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This year is very important for the followers
of the Radhasoami faith. The Centenary Bhandara of Param Purush
Puran Dhani Hazur Maharaj is being celebrated on a large scale
at Radhasoami Satsang, Hazuri Bhawan and extensive arrangements
for holding special satsang meetings and Bhandara are being
made. Yet it is not an occasion merely for celebrations. It
is also a time for introspection for each satsangi to reflect
as to how far he could abide by the teachings and edicts of
Hazur Maharaj. Hazur Maharaj has graciously unleashed the
floodgates of love and devotion, but one has to assess whether
he could obtain even a drop out of it. The other point to
consider is why, how and to what extent the followers of the
Radhasoami faith have deviated from this path of love?
In the life time of Hazur Maharaj, seekers of true love were
many and hypocrites a few. The situation is diametrically
opposite now. Therefore, not only should the satsangis seriously
ponder over this issue, but they also should earnestly pray
to Hazur Maharaj that their lifestyles be revolutionized to
shape them in accordance with the teachings and edicts of
Hazur Maharaj. One should never forget that the Hazur's mercy
is ever with us. The moment we take a step forward in the
direction the Hazur has enjoined us to move, He would help
and protect us and shower love in abundance.
A deep perusal of the biography and teachings of Hazur Maharaj
makes it very clear that there is an imperative need for satsangis
to rectify their conduct and lifestyles. In present times,
tension is mounting high in the life of every person. There
is a degradation of values of life. Self-centredness is growing
apace. The financial crisis is the order of the day. Extremism
is cast all over and chaotic conditions are surfacing. Spirituality
has grown weak due to the onslaught of Kalyug. Torment and
torture have assumed titanic proportions. These circumstances
have also affected satsangis. The thoughts, teachings and
edicts of Hazur Maharaj have gained greater relevance today.
Hazur Maharaj has adopted the middle path -- neither does
he enjoin us to leave the household to become ascetics nor
does he approve a family life so engrossed in the world that
any inclination for our salvation is effaced. He has enjoined
us to do our spiritual practice regularly, to exchange our
views on Parmarth and to sing the praise of Merciful Radhasoami.
This has also been ordained that an undercurrent of devotion
should permeate our daily behaviour, i.e. we should always
depend upon Merciful Radhasoami and keep Him ever overhead.
Whatever we do should be done adhering to His shelter, help
and mercy.
Hazur Maharaj ordains that for a satsangi, discharging his
duties and liabilities is more important than fighting for
his rights. One should not embroil himself in discussions,
but should also not compromise on principles. It is not forbidden
to have dealings with worldly people, but one should be conscious
to discharge his duties and leave the result to the Will of
the Supreme Father. Hazur Maharaj has advocated action, not
inaction. Leaving result to the Supreme Will would save us
from frustration. Frustration begets tension and tension leads
to imbalance. Hazur Maharaj, therefore, specifically stresses
to keep balance in all our endeavours.
Such a lifestyle is possible only when spiritual practice
is adhered to with interest and for that a satsangi should
be humble and cast off his ego. Moreover, when an initiate
would always remember the Supreme Being and yearn for His
darshan, his spirit would catch the sound current and then
the worldly bondages in a natural course would loosen their
grip. The effect of evil tendencies would gradually diminish.
Benevolence would come forth and continence and forgiveness
would become his natural attribute.
It is often seen that though the satsangis appear to be doing
their spiritual practice regularly, reciting hymns, and praising
Hazur also, yet their behaviour is not satsangi-like. Sometimes
they cross the limits, sink down to the plane of envy and
burst into anger or sticking to their guns, do not listen
to what others have to say, or still worse, one satsangi attempts
to downgrade another satsangi. This behaviour is in utter
disregard of Hazur Maharaj's edicts. Singing praises of Hazur
Maharaj overtly and simultaneously harping on such evil strings,
is a seeming paradox.
Such dissensions among satsangis were discernible even in
the time of Hazur Maharaj. For example, if one satsangi had
the allotted service of offering water to Hazur Maharaj for
ablution and another satsangi intervened and took the water
and the towels, etc. and got Hazur's hand washed, the first
one would be irritated. Observing this, Hazur Maharaj pronounced
that there is no competition in the service of the Guru. Whatever
service one gets by chance should be considered enough. One
should not encroach upon the service being rendered by someone
else, instead he should commence any other service. Educating
the first satsangi, Hazur Maharaj told him that if somebody,
out of spirit and enthusiasm, takes away his service, it should
be a cause for increased love for him and not for grouse and
envy. The Supreme Father accepts only that service which is
selflessly performed. Arrogance in service, display of bossism,
or behaving rudely with others who are serving, is absolutely
against the edicts of Hazur Maharaj.
Competitions have emerged in matters such as who would offer
the garland first or receive parshad first, as also about
who would sit in front of the Guru and who behind. On this,
Hazur Maharaj remarked that the discourses are for the deserving
ones. So competition with a Premi Abhyasi (devotee) is not
proper. One should not show unwarranted zeal in the matter
of sitting in front of the Guru, unless he has the capacity
to fully absorb the spiritual current flowing through a discourse.
The practitioners of shabd yoga are advised not only to show
natural respect towards one who is more advanced in devotion,
but also to offer prayers to the Guru through him.
There is no competition among lovers. They all are dear to
their beloved Guru and love of the Beloved is unbounded and
cannot be chained. A satsangi may aspire to emulate the good
behaviour of another earnest satsangi, but he should never
intend to compete with him. The Beloved is ever cognisant
of the internal and external conditions of his lovers. If
one is really desirous to have His darshan, He creates such
circumstances as may fulfill his desire. A lover should express
his desire, submitting to His mercy and will alone. Humility,
decency and modesty manifest in the behaviour of a satsangi
not only when he has completely surrendered himself before
the Merciful Radhasoami and sought His shelter, but also the
awe of Him has taken deep roots in his heart. When he feels
that whatever he is doing is being watched by Hazur Maharaj,
whatever he is saying is being heard by Hazur Maharaj and
all his weaknesses are known to Him, then he would really
repent for erroneous behaviour. He would feel shy and would
beg excuse from one he has offended. Only then the Supreme
Father will be pleased.
The Supreme Father does not like hypocrisy. It does not behove
a devotee to project himself differently than what he really
is. It is to be seen by each satsangi that he does not commit
an act which incurs displeasure of the Merciful Radhasoami,
Hazur Maharaj or the Guru of the time. Hazur Maharaj himself
has said that if one seeks approbation of the Supreme Being,
he should not care what the worldly people say. If a satsangi
also behaves like a worldly person, how can he be called better
than him? It is clearly ordained that whatever should be learnt
should also be practised.
These days people do not cultivate experience and learn the
texts of the Radhasoami faith in the same manner as the bookworms
who read Vedas, Shastras, Smritis, Upanishads, Brahmanas,
Sutras or Puranas (Hindu scriptures), but behave like unwise
worldly people. The reason is that none of them have associated
themselves with an experienced adept doing some spiritual
practice. This bookish knowledge is a great hurdle, and it
is sad that the followers of the Radhasoami faith are increasingly
getting inclined towards acquiring mere bookish knowledge.
The sayings of Soamiji Maharaj and Hazur Maharaj are words
of Supreme wisdom based on intuition and can not be properly
understood without gaining some inner experience. The result
is that the tendency among followers of different sects of
the Radhasoami faith to comment, criticize and downgrade each
other has gained momentum. Signs of arrogance are also discernible
in the behaviour of the followers of the Radhasoami faith,
love is drying up, envy on the increase, jealousy rampant,
and it is also perceived that a satsangi would talk with a
worldly person quite affectionately but with another satsangi,
only with a sense of contempt.
Many of the followers of the Radhasoami faith consider followers
of other faiths as lesser and unfortunate beings, even though
their own lifestyles are not in accordance with the precepts
laid down in the Radhasoami faith and they are mere sophists
devoid of any spiritual experience. They should understand
that if their own lifestyles are merely mundane, they can
not claim themselves to be superior than devotees of other
faiths who are sincerely pursuing their spiritual practices
prescribed in their faiths. Mere intellectual discussions,
notions of false superiority, exhibitionism or learning by
rote the texts of Radhasoami faith, does not entitle them
to be called real Parmarthis. Though they may get a human
form in the next birth as they have recited the name Radhasoami,
progress on the path of salvation would not be assured unless
having taken shelter of Merciful Radhasoami, they pursue Guru
Bhakti and practise Surat-Shabd-Yog with all humility and
sincerity.
Satsangis, generally these days, are merely for namesake.
Hardly do they display qualities of love and humility, but
assertiveness and arrogance of being a Satsangi abounds. Their
articulation and behaviour are poles apart. They display hypocrisy
and sometimes sink down to the lowliest planes of baser instincts.
Hazur Maharaj was Merciful Radhasoami. He knew fully well
that such perversion of behaviour may ensue. He has therefore,
in his writings and discourses, invoked the satsangis to rectify
their moral conduct, warned them against possible pitfalls
and furnished ample guidance and ordainments to keep them
on the right track.
The purpose of this article, on the one hand, is to remind
the satsangis of the benevolence and benefaction of Hazur
Maharaj showered on all the jivas, i.e. His will to liberate
the entire creation, His revelation of the first resonant
name, Radhasoami, His abundant mercy and grace on the jivas
without caring about their sins, His restoring back on the
track of progress the destroyed lot of the jivas and His charitable
dispensation of the qualities of continence, forgiveness,
humility and love to the jivas. The other purpose is to tell
the satsangis what their lifestyles should be in the context
of Hazur's edicts, i.e. how they should behave with highly
advanced devotees, what their behaviour towards a Premi Satsangi
should be, towards satsangis in general and how to deal with
the common jivas. In his worldly dealings also, a satsangi
is recognized by his humble and decent behaviour and courtesy
in dealing with worldly people. Anger and passion are no embellishments
for a satsangi.
Often it has been witnessed that some people surreptitiously
take away used articles of the past Gurus or the Guru of the
time without his permission. They should clearly understand
that it is nothing but theft and they shall therefore be counted
among thieves. Such persons are rightly liable for punishment
and they cannot derive any Parmarthi benefit from such a theft.
On the contrary, they shall remain deprived of mercy and grace
of the Supreme Being, because in such cases the spiritual
current from those sanctified objects is withdrawn and it
no longer remains a sanctified object for them.
The philosophy of Hazur is based on love. For a satsangi,
his beloved (Merciful Radhasoami and Guru) should be very
dear to him. He alone should be considered as the true friend
and companion. The attraction for Him should be similar to
that of a moth for the flame, a fish for the water or of a
lotus for the sun. One has not only to surrender totally before
the Beloved, but also has to efface his ego altogether. Hazur
Maharaj, in the beginning of his devotional phase, had kept
the notion of duality but gradually effaced his identity altogether
and became one with His Beloved. The ego and the Guru are
incompatible and in True love, only one remains at last. This
is the form of devotional love. Love is a gift from the Supreme
Being and it is that natural attraction which the spirit has
for the eternal sound while devotion is that current which
joins the lover with the Supreme Being. One who has humility
can alone withstand the velocity of this current of devotion.
Such a lover would love every utterance, every movement of
his Beloved. What's more, he would love even His momentary
annoyance.
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