IN THIS ISSUE: - Nirankari International Samagam

VOL. 26 ISSUE 2 2016
IN THIS ISSUE:
Message of Her Holiness Mata Savinder Hardev Ji
can lawyers be human beings? • The Revolution
nourishing of the self • Our Common Goal • The Voice Within
Contents
3Editorial:
Humanness
Harbans Singh
23
4
Message of Her Holiness
Mata Savinder Hardev Ji
5Humanness
Timeless Teachings of
His Holiness Nirankari Baba
7
Is There a Future for Humanness?
Ricky Bhatia
Birmingham, UK
8
String of Pearls
Sneha Biljani
Atlanta, USA
9
Love Never Dies
Ian Henery
Walsall, UK
10
The Ambassador of Humanness
George Khambe
Iver, UK
12
Make Life a Celebration
Arti Nehru
Los Angeles, USA
13
From Restlessness to Calmness
Kiren Panday
New York, USA
14
Finding our Humanness
Caroline Gibbs
Solihull, UK
15
The Revolution
Dr. Ashish Toor
California, USA
44
I am Awareness
Dave Dhanoa
Toronto, Canada
24Humanness
Dr. Kanwal Chawla, Sawinder Chawla and Shubhani Chawla
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
45
The Self Within,
the Self in All
Serena Nagha
London, UK
26
Wake Up
Dina Sabnani
Hong Kong
47
My Gyan
Dawn Vaughan
Telford, UK
27
Our Common Goal
Ashish Ganda and Amit Grover
Sydney, Australia
28
The Bhagavad Gita
Dr. D.K. Mehta
Tettenhall, UK
30
Love, Without Expectation
Jaidev Nanwani
Singapore
32
Nourishing of the Self
Niharika Ahuja
Calgary, Canada
34
The Voice Within
Monica Mahtani, Singapore
35
Real Freedom
Dr. Giriraj Singh Shekhawat
Auckland, New Zealand
36
A Connected State of Being
Prashant Lande
Chicago, USA
17Humanness
Rahul Singh
London, UK
38
Returning to Human Values
Raul and Nisha Kamal
London, UK
19
Inner Nature
Sharmishtha Dureja
Chicago, USA
39
Puzzle Me This
Nimarta Mirpuri
Chicago, USA
20
The One God
Narasimha Sharma
Andrah Pradesh, India
41
Can Lawyers Be Human Beings?
Navdeep Anand
Leamington, UK
22
Be Generous
Binder and Hardip Bansal
London, UK
43
You are Amazing
Navneet Bansal
London, UK
10
26
Editors
Harbans Singh, Dr. D.K. Mehta and Dr Bobby Sura
Email
[email protected]
Editorial Consultants
Baljit Singh, Dr. Rekha Bassi, Ruby Rehal, Mandeep Kundi,
Gurdeep Bhangra and Nisha Kalra-Tutt.
Universal Target is a spiritual journal promoting unity in diversity and
peaceful co-existence. It is founded on the belief that all human beings
share a common source and spiritual heritage, irrespective of apparent
differences of culture and world traditions. The journal draws upon the
shared and accumulated wisdom of our common heritage, to encourage
harmony through self-realisation. Universal Target endorses the maxim of
His Holiness Nirankari Baba, ‘Know One, Believe in One, Become One’.
Subscriptions and Distribution
Dr. Pavan Chera and Sunny Nirala
International Contact
Raul Kamal
Design
Kamaldip Bains, Vishu Singh, Gurpreet Jhamat,
Swanti Aurora and Suman Chadda
Publisher
Sant Nirankari Mission UK, Centre for Oneness
Great Western Street, Potters Lane
Wednesbury, West Midlands
WS10 0AS, UK
2
Life by Death!
Joginder Singh
Delhi, India
The views expressed in articles and poems are those of the authors and
not necessarily those of the SNM. © All rights are vested in the publishers,
and no part may be copied or reproduced without prior consent.
WWW.NIRANKARI.ORG
humanness
For humanness defines us as a race. It sets us apart from
other species who live solely by their instincts. It raises us to
unprecedented heights, touching the divine, whilst endearing
us to keep our feet on the ground. It helps us to realise who we
most fully are. It is the path to liberation.
Humanness, for over 36 years, was very
much the life and love of His Holiness
Nirankari Baba (Babaji), who shed his
mortal coil on 12 May 2016, and who
was succeeded by Her Holiness Satguru
Mata Savinder Hardev ji (Mataji).
Babaji’s humanness was a unique,
tested philosophy, going back to time
immemorial. It was not humanism,
a rationalist system of thought that
attaches importance to human, rather
than divine or supernatural matters; it
was certainly not humanitarianism, a
reformative social movement designed
to improve mankind through social
change; but a way of holistic living in the
gross world, whilst being inspired by the
subtle ‘omnipresence’.
For Babaji, humanness was about living
a gracious, benevolent and satisfied
life. In all his messages to us, Babaji
invited us to be humane and cultured
– to live good thoughts, good words
and good deeds. Baba ji’s humanness
was graciously complete, mentally
appeasing, physically and emotionally
balanced and steeped in humility.
After having taken on the mantle, on 27
April 1980, following his father, Baba
Gurbachan Singh ji’s assassination, right
up until 12 May 2016, he never looked
back. His personal and enduring sanctity
touched all alike, wherever he moved
in the world. Sacrificing any personal
needs or wish for comfort, Babaji was
one with the shanty town dwellers or
rural communities, with whom he would
sit even if it meant hours of travel and
toil. They would sing and dance, feeling
overwhelmed by these moments of
joy. He was equally at ease with heads
of state, who were enamored by the
simplicity with which he was spreading
messages of peaceful co-existence and
tolerance. Wherever he went, Babaji
rendered the ‘covert’ divinity in each
and every person, abundantly ‘overt’. He
touched all asunder. So much so that his
humanness transformed the atmosphere
into vibrant love and compassion, filling it
with the fragrance of purity and empathy.
In his presence, all doubts and delusions
were transcended with ease.
Babaji made it clear that for humanness
to prevail, the relationship with Nirankar
(Formless Lord) has to be established.
Once we are close to Nirankar, then
the closeness with human beings
naturally follows. In the absence of
this relationship - the gnosis or jnana
- no ideology, devotion, dedication or
worship can bridge the ever-growing
distance between us. In fact, it would
be sheer folly to think that we can
salvage humanity with mere rationalist,
humanist, existentialist or any other
system of thought.
In the words of HH Satguru Mata ji,
‘we are to light lamps and spread their
light, with our positive deeds and
actions, amongst the whole of mankind,
so that they too can unite with the
Mission of Oneness’. ■
Harbans Singh
3
Message of
Her Holiness
Mata Savinder
Hardev Ji
Love
His Holiness Nirankari Baba ji was love
personified. He forgave with love and
overlooked flaws. Whatever Baba ji did
it was with undiluted love. This is the
reason we love him immensely. Baba ji
wanted each of us to love one another
just as much. We should vow to spread
love and take the Mission’s message
further. Baba ji wanted us to live with
each other in love.
I ask you to join me. For every shoulder
united, will help in raising the Mission to
the heights Baba ji wished to see it. We
must remember that we are the children
of the Lord, and we are all selfless
volunteers within the Mission.
Living Beautifully
The devotees of Truth always remain like
a lotus in the world. They do not allow
the materialistic world to have influence
over them. They embellish life with love
and patience. We have to become an
example of Baba ji’s teachings. As per
the poem penned by Bekal Ji, ‘We have
to live in the world, but not be of the
world’. In other words we are to remain
unique and distinct. Baba ji always said
that we have to create our own pious
identity. A lotus lives in the muddy
water, but maintains it’s own beautiful
identity. Likewise, our life has to be the
message. The lotus not only has beauty
within itself, but it also adds beauty
to the muddy pond. Sometimes, the
4
entire muddy water is covered with lotus
flowers, such that what lies in sight is all
beautiful. We have to live like this.
Working
for Peace
We have to spread the light of the
knowledge of the Formless All-pervading
at every place. The world should benefit
from the Mission’s teachings. Baba ji
often gave the example of a bird who
was trying to extinguish a forest fire. It
would dip it’s wings in the river, before
flying over the forest fire, hoping that
droplets of water would fall upon the
flames. When asked how such a small
contribution could make any difference,
the bird replied, “I don’t know if it will,
but I wish to be listed among those who
worked to extinguish the flames, not
those who added to them”. To create
peace in the world, we will need to put
out the fires of hatred, not enflame them.
Faith in the
Formless
Baba ji would often emphasise the
message ‘thee and thine not me and
mine’. We all should learn to accept
the Lord’s Will, and live within it. Baba
ji guided us to remember the Formless
All-Pervading through Simran. To be
so connected with the remembrance
of the Formless, because it gives so
much strength. We are all to attend
the holy gatherings (Satsangs) and
make them an integral aspect of our
lives. We are to meet each other in this
spiritual company, in togetherness and
in love. Baba ji always wanted us to
live in harmony, and with love for each
other. Baba ji wanted to bring back the
Mission that characterised the times of
Shahenhshah Baba Avtar Singh Ji, Baba
Gurbachan Singh Ji, Raj Mata Ji - this
was his dream, and we are to fulfil this
dream as a collective. ■
Ever coloured by the hue of Nirankar,
they form their lives into a unique
model, and whole-heartedly imbibe the
notion that love recognizes no barriers.
Loss of Humanity
humanness
Timeless Teachings of His Holiness Nirankari Baba
Humanness is an environment where vibrations of love
and compassion pervade, filling the atmosphere with
the fragrance of pure and empathic feelings. It is where
enlightened human beings (Saints), together, not only pray
and praise the Lord devotedly, but disseminate the divine
message to all. They dismantle walls and build bridges; they
concentrate on shortening distances and getting one and
all closer together.
It is in the atmosphere of Humanness
that minds are purified and doubts and
delusions can be transcended. This is
where saints forge their relationship with
the Lord (Nirankar), giving expression
to their real essence. In so doing, they
are refined and cleansed, becoming
devotedly joined with Nirankar both
consciously and subconsciously. They
live in the awareness of Nirankar, whose
nature penetrates their very being.
Such enlightened Saints find no
difference between the subtle and gross
nature. They observe no divides of caste
and clan because they see the One,
pervading in each and every thing. They
carry no hatred for anyone; they practice
no duality, transcending the feeling of
‘them and us’. In relinquishing their dual
nature, they become the ideal subjects
of Bulleh Shah’s couplet by becoming
both the kazi (the priest) and the hazi
(the pilgrim),
He who earns the Truth, is a kazi; he
who purifies the heart is a hazi.
In realising their atma’s (the soul’s)
destination as being parmatma
(the Over-soul), they attain moksha
(salvation). And in merging with the
Lord, they forge deep connections with
fellow human beings. In so doing, they
bridge all distances, let go of negative
sentiments, and dismantle the walls that
had previously been established in heart
and mind.
As liberated souls they become free
from all constraints, which ordinarily
confine people. With their hearts
illumined and having come to know the
Truth, they are no longer imprisoned
within pre-conceived notions that act
as a lock, shutting them away behind a
closed door. The liberation encourages
them to open up. They acquaint one
and all with reality, not illusions or
beliefs based on ignorance.
The ignorant become distant from each
other. These distances are inevitable,
if people are distant from the Truth
- Nirankar, which is the real essence.
When the relationship with God is
non-existent, the relationship between
human beings becomes more difficult.
Even if a person engages in prayers,
worship, pilgrimages or the reading
and reciting of scripture, the distance
between him and Nirankar still looms
large, if enlightenment has not been
experienced. In these circumstances,
it is difficult to establish closeness
between human beings, as there is no
closeness with God.
What the ancestors had in terms of
decency, goodness and value, the new
generation failed to attach importance
to, and readily abandoned. They let go
of their human values, allowing peace
and calm to slip out of their hands.
Maltreatment of human beings became
inevitable, and the present and past
atrocities, human violations, abuse and
damage simply carried on at their hands.
Although there has never been a
shortage of people extolling the virtues
of God, there is always a lack of those
who have attained Oneness with the
Divine. As a consequence, these few
enlightened beings have to make many
sacrifices to re-establish those lost
values of peace, calm and unity.
Consequences
of Ignorance
When both the mind and the soul are
in darkness, then what indeed is left?
It is inevitable then that both the here
and the hereafter are in vain. Nothing is
achieved; everything becomes futile. It
is sinful beyond measure here, and there
is nothing but shame hereafter. When
such a bad bargain is struck,
then everything is lost.
The ignorant, who do not experience
the spiritual revolution, simply continue
on the path of inhumanity, intolerance
and distance. Misdemeanours take
place as they have never known
the Lord close enough. Although
they acknowledge Him, they cannot
experience His existence because of
their ‘unknowing’.
5
Revival of Hope
The ‘unknowing’ regard the question
of God as an unsolvable riddle. But the
fact of the matter is that if the mystery
of God exists, then its de-mystifier must
also exist. This is where the Saints and
Sages come to the rescue. This riddle
or recipe that they talk about, Saints
make it clear to understand. That which
is said to be non-existent, Saints render
it ‘existent’.
With such an illumination, intolerance
which causes much devastation, bloodshed and the break-up of families, flies
away like a bird. The fear propagated
by established religions to convert
people, to make them read their
Scriptures, and to entrap them within
false promises of security, are also put
to rest.
The enlightened - those who have
awakened to the Truth - by contrast,
dwell upon unity in diversity, never in
uniformity. They enjoin everyone to live
their lives with God. Unlike the ignorant,
who praise the Lord and yet simulate
hurtful deeds, they extoll the virtues of
God and follow His path too.
After all, For Rama (a Hindu reference
to God) and Rahim (a Muslim reference
to God) to become One, it is necessary
to realize the Almighty, allowing Him to
dwell in the heart. Just as darkness lifts
at the lighting of a lamp, darkness of
man’s delusions also shatters when he
gains enlightenment.
“...if the mystery of
God exists, then its
demystifier must
also exist.”
Realisation
Those who pray, worship, fast, do
penances and observe many rites and
rituals must awaken to recognize the real
core of Truth. They have to understand
what has been given to them as
directions in all the Scriptures. The
issues that they do not think about - how
to redeem the soul, how to make this life
complete, how to reach their goal, and
how to attain the Knowledge of God they have to address.
They have to realize that unlike the
world around us, it is God alone that is
6
eternal, stable, and ever still. It is pure
and 'svembhuh' (self-made).
By contrast everything else has been
created. The system is such that things
are created with a limited life, and
eventually disappear. Because they are
not eternal, they cannot be regarded as
being True. God alone is True.
In embracing the Truth, everyone
gets rich beyond measure. With the
advent of spiritual wealth, it is not only
the poor, but the well-off too, who
become enriched.
Humanness, therefore, is something
that we have to manifest by returning
to our source. When we recognize our
“...distances are
inevitable, if a
person is distant
from the Truth.”
real essence 'wajood', we shall realize
our connection with the Almighty. As
humanness is inseparably connected to
the Spirit, let us enlighten ourselves so
that we can value our human legacy and
imbibe it into our lives for lasting peace,
calm and happiness. ■
Is there a
Rick Bhatia, Birmingham, UK
Future for Humanness?
The short answer is yes. When a Spiritual Master provides
guidance to humanity he is shaping a future, unseen to all,
being a visionary and having insights that most people are not
privy to. Satguru Baba Hardev Singh ji shared his vision with
the world that Humanness would be the theme to examine,
explore and reflect upon in the Journey ahead.
The fact that he advised us all that the Journey begins from
Oneness, was in itself a profound message. In so doing,
Satguru reminded us that we are all travellers. It may have
been the case that we wanted to travel only to the events
taking place in North America this Summer, but actually the
journey began from the very moment this utterance was made.
For others the journey has been continuous since they first
met with the Enlightened Guide. Since that meeting point,
the seed of Oneness was planted in our lives, subsequently
flowering into harmonious living, the fruit of which is peace
on earth. It was the Symposium in Boston where His Holiness
asked us to search deeply, and in so doing we would find
“Harmony in Oneness”.
At the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow we were told that
Oneness is common to all and it is the real wealth of humanity
– “Oneness Our Commonwealth.” Continuing the journey to
2015, His Holiness gave us the blessing to “Build a World
without Walls, Peace by Piece”. Many millions took steps
forward at their own pace, trying to make a difference to
society around them. They did so not only by consulting
the spiritual principles and inspirational thought leadership
of Satguru, but by giving this guidance practical expression
in their lives. We all strove to live Baba ji’s teachings, in the
moment. The impact has been far reaching within the spiritual
and social construct. Babaji made our ‘individual worlds’
so much more vibrant, alive and purposeful, leaving the
wider world a far better place to exist within. His contribution
to humankind over 36 years has been truly unique and
unparalleled. His love and stewardship of human souls, will
never be forgotten.
"...one lit candle can light another."
So, the journey was always an individual one - it was a
person to person development. Yet this was always intended
to impact the collective whole, having the traditional snowball
effect which was ever part of the vision of His Holiness. How
often did he tell us that one lit candle can light another, and in
so doing millions if not billions of candles could be set aglow?
His life’s work, was to bring illumination to the world, lost as
it was in selfishness, greed and the darkness of ignorance of
the real Self. How we chose to travel was always a personal
choice. We could move at our own speed and pace, as long
as we did not forget our priorities, right of choice others’ hold,
and maintained an awareness of just how essential it was to
benefit from the Journey - this precious gift of life.
The Tribute to Humanness, where we will reflect on the life and
teachings of His Holiness Nirankari Baba, will open new doors
and inner gateways to embrace the world. The days, months
and years that we pay tribute to His Holiness (for a few days
will never be enough to express the magnitude of his impact
"Babaji spoke of the fragility of human life, the
need to value every breath and the coming
age where the maternal power of Mata
Savinder Ji would hold and guide us."
on our lives) will serve to accelerate the movement to creating
a global community. Even in his physical departure from the
world, Babaji showers us with more blessed moments. In truth,
we can never repay the love he shared.
In those hours where news started to reach us about His
Holiness’ having left his mortal form, many experienced
the spiritual equivalent of a solar eclipse. We were in utter
darkness, lost and confused. Yet we also had faith that this is
an eternal illumination, and were joyous once more when the
light shone forth from Her Holiness Mata Savinder Hardev Ji
Maharaj. We revisited Babaji’s last discourse, from New Jersey
on 8 May 2016, and it all began to make sense. Repeatedly
Babaji spoke of the fragility of human life, the need to value
every breath and the coming age where the maternal power of
Mata Savinder Ji would hold and guide us. As always, Babaji
had spoken, and we had not heard.
Many of us were amongst the thronging crowds who arrived in
Delhi to pay their last respects to the mortal form of Babaji. For
three days and nights without rest, millions of devoted human
beings from every continent on Earth entered the grounds
where Babaji and his humble devotee, Avneet Ji, were lying
in state. Inspite of temperatures soaring over 47 degrees,
hundreds of thousands joined the 7 hour Peace March on
Wed 18 May 2016, wishing to be part of this last journey of His
Holiness. Shopkeepers en-route payed their respects by a day
long closure of their businesses. Every temple and religious
institution payed homage to this ambassador of peace and
love, by serving water to the multitudes, and bowing in respect
as the open hearth moved through the streets, bedecked in
flowers and the fragrance of true greatness.
Babaji leaves us with the message of Humanness. We will
now need to define what this means. He shared with us the
fact that Oneness is needed at the centre of our lives, from
which Humanness naturally flows. Beloved Satguru Mata
Savinder Hardev Ji has already blessed us in her maiden
discourse, and it is apt to end with those divinely inspired
words, which in many respects are an ode to the Humanness
Babaji wanted to see;
“Babaji was love personified. He overlooked everyone’s
mistakes and forgave, with endless love. Regardless of the
circumstances he gave love, and only love. And that’s why
we all love Babaji so much. But he also wanted us to love
each other immensely. Let us all make a promise that we will
progress together with love in our hearts and take this Mission
even further…." ■
7
String of Pearls
Sneha Biljani, Atlanta, USA
We do not get to decide who departs or stays
Nor can we be the judge of Divine's mysterious ways
As our body’s a mere shell enclosing a pearl so beautiful
Its radiance remains unseen to eyes naive and youthful
We may think all is forsaken, until the shell is broken
But true worth lies in the pearl, not in the shell or ocean
Added to a string of glorious pearls adorning our Creator
Bound together for eternity there is then no separator
We must surrender the oyster to the mercy of the sea
The ebb and flow of its tide we cannot foresee
We gaze up into the stars in awe of their brilliance
Their effortless harmony, glowing in silent obedience
Flocks of birds migrating, glaciers melting into rivers
Earth moving round the sun, seeds bearing fruit and flowers
Nature forever changing, achieving the incomprehensible
We go on quizzing that which is beyond grave or cradle
Yes, we must gaze into the stars and admire this Infinite
Not with questions, but with gratitude that’s ultimate
And understand that time will heal all open wounds
With love and acceptance life will be resumed ■
8
I never left, I hope you realise,
You will find me forever in your heart.
A thought away because love never dies,
Not even cruel Death can keep us apart
Beneath roaming, grey, indifferent skies.
I never left, though all of Heaven burned:
Mighty kingdoms tumble, cities decay
And humanity`s good intentions spurned.
I am here - my smile a moment away,
Hell freezes over, Earth`s axis be turned. ■
Love
Never Dies
Ian Henery, Walsall, UK
9
The
Ambassador
of Humanness
George Khambe, Iver, UK
His Holiness Nirankari Baba
was, and will ever remain, an
inspirational figurehead of
human values, compassionate
living and the power of love.
Though he stepped out of his
mortal frame on 12 May 2016,
the impact of his presence
on Earth will be felt for
generations to come.
To pay homage to His Holiness, we
must honour the Humanness with
which he touched millions of hearts all
over the world. Envisioning a five day
international festival of Humanness in
Toronto during Summer of 2016, little
did we know that His Holiness had set
the stage for his own departure, and
a ready made forum in which to pay
tribute to all that he lived for. Words fall
short, for the message neither comes or
goes, neither takes birth or dies. Such
is true for those who carry the message
into the world - they too are part of an
eternal institution. Their guidance was, is
and always will be needed.
The Tribute to Humanness is therefore
inseparably connected to the life and
wisdom of His Holiness Nirankari Baba.
10
There is no better way to honour him,
than to celebrate what he lived for. In
36 years of spiritual mentorship, Babaji
inspired millions to embrace human
values, and spoke tirelessly of the
positive change that can be effected
in the world by embracing such values
collectively as one global family.
As human beings each of us possess
the ability to influence our environment
in a unique and special way, brought
about by the very ideals we adopt in
our everyday lives. Oftentimes there is
a tendency to focus on the issues and
challenges that fragment our society,
but we also have direct experience of
the way in which our innate feelings such
as empathy, compassion, and a sense
of equality, can enable us to connect
with one another in our immediate
relationships, and also inspire many of
us to go the extra mile in selfless acts of
service for humanity.
The message neither comes
or goes, neither takes birth or
dies. Such is true for those
who carry the message into
the world - they too are part
of an eternal institution.
Humanness, however, went a step further
for Babaji, whose vision was for people
from all backgrounds to come together
in Oneness, and in doing so, resonate
the power of such values in far greater
capacity than could be possible by the
individual alone. Babaji felt this ripple
effect would affect lasting, positive
change across communities. He wished
to see a world in peace, not pieces.
Wherever he went, a pervasive sense of
unity and harmony was established - like
the sun illuminating parts of the world
wherever it’s rays penetrate.
The Tribute to Humanness then,
provides an opportunity for reflection,
realisation, and celebration of all that
joins us together as one colourful
tapestry of humankind. Beyond the
outer forms, deeper than anything we
could conceive or imagine, is a unifying
spirit which holds and contains the entire
universe. Babaji sought to bring each
person he met, into a direct experience
of this spirit. The Tribute therefore,
observes just such togetherness, and is
a window into the essential oneness of
the created universe. These sentiments
weave through all the events that will
feature in the near week long celebration
in North America.
Pathway to Humanness
The Tribute to Humanness is not simply
a one-time event, rather it is a journey
that each individual is invited to embark
upon. Whilst the vast majority of
participants will arrive in the beautiful
city of Toronto during the week of the
main events, they will all have started
their emotional journey much ahead of
time, taking part in at least one of many
Humanness Pathway Events held across
the globe.
The Humanness Blood Donation
initiative is perhaps one of the most
significant examples in this regard, for
which thousands of people across the
globe have already donated their blood
with the intention that Humanness can
save lives.
Wherever he went, a pervasive
sense of unity and harmony
was established - like the sun
illuminating parts of the world
wherever it’s rays penetrate.
Tribute to Humanness
Beginning with the Global Wellness Run
and the motto ‘heal, enrich, empower’,
the Tribute pays immediate regard to
the notion that through Humanness
we have the power to heal. The Run
encourages us to strive for physical
wellbeing, and also to consider further
our deeper emotional state of being.
At the same time the thousands of
like-minded individuals participating in
the day’s activities will hope to make
a difference to the lives of numerous
others through the valuable funds
raised for charitable causes.
The Tribute goes on to a day long
opportunity to recognise the many
volunteers (sevadal) across the globe
who work towards the cause of
Humanness. Whether it is through
donating blood, environmental cleanups, planting trees or simply inspiring
people to reach their highest potential,
these volunteers are a reflection of
Babaji’s teachings in action. There is
no doubt all of these volunteers will
continue to serve with unwavering
energy to bring a sense of Oneness to
their immediate communities back home
upon their return. Such service with the
spirit of togetherness is a reminder that
Humanness begins with selflessness.
transformation this may have enabled
within themselves. The impact of His
Holiness Nirankari Baba in our lives will
be shared, given so many were moved
to joy, tears and wakefulness by the
personal relationship Babaji established
with followers and onlookers alike.
Moreover, it should become selfevident that Humanness requires us
to take responsibility as the catalysts
for change.
The Canada Day experience and One
World Concert forms a further aspect
to the Tribute. Thousands of people
from diverse backgrounds will celebrate
this momentous day on the periphery
of the majestic Niagara Falls – itself an
icon of the power and beauty of nature.
Recognising the natural essence in all
things, including of course ourselves as
conscious human beings, and accepting
each other as equal, we observe that
Humanness is a celebration of unity
in diversity. Just as the waters that
form Niagara have flowed ceaselessly
across the Millenia, we are called
upon to consider the very flow of
existence - itself without beginning
or end, forever renewing itself and
knowing no end. What better way to
focus on the eternal nature of Satguru
- that wisdom tradition that has always
guided humanity towards a deeper
understanding of itself. At the same
time as we reflect on the significance
of Canada Day we should leave with
the sentiment that Humanness inspires
peaceful coexistence.
The Tribute therefore,
observes just such
togetherness, and is a window
into the essential oneness of
the created universe.
The Journey from Oneness
to Humanness
The International Conference on
Humanness in Toronto will be a fitting
conclusion to the Tribute week.
Engaging and thought-provoking
content will inspire all participants to
reflect on their journey since the very
beginning and to consider the personal
We should surely ask ourselves the
question, ‘what is the link between
Oneness and Humanness?’ The array of
experiences to be had in the Tribute will
help us to develop and piece together
our very own personal interpretation
and meaning. At the same time, there is
perhaps some subtlety that we should
dig deeper for.
Through Babaji’s vision of Oneness
we have come to appreciate our true
essence and a connectedness to all
things – prompting the removal of
difference and sense of duality. When
such feelings resonate deeply within us
then we are inspired to work actively
across boundaries to make a difference
and to share this sense of unity with
greater conviction. Humanness could
then be considered as the actualisation
of Oneness – in other words,
‘Humanness, is Oneness in Action’.
It would then also follow that the
journey from Oneness to Humanness,
is the journey from Knowing One, to
Becoming One. This is the legacy, and
perhaps the invitation, that His Holiness
Nirankari Baba leaves us with. ■
11
Make Life a
Celebration
Arti Nehru, Los Angeles, USA
A couple is standing in line to buy tickets for an
amusement park. Their two sons meander off and
start playing with cute little ducklings. They are
giggling and laughing when their dad comes to them
and says, ‘Hurry up boys, and get off the floor. We
have to go inside the amusement park so we can
START having fun.’ A light bulb went off for me when I read this story.
The father was telling his boys that they had to get
inside the park to have fun while the boys were
enjoying themselves right where they were.
When I am aware of His presence, it makes me strong. It
allows me to face my fears. On the inside, I am afraid to
fly on an airplane. But when I tell myself that God is the
pilot, I find myself surrendering my fears and making it
through countless flights.
How many times in our lives do we forget to enjoy
where we are because we are so focused on the next
goal, the next destination?
When I am aware of His presence, it gives me peace
of mind. Life does not have to be perfect for us to be
happy. Peace doesn’t come from the material. It comes
from the inside. And when we get the inside right, the
outside will fall into place.
Oprah Winfrey has drawn a lot of attention to Eckhart
Tolle’s book titled the ‘Power of Now,’ in which Tolle
basically says that one shouldn’t think about the past
or worry about the future because the only moment we
have is right now.
Whilst one yearns for sleep, stretched on a
luxurious bed,
The other finds rest, reposing on a bed of thorns,
his head
A holy song
‘It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life
waiting to start living,’ Tolle writes.
Once I have connected with the Super-soul through
prayer, congregation and meditation, I find spiritual
confidence, strength, peace and joy. My life becomes a
celebration. I understand I was made in His image. So,
everything He possesses, I do too. I can tap into love,
peace, and joy when I tap into my awareness of Him.
My mind, body and soul are in a state of bliss, a state in
which I was always meant to be. ■
I don’t want to wait. I want to live.
The title of this article is Make Life a Celebration. But
life IS a celebration every moment. We know this most
fully, when we are connected with our true nature and
to our source, God.
12
When I am aware of the Lord’s presence within me, it
gives me spiritual confidence. It reminds me that He
is a part of me and I am a part of Him. If I am a part
of an entity so great, then there can be no reason for
insecurities or low self-esteem.
From Restlessness
to Calmness
Kiren Panday, New York, USA
Man is seeking happiness while under the influence of the tangible
world; he seeks happiness in things, places and people. When the next
iPhone is being overly advertised via all means of modern day media,
man is intrigued. He comes to strongly believe that a good chunk of his
happiness lies in acquiring that latest gadget. He goes on to spend top
dollars to experience that happiness he so badly longs for. Next there
are certain places which he believes that if he travels to, he will gain
further happiness. Finally there are a few individuals that he wants to
meet and that would seal the deal for his everlasting happiness. So he
ends up getting a reservation for that paradise like place using his latest
phone and on the way to this place he plans to stop over and meet up
with his childhood friend.
Within the span of a month, the man accomplishes all of the above. He
gets the latest iPhone, he travels to his favorite place and does get to
sit back and recall his childhood memories in the company of his best
friend. Well, having checked everything off the list he could possibly
have done to achieve happiness, the man has got to be happy, right?
Not quite! There is only so much he can connect and talk about with
his childhood buddy. So, he continues on to his long awaited vacation
spot. After a couple of weeks of relaxation, monotony sets in. The flare
for the place evaporates. He wants to head back home. And only a few
short months later, there is a new iPhone on the market. The man no
longer cares for the phone he once desired so strongly. And now he has
reverted back to his initial state of agitation and restlessness.
Does this imply that happiness is truly a short lived state? It cannot be
everlasting? Actually the exact contrary is true. Lasting happiness can
be achieved.
When man seeks happiness under the right influence - that is ‘not in
things’, for they have an expiration date; not in places, for they can lose
their charm; nor in people, whom he is bound to part with sooner or
later - then the chances are he is heading in the right direction. If lasting
happiness is to be found, one must look to the everlasting source. As
Lao Tzu once said, “I do not walk into things, but into the origin of
things". And when man identifies this origin, he comes to realize that
he searched for happiness in all the wrong places. What he confused as
happiness, was but a selection of short moments of elation, which were
destined to dissolve and fade.
But when he is acquainted with the origin of the everlasting happiness,
he comes to discover his own Identity. He comes to realize how naïve
he had been to assume the physical frame as his true identity. When
the truth is known, he comes to discern between the body and soul,
the form and formless. The mortal frame being the body, while the
immortal soul being his true self. In learning that he is not the mortal
body, he is no longer restricted to it, or confined by it. The physical
frame being mortal cannot contain him forever. He then, comes to
complete terms that he and the origin of happiness are one. This
realization brings him the everlasting state of joy and happiness, which
takes him from restlessness to calmness. ■
13
When it was first suggested that I write a few
words about the topic Finding our Humanness, I
felt an irrational wave of resistance. And, just for
the exercise it affords - both mental and spiritual
- I have been exploring where this resistance
stems from.
I was thinking about the words/ideas that are associated with
being human. The root word is ‘humus’ meaning earth/ground
and the Latin ‘humanus', meaning MAN. It starts with humus,
earth, then becomes humble, lowly and, finally, human, man.
Humane - compassion for other human beings and animals;
Humanise - make human, render humane; Humanity - the
quality of being human. The word humus, earth, seems
so logical doesn't it - because surely that's where man
originates...on earth.
Not all phrases feel as positive though - excuses like ‘Well, I'm
only human’, as we cave in and snatch the last remaining Jaffa
Cake from the plate denoting that there is a weakness and
vulnerability associated with being who we are. Well - there
is, isn't there? We're not gods, we're not infallible - nor meant
to be - I feel we're all just in a state of process and progress.
We're in this human life for such a short time in comparison to
the eons of time that stretch behind us and before us. There
are probably other experiences and other existences awaiting
us beyond this earthbound life of ours.
So, looking at the wording of the topic again - Finding our Humanness - what's not to find that isn't already there naturally? We already
belong to the human race. We have all the biological characteristics essential to be classified as humans. Greek philosophy explains, ‘But
humanness cannot exist apart from human beings, any more than heaviness apart from a heavy object.’ So it must be more than that.
I think this is where my resistance starts to creep in. Paradoxically, I believe that the level of our humaneness - being humane - loving
the rest of humanity and all living things - is directly proportionate to the level and depth of us finding our Divinity first.
In my experience, it was not until I was utterly fed up with living inhumanely (towards myself and hence to others) that I became
open to developing a spiritual life. It was by looking inward, acknowledging my weaknesses and vulnerability, learning to love and
appreciate myself, that I was best able to extend the same to others around me. When the great role model Jesus advised us to 'love
our neighbours as ourselves' - I think this was the way in which he meant it to work...
So maybe the topic can be reworded to say,
'Find your Divinity, find your Humanness.' ■
Caroline Gibbs, Solihull, UK
Finding our
Humanness
14
The
Dr. Ashish Toor, California, USA
Some 2000 years ago, a man was born who gave
unconditional love, forgave all sins and promised
his people the kingdom of heaven. In return,
humanity flogged him, nailed him to the cross,
and left him to die in the blistering sun.
Years later, a stern-faced German
dictator who did not like the people
of a certain faith, took it upon himself
to brand these unfortunate souls,
then confined them by the million to
concentration camps, and gassed them
to death.
race, religion and holy wars than for
any other reason.
Such are the qualities that have been
associated with the word Humanness.
Is it any wonder that being human has
a bad reputation?
Just a few years ago, a brilliant young
girl was shot in the head by fanatics
because she tried to get an education,
and fought for other girls to go to
school too.
The disrepute of man has spanned
generations and has captured the
imagination of the most famous
satirists. Jonathan Swift, in his famous
novel Gulliver’s Travels, described
the travels of Gulliver first to the land
of Lilliput, inhabited by dwarfs where
he was exposed to the pettiness and
small-mindedness of man. Then he
chanced upon a land of giants, where
he discovered the gross and torrid
ugliness of human beings. Gulliver
finally found peace and happiness in
the land of horses, where the system
was orderly, dignified and judicious.
In the history of the world, more people
have been persecuted in the name of
So we have been ranked worse than
the graceful horse. We are less caring
Not long after, at the stroke of midnight,
a country ruled for hundreds of years
by the British Empire was liberated,
and split in two. To mark this great
occasion, the population divided into
two religious halves, and there began
the bloodiest mass migration in history,
slaying millions as they moved.
than dolphins and whales that co-exist
unconditionally for each other. We
are less loyal than dogs. We worry
more than the birds exposed to the
elements. We are more violent than
the most vicious carnivores - they
killed to survive, whereas man kills out
of boredom. We steal more, destroy
more, gossip more and despise more.
We take great pride in our intellectual
prowess, yet these powers are
perfectly harnessed for generating
more evil as opposed to more good.
Despite this tragic picture of humanity,
we all know that there is another side
to the coin, the luminous side of the
dark, the tremendous goodwill that
pours from human love. Think of
Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and
Martin Luther King. Think of Schindler
who saved so many Jews, of the Pope
who washed the feet of refugees,
and of the countless volunteers who
come forward during times of natural
disaster. Consider the mother who
seeks the comfort of her children, even
if she must sacrifice her own ease.
There is great friendship, heroism and
selfless acts of kindness taking place in
every city and street of this wonderful
planet - if we are not blinded to it. Yes,
there are many stains that tarnish the
15
fabric of humanity. But so much that redeems
us too.
So what does it truly mean to be Human?
The word Human is derived from the English
humus. Both words originate from an IndoEuropean root that signifies the earth or soil.
Another word that shares this root is Humility.
Thus, to be human is to be close to the soil and
lowly. It signifies an abiding humility against
the grandeur of the Creator and his creation
before us.
The scriptures have proclaimed that God made
man in His own image. His Holiness Nirankari
Baba used to remind us of Pierre Teilhard de
Chardin’s thought; ‘we are not human beings
having a divine experience, but divine beings
having a human experience’. We were carved
in perfection by the hands of a perfect Creator.
We are born on a pedestal of intellect and
conscience. Yet somehow again and again
this angel of God has fallen. And our sins are
so persistent and ubiquitous that at times one
wonders if we have forgotten the difference
between right and wrong.
Hence, time has come to reclaim man’s
exalted status. Today is the day that we sound
the conch to awaken all from the slumber of
ignorance. It will take a revolution to restore
the coveted status of Humanness. And that
revolution must start today - not later, but
here and now. His Holiness worked tirelessly
to uplift the human heart, open the mind and
renew the spirit of humankind. He would often
say, ‘do not leave until tomorrow, what can
be done today, and do not leave until later,
that which can be done now’. In 36 years
of exemplary living, His Holiness inspired
millions to resurrect their innate human nature,
transforming the very landscape of our lives.
Under the guidance of His Holiness, Volunteers
from the Los Angeles branch of the Sant
Nirankari Mandal gathered earlier this year to
conduct a clean-up operation of the beautiful
Santa Monica Beach. The sands were littered
with trash. The Volunteers combed the
beach with buckets in hand and a singular
drive to collect as much unwanted waste as
possible. Of course, everyone wanted the big
Our journey must begin
with Oneness because all
efforts are multiplied, when
we work as a collective.
16
Just like big damage happens
from small beginnings, great
goodness happens from
humble intentions.
objects - the glass bottle, the plastic fork, the
foam containers - that were strewn amidst
the sand. They were the lottery prizes one
would boast about. Then, an organizer of
the clean-up, an environmentalist, gathered
the volunteers around. He explained that
the worst and the most dangerous trash one
could eliminate were the tiniest scraps and
bits of plastic and foam. No sea animal would
swallow a glass bottle or plastic fork. But the
small fragments, could easily be picked and
consumed by the marine scavengers that
flock to the coastline. These tiny pieces of
plastic clog their intestines and choke them
to death. When small animals are eaten by
larger predators, the plastic pieces multiply and
accumulate in huge quantities in their bellies. In
fact, when dead whales washed ashore have
been cut open, they have been found to contain
vast quantities of harmful plastic of the smallest
dimensions.
Just like big damage happens from small
beginnings, great goodness happens from
humble intentions. Our revolution will begin
not from large and spectacular acts of charity,
but from the accumulation of tens, hundreds,
thousands and millions of small acts of
kindness. The simple smile of a stranger, the
helping hand of a friend, the listening ear of
a sibling, and the empathic heart of a parent
who cares. This love, Babaji used to teach us,
comes from the God within us. That spark of
divinity that joins us together, as one whole.
The love in one human being, generates love
in the next. If every expression, word, gesture
and deed is delivered only with pure and
selfless compassion, then there can be no
room for hatred or retribution. Goodness begets
goodness, and the circle of humanness grows.
Our journey must begin with Oneness because
all efforts are multiplied, when we work as a
collective. The journey must have Humanness
because cohesive efforts alone take us so far,
but expand the possibilities when they reflect
the best of human qualities - the qualities
endowed by God. When our billions of drops
of Humanness unite in Oneness, they will
transform into a tsunami of love that will flood
the world with its brilliance. Only then will we
see true peace, and paradise on Earth. ■
Humanness
An Inspirational Approach
Rahul Singh, London, UK
I feel the words St Francis of Assisi speak
loud and clear today, ‘Start by doing what's
necessary; then do what's possible; and
suddenly you are doing the impossible.’
In a time where people feel hopeless, failed by the system – whether economic or
political, to bring a positive change into the world seems very nigh impossible. In
fact, the scale of the issue is so vast that we feel overwhelmed to even think we
can improve the systems around us, no matter how badly they seem to disappoint.
The power to do so is never found, until we have a voice, until we become a voice
for the voiceless.
Being a poet in today’s age, to follow the principles of the Sant Nirankari
Mission is both a challenge and a boon. The oneness that is practiced which
brings out the humanness in oneself is a boon and a positive change can be
made through the art form, yet the accepting nature of the enlightened faces
its biggest hurdle.
Albert Einstein said ‘The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by
those who watch them without doing anything.’ Here is where I find as a poet, I
am challenged. I have to raise awareness when there is systematic racism, when
17
the disabled face social security cuts or when the rich do not pay their fair share of
taxes to a system that supports them during a crisis they contributed to creating.
The poet in me cannot judge one thing as right or wrong, or even good or evil but this
isn’t about judgment. This challenge is to observe what is doing more harm to the
wellbeing of my fellow brothers and sisters on this Earth – this global humanity that
I care so passionately about. I am compelled within this context to create and share
messages of optimism and hope.
approach expands the message of the Sages, which has always been to embrace all,
love all and be compassionate. The spacious view helps us to see the whole picture. By
looking at something at a nano level may create concentration on one detailed aspect,
but through moving the horizons a little wider you may discover something that is
a bigger truth than what you thought was possible or real. In simple terms, having
the bigger picture you do not miss any details at all and therefore you become an
inspiration with an inspirational message.
It is these moments - whether one is a comedian, actor, writer, singer, accountant,
lawyer, street cleaner or whatever we are - that must be grasped to bring about
a massive change, simply through inspiring others to think about their values as
human beings. Be an inspiration by creating that space within you so you can be a
measurement of humanness itself, or a reference point of humanity. People should
look at you and say “you know compared to this individual, I am not acting according
to my human nature and I need to do something about it.”
Our life, our actions, our deeds should all reflect the nature of humanness. This
nature is one of love, peace, kindness, forgiveness, generosity, compassion,
acceptance and humility. To be a real inspiration is to feel complete as you are and yet
be selfless enough to be humble. Our words must match our actions. There is no point
in myself saying I want to be humble and yet, I cannot smile back at you when you
smile at me. Or when you offer reverence I do not reciprocate that same respect. You
see words are words but our actions must be aligned with them.
When we awaken our humanness, what we
actually do is access our inner divinity.
Any inspirational figure that we admire may have faults that contradict their
message, but they never concentrated on their errors. Rather, they focus on their
potential - their positive attributes. We may all fail at one point or another due to a
lifetime of unhelpful habits. Success is never overnight. Therefore, inspiration takes
time to take root.
It is said often ‘to err is human’, I somehow disagree with this because that sets us
human beings up for failure. I would like to change that saying so it reads, ‘to be is
human’. Being a human creates the next step for human evolution. We are told that
although we have this human body, we are divine beings. In fact, to paraphrase Lord
Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, it is this Divine Energy that wears a human cloak. Our
next step to evolution is 'to be in being' and that is really just being divine.
When we awaken our humanness, what we actually do is access our inner divinity, our
Truth and the real meaning behind our Existence. Otherwise, we continue to be part
of material and social systems which benefit a few and create disillusionment and
pain for the many. All these systems will fail us sooner or later. Stepping out, seeing
the whole, and then stepping back with renewed vision, is the path to freedom.
Whoever you are, whatever you may be, you can inspire others to think, to ponder, to
awaken their senses to everything that is around them. You can inspire them to look
at things with an open mind, as if viewing the world afresh.
We should be able to appreciate people who give positive messages through their
living, instead of finding reasons to ostracise them for their outward differences
to ourselves. Too often, we fail to have a human connection with another because
they belong to a different religion, or deny belief in God. A narrow-minded vision
may give a microscopic view with lots of tiny details, but having a broad-minded
18
We have to step away from the system – political, economical, cultural or for that
matter religious - and look at what is right for the human system – our humanity.
What we must always remember is that worldly systems are created by humans, whose
values and understandings are ever evolving. Our innate humanity is a constant, which
we can access through spirituality and introspection. Systems should never become
more important than our humanity. When we care for each other, we will care for our
Earth. When we care for each other, we will inspire justice and truth. Justice and truth
inspire those inspirational figures to voice a message that echoes for generations. We
must either become those inspirational figures who voice and live their inspirational
message or at least take a step in imbibing those thoughts.
Look at things with an open mind, as if viewing
the world afresh.
In conclusion, it is up to us, me and you, to bring change to the world. Create a
revolution within; a humanness revolution and this will spark a change in the whole
of humanity. It is time for us to do what is necessary to create a better world not just
for the human race but also for every living inhabitant of this planet. ■
Inner Nature
It was a spring Sunday morning. The sky was bright
and clear, although it had rained the previous night.
The grass was lovely and green. It felt as though
Mother Nature was in its full revival mood.
We started driving to the ‘Satsang’ (the Oneness
Gathering); I was at the wheel. As we neared the
end of the subdivision, I slammed on the brakes. I
could see something like a turtle crossing the street.
I stopped the car, got out of it, and went close.
Indeed, it was a turtle. As I got nearer, it withdrew
its neck into its shell.
By this time, the car behind us had also stopped,
and a gentleman walked towards me. He carefully
lifted the turtle and placed him on the grass in the
front yard of the nearby house. He then informed
me that spring season is breeding time for turtles
and that they move around looking for safe nesting
places. I thanked him, went back to the car, and
started driving.
Hardly a minute later, I slammed on the brakes
again, and my children screamed, “Another turtle,
mom!”
I got out of the car, and needless to say, it was
another turtle. This time, however, the children
came out too. We walked closer to the turtle, which
was much bigger in size than the one before. As
soon as we were a foot or two away, the turtle
snapped at us, almost as if attacking us. I panicked
in fear, and so did my children.
My son screamed, “Mom it’s a snapping turtle.
Don’t go near it!” I did not understand. So I walked
towards it one more time…and again, it snapped at
me. I walked away from it, not knowing what to do
next. At the same time, I did not want to leave it,
as it could easily have been overrun by oncoming
traffic.
Sharmishtha Dureja, Chicago, USA
myself. I asked myself, what is my nature?
I started on a journey of self-examination and
affirmations came along the way as answers, almost
like a Q&A.
Who am I? I am the light of the divine soul. I am the
bliss and loving awareness of Nirankar.
What is my purpose on this earth? My purpose is to
awaken, by the grace of the Satguru (The Perfect
Master), to my true self; to see everyone with the
divine eyes of the Satguru, and to listen with the
divine ears of the Satguru.
What am I here to receive? I am here to realize and
connect with my innate nature; I am here to receive
the teachings from my Satguru.
What am I here to give? I am here to spread love,
light and the grace of my Satguru; I am here to sing
the glory and praises of Nirankar, the Formless
Being.
I had found the answer to my original question. It is a
long answer but very well worth revisiting. Some time
later I opened the Sampuran Avtar Bani for scriptural
authority, and low and behold everything my heart
had uttered, I could see on the pages before me.
Always on lips, a disciple, has his Preceptor’s story,
Leading a life of adoration, uttering the Lord’s glory
With Guru’s eyes, he sees, with Guru’s ears, - listens,
From Preceptor’s pool he, picks pearls which glisten
Guru’s image, in his mind, in his heart, benevolence
In ups and downs, forever, he is, in Guru’s presence
A disciple’s never swayed, by the world nor its lure,
Avtar, the Preceptor alone, is his mainstay, for sure!
Avtar Bani, Verse 105 ■
The gentleman in the car behind us stopped as well
and walked towards us. He confirmed that it was
a snapping turtle. He got hold of a wooden stick
and approached the turtle with it. This time as the
turtle snapped, it caught hold of the stick. Now the
gentleman held the stick and quickly moved the
turtle to the sidewalk on a grassy patch, safe and
away from the traffic.
We all got back into the car and I started driving
again. Out of curiosity, I addressed the children.
I asked them why there was such a difference
between the two turtles - one so quiet and shy, and
withdrawing itself into its hard shell, and the other,
so ferocious and actually attacking.
My son replied, “Mom, it’s a snapping turtle. It’s his
nature to snap and attack.”
Immediately, my attention shifted from the turtle to
19
The One God
Narasimha Sharma, Andrah Pradesh, India
...He can be realized only
through an Enlightened Guide
20
The Scriptures say that there is only One God, and that
He is manifest in all the animate and inanimate objects
of the universe.
Eko devaha sarva bhootatmaroodah
– Swetashwara Upanishad
But the question is, where is He? How does He exist in
all the creation, infused within the entire universe?
The Scriptures say that He is present everywhere; He is
omnipresent; He is present inside, outside, all around;
He permeates in every thing; and He is all-pervading.
Antar bahischa tat sarvam vyapya narayana sthitah
- Tittiriyo Upanishad
If this is so, how is He to be found; how does he exist in
all?
Neevarashook vattanvi peethaa bhaswatyanoopama,
tasyah shikhayah madhye paramatma vyavasthitah
- Yajur Veda
The fact that He exists in every creature, is He visible?
No - at least not to the naked eye. He can be seen only by
insight (antar drishti). That is why to see Him we need
to look within ourselves. Just as Emerson says,
What lies before you and behind you are tiny things
Compared to what lies within you.
The same is expressed in Vedic Scriptures:
Antar mukha samaraadhya bahir mukha
sudurlabhah
These Vedic pronouncements, about the Truth, can be
tested and analyzed through logical reasoning. The
sage, Swami Vivekananda, also made a pronouncement.
He said,
I have just passed through one of the greatest moments
of my life.
I have found the ONE that has both a micro and a macro
existence.
In this microcosm of the body everything that exists in
the universe, the macrocosm, also lies.
I have seen the whole universe within one atom.
This universe and the body are built on the same plan.
A survey of the present cosmological views on this
pronouncement reveal that many atomic physicists,
cell biologists, and Nobel prize winners have opined the
same. The most popular and widely accepted theory on
the cosmos is about Black Holes, wherein stars above
a certain size collapse under their own weight to an
infinitesimal point. Similarly, Big Bangers believe that
in the future, space might shrink and all matter and
energy in the universe compress into one single point in
a Big Squeeze.
Metaphysicists say that cohesive forces begin to relax
and matter becomes ethereal, and when the planets and
suns die, their constituents are dispersed and enter
a dormant - relatively homogenous - condition. At the
next cycle of manifestation, life impulses from the inner
realms quicken sleeping matter into renewed activity,
forming glaciers, stars, planets, globes, plants, animals,
humans and so much more. The Vedic term for this
explanation is Pralay and Srishti. Thus, nature becomes
the macrocosm of the human body, the living being.
The latest studies show that the study of this seemingly
chaotic system has given us an irregular geometric shape
that can be split into ports called fractals which is the
copy of self-similarity (mirror images).These fractals
are found in every object of the universe which is ever
repeating. This mirror image is the Design Principle of
nature. This applies to multiple levels. The whole universe
reveals to us this principle of micro-macrocosm. That is
how the microcosm finds the fractals of macrocosm in
it. So, thus, individuals become universals, and create
organisms of the universe, deporting from the simple
particles born in the Big Bang. Thus, groups of nucleons
become atoms, to molecules, to cells, to living systems,
to societies, nations, planets, solar systems, galaxies,
universes and hyper universes (Brahmand). But all these
emanate from one single nucleon. This is what Swami
Vivekananda experienced. This is the form of the formless
Nirankar -the One God.
This is further explained by the Nobel prize winning
cell biologist, Christian De Devu, who shared that all the
living beings on earth, water, air, including human beings
propagate by the same mechanism of reproduction which
emanates from the same common ancestral form. Life is
ONE. This is what the Vedic pronouncement Eko devaha
sarva bhootatma roodah, truly means.
Science testifies this as Holographic Paradigm (Neil Bohr,
founder of quantum mechanics). He reveals that the entire
universe is contained in each of its parts where in the same
single atom is contained in each part or creation at micro
level. Like a HOLOGRAM, the entire representation of the
original product is present in each portion of it. That is, the
Creator is found in every particle of his creation. ONE GOD
exists in different forms.
But who can reveal this to us? It is only a Living Spiritual
Master, who can unveil the reality that is hidden behind
the cosmic delusion. He does so because he is One with the
creator in cosmic form. This is why Adi Shankaracharya
says, this truth is revealed to knowledgeable people by
that saintly TRUE MASTER, whom they approach as
ardent disciples.
Ato vimuktai prayateti vidwan, sanyastha bahyartha
spurah spruh sun,
santam mahantam samupethya desikam, tena
upadishtanti samahitatmaa.
-Viveka Choodamani
The same is told by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna in
the Holy Bhagawad Gita, and mentioned by Shehanshah
Baba Avtar Singh Ji in the Sampuran Avtar Bani:
Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattaha sarvam pravartate
Iti matvaa bhajante maam budha bhava samanvitah
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds.
Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this
perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me
with all their hearts.
-(BG 10:8)
Ih nirankar prabhu hai Iko, sach hai kewal jis da nan;
Karta, dhaarta jo har shai da, jinhe rachia kul jahan
One and only is Nirankar, Truth alone is His Name
He’s the Lord, the Creator, from whence everything came!
-(AB 14) ■
21
be generous
Binder and Hardip Bansal, London, UK
We are all human, here on this earth for a limited duration. None
of us knows when our number will be up; it is easy for life to pass
us by in the blink of an eye. When an individual reaches old age,
they may look back and ask themselves: did I make the most of
each day? Did I do everything I wanted to do? Was I the person I
wanted to be? Did I live life to the fullest of my abilities?
When an individual passes, they are remembered for their good qualities and
their virtuous deeds, not for their material possessions or worldly status. At that
moment in time, this is not what is important. What is important is the manner
in which they lived, and the moral and ethical legacies they left behind.
In considering life and death, it is important to consider the meaning of life and
the right way to live. People look for this either in religion or in philosophy. The
important thing is to arrive at the confluence of the beginning and the end - the
source of all things.
It is this knowledge of our Source that give rise to the qualities of compassion,
tolerance, humility, integrity and charity amongst others. They are all forms
of love. When one talks about charity, some are generous with their money,
others generous with their time. But perhaps even these qualities don’t fully
encapsulate what often is the unconditional giving up of ourselves for the
betterment of humanity. This could be termed generosity of spirit. Once we can
comprehend this notion of generosity of spirit, it becomes so enriching that it
becomes a life-long habit. Indeed, a life that that is light on trinkets and heavy
with deeds has much to be commended. We all know that actions speak louder
than words.
Despite the challenges or adverse circumstances placed in our way, we should never
stop rejoicing in the fact that we are alive. After all, the common saying reminds
us, life is not about surviving the storm, but learning to dance in it. We shall always
have challenges and obstacles thrown our way, but how we deal with them and
react to them is the key to our life of equilibrium. We should remember that it is
not possible to celebrate life without others around us, be they family, friends or
members of the community.
We all have the capacity, in one way or the other, to live our lives as an example
to others. We can do this for our children, our peers at work or even complete
strangers. This can indeed be termed Humanness. ■
22
Joginder Singh, Delhi, India
Life by Death!
It is the eternal law of nature that whosoever is born - be
they a saint or a sinner, high or low, rich or poor, literate
or illiterate - must die. And, this law governs the whole of
creation: inanimate (sand, stone and rock), and animate
(plant, animal and human). However, when, where and how
man will be struck by death, which many believe to be
predestined, is not known to him. Ironically, although he
witnesses people dying on a daily basis, he is not prepared
to accept the inevitability of his own death. Hence, he
leads his life in the shadow of death.
The above mentioned may well be true of a human being,
existing at the physical level. But, the question is whether a
human being is a mere physical entity? In actuality, a human
is a rare fusion of the physical body and the divine spirit or
soul. The soul or spirit is the life energy or force that propels
the physical body. More explicitly, the soul is the rider and
the body, the vehicle. The soul, being a constituent of the
Super Soul or God, is imperishable, while the physical body,
composed of inherently transient matter, is perishable. Thus,
the divine soul or spirit, and not the physical body, is the true
identity of a human. But, in ignorance, he identifies himself
with the physical body and the accumulation of material
possessions as the sole aim of his life. So, he is constantly
haunted by the fear of death. However, when, by the kind
grace of a Spiritual Guide, man realizes his true identity, that
is, the immortal divine soul and not the mortal physical body,
he understands that Birth and Death are the ebb and flow of
the stream of life. That is when he is freed of the fear of his
own mortality!
Practically, all religions enjoin humans to remember God
(Simran), attend holy congregation (Sangat or Satsang)
and render selfless service (Seva). Simran implies Godremembrance and God-glorification. At the Sangat, deeper
meanings of the holy teachings are explained, thoughts and
experiences exchanged and inspirations drawn to firm up
one’s faith in God and the Spiritual Guide. Sangat also aids
one’s spiritual evolvement to remain even-minded amidst
worldly trials and tribulations. By and large, Simran and Sangat
help one’s own spiritual evolvement and remaining stable.
However, when one renders selfless service (Seva), one rises
above one’s petty self and identifies oneself with the welfare
and well-being of the entire humanity: Universal Brotherhood.
Unfortunately, amongst humanity there is no dearth of the
hungry, naked, infirm, ailing, abandoned, forlorn, forgotten,
ostracized, depressed, oppressed and exploited. With teary
eyes, they silently crave and cry for attention, care, concern
and love to help to bring back a smile on their face, solace in
their heart and a flickering hope in their mind.
One can serve with one’s body, mind and wealth. Service of
any kind is laudable, but service to humanity is considered
to be of the highest order. That is why, it is said: Service
to humanity is service to God! In other words, by serving
humanity (God in form), we serve God (without form) - the
Formless One. However, God being the Supreme Creator,
Provider and Sustainer of the entire creation, does not need
any service. As such, service to God means expressing our
gratitude to Him for His bounties and blessings, and earning
His pleasure by serving fellow humans. And, the Father is most
pleased when His children share each other’s joy and sorrow.
Whether a person has lived for himself or for others, his death
is certain. And when a person dies, people say: This is the end
of the story! Pondering over whether death is really the end of
the story, I am reminded of the following verse from the Holy
Gurbani :
When man dies, his body is of no use,
But when an animal dies, its body serves several purposes.
— Adi Granth, p. 870
It is a known fact that when a human dies, his body is either
cremated or buried, and reduced to ashes or dust. Contrary
to this, when an animal/bird dies, its remains—skin, bones,
hoofs, teeth, nails, tusks, horns, feathers, hair, fur, wool,
etc. are often processed in parts of the world, to meet with
human requirements.
With the advancement in science, several organs of a
dead person can now be transplanted to aid and help the
handicapped and to give a new lease of life to terminally ill
patients. In a way, science has offered a human the golden
opportunity to serve fellow humans, even after death by
donating organs for transplantation and offering the body for
medical knowledge and research.
Being at the tail end of life, I cannot recollect if ever I have
served anyone selflessly, in the true sense, and to recompense
the same, I plan to donate my entire body to a medical
institute with the prayer: May God bless me and my family, to
fulfil my wish. ■
23
H.U.M.A.N.N.E.S.S.
Dr. Kanwal Chawla, Sawinder Chawla and Shubhani Chawla,
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
It would be difficult to describe all the
current qualities of a human being to an alien
life form within a small paragraph. Human
beings are considered the crown of all
species since they have the ability to critically
analyze any given situation and formulate
many solutions to a problem. It is said that
it is easy to predict the behavior of a horse
or a snake but it is essentially difficult to
predict the behavior or reaction of a human
being you have never met before. A person
could be smiling on the outside yet have
harmful intentions within. A person could
be displaying remorse and depression on
his face yet have thoughts of revenge and
cunningness running through his mind.
24
Harn e ssin g hum an valu e s
Un i v ersal ly am o n gs t al l
Man k in d with the
Awaren e ss o f
Nir an k ar
Ne t tin g in
Eternal
Salvati o n o f the
Soul
One can only fathom the unlimited
capacity of the human brain and how
it can create a positive environment on
this planet, yet we see it being used
more to create greed, destruction,
and hatred. We can see the progress
humankind has made since the first
couple inhabited this planet via
increased luxury, transportation, and
efficiency in techniques. On the other
hand, we have also seen more division,
intolerance, and technology directed
to kill other human beings. It is a shame
that God Almighty - Nirankar - has given
human beings the greatest capacity to
think yet we have manipulated this gift
for self-centered goals.
The same nuclear energy that can be
used to create a new energy source for
this planet is being utilized to create
weapons of mass destruction. The same
technology that can be used to make
lives of human beings a little more
comfortable, is many times being used
to plan attacks, engage in hacking and
stealing from others.
We can use the unique power we are
given to instigate ill-will and chaos, or
we may channel it towards harmony and
brotherhood. The responsibility lies on
each human being to choose what the
right path is and how to properly use the
opportunity of life. We can differentiate
ourselves from other species who lack
the power of thought that we have as
human beings, by creating positive
results and beautifying the planet. Or,
we can continue to act destructively and
selfishly making ourselves no better than
other animals. In fact, we become even
worse than any other animal because
our actions affect the whole planet
rather than just at the local level.
We c a n d i f f e r e n t i a t e
o u r s e l ves f r o m o t h e r
s pec i es w h o l a c k t h e
p owe r o f t h o u g h t t h a t
we h ave a s h u m a n
be i n g s , by c r ea t i n g
p os i t i ve r es u l t s a n d
bea u t i f y i n g t h e p l a n e t.
So what are the human qualities that
need to be demonstrated if we are to
satisfy God’s intended plan for human
beings? How can we efficiently describe
‘humanness’? If there is one God, then
we can easily deduce that all human
beings are His creation and therefore
His children. That in turn means that we
are all brothers and sisters, who should
live with selflessness and love - if we
wish to show affection to our Creator,
we must respect and adore His creation!
God has created beauty by creating
people with different skin colors, who
speak various languages and practice
their manifold cultures in awe-inspiring
ways. This gives human beings a chance
to travel to other regions of the world
and appreciate how people have
adapted to living in that area in order to
survive. It gives us a chance to try new
foods, appreciate the differing modes
of dress, and get a new perspective on
how people are enjoying their lives. Life
would get boring quickly if we had to
wear the same clothes and eat the same
type of food every day. When people
from different regions and cultures
live within one community, then they
can enjoy each other’s ethnic foods
and modes of entertainment, thereby
adding to each other's joy.
We should thank God for this diversity
and work towards celebrating
differences, not just tolerating them.
Differences should never be a cause for
us to distance ourselves from others.
With intolerance, we are only depriving
ourselves from all the beautiful things
different citizens of this planet have to
offer and what wonderful things this life
has to offer.
The message of love has been
reiterated by all prophets and sages
throughout different eras. His Holiness
Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji was
another glowing light in this tradition,
which he shone so beautifully in his
36 years of spiritual mentorship of the
Sant Nirankari Mission. Babaji spoke of
religion as the uniting force of mankind
- he reminded us that any religion
that divides us, is no religion at all. His
message was always about love.
Babaji taught us that love is something
that costs us nothing yet allows us to
gain everything. It is abstract yet it is
understood by everyone no matter the
language or country a human being is
associated with. Love can heal, give hope
and courage in even the most adverse
circumstances. Love shown to others is
ultimately demonstrating love for self,
and by extension love for God. Love is
a quality of humanness that should be
shared between humans. I will never
forget Babaji speaking the words,
People were made to be loved, and
things were made to be used. Yet we
go on doing just the opposite - we use
people, and love things.
We are living in a world with an ever
growing gap between those who
have, and those who have not. Every
community consists of people blessed
with almost everything in life and others
who are not so fortunate, perhaps
not even getting their basic needs
fulfilled. This is a moral and ethical
challenge for all human beings - for the
highest test for any civilisation is how
it treats those who are in need, and
lacking in the resources required for
self-determination. As human beings,
we can either choose to be selfish,
arrogant, and disrespectful, or on the
contrary opt to be compassionate,
selfless, and cooperative. If as human
beings we realize the purpose of life and
live in awareness of the Divine, then it is
natural for qualities of humanness (which
are Divine qualities, in essence) to flow,
and in so doing make a better, more
cohesive and equal world.
... a n a s s oc i a t i o n w i t h
So u r ce u n l oc k s f ee l i n g s
o f c a r i n g, e m pa t hy
a n d l ove.
Benevolent qualities spontaneously
arise, when we experience the
realisation that Babaji spoke of - “All in
One, and One in All”.
Babaji helped us see that selfrealization follows God-realization. He
would explain that the drop cannot
know itself, until it encounters the
ocean, it’s source. This meeting point
is at once a moment of joy, but also
utter humility and surrender. Without
humility, and without the recognition
of a higher power, we behave as
masters in a home that has merely
been loaned to us, to live in for a time.
When we assume such false ownership,
it can only lead to selfishness, greed,
and ego. This veil of ignorance is
what inclines man towards unwanted
qualities. However, an association
with Source unlocks feelings of caring,
empathy and love. Together, these
attributes soothe and sedate the ego.
Babaji spent time with us on earth,
as a beacon for all of humanity. He
reiterated the message conveyed by
previous sages and prophets, and reestablished the essential fraternity of
human beings. Anyone who entered
his presence, stepped into a world that
was peaceful, giving and joyous. Babaji,
and now Mataji, add to the ageless
tradition of spiritual enlightenment,
acting as prototypes for humanness.
Such illumined personalities
demonstrate what it means to be truly
human, and serve as examples for us to
follow. May we follow with awareness
and all sincerity, cherishing the
opportunity we are given to be in such
esteemed company. ■
25
Dina Sabnani, Hong Kong
Wake Up
While sitting in a holy congregation one Sunday
morning listening to a recorded sermon from His
Holiness Nirankari Baba, he mentioned an incident
of watching news reports of an earthquake
stricken region where a few men had heard
someone calling for help beneath the rubble. The
group of men got to the area where the man was
trapped and almost immediately you would think
that their first response would be to clear away
the rubble and do whatever necessary to help
save the trapped man. Instead, Babaji relayed
that they saw a gold ring on the mans finger and
proceeded to try to pry it loose. Since the man’s
fingers were swollen and the ring wasn’t coming
off, they chopped his finger off and ran away.
I had tears streaming down my face as I heard
Babaji share that experience and my heart literally
ached. One from the thought that humans could
do this to their brethren and the other reason was
that Babaji had to witness this level of inhumanity
whilst having spent his entire life teaching the
world that there is a better way to be. Day and
night, he worked to spread the message of love,
humanity and oneness that stems from knowing
Nirankar (the Formless God).
As my heart continued to ache, at that point I
wanted to literally shake up humanity, to yell;
What are you doing?!
Can’t you see me in you and you in me?
What are these differences that you perceive?
The colour of my skin, the clothes I’m dressed in?
Wake up world and go deep within.
Isn’t judging your neighbour a cardinal sin? When, oh when will this madness end?
We are all brothers and sisters - family until
the end.
26
Are we truly living up to our highest potential as
human beings? Is this what we have to show for the
intelligence bestowed upon us by the Almighty? Is
this what is left of our humanity?
Wake up and know your truth. Understand that
you are not this body. You are not your gender,
your race, your colour, your name, your money
or your fame. You are not even your mind, your
thoughts and your emotions. What is left? Go
beyond the senses, go beyond the body, go
beyond your limiting beliefs - who are you? Wake
up and connect to your ultimate Source. Wake
up and realize we are all made from the same
cosmic stardust and are all part of this everlasting,
indivisible, timeless essence of divinity and love.
Wake up and stay awake.
When you realize your truth, your world will
change. It will change because the way you view
it will change. The world is not as it is but as we
are, how we perceive it to be based - on how
we are taught to see it. One world, seven billion
perspectives. What are you choosing to see?
Feel? Experience? If you don’t like it - change your
perspective. Find a new one that fits your truth this becomes possible once you have realized the
ultimate truth.
Like Gandhi had said “You must not lose faith in
humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of
the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become
dirty."
I know that if it is meant to be it is up to me and
no one else to change, I have to be the love I want
to see in the world. I remind myself of my own
humanness. The choices I make and keep making
to stay connected to my Creator, to my truth. ■
The human race stands at the crossroads
of history today. On the one side, we have
scientific achievements empowering us
like never before to bring us closer to
each other. Progress in communications
and technology has enabled to us to
meet people, through virtual means,
in other parts of the world, in real time.
We can see their environments, share
their experiences and view their worlds
through their perspective - all from
the comfort of our homes. On
the other side, we are witnessing
events in the world where
sectarian and religious-based
violence is uprooting civilizations;
millions are migrating from the
Middle East to Europe; and fringe
elements are using the same
technological advancements to
wreak havoc. Through systematic
brain washing, young and tender
minds are being groomed to
unleash hatred, even to the extent
of using their own bodies
as weapons of destruction.
As they say, 'when the
going gets tough, the
tough get going'. In these
tough times it becomes
ever important to spread
the light of peaceful
coexistence, which
His Holiness Nirankari
Baba spent his entire life
propagating.
One of the primary
messages Babaji shared
through the Nirankari
Mission was human unity.
This vision has since been
further elaborated upon
by the present spiritual
leader of the Mission, Her
Holiness Satguru Mata
Savinder Hardev ji (who
we lovingly refer to as
‘Mataji’), who counselled
that we must first
recognize our common
origin and foundation in
Almighty God, who is
all-pervading, omnipresent
and all powerful. When
this realization dawns we
recognise that we are all
children of the same Universal God and
are therefore brothers and sisters.
and respect that we previously only
reserved for relatives and friends. On the
whole, our actions become much more
aligned with what is expected of persons
that live an ethical and moral life.
Mataji is preparing us to change our very
mindset and elevate our mode of action.
It is to this effect that the Convention
on Humanness (a tribute to the life and
If we take a global view, all of us are
travelling in the ‘one boat’ that is our
society. We have all been given an
oar to help drive the direction. Should
we start rowing in different directions,
society will remain at a standstill, or
move in circles. However, if all members
of the team row in the same direction,
in the same frequency, we will see true
progress. This alignment is called
'synchronous action'. Our
Common
Goal
If we believe in the message of
Mataji - then we have a shared
vision of being united in One God,
regardless of the names we give
to this power, and regardless of
the book or faith that we ascribe
to. This understanding, and the
follow-on transformation in our
thinking and behaviour, is referred
to as Enlightenment. The central
catalyst for this change
comes through the vision
of Oneness, or Gyan, that
Satguru Mataji is now
sharing with anyone who
wishes to know.
Our common goal - ‘A
world living in love and
harmony imbibing all
the virtues of humanity’
- brings us together to
participate in events
such as the Tribute to
Humanness. Now we need
synchronous action so
that this vision and goal is
adopted far and wide.
The synchronous action
would have two parts.
One is an internal
metamorphosis which
happens when we imbibe
Gyan in its entirety and do
not dilute Mataji’s guidance
to our convenience. The
other is sincere and
Ashish Ganda and Amit Grover
diligent effort to live the
Sydney, Australia
message, so that we
practically stand shoulder
to shoulder with all our
teachings of His Holiness Nirankari
brethren on earth.
Baba) has been organized in Toronto,
Let this shared vision and common goal
Canada in the Summer of 2016.
It is upon this revelation, that we are
be in our mind when we try and assist
all in fact linked by a bond greater than
A poet has elaborated the message of
the efforts of Her Holiness.
genetics or law, that the human mind can
the Mission in these words:
begin to view other human beings as part
This is a virtuous path. Swami
Oneness of humanity is what the Mission
of the same family, and not as strangers.
Vivekananda put it well, when he said;
preaches;
Once we see others as family, there
‘Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal
And love and harmony amongst all, is
is a better likelihood we can treat one
is reached.’ ■
what we strive for!
another with a level of love, compassion
27
Dr. D.K. Mehta, Tettenhall, UK
The Bhagavad Gita
What is Wisdom - Part 1
Throughout the world, from the East
to the West, we hear people talk about
wisdom – that special subtle intelligence
that surpasses all our known knowledge,
understanding and insight, which, if
accessed and realised, can render a mere
mortal, immortal and divine. We are
told it’s not found in textbooks, and yet
ironically we look for it in our manifold
World Scriptures. If it’s not the written
word, then what is it that lies behind
the written word? If we cannot grasp
it through reading, how else can we
decipher it? If it’s not accessed through
recital or ritual, then what observance
do we have to adopt? And if, indeed, it
requires the ‘observer to become the
observed’, then what does that entail?
Let us look at the World Scriptures,
beginning with the Bhagavad Gita. Future
articles in this ‘Wisdom’ series will dwell
on the Buddhist Sutras, the Guru Granth
Sahib, the Torah, the Holy Bible, the
Quran, the Zoroastrian Gathas, the Shinto
Kannagara, the Maori Tapu and Mana
and others.
The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita1 unfolds on the
battlefield of Kuruksetra2, which ironically
is also known as the Dharmakasetra,
where religion3 is observed. Here, man is
constantly waging war between his self
and his Self, the former hindering his
28
progress towards the latter. The warrior
Arjuna, poised on the battlefield, is no
exception. When he sees the two armies,
the two wings of the same clan - the
Pandavas and the Kurus - all deployed in
battle against each other, Arjuna despairs.
He is in total turmoil, as he cannot come
to terms with the fact that his own kith
and kin, win or lose, would be destroyed.
The ‘atma’...has to be
realised, not through mental
academic speculation, but
through knowledge.
Through his philosophical teaching,
Lord Krishna, acting as Arjuna’s
charioteer, but in essence the Personality
of Godhead, helps Arjuna to rise above
the selfish motives of Dhritarastra4, and
his own self, which is his main enemy.
He demonstrates to him that the self is
ephemeral, and that what is permanent
and everlasting is the Self. He explains
that lamentation and tears are mere signs
of ignorance of the real Self. What is
required is compassion for the Self, the
eternal soul. The Lord wants Arjuna to
kill his own Madhusuduna5, the demon
of misunderstanding. For a warrior, who
falls in the ocean of nescience6, it is not
just the matter of rescuing his outward
gross material body, but his eternal body
by unveiling to him the realisation of God
- the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna, however,
wants to interpret this self-realisation or
Kṛṣṇa-consciousness as an excuse from
fighting, but the Lord explains that it
means practical work, not renunciation.
He clarifies that he who is situated on the
platform of knowledge, no longer has any
duties to perform. But to be situated in
perfect knowledge, one has to wake up
and fight.
To equip him with all the knowledge,
and to make him worthy of his royal
rule, he discloses the tools of KarmaYoga7, Samkhya-Yoga8 and Bhakti-Yoga9.
It is important to understand that
although the eightfold yoga system is
recommended, what the Lord emphasizes
is the process of Karma-Yoga - acting in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the criterion
of perfection, not the enjoyment of the
fruits of work. Such a criterion is to see
that all the parts of the body work for
the satisfaction of the whole body. The
limbs of the body are not there for selfsatisfaction, but for the satisfaction of the
complete whole. The Lord wants to see
Arjuna working for the satisfaction of
the whole, not for any personal gain. To
solidify this, the Lord says to Arjuna, “tat
śṛṇu” (Hear from Me).”10
The Lord supplies answers to his many
questions. He explains that the Supreme
Absolute Truth is known as Brahman,
and that the individual living entity,
the soul, is also called Brahman. The
‘atma’, which can refer to the mind,
soul, the body and the senses, has to be
realised, not through mental academic
speculation, but through knowledge. This
is something that is un-alloyed and pure
devotion. Such devotion is transcendental
and has no material pangs, although in
the material world.
Only the Lord or the Perfect Master,
who is endowed with all the qualities11,
powers12 and opulences13, can impart such
knowledge as a matter of grace. Lord
Krishna does exactly this (Chapter 11 BG).
Arjuna, upon receiving the revelation,
accepts Lord Krishna to be the source
of everything, but nevertheless insists
on seeing his real, universal form (virat
savroop) to alleviate any doubt. When
he beholds the omnipresence and the
omnipotence of the Lord, he accepts him
to be the cause of all causes, and present
in everyone’s heart as the Super-Soul,
the ‘Param-atma’.
The Lord further explains the personalist
and the impersonalist view-points. In the
former - the devotional service (BhaktiYoga) - the devotee fully engages in the
service of the Supreme Lord, after having
realised Him. In the latter, the devotee
busies himself in meditation alone,
without knowing the focal point of his
meditation - the Supreme Lord. Upon
Arjuna’s questioning, the Lord replies
that Bhakti-Yoga is the highest of all
devotions. For in knowing the Lord, one
gets to know the answer to every question.
The Lord elucidates this further to satisfy
Arjuna’s inquisitiveness about prakriti14,
purusa15, ksetra16 and ksetrajna17. This
body is called the field. He who knows
the field is the knower. The body is the
field of activity for the conditioned soul,
which is trapped in material existence.
As per his capacity to dominate material
nature, he gets a field of activity. Such a
field of activity is the body, which is made
up of senses. Because the conditioned
soul wants to enjoy its sense gratification,
he is offered a body or a field of activity
according to this capacity. Thus the body
is called kṣetra (the field of activity) for the
conditioned soul.
He who does not identify himself with the
body is called kṣetrajña, the knower of
the field. It is not difficult to understand
the field and its knower. Everyone can see
that a person, who goes from childhood to
old age, undergoes many bodily changes,
and yet still remains one individual. The
difference is obvious. A living conditioned
soul can, therefore, understand that he is
different from the body. But how he - the
living entity - is delivered through fruitive
activity, cultivation of knowledge and
the discharge of devotional service, is the
domain of the Perfect Master.
The living entity is entangled in this
material world through the association
with the modes of nature (the gunas).
The Lord explains these modes and
demonstrates as to how they act, bind
and grant liberation. Superior to all, and
above all processes of knowledge, is the
Knowledge of God, and it is through
this Knowledge that perfection can be
attained.
The entanglement is compared to a
banyan tree. For a person, engaged in
fruitive activities, there is no end to
the banyan tree. He wanders from one
branch to another, with no possibility
of liberation. The tree of this material
world has no end, and for one who is
attached to this tree, there is no possibility
of liberation. This tree is usually near
water, where it is reflected. Just as the
tree’s reflection is situated on water, the
reflection of the spiritual world is situated
on desire. Desire is the cause of things’
being situated in this reflected material
light. He who wants to get out of this
material existence must know this tree
thoroughly through analytical study. Then
he can transcend his relationship with it.
The tree of this material
world has no end, and for one
who is attached to this tree,
there is no possibility
of liberation.
The impersonalists, those without the
Knowledge, take Brahmā to be the root
of this material tree. From this root,
according to the Sāṅkhya philosophy18,
come prakṛti, puruṣa, then the three
guṇas, followed by the five gross
elements19, the ten senses20 and the
mind, etc. The whole material world is
divided up in this way. However, it is
argued that if Brahmā is the centre of all
manifestations, then this material world
is a manifestation of the centre by 180
degrees. The other 180 degrees constitute
the spiritual world. The material world is
the perverted reflection, so the spiritual
world must have the same variegatedness,
but in reality. Since this manifestation is
material, it is temporary. But the origin
from whence the reflection is reflected is
eternal. Hence, the material reflection of
the real tree has to be transcended. When
a person knows the Vedas (Knowledge of
God), he knows how to cut off attachment
to this material world. In fact, the purpose
of the Vedas is to cut down this reflected
tree and attain the real tree of the spiritual
world. This is done with absolute faith in
the Supreme Lord.
Finally, having enlightened him, and
having introduced him to his Self, the
Lord gracefully dwells in him to kill his
demons of doubt to be one with his own
self, and the universe as a whole. In so
doing he wants him to serve fruitlessly,
as a single limb, the entire whole - the
Absolute Supreme Lord. ■
References:
1.
The Bhagavad Gita, the Divine Song, was
rhythmically sung by Lord Krishna, in
rhyming meter called, Anustup, which has
32 syllables in each verse.
2.
The Kurukshetra is a city in the state
of Haryana , India. It is also known as
Dharmakshetra (Holy Place). It is a region
named after King Kuru, the ancestor of
Kauravas and Pandavas, as depicted in
the epic Mahabharata, and according to
the Puranas. The importance of this place
being that not only was the Kurukshetra
War of the Mahabharta fought here, but
the Bhagavad Gita was also preached here
during the war when Lord Krishna found
Arjuna in a terrible dilemma.
3.
The word religion is used for the worship of
God. From the Latin verb ligo, comes religo,
to tie or bind over again. From religo, comes
the substantive religio, which, with the
addition of n makes the English substantive
religion. Religion is the revelation of the
Divine.
4.
Dhritarastra, the father of Duryodhna and
his 99 other sons, does not see the Kuru
family as one, but rather as two different
wings. He wants his own wing, the Kurus, to
win, at the expense of the Pandavas.
5.
Madhusuduna is the demon that Lord
Krishna slayed. It is akin to ignorance.
6.
Nescience - ignorance or lack of knowledge
7.
Karma-Yoga - not renouncing from work,
but engaging in it.
8.
Samkhya-yoga - the process of the eightfold
yoga system is a means to control the mind
and the senses.
9.
Bhakti-Yoga - severs the hard knot of
material affection and enables the individual
to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth.
10. Tat srnu - last line of chapter 6, BG
11.
Qualities - The Master is the epitome of
perfection, both Nirgun and Sargun
12.
Powers - The Master has the Midas touch as
God-incarnate
13.
Opulences (paramam) - full strength, full
fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and
renunciation
14.
Prakriti - the creation
15.
Purusa - the spirit
16.
Ksetra - the field
17.
Ksetrajna - the knower of the field
18.
Sankhya philosophy - advocates two
ultimate realities: Prakriti , matter and
Purusha, self (spirit). It considers that both
matter and spirit are equally real, and that
Purusha is not one, but many.
19.
The five gross elements - pañca-mahābhūta
20. The ten senses - daśendriya
29
Jaidev Nanwani, Singapore
Love,
Without Expectation
What does the word ‘Humanness’ mean? Is there such a word?
When I first heard it, the initial thought process I had was that it
sounded close to the phrase, ‘being human’. Then I ‘googled it’- as
an adjective, Humanness means pertaining to, characteristic of, or
having the nature of people, and a warmly human understanding.
As a noun, it came up simply as ‘a human being’. It is practically
impossible to find one or two lines to describe the actual meaning
of this deep idea. The only possible way to do so is to exemplify with
theoretical expressions, and by giving personal experiences.
30
With the blessing of my
Spiritual Master, previously
His Holiness Nirankari
Baba Hardev Singh Ji and
now Her Holiness Satguru
Mata Savinder Hardev Ji,
I have had the opportunity
of attending the Annual
Convention of the Sant
Nirankari Mission, held
in New Delhi, at least once
every 3 - 4 years. In this
Convention, or ‘Samagam’,
Saints from all over the world
attend and meet together for
several days. The programme
is broadcast all over the
world live via cable tv and the internet channels. This
is the most memorable moment in the entire year for a
follower of the Mission. We get to listen to the views and
life-changing experiences of Saints from all parts of the
world. They also, of course, listen to the teachings of the
Master on how one should live life, on a daily basis, with
positive consequences.
My latest opportunity was in November 2015. I attended
with my wife. Like every other year, the location has
always been the same - a temporary city that is built to
house a million or so people! The whole setting is near
Burari Road in North Delhi, adjacent to the Nirankari
Sarover, Nirankari Museum and Coronation Grounds. Of
course, the day to day schedules have been constantly
changed and improved from previous years. The
experience is set-up by tens of thousands of volunteers,
who ensure everyone attending the event is given a wide,
yet pleasurable exposure of what the Mission is all about.
Even though the Samagam is held yearly in November,
the contents always change, and every single moment
spent participating in the Samagam, be it at the grounds
live or in your living room watching the programme on
television, is an engrossing experience.
From the minute you land at the airport to attend the
Samagam, there are Saints/Volunteers with welcome
boards at all times, day and night, waiting to receive the
global community. The many thousands travelling in
from abroad by road and rail, are also greeted with great
warmth. All delegates are taken care of with hot meals
and drinks. Being less familiar with the country, and
not used to the climate, those travelling from abroad are
given special treatment, with the provision of transport
to the places of stay, as also for movement to and from
the Samagam grounds, as necessary.
Entering the grounds, all the amenities one would
expect of a ‘city’ are available. The grounds are safe,
with numerous food areas, libraries, health facilities,a
purpose built exhibition, sanitation areas, residential
marquees and the like. Many varied activities take place,
such as stage performances that offer an entertaining
view of the Mission’s message, free health-screenings and
eye camps, for all attendees. The main focus is of course
the central stage, where Satguru sits, and dozens of
Saints each day share their spiritual reflections, through
songs, poetry and talks.
To manage the scale of this event, and take care of
visitors who may be parliamentarians, celebrities, civil
servants, community organisations or general members
of the public from 27 states of
India and all continents of the
world, something very special
is at play. For all of this to
be remotely possible, human
regard and mutual respect
is the key factor. The entire
hierarchy of men, women and
children participating in this
event are treated equally, with
each attendee taking care of
their ‘neighbour’, as if they were
taking care of themselves. They
do this not because it’s their
duty, but because this is the
very spirit of being human,
and it is this very learning they have come to practice
and develop.
The November Samagam may be the largest of it’s kind,
but the Mission holds similar large scale conventions
in other parts of India, and also across the world.
International and Inter-Continental Samagams have
taken place, with others planned. This is because
of the Spiritual Master wishes to remind us that
the Realisation of God is not for the few, but for all.
Language and culture should never be a barrier.
Perhaps this is why in 36 years of spiritual mentorship,
His Holiness Nirankari Baba established some 3000
Centres for Oneness across the word, with Oneness
Gatherings (Satsangs) happening in almost every
country, and through the language that is indigenous to
the local people.
Another interesting thought I found was that in most
spiritual group that I have seen, the common sight in
the crowds would be followers in their late 40s and
above. The younger generation find themselves out of
place in these kinds of spiritual surroundings. They
would prefer to spend their free time with their friends
or going on holidays. But here, the average age of the
attendees is around 30 years of age. Quite remarkable,
when one thinks about it. This has led to International
Youth Conferences too, such as one that took place in
Calgary recently.
The Tribute to Humanness, taking place in Toronto,
Canada this Summer is another milestone in the
Mission’s progress. A lot of effort has been made for this
Samagam, mainly by youth Volunteers. The proceedings
will feature not only a spiritual convention as the finale
but also a number of health and well-being drives,
together with open-air cultural events and concerts.
In short, when I think about Humanness, I think it
represents the positive human emotions of tender-lovingcare that are bottled up inside us all. We simply need to
access, spread and share these positive feelings more
frequently in our lives.
‘There is enough humanity in one person to light up a
dark room…’
The crucial ingredient is to reach the peak of ‎Humanness
behavior which is, and always has been, LOVE. In love, we
give without expectation of return. ■
31
Nourishing
of the Self
Niharika Ahuja, Calgary, Canada
“
I am the divine seed
within all beings Arjuna;
nothing, inanimate or
animate, could exist
for a moment without
me.” (Bhagawad
Geeta 10.36-40)
When we are born, the only thing
known about our identity is our
connection to our parents. However,
our true identity cannot even be
defined by genetics. Deep down,
many work tirelessly towards
making an identity that the world
acknowledges and praises. We want
our job, project, the status of being
a student, daughter, or wife to stand
out. Through many roles, we strive
towards perfection - to be recognised
in what we do, so that we can build a
certain reputation and leave our mark
in this world.
One of the first principles of the Sant
Nirankari Mission is that body, mind,
and wealth are not ours, but given to
us as gifts. They can be taken away
from us anytime. Hence, if we put
ourselves in a situation where our job,
responsibilities, hobbies and all other
aspects of our life that help us to build
32
”
our ‘self’ (i.e. sense of identity in the
world) were taken away, what would
we have?
Many people would say: ‘I would have
nothing and I would be nothing.’ The
reality of this statement is actually
quite profound. It really is the correct
answer! It is when you diminish the
‘I’ and all that comes attached with
it, you have your TRUE Self - that
which is beyond things. We truly are
NO-thing. If we were anything other
than this, we would come and go, rise
and fall just like all the created things
of this universe. Yet our real Self is
everlasting and constant.
The real Self is so much more above
and beyond worldly achievements.
Nothing in this life is permanent
except Nirankar including the physical
form we inhabit. However, what is
within our physical form - is Nirankar
(literally, that without form, without
shape, without color). Nirankar
transcends time and space, and is
timeless - sometimes we refer to this
as Eternal.
We are not able to grasp the depth of
this understanding, until we realize (or
experience personally) what it means,
and such an experience is known as
‘Brahm Gyan’. A person who walks
within Gyan, feels Nirankar not only all
around, but within the very heart, and
within every pore of one’s existence.
The Gyan is the very secret through
which Self-discovery can be attained.
Once we have knowledge of Self, we
begin to understand others too.
Once we are awakened to this, all
other-worldly responsibilities become
solemn duties, but secondary in the
play of life. We learn to know that
this world is a pale reflection of our
Eternal nature - it is not really who
we are, nor is it the highest reality to
be experienced. We are all walking in
our human forms, outwardly looking
like something, but in all actuality being
something else. This gives you a glimpse
of how everything is an illusion. Perhaps
this is why the created universe has
been referred to by scriptural scholars
and enlightened souls, as a cosmic
illusion - ‘MAYA’.
A person who walks
within Gyan, feels
Nirankar not only all
around, but within the
very heart, and within
every pore of one’s
existence.
Baba Avtar Singh Ji, the second in the
lineage of Nirankari Satgurus and author
of the Sampuran Avtar Bani writes;
That which is real cannot be seen. That
which can be seen is not real.
In another verse,(AB 362) we are
reminded;
O’ man, why not know the beaming
light. That disperses all around the
universe? Why not realise the infinite
cosmic ocean. Of which you are a
solitary drop? You should know and
realise the Formless, of which you are
the small, celestial seat. Avtar, in order
to know this secret divine, you must bow
humbly, at the Master’s feet.
This realization of Self as the very
nature and fragment of the Eternal
Nirankar, must be gained while we
still breathe. Then, the awakening
needs to be maintained throughout
every second of our life. This is not to
assure our Self, for it is all knowing and
perfect. This must be done because
it is within a physical and imperfect
mortal form that gets seduced easily
by worldly affairs. Our mind, having
the potential of being the most illusory
form of Maya there is, needs to be
reminded of it’s luminous foundation.
The nourishing of the soul can only be
done through engagement with all that
is pure and eternal. Unlike the work
for our worldly identity, which feeds
off temporal materialistic gains, the
awakening of the Self is completely
different. The awakening is sustained
through spiritual practice, meditation
upon the Eternal and the expression
of our highest nature in our thoughts,
words and actions. In short, soul food
lies in loving others, being kind and
honoring the sacred that resides in
each person we meet. We may hear
such sentiments so often that they
are not taken seriously anymore, but
I dare anyone to try it! It is the most
nourishing and beautiful experience
that one can have.
We should work for just the act of
loving itself, without any expectation
and without any desire for reward.
That is what restores humanity in the
world. When we love purely, we are
not thinking about ourself in a limited
way, and rather think of the ‘Self that
is scattered all around’, in each and
every person we may encounter.
This is who we really are. That is how
Nirankar permeates the entire cosmos.
Benevolent in all It’s glory, loving us in
every existence, form, and challenge
regardless of our flaws, our ignorance,
our wandering and our questioning.
If it wasn’t for this love, and Nirankar not
giving up on us, we wouldn’t have found
our way back home. Finding our way
to the Truth, we stand revealed. This is
a journey through which Nirankar - the
Formless - unites back to itself. This
is the union of Oneness, in which we
happily surrender the body, mind, and
wealth to their Maker, who then lives
Our mind, having the
potential of being the
most illusory form of
Maya there is, needs
to be reminded of it’s
luminous foundation.
As the Sukhmani Sahib beautifully says:
All hearts are His Sublime form.
His ways cannot be comprehended; it is
beyond our intellect. The journey is not
about trying to figure it out intellectually
but to awaken spiritually - to dissolve, sit
back and watch this beautiful story
unfold. There is no yours or mine. We
are now One, experiencing all the
beauty of life as it comes, including the
wonder of our very own Self. So, awaken
to a world never seen before. The key
and lock is within our very own Self. We
are Infinite. ■
through them. Nothing is ours anyway.
The Avtar Bani says:
The One whose control, assists to
course, the sun and moon, other stars
and all. The One whose control holds
aloft the earth, and channels the waters,
of the waterfall. The One who dictates,
the fire in the sky, and gives rise to
the earth’s vegetation. The One who
controls, the very life force, sound, air
and nine portals without hesitation.
The One who is secret, mobilising
movement, and the player inside His
very own game. Why not discover such
a One, says Avtar, by bowing your head
once, to the Name!
Likewise, the Sri Dasam Granth Sahib
says:
O Lord! Somewhere Thou art singer of
song. Somewhere Thou art player of
flute, somewhere Thou art a dancer. And
somewhere in the form of a man.
All the beauty of this world - our life,
identity, relations and acquisitions are
all temporary truths, and as such not
the Eternal Reality. This is not our affair,
it’s His play. He Himself is within every
creature, playing different roles and
guiding us to awaken to our own Self. It
is only Nirankar gazing at Nirankar - like
pure water raining on pure water.
33
The Voice Within
Monica Mahtani, Singapore
A former colleague recently shared on Facebook a
conversation she had with her little boy while he was
playing with his toy doctor’s kit.
“Can I use the stethoscope to listen to your heart?”
he asked.
“Sure”, she said, “what do you hear?”
He replied, “I hear Jesus. He’s in your heart”.
They were the words of an innocent child but it reminded
me of a quote by Swami Vivekananda; “every soul is
potentially divine”. This conversation was a profound
reminder of the divinity that lies within - young and old.
And it took me back to an excerpt I had read recently.
The author, a Rabbi, cites Jewish folklore…
"During our time in our mother’s womb, Lailah, the
God-sent angel, reveals to us the sacred path and all the
wisdom we ever need to know. But just before we leave
our little world for a new one, she ‘shushes’ us by gently
placing her finger between the nose and the upper lip.
That tap also creates an indentation we’re all born with the philtrum.
Alas, the tap also instantly erases all that has been taught
to us, the moment we step into the material world. One
may think what a waste of Lailah’s time in awakening us
with precious knowledge in the womb only to eradicate it
when we need it most during our journey on earth."
Thankfully, it is not fully lost. It remains with us at all
times, a built-in GPS of sorts! But it’s more than your
average Global Positioning System. It stands for God
Providing Solutions. Like the voice-activated GPS, which is
connected to satellites orbiting the earth, this inner GPS is
always connected to our Source, and allows us to hear it’s
guiding voice.
If we’re unsure, the Source shows us the way. If we’re lost
and have strayed, it re-calibrates our path and re-routes.
This guidance cuts across different nationalities, languages
34
and statuses.
But the message of the universal God, the Creator of all,
is the same. The question is, are we tuned in and listening
attentively, or simply relegating it to background noise?
When the music in one’s car is too loud, it overpowers
the GPS directions. We get lost, no matter how good the
guidance may be. Of course, GPS systems may get things
wrong - they are fallible. But the guidance of the Eternal
Being, is completely reliable.
The mind’s constant chatter can also drown out the inner
voice that guides us. As we grow older and immerse
ourselves in the ways of the world, the mind gets noisier
and more cluttered. We become less and less receptive.
That's why children are so finely tuned, and so able to
access the Divinity inside.
We need to revisit the tools our Spiritual Guide gave to
us; three useful tools to tame the ‘monkey mind’, and
re-connect. We can do this by attending our spiritual
congregation (SATSANG), performing acts of selfless
service towards humanity (SEVA) and remembering God
through prayer (SIMRAN).
The more we quieten the mind, the clearer this inner voice
becomes, and the better guided we are. We become more
tuned into the Wisdom teachings. Humanity prevails, as
does love, forgiveness and selflessness.
Having been equipped with these tools, sometimes, the
loud chatter may still momentarily drown out the words of
the Divine Being, and tempt us to discriminate, lash-out or
be hurtful. At that moment, we can look to this birthmark
of Eternity, by raising our finger to the philtrum, and
finding that split-second of solitude.
It will connect us to the Source, and the innate wisdom of
the Lord will shine through. Just as it did in the child who
saw past his mother’s physical body, to her soul, and saw
God in her heart. ■
Dr. Giriraj Singh Shekhawat, Auckland, New Zealand
Differences are everywhere, be it in
our appearance, thoughts, nature,
attitude, or personality. In fact, it is
impossible to find two people with the
same finger prints. These differences
- differences in cultures, festivals,
species of birds, flowers, weather and
so on, are good - they give us a unique
identity. They make this world a more
vibrant place to live in. Even our own
body is a combination of different
organs, each having an entirely
different anatomy and physiology.
Our two eyes are not exactly
the same, our ears are not
identical, yet we naturally
accept and appreciate
them to be part of our own,
singular body.
Too often, differences have resulted
in arguments and wars. The desire to
control other people’s thoughts, beliefs
and behaviour to make them like my
own, has proved fatal at times. When
someone tries to coerce others in the
name of religion, this has led to massive
bloodshed. It has proved disastrous
whenever humanity has forgotten that
everyone has a right to live their lives
the way they want to - as free agents,
having the right to make our own
choices. Whether this is about what we
choose to eat, how we opt to dress,
where we travel to study, who we select
to marry and whether we want to be
‘believers’ or ‘non-believers’, we should
be free to choose as long as our choices
do not harm others.
How hard is it to understand that the
trouble comes when we want to control
others or when others’ choices start
disturbing us? I have several friends
who express themselves to be Atheists
- yet, they are brilliant human beings.
I know several religious people who
have ridiculous and outrageous beliefs,
and their behaviour is sometimes
shameful. The bottom line here is that
more than our stated beliefs, the most
significant and important aspect is
to find a moral and ethical way of
being, in which we accept and love
others the way they are! Differences
of appearance, culture, religion,
sexuality, politics and so on may not
be to our liking or preference, but
we have no right to impose our value
system on another. We must respect
the human component in everyone. As
long as my actions and thoughts are
in tune with each other (and positive
in their direction) I will discover I can
be at peace. I can then reflect my
‘humanness’.
For me personally, I had a long
journey. When growing up, I was
an extremely religious person and
then I became more spiritual and less
religious, if you can relate to what I
mean by this. As of now, I think I am
just a human who loves differences,
likes to celebrate them and respect
them. This is probably because of the
knowledge I gained in my spiritual
quest. The experience of ‘the One’
- that presence in me, in others and
everywhere.
Appreciating the Oneness, I
am ever at peace. This peace
becomes love, and this love is
reflected through humanness
- the empathy and openness
which guides my every
thought and action.
Enjoy this beautiful life and celebrate
differences. Love everyone and reflect
a bit more humanness. This is eminently
possible if we understand and
acknowledge the Oneness in everyone,
and all things. ■
35
A Connected State of Being
Prashant Lande, Chicago, USA
We are all one, inter-connected, inter-dependent,
interactive and interesting beings at the core of our
existence. We are on a lifelong journey of change. We are
here on this Planet Earth to live, love, work, play, relax,
share, care and celebrate together. We are together in
this defined time space reality. We are human beings
after all.
So here comes the Question – What is the root cause
of all the misery, unhappiness, sadness, bitterness,
suffering, misunderstanding, hatred, violence, abuse we
see all around us, in our lives?
The answer arrives - because one gets disconnected
from the pure real self and the supreme power which is
Nirankar, who is creating and driving the world of worlds.
Just as a light bulb or a vacuum cleaner is of no use
without electricity or battery power, man, disconnected
from Nirankar also enters ‘standby mode’. Without
power, that bulb or vacuum cleaner is not going to reach
and fulfill its purpose of existence. Likewise, when there
is a constant connection and remembrance of the pure
real self or the Almighty Nirankar, one leads a joyous and
prosperous life. Many times, we get so much involved in
the circumstances, events and behavior of other people,
that it seems impossible to stop these negative aspects
flowing into our experience. And not only that, we then
tend to act on them, causing further agony and troubles.
We define and enforce our own reality. Sometimes we
know it’s not alright, but we still feel helpless and do
it anyway. We lead ourselves to our own misery and
36
suffering and then point fingers at others to justify our
own state. This does not help much. Circumstances get
as bad as we tend to make or allow them to be.
At such testing times, we need to take a break from that
very situation, disengaging from people, introspecting,
shifting the focus and most importantly taking few deep
breaths to feel relaxed. We should try to do anything
and everything that’s possible to make us feel good and
happy in the first place.
It’s like that announcement we hear in every flight ‘When the seat belt sign illumines, you must fasten your
seat belt. Insert the metal fittings, one into the other,
and tighten by pulling on the loose end of the strap…
in the event of loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask
will automatically appear in front of you. To start the
flow of oxygen, pull the mask toward you. Place it firmly
over your nose and mouth first and then help children or
other fellow passengers…’.
So gear-up yourself first. If you are not stable or joyful
you have nothing much left to offer to others around
you. Know that the world is not broken and you are not
here to fix it as your primary responsibility! Nothing
ever goes wrong or is unwanted in this Universe. It
has its own rhythm. It knows how to balance, adjust,
recycle and rejuvenate very, very well. So don’t be sad
or discouraged over petty things. Do the best you can
and be optimistic. Make the most of every situation and
cherish your contributions.
Here comes another Question then – What is this
Universe after all?
want and what we don’t want, which then redefines our
beliefs, desires and goals.
The answer arrives – “Uni -Verse": Meaning One Song
or One Word. There’s no separation for anything in the
fabric of the whole universe, despite our perception.
Our brain only acts as a filter and makes the duality
perception possible. Everything is so interconnected,
interrelated and in perfect harmony. We are observers
of the observed!
I still wonder - where, whom and how to return to
reality if we are lost in our life drama, going through so
many ups and downs?
Every problem we face, puts our mind in a certain
vibration or frequency at the thought level, producing
related hormones which then affect our mood,
emotions and behaviours. If we tend to be stuck in that
frequency all the time, then the solution or expected
outcome (which is at a different frequency) cannot
just arrive. It’s a mis-alignment. Like tuning a radio to
the 89.5 news channel and expecting songs on 96.3
to play. It’s not going to happen! Start looking for
solutions with a new mindset. This is all about learning
to shift the thought-focus, deliberately. Change the
way you look at things and try a new approach. Give
others the benefit of doubt, and assume there must
be some other reason for their unexpected behavior.
Count your blessings. Take a walk on the lush green
grass or smell pretty flowers. Watch the breathtaking
sunrise or the beautiful sunset or bask in the bright
sunshine. Attend or listen to a Satsang program. Be in
the company of Saints and converse with them or pick
and read some inspirational books. If outdoor activities
are not possible then put on your headphones and
listen to some of your favorite music or enjoy some old
songs. Otherwise, simply jump in the shower and feel
the flowing water. The world has so many elements to
soothe you perfectly and instantly.
Imagine a situation where we go to watch a movie.
We get so engaged in that story and drama that we
go through many varied emotions. Interestingly we
do not act on them. We don’t stand up and start
screaming and cursing the characters. We don’t
blame the director and the cameraman. At a deeper
conscious level we know that we are just watching a
movie and that it is not going to last forever. There
are actors and role players in it, scripts are written by
someone, direction is given by someone else, visuals
are done by someone and it is merely a collaboration
of some very talented, creative and intelligent people
for the purpose of entertainment. When the movie
ends, we simply drop those aroused emotions and
feelings. We return to our normal state of mind so
quickly and then start discussing how good or bad
the movie was. Life should be taken as that! Not so
seriously, but simply light-heartedly.
Life is a very engaging and realistic movie indeed - a
constant learning and progressing school, a beautiful
journey, a challenging game, and an ever-happening,
ever-evolving experiment. A fun place to be in and
enjoy the contrasts offered from time to time. These
contrasts provide an important insight as to what we
The answer arrives – to a connected state of being!
Anytime, anywhere, anyway.
Once we are aligned and connected to the Supreme
Power source, everything flows smoothly into our
experience. That is Oneness!
Knowing that after every dark night there is a golden
sunrise, one should have a total understanding that no
matter what the situation is and how bad it seems, it is
bound to resolve and pass, and good things are bound
to follow. There will be relief on its way, if we just relax
and let it be. That is Oneness!
Keep smiling and be joyful. That is Oneness!
Because when that connection to the real self or
Nirankar happens, it instantly starts sending back all
the divine qualities to our mind – peace, hope, love,
joy, humanness, contentment and so on. Situations
do change to reflect that. Whatever we think about
desperately and without any iota of resistance or doubt,
manifests within this ‘fully alive’ universe, which responds
and provides. No exceptions! One must try. One must
meditate. One must learn. One must experiment.
If life looks like a tornado, then by the Grace of the
Spiritual Master we move and place ourselves at the
very center of the tornado, regardless of the chaos all
around. The center, often referred to as the ‘eye of the
storm’ is always at absolute peace and stillness. That is
the place where creativity arises, love arises, humanity
arises and the real celebration begins. Each day we
become fully aware and start celebrating the festivities
of this life!
Still if it gets tough, try pondering on these wise and
powerful words attributed to Mother Teresa. They will
certainly help a lot to turn any difficult situation around
and restore that broken connection.
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and selfcentered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people
may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind
anyway. If you’re successful, you’ll win some unfaithful
friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive
you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend
years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create
anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may
be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today,
will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best
you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best
anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway. ■
37
We build groups or social circles
which exclude those who we consider
inferior to ourselves. There becomes
a stark difference between what we
are thinking and what we actually say
with selfish motives often at the heart
of such duality. We learn to become
cunning, clever and deceitful.
Raul & Nisha Kamal, London, UK
It therefore seems that we must
embark on a journey to first unlearn.
We must unlearn the negative traits
we have polluted our minds with.
Remove the layers of deceitfulness
and cunningness before we can begin
to be true to ourselves with simplicity
and purity as the base, from which
acts of kindness may flow. It is then
that we can become one in thought,
word and deed.
There is an example of two young
boys who approach a food stall with
the sign “Take one apple. God is
watching”.
They then approach a second stall
with chocolates with a sign that only
says “take one”. The first boy turns to
the second boy and says “it looks like
we can take as many chocolates as we
want as God is too busy watching the
apples”.
To distance ourselves from clever
behaviour such as this, the Holy
Bible gives many references to being
childlike and not childish.
What is ‘mankind’ if ‘man’ is not
‘kind’? A simple but powerful thought
which encourages us to strip away
all other labels or tags that we may
associate with human beings to ask
ourselves the fundamental question,
can we even exist, without kindness?
Literally, we are dissecting the word
mankind to analyse ‘man’ as a race to
determine whether we possess the
essential quality of ‘kindness’.
In reality, the question is not only
asking us to dissect the word
mankind but to dissect and examine
the behaviour of all human beings.
When I ask myself this question I
feel that there are many examples
of kindness and compassion in
the world. There are people who
dedicate their whole lives to the
wellbeing and betterment of
38
others and this is commendable.
What troubles me is that there are
countless acts of prejudice where
people discriminate on virtually any
grounds. Even if someone is the same
race and religion or may speak the
same language, we’ll differentiate on
the basis of height, weight, hair colour
or social status.
It would seem then that we have learnt
to differentiate and to find differences
in whatever facet we want. What we
must understand and acknowledge
is that a child born is akin to a blank
canvas - innocent and without
prejudice or discrimination.
It is through our life experiences,
when we are supposedly becoming
wiser and more knowledgeable
that we have learnt to discriminate
and diversify.
The unique aspect of removing layers
is not just limited to removing the
mental layers and the way we think.
It is about returning to our human
values. There are also physical layers
we must go beyond if we want to
remove all duality.
The Shri Guru Granth Sahib (p441)
states,
Oh man, you are the embodiment
of divine light, do recognise your
essential origin.
This emphasises that we are more
than just this physical body and that
our true origin comes from knowing
our real essence - the soul.
When we understand this truth, we
begin to appreciate that all physical
and mental layers are superficial and
we are in essence the same from our
Continued >
PUZZLE
Who am I, what am I? A piece of a
whole or a whole bunch of pieces?
The more I discover, the deeper I
dig; only to find the gaps gaping
larger and wider than at first glance.
The outline is me, this I am sure of.
Edges and corners defined and easy
to place. But the full puzzle? A mystery
–even to me.
What belongs, what stays? These
pieces define me now, but I am
ever changing. Ever learning. Ever
growing. Piece by piece, my picture
ME THIS
Nimarta Mirpuri, Chicago, USA
is easier to recognize. Although the
emptiness of the missing pieces is
felt, I know I will find them all so long
as I continue my exploration.
new experience is the opportunity to
find another piece of my puzzle. The
more I collect, the more distinct the
final picture becomes.
My life is a search party. Some
pieces, I find on my own. The picture
is clearer. I stumble. I find a piece.
The picture is clearer. I struggle. I
find a piece. The picture is clearer.
Sometimes there are pieces that
others find for me. Every encounter
with someone new is a chance to
discover a new piece of myself. Every
While I find myself, I also find others. I
see their puzzles. As I bond with them,
the scene of their puzzle achieves
more clarity. As I interact with them,
as I think about them, at each and
every point that my path crosses theirs
for even a hint; I am bridging the
gap between their puzzle and mine.
But it isn’t until I’ve lifted my head
She questioned his behaviour
and said that this is the same hair
you compliment every day when
you tell me that my hair looks
so beautiful but today you are
criticizing it.
Similarly, when we act knowing
our true source and that we are all
members of one global family, then
human values are at the forefront of
our minds and hearts.
< Continued
core. When we live in such awareness
and connect to our true essence
our lives become more beautiful yet
when we distance ourselves from this
truth and way of being, we lose our
value and distance ourselves from
human values.
There was once a woman who would
make tea for her husband every day.
One day, he was quite upset that a
hair from her head had made its way
into his tea.
The husband responded by saying,
it’s true; I do compliment your hair
every morning. However, when the
hair is not where it should be; when
it is further from its origin or its
source, it loses its beauty.
The journey is not just of one where
we return to human values but an
inward journey to know our true self.
This is to know the essence, the core,
the divinity, the ‘everything’ and the
‘nothing’, which is a part of us and
which we are a part of. ■
39
love.
from my own puzzle, that I see others
Observing
puzzleabout
after completing
puzzle puts the
are simply going
reigns
puzzlesof
of life
theirinto
own.your hands. Fate?
Meant to be? I don't think so. The
As my understanding
of the
unfolding
of events
is person
naturally
becomes
clearer,
just
like
when my
occurring based on the puzzle
pieces
understanding of myself becomes
you've
gathered. Conscious or
clearer, my thoughts travel through
unconscious? That's up to you. This is
that bridge of empathy before
the
choice. Which pieces have you
materializing towards him or her.
named
Which pieces
Instantlyyour
I can own?
make excuses
for this will
you
build
upon?
What
is
the
individual or justify any wrongscene
they you
wish
to
uncover?
Once
you
learn
do – because they are an extension the
decision
is longer
yours, need
watchtothe
struggles
of me. I no
make
dissipate.
Anything
and
everything
a conscious effort to notice their
that
comes
way in
world holds a
puzzle
to bemy
aware
of this
its existence.
It is engrained
Seeing a
lesson
within itinto
– a my
keybeing.
to unlocking
another’s
puzzle
–
that’s
love.
new piece of the puzzle.
Observing puzzle after puzzle puts
It's on me to find the piece from every
the reigns of life into your hands.
experience.
to find
the peace.
Fate? MeantIt's
toon
be?me
I don’t
think
so.
ItThe
is my
choice
to
connect
to
Nirankar,
unfolding of events is naturally
the
truest entity
existence
– love
in the
occurring
basedinon
the puzzle
pieces
purest
form.
When
I
feel
love
towards
you’ve gathered. Conscious or
Nirankar,
I feelThat’s
love towards
love
itself.
unconscious?
up to you.
This
Love.
God
Divinity.
All
synonyms
of a
is the choice. Which pieces have you
named your
own? Which
pieces
complete
puzzle.
Worship.
Thewill
desire
youachieve
build upon?
What is the
scene you
to
exaltation.
Forging
the
wish
to
uncover?
Once
you
learn
bridge of empathy with the onethe
and
decision
is yours, watch the struggles
only
constant.
dissipate. Anything and everything
that comes
my waytoincompletion,
this world holds
Along
this journey
there
a lesson within it – a key to unlocking
are frustrations and struggles. Every
a new piece of the puzzle.
disturbance is detonated by an
encounter
with
puzzle
pieces
It’s on me to
findathe
piecewhose
from every
mismatch
experience.my
It’s own.
on meWhether
to find thethat's a
person,
or idea,
without
peace. Itsituation,
is my choice
to connect
to the
Nirankar,
the truest
in existence
right
amount
of entity
common
pieces
– love in the apurest
form.
When I awaits
uncovered,
vacant
battlefield
feel
love
towards
Nirankar,
love
an impending clash. MoreI feel
often
than
towards
love
itself.
Love.
God.
Divinity.
not, the battle is silent – raging within
All synonyms of a complete puzzle.
Worship. The desire to achieve
exaltation. Forging the bridge of
empathy with the one and only
constant.
with no
totomy
conscious mind.
Along
thisregard
journey
completion,
incongruity,
Despite
the opponent's
there
are frustrations
and struggles.
we'vedisturbance
managed isto
discoverbyaanfew
Every
detonated
pieces in common.
encounter
with a puzzle whose pieces
mismatch my own. Whether that’s
aBeing
person,
situation,
idea, without
hasty
to find or
comfort
in those, the
the
right amount
of common
journey
to true
comfortpieces
may lay
uncovered,
a vacant
awaits
abandoned.
We battlefield
decide to
force
an
impendingWe
clash.
More
than
completion.
push
ouroften
mismatched
not,
thetogether
battle is and
silentmarvel
– raging
within
pieces
at the
with
no
regard
to
my
conscious
mind.the
whole, blissfully ignoring that
Despite
the
opponent’s
incongruity,
picture on the surface seems ever so
we’ve
managed
to discover
few growth
slightly
off. How?
Becausea the
pieces in common.
You are the only
y ou with
ar e full
th e on l y
person
p e r sto
o nthe
with full
access
unique
accesscollection
to the unique
ofcollection
puzzle pieces
of puzzle
that
p i ehave
c e s come
that have
together
to
come together
to
form you.
form you.
of these individual puzzles has been
stunted
to make
for another
Being
hasty
to findspace
comfort
in those, half
puzzle
fromtoatrue
different
box.may lay
is unavoidable to succumb to the
the
journey
comfort
abandoned. We decide to force
Free yourself.
yourself
the wellcompletion.
We Give
push our
mismatched
deserved
opportunity
to complete
the
pieces
together
and marvel
at the
whole,
that the
puzzleblissfully
of you.ignoring
Disengage
from any
picture
surface
so
fiction on
youthe
may
have seems
fallen ever
into -other
slightly
How?
puzzlesoff.
may
helpBecause
me in the growth
of
these
individual
puzzles
hasmysteries,
been
my
quest
to discover
my own
stunted
to cannot
make space
for another
half
but they
complete
the picture
puzzle
fromDetachment
a different box.
for me.
allows me to
venture
not only
the depths
of my
Free
yourself.
Giveinto
yourself
the wellown completeness,
also to enable
deserved
opportunitybut
to complete
anypuzzle
nearby
to realize
their
the
of lost
you.puzzles
Disengage
from any
own picture's
fiction
you maypotential.
have fallen into - other
puzzles may help me in my quest to
As humans,
we feel.
Emotions
discover
my own
mysteries,
but escort
they us
t h r o ucomplete
g h l i f e .the
A npicture
e v e rresent
cannot
forpme.
Detachment
meprove
to venture
chaperone; allows
we must
to them that
not
w eonly
c a into
n nthe
a v idepths
g a t e of
o umy
r own
journey
completeness,
alsoour
to enable
any
independently.but
Even
most reliable
nearby
lost puzzles
to realize
their own
companion,
hurt, must
be disregarded
picture’s
if we arepotential.
to achieve synchronism with
our full puzzle. Sometimes it is
As humans, we feel. Emotions escort
unavoidable
succumb
to the feelings
us
through life.toAn
ever-present
and so weweallow
them to
to them
hold our
chaperone;
must prove
that we can navigate our journey
independently. Even our most reliable
companion, hurt, must be disregarded
if we are to achieve synchronism
with our full puzzle. Sometimes it
feelings and so we allow them to hold
hand.
thansettle
settle
our
hand. Rather
Rather than
intointo
theirtheir
grasp,
reach
forward
instead
to grab
grasp, reach forward instead to grab
hold
of
more
of
your
puzzle
hold of more of your puzzle pieces.pieces.
Instantly
picture
Instantly
the the
picture
looks looks
clearer,clearer,
because
that
is
the
result
of fitting
because that is the result of fitting
pieces
together.
pieces together.
Strength
is in
persistently,
Strength
is discovering
in discovering
persistently,
nono
matter
what.
ThereThere
is beauty
in
matter
what.
is beauty
in
completion.
And
there
is
true
joy
in
completion. And there is true joy in
creation.
Creating
something
out out of
creation.
Creating
something
of nothing.
nothing. Bringing
Bringing life
to
an
life to anentity
entity from
from
the
depth
of
your
own
soul.
Thisthing
the depth of your own
soul.
This
thing
that
simply
could
not
be
if
you
that simply could not be if you didn't
didn’t
because
exist,exist,
because
you you
are are
the the
onlyonly
person
person
with
full
access
to
the
unique
with full access to the unique
collection
collection
of puzzle
pieces
havecome
of puzzle
pieces
thatthat
have
come
together
to
form
you.
Just
together to form you. Just imagine the
imagine the beauty and joy awaiting
beauty and joy awaiting once the
once the driving force of completion is
driving force of completion is exercised
exercised towards your very being.
towards your very being.
Inner peace. It exists always; yet it is
Inner only
peace.
It Iexists
always;
sensed
when
remove
my selfyet it is
sensed
only I when
I remove
from
my mind.
separate
away mymy self
from
my Imind.
I separate
idea
of who
am, and
I observe away
it. My my
ideabecomes
of who Ielevated
am, andbeyond
I observe
it. My
mind
itself.
mind
becomes
elevated
beyond
I am
able
to identify
my true
self. itself. I
amhappens
able toonce
identify
true self. This
This
I’ve my
constructed
happens
once
I've constructed
enough
enough
of my
puzzle
to start making
out
ofthe
mypicture.
puzzle to start making out the
picture.
At some point, the puzzle starts
toAt
make
sense.
some
point,
the
some
point,Atthe
puzzle
starts
to make
realization falls in place that I can
sense. At some point, the realization
expand the bounds of my puzzle to
falls in place that I can expand the
no end. There is no outline. There
bounds of my puzzle to no end. There is
is no box. There exist no confines.
no outline. There is no box. There exist
There are only millions of my own
no confines. There are only millions of
pieces, waiting to be found by this
my own pieces, waiting to be found by
version of me.
this version of me.
The capacity for a scenic creation is
The capacity
for a so,
scenic
creation
is
limitless,
and rightfully
when
I am
limitless,
rightfully
sourcing
myand
puzzle
pieces so,
fromwhen
that I am
sourcing
my
pieces
which
cannot
bepuzzle
contained.
■ from that
40
which cannot be contained.
Can Lawyers be Human Beings?
Navdeep Anand, Leamington, UK
Many years ago while training to be a lawyer, I read an
article about the legal profession and whether lawyers
understand and can apply ethics and morality.
The article described a conference for lawyers that
was held in London which covered topics regarding
professional ethics and how lawyers should handle
morally difficult situations in their working life. The last
part of the conference was a workshop session where
the lawyers would be given different scenarios and
would try and come up with solutions to the problems
given. The presenter began by giving a few relatively
easy scenarios, and then gave gradually harder and
more complex situations for the lawyers to discuss.
The scenarios started along the lines of would you ever
lie in court, or would you defend someone you knew
was guilty, or would you use your client’s information for
your own financial advantage? The lawyers discussed
these problems and gave their answers which ultimately
got to the correct ethical and legal solution. Seeing how
well the participants had done with the scenarios, the
presenter then gave the final scenario, which confused
everyone.
The presenter set the scene: you are a lawyer in a
country where the laws of the land are discriminatory
against certain members of society. These members
of society cannot use the same facilities as others;
they have to use separate compartments on public
transport; they are ill-treated and do not have the same
basic rights to education, healthcare or protection from
the police as the others. What would you do?
The assembled lawyers discussed the implications of
what this meant. On one hand the law is clear, but on
the other hand the law seems to be overwhelmingly
unfair. As a lawyer, your first duty is to protect and
uphold the laws of the land. But as a defender of justice,
can you sit there and watch the basic rights of people
be infringed?
The lawyers discussed this for some time, and
eventually came to the general consensus, that as a
lawyer you should promote justice and combat unfair
laws. In that situation, perhaps a route could be found
to change the law to make it fair for all.
The presenter then added, but what if the legal system
did not allow you to challenge the law and always acted
in favour of the ruling classes in that society? How
would you change the law then?
This confused everyone greatly. As lawyers, all they
knew about was acting within the limits of the law. If
you can do something via the rules, then you can do it.
If the rules do not allow you, then you cannot do it. No
one could come up with an answer.
As everyone was confused the presenter offered a
possible solution. He suggested that if the law did not
allow you to challenge the unfair rules in the country,
perhaps, in a peaceful and non-aggressive way, those
rules should be protested against and even broken, as
long as no one was harmed.
Again this raised a great deal of debate and confusion.
As a representative of the law, how can a lawyer
protest against the law, or even break it, even if it
is done peacefully and respectfully? The lawyers all
agreed that protesting and peacefully breaking the
law were not appropriate actions and as lawyers they
could never do this.
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Seeing that no one could reach a
solution that everyone agreed on, the
presenter concluded his session with
an explanation on all of the scenarios
he had presented. The situations were
all fictitious, although they could all
conceivably happen to a lawyer in their
daily working life. The only example
that was not fictitious was the last one.
The presenter explained that the last
example had actually happened and
a lawyer had to deal with the same
predicament, does he do something or
doesn’t he, and if he does help, what
can he do?
The presenter continued and said that
the lawyer came to the conclusion that a
lawyer must fight for justice, even if this
is against the law of the country, but it
must be done in a peaceful way. So he
decided to organise peaceful protests
that disrupted official government work
as well as other techniques and methods
to put his point across, but all were done
as peacefully as possible.
The lawyers in the conference all
listened in shock and awe as to how a
lawyer could so flagrantly breach the
law. Some asserted that this was not the
type of behaviour a lawyer should be
involved in and is not becoming of an
upholder of justice and law.
The presenter finished by saying that
the lawyer did ultimately achieve some
success. When asked who the lawyer
was, the presenter smiled and replied
that he was an Indian lawyer who went
by the name of Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi, more affectionately known as –
Mahatma Gandhi.
When I read this article about the
conference, it changed my thinking
firstly as to what does it mean to be a
lawyer, but more importantly, what does
it mean to be a human being.
I get up in the morning, go to work,
come back, eat, watch the box, go to
sleep – and repeat. I have the same
conversations with people, complain
about the same things, get involved in
the same petty gossip with my friends
and colleagues. In my eyes, my world is
the centre of the universe. I am central
to everything and the rest of the world
and the people in it are just noise
around me. I watch news reports on
TV about the rest of the world, but it’s
not real is it? It’s just TV. What happens
in my life is all that really matters,
everything else, because it doesn’t
directly affect me, is just irrelevant.
But it does affect me, I just don’t
realise it. No person on this earth lives
disconnected from everyone else. I
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may not be able to help the pain and
suffering of an unfortunate person on
the other side of the world as they are
not directly my “neighbour” in the
Biblical sense. However, I can help my
actual neighbour that I live next door
to. In our previous house, we lived
next door to our neighbours for 20
years, but during that time neither of us
invited the other round. I had never set
foot in their house and neither had they
in mine, although our front doors were
a few feet away.
Being a human being encapsulates a
huge amount of things. But the key
lesson I learnt from the article I read,
was that a true human being looks out
and cares for other human beings. A
true human being looks beyond their
own glass house of living, and steps
outside to embrace other human
beings whose glass houses have
been shattered. A true human being
understands that we are not a singular
isolated presence, but we are part of
a huge network of strength and love.
A true human being understands that
if life is lived in the correct way, all
happiness can be attained and spread
to others to create true humanity.
Mahatma Gandhi Ji recognised this
and that despite his profession and the
social norms of the land, what was going
on in India (and previously South Africa)
was wrong. He recognised something
had to be done, but also recognised
the action to be taken had to be done
with peace and humanity. Everything
didn’t go right for Gandhi Ji, and it
was a struggle with many setbacks
and disappointments, ultimately
and ironically ending in Gandhi Ji’s
assassination. But the basic principle
was always there in everything he stood
for – humanity. His example of peaceful
protest and non-violence are hallmarks
within history, with other great people
echoing the essence of his beliefs and
using them to accomplish their own
victories for humanity.
Doing the right thing, caring for others,
spreading happiness and love wherever
you go are all difficult things. But this is
what it means to be a true human being.
The key to achieving all of this and more,
is to realise what makes up a human
being. Once you know what you are
made of, you can use those resources to
achieve your goals.
A human being is not flesh, muscle and
bone - all of this is temporal, and must
leave us one day. A human being is not
intelligence or the mind as that can also
go. A human being that has lost a limb
or ceases to have mental capacity does
not stop being that human being. A
human being is made of a material that
can never depart. A human being has an
essence that transcends physicality – it
is an energy of sorts, which never flickers
or fades. Once you realise that what
you actually are is a formless essence,
you also realise that you have the same
essence and energy as every other
human being. You then realise that we
are actually all a framework of essences
and energies that are intrinsically linked
and connected together, forming a
deep ocean of energy.
Once a human being realises that they
are made up of and are part of an
infinite resource of energy, the purpose
and goals of a human being become
significantly more achievable. It’s rather
like having access to a mega-internet,
where you can not only ask questions,
but also ask and get help, and where
you get ultimate software and hardware
support and limitless updates and
upgrades. As long as the connection is
strong, suddenly deleting hatred, fear
and anger, and installing compassion,
tolerance and love can be done with a
simple click.
The key is connecting with this Essence,
Energy, the Universe, Nature, the
Force, God – whatever you wish to call
it. When the connection is made, the
cloudy bubble we wander around in
can be burst and we can receive and
experience the love and happiness life
actually has for us. As is written in the
Sampuran Avtar Bani:
“Those who realise this One, get
immersed in this One.
Those who are imbued with the divine
colour of this One, enjoy supreme bliss.”
(Verse 117)
Once a person realises there are other
people in the world apart from them,
once a person realises what they
fundamentally are, and once a person
uses the resources from the energy
source they are connected to (and
infact submerged within), that person
can progress to becoming a true
human being. In looking beyond selfish
parameters, and becoming aware that a
Oneness pervades behind the apparent
separation from others, that person can
recognise the plight of his neighbour, be
he near or far. That person can then take
strength from God, and be of service.
That person can become a beacon of
love to spread humanity far and wide.
Becoming a true human being is tough,
but by using this approach, it can be
achieved by anyone. Even lawyers! ■
Navneet Bansal, London, UK
He also reminded us that ‘it takes a few months to learn to
speak, and a lifetime to know when to be silent’.
What do you conjure up when you think of the word Humanness?
Perhaps a list of all the good qualities and morals we should
possess, people from diverse backgrounds holding hands in
peace and unity, or the quality/state of being human?
•
The initial thought that popped up into my head was the actual
human body. When you consider the various components and
intricate workings of the body, you realise how truly amazing the
body is. Sadly we can take this for granted. For example, take
the five senses of sight, taste, hearing, touch and smell. These are
all so vital and necessary in our day to day living that we hardly
acknowledge them. However, when one falters or fails, we notice
this immediately.
Human blood should flow in the veins, and not in the drains.
Did you know a person has 5 to 6 litres of blood in their
body, of which 350ml to 450ml is taken during a blood
donation? Why waste blood in fighting wars when blood can
be used to save a life? Blood donation is a priceless gift to
a person who needs a transfusion. The Mission is a leader
amongst blood donation organisations across the world,
thanks to the vision of HH Babaji.
•
If we take care of our hand, we automatically take care of
the fingers. And a hand is more powerful and useful than
the individual fingers alone. The message of the Mission is
to unite the world and not to break it by ignorant and selfish
interests. There is great power in togetherness, and when we
work in harmony, nothing is impossible to accomplish. Let’s
‘build bridges and not walls’, as Babaji used to ask of us.
•
The question is not how many years in your life, but how
much life in your years. Are we actually living, or are we
walking corpses? Life is living for others, living for love, living
for the comfort of others. As Babaji used to say, ‘when you
cease to love, you cease to live…because loving is living’.
•
One’s words, uttered from the lips, should be as sweet as
candy. Words should not only be sweet, but also truthful to
benefit others. If one cannot speak sweetly, it is better to
keep quiet. We can all relate to situations where we have
seen how immense harm can be caused by harsh and cruel
words. You only have to see how the atmosphere in a room
can change instantly if people argue or speak rudely to each
other, and how the whole environment can be polluted by
unpleasant words. Let’s all try to speak the sweet language
of love and remember that children emulate what they here
(and see) in their parents.
Now, adherence to the 1st Pledge within the Sant Nirankari
Mission leads us to the understanding that we should never be
proud and egotistical about our possessions (including the body
we inhabit), and neither should we view this human body as our
own (rather to treasure it as a divine gift). Indeed, this body is
on loan to us, and we are to act as mere trustees of it, looking
after it until our time is up. Sorry to sound a bit morbid, but this
is a simple fact of life! The phrase ‘life is too short’ is commonly
thrown around. But how often do we actually, really think about
that? Rather than enjoy every single second of the day, we moan
and groan about hardships and challenges? How often do we all
look at ourselves and put this into action? One song in which the
lyrics really strike a chord here are those of Michael Jackson’s hit
from 1988 - Man in the Mirror:
I’m starting with the Man in the Mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change…
Time and time again His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh ji reminded
us of how to live a peaceful, fulfilling existence on this earth.
While we are in this body - on this earth - he reminded us that
it is a golden opportunity to live life and realise it’s highest
purpose - to ‘know thyself’, to know God. Babaji often spoke of
the amazing human body and uses we can put it to - here are
some of the commentaries he made, during his beautiful spiritual
mentorship;
•
We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as
much as we speak. In other words, we have to hear more
carefully - listening is one of the most powerful tools we, as
human beings, have. It is the way we learn and grow. This
allows us to really think before we open our mouths, and
say something in haste, which we may later come to regret.
Let’s also not forget another amazing element of the human body
– the ability to provide itself with many chemicals that make you
happy for no good reason! Yes, we can’t forget ENDORPHINS
which trigger a positive feeling in the body giving you those feel
good vibes! So let’s always remember to be happy and wear a
smile. Not because life gives, or withholds, reasons to smile, but
because your smile itself is a reason for many others to smile. As
Baba ji has said,
A smile is complete when it begins with lips,
reflects in your eyes and ends with a glow on your face. ■
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Dave Dhanoa, Toronto, Canada
Once Lord Buddha was asked, “Who are you?” He was
such a beautiful man and the Buddhahood had conferred
such grace on him, that he had been asked this question
many times before. To some he looked like an Emperor,
and to others like a God who had come from heaven - yet
he lived like a beggar! This apparent contradiction led to
the repeated enquiry as to his nature. On this occasion,
the man who was asking was a great scholar.
'While we are in this body - on this earth
- he reminded us that it is a golden
opportunity to live life and realise it’s
highest purpose - to ‘know thyself’, to
know God.'
The learned man spoke thus, “Are you from the world of
Gods? Are you a God?”
Buddha said, “No.”
“Then are you a Gandharva?”
Gandharvas are the musicians of the Gods. Buddha had
such music around him - the music of silence, the sound
of no sound, one hand clapping - that it was natural to
ask him if he may be a celestial musician.
Buddha said, “No.”
And the man went on asking. There are many categories
in Hindu mythology that chart the spectrum of existence
from Gods to man. Then finally he asked, “Are you a
great King, a Chakravartin, one who rules over the whole
world?”
And Buddha said, “No.”
Annoyed, the scholar asked, “Are you a man, or not even
that?”
Buddha said. 'Don't be annoyed, but what can I do? I
have to state the truth as it is. I am not a man either.”
Now the scholar was very very enraged indeed! He said,
“Then are you an animal?”
Buddha said, “No, not an animal, not a tree, not a rock.”
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“Then who are you?” the man asked in exasperation.
Buddha said, “I am awareness, just pure awareness, just a
mirror reflecting all that is.”
In the ancient Indian spiritual thought, a Human being is
comprised of various elements of nature - Intellect, Ego,
False Ego and the Self. The journey of Spirituality is to
get to the Real Self or Pure Awareness as Lord Buddha
communicated in this story.
To go from the physical to the spiritual, some spiritualists
use the concept of “Neti Neti” which means “Not This,
Not This”. In ancient Indian wisdom, the concept of
the Supreme Formless Energy of the Universe - which
is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Creative,
Sustaining and into which everything eventually returns
- is described as “Neti Neti”. The idea is when you say
“it’s like this” by describing what something is you almost
limit it to that definition. Whereas, when you say it’s not
this, it’s not this, you are describing something without
limits, and something that cannot actually be conveyed
in words. Hence, when we ask ourselves who we are, we
must ask ourselves who we are not.
There is a Sufi Practice that the Whirling Dervishes
engage in, and in this whirling dance they experience a
separation of self or from their body. They are spinning
and meditating while they spin there comes a point
where they feel that their body is moving, but THEY are
not moving. The question is who is THEY? What is THIS?
Who am I?
His Holiness Nirankari Baba, Spiritual Head of the Sant
Nirankari Mission between 1980 and his recent departure
in physical form used to explain we are not the body,
mind or wealth; we are not identified by earth, air, fire,
water, and ether (the field of potential). Even the stars
and planetary bodies which seem unending, are merely
a temporary manifestation. Babaji taught us to know
ourselves as pure energy, consciousness, awareness.
Through association with this reality, we establish
ourselves in Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. ■
The Self Within,
the Self in All
Serena Nagha, London, UK
In a world of increasing division, many of us have become reduced to
beggars of love. We unconsciously seek it in our careers, in relationships,
in possessions. As a result we have become a people obsessed with
‘having’ rather than ‘giving’. We show off our prayer beads but we
are reluctant to say the prayer, we want inner peace but we seek it
externally. We are a generation of appearances, and it is purely because
we are existing as shadows of our true Self. We have invested so much in
the illusion that we have created a self-love deficit. And we are unable to
love ourselves because, quite simply, we do not know the ‘Self’.
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So what is the Self?
The Self is the limitless essence which pervades
in every pore, which connects every being to
this One. We have just forgotten our Truth. We
have become too distracted to recognise divinity
and too comfortable accepting smallness over
greatness. And why? Because for far too long this
world has made us feel too inadequate to exist
as anything more than a passing shadow. As a
result, we are so busy trying to ‘be’ something, we
cannot comprehend the beauty of being nothing.
So attached to the form, we are blind to the
Formless. That is where Enlightenment comes in.
Enlightenment reveals our True Self.
Let me embellish with a small analogy:
One day the Sun and the Cave were
having a conversation.
The Sun said to the Cave: “I have
never known darkness”.
The Cave replies: “I have never
known light”.
Both agree to switch positions so they can
experience the other’s predicament. The Cave
ascends to the Sun’s position and is awestruck,
marvelling at the totality of its new vision.
Everything is brought into completion under one
light and the Cave is left completely stunned.
It realises how its entire existence had been so
limited to experiencing darkness that it could
never have hoped for more.
The Sun then descends to the Cave’s position
and is left confused. Everything has become
illumined under the Sun’s rays, even the darkness
of the cave. No matter how much the Cave tries
to explain darkness, the Sun sees only the light it
reflects.
Thus, when we embrace the path of
Enlightenment, we are accepting our true
Essence; that of undeniable light. However, do not
be mistaken; Enlightenment is a challenging path,
a path that requires complete and utter revolution
from within. And that is because Enlightenment is
not something to be achieved or attained; rather
it is a subtle remembrance. But we have become
so polluted; our minds have become so limited
that we have become unable to comprehend
simplicity or subtlety.
So how do we remember?
Rumi beautifully answers this question for us: I once had a thousand desires.
But in my one desire to know you,
all else melted away.
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Whether you call it Energy, Consciousness, Ishwar,
Allah, Nirankar, God, Bhagwan; connecting
with this One will bring you to a greater
understanding of Yourself. Once we connect with
this One which Is, everything that is not will melt
away. Strangely, we will begin to see the true in
the false, also.
But in order to get to this state, to cleanse ourself
of the impurities of the mind, of every voice that
ever told us that we weren’t good enough, we
must commit. We commit our lives to other people through
sincere relationships, such as marriage; we commit
to our nations to fight wars as soldiers - but do we
ever really make such an intense commitment to
ourselves?
Because up until this moment, we were like
that fish which thought the ocean was its entire
universe. But a spark of realisation, one moment
of Truth and we see that there is an existence
beyond what we thought possible. Even the
ocean, vast and deep, is but a drop in the wider
expanse of the cosmos. When we embrace
the ‘Self’ we are connecting to that timeless,
boundless, eternal Source which pervades in the
Now.
When we experience our limitless Self, every limit
we placed on our being seems laughable. We no
longer identify people by their names, but by the
Nameless. Then every border, every wall that was
built within the mind will come crumbling down
because in this infinite love, there are no nations,
there is no separateness, there is just One.
And this same Light which pervades in you,
pervades in all. The only difference is that some
remain unconscious of it. But by appreciating that
all are reflections of this one changeless entity,
we will be born into fullness. There will be only
this. Then we can experience the divine love that
sent Sufis whirling into states of bliss, that caused
poetry to unfurl like tears from Jalalludin Rumi.
Your whole life will become a love story with the
Beloved.
And if ever you feel afraid of the next chapter of
your life unfolding, just remember:
For a star to be born
There is one thing that must happen
A gaseous nebula must collapse
So collapse. Crumble…
This is not your destruction
This is your birth ■
My Gyan
EXPERIENCE
Dawn Vaughan, Telford, UK
My experience was one of over-whelming emotion, which moved me to tears.
My soul recognized the deep love warmth and joy, linked to unconditional
love. It was like finding your father again, who had been absent from you a
whole lifetime.
I wanted to stay there...
Although sunny all around, the light within the room became so much
brighter. A whole lot of tiny particles filled the entire room. There was not one
place where the Formless did not exist…
Without a shadow of doubt, I knew I had an encounter with God. But more
importantly, I knew that my life would never be the same again. ■
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