All the saints of all times and the world over have been in
unison on the point that though God permeates through each &
every particle, however tiny, of the universe, the path to
Him as well as He Himself can be found only within us and
that all other attempts, whatever and howsoever grand, to
probe for Him in the outside world are, in fact, exercises
in futility and, therefore, are bound to fail. Below is
presented an english translation of a verse composed by one
of the greatest exponents of Santmat humanity has ever
seen, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj of Bhagalpur,
Bihar, taken from his book "Maharshi Mehi Padaavali:

Look for (Him) within you, loiter not in the outside world in
the search of God. For He dwells within us only. Gathering
your current of consciousness scattered in both your eyes,
focus it on a point as a result of which you would get to see
(the inner divine light, brahma jyoti) and hear (the inner
divine sound, brahma naad),and thus carry on your search
inside you. Channelise or draw your consciousness (surat)
straight unto the tiniest gate (tenth gate, dasham dwaar,
til dwaar, vindu, or ajna chakra) where you will be able to
listen to a large variety of vibrations or sounds (anhad naad).
Get inspired by these and ascend or raise yourself further &
further up in the search (of your true self). Each of the
five mandals or spheres of creation (namely, gross or
`sthool', subtle or `sookshma', causal or `kaaran',
supra-causal or `mahaakaaran', and pure conscious or
'chetan') has its own vibration/sound (which is responsible
for its creation) arising from its centre. Getting hold of each
of these central sounds one by one, go on leaping into the
higher (subtler) spheres in search for your true master (God
or your own real self). Maharshi Mehi Paramhans says that
with your unstinted, unwavering devotion & dedication unto
your Guru and, as a result, the latter's grace, strive to
catch hold of the fifth (the subtlest) sound or vibration
(called variously as anaahat naad, saar shabd, aadi shabd,
pranav, sfot, aadi naam, raam naam etc.) which springs from
the Almighty's  realm (beyond all the five aforementioned
spheres or mandals)  and which would escort you along to
Him only, thus completing & fulfilling your search.

Guidance and help of Guru is inevitable and indispensable for
progress in one's spiritual pursuits. Without his help it is
impossible to move ahead in the spiritual sojourn. Hence, all the
saints have underscored the importance of Sadguru and glorified the
role and noble virtues of the Guru in their numerous hymns. Below is
presented an English translation of a verse taken from "Mehi
Padaavali" composed by Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, one of the
greatest exponents of Santmat .

O exemplary and Honourable Guru! Kindly bless me so that my
consciousness may ascend/ rise in the inner (spiritual) sky. Please
be generous enough to enable me catch hold of (perceive) the current
of the all-pervading eternal Divine Sound. Holding on to your
benevolent ray, may I be able to behold your refulgent subtle form.
There is none other so lacking or destitute in spiritual means and
meditation as am I. So, O Lord! Kindly cast aside these weaknesses
and deficiencies inherent in me. Please be forgiving and merciful
and destroy or demolish the huge stockpile of evil samskaras I have
amassed during my numerous previous births owing to my own improper
actions or deeds. O Guru! It is in your basic nature to liberate the
disgraceful, sinful souls (mortals). Kindly emancipate me, too,
beseeches Maharshi Mehi, in keeping with your true & natural
disposition.

Know Thyself As A Drop From the Ocean of Love








Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
SantMatFellowship
{The one who has purity of character,
who practices diligently the Yoga of Sound,
and who can explain *clearly* Sant Mat
(the complete Path of the Masters with nothing missing),
can be accepted and trusted as Satguru/Teacher.}


SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

"To realise God or the ultimate state of Enlightenment one becomes godly in body, mind, soul, spirit and day to day living, loving and relations, in thoughts, words, deeds and behaviour, finally following a golden path of spiritual success described by the Masters and Prophets.

"Every moment of his meditation should be how much he is desperately eager to achieve it, to believe it and to become. Through that desperate eagerness he will always search in any kind of holy contact, through the sayings of Masters, and the search will lead him further. The truth is, the more he learns, the more he becomes and evolves, the more he finds God and His spirit working in him as love to embrace all in One as own self, embrace the Holy Spirit of God as himself and the state of eternity, of godhood, as his only self, remembering, functioning and materialising every moment all the spiritual advice in his being and becoming.

"How can one have the super mental state and finally pure consciousness to conceive his Reality? Unless his whole magnetic influence or libido continuously rushes towards his Mediator, Satguru or God's spirit to blend himself with his being, how can His spirit become active in his life to awaken him to that supreme consciousness of his Reality?

"So be sincere, remain holy every moment with all your love and faith in your self, your Mediator and the Supreme and you will achieve final Enlightenment, no doubt about it." (Sree Sree Mentu Maharaj, The Ultimate Enlightenment)

Kirpal Singh's books are published in Urdu and many other languages. The Urdu word for 'man' or 'human' means: "one who is bubbling over with love". The title of Kirpal Singh's book, Man Know Thyself, therefore means: "One who is bubbling over with love, know thyself".

"The highest aim of humanity is to know one's self and to know God…..Every moment of our life is most precious. We should not fritter it away in useless pursuits, but devote it in the search of self and God."  (Kirpal Singh)

"The Kingdom of the Father is inside you and outside you. You who know yourselves will discover this. And when you know yourselves, you will realise that you are children of the living Father." (from Saying 3, Greek Gospel of Thomas)

"It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings that our Sat Purush (True Lord) created this earth, and began this play of death and birth." (Guru Nanak)

Know also that the Reality has described Himself as being the Outer and the Inner, Manifest and Unmanifest. He brought the Cosmos into being as constituting an Unseen Realm and a Sensory Realm, so that we might perceive the Inner though our unseen, and the Outer through our sensory aspect. ("Ibn Al `Arabi" - The Bezels of Wisdom, Paulist Press)

"From the birthless God we have taken birth, and from this birth in the human form we must merge into God. When the bud blossoms into the flower, it spreads its fragrance all around. Just so in this life we must spread our noble activities and good influence all around." (Prayers of Satguru Kabir, published by the Kabir Association)

"The soul pervades the body. We know and enjoy all things in the easy way (sahaj marg). We are endless and are not bound by this side or that side of this world. We are in this life and in the spiritual world. We are all-pervading all the time, and we are in the depth of depths. We are in space and in the universe. Thus has Guru Kabir explained. With the glorification of Satnam, the disciple  was embraced by Kabir Sahib and went to Sat Lok." (Prayers of Satguru Kabir, published by the Kabir Association)

"What is man's most important task? It is to know one's Self, to withdraw yourself from outside, from the outgoing faculties, by stilling the mind, and concentrating at the seat of the soul in the body, which is at the back of the eyes. This is where the soul recedes at the time of death. It is there that you will have self awareness, by rising above and forgetting the physical body. When you rise above body consciousness, you can know the Controlling Power within you. That is why all Masters enjoined that we must know ourselves first. Self knowledge precedes God knowledge. When you become self concentrated, the surat or attention will work wonders, wherever it may be directed. It is all a feat of the attention. If you first become attentive, concentrated within your own self by withdrawing from outside, you will be able to rise above the physical body and by rising still further, you will have Cosmic Consciousness. The macrocosm is in the microcosm. We have got the physical body and must rise above it. We have also got the astral body in which we have to work in the higher self. Then still beyond there is a plane where we have to use our causal body. After rising above the physical body, you will have self awareness. When you rise above the astral and causal bodies, you will come into your true I-hood. You will see that "I and my Father are One". The whole thing depends on the concentration of your attention within yourself. Then, whichever way you direct your attention, you will work wonders. " (Morning Talks, Kirpal Singh)

"The individual soul is inseparable from the Almighty.

Nature, having a beginning and an end, is a created one.

The souls are all bound by illusions and are rotating round the great wheel of birth and death. This state of the individual soul or souls is the root cause of all sufferings. In order to come out of these, the only remedy is devotion to God.

Repeating the name in mind, concentrating upon it in mind and with the help of 'Drishti Sadhan' and 'Surat-Shabda-Yoga' (Yoga of Sound). One has to pass or go beyond darkness, light and words to be at one with Him and get 'Moksha' or liberation.

Having unflinching faith in the Almighty and full dependence on Him and firm resolution to find Him within oneself, serving Guru selflessly, practising Satsang and Dhyana Yoga – all these be considered as the real steps for getting salvation in this world."    (Maharishi Mehi)

"Scent-like currents of consciousness are spread all over the body and float up in the sky,

And in that sphere, consciousness like the bee, feels highly content,

Listening to the multiple sounds,

Pure light is burning inside and as one sees it, all one's lapses are eliminated forever;

In the inner sky, nectar gets swept away and the devotees are fully drenched,

Drinking that ambrosia, consciousness is fully awakened and making fresh endeavors to climb,

Beauty like crores of shining Suns is so very illuminating,

And there, glimpsing the Absolute, beyond the quintessential one,

You strike your bond with the Supreme Sovereign or pure consciousness;

Every moment, keeping consciousness alive in your inner sky,

Suck out the milk of paradise by the grace of Guru,

Tulsi Sahib says, the abode of Guru is all illuminating and the loud musical notes are heard,

Let your consciousness like Alal-bird overturn,

Shaking off the wrappings of the body." (Hymn of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib)

"Consider the following as the requirements to attain liberation: Trust and belief in the Divine; commitment to seek the Divine within; devotion to a spiritual master; listening to the teaching of the spiritual discourse including study of the teachngs of the saints and the scriptures; and diligent meditation practice." (Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

Also see, The Principles of Santmat:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MeditationSangat/message/2502?var=0&l=1

Mystic Poems from the Padavali of Maharishi Mehi

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
SantMatFellowship
{The one who has purity of character,
who practices diligently the Yoga of Sound,
and who can explain *clearly* Sant Mat
(the complete Path of the Masters with nothing missing),
can be accepted and trusted as Satguru/Teacher.}
SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

















The Glittering Point between the two eyebrows [third eye center] is visible,
Dear ones! Closing your eyelids, try to see,
Let the two currents of Light converge at the Central Point of the eyebrows,
Fix your gaze and cross your bodily sphere and enter the egg of the universe;
The inner Sky, studded with Stars, looks so wonderful,
Light, like the earthen lamp, is visible that eliminates the darkness of the closed eyes,
The incomparable Moonlight, unique in itself is spread in all corners;
And the Light of the young Sun also radiates beautifully,
Surat [soul], with its spiritual vision, catches the multiple Sounds without being impaired,
O individual souls! Catching these Sounds with Surat-like rope,
Walk along the final abode, which is the Real Home;
Mehi has revealed this mystery, the Quintessential One,
One, who serves Guru without any guile, has no difficulty in reaching the Real Home.


Without gazing downward, upward, leftward, rightward or backward,
Look ahead, closing both your eyes and joining the two currents exactly in the middle of the two eyes [third eye],
Immersing yourself in the blaze of the Shining Star and watching the scenes of the Sphere of Light,
Fly in the inner firmament like a bird, and perching there on the Luminous Point,
Catch the Quintessential Sound among the multiple sounds and glide like a fish,
O mind!  Flying like the bird and swimming like the fish,
Your mind is absorbed in its own sphere,
Surat alone mounts on the Egg of Brahma,
Finally, catching the Ceaseless Primal Sound, Surat [the soul] listens to it,
The Sound of Creation enrapturing is so very intense,
Mehi says, with the help of the Central Sound (Naad) in the lower sphere,
Catch the Central Sounds of the higher spheres and finally grip the Quintessential One,
Thus grasping the Sound, that is, the Quintessential One, cross this sea-like world.


In front of the nose and the centre of the two eyes is located the tenth door [third eye],
The Lighted Point appears to be glittering there;
Fixing your gaze at that Point, eliminate the capriciousness of the mind,
Saints have said this to be the real path of peace.

My eyes got fixed at the central Point between the two eyebrows,
They do not glance sideways and are fixed at the Point in front;
The Light of Brahma appears within and darkness of the night vanishes,
The Sun, with its extraordinary rays, ascends with so many sparkles,
Consciousness finally gets immersed in the Quintessential Word,
Baba Sahib tells Mehi to remain absorbed day and night in such applications.

[Maharishi Mehi's Teacher-Sant Satguru was Baba Devi Sahib.]

Surat [soul], going to glimpse the Absolute, concentrates through its gaze at the tenth door [third eye],
Watching the Luminous Point, the Pole Star, the Moon and the Sun,
Surat [the soul] hears different multiple sweet tunes of the five spheres;
Mehi says, this is the quintessence of Santmat [teachings of the Masters];
And he has only repeated the words of the saints,
He has understood and got some of them fully tested,
They are so very true and are of great benefit to all.

-- Maharishi Mehi

The Path of Inner Light and Sound According to J.L. Chaudhari

SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
{The one who has purity of character,
who practices diligently the Yoga of Sound,
and who can explain *clearly* Sant Mat
(the complete Path of the Masters with nothing missing), can be accepted and trusted as Satguru/Teacher.}

Meditation Sangat:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MeditationSangat
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MeditationSangat
{"Do not live even a single day without inner
meditation." -- Baba Devi Sahab}

For information on the Teachings of Yogani MataJi, see this beautiful chapter of the book, Enchanted Land:
http://vclass.mtsac.edu:930/phil/mother.htm 

An email I received a few years back from J.L. Chaudhari, an assistant and spiritual successor of Yogani MataJi, sums up the Path of the Masters quite well:

"The real message of man's life is "Be Man". The question is how to follow this principle and what should we do to adopt this principle and formula for finding a way to God which is nothing but salvation.

"The only way is to surrender oneself in the Lotus feet of Spiritual Master. After this surrender the disciple and Master become one because a true surrender makes a man free from the bondage of senses, dilution, affection, etc, etc. So far we are under the control of worldly desires the surrender is not possible. So the first step is to be free from worldly desires. But that does not mean that the needs for worldly living should not be fulfilled. In fact needs should be fulfilled and not the desires. If we have taken birth as a human being some food (energy) is necessary for the body to work, but it is not necessary that we always aspire for multi cause meals, it is necessary to put on some cloths to cover the body but not necessary that silk linen is put on, it is necessary that there is a small shelter for living but not necessary that a marble fitted house is with us.

"As a human being we have to survive in this world without caring for ourselves much, without looking to the ills of others rather looking towards ills of ourselves purifying ourselves first and then do something for the purification of others. This is the living of a "lotus" in a pond and that is why the Goddess Saraswati the Goddess for knowledge, wisdom and intellect sits on the Lotus. The Lotus flower blossoms in muddy pond, but any one looking at the flower exclaims wow! How beautiful the flower is? The whole world is a muddy pond and we have to survive in the midst of mud like a lotus flower which does not care for mud but it blossoms for the pleasure and happiness of others. Every morning with sunrise the lotus blossoms. This is what we should also follow. The divine power and light emanated by the Spiritual Master makes us to blossom like the lotus flower provided we have full trust and faith in our spiritual master.

"Sant Mat does not look at the race, the cast, the sect or any other identification for a person rather it looks into the true sense of service, sacrifice surrender, devotion, determination, trust, belief of person towards the Master and those who have these characteristics they may be belonging to any cast, race, country, direction or of any identification can join this Yoga, but for that a true spiritual Master is a must. I don't know whether you have adopted some spiritual Master or your are under the shelter of someone as a spiritual Master. If so, please do surrender yourself to him or her for all what you desire to attain and achieve. The spiritual Master is not the body rather it is the Divine Light the Divine Sound and your own wisdom your own conscious and your own perception which is selfless and without any expectation from any one on this earth."

Yours in Him,

-- J.L. Chaudhari

For information on the Teachings of Yogani MataJi, see this beautiful chapter of the book, Enchanted Land:
http://vclass.mtsac.edu:930/phil/mother.htm 

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship

If there were no living Masters there would be no Students

By James Bean
SantMat_Mystic_(James)
SantMat_Mystic_(James)
Copyright April 2007

Books falling from the sky did not create the world religions. Before there was "The Book", there was the author or authors of "The Book." Without living teachers in history there would be no Torah, no Buddhism, no Christianity, no Sermon on the Mount, no Golden Rule or Gospel of Thomas, no Suras of the Quran, no ahimsa message of Lord Maharvira in Jainism, no sages to compose the Upanishads, no Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita, no Jap Ji of Guru Nanak, no Tao Te Ching of Lau Tzu, no Golden Verses of Pythagoras. If there was no Master by the name of Shams of Tabriz, there would have been no disciple by the name of Rumi -- no Rumi poetry. If there was no Swami Ji Maharaj, no Tukaram, no Tulsi Sahib, no Dadu, no Ravidas, no Mirabai, no Maharishi Mehi, no Sawan Singh, no Guru Kabir, no Sant Dariya Sahib, no living Masters, there would be no Sant Mat Fellowship on the worldwide web, no students, no initiates, no satsangs to attend, no clear and organized system of inner Light and Sound Meditation called surat shabd yoga to be initiated into, nobody to give the initiation, and no one expanding their awareness due to the sweet influence of the Saints.

On the Path of the Masters, being influenced by a competent living teacher who has spent many successful years in meditation, and who has been honestly approved (accredited) by his teacher, is the goal. The essential reason for having a spiritual teacher is not to worship the personality of the teacher, but to learn from them the Methods of spiritual practice. The living teacher preserves the Methods of meditation and passes that Knowledge and Experience on to the next generation. A good spiritual master also motivates his or her students to practice meditation and lead an ethical life in the context of a spiritual community or group of people (satsang).  Books alone isolated from a community of others would not be enough to sustain spiritual practice, especially inner mystical experiences. Satsang inspires, teaches, motivates, and group meditation helps to accelerate one's own inner experience. "Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I Am in their midst."

"Rumi says, 'If you seek to know God, sit at the feet of the Saints'".

A great description of what living Masters do for their students is found in the Gospel of Thomas unearthed in Egypt. Variations of this saying have also turned up in the Hebrew Bible, Greek New Testament, other apocryphal gospels, the Quran, Gnostic tests, Mandaean scriptures of Iraq, Buddhist sutras, the sacred texts of the Mandaeans of Iran, in the bhajans of Kabir, Nanak, and other Sants of the East:

The Master said,
"I will give you
what no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
what no hand has touched,
and what has never occurred
to the human mind."
(Egypt: Coptic Gospel of Thomas, 17)

There is an axiom of wisdom found in many world scriptures about exploring Inner Space, the Kingdom of God, spiritually or mystically with new eyes, and hearing spiritually with new ears. This saying about ........

"seeing what no physical eye has seen and
what no material ear has heard"

appears in many ancient scriptures of the West and East. Visionary mysticism, inner seeing and hearing are universal experiences of contemplative souls in the various world religions.

In the Ethiopian Bible is preserved a Jewish apocryphal text that reminds me of an NDE (Near Death Experience): And this angel said to me, Isaiah, son of Amoz, I set you free; for you have seen what no mortal man has ever seen before. Yet you must return to your garments of flesh until your days are completed. Then will you come up here again. (Ascension of Isaiah 11: 34)

Jesus-Yeshua: How privileged are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. I swear to you, many prophets and righteous ones have longed to see what you see and didn't see it, and to hear what you hear and didn't hear. (Matthew 13: 16-17 = Q/Luke 10: 23 - 24 -- New Testament and Sayings Gospel Q)

His power will be given to them,
which no eye has seen nor ear heard.
And they will rejoice in My Kingdom.
(Jesus, apocryphal "Testament of the Lord in Galilee")

A Manichaean scripture from Central Asia:
....that I may redeem you from death and annihilation, I will give you what you have not seen with the eye nor heard with the ears nor grasped with the hand. (Turfan fragments, translated in "Gnosis On The Silk Road,")

The tenth century Persian Sufi Master Abd al-Qadir al-Jalani quotes an interesting passage from the Quran: I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eye has ever seen, of which no ear has ever heard,
and of which has never occurred to the heart of man. ("Concerning the Affirmation of Divine Oneness", Al-Baz Publishing)

From a prayer found in the Mandaean scriptures of Iraq:
Thou hast showed us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that which the human ear has not heard. Thou has freed us from death and united us with Life, released us from darkness, and united us with Light....... Thou hast shown us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that which the human ear has not heard.
("Canonical Prayer Book of the Mandaeans", E.S. Drower)

The Divine Eye According to the Buddha:
With the Divine Eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds. Just as a man with good sight when he has ascended to the upper palace chamber, might survey a thousand wheel-rims, so too, with the Divine Eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds.

The Divine Ear According to the Buddha:
I have proclaimed to my disciples the way whereby with the Divine Ear element, which is purified and surpasses the human, they hear both kinds of sounds, the divine and the human, those that are far as well as near. Just as a vigorous trumpeter might make himself heard without difficulty in the four quarters; so too, I have proclaimed to my disciples the way whereby with the Divine Ear element....far as well as near. And thereby many disciples of mine abide having reached the consummation and Perfection of Direct Knowledge. ("The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha -- A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya," Teachings of the Buddha, translated by Bhakkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, Wisdom Publications)

From India, Guru Nanak:
We speak without tongue,
we see without eyes,
we hear without ears,
we walk without feet, and
we work without hands.

Sant Kabir:
May I see You with my eyes,
hear Your Sound
with my own ears.
Speak Your Name
in my own words, O Lord;
rest Your flower-like feet
on my heart.
("Songs of Kabir From the Adi Granth",
translated by Nirmal Dass, SUNY Press, NY)

Presented below is the English rendering of the Hindi
couplets composed by Maharshi Santsewiji Paramhans,
published (in Hindi) in the December 2006 edition of
Shanti Sandesh, spiritual monthly brought out by
Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar,
India:


"O unwise, ignorant fish (jivatma)! You did not do right.
You forsook the ocean (God) and fell in love with the
petty pond (outer material transient world). ||1||


Now that the pond is on the verge of drying up and your
life drawing to its end, arise & awake at least now and
surrender yourself to the ocean, advise all saints. ||2||


With filth (in form of perversions of mind) filled all inside,
you keep passing sermons to others, and go on accepting gifts
and offerings from the gullible, trusting people? Remember,
such deeds would land you in Hell! ||3||


You find pleasure in doing all undo-able, evil things; enjoy
performing sinful activities; and dislike or detest
well-intentioned counsels. You will have to undergo, mind you,
untold sufferings in the kingdom of Yamaraaj, the Hell. ||4||


It's not yet too late. Begin to meditate on God, giving up
the temptations & trappings of sensual pleasures,
objects of senses, because you never know when you will
breathe your last.||5||


You take to lethargy when it comes to doing
bhajan (worship, meditation), and show swiftness,
felicity and adeptness at talking big, sermonizing others.
With the heart full of all sorts of attachments and
ill-will, animosity & jealousy, you are sure to be courted
by the Death-God, Yamaraj. ||6||


Purify your body by doing selfless service to the Sadguru,
purify your wealth by giving alms to the poor and the needy.
Sanctify your mind by doing bhajan and make your way towards
salvation. ||7||


Every moment that passes should remind you of the end nearing,
coming closer. The one who wastes his life not by meditating
has to repent in the end. ||8||


Begin bhajan with internally chanting or repeating the
Guru-mantra/incantation (the charged words given by the Guru).
And then try to visualize the radiant form or image of the Sadguru
in the still darkness of the inner sky (with eyes closed).
Follow that with focusing your attention at the seat of
the soul within, i.e. at the third eye or the inner eye
or the til dwaar, by making the two streams of consciousness
in your two eyes converge in a point. ||9||


When the two currents of consciousness meet in a point,
divine light appears within. Then, practice
surat shabd yog (yog of divine sound) i.e.,
try to shift your attention to listening to
the divine sounds or myriads of melodies (anahad naad)
ringing inside. Listening to the divine sound destroys
all the perversions, agitations and fickleness
of the mind. ||10||


Ascending beyond  or transcending myriads of sounds,
try to identify and tune in to the quintessential
unstruck melody, called "saar shabd" or "anaahat naad"
which alone is capable of taking you and merging you
into oneness with the Supreme Lord; this is the
ultimate deliverance, emancipation, welfare,
or liberation. ||11||


Kaaminee or female (for male; similarly male for female)
is hundred times as intoxicating as kanak (gold or, the opium).
One loses one's saneness or balance of mind or rationality
by mere sight of hers, why to talk of acquiring kanak (gold)
or consuming kanak (opium). ||12||"

Dear James,

Thank you for this beautiful posting. I truly needed to hear these Words today.
Their
appearance was mysteriously amazing.

Om Namah Shivaya,

~Kabir Bakie~

*********************************************************

--- In SantMatFellowship@yahoogroups.com, "Sant Mat Mysticism"
<santmat_mystic@...>
wrote:
>
> Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
>
> If there were no living Masters there would be no Students
>

while i am not a Sikh, i have been reading through an english
translation of the Guru Granth Sahib, and find it incredibly clear
and beautiful. i would like to share the following lines: while i
read them, i realized how much of a blessing it is to remember to
pray, to meditate, to submit and listen, even as there are many
people who do not have the thought or the hope to do so.

from Raag Maajh:

One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being
Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth,
Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:

The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.

By great good fortune, I meditate on the Lord's Name.

The Perfect Guru has attained spiritual perfection in the Name of
the Lord. How rare are those who follow the Guru's Teachings.

I have loaded my pack with the provisions of the Name of the Lord,
Har, Har.

The Companion of my breath of life shall always be with me.

Translated into English by Pravesh K. Singh praveshksingh@...

Following is a discourse of Param Poojya Maharshi Santsevi Paramhans Jee Maharaj, translated into English (This was published in January 1999 issue of the spiritual monthly in Hindi namely, "Shanti Sandesh" brought out by Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India):

Behold the Moon as well as the Sun Within You

Just a little while ago, you listened to the recitation from the Raam Charit Maanas (a famous epic composed by Goswami Tulasi Das jee) wherein the scintillating light of the Sun of Lord Shree Ram was referred to. It is said that when this sun rose, all the three worlds were illuminated. Now, this does not mean that before this sun came out, all the three worlds had been under darkness; and that only when this sun rose, the three worlds could see the light. It is also not that this sun came into existence only after the incarnation of Lord Shree Ram took place.

Goswami Tulasidas jee himself has later clarified the issue: "Yah prataap ravi jaake, ur jab karanhi prakaash." That is, when this refulgent Sun or form of Ram or God appears within, or illuminates the inner sky of a person, he/she is able to see through the three worlds or the entire brahmaand (cosmos). We know it very well that the Sun in the outer sky is not able to brighten up even one world simultaneously (i.e. our Earth) in its entirety, let alone lighting all the three worlds.

It is right now daytime here (in India), but it is night out there in United States of America. That is, not even one world is fully lit at the same time. Again, in some of the countries like Norway and Sweden which are located near the North Pole, they have days and nights spanning about six months each! Had the Sun Tulasidas jee is referring to been this sun only, these countries would also have been illuminated simultaneously… In fact, the Sun mentioned by Tulasidas jee is not the outer sun, but the inner sun, the one which can be viewed inside each one of us. When a spiritual seeker sits in meditation, he/she makes an ascending journey, rising from the Aajnaa Chakra (variously termed as the divine gate, third eye, divya chakshu, teesraa til, dasham dwaar, shiv netra, trinetra etc. etc.) into the region of the thousand-petalled lotus, or the Sahasraar. Ascending further, when entry is made into the Trikutee, the inner Sun becomes visible, by seeing which the seeker acquires the super-natural or divine vision so as to be able to see all the three worlds. Our Gurudev, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans jee Maharaj, had scaled such heights of meditation that he could see events happening in any part of the universe. I have narrated several such incidents to you on different occasions in the past. Describing the inner sun, Sant Kabir Saahab says,

"Yahi ghat chandaa yahi ghat soor, yahi ghat baajai anahad toor. Yahi ghat baajai tabal nishaan, bahiraa shabad sunai binu kaan." (Moon as well as Sun is within this body itself. Within this body itself keep ringing myriads of celestial melodies or sounds. Within this body itself sounds the divine drum. Even the outwardly or physically deaf can listen to these divine sounds.)

Proceeding from the Aajnaa Chakra, we get a glimpse of moon in the `sahasra dal kamal', or the realm of thousand-petalled lotus. Moving ahead we get to see the sun in the region of `trikutee'.

Not only Kabir Saahab, other saints, too, have testified to sighting the moon and the sun within. Guru Nanak jee, for example, describes it thus: "Ravi Shashi lauke yahi tanu, kinguree baajai shabad niraaree" (Sun and moon are visible within this very body of ours, wherein we can also listen to the divine sound current.)

He says further,

"Taaraa chadiyaa lammaa, kiu nadari nihaaliyaaa Raam" (I hopped onto the star and saw it. The grace of God has made my life gratified, blissful & blessed.)

Whosoever begins this inner voyage i.e., practice meditation, gains in mental concentration. Associated with concentration is ascension. Such person crosses over from the level of `pind' (body) into the `brahmaand' (cosmos) where he/she gets the blissful glimpses of stars, moon, sun etc. These sightings are related to the inner world, not the outer one.

We see that we can not perform any work even in this outer world of ours in absence of light and sound. If both the light and the sound or vibrations go missing from our world, we would find it well nigh impossible to live. So, just as we need light and sound in the outer universe, we need light and sound in the inner universe, too. We identify any person or thing with the help of light (form or appearance) and sound. Similarly, light and sound are also essential to realize the God within us. Drawing on the support or help of light and sound, we can go beyond or transcend these two also to merge into oneness with the Supreme Lord or the God.  Here so many persons are sitting in this hall. Each one can see the other in daylight. However, unless you enquire about each other's name, address, nature of job etc., you can not grow full familiarity with each other. Some conversation is essential to ascertain one's identity. At the moment, so many of you are seeing each other. Now suppose, in future, if you happen to see someone who is present here at some other place, a feeling would come to you that you have seen him/her somewhere. Driving a few nails down into your head, you might recall that yes; you had seen him here in the satsang hall. However, you would not be able to know what or who he is. Well, that would be possible only after you had exchanged some words of personal information with each other previously. To see each other, you need light. For gaining familiarity, you need to talk, i.e. seek the help of sound. Yes I was saying that as essential or indispensable are light and sound in the outer world, so are they in the inner world, too.

God has provided us with a beautiful analogy in the nature. When black rain clouds are hovering overhead in the outer sky, we, sometimes, see lightning in the sky. After we see lightning, we hear the thunder of clouds. Through this natural illustration, God is hinting at the inner meditation. When the spiritual practitioner, closing his/her eyes softly, tries to look intently at the prescribed place, as instructed by the Guru, in the inner sky, he/she comes to see the hovering clouds, lightning as also the thunderous rumbling.

A hymn of Rig Veda says, "Shrinv Vrishteriv swanah pavamaanasya sushminah. Charanti vidyuto divi". That is, flashes of lightning are seen in the inner sky. Then, the powerful sound of rains can be heard; this sound is capable of washing or purifying the sins of the listener. During meditation, the saadhak (practitioner) sees a number of scintillations, flashes, sparkles, and electric-like sparks, and hears thunderous rumbles. In fact this sound belongs to or, comes from nowhere else but the pure and pristine aatmaa (soul) only.

You must have observed that very strong light is followed by very strong thundering sound, too. We, thus, first see light, and then we hear sound.  Similarly, the saadhak (practitioner) first sees light within and then hears the sound. In fact, if we look at the chronological order of creation of the universe, we would find that first of all sound (the unstruck vibration or melody called the anaahat naad, and numerous other sounds called anahad naad) came into being which was followed, in order, by prakaash (light) and andhakaar (darkness). However, since we are currently living in the darkness of our ignorance, our spiritual journey has to take place in the reverse direction, and, therefore, beginning from within darkness, the seeker first, rising above darkness, sees light and then comes to hear sound. But let this not convey the impression that sound is produced last. In fact, sound was created first, though we hear it the last. Whoever practices meditation honestly & diligently comes across these experiences. There is a story in the Maitreyyupnishad (one of the Upanishads) in a similar context:

There was a Brahmin (one of the four main varnas or castes in India). He did not perform ritual worship (including verbal chanting of prayers & Gaayatree Mantra (one of the most sacred Vedic hymns), showing incense sticks to the idols or statues of gods & goddesses etc.) like other conventional Brahmins of the village. He had devoted himself to genuine meditation. His wife had to face a lot of taunts & critical remarks from her friends who used to vex her saying that her husband was not a true Brahmin and that she, though herself being a real Brahmin, had been married to a Shoodra (the fourth caste, the lowest in the so-called order of castes, despised or looked down upon by the other three). They would further lend credence to their criticism by advancing arguments like "had your husband been a chaste Brahmin, he, too, would have followed a routine befitting a true Brahmin e.g., having bath on prescribed time, orally reciting incantations & Gaayatree Mantra, performing sandhyaaa or worship thrice a day etc. But he does not do anything of the sort !". Returning home, she would report to her husband what others said about him. The Brahmin listened to everything patiently, but would not say anything or react. Every time his wife happened to meet her neighbours, she would get to hear the same malicious and mocking remarks again & again. One day she came home extremely dejected and pained, and told her husband, "I repeatedly make you aware of what our neighbors say about you, but you do not pay any heed, everything falls flat on your deaf ears." Seeing the immensity of her grief, the Brahmin said, "O Queen of my heart! Neither do you nor do your neighbours who keep you telling so many things know what I do! Just listen to me! What is this sandhyaa? When is sandhyaa performerd? Sandhyaa refers to the time when the Sun sets or the transition period when the day ends and the night begins. Similarly the juncture when the forenoon comes to a close and the afternoon begins is called "madhyaahna sandhyaa" or the mid-day sandhyaa. Again, the meeting moment, when the night comes to an end and the morning commences, is termed "prabhaat sandhyaa" or morning sandhyaa. Thus, we have the concept of three sandhyaas – prabhaat sandhyaa (morning sandhyaa), madhyaahna sandhyaa (afternoon sandhyaa) and saayam sandhyaa (evening sandhyaa). But, where there is neither the sunrise nor the sunset, just tell me, where do you have sandhyaa? In the inner sky of my heart the sun of consciousness keeps shining bright incessantly. It neither sets, nor rises. Then how do I perform a sandhyaa?" Please listen to the shloka of the Maitreyyupanishad:

"Hridaakaashe chidaadityam, sadaa bhaasati bhaasati. Naastameti na chodeti, katham sandhyaamupaasmahe."

(The sun of consciousness within my heart keeps on shining and shining, all the time. Neither does it set nor does it rise. How do I perform sandhyaa?)

Whoever sincerely practices the inner meditation comes to experience light within. First he sees the light and then he hears sound, too. Sound has a natural & inherent property of attracting the listener towards its source or origin. One who is capable of grasping the sound springing straight from the God Himself gets naturally drawn to Him.

The practitioner of "naadaanusandhaan" or "surat-shabda yoga" (the Yoga of Sound or the Union through Sound) first catches hold of the sound which is generated at the centre of the "sthoola mandal" (gross sphere of creation). Catching that sound at the meeting horizon or junction of the Gross sphere and the "sookshma mandala" (Astral or Subtle sphere), he (the practitioner) is drawn to the centre of the Astral sphere. Grasping the sound at the centre of the Astral sphere he is led to the centre of the "kaaran mandal" (Causal sphere) wherefrom he is pulled up to the centre of the "mahaakaaran mandal" (Supra-Causal sphere). Getting hold of the sound at the centre of the Supra-Causal sphere he transcends the barrier or layers of "jad" (ignorance or non-consciousness) and makes an entry into the realm of "kaivalya" or, "chetan"(pure consciousness). There he finds the "saar shabda" or "anaahat shabda" (the unstruck or quintessential sound) which takes him to the "nihshabdam paramam padam" or the highest and the Ultimate Soundless State. There he meets and merges into perfect unison with the God losing his individual identity completely. Thus, the cycle of birth and death or transmigration comes to be destroyed or annihilated for ever or permanently. This is in short I told you about the inner meditation of Santmat.

If you have not yet read it, you may enjoy reading Sant Kirpal Singh's
commentary on the Jap Ji, the opening section of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.  It
is available online at Ruhani Satsang.
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/pdf/JapJi.pdf

(Link to list of all Sant Kirpal Singh's books online at Ruhani Satsang
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/books.htm#Jungle)

Here is an except from Master Kirpal's translation of Jap Ji:

     There is One Reality, the Unmanifest-Manifested;
     Ever Existent, He is Naam (Conscious Spirit),
     The Creator; pervading all;
     Without fear; without enmity;
     The Timeless; the Unborn and the Self-existent;
     Complete within Itself.
     Through the favour of His true Servant, the Guru,
     He may be realized.
     He was when there was nothing;
     He was before all ages began;
     He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Two locations for English translations of the Sri Granth online are:

http://www.srigranth.org

and

http://www.sikhs.org/english

I have heard it said, and unfortunately can not attribute the quote, that the
search for truth in the Bible, the Koran, and the Buddhist sutras is like a
treasure hunt for light.  You find a flicker here and a flame there, but the
search is long and hard.  Read the Jap Ji only and everything is there.
(Of course it is all there in Katha Upanishad and the Gita and they are pretty
short reading.)

One of my favorite quotes from Adi Granth:
   Even kings and emperors, with mountains of property and oceans of wealth
-these are not even equal to an ant, who does not forget God.



   Jen

grace_tilton <grace_tilton@...> wrote:                                 
while i am not a Sikh, i have been reading through an english
  translation of the Guru Granth Sahib,

Returning to the Source Through the Inward Journey is the Essence of Dharma





Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship

 Hedonists and Gnostic Cave-dwellers Somewhere in Time
By James Bean
SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic
SantMat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship



The classic Gnostic soul struggled against the cruel hand of fate, astral archons (rulers), principalities, powers, emperors, and bishops. The Gnostic teachings from the Coptic/Greek period have quite an ascetic tone. "The material universe is evil", "be not of this world." Holy texts were studied by Pachomian monks living in caves not far from Nag Hammadi, Egypt. The discovery site of the Gnostic Gospels was near those caves. On the walls of some of those caves are examples of graffiti: crosses and fish symbols. After the Fourth Century, Gnosis mostly disappears from the scene in the Roman Empire due to extreme persecution from those who paid lip-service to phrases like "love your enemies", and' "turn the other cheek", but they had no concept of democracy and freedom of religion -- freedom for all religions.  The Library of Alexandria was burned, the Nag Hammadi Library, buried.

In the East however, Gnosis continued to develop and evolve, taking on more of an ecstatic, poetic ethos during the medieval period. The type of Eastern Gnosis I follow isn't so ascetic as Nag Hammadi mysticism. After all, the lower material universe is no longer a "prison" for those who can freely come and go as they please. This changes everything. I know of some mystics that are very otherworldly and yet can also enjoy looking at the stars, feasting on great Indian food, love the ocean or a beautiful sunset. Very out-of-this-world during meditations, and at the same time, we come to see the Light of God everywhere, within everyone, in this outer plane of existence as well, all as a result of those advanced meditation experiences. "His Presence fills the Three Worlds". (Adi Granth)

Such extremists we humans are, either hedonists or cave-dwellers. We were meant to go from state to state, from the world of action to the world of contemplation, from the waking state to the dream state to the unconscious state of deep sleep, and there is also the Fourth State beyond. This too can be divided into several levels or states: astral, causal or akashic, mental, etheric, and spiritual, the True State (Timeless, Sat, Haq, "Spirit and Truth". Full circle we come. The spiritual state can also be perceived as four different stages, ranging from the "drop" (the soul) remaining separate, to "nearness", and all the way to that of Oneness or merging into the Divine Ocean (Kaivalaya, Anadi, Anami, Ra-Dha-Swam-I, the "Nameless One in the Eighth").

Know also that the Reality
has described Himself as being
the Outer and the Inner,
Manifest and Unmanifest.
He brought the Cosmos into being as constituting
an Unseen Realm and
a Sensory Realm,
so that we might perceive the Inner though our unseen
and the Outer through our sensory aspect.
(Ibn `Arabi, "Ibn Al `Arabi - The Bezels of Wisdom", Paulist Press)

Not an easy balancing act, this concept of having one's feet upon the earth and yet one's third eye-soul ascending through various realms going toward the Great Light during practice each day, yet everyone will make it back there eventually. It's simply a matter of "time" and how receptive we are to this experience during the present life. Some are in a hurry to return while others travel much much much more slowly.

It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings
that our True Lord created this earth, and began
this play of birth and death.
(Guru Nanak)

To Him We Shall Return

I died as mineral and became a plant;
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was a man.
Then why fear disappearance through death?
When was I less by dying?
Next time I shall die
To soar -- with angels blessed,
But even from angelhood
I must pass on;
All except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel soul,
I shall become what no mind ever conceived.
What you cannot imagine,
I shall be that.
Oh! let me not exist, for non-existence
Proclaims in organ-tones,
'To Him we shall return.'

-- Rumi

"We have come from the Light and will return there again." We're already in heaven if we did but know it. A great Master by the name of Huzur Baba Sawan Singh was once asked, "How long does it take you to go to Sach Khand (the spiritual realm, Sat Lok)"? He closed his eyes for fifteen seconds, and then opened them again, saying, "just that long". This is the real Secret.

Thy Light is within the beings,
And the beings are all within Thy Light.
O supremely Incomprehensible Lord,
Thou Art perfectly filling all things.

It is the Light that lives in every heart,
And Thy Light that illuminates every soul.
It is only through the guru's teachings that
Light comes to be shown.
(Guru Nanak, Peace Lagoon translation of the Adi Granth)

On Daily Meditation Practice, The Ideal of Thrice Daily

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship


"A comfortable asana (pose of sitting or posture) of keeping the head, neck and trunk straight and steady is a must for meditation. Without the ability to sit in such a steady posture for prolonged periods, meditation cannot be practiced.

"Meditation should be practiced being alert, without being drowsy, shutting the eyes comfortably and without turning the eyeballs or pressing them in any way.

"The practice of meditation should be an essential part of the practitioner's daily routine. The preferred time of meditation is Brahma-Muhurta (very early in the morning: 3:00 A.M.). [The Sikhs call this peek spiritual time of the morning "Amrit Veela", the Hour of Elixir.] Likewise one should meditate at mid-morning and then again in the evening time. While falling asleep, one should also engage his or her mind in meditation."

-- Maharshi Mehi, "The Philosophy of Liberation"

Vegetarian Diet and Following Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters

Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and Diet

The following, on the reason why we advocate following the vegetarian diet, is by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj from the book, The Harmony of All Religions, published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram:

Sant Sevi Ji: The saints have addressed the sin of violence with particular attention to the foods which are eaten. Foods which are produced by killing living beings, as well as foods which are not pure and fresh, are considered tamasic. Consumption of these is prohibited by the teachings of the saints. This includes animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs. These foods inhibit the clarity of the mind and the health of the body. There is an old saying: "Whatever kind of food we take in, its properties will also fill our mind." A parallel saying is "Whatever we eat, just so will our breath smell [indicates the visible effect of food]."

Further, Kabir Sahab says: "The kind of food and drink which we consume directly influences how our mind will become. Even the quality of water which we drink will influence our speech."

These words of Kabir Sahib are not merely rhetorical conjecture, but represent direct experience. Drink one glass of milk and observe how your mind is affected. Next, drink a glass of wine and observe how the mind is affected. Or, observe the effect of eating a sweet in comparison to the effect of taking a very small dose of opium. In this way, you can see for yourself how our mind is affected by what we ingest. These are extreme examples, with noticeable effects. But even when the effect is subtle and barely noticeable, we are nevertheless affected by the food we consume.

A great yogi named Bhupendranath Ji Sanyal has said: "It is preferable to always avoid the consumption of flesh and fish. This is because in the very cells of these animals there might be bad diseases. But even more significantly, the natural vibration of these creatures is absorbed into the blood. This can create agitation and even sickness, and will destroy the natural calmness of the mind. Also, one must not take intoxicants, as this is a great breach of the spiritual path and natural duty (dharma). [Under the influence of intoxicants people are unable to discern the right path of action]."
 
Therefore, we must be disciplined in what we eat and drink, and by being disciplined, our wealth and spiritual path are protected. This world becomes agreeable, and so does the next world, since we won't be incurring the karmas from killing other living beings. (Sant SeviJi)

Below is from an article I wrote in 1999, from a section on the vegetarian diet and Sant Mat

All past and present Masters of Sant Mat advocate following the vegetarian diet. In fact, being vegetarian it is a requirement in order to be initiated into the meditation practice of Sant Mat, which is called Surat Shabd Yoga, Meditation upon the inner Light and Sound of God.

Sant Mat is a vegetarian Path for mystical, spiritual, and theological reasons. The Masters teach that foods are of three kids: Satvik, Rajsik, and Tamsik. This last category of foods, which includes all flesh foods, is to be completely avoided. Satvik, the first category, includes: grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and dairy. Satvik foods are considered by Mystics to promote relaxation, meditation, and spiritual experience.

The bad karma and other negative effects of flesh-eating darkens one's vision of inner Light, interfering with meditation. It's interesting to notice that the Satvik diet of Sant Mat, of Hinduism and the Yoga Philosophy of India is also: the life-extension diet, the anti-cancer diet, the diet for antioxidants and most of the other plant-based nutrients, AND the diet of the Light & Sound mystics, East and West.

The notion that vegetarianism is "cultural" and confined mostly to India is the inaccurate assumption of some. It is true that many conventional world religions here in the West condone flesh-eating, but if you do some comparative mysticism you'll soon discover that the esoteric traditions which have practiced Light mysticism, Sound mysticism, and Ascension mysticism through higher planes of heavens are all in agreement about the need for contemplative mystics to abstain from the flesh. The list of Western vegetarian paths includes: Pythagoreans, followers of the Hermetic philosophy of Egypt, the Sethians, Theraputae, Essenes (and other Light-mystics within Judaism), the original Jewish Christians called Ebionites (see The Gospel of Jesus -- In Search of His Original Teachings , John Davidson, Element Books), the Gnostic religions, Manichaeans, some Catholic monasteries, monasteries of the Orthodox Church -- including the great mystery school atop Mount Athos in Greece, and the Sufi mystics of Islam who practice Zikar of the Spirit, Light, and Sound. Most every path that advocates a present-tense spirituality about re-entering Paradise or going Back to Eden during this life teaches vegetarianism.

Master Kirpal Singh (Sant Mat Master): "Those who take up the practices concerning the lower centers in the body, do take meat -- the Mohammedans and people of other religions also. But those who are anxious to rise above body consciousness and go into the Beyond have of necessity to eschew all that. This is the Path I have put before you. Liberation or salvation is something which starts only when you rise above body consciousness. For that reason, vegetarianism is the first
essential." (The Night is a Jungle, published by Ruhani Satsang, also Sant Bani Ashram, and Science of Spirituality)

Guru Kabir says, "The man who eats meat is a demon in human form. Keep away from him -- his company will ruin your meditation." (Kabir: the Weaver of God's Name , RS Books, Radha Soami Satsang Beas) The harshest words that Kabir ever spoke were directed against the slaughter or consumption of innocent animals.

A Western Master of Sound & Light by the name of Pythagoras once said, "Our Earth has abundance of such pure and harmless foods and there is no need for us to partake of meals for which blood has to be shed and innocent life sacrificed."

Jai Guru, Naamaste',

James

Sant Mat Fellowship @ Yahoo Groups

There have, at all times, been advocates of both the vegetarianism and
the non-vegetarianism trying to prove the efficacy of what they deem
to be correct. However, a dispassionate and multi-faceted analysis
shows beyond doubt that vegetarianism is the more desirable and
recommended way of life from a number of angles, and, therefore, must
be adopted in the right earnest.

Please see my blog on http://profiles.yahoo.com/praveshksingh

Pravesh K. Singh

Recommended Reading -- Sant Mat Books in English

Sant Mat Fellowship Worldwide:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship  
{"This mysterious path is described in the holy books,
but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts.
It is found by the grace and guidance of an accomplished teacher."}

Recommended Reading -- Sant Mat Books in English -- also Websites

An Introduction to Sant Mat

Surat Shabd Yoga, by Kirpal Singh, a free online book -- as a PDF file:
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/pdf/SuratShabdYoga.pdf

The Path of the Masters (English)
by Dr. Julian P. Johnson   $9 postage paid
ISBN: 81-8256-019-5
website:
http://www.scienceofthesoul.org  

OR WRITE, on the East Coast:
Science of the Soul Study Center
Attn: RS BOOKS
4115 Gillespie Street,
Fayetteville, NC 28306

West Coast, OR outside the US, write:

Science of the Soul Study Center
Attn: RS BOOKS
BAV Department Petaluma
2415 East Washington Street
Petaluma, CA
94954-3945

Introduction to Sant Mat and Comparative Religion/Comparative Mysticism

NEW: The Harmony of All Religions, by Swami SantSevi Ji Maharaj, in English
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Judaeo-Christian, Islam, Sikh, Sant Mat,   
$12,  published by TheWayOfSages.com
http://www.thewayofsages.com
online sample as PDF file available on this webpage:
http://www.thewayofsages.com/new_page_7.htm

Inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice, Celestial Mechanics -- Esoteric Teachings

The Philosophy of Liberation by Sant Maharishi Mehi
$12,  published by TheWayOfSages.com
http://www.thewayofsages.com
online sample as PDF file available on this webpage:
http://www.thewayofsages.com/new_page_7.htm

A Sant Mat Dictionary of Mystic Terms

"Glossary of the Radhasoami Faith"
by S. D. Maheshwari of Soami Bagh, Agra
India Website:
http://www.radhasoami-faith.info/Books_Frame.shtml
Can be ordered in North America via Banyen Books of Vancouver
Phone: 604-732-7912
Toll-free: 800-663-8442
or email:    thefolks@...
Website: 
http://www.banyenbooks.com  

Also see the glossary in the back of the book:
Sar Bachan Poetry -- Selections
ISBN: 81-8256-056-X      $9
RS Books -- see contact information for the RS Book Department below.
Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry is a very important book of mystic-poetry and instruction, by Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra

A Treasury of Mystic Terms (6 Volumes)
By John Davidson    $50  postage paid
Hardcover: 2,824 pages
ISBN: 81-901731-0-3
Can be ordered from the RS Book Department
Website:
http://www.scienceofthesoul.org  
OR WRITE

On the East Coast:

Science of the Soul Study Center
Attn: RS BOOKS
4115 Gillespie Street,
Fayetteville, NC 28306

West Coast, OR outside the US, write:

Science of the Soul Study Center
Attn: RS BOOKS
BAV Department Petaluma
2415 East Washington Street
Petaluma, CA
94954-3945

Christianity and Sant Mat
 
The Stranger of Galilee, by Russell Perkins
Website:
http://www.santji.allegre.ca/books/galilee.html
ISBN 0-89142-047-9
$15, plus please add %20 to all orders to cover shipping, write:
Sant Bani Ashram Books, Sanbornton, N.H. 03269    USA  

The Gospel of Jesus
by John Davidson
ISBN: 81-901731-1-1
$18
and see related books by John Davidson from RS BOOK Dept:

The Odes of Solomon, also: The Song of Songs, and: The Prodigal Soul
John Davidson books available from RS Book Department/Science of the Soul:
http://www.scienceofthesoul.org

GNOSTIC-SANT MAT: "THE GNOSTIC MYSTERY" compares Gnostic and Sant Mat Mysticism -- free online book:
http://members.tripod.com/~andrea65/gnostictitle.html  

Eastern Gnosis, Mythology, Epic of Creation, Anurag Sagar of Sant Dharamdas and Guru Kabir:  $15
Available from Sant Bani Ashram of New Hampshire, as well as MediaSeva.com
website:
http://www.mediaseva.com
Anurag Sagar -- free online as 4 PDF Files:
http://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/anurag.html

Vegetarian Cookbooks

Cooking With Light, $15
http://www.mediaseva.com

More egg-free vegetarian cookbooks available from the
RS Book Department/Science of the Soul -- use search feature:
http://www.scienceofthesoul.org

Bhakti -- Love for the Beloved -- Mystic Poetry -- The Heart of Mysticism

Free book online, Songs of Kabir,
Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
100 Mystic-Poems of Guru Kabir:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sok/index.htm

Param Sant Tulsi Sahib, the Saint of Hathras
English anthology of his writings, by S. D. Maheshwari:
http://www.radhasoami-faith.info/Books_Frame.shtml
(Also see contact info above for Banyen Books of Vancouver.)

Also see, The Mystics of the East Series, RS Book Dept. (Tulsi Sahib, Tukaram, Dadu, Kabir, Nanak, Dariya, Paltu, Mirabai, Bahu, Sarmad, Bullah Shah, Namdev, Ravidas)

Jap Ji -- the Morning Prayer of Guru Nanak -- online:
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/jj/title.htm
in book form via MediaSeva.com:    http://www.mediaseva.com  

Ethics -- Ahimsa -- Good Thoughts, Words, and Deeds

"Kabir 1008 Vani",
compiled by Lalchand Doohan Jigyasu,
translated by Kunwar Anil Kumar,
Manoj Publications, Delhi, India.  
ISBN: 8181335155
http://www.amazon.com
Nataraj Books is a great source for Kabir books from
India:
http://users.erols.com/nataraj/HOME.html

New Thought/Ahimsa/Positive Inspiration/Life on Earth

Messages of Sree Sree Mentu Maharaj
http://www.United-Satsang.org        click  'Publications' tab

August 1st Satsang from Sant Mat Fellowship: The Mind

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
{"This mysterious path is described in the holy books,
but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts.
It is found by the grace and guidance of an accomplished teacher."}

Clicking on the library photo above will take you to the Spiritual Awakening online library.

Chart of the Gnostic Universe Parallels Sant Mat Cosmology

Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship
{"This mysterious path is described in the holy books,
but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts.
It is found by the grace and guidance of an accomplished teacher."}

Meditation Sangat:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MeditationSangat
{"Do not live even a single day without inner
meditation." -- Baba Devi Sahab}

The Gnostic Universe as presented by a Syrian Gnostic teacher by the name of Mar Sans

This chart (1 and 2) is courtesy of, The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, by Marvin Meyer, from the chapter featuring the book of Mar Sans.

The third chart is from the Sant Mat tradition of India and features roughly the same levels: physical, astral, causal, mental, some transitional realms between mind-planes and spiritual planes, with timeless heavens of pure spirit at the top, the Highest Being is in the Nameless (Anami)-Soundless (Anadi) Realm of Oneness (Kaivalya). Mar Sans also had at the top: The Unknown Silent One, an amazing example of how mystics, East and West, have reached similar conclusions based on their inner explorations.

Namaste',
James

Satsang Discourse: Set Your Goal Right

SantMat_Mystic_(James): http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

(Excerpted from: "Set Your Goal Right")

[This is an English translation of discourse given by Param Poojya Shahi Swami ji Maharaj, sometime in 1982. Shahi Swami ji is one of the most important disciples of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj who would refer to Shah Swami ji as "his heart". Shahi Swami is, perhaps, the senior most disciple of Maharshi Mehi alive.- Translated by Pravesh K. Singh

Dear Devout Brothers & Sisters,

First of all I would recite a hymn of Kabir Sahab, and then, I would try to say something to you on that basis:
"Gagan kee ot nishaanaa hai,
 Dahine soor chandramaa baanye, tinke beech chhipaanaa hai.
Tan kee kamaan,  surat kaa rodaa, shabd baan le taanaa hai,
Maarat baan bindhyaa tan hee tan, satguru kaa parwaanaa hai.
Maaryo baan ghaav nahi tan mein, jin laagaa tin jaanaa hai,
Kahat Kabir suno bhaai saadho, jin jaanaa tin maanaa hai."
[The target is hidden behind the sky. To the left is the moon and to the right is the Sun; you have to aim between the two, as the support lies hidden between these two. Making the bow of your body, the bow-string of surat, pull and shoot the arrow of the Divine (Celestial) Sound. On practicing meditation, following the Satguru's commandments, the arrow of the Sound goes on piercing through bodies, one after the other. Quite surprisingly, no wounds are caused even though the arrow penetrates through the body. Incredible though it may sound, it is experienced by only those who have got hit by such an arrow. Kabir says, Listen O Noble People! Only those who have had this experience will testify to, or acknowledge, its veracity.]

In this poem, the first to find mention is "nishaanaa" which means `target', `aim', or the `objective'. Through this hymn, Kabir Sahab asks us to first fix our aim. One who has set a proper aim for himself will get everything right, while the one whose object is not right will get everything wrong. .......

Kabir Sahab preaches us to first select our target rightly, know about the target and the learn how to get at it.

What is our aim? What is it each one of us wants to attain? As we see, there is no end, as it were, to our cravings. Sant Tulsi Sahab has said, "Ek dil laakhon tamannaa, us pai aur jyaadaa hawas." [We have one heart but millions of wishes and yet there is no end to our lust.] However, a close analysis will show that every one of us longs for peace, because happiness is inherent in peace. Peace is the mother of bliss. In fact, true peace (or absolute stillness) is the real attribute of God, there is no pedestal or post higher than that. Our Gurudev (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans) wrote,

"Adhun ashabd sarveshwar kahiye, Shaanti swaroop yaahi ko lahiye"
[Supreme Sovereign Lord is soundless, vibration-less. He is absolute peace (stillness). Try to attain to Him.]

A similar reference to the form of God can be found in Kenopanishad:

"Yanmanasaa na manute, yenahurmanomatam.

Tadev Brahma tvam viddhi, nedam yadidamupaasate. "
[Treat that as God who can not be pondered over or unthinkable by the mind; rather, the mind derives its power to think from Him. All other forms (bound by time and space) of God that are worshipped in this world are not Brahma (God).]

Further, Kathopanishad says,

"Vaayur yathaiko bhuvanam pravishto, roopam roopam pratiroopobahoov
Ekastathaa sarvabhootaantaraat maa, roopam roopam pratiroopam bahisch."
[Just as on and the same air mass assumes a number of different forms or shapes according to the vessel or container or house it enters to fill in, the one and only God pervades all the objects of the universe to assume corresponding forms, and yet is able to retain His pure independent identity beyond everything.]

Sant Kabir Sahab describes God as:

"Alakh niranjan lakhai na koee, nirbhay niraakaar hai soee.
Sunni sthool roop nahi rekha, drishti adrishti, chhipyo nahi pekhaa.
Varan avaran kathyo nahi jaee, sakl ateet ghat rahyau samaaee.
Aadi ant taahi nahi madhe, kathyau na jaee aahi akathe.
Aparampaar upajai nahi binase, jugati na jaaniye, kathiye kaise.
Jas kathiye tas hot nahi, jas hai taisaa soee.
Kahat sunat such upaje, aru paramaarath hoee."
[He is invisible (to gross eyes), beyond all trappings of illusion (maya), fearless and can not be ascribed any shape. He is not gross, without any form or outlines and is hidden (to our organs, mind and intellect). He is without any beginning or end. He is beyond all description. He is infinitely expansive, does not get born or die. There is no way we can describe Him exactly, because He is not as we try to depict Him. Only He Himself is like Him. However, talking of Him and listening (about Him and His attributes) gives pleasure and also an act of utmost benevolence. ]

Guru Nanak Sahab also has similar views. He says,

"Alakh apaar agam agochari, naa tisu kaal na karma,
 Jaati ajaati ajoni sambhau, naa tisu bhav na bharmaa.
saache sachiyaar vitahu kurvaanu,
Na tisu roop, baranu nahi rekhiyaa, saache shabadi nishaanu.
Naa tisu maatu pitaa sut bandhap, naa tisu kaam na naari,
Akul niranjan, aparparamparu, sagalee joti tumaaree.
Gaht-ghat antari brahma lukaaiyaa, ghati-ghati joti sabaaee,
Bajar kapaat mukate gurmati, nirbhai taadi laaee.
Jant upaai kaalu sirijantaa, basgati jugati sabaaee,
Satiguru sebi padaarathu paavahi, chhootahi shabadu kamaaee.
Soochai Bhaadai saachu samaavai, birale soochaachaaree,
Tantai kau param tantu milaaiyaa, Nanak sharani tumaree."
[God is invisible (to these eyes of flesh & blood), infinitely vast, beyond (the reach of) mind & intellect, unperceivable (by our sense organs), beyond time & actions, unborn, sovereign, without any frailties of mind and mistakes. For sure He does exist (He is the only Truth) and sacrifice yourself onto Him. He has no form, colour or outline; the quintessential sound being the only pointer or guide to Him. He is without any lineage. He is beyond all the contraptions of maya (illusion), without any limits whatsoever. All light is His only. He is secretly permeating through all bodies, illuminating all of them. This robust door of darkness is broken open only by those perseverant and fearless practitioners who have learnt the right art of seeing from an adept Guru. He has created all the beings and time also, and has kept all the keys within his control. Those who pay a selfless service to an accomplished Guru are able to find Him and liberate themselves (from the jaws of birth & death) by practicing the Yoga of Sound. God manifests Himself only within a pure heart; such persons are very rare to find who have by relentless practice of meditation have merged their current of consciousness (surat) into the unstruck sound and thus, says Nanak, found the true Shelter.]

Goswami Tulsidasji writes in his Ramcharit Manas:

"Binu pad chalai, sunai binu kaanaa,
            Kar binu karm karai bidhi naanaa.
Aanan rahit sakal ras bhogee,
            Binu baanee bakta bad jogee.
Tan binu parasi nayan binu dekhaa,
            Grahai ghraan binu baas asekhaa.
Asi sab bhaanti alaukik karanee,
            Mahimaa jaasu jaai nahi baranee."
[He walks without legs, hears without ears, performs all sorts of acts without any hands, enjoys all kinds of recipes without mouth and can talk without tongue. He touches everything though being body-less, sees without eyes and possesses an extraordinary sense of smell without any nose. Thus he does all sorts of incredible feats all of which are impossible of description. ]

Soordas ji in a similar vein utters,

"Avigat gati jaani naa padai,
 Man vach karm agaadh agochar, kehi vidhi budhi sancharai."
[He is omnipresent and it is impossible to understand Him fully with our gross senses, mind & intellect]

We find several such similar convincing references in the Holy Scriptures and sayings of Sants. Kabir Sahab (through his poem I rendered a little ago) says that such a God is (hidden) behind the sky. Other Sants have used different other similes. Dadoo Dayal ji Maharaj describes Him to be "sunni sunna sunna ke paaraa"(beyond all voids and realms), while Goswami Tulsidasji Maharaj calls Him to be "prakriti paar prabhu sab ur waasee" (Beyond the universe or Nature, though living in all hearts), and our Gurudev, Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji says, "Peev nihshabd mein" (The Lord is in the Soundless State). As a matter of fact, all these sayings like "beyond all voids", "beyond the Universe" and "in Soundless State" refer to the same basic Truth. The fact of the matter is that because of being all-pervasive, He is to be found everywhere, but He is unknowable everywhere. Goswami Tulsidasji writes in Ramcharit Manas:

"Roop bisekh naam binu jaane. Kartal gat na paranhi pahichaane"
[He, though existing the closest to us, is not perceived without knowing His special form (through "vindu dhyaan"or Yoga of Divine Light) and word (by practicing "surat shabd yog", or "naadaanusandhaan" or the Yoga of Quintessential Celestial Sound).]

Our Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi) has also written,

"Piu vyaapak sarvatra parakh aavai nahi.
Gurumukh ghat hee maahi parakh paavai sahi"
[Lord, though present everywhere with same density, is not perceived (by our senses). Those initiated by an accomplished Guru can see Him within themselves only.]

God is perceivable through the soul only. But our individual soul has become surrounded or covered by several sheaths or bodies and organs. So long as it remains in the captivity of these various bodies and organs, it will be under the knowledge of these bodies and organs only, will be under illusory knowledge only (because these bodies themselves are illusory), and will not be able to realise the God. In order to know Him, the Jivatma or the individual soul shall have to liberate itself from these bondages. The one who is able to liberate himself from the body & organs, is able to lift himself beyond this world, too. Our Gurudev [Maharshi Mehi] has said, "There is a very strong relationship between our body and the world around us. The universe is formed of the very same elements of which our body is made. Just as there are gross, subtle, causal and supra-causal spheres or realms inside our body, these very spheres or realms are to be found in the universe, also. So, we (at any given point of time) are in the same realms of the universe as well as of the body. If we lift ourselves beyond a particular sphere of our body, we lift beyond the same sphere of the universe also. Thus, one who can raise himself beyond all the realms of the body will also rise or ascend beyond all realms of the universe. The one, who has freed himself fully from his body, has freed himself of the universe, also."And it is thus that all the above-mentioned "Behind the Sky" of Kabir, "Beyond all voids" of Dadu  Dayal ji, "Beyond the Universe or nature" of Tulsidas ji and "Soundless State" of Maharshi Mehi becomes fully realised, operationalised or fulfilled. Separating ourselves from our various bodies and organs, we first come to know our own soul and subsequently, the supra-soul i.e., God also. This realisation is not an intellectual knowledge; this is a realisation that springs out of direct, first-hand, experience, and leads to the end of all our afflictions, sorrows and grieves for ever. We attain perfect liberation even while we are alive, in this body itself.

To obtain such a state, what support should we seek? Sant Kabir says, "Dahine soor Chandramaa baanye, tinke beech chhipaanaa hai" that is, that support is hidden in the Centre of the two eyebrows. How will we, seeking this support, proceed ahead? Kabir says, "Make your body into a bow and your surat (current of consciousness) the bow-string.  Make the bow-string taut (by concentrating it at a point – the Seat of the Soul within the body, and release or shoot the arrow of the Celestial Vibration or Sound (here the hint is clearly to practice the "surat-shabd yoga"or "naadaanusandhaan" or the Yoga of Divine Sound). That arrow of sound will go on penetrating through all the four bodies or realms stated above taking the soul along with it and will finally push the soul into the Highest Soundless State, the true abode of God. This is the target, Kabir sahib says, hidden behind the sky. Thus our soul, seeking the help of Sound, will finally reach and merge into that Highest Entity i.e. God. Actually, the secret to such a practice can be learnt only from a proficient Guru who Himself has practiced it to perfection. When this arrow goes on piercing the various bodies, Kabir Sahab says, it is a unique, incredible experience; no wounds are caused, rather we experience a pleasure, bliss. That is why; we should learn the right technique and practice accordingly. (Shahi Swami ji)

hello,

I would like to happy a copy of the actual sar bachan poetry written
by radhasoami. Is it available on net? can anyone help me in this matter.

thanking you
manoj

--- In SantMatFellowship@yahoogroups.com, "manulak87" <manulak87@...>
wrote:
>
> hello,
>
> I would like to happy a copy of the actual sar bachan poetry written
> by radhasoami. Is it available on net? can anyone help me in this
matter.
>
> thanking you
> manoj
>

Greetings:

Am not aware of any of the Sar Bachan volumes
of Sant Radhaswami Sahib being made available online yet.
Just checked and did not see them listed at Google Books or
Archive.org

I do have a Yahoo group which often features quotes
from Soami Ji's Sar Bachan and other classic writings of
Radhaswami Santmat, a group known as Radhasoami Reality;
Go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radhasoami-Reality

Blessings,

James
SantMatFellowship

The Role of the Master is to Bring Us Into the Experience of God

Those part of fundamentalist sects, competing new age or secularist ideologies, or those perhaps not fully acquainted with the nuances of Indian spirituality may have all sorts of misunderstandings about the role of the Living Master or Sant Satguru, imagining him or her to be seeking to divert attention away from God or eclipsing God by placing themselves between the soul and God. However, the reality is quite the opposite. The classic definition of the guru is "Light-giver". The Sant Satguru guides souls into a direct and personal experience of the Divine here and now by teaching students to adopt the necessary methods of meditation practice, ethical values, and by cultivating a receptive attitude of God-bhakti (love and devotion).

The Sants of India have produced some of the most eloquent, ecstatic, God-devoted poetry, prayers and hymns the world has ever known. Below are selections from the Adi Granth (Sikh scriptures) as well as the mystic-poetry of Guru Kabir.

Namaste',

James
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

The Role of the Satguru According to the Adi Granth

Adi Granth: By the Guru's instruction the mind of the disciple is rendered immaculate and she keeps God clasped to her heart. She keeps God enshrined in her mind, arranges her affairs, and by the Master's instruction knows her Lord.

"My Beloved has fascinated my soul
and I have obtained the Lord,
the scribe of destiny."

Serving the Satguru she attains eternal peace and God, the enemy of ego and pride, abides in her mind. 

By the Master's instruction the name of God is contemplated. By the guru's grace, soul and body are saturated with the Lord and the Lord's name seems sweet to the mortal. The Lord's name seems sweet to them. He liberates all their families. With their mouths they utter the Lord's name. Their comings and goings cease. They obtain bliss, and their attention remains absorbed the Home of Celestial Music.

The Lord's name is the Song of Joy. It is by the Guru's instruction that the name is contemplated.  

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib, English and Punjabi Translation, Volume 5, Manmohan Singh,     Publisher: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar)

The Sat-Guru-given Gnosis [direct experience] is lit up in the heart, with whose Light is dispelled the darkness of spiritual ignorance.

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib, English and Punjabi Translation, Manmohan Singh, Volume 3, Publisher: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar)

Kabir's Ocean of God-Bhakti

Here the translator has preserved the numerous names for God that Kabir used in his mystic-verses. Guru Kabir:

The Remote, the Inaccessible
makes a fort for His dwelling,
which He illumines with His Light.
Lightning flashes---there is bliss
where the child Prabhu-Gobind plays.
 
My soul loves Ram's name:
Old age, death, doubt flee. (Rest)

They who care about castes
are forever singing praises about themselves.
But sweet melodies play unstruck
where the Lord Prabhu-Gopal dwells.

The remote, unknowable One,
who established the earth, the spheres,
the three worlds, and the three virtues,
lives in every heart: None knows Dharnidhar's secrets.

He reveals Himself in the blossom's fragrance.
He dwells in the nectar of a mud-flower.
His mantra is in the twelve-petalled heart,
where the Lord Kamlakant dwells.

His Light is visible above and below;
He illumines the infinite sphere of silence:
Neither sun nor moon are found there;
the primal Niranjan enjoys Himself.

He knows the universe and each heart.
He bathes in Lake Mansarowar.
His mantra is, "I am He";
He is not concerned with good deeds or bad.

He has no caste, nor is he casteless;
He knows neither pain nor solace. He is in
the guru's house. He cannot be avoided.
He knows, not birth or death: He is infinite silence.

Those who search for Him in their hearts,
and speak His words, will become Him.
They who place His mantra of Light in their hearts,
Kabir, say, "Those mortals will certainly swim across."

(Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth, Nirmal Dass, SUNY Press, NY)

IT is the mercy of my true Guru that has made me to know the unknown;
I have learned from Him how to walk without feet, to see without eyes, to hear without ears, to drink without mouth, to fly without wings;
I have brought my love and my meditation into the land where there is no sun and moon, nor day and night.
Without eating, I have tasted of the sweetness of nectar; and without water, I have quenched my thirst.
Where there is the response of delight, there is the fullness of joy. Before whom can that joy be uttered?
Kabīr says: "The Guru is great beyond words, and great is the good fortune of the disciple."

To Thee Thou hast drawn my love, O Fakir!
I was sleeping in my own chamber, and Thou didst awaken me; striking me with Thy voice, O Fakir!
I was drowning in the deeps of the ocean of this world, and Thou didst save me: upholding me with Thine arm, O Fakir!
Only one word and no second--and Thou hast made me tear off all my bonds, O Fakir!
Kabīr says, "Thou hast united Thy heart to my heart, O Fakir!"

MY Lord hides Himself, and my Lord wonderfully reveals Himself:
My Lord has encompassed me with hardness, and my Lord has cast down my limitations.
My Lord brings to me words of sorrow and words of joy, and He Himself heals their strife.
I will offer my body and mind to my Lord: I will give up my life, but never can I forget my Lord!

HOW could the love between Thee and me sever?
As the leaf of the lotus abides on the water: so thou art my Lord, and I am Thy servant.
As the night-bird Chakor gazes all night at the moon: so Thou art my Lord and I am Thy servant.
From the beginning until the ending of time, there is love between Thee and me; and how shall such love be extinguished?
Kabīr says: "As the river enters into the ocean, so my heart touches Thee."

(Songs of Kabir, Rabrinath Tagore: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sok       )