Daily Inspiration
SRUTI - PAM's Encyclopedia
LADDER | LAST STAGE | LALAJI | LATENT MOTIONS | LAYA / LAYAVASTHA (STATE OF MERGING) | LAZINESS | LEARNING | LETTER AND SPIRIT | LIBERATED SOULS | LIBERATION | LIFE | LIGHT - lUMINOUS | LIGHT (-NESS) | LIKES AND DISLIKES | LIMITATION | LIMITLESSNESS | LINK | LIVING DEAD | LIVING STONES | LONGING | LORD KRISHNA | LOTUSES | LOVE | LOVE OF GOD | LOWLINESS |
LADDER
Consciously, the inner craving of a human heart is the attainment of the Real. This is the ladder for one to ascend towards unknown.(SS-412) The state of prayer is that of a devotee and it is strengthened by love. This constitutes the first step in the ladder, which helps us to climb upto the Ultimate. All stages or states of spiritual advancement are within it.(IB-19)
LAST STAGE
After crossing all the Rings of Splendour, the abhyasi begins to feel expansion throughout the universe. Then comes the stage of Divine knowledge afterwards we feel the vision of the absolute. In the end starts Layavastha in Brahm, at this state the problem of life is thoroughly solved. And this is the last run of all our spiritual activities, - but the thing never ends. We begin to start swimming in the Infinite in order to complete the chain, I must add that during our march to Reality, of course at a higher point, the atoms of the body, begin to convert themselves into energy, and then energy into its absolute. The whole of the system is thoroughly divinised. And a man becomes dynamic. (SDG-92)
LALAJI
Please See Adi Guru.
LATENT MOTIONS
But though they were dissolved into Origin losing their individuality, the previous impressions persisted. This was because of the shade of reality, which they remained under till the time of dissolution, which helped them to retain the effect of the impressions during the entire period of their existence. How long they continued to absorb this effect is beyond human imagination to determine. It must at least have been during the entire period of existence since the time of creation. The effect taken in by them was no other than the motion which generated from the shocks of the Root-Power. This being saturated with the effect remained silently active and this continued indefinitely. It is known as the Latent Motion around the Centre. (IB-8,9)
The latent motions generated power which rushed out and created something that can be expressed like the eggs of a fish in the spawn. These egg like things are full of concentrated essence of power and energy created by invisible motions. Now all these three i.e., the Centre, the latent motion and the so called egg like things are so adjacent to one another that it is very difficult to distinguish them each separately and all seem to be one or adjusted together as one.( ERY-59)
LAYA / LAYAVASTHA (STATE OF MERGING)
Merging really refers to a state of settledness in the condition at a certain point or knot arrived at by the Abhyasi. When after sufficient practice an abhyasi is able to secure his entry into a certain knot or granthi, he goes round in it for some time touring the place in order to acquire a thorough experience of it. By this process he begins to absorb in him the state prevailing at the place. When he becomes saturated with it, his merging has then come into effect. This is known as Layavastha (merging). But the consciousness of the conditions we have by now arrived at also exists, and so long as it does, the state of merging cannot be said to have matured to fullness. For this we have to proceed on further to acquire the state of settledness, which is termed as identicality or SARUPYATA. This again is not to the final phase, till it has developed into a still finer state of SAYUJYATA, where the impressions of the state of merging and identicality also become extinct. (PG-15,17 footnote)
When close conformity or Sayujyata has been attained, then alone can the knowledge gained be deemed as complete.(PG-43)
At every knot the states of identicality following merging and leading to Sayujyata repeat themselves before we can obtain a complete knowledge of the knot. (PG-15)
LAZINESS
Laziness can also breed cancer. Laziness is surrender to the self. A lazy man surrenders to the self which is suicidal for spiritual growth.(SS-268)
I regret to find that some of you do not try to overcome your lazy habits, which is a clear indication of the fact that the ideal has not yet been firmly fixed in your mind. If it is foremost in your view, it can never be that you would shirk or neglect your duty in this respect.(SS-241)
LEARNING
Learning and knowledge have their own importance and people having it are often held in high esteem. I too have a regard for them and for that reason I usually behave submissively with them, exalting them in all formal ways. But on my part, I never did hanker after knowledge. Yet, to be quite outspoken, I may say that I do not feel myself lacking in knowledge in any respect, and I do possess it in its fullness. The reason is that my great Master had transmitted to me everything that he possessed, and that included knowledge as well. For that reason, I feel myself immensely in possession of every type of knowledge from the lowest to the highest, though I may be lacking in the use of technical words in my expression. But it is my meekness of nature and disposition, which I have copied from my Master, that keeps it veiled under covering.(SS-264,265)
LETTER AND SPIRIT
The general idea that fills abhyasis is that the items of practice taught to them are all that is needed to take them up to the final state of evolution. Their thought does not run beyond this at all. We indicate Raja Yoga as our foundation and it is so in fact, their ideation does not reach down to its depths and it just stops short with the observance of the rules. But it is certain that in Sahaj Marg, the fragrance of Pranahuti indwells, but still the factors that get left behind are Love and Devotion. Along with the act of Meditation, it is essential that these should also inhere therein. It has been necessary for me to stress the mingling of the facets together, since by doing this the Sadhak may be able to reach his goal very soon. It is your responsibility to engender these factors in yourselves. The means consist in endeavouring to maintain the remembrance of the Principle, that is, Ishwar (God). Even here, the objection can be put forward by some that by this effort the mind gets so tired that perhaps it can retain this only for half a day.
(SDG-106)
LIBERATED SOULS
The impression held by certain philosophers that liberated souls do not possess the actual consciousness but only the potentiality for it, is wrong and misleading. No doubt, the liberated souls develop their power so much that they utilise both consciousness and potentiality any way they like, but really they are above both and then only follows liberation. If you have got potentiality developed in you, it means you have got something which is far away from the idea of nothingness.(ERY-50,51)
They swim and swim near about the Centre - the vast limitless expanse - Infinite. The liberated souls will lose their identity altogether only when Maha-Pralaya, the state of dissolution, comes in dead form.
The space shown round the dot marked 'C, the Centre, is the actual place of landing and swimming for the liberated souls. This is such a vast expanse that the first rishi of the time when the world was born is still swimming, and has not yet been able to reach even the middling point of this ocean. Those who have got vision of that first type or, in other words, that which they ought to have when they get into the central region, can verify the truth of what I have stated above.(ERY-55,56)
LIBERATION
Our great master has boldly asserted that one can, for sure, attain liberation in this very life, nay even in a part of it, provided one is really earnest about it and has the fortune of having a proper guide. This he has practically demonstrated in many instances which only direct experience can prove.(SDG-61)
The problem before us is not mere deliverance from pain and misery but freedom from bondage which is the ultimate cause of pain and misery. Freedom from bondage is liberation. It is different from salvation which is not the end of the process of rebirth. Salvation is only a temporary pause in the rotation. It is the suspension of the process of birth and death only for a certain fixed period after which we again assume the material form. The endless circle of rebirth ends only when we have secured liberation. It is the end of our pains and miseries. Anything short of liberation cannot be taken as the goal of life although there remains still a lot beyond it.(DR-16,17)
If I speak of liberation people will think it to be a very far-off thing which can be achieved by persistent efforts for a number of lives. In the diagram the state of liberation lies between the 2nd to and 3rd circles. The various conditions we have to pass through in order to secure liberation are all acquired within about a circle and a half.This may help the reader to form a rough idea of what still remains to be achieved after we have reached the point of liberation which really, as commonly believed, is not an ordinary achievement.(DR-20)
Liberation has today become very easy because of the presence of the Divine Personality. The conception of people does not generally go beyond the point of liberation which they take to be the final limit of human approach. But that is a wrong idea. As a matter of fact liberation is the lowest attainment on the Divine path, hence it is just like a toy for a child to play with. Beyond that there is yet a lot to be achieved. The Infinite oceans lies still ahead. It is a limitless expanse. Have your eyes fixed upon That and only That, and go on and on to trace it out.(SS-381)
The popular belief that the attainment of liberation is not only difficult but also impossible within the span of one life is a mistaken notion. Who knows, this very life of ours might be the last one to bring us to the level of liberation. (SDG-61)
We can attain liberation, as our scriptures say, only when we are free from the coil of past sanskaras or impressions. The present sanskaras are so much controlled by themselves that no further sanskaras are allowed to be formed. It is, of course a spiritual state. We come to it easily in Sahaj Marg when we go deep into consciousness.(SS-113)
I wish you all to acquire, during my life time, the highest approach beyond, or atleast the state of thorough negation. It is not so very difficult under the efficient system of Sahaj Marg. I strongly affirm that such a masterly type of spiritual training cannot be had anywhere but in our sanstha which runs under the kind grace of my great Divine Master. It is certain that the followers of such a high road to Divinity have ever been few at all times and in all yugas. Only those who are destined for liberation are attracted to it with eagerness and zeal.(SS-174,175)
If one is to be brought to the stage of Liberation, Sahaj Marg method for it would be to divert his soul towards the Ultimate. The result shall be that he will go on developing till,by the last moment of his life, he will finally reach the destination and attain Liberation. I can proclaim by the beat of the drum that none except a worthy Master having at his command the power of transmission can ever bring forth such wonderful results, and that Raja Yoga alone is the path which promises sure success. But this can fall to the lot of those fortunate ones alone who are actuated by an earnest longing for Liberation and are really destined for it.(SS-422,423)
I perfectly agree with these ideas laid down by Gautama Buddha. If we go with the full force at our command towards our main goal, the world would itself become a second thought. Go on doing the process of meditation till it is matured. This is the last stage of meditation. When we become one with the real thing, the things following it grow so dark that we do not perceive them. In other words, we become blind in this respect and our vision for the real things improves and we bring it to such a standard that we are lost altogether. When this condition comes we feel that we are in the state of liberation. If this condition is matured then there is the end of all miseries - no pain, no sorrow, no enjoyment and no pleasure. The machinery of body now works without producing impressions upon us. In other words, the body becomes an automatic machine which runs by itself as duties demand. Here is the end of everything and there is no making of sanskaras. Here is the point where we surrender ourselves in toto automatically. This is the essence (Tattva) of the Bhagavad Geeta. This is the condition which the angels crave for. It is reserved for the human being alone. Dear friend, do you not crave for it? I think everyone of us must endeavour to achieve this end. The thing is not as difficult as it seems to be, and to me it is as simple as anything. Absorbency in the pious thoughts achieves this goal. (SS-478,479)
Everybody likes freedom. But few take care to acquire 'freedom from freedom'. This higher stage is the result of total submission to Master Supreme. It is all absorbing attachment (bondage) to Reality alone, which liberates one from every other bondage. (SDG- 87)
Spirituality ends in Divinity, and Divinity ends in its Real Essence. Man after liberation gains nearness to God; and enters into a sphere where even Silence is silent. Liberation in body is also a chapter in spirituality. Material science cannot explain further after matter is left out. (SDG- 130)
Please see MOKSHA also.
LIFE
Now I come to your question, Whether life has got some meaning". I may quote here a verse to give you some idea of it.
"Life means liveliness; damnation is for those who are dead at heart."
Whatever poetical meaning it might carry, my view-point will be clear by the following interpretation. What is liveliness? It is to live with a heart. But what kind of life would it be? In a word I may say, "Give away your heart to another, what remains then is only life". If you ponder over the word 'life' you will come to the conclusion that life is only that which is connected with living. My expression makes it clear that there is certainly some type of living with which life is connected. At the same time it is also clear that the living with which this life wants to remain connected is eternal and immortal. If we merge our life in that life it is then the real life, where there is neither bliss nor sorrow, neither pleasure nor pain. I wish to lead you all to that life which alone is the goal of life as I have put it. Whatever sense you apply to the sentence, "give away your heart to another", will be correct if that is associated with the feeling of love. But it is also definite that Reality can never be revealed through mere interpretations because that would be far away from mental grasp. My object in writing all this is that the real being which is shrouded over with worldliness, or the heart which is inclined towards silly pleasantries, should be turned round. This is all that one has to do in life - the heart to be His, and you to be yours! (SS-357,358)
People ask the meaning of life. Life is meaningless in some persons' minds, and this is a suicidal idea. Life has its meaning because there comes a force with it, and that reminds us of something which should be very precious to those who want to keep it within them. (SDG- 87)
There is every sense in living - not only in living but achieving the highest. The craving of the soul can be satisfied best, while one is living and existing. Nobody knows the shore. (SDG-135)
Life is the awakening of the State of Being. When we brought in our share of the awakening state, every function of the material existence commenced. In the beginning, it was more in relation with Divinity from which life started. With the progress of life, actions continued having their effect according to their nature. Now we have lost our balanced character and have grown unbalanced. (SDG-40)
Accepting turning towards the spiritual life is the beginning of life, and the highest state of it is 'Life in Life' which lies hidden in life itself. We should start for that Life which is to be entered into. All our abhyas leads us to that Life. (SDG-87)
Diversity is life. Had there been no diversity, what would life have meant? (SS-358)
We have now to enter into a new life, a life which is beyond this outer life of ours. (SS-66)
Everybody has got life but we have to seek for life in life which ultimately merges in its own essence.(PP-165)
LIGHT - lUMINOUS
Every saint has used the word 'light' and I too cannot avoid it because that is the best expression for reality. But that creates some complications, because, when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The real light carries with it no such idea. Under our system the abhyasi, no doubt, sometimes sees light. But the glittering light appears only in the beginning , when matter comes into contact with energy. In other words it is only a clue that energy has begun to work. The real light has the dawn colour or a faint reflection of colourlessness .Although light is not the exact translation of the thing, (because light is really far more heavy a thing than what that actually is), it has been expressed so merely for the sake of understanding. Thus the real light refers only to the real substance, or more appropriately, substanceless substance.(SS-410,411).
Under our system an abhyasi, no doubt, sometimes sees light. But the glittering light appears only in the beginning when matter comes in contact with energy. In other words, it is only a clue to show that energy has begun to work. The Real light has the colour of dawn or a faint reflection of colourlessness.
Under this system much emphasis is laid on removing the grossness so that over-cloudiness which hovers around the soul be removed. That is for all preceptors of the Mission an important part of their duty. Still much is to be done in this respect by the abhyasi himself, who is prescribed a method for the purpose. I do not mean to touch the point why we meditate upon the heart, since it has already been discussed elsewhere.
Most of the scholarly saints have tried to define the state of Realisation in numerous odd ways, but to me it appears that if it can be defined it is not Realisation. It is really a dumb state which is beyond expression. Feeling or observing luminosity within or without is not Realisation at all. During the early period of my abhyas I often witnessed and felt luminosity. But that not being the goal, I proceeded on under the watchful support of my Master from 'Light to gray' as Dr. K. C. Varadachari rightly puts it (for our system). It is not in fact Light in the sense of luminosity that we are finally proceeding to but to that goal where there is neither darkness nor light, as the emblem of our Mission indicates. What that can possibly be is beyond words. (SS-411,412)
People in certain sansthas meditate upon this light as well. They take the lights as the real thing and they go with curiosity in it freely applying their will. The result is that they expand the matter for light to come in a higher degree. Power of light increases as the capacity for having it improves. But really speaking they are on the verge of Maya in solid form. I use the word 'solid for the light. The scientists may object to it, but if they think in true sense of the Reality where there is neither light nor darkness they will find the former far heavier than the latter. This thing happens generally in the Trikuti and beyond it.(ERY-38)
I find people hankering after seeing the light in their heart, but that is to no purpose at all, for that light is far heavier than the bliss one craves for.
An abhyasi should not try to see the light, but to suppose that it is there. I may say that it is so much repelling to me that I try to be away from it. Light is in fact only a shadow of Reality, and not Reality itself. We have to gain true Reality, of which light is only material exposition. It is felt during the course of abhyas but we ignore it as superfluous. In fact we have finally to arrive there where there is neither light nor darkness.(SS-122,123)
Under our system of practice too, an abhyasi no doubt does see the light sometimes, but that is only in the beginning when matter comes into contact with energy. In other words it is a clue to show that energy has begun to work. Moreover light nor being our goal, the vision of luminosity within or without is not an indication of the attainment of Realisation. (SDG- 77)
LIGHT (-NESS)
If the Abhyasi begins to feel himself lighter and lighter it means he is progressing, because in that case he is going into the state that God is in. Light means the loss of weight of one's own thoughts. (WU-49,50)
When we find ourselves growing lighter and lighter day by day we must conclude that we are proceeding right towards that which is the lightest and subtlest.(SS-288)
Feeling lightness, though only a little, is a sign that complexities are melting away gradually and the spiritual force is flowing into you. (SS-150)
You complain of experiencing a sorrowful mood in general.This can be a spiritual state as well. If you write about it further in detail I may be in a better position to judge. If along with this feeling of a sorrowful mood you feel lightness too,then I must congratulate you for it..(SS-247,248)
God willing your doubts shall certainly vanish. But it is of course certain that none has up till now been able to answer every 'why', nor is there any hope of it in the future. The light which you feel is the reflection of your own good thoughts, and of your deep feelings of love. Give up the idea that you have not so far progressed in meditation. Go on with it, maintaining constant remembrance as best as possible. It shall not be difficult for you since you are a man of devotion. (SS-282)
LIKES AND DISLIKES
Liking something means egoism. So, one should rise above likes and dislikes.(SS-103)
LIMITATION
Power is unlimited. The very word 'limit' came into man's understanding when he experienced his thought confined within a certain sphere. Thereby he concluded that his power is limited. The idea also promoted within him the thought of some higher power or superior force which lay beyond, and which is presumed to be unlimited. This thought of duality sprang up only when our sphere was taken to be narrower. If this idea gets banished from the mind, as it must be at a certain stage of spiritual advancement, it is then quite possible that we may lose the idea of being limited as well. When both these thoughts i.e. being within or beyond limit, are washed off from the mind, then we are in the true sense free from limitations, and the self has been joined with That which is beyond limitation or the limited. If fortunately one happens to have transmission from that higher stage then the above attainment is quite possible and practicable.(SS-422)
When you are describing your condition of bliss as heavy, it proves that your link is connected with the Centre (or Kendra of ignorance), and it is due to limitation. It would be more proper if you describe it as boredom instead of heaviness. Boredom means that you require pleasant and light air as you are now proceeding in higher altitude. Peace will be never dull.(SS-451)
There are many amongst us who eagerly hanker after realisation and freedom, and they feel it to be their duty. But when we talk of duty we find ourselves enclosed within a sort of limitation. What is that limitation? It is only a narrower sphere of thought and wisdom. As for our present level it is that of finiteness which we cannot get away from, and from which we proceed on to broader visions; I mean the vision of the Absolute Reality. But that depends mainly on the means and methods we apply for the purpose. If perchance we fall upon means which go on adding to our limitations and bondages, we shall definitely remain away from the vision of Reality - the Absolute. There may be methods to suit the temperament of particular individuals, but which may basically be wrong, or in other ways inefficient, and may serve as a toy for a child to play with, only too offer him a temporary lull, but which may lead him further to temptations for more and more enjoyment of pleasures and happiness. That may perhaps be the charm to induce him further on the path of happiness. But so long as he remains held up by the charm of it his progress gets frozen. He may well be compared to a frog in the well which thinks its own narrow sphere to be the whole universe. But if our present level inspires within us a Consciousness of a higher type of happiness of infinite character, we may be awakened to the idea of going further into the sphere of limitlessness. (SS-37,38)
LIMITLESSNESS
It is definite that a person having been bestowed with that highest approach, is in complete subjection to the will of God. The Divine will, through the medium of his Guru, works in him every way to this extent that he cannot be away from it even for a moment. In other words, he is completely under the charge of his Master. Such a man alone as can give himself up completely to his Master is possibly worthy of that highest approach. But this too is after all the beginning of the state of limitlessness, which is to be entered into after this. In short, how far one has yet to go on cannot be determined in any way.( SS-177)
LINK
We love him with faith and reverence trying by all means to attract his attention and favour. For this purpose we connect our link with Him in the light of the worldly relationship only for the sake of facility. We think of Him as father, brother, master or beloved. The process, if taken up in the right earnest, is greatly helpful to a disciple. The strong link of attraction thus established leads him to a state of devotion and surrender. (DR-94)
It is my earnest desire that my satsanghis should advance more than myself. But all this depends upon their love, labour and the grace of God. When there is love and labour then the link does move, and our jingling shall certainly reach the Master.(SS-271)
You may also be surprised to note that the link of connections which existed so far is now no more, since it has been cut off under Divine directions, and another one has been established in its place which every one has necessarily to come up to.
It is therefore essential for you all to turn round - the sooner the better - towards this new link and offer me an opportunity to mend and correct your connections without which one shall remain deprived of the Master's infinite Grace. (SDG-6)
Guru is the connecting link between God and man. He is the only power that can extricate us from the intricacies of the path.(SS-491)
It matters little if a few break off from us, because what they have gained during their brief contact will develop in the subsequent life, if not in this one. Thus our labour is by no means wasted or lost. (SS-227)
LIVING DEAD
We have not yet come to the point expressed as Nothingness or zero. When can we enter this state? Only when we make ourselves as such. We get power from the first Mind to reach the state of zero. This is the state which even angels crave for. The air of this state can be felt by him and him alone who has abandoned all airs i.e., who has become a living dead.(ERY-47)
It is possible that I cannot understand the meaning of zero in as good a manner as others do, because the zero cannot know the conditions of another zero, nor can the dead know the condition of the corpse. In a way you call such a condition as that where all dualities whatsoever go away, and we become living dead. Or we get dissolved in Reality in such a way that every discrimination is lost, and the difference between the real and the imitation is not discerned.(SS-363)
Vairagya can be attained only when one is wholly diverted towards the Divine. When it is so, one naturally becomes disinterested in his own self including everything connected with it. Thus he loses not only the body Consciousness as well. What remains then is nothing but the 'being in dead form' or a 'living dead'.(SS-69)
'Living dead' is the condition felt when a man becomes absorbed in absorbency(Fana - e - Fana).(PP-164)
LIVING STONES
Everything casts a reflection in a form similar to its own. If the thing is subtle its reflection will also be subtle in character and if it is gross the reflection will likewise be gross. If we concentrate on a solid thing we are sure to become ourselves inwardly solid. Great havoc has been wrought by teachers, who have presented to the ignorant masses everything they had learnt from the holy books in hard and solid form. It destroys the reflexive power of mind. If one develops such a horrible state he is gone for ever. He loses his approach to a broader vision and the capacity for further progress becomes extinct. Such persons may be compared to frogs in the well, with a little field of activity which they consider all and enough. They remain whirling round in a closed sphere, hemmed in on all sides. They are hammering on the same thing all their life. Stories and illustrations of gods are all and enough for them. When the practice continues for long the cells of the brain are affected and they become saturated with the thoughts which grow stronger day by day. Finally the whole nervous system is affected. The external oapacity gradually creeps inwards and they become completely impervious both within and without, to the passage for the Divine Light. Their approach to inner-self is completely barred. I shall prefer to call them living stones. The hardened crust which they thus developed keeps them aloof from slightest association with anything higher or finer. They are almost spell-bound by its effects which they consider to be a spiritual stage although in fact they are far away from it. My personal experience in the spiritual field has revealed to me that it is a pretty hard and tedious task to shatter the hard crust, created by such forms of practice, from the hearts of those coming to me for spiritual pursuit. If one wants to free himself from those bondages of soul he must necessarily clear off the layers of grossness and solidity settled over his mind as a result of these stultifying practices. (DR-9,10,11)
LONGING
If our longing (or Lagan) for the realisation of the goal is great, our negligent or sluggish habits will not stand in the way of our efforts or progress. If we go through the history of ancient sages we find that they had sacrificed all the comforts of life for the sake of attaining Reality. They led a life of austerity and penance, undergoing every kind of hardship and trouble for the sake of the object so dear to their heart. Intense longing for the goal made them blind to everything else and they remained firm on the path not minding the difficulties and reverses that came across their way. Such an intense longing for the object and an iron will to achieve the goal is absolutely necessary to ensure complete success. I may assure you that you can win laurels in the spiritual field if only you turn your attention towards God and proceed with will, faith and confidence, no matter how adversely you may be placed in, surrounded by all the worries and miseries of a household life. Your busy life will then offer no hindrance in your way. (DR-36,37)
LORD KRISHNA
If the question as to from whom Lord Krishna got light is put to me, my answer would be that He is Self-luminous. But then this need not mislead the enquirer that he too is self-luminous and everyone else is also such, and there is an end to all enquiry. Logical speculations are no substitutes for the cravings of the heart. The heart is not satisfied even if the logic stops dead in some blind alley. (SS-223)
LOTUSES
Please See CHAKRAS.
LOVE
My associates have often enquired from me the method for creating
such type of restlessness within them. I may tell them that intense love for
the object will automatically lead them to it. When we are in deep love, we
shall naturally feel impatient to secure nearness with the loved object. When
we are greatly in love with any of the worldly objects its idea comes to our
mind again and again, and we think of it over and over again. Now in order to
develop Divine love in our heart we have only to reverse the process. If we
remember God frequently or for the most part of the day, we will automatically
develop love for Him, which if continued with earnestness will create impatience
in our heart to secure union at the earliest. Another way of developing love
with God is to play the part of a lover as if you are enacting a drama. But
it is only for those who are almost incapable of finer means.The method though
artificial will shortly bring you to reality and feelings of true love and impatience
will begin to agitate your heart. (DR-39)
The relationship of love having been established in the sphere
of self extends upto that of the Master. This is the link which once established
is never severed. But still the final destination is far off yet, though the
power of thought which is enormously great, makes it easily accessible.(IB-19)
The only way to develop love is constant remembrance. While doing your daily
work you must think that you are doing it in obedience to God's orders, and
hence as part of your duty. This simple process, if followed in the right spirit,
will keep you in touch with the Ultimate. Another advantage would be that you
will stop further formation of sankaras. The constant remembrance promotes attachment
to God which develops into Bhakti. This is because the heat contained in the
thought stimulates emotion which assumes the form of Bhakti. If you turn it
into a habit you will find how fast love develops in you. It is in fact an essential
feature of spiritual life.(SS-54)
I was so mad with love for Him that I had lost my power of
vision for all things. People may condemn it as blind faith, but my love-madness
pulled me up to it, and I liked to linger within the dark gloomy atmosphere
of love, rather than enjoy the blissful state of anandam But I like to
keep it reserved exclusively for myself land I do not induce any other to follow
this mad course. His every gesture was to me the revelation of the Divine mystery,
his every word a volume of spirituality, and his every action the exposition
of the 'Unknown'. I had no choice or liking nor even a sense of discrimination
between the right and the wrong. To me everything of his was what it ought to
be. I was in complete submission to his will and could never think otherwise
even for a moment. I literally followed the following concept:
If your spiritual guide asks you to dye your prayer carpet
with wine, do it; for he, having travelled himself the entire distance, is well
aware of all ups and downs of the path! (SS-236)
Love is praised everywhere. There is a story in the Mahabharata:
When Lord Krishna went to Vidura's house, Vidura's wife, who was bathing naked,
rapturously opened the door and came out on hearing Krishna's voice. Krishna
threw his upper garment and covered her. She began to feed him with plantains
in such a way that she gave him the skin (peel) and threw away the fruit. When
Vidura came and reminded her as to what she was doing, she came to her senses
and began to feed him the fruit. Lord Krishna then said that the taste which
he found in the peel was not there in the fruit. So when love and Bhakti
take hold to such an extent, the condition which Vidura's wife had is some times
experienced by the less advanced. (SS-279,280)
Having stayed with this insignificant being for sometime, you
have actually created in yourself a condition which if further developed can
be interpreted as an all-absorbing love. This is the reason why you create deep
impressions wherever you go. I am much pleased with whatever service you have
been rendering to the Mission so far and I believe success will soon dawn upon
you. (SS-244)
One might think it a serious blunder on my part. My simple
answer to it would be that like Majnun I was beside myself with the madness
of love, and a Majnun can best be judged from the viewpoint of Laila. I was
concerned solely with my beloved Laila. This is in a word about me and my condition,
but for others I do not insist upon their taking up the same course of mad love.
(SS-237)
But the course we thus take up leads to the reverse of what
we aspire for. What is to be done under the circumstances is for each one to
decide for himself.
Jab mai thaa tab too naheen
ab too hai mai naheen.
Prem galee ati sankaree
taame dho na samahi. (SS-239)
Do not feel surprised if I say love and hatred are the same.
Love is only positive thinking and hatred is negative thinking. (SDG-100)
This motherly affection, so deep, for the first time shows
that he has advanced a step further. That is the sign of aggravation of love.
Now he has started learning love from the very base which moves on all other
sides. (SDG-104)
Finally love makes every task easy and paves the way for the
shower of Master's grace to smoothen the way to the Ultimate Goal. Love is
the hunger of human soul for divine beauty, according to Socrates; and Love
is the inner awakening to Reality according to me. Love Him who loves all,
and thus everybody is automatically loved through Him. Amen. Sahaj Marg has
come in the front with the basic principle in view. (SDG-32)
Even scoldings are endured in love but, dear brother, there
is a strange sweetness in those scoldings. And those scoldings can come only
under intoxication of love. Such a one will never be of loose and low morals.
I shall write a famous verse of Surdas which he has uttered in the love of Krishna:
'You are getting out of the grip of my hand, thinking me to be weak; but I shall
consider you really a man if you can get out of my heart'. He said this when
he had fallen into a well as he was blind, and Krishnaji Maharaj had got him
out. Then he had gripped the hand of Krishna saying that he would not let him
go. But Krishna ran away, getting out of his grip. (SS-481)
If there is real love,every particle of the body should be
transformed within seven years. (SS-454)
Liberation can make one free from all the earthly bondages.
When a person wants his Evolution, Nature helps him. Doctor gives bitter pills
to the patient, even when he loves the patient dearly. God wants to see His
creation quite befitting, pious and clean. So it is the Law of Nature that He
does everything necessary to open the door of Evolution. 'A bad workman quarrels
with his tools' - is the proverb. What we think bad and troublesome, becomes
the way of freedom. My Master, in great agony due to abscess of the liver, said
on seeing tears in the eyes of His disciple that though He could cure His disease
in no time, He did not want to meddle with God's ways. (SDG-87, 88)
When the feeling of love is there in the heart, restlessness
must come in by itself. The difference in degree may not be of much account
in this respect since it may grow more and more in course of time. But what
can be said of those who even get annoyed and irritated whenever a harsh or
reprimanding word is used for them? That may be a clear indication of the fact
that they do not like to free themselves from their egoistic feelings. It is
just possible that they might be under the impression that to put them on the
right path, and to give them higher approaches, forms a part of my duty towards
them. It may be so to some extent, but then at the same time they must also
bear in mind that they are to make themselves deserving for it. I feel concerned
with everyone of you but only to the extent that it lies within the limits of
my essential duties. I induce everyone to try for the nullification of self,
but they do not care to take into view even its elementary steps, and I have
to put up with it. I speak of it in very guarded words lest someone might get
annoyed.(SS-173)
LOVE OF GOD
The disease is hated by all who suffer. But basically it
is very purifying. When impure 'Samskaras' come into 'Bhog', the eyes
of the creator are towards us. It serves as a cradle for rocking the baby and
we get nourished. Even when the virtuous 'Samskaras' come for 'Bhog,
the eyes of God are towards us. It means, we are benefited by the disease also
which takes along with it the vicious 'Samskaras'. All is the play of
His love. (SDG 100)
LOWLINESS
He alone can climb up a height who has created in himself the
recognition of his lowliness (low lying state).( SS-384)