeva
Jivas
Jivdtmd
J5t, or Jyoti
Jugti
Jumna, or
Yamuna

S
H
HS
H
S
S
S
SH
H

A Saint who practised and preached the

Surat Shabd Yoga.
Recitation; mental repetition.
Lifeless; inert; unconscious; material or
Matter as opposed to Spirit.
Celibates.
Liberation or redemption during life.
Living being; the unliberated soul.
The plural of jiva.
Soul; Spirit.
Light; flame; esoterically, the light of the
first Spiritual Region, Sahansdal Kanwal.
Technique.
A sacred river of India, Mathura, the scene
of Krishna's early life, is situated on the
banks of the Jumna.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

185

K
Kdaba
Kabfr Sahib

Kdl

Kald
Kalpataru
Kali Yuga or
Kalyug
Kdm or Kama

Karm-Asthan
Karan
Karma or
Karam
Karmis
Kami
Kashi, or
Kanshi

Ar Mohammedan place of pilgramage in Mecca.

A well-known Saint who lived in Benares
(Kashi or Kanshi), and preached and practised Surat Shabd Yoga. He condemned the
follies and the external observances of Hindus
and Mohammedans alike. He was succeded
by Dharam Das.
S Literally means Time, or Death; the time
spirit; the name given to the Power that
controls all the three worlds because they
are perishable. The Kdl Purush rules and
regulates the whole universegross, subtle
and causaland will not let anybody cross
his threshold and enter the realm of Sat
Purush till he has been thoroughly cleansed
of all desires, etc.
The easiest and the only way to cross this
threshold is with the help of a Sat Guru who
connects Jiva with the Shabd coming from
Sat Lok, and along which he may travel back
again to his former heavenly abode. Hence,
the importance of complete surrender to the
Sat Guru.
S Emanation.
S Wish-granting tree.
HS The fourth cycle of time, known also as the
Dark Age or the Iron Age.
HS Lust; desire; sensory tendencies; any outward tendencies of the mind.
HS Place of action; applied to this world.
HS Causal; also cause.
SH Action; re-action; the law of action and
reaction; rites; ceremonies; rituals.
H Those devoted to ritualistic observances.
H Effort; spiritual effort; abhyds.
HS Benares. The Sacred city of the Hindus and
a place of Sanskrit learning from very ancient
times. Kabir lived and taught here.

186

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Khat
Khat Chakras
Khat Darshan
Khat Sampatti

H
HS
H
H

Khudd
Khudd-i-Azeem

Ar
Ar

Kirya, or
Kriya

SH

Kotwdl
Krishna

P
S

Kriyaman
KrOdh
Kshatriyas

Ldkh, Laksh,
or Lac
Lakshmi
Ndrdyana
Lamakan
Ldmuqdm
Leela or Lild
Lobh
Lok or LQka
Luqmdn

s
s

Six.
Six centers or ganglia.
The six schools of Hindu Philosophy.
The six types of riches; that is, moral and
spiritual wealth: Sama (balance, equanimity); Dama (self-restraint); Uparti (freedom from ceremonial worship); Titiksha
(patience); Shraddhd (faith); Samddhdnta
(deep meditation).
God; also an appellation of Brahm.
The Great God; synonymous with Brahm,
the Lord of Trikuti.
Literally, action; a Hindu ceremony performed on the thirteenth day after a person's
death.
Police officer; or market officer.
Lord Krishna, held to be a complete incarnation of God (Brahm). He delivered the
celebrated Song of the Lord, called the
Bhagavadgita. See Shyam Sunder.
Actions performed during the present life.
Anger.
The second in rank in the Hindu Society,
which caste consisted of fighters and rulers.

H One hundred thousand.

S Literally, the Lord or Consort of Lakshmi.
the goddess of wealth; another, appellation
of Ishwar.
Ar Without any location.
Ar That which cannot even be termed a Region.
H Play; especially the play of the Lord; sport;
conduct; way of doing things.
U Greed.
SH Region.
P A famous physician and sage.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

187

M
S Great Heaven.
S The third of the Hindu Triad; the same as
Shiva.
S Literally, Great Sound; the Primal Word or
Shabd.
Mahant
H The head of a religious sect or monastery.
Mahdrdj
H A title of respect.
Mahdtma
H Great Soul; also applied to highly spiritual
persons.
S The same as Shiva.
Maheshwar
Maldmat
P Slander; abuse.
Man
HS Mind.
Manmukh
PbH Literally, facing the mind; that is, he who
obeys the dictates of the mind.
S Path; way
Mdrg
P Intoxicated; inebriated; so absorbed in
Mast
spiritual practice as to lose conscious control
of the body.
Mat
H Creed; system; way; religion; teachings.
P Wave; Will; especially the Will and Pleasure
Mauj
of the Sat Guru or the Supreme Being.
Maulvi
P A Mohammedan priest; one learned in
Islamic Religion and Theology.
Maulvi Room
A well-known Moslem Saint of Persia, who
or Maulana
was a devoted disciple of Shamas-i-Tabriz;
Rum or Rumi
author of the world-famous Masnavi.
Maun Sddhan
S Vow of silence.
Mdyd
S Illusion; unreality; Phenomenal universe;
all the manifested universe is Maya because
it has no real (lasting) existence. It appears,
but is not. This veil of Mdyd or illusion
conceals the vision of God from our
sight.
Mdyd Sabal
SH With Maya; i.e. not pure and Absolute.
Meccd
Ar The place of Islamic pilgrimage, to which
every pious and devoted Mohammedan is
expected to pay a visit at least once during
his life time. This visit to Meccdis known
Mahd Akdsh
Mahddeo, or
Mahadev
Mdhd Nad

188

Mehndi

Moh
Moksha
Mudra
Mujaddid-AIFisani
Mukta Pad
Mukti
Mul
Mul Chakra
Mumukshta
Muni
Munishwar
Murda
Murid or
Mureed
Murshad or
Murshid

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

HS
S
H
Ar

as Haj; of course, this includes the visit to

Kaaba, which is situated in Mecca.
A type of myrtle, the leaves of which are
ground into a fine paste with water for
staining hands and feet red; not only for
ceremonial reasons but also for keeping them
cool.
Attachment.
Liberation; Salvation; Redemption.
Specialized Yoga practices.
The name of a Moslem Saint.

S Stage of Liberation, Salvation or Redemption.

SH Liberation; Salvation; Redemption.
S Literally root.
S Rectal plexus.
S The state of longing for Emancipation.
SH A Sage.
S A great sage.
P Dead. Transposed it means Murccd' or
disciple.
P Disciple.
P The Moslem name for Sat Guru.
N

Nabha Ji
Ndbi
P
Nad
S
Nddi
H
Nadi Sat Guru
H
Nam
H,Pb

A Hindu Saint; the author of 'Bhaktmal'.

A prophet.
Sound; Shabd; Word; Inner Music.
Pertaining to Ndd.
A Guru versed in the practice of Shabd.
Name; the Unspoken Name or Shabd; the
Word; the Immortal Creator; Nam is of two
kinds; Varnatmak (that which can be expressed or uttered) and Dhundtmak that which
can be heard only within as Nad or Shabd).
The Varnatmak Nam acts as a pointer and
leads to the real or Dhundtmak Ndm within,

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Namdz
Ndnak
Ndrad, or
Narad Muni
Nardyana
Narbadd
Ndths
Nihangs
Nij
Nij Asthdn
Nij Dham
Nij Desh
Nij Man or
Nij Mana
Nij Roop
Nij Saroop
Niranjan
Niranjan JyOli
Nirguna or
Nirgun
Nirmald

Nirvritti
Nuqta-i-Swaida

Omkar, or
Onkar

189

which is not really a word but a Power that

emanates from the Supreme Being.
P Moslem prayer,
(see Guru Ndnak)
H
S
S
HS
S
H
H
H
H

A well-known sage.
Same as Lakshmi Nardyana.
A river in Deccan, India.
A sect of yogis, especially, Hath-yogis.
A sect of Sikhs who always carry arms.
Real; literally "one's own".
One's own or real Region.
One's own or real Home.
One's own real Country or Region or Home.
Real, innermost or highest mind.

H One's own or real Form.

H One's own or real Essential Form.
B Literally means pure; an appellation of the
Lord of the first Region.
S Name of the light and the Lord of the first
heavenly Region.
S Without attributes; appellation of Par
Brahm.
S Literally means "without dirt", pure: an
order of Sikh Ascetics who were enjoined to
read Sanskrit and Hindu Scriptures and
Philosophy at Benares, by the order of Guru
Gobind Singh. Later on they formed themselves into a separate sect and styled themselves as Nirmalds.
S Returning or going back; Spiritual life;
opposite of privritti.
Black point; third eye; the Moslem name for
Tisrd Til.

H Brahm; the Lord of the second Region.

190

Pad
Paltto Sahib, or
Paltu Sahib
Pandits, or
Pundits

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Panthi
Papihd

S
H

Par
Paramdtmd or
Parmatma
Param Hansa

S
H

Param Pad
Parmeshwar
Param Purush
Param Sant
Paras
Pdrdshar
Par Brahm
Par Brahmand
Par Brahm
Parmatma
Parmdrth or
Parmdrath
Parmdrathis
Parshdd,
Parshadi or
Prashad.
Pdtal L5k
Pat it Udhdran
Pati Verta
Pawan

Place; status; region; station; stage.

A Hindu Saint noted for his bold utterances
and outspoken description of the Mystic Path.
Those learned in Hindu Theology and
Religion; The Hindu priestly class; likewise
applied to Brdhmans, irrespective of learning; Brahman priests.
Traveler; follower; one who travels a path.
Rain bird. It is supposed to drink only
Swdnti rain drops.
Beyond.
Literally, Supreme Soul; God.

SH Appellation of the devotee who has reached

Sat Lok.
S Highest Stage.
S Great Creator. God.
S Supreme Lord.
H Supreme Saint; a Saint who has reached the
highest stage.
H Philosopher's Stone.
S The name of a Hindu sage or rishi.
S Literally beyond Brahm; appellation of the
Lord of the third Spiritual Region.
S Spiritual region beyond Par Brahm.
H Same as Par Brahm.
S Spiritual way of life; spiritual work; spiritual
gain; spiritual effort; spiritual uplift.
S Those who practise Parmdrth; true seekers,
spiritual devotees.
H Anything sanctified or blessed.

S
S
SH
SH

The nether region.

The Redeemer of sinners.
Chaste and faithful wife.
Air.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

191

Pind, or Pinda
Pindi
Pipal

S Physical body; physical universe.

SH Relating to Pind.
H A tree (Ficus religiosa) held sacred by the
Hindus; the Ashvattha of the Upanishads.
PSlhi
H Religious book or scriptures; holy book.
Prakritf
S Nature.
Pralabd or
H That portion of our karma which is allotted to
Prarabd
this life and is responsible for our present
existence; hence it is also called Fate or
Destiny.
Prana'or
SH Vital force; essence; vital air, the control and
regulation of which is the basis of the system
Prdn
known as Prandyam.
S Another name for Omkar. The sacred
Pranava
syllable Om.
Prandyam
S The Hindu yogic practice consisting of
breathing in, holding the breath, then
breathing out, and ultimately holding the
breath at centers in the body for a long time.
S Same as Prdndydm.
Prdna YOga
Praydg
H A place of pilgrimage; the meeting place of
the three riversGanga, Jumna and the
now extinct Sarswati and which is now the
modern Allahabad.
HS Love.
Prem
HS Loving practitioners.
Premis
S Going outward or forward; getting engaged
Privritti
in worldly matters; worldly life as opposed
to Nirvrittireturning or going back-or
spiritual life.
S Religious or spiritut. merit; charity.
Puny a
Full or complete.
Piiran, or Pooran
SH Literally, the old ones; the rcligio-historical
Piirdnds
stories and mythologies of old, describing the
lives and deeds of gods, heroes and great kings.
H
The perfect Lord.
Puran Dhani
SH
Male
creative energy, as distinguished from
Purkh,
Prakriti;
man; mind; also denotes Niranjan
Purukh,
as
well
as
the Supreme Being.
Purush or
Purusha

192
Qutb

Quran, or
Koran

Rddhd Swdmf

Rddhd Swdmf
Dayal
Rahmdn
Raidds Ji or
Ravi Dass Ji
Raso Guna, or
Rajogun
Kama

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Ar A title among Faqeers; one entrusted with

the welfare of spiritual aspirants among
Faqeers.
Ar The Holy Book of the Moslems, revealed to
the Prophet Mohammed.

H Appellation of the Supreme Lord God;

Swdmf literally means Lord, and Rddhd
means soulhence, "Lord of the soul".
H Appellation of Saint Shiv Dayal Singh J i ,
founder of Radha Swami Faith, as applied
by His disciples.
P Merciful.
A Saint of northern India, who was a cobbler
by profession.
S Activity; second of the three gunas.

Rasdyan

Rikhab Dev

Rikhishwar
Rishi
Rooh, or Ruh
Roop, or Rup
Rozd

S
S
P
H
P

God; the Power that pervades everywhere;

Rdma, son of King Dasaratha of Ayodhya,
believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu.
Elixir; Elixir of Life; the science of making
Elixir of Life and of transmuting baser metals
into gold; the science of chemistry.
A Teerthankar of the Jains. He is also
honored by the Hindus.
A great sage or rishi.
A sage; literally, one who sees.
Soul or spirit.
Form.
Muslim fast.
S

Sach Khand,
Sat Desh, Sat
Lok or Nij
Dhdm

S Literally, the True or Imperishable Region;

esoterically, the fifth Spiritual Region presided over by Sat Purush.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Sadh, or Sadhu

Sddhan
Sadh Guru

Sddhsang
Sdhab or Sdhib
Sahaj or Sehj

193

S Holy man, following a path of spiritual

discipline; mystic; in Sant Mat, the devotee
who has reached the second or third stage
and crossed the region of mind and matter.
S Spiritual discipline; spiritual practice; mode
of worship.
Pb A Guru or Teacher who has reached the
second or third stage, that is, the Region of
Brahm; as distinguished from "Sat" Guru,
who has access to the Fifth Stage.
H Association with a company of Sddhs.
P Lord, or Honorable Sir; term of respect.
esoterically, the
H Easy; natural; real;
transition from the state of "becoming"
into that of "being" One with the Supreme
Lord.
The state of identification with the Ultimate
Reality which begins in Par Brahm and
becomes complete in Sach Khand.
H The same as Surat Shabd Yoga.

Sahaj Samadhi,
or
Sehj Smddhi
Sahaj Yoga, or
Sehj Yoga
Sahansdal
H Thousand-petalled lotus; appellation of the
Kanwal, Sahas
first Spiritual Region.
Dal Kamal or
Sahasra Dal
Kamal
Sdkat
Pb Irreligious; manmukh; one who seeks power.
Saligram
H A black stone used for concentration and
worship.
Salond
P Salty; tasty.
Sama
S Balance; equanimity.
H A building or monument erected over the
Samadh
ashes of a holy person.
Samadhi
SH A state of concentration in which all consciousness of the outer world is transcended;
a state of deep contemplation.
Samadhdnta
S Deep meditation; steadfastness.
Sampatti
S Wealth; treasure.
Samrath
HS Ail-powerful.
Sangat
H Congregation.

194

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Sanjam

S Continence; concentration on any part of

the body according to the yogic method.
H The world.
H A worldly person; worldly people; worldly.
S Impressionsboth good and bad; spiritual
outlook and spiritual fitness; spiritual bent
of mind; tendencies due to impressions from
past lives.
H One with a previous spiritual background;
best fitted spiritually; predestined; a seeker
after God.
S Saint; a pious or holy person; esoterically,
one who has reached the fifth Spiritual
Region.
The Teachings of the Saints; the Science of
God-Realization, practised while living in
this world. It is the Science of merging in
the Supreme Creator, just as the drop merges
in the ocean. This can be accomplished
only under the guidance of a True Master
in the physical form, to instruct and guide
us to that Power Within, which leads to the
Supreme Being. Moreover, the presence
of the Master is essential to guide and to
protect us during the course of our Spiritual
Journey. It is a natural Science and is
complete within every human being regardless of race, color or creed. But the Key is
with the Master, and He gives it to all whom
He accepts.
H Affliction; pain.
H Contentment.
H One who follows the path of the Saints.
S An order of Hindu ascetics who renounce the
world and put on the yellow robe as a sign
that they have done so.
SH Essential; important; real; essence; true.
SH Refuge; unqualified submission; resignation
to the will of the Sat Guru; unconditional
surrender to the Sat Guru.

Sansar
Sansarf
Sanskdras or
Sanskdrs

Sanskdri

Sant

Sant Mat

Santdp
SantOsh
Sant Panthi
Sanydsis

Sdr
Saran or
Sharan

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Sardogis
Sar Guna
Sargun

195

H Jains.
H Essential quality.
S With attributes, as opposed to Nirgun which
means without attributes.
Sarmad
Ar Muslim Saint who was executed as a heretic
by the orders of Aurangzeb, the Mogul King
of Delhi. He inculcated the hearing of
Saut-i-Sarmadi (Eternal Sound) within and
giving up all other forms of worship.
Sar Shabd, or
H Literally, Essential Sound; True Word;
Sdr Shabda
Real Word.
S Trut or Truth; Existence; Permanent; Abiding.
Sat
Sat Chit Anand
S Existenceconsc iousnessbl iss.
Satguru Bhakti
H Devotion to the Sat Guru.
Satguru Bhdo
H Love for the Sat Guru.
Sat Guru, or
H A mater or Spiritual Teacher who has
Satgur
access to or came down from the Fifth Region.
Sat Lok, or
HS (See Sach Khand).
Sat Loka
Sat Nam
H Literally, True Name; the appellation of the
Lord of the fifth Spiritual Region.
Sato-Guna, or
S Rhythm; harmony.
Satogun.
Sat Pad
S Same as Sach Khand.
Sat Purush,
S God; True Lord who presided over Sat Loka
Sat Purush
and the whole of the Universe below it. He
or Sat Purkh
Pb is also called Akal Purush. According to
Saints, the real form of the Lord God is indescribable in mortal language. It is therefore
untold. As in the body, soul works through
the mind, the Swami works through Sat
Purush who controls the whole of the Universe (material and spiritual) through His
Word (Shabd), Name (Nam) or Command
(Hukm); the exponent of His Word and
Name being Sat Guru who is His Prime
Minister, so to say, in order to carry out His
Commands throughout the Universe.
The Spiritual or Shabd form of the Sat
Guru being ubiquitous, works in the various

196

Satsang

Satsangi

Sat Shabd
Satt Vastoo
Sat Yuga, or
Sat Yug
Savitri

Sayyad, or
Sayyed
Savd, or Sewa
Sewak

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

planes of the Universe, while His Physical
Form carries out the work of imparting
instructions (Updesh) to human beings, so
that the soul might be liberated from the
bondage of the mind and body. He also
helps the lower orders of life, so that they
might be rendered fit for human incarnation
in their next birth. As Sat Guru is one
with the Sat Purush Who is One with
the Swdmi, the three terms arc almost
interchangeable.
SH Literally, true association; sitting in the
presence of a Saint. Association with a Saint
or perfect Master is external Sat Sang, and
association of the soul with the Ndm or
Shabd within, is the internal Satsang. A
congregation, when addressed by a Master
for the purpose of teaching is also called
Satsang.
H One who has been Initiated by a True Master;
a disciple or associate of Truth; appellation
of disciples of Radha Swami Faith; however,
true satsangis are only those who faithfully
perform the Spiritual Practice, follow the
instructions of the Master and conduct
themselves accordingly in their daily lives
and in their dealings with others.
H Literally, True Word, the Divine Sound.
H Abiding wealth; Reality.
S The first of the four cycles of Time, also
called Krita Yuga. See Yuga.
S The devoted wife of Satyavan who, by virtue
of her chastity and devotion, won back her
husband's departed soul from Yama, the
king of dead.
Ar The name is applied to any descendant of
the Prophet Mohammed; the priestly class
among Mohammedans.
H Service.
H One who does Seva.

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Shabd, or
Shabda

197

SH Sound; Spiritual Sound; the Word. As soul

manifests in the body as consciousness,
the word of God manifests Itself as Inner
Spiritual Sound. It is therefore synony
mous with "Sound Current" within.
It is the Word of the Bible; the Kalmd,
Ism-i-Azam or Bang-i-Asmani, Kalam-iIllahi of Islam; the Ndd or Udgit of the
Vedas; and is also called Nam, Ram
Ndm, Hari Nam, Gurbdni, Bani, Ajapdjap,
Akathkatha, Har-ras, Har-jas, Har Simran,
Dhun; in the Granth Sahib, it is also
called Guru. There are Five Shabds
within, the secret of which is imparted by
a true Master.
Shabd Sarup, or H Word Form, the Master or the Sat Guru in
the form of Shabd.
Shabd Saroop
Shakti
S Power; strength; appellation of the deity
presiding over the throat chakra. Shakti
is Mahdmdi, the great mother of Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva.
Shams Tabrez
P A Muslim Saint who settled at Multdn and
was flayed alive because he rebelled against
or Shams-i-Tabriz
the outward form of worship.
Ar
Moslem
religious law; Quranic law and
Shar'a or
ritual.
Shar'iat
Ar Followers of Shara.
Shar'ais
Shdstras
S Hindu scriptures; books of philosophy and
moral code.
S Continence.
Sheel
Sheikh, or
P Chief; great; a Mohammedan holy man; a
Shekh
descendant of anyone of the disciples of the
prophet Mohammed; also a courtesy title
of many classes of Mohammedans.
Sheikh Chilli
P A mythical character noted for his ridiculous
and laughter-provoking accounts, like Baron
Munchausen; one who builds castles in the
air; a day dreamer.
Sheikh Saddoo
A Muslim Saint who lived in Moradabad
District.

198
Shiva
Shloka
Shraddhd, or
Sardha
Shringi

Shuddhd, or
Shuddha.
Shuddha Brahm
Shudras or
Sudras
Shydm
Sundar

Siddha
Siddhdnt
Siddhis

Simran
Sinchit

Sufi, or Soofi

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

S Third of the Hindu Triad, the destroyer;
same a Mahadco.
A couplet; verse; stanza.
S Faith; belief.
S A Hindu rishi noted for his austerities. He
presided over the Yagya of King Dasratha,
as a result of which the king had four sons.
S Pure.
Pure Brahm; the "Absolute" of the
Veddntists.
S The fourth or the lowest order of Hindu
society; the menials and laborers.
SH Shydm means black, and Sunder means
beautiful. As Krishna was of dark complexion and very handsome, he was called
Shydm Sunder.
S One who has obtained perfection by
practising yoga.
S Ideal; doctrine; also scientific doctrine.
SH Miraculous powers obtained by means of
yOga practice. They are eighteen in number,
but the famous ones consist of the eight
perfections or super-human faculties. These
powers are to be shunned by Satsangis.
H Repetition. Remembrance.
SH Literally hoarded, collected or stored;
Sinchit Karmas are those karmas which still
remain to be taken out of our own stored up,
lot and are to be worked off or to bear fruit
in future incarnations. Even if a man
accumulates no karmas in this life and works
off the Prdlabd or destiny karma, he still
has the Sinchit karmas to liquidate. This
is accomplished by Shabd practice.
P An adherent of Sufism, which is a Mohammedan Mystic Sect that was developed in
Persia, who believe in a living Murshid
(Guru) and lead a holy life. The term is now

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Sukhdev

HS

Sukshm
Sukshm
Karmas
Sukshm Saroop
Sumer
Sumcru

S
S

Sunn, Sunna
or Shunya

Sunn
Samadhi

Surat

Surat Shabd
Yoga

S
S

SH

Sur Das J i or
Surdas Ji
Swami

SH

199

being used to denote any holy man among

t h e Moslems.
T h e Son of Ved-Vydsd who possessed Gyan
before he was born and the power of Mdyd
h a d to be suspended for a moment because he
would not have his Gydn clouded by Maya
at the time of birth.
Subtle; fine; astral.
Subtle karmas, the roots of which are at the
top of Trikuti.
Subtle form.
T h e top bead; the top of the spinal column.
Another name for M6ru, the place where
gods are said to reside; symbolically, the top
of the spine. It is also called the Golden
Mountain, Jewel Peak, Lotus Mountain and
Mountain of the gods; the Olympus of the
Hindus.
Void; emptiness; vacuum; esoterically, the
appellation of the third Spiritual Region,
Daswdn Dwdr.
Perfect samadhi; the state of the Lord
(Purush) when He was absorbed within
Himself before creation; the state of eternal
Polarization.
Soul; consciousness; inner attention. As consciousness in the body is due to the presence
of t h e soul, hence the soul is called surat.
T h e spiritual exercise by which the current of
consciousness is applied to the hearing of the
Sound within. It is also called Sahaj Yoga.
A Famous Hindi PoetSaint who was blind.
He was a fervent devotee of Krishna and
later became a follower of Sant Mat.
Literally, Lord; the Supreme Lord; Supreme
Creator; esoterically, the Lord of the eighth
a n d Highest Spiritual Region; the name s
also applied to the Sound Current, the
Original Shabd and the Real Home; it is
also a title given to religious teachers.

200

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Swami
Swdnti

SH Religious teachers.
SH Rain that falls when the moon is in the
fifteenth mansion. The Papiha is said to cry
incessantly for this rain, which alone can
quench its thirst.
S Paradise.
SH The region of Paradise. People who have
done good works in this world with the expectation of a return, are rewarded by a
sojourn in Swarg Lok, but are sent back to
the earth when their merit is exhausted.

Swarga
Swarg Lok

T
Tamas
Tamo-Guna, or
Tamogun
Tan-matras

S Darkness; ignorance; inertia; one of the

three gunas.
S Same as Tamas.

S Subtle essence from which the tattwas originated.

Tap
S The practice of austerities.
Tariqat
P Practices leading to spiritual Realization.
Tattwas
H Essences; the tattwas are five in number and
may be gross or subtle. They are named;
Prithvi (earth); Jal (water); Vdyu (air);
Agni (fire); Akdsh (ether). Highly subtle
forms of matter.
S Luster; beauty; power; the state of dream
Tejas
consciousness.
H Blind faith; worship.
Tek
H Literally, seed of the sesamum plant; esoteriTil
cally the small aperture through which the
soul enters Brahmand from Pind; the center
between the eyebrows.
Tirath, or Tirtha
Place of pilgrimage.
Third Eye; the seat or headquarters of the
Tisra Til
mind and the soul in the human body, situated between the two eyebrows; since the nine
doors of the body (eyes, ears, nose, mouth,
etc.) lead outward, this is also called the

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Titiksha

Treta
Trikuti

S
S

Triloki

Triloki Nath

Tulsi

Tulsi Das Ji

Tulsi Sdhib

Turiya Pad

201

Tenth Door or Tenth Gate, and is the only

one which leads within.
Patience; resignation; forbearance; endurance.
Second cycle of time, following Sat Yuga.
Three Prominences; appellation of the second
Spiritual Region; also called Musallasi by
the Mohammedan Saints, as it means three
cornered; [Gagan is the sky of Trikuti,
and the region itself is often referred to as
Gagan].
Literally, three worlds; the appellation of the
group of Pind, and Brahmand.
Lord of the three worlds. Brahm or Brahmdndi mind.
Name of a plant; Holy Basil (Molymum
Sanctum); the plant is sacred to Hindus.
A Saint of medieval times, author of
the Hindi Ramdyana or Rama Charit
Mdnas.
A Great PoetSaint of Hathras, an exponent of Sant Mat and the author of Ghat
Ramdyana. He was born in the princely
family of Peshwas in 1788 and was heir to the
throne of the kingdom of Poona and Sitara.
He began to show signs of a devotional trend
of mind at a very early age, and had no
attachments or desires for worldly pleasures
and pursuits. A few days before his coronation was to take place, he left his home and
fled towards the north in the garb of a sadhu.
He settled in Hathras, near Aligarh, in the
U.P. where he was known as the Sage from
the South. Swami Ji also came in contact
with Him. He departed from this world in
1848.
Another name for Sahansdal Kanwal. The
state of super-consciousness, where the
soul makes its first contact with the Real
Shabd.

202

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

U

Udasis

Udho, or Udhoji
Upanishads

Uparti
Updsnd
Upkdr

Vdch
Vdchak Gydnis
Vairdg, or
Vairagya
Vairdt
Vaishyas

S A sect of Sikhs who wear the yellow robe and

are followers of Baba Shri Chand, son of Guru
Ndnak Sahib. Uddsi literally means indifferent that is, indifferent to the world.
S Name of a freind and disciple of Krishna.
S The philosophical and mystical part of the
Vedas, describing inner or esoteric teachings.
Upanishads means "to sit near or close",
and the doctrines were so named because
these secrets and mysteries were personally
imparted to the disciple by the teacher.
These writings come very close to the teachings of the Saints.
S Freedom from ceremonial worship, freedom
from or indifference to sensual pleasures.
S Devotion; worship; meditation; worship in
the esoteric sense.
S Doing good to others, specially Spiritual
good; kindness.

S Talk; gross; phenomenal.

H Those who only "talk" Gydn.
S Detachment from the world and its pleasures;
renunciation; asceticism.
S Manifested; one of the three forms of Brahm.
S The third of the four Varnas into which
Hindu society is divided; this comprises the
trading and agricultural classes.
SH The rules of conduct pertaining to any of
Varnashram
the four classes into which Hindu society was
Dharma
divided.
SH Expressible; that which can be spoken or
Varnatmak
written. There are two forms of Shabd
or Varndtmik
one is Varnatmak and the other is Dhundtmak, but perceivable as Sound within.
S A Hindu Rishi, the teacher of Rama.
Vashisht

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

Veddnta

Ycdantis
Vedas

Vedic
Vichdrmdla
Vigydn
Vikar, also
Bikar
Virah or Vireh
Vireh
Vishnu
Vishwa
Vivek
Vyds

203

S A system of Hindu philosophy, believing in

the unitary existence of God, and the identity
of Soul with God. To quote from John
Dowson's Classical Dictionary regarding
Veddnta; "God is the omniscient and omnipotent cause of the existence, continuance,
and dissolution of the universe. Creation
is an act of His will; He is both the efficient
and the material cause of the world."
SH Followers of Veddnt system of philosophy.
S Literally knowledge; revealed knowledge as
embodied in the four books which are called
Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva
Veda.
S Pertaining to Veda.
S Name of a popular book on Veddnta.
Knowledge in the esoteric sense; also scientific
s knowledge.
s Evil tendencies {lit. change, modification).
SH Same as Bireh.
S Second of the Hindu Triad, the presever and
the maintainer of the world.
S Universe; one of the three forms of the ego;
the conscious form.
S Discrimination.
S A Hindu Rishi, founder of the Veddnt
System of Philosophy, (lit. arranger).
W

Waif

P A holy man of high spiritual attainments;

a man of God.

Yag, Yagya, or
Yajna

S Sacrifice; a ritual or religious ceremony,

which in ancient times often included the
sacrifice of some animal.

204
Yama or Yum

SAR BACHAN RADHA SWAMI

S God of death; lord of the nether regions;

angel of death.
HS Messenger of death.
Yamdoot
YOg, or YOga
S Literally means union; esoterically, spiritual
exercise; practice; meditation in the spiritual
sense; any system which leads to or aims at
the union of the soul with God.
YOgabhyds, or
S The practice of yOga; generally applied to
the practitioners of Ashtang Yoga; esoteriYOga Abhyds
cally, the yOga of Bhajan and Simran.
Yogis
S Those who practice yoga.
Yogishwars, or
S Those who, by spiritual practices, have
JOgfshwars
reached up to the top of the second Spiritual
Region.
Yug, or Yuga
S Age of cycle of Time. Hindus divided time
into four yugas or cycles, called "Sat or
Krita Yuga" (the Golden Age), "Treta Yuga"
(the Silver Age), "Dwapar Yuga" (the
Copper or Bronze Age), and "Kal Yuga"
(the Iron Age). We are now passing through
Kali Yuga. One thousand yugas make a
Maha Yuga (a Great Age) or an incomprehensible length of time. And one Maha
Yuga is called 'one day' of Brahm.

BOOKS ON THIS SCIENCE

1. Sar BachanBy Swami Shiv Dayal Singh ji Maharaj,
translated by Sewa Singh, Distt. & Sessions Judge.
2. The Path of the MastersBy Dr. Julian P. Johnson,
M.A., M.D.
3. The Path of the MastersAbridgedBy Dr. Julian P.
Johnson, M.A., M.D.
4. With a Great Master in IndiaBy Dr. Julian P. Johnson,
M.A., M.D.
5* Mysticism, the Spiritual Path Vols. I & IIBy Prof.
Lekh Raj Puri, M.A., P.E.S.
. Teachings of the GurusSeries 1 to 4 (As given in
Adi Granth)By Professor Lekh Raj Puri, M.A.,
P.E.S.
7.

The Mystic BibleBy Dr. Randolph Stone.

8.

Santmat and the BibleBy Narain Das, B.A., C.E.

9. The Inner VoiceBy Colonel C.W. Sanders.

10. Spiritual GemsLetters from the Great Master, Hazur
Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji (19191948).
11. Spiritual LettersLetters from Baba Jaimal Singh Ji
Maharaj (18961903).
12. Light on Sant MatBy Maharaj Charan Singh Ji (Discourses and Excerpts from letters(19521958).
13. The Science of the SoulBy Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh
Ji Maharaj (Discourses, Dialogues, Sayings and Excerpts
from letters1948-1951).
14. Tales of the Mystic EastAs narrated in Satsangs by
Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh J i .
15. Discourses on Sant MatBy Hazur Maharaj Sawan
Singh Ji.
16. Philosophy of the Masters(Gurmat Sidhant), series I
to VBy Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji(An
Encyclopaedia on the Teachings of the Saints).
17. Call of the Great MasterBy Diwan Daryai Lai, Retired
Judge.

18. Yoga and the BibleBy Joseph Lceming.

19. The Mystic WayBy Eleanora Jcpp (A brief glimpse of
the teachings of the Masters on Sant Mat, the Science
of God-realization).
20. PrayerBy Kathryn Windress.
21. My Submission Pt. I & IIBy Hazur Maharaj Sawan
Singh Ji.
22.

Spiritual DiscoursesBy Maharaj Charan Singh Ji.

23. The Mystic Philosophy of Sant MatBy Peter Fripp,

with fully illustrated plates, published by Neville
Spearman, Ltd., England.
24. Radhasoami TeachingsBy
M.A., P.E.S.

Professor Lekh Raj Puri,

25. Divine LightBy Maharaj Charan Singh Ji (An explanation of the Teachings of the Saints, and Excerpts
from letters1959-1964).
26.

SarmadJewish Saint of IndiaBy Isaac A. Ezekiel.

27. In Search of the WayBy Flora E. Wood.

28. The Master AnswersBy Maharaj Charan Singh Ji to
Audiences in America.
29. Kabir, The Great MysticBy Issac A. Ezekiel.
30. The Living MasterBy Katherine Wason.
31. St. John, The Great MysticBy Maharaj Charan Singh Ji.
32. With the Three Masters Vol. I, II & IIIFrom the Diary
of Rai Sahib Munshi Ram.
33. Ringing RadianceBy Sir Colin Garbett, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
C.M.G., D.Sc. J., M.A., LL.B. F.R.C.S., F.R.S.A.