I (Sadness)
Yes, sadness sometime comes and engulfs the mind but sadness is of many types. Sadness is: The mind desires to have much but gets less. If one gets too much, even then, sometimes one feels disinterested. At the end of passions sometimes one feels dejected. This is also sadness.
But there is another sadness that comes to those who are in love with the Lord. That is a desire for solitude. While doing goodness to the people, when the sensation of the Lord's name slackens in the mind, one wishes that the mind should rise to the same level and in that wish, one feels sad and wants solitude.
Solitude, where the mind may talk to nature, love nature and blossom in tune with nature. The rhythmic and soft music of streams, rivers, rivulets should come to the ears. The moon, the stars, the sky may give a feeling of vastness and wondrousness to the mind. The trees, plants, grass, greenery, flowers should give freshness to the eyes and the eyes send this freshness to the heart. The beauty in the heights, mountains, mounds, may make us peep inside and make our mind tranquil.
This wondrousness in nature may give us some awaken-ness in our mind and we may feel that there is an unseen power and He is the creator of this nature. Our mind may understand the handsomeness of the unseen power from this nature's handsomeness that sometimes through its wondrousness and by the touch of its handsomeness gives us a new life and attunes us with the unseen power.
In this alone-ness of solitude, one is not in an unsettled alone-ness but one perceives that the awaken-ness that I have got is not alone-ness, but it has
touched some unseen power and He is being revealed in nature. In this way, the mind becomes fresh, strong, elevated and in ecstasy. This is the fruit of sadness that takes the Lord loving to solitude.
Yes, after one gets into ecstasy and rapture, then, some unseen impulse again, like a benevolent cloud, brings you back to the world, the world of suffering, to allay the suffering of the world as much as one can, according to one's stamina.
One need not think that the Lord-loving become devoid of love, or without love, or without Name or without a feeling of the Lord in them. This is an aspect of a Lord-loving person, because he is a human, he wishes solitude. This is not that sadness, that makes you hate the world because of the sufferings, and takes you in renunciation to forests or mountains and makes you suffer there. But this is an ideal sadness, that is always there in the mind of a saint, and it keeps the mind 'ego-free' and in ecstasy and makes the mind benevolent. When one is benevolent and wants to do goodness to the world, then, the ego that is in our mind sometimes brings some weariness due to the bad experiences of the world. To remove this ego and make the mind alert again, the benevolent saint, sometimes, requires solitude.
Why is the world in suffering? Many experiments have been done and are being done to make it comfortable. Many discussions keep going on and many social intercourses are carried out but they are not successful in making the world a comfortable place to live and keep it as a comfortable place to live, for all times to come.
Why? Man's ego comes in between. The fault of discussions and social intercourses is less. The attachment that man has to 'self and a 'stranger-like' feeling for others is ego. This creates a crinkle in the plans and schemes that the sages have been putting forward to make the world a comfortable place to live.
That is why, the beloved Guru said: Leave this ego.
Ego manifests in us as 'I am' and outwardly speaks as 'mine' and in behavior it has a stranger-like feeling for others. Inside, it forms a veil between us and the Lord and outside it discriminates from the world.
One who has no ego lives a comfortable life and gives comfort to others. If everybody becomes like that, then, the world will become a more comfortable place to live.
Whenever there was peace in the world, such persons created the peace, who thought that to give comfort to others is better than looking after one's
own comfort all the time, whether, they did it on moral grounds or on spiritual grounds or politics or they were just considerate.
But most of all those are noteworthy who first detached themselves from worldly desires and broke the shackles of ego. Their minds became attached and attuned to the Lord. Then, they never felt any indifference towards the world. They themselves got peace in their mind and they gave peace to the world. The beloved Guru Nanak made such ideal men.
These ideal men were Lord loving and in recitation of Name. They had tranquility in them and ecstasy. Their forehead dazzled with the Lord's love. There was luster in their countenance. They were fond of solitude, but to give comfort to others, was their nature. They mixed with the people and made people love the scripture. They guided the people to love the Guru and helped people in reciting the Lord's name. But they lived with detached minds and in selfless service to others. They had a detached mind but while doing goodness to others, if they felt any sadness, then, they went into solitude. Then again, they would come to the congregations but they were away from ego and indifference to others.
Yes, this body was not created as a leather bag. It is a Lord's temple, but if the Name is settled in it. When the Name settles, then, the ego is gone and one gets the sensation of the Lord, that one perceives in the mind and body.
When there is no ego, then, there is no 'stranger-like' feeling for others. All are our own.
You will say, then, why the ideal men wanted solitude? Well, the body is of earthly elements. The effect of body is on the mind and the effect of mind is on the body. When we are involved in the world, then we do get some influences on the mind, that one wants to clean. Sometimes, one wants to analyze the mind, that it is not having ego in it. For that one requires solitude. But the mind always says, that the world is in suffering. Let us try to give comfort, whatever we can, whether it helps or not. 'We should give comfort' can also be considered as ego but the Lord's command is, to 'do goodness to others'. It says: 'Recite the Lord's name and make others recite the Lord's name'. So, going by the command is not ego.
The suffering in the world is quite much. If one tries to allay the suffering of the people as a command of the Lord, then, it gives more satisfaction to the mind. But doing beneficence with ego is not fruitful for one's self, but if the ego is gone with recitation of Name, then, whatever goodness we do in a relaxed way is fruitful.
This ego is a devil. Firstly, it has distanced us from the Lord. Secondly, it is due to this ego that we consider others as aliens. This ego has gone deep into our mind. It goes away by recitation of Name. If a blessed person further blesses Name, then, the ego remains at a distance, if he does it as a command of the Lord.
See, the world with open eyes, this ego has created enmities between kings, fighting between countries, confrontation in homes and enmities in people. Nobody bothers, that everybody should live comfortably and the world should become a comfortable place to live in. What for, so much money is spent on missiles, guns, fighter aircrafts and ammunition? For man to kill man. Is this the name of progress and civilization?
When one king becomes a tyrant, then, the other king has to keep his army ready to defend, so that the tyrant king may not attack. In this way, all countries are stocked with equipment to kill. In this way, the ego has kept the world in distress, in spite of people being educated so much.
Guru Nanak, in his tenth incarnation sacrificed his life and everything and saved the people from the tyrants. Then, the Guru prepared the Sikhs to sacrifice and do goodness to others, for all times to come.
But what did he teach them? He asked them to give the Lord's name to everyone. Only if, there is tyranny, then, fight the tyrants. It was for the purpose of spreading love, so that confrontations may go. You love everybody and give comfort to others, even if you have to suffer yourself. Others may follow, on seeing you like this.
But this ego, inside, by way of attachment to 'self, and outside, in the form of 'mine' spreads selfishness. This selfishness makes us behave indifferently towards others. So, this ego has to be discarded. This indifference, this attachment, this ego that separates us from the Lord and in the world creates disorder. It is our duty to save ourselves from this devil.
The prime duty of a saint is to recite the Lord's name and make others recite the Lord's name.
After this, the second duty is to remove this indifference. This ego is supreme. It is our duty to keep our mind free from ego. To see to its 'tricks and traps' one wants solitude, sometimes.
[Charity and 'do good9 to others]
One should remain steadfast in doing goodness to others. So many difficulties arise in giving charity. Whoever does good to others he himself suffers.
When you do goodness to everyone, in some way, you get a bad name. You see, when you are doing good to others, mostly they become enemies. Sometimes, their companions become enemies. Generally, whoever is doing good to people, gets some distress.
To talk ill of those who have a habit to do goodness has become man's nature.
Even, more than this, people are ready to kill you, if you are doing goodness.
Guru Arjan Dev was an image of the Lord. How delicate was his mind and body, whence the divine scripture came. There is no end to his beneficence. If we see to his beneficence of writing the scripture and getting constructed the Golden Gurdwara and then, see the sufferings he was made to undergo, by making him sit on a hot iron plate and putting hot sand over his body, then, our breath trembles. See, the treatment that the world gave to him in lieu of his limitless beneficence. Even if we ignore this outwardly suffering, and come to self, then, we see how much wealth, how much time, that otherwise, can be spent in recitation, and the brain strain, we undergo in doing good to others.
So to say, one can give comfort to others at the cost of one's own discomfort. Yes, selfless service, kindness and charity are very difficult to do because one cannot even say what fruit the world will give in lieu of that.
See, the sacrifices of Guru Gobind Singh. He was the image of the Lord. He was Himself the Lord. But see, what the world did to him. But he always remained unbending. He was the image of the Lord. We cannot compare him with others. We are humans. We are making mistakes. We do not have much strength in our mind.
We require holy company, always living in recitation of Name, and singing of divine songs. So that, when some bad experiences come, while doing goodness to others, they should not distract us from Name and goodness.
If one does some kindness and goodness on his own strength, he should do it within his capacity. He should not do it beyond his capacity otherwise he will lose his strength. So, one should judge his capacity and do accordingly, till such time that his ego is not fully gone. This is a principle.
Those who have ego in them, and their ego is not gone by 'service' or 'recitation of Name' and they still have a feeling of 'indifference to others', their charity is from superficial mercy and when some bad experiences come, their nature changes. There is a proverb. 'Philanthropy ends in misanthropy'. Reason being, that till such time that the ego is not gone by 'service' or 'Name' and the 'indifference to others' is not gone, we have not cut the root that is the
cause of discrimination. That is why, the bad experiences while doing good, blunt the eagerness to do good and the same ego makes the person rigid.
One person was in the habit of doing good to others. He was doing good to the poor and spending time on them. He gave money in charity and helped people in difficulties. He was a helping hand in times of emergency, but he was in the habit of talking ill of others and criticizing. He used to go to the gurdwara but he hadn't got inner happiness. Ego and 'stranger-like' feeling for others were pinching him always. Some people were happy with him but his outspoken-ness and criticizing was intolerable for some. Such a person should first be beneficent to himself. He should first wash his mind of the 'dirt and ego' by 'recitation of Name', 'reading the scripture', and 'listening to divine songs' and then do goodness to others.
The first kindness is to one's self, i.e. 'Awakening one's soul'. Second kindness to self is: Washing the ego and dirt of the mind.
There was another person, who in later age, said: Kindness to others is merciless to self. He had got suffering in lieu of his doing goodness to others. The persons to whom he did goodness gave him suffering. He got frustrated.
Now, if he had made a habit that he will read the scripture every day, if he had made a habit to get up early in the morning and recite the Lord's name and listen to the divine music, then his ego would have gone, his dirt of the mind would have gone. He would have got ecstasy. Then, he would have known what is the prime goodness.
So, the first goodness is to do good to your self. How can a sick person do service to a sick person? O Man, first become healthy, remove your sickness, see the tricks that ego plays on your mind, understand this ego, be in humility, elevate your mind and let Name be the guard on your elevated mind.
Then, whatever good you do is fruitful. Then, you will not get frustrated if you will get bad experiences in lieu of your goodness.
See, when the tenth Guru asked his disciples to fight tyranny and do goodness, then, the first thing he said, was to 'Recite the Lord's name and elevate your mind and live in His remembrance'. Because the world will give you distress. But when you have the support of the Lord, then the goodness will be your nature. It won't be artificial or with effort When you will have the Lord as a support, then, if you get suffering in return of goodness, your mind will not feel frustrated. You will say, that you are doing service as a command of the Lord. You will not see how others treat you.
People are in suffering. You can expect only suffering from them. These people are also with ego. How can they be appreciative of goodness? How can they love you or be in thankfulness?
Then, if you are doing good to more than one person and giving support to everybody according to your budget, then, you will see, everybody will want 'why is he not giving me all what he has to give'? Why is he giving to others? On this account, everybody will be angry with you and unknowingly become your enemy. At that time, your elevated mind will say: You keep on with your goodness. Don't look towards them.
Then, if somebody requires a kilogram and you can give 1/4 kg then, the person who is getting will not be thankful for the 1/4 kg but will be annoyed for the 3/4 kg that you have not given. You will say: See, on the one hand I am doing goodness and on the other hand I have to tolerate his annoyance.
But O dear, if you are in the love of the Lord, then, your crystal mind, that is free from ego, will say: You do that much that you can do, because that is the command of my Guru. But don't remember this charity. Don't accept anything in return. You recite the Lord's name. Salvation has to come with Name. This is the support of your mind. This is the prop everywhere.
The support of the 'Ideal man' is Name. The charity of the 'Ideal man' is fragrance of a blossom of rose that is spreading naturally. The bath of the 'Ideal man' is purity of body, mind and soul.
'Name' is the connection of the 'Ideal man' with the Lord.
'Charity and doing good' is the connection of the 'Ideal man' with the world.
'Bath' is the connection of the 'Ideal man' with self.
With all three connections he gets salvation while living.
If you are devoid of this ideal, your thinking is that you are in distress by giving charity and you will not do it, then, in this thinking, your mind will become hard, without mercy and without forgiveness.
In the Holy Scripture is written: Do goodness and if the person is angry do not mind his anger. Your body will be free of ego and your doing good will be fruitful, says Farid.
Even then, when you feel frustrated from the people's negative behavior, or from their bad company or from doing goodness beyond your capacity, then, you listen to the divine songs or go in solitude, see nature and elevate your mind. Recite the Lord's name in solitude. That will wash the dirt from
your mind and you will feel strong like a lion.
Solitude does not mean renouncing the house. The real solitude that the benevolent Guru has said is: The mind should be tranquil. By reading the scripture, when the Name settles in the mind, then, the mind is tranquil. To keep up this tranquility of mind, one wants solitude. That means, the surroundings and atmosphere around should be good. At night when the family is asleep, that also is solitude. When the mind is tranquil while listening to the divine songs, that also is solitude. To feel wondrousness in the scenic beauty of the Lord's nature is also solitude.
It is difficult to meditate in forests or pilgrim centers, where there is no food served, or in hilly caves. It is also very difficult to renounce the house and family. But, to obey the Guru's command that one should live in the family like a 'lotus in mud' is still more difficult.
In renunciation, if one goes to the forest, then, in loneliness one desires company of people, and when this desire is suppressed, it is a big suffering.
But when a family man living as 'lotus in mud' has got detached from desires in his mind by recitation of Name, then, the fancy attractions around him are too awful.
To reform one's self while living in bad company, to deal with relatives and friends with kindness and goodness, to live with selfish people selflessly, and to deal with those who are in evil, lies, deceit with no principles in piousness, is not a joke. Then, a family man has to submit to the pressures from the government officials and their supervisors. Then, one has to work hard to earn one's livelihood, bring up children, wife, parents and other duties towards them. Then, one has to bear the ailments and to support those who are ill. Then, one has to bear the deaths and console the heirs.
While living in the family, who can remain aloof from all these distractions from spiritualism? How can one remain detached unless one has the support of the Lord's name?
The truth is that these fancy attractions are a big hindrance in the path of 'recitation of Name and to live a tmthful life. This is why the path of 'living in the family with mind detached' is a difficult path.
On the other hand what fancy attractions does a recluse have to face? One is 'desire in one's mind'. Second is 'hunger, thirst, heat and cold'. Third and the biggest is 'being devoid of meeting people'. That is the most difficult thing. But the weight of all these difficulties is on the mind only. There, one has to do good to nobody and no one is annoyed that you have to bear.
But when in the family, if someone is ill, where will one run away? When, there is any death in the family, then how can one eat and see the others hungry? One will definitely get opportunities for doing good to people and service to the people. One's mind has to be away from selfishness, but to allay the suffering has to be one's nature. One has to do nothing with ego or show off. One has to do good, treading on high principles and selflessly.
This doing good will put a strain on time, money, strength, mind, intuitive mind and the body.
The family man living in Name has to tolerate criticism and to remain unaffected by praise. He has to tolerate harsh behaviors, tyranny and unjust things.
Meaning, a 'Name-loving' family man has to keep his mind tranquil and not succumb to 'fancy attractions'. This is the command of the Guru.
This is the right thing and we have to do this, because while living in the family and dealing with people, the mind and soul has to flourish. The mind has to fight all bad influences and rise.
The fruits that you ripen by putting them in utensils are not so sweet, as the fruits that ripen while hanging on the branches tolerating the rain, storm and sun, are sweet.
The guru's command is true and pious.
Even for the recluses and saints, who are Heads of some seats, and other preachers, there are fancy attractions of some type that are hindrances on the spiritual path.
One western writer has mentioned a peculiar shortcoming in 'doing good to others'. That is, that sometimes by doing good to somebody, we increase their evil doing, that was suppressed by the suffering, when they suffered. That intellectual writer has given an example as stated below:
One day, he got up and walked towards the city. He saw a big palace. He entered. Everything for enjoyment and merriment was there. When he entered the big room, there, he saw one man who was drunk and in merriment. The man got up and bowed to him.
The intellectual asked him: Who are you?
The man replied: I am the same person who was a destitute beggar and you had made me healthy with your supernatural powers.
Then, the intellectual said: Then, why you are wasting your life in this way?
He replied: What else could I do. You made me healthy and rich.
After listening to that, he went to the market. There, he saw one beautiful woman. A man got attracted to her beauty and was following her.
He asked the man: O dear, why are looking at the woman with bad intentions?
The man recognized him and said: Sir, I was blind. You only gave me eyesight by your supernatural powers. Where else should I see with my eyes?
Then, he said to the woman: Why are you on the path of sins?
The woman recognized him and said: You only had redeemed my sins. This is the path of enjoyment.
Then, he came out of the market. There, outside the market, one young man was crying. He asked him: O young man, why are you crying?
The man recognized him and said: I had died. You only gave me life by your supernatural powers. What else can I do except crying?
This means that if the destitute and the blind were not made healthy. Then, they would not have got into evil doing. They would have remained as they were before.
But the Guru has said: The 'Ideal man' is in 'doing good to others'. The 'Ideal man' has mercy on everybody.
So, let us find out how the Guru has solved this problem that the ideal men may do good to others and the beneficiaries, after receiving their benevolence, do not indulge in evil. There is a story on this that happened in the lifetime of Guru Nanak. Deliberation of the same will put us on the correct path. It is like this: Staying at Kanganpur, Kasur, and some other places, the Guru arrived at Dipalpur.
In this town, nobody welcomed the savior Guru to stay. Wherever he sat, he was asked to go away.
This disrespect from everybody was for whom? Who left the comforts of the heavens and came to this world to allay the sufferings of people. Who, even here on earth, renounced the comforts of the house and family and suffered the travails of traveling in India and abroad and took upon him the task of uplifting the people, with pleasure.
See, the god of benevolence doesn't get a place to stay. Let the beloved Guru now come in human form as he had come at that time, then see, all of us will fall at his feet. But at that time also, it was we, or people like us with ego. Yes, it was we only, at that time also.
When we did not give him a place to stay, then see, the 'ego-free' benevolent Guru walked out of the town. The god of benevolence, the one who was undaunted by bitter experiences, saw a hut outside the town and went that side.
Here lived a leper. Not a rich leper but a beggar leper. In the biography is mentioned as a leper sadhu. At his door where, what to say of man, even an animal will not come near, the savior of the world came and stood.
As a guest, he said: O sadhu, let me stay for the night. I have to stay for one night. Tomorrow morning, I shall go.
Just think: In front of whom Rai Bular, the king, stood with folded hands, to whom, at the beginning of his travels, Daulat Khan Lodhi, brother of the ruler of Delhi and ruler of Sultanpur beseeched to serve him, to whom king Shiv Nabh said in tears to stay, the same Guru for whom you have built big gurdwaras at the sacred places where he put his feet, tonight, after experiencing disrespect from the people, comes out of the town and says, to a leper sadhu: O sadhu, let me stay for the night.
Have you seen the treatment of the world with the savior of the world?
The leper sadhu replied: Sir, even the animals run away from me. It is some God's grace that I am able to see the figure of man. Even the birds don't come near me. Today, I have heard a voice. I have seen a figure that is loving, handsome and attracting. It appears the Lord has become gracious that I see a godly figure more handsome than angels. I welcome you. I adore you. I am ready to sacrifice myself for you. I have only my body to sacrifice that I offer.
On hearing the words of welcome and respect the Guru stayed there.
Yes, the guru remained immersed in the love of the Lord the whole night.
The destitute kept crying in pain, the whole night.
On seeing the suffering and crying of the destitute, the Guru had mercy. He wished: I may allay his suffering so that he gets comfort.
Then, he was merciful and he said: O sadhu, why are you crying?
Sadhu: O my benevolent guest, "If I do not cry, what should I do"? One thing is, I am crying to see my illness and pain. Second thing is, I remember the time, when I was rich and in merriment. Where have those days gone? Where have those merriments gone? I cry for the relatives and friends who were so close to me, but when I got ill they have pushed me out. I cry, whether I am so bad that nobody lets me enter the town? Even the animals don't come near. The loneliness eats me up. O godly soul, you are great who had mercy on me. Loneliness is the biggest suffering in this world. It is the
biggest punishment. Somebody should ask me, who has experienced whether loneliness is the biggest hell or not? Those who experience loneliness, only they can understand the suffering, it gives. The loneliness that the people give, out of hatred, to a sick man is the worst suffering. That is why, I am crying and in pain. I remember this again and again and I cry. I know this crying is of no use. It is breaking one's head. But this, breaking my head, doesn't go. Like by crying, the pain doesn't go. But when in pain, crying is the only support. So, this breaking my head has become my habit.
Sometimes, I think: Anybody may listen to my crying and help.
Guru: Talking too much and vain talk, is of course breaking one's head, because before whom you are talking, knows everything without your talking. But if you have some repentance in your mind and your mind goes in deep prayer, then, the prayer, whether it is said loudly or silently reaches the Lord and the Lord listens. But the vain talk and crying or wailing gives more suffering to one's self. Without repentance and without praying from one's heart, talking too much goes waste, rather it increases the suffering of the mind.
Destitute: Then, O pious saint, what should I do that my suffering may go away?
Guru: Turn your mind towards the Lord, who created your organs, eyes, ears, nose, gave you a tongue to speak sweetly, a body with all these organs and created a mind that is the master of these organs, who kept you in the mother's womb and you grew there, who gave breath to the body to give life and keep it alive. With the breath, you got life and you started living.
Then, the creator said: You live in this world but remember that 'I am present everywhere'.
Meaning, he gave all indications of his presence and said: You live but see me.
But first, you got into sentimental love of your mom and dad, then, you got into loving woman and indulged in all types of passions of the body. Then, the words that the Lord told you that 'I am present everywhere, see me', that you forgot. So, you understand that by forgetting Him, you indulged in passions and vices. The vices are a disgrace. They stain. One thing is, the soul is stained and second thing the body is stained. The body stains are illnesses. By indulging in passions, you became a destitute and crying and wailing came into your lap. This is the state of your body.
Now you listen, in what state, is your soul, meaning, inner self that is in your body?
The effect of the evil deeds or vices that you indulged in was that in whoever's company you did those, they suffered due to your bad company and you suffered due to their bad company. Then, it caused two stigmas.
One was that your body became ill and you were shunted out and crying and wailing came into your lap. The second stigma that went inside your body, you are not paying any attention to it at all. That is, that your inner self has been stained by your evil deeds, those vices.
When you die and go to the Lord's court, then, those stains will be there on your face. Like here, nobody is allowing you to sit with your relatives. Similarly, there, in the Lord's court nobody will let you sit. Like the scars and wounds on your body, your soul or the inner self that has to go from the body after death, will have the stains of your vices, due to which, there also, nobody will let you sit.
On listening to these words the leper trembled. He got awareness of his evil deeds. He dreaded: O I was crying for the suffering that I have now, and I did not pay any attention to this side, that my soul is also blemished, and for me, the suffering is for ever.
This fear created repentance and the man bowed his head to the ground and said: O merciful saint. Am I absolutely drowned? Drowned forever? O handsome saint, my evils done for ten-twenty years, although they are quite much, have they drowned me forever? In lieu of my vices, have I been drowned, like if somebody's one foot slips from a boat and he is drowned and dead forever. His body may come up and float but he is dead forever. Oh! If I had known, then, I would never have done any evil.
The Guru was already in a merciful mood. His heart melted and in a merciful tone he said: O gentleman, the path that you are treading on, the fruit of that is somewhat like this. You indulged in vices that gave you illness and suffering. Then, whatever path you are now treading on is of your own choice. The fruit of that you have yourself told that if one foot slips, you are drowned and dead forever. But you understand that this is the path of your choice and your evil deeds.
But whom you are blaming in your talk, He is benevolent His benevolence is that even if somebody makes mistakes and is drowned, He still saves. He is always living. We are born and we die but He is infinite and He is always present. His nature is that He is gracious and merciful. He being merciful to everyone is the redeemer of sinners.
Destitute: O godly soul. You have given me hope. You have given me
happiness. O Lord-sent, you have given life to a dead person. You please have mercy and tell me how can I be recipient of His grace and wash the stains from my soul. This body has gone down the drain. Now, you tell the way, that I can wash the stains of my soul, so that at least, I should go to the Lord's court as a crystal. I should not go with a stained mind. (He cried) Please be merciful, that the rest of my days, I should spend in removing the stains from my mind.
On hearing to his prayer from the core of his heart, the Guru, (in a serious tone) said: O gentleman, this is in nobody's hands.
This path is 'Recitation of Name'. If you tread on this path, you will get refuge. There is no other way, where you can get refuge. For a person whose body and mind are both sick, the only remedy is: 'Recitation of Name'. You recite the Name, so that your sins are washed. If the Lord is benevolent, then, He can bless you 'Recitation of Name'.
When the Lord is gracious, then, He blesses 'Recitation of Name'.
Destitute: O Lord-sent, what is 'Recitation of Name' and how do I get His grace? You tell. I am almost drowned. How can I swim so that I am not drowned?
Guru: Now, you listen with attention. The 'True Lord' is formless and nobody can tell, how He is there. But it is true, that 'He is there'. 'He is there' always. He is imperishable. He is intuitive. He has knowledge of everybody and everything. He sees everyone and everywhere. His form is love. He is all love. You remember this. You also understand that mercy is sister of love. To be all love. To love and to be loved is all ecstasy.
You understand that who is always there and always merciful, He is mine. Why should I forget Him? I should always remember Him. I should always remember that He is there. He is all happiness. He is merciful. I have not to separate myself from Him.
'Not separating' or 'in meeting', how is it? By remembering Him always.
But O friend, it is difficult to have this feeling of remembrance all the time. That is why, like when we go away, you will remember us by name. Similarly, you join the feeling of remembrance with His name, and remember Him in your heart. With this remembrance of Name you can perceive Him in your body.
Forgetfulness is our nature. Our actions are all for bodily comforts. As such we have become a body.
Now, if we wish to have the feeling of remembrance in 6ur heart, then, the practice has to done by the body. Meaning: Recitation by the body organ, i.e. tongue.
When you keep on reciting the Name by the tongue, the mind gets the feeling of remembrance and this remembrance goes on settling in the mind, heart and body cells.
So, What is Recitation of Name?
1. To recite by the tongue.
2. To remember in the mind and heart.
3. To remember that 'He is there'. He loves us.
By this endeavor, when the sacred Lord settles in the mind, heart and body cells, then, all the stains on the mind are washed off and the mind becomes crystal. The Guru said all this and was then quiet.
Mardana who was sitting near said: O good man, remember the words of the benevolent Guru in one line:
'He is the one savior of all mankind, I should not forget Him'.
This is the gist of all the conversation that the benevolent Guru had with you. You remember this. Remember that Guru Nanak met me and blessed me a boon and he ordered me that: The savior is one. I should not forget Him.
I should never forget Him. I should always remember Him.
When the man came to know that he is Guru Nanak who has come to my hut, then, he went into so much deep thanks and deep love that he started uttering :
Great Guru Nanak, Great Guru Nanak
He went into ecstasy. His inner self swelled with love and his mind, that was washed with repentance, got a sensation that Guru Nanak is blessing me, and this love went deep into his heart that Guru Nanak is mine.
Now, he had a glimpse of Guru Nanak intently and the Guru had mercy on him and his malady was gone.
Now, you deliberate: The destitute got a glimpse of the Guru. Then, the Guru was merciful. He made him understand the deeds and their fruit By that understanding he became afraid and went into repentance. Then, the Guru gave him the knowledge of the Lord and His mercy. Then, he blessed him with the Lord's name and told him that the Lord is ecstasy. To be attached to the Lord always, will give you ecstasy. Then, he blessed him the recitation of Name.
Then, the Guru was merciful. He cured him of his malady. He cured his malady but he did not go away, that I have cured him and my benevolence is over. He made him understand the effect of vices. The repentance washed his sins and then, he put him on the path of Recitation of Name.
He realized that the Guru has given him happiness of the soul. He made him understand what he has to do now, so that he doesn't get into vices again.
In Guru Nanak Prakash is written: His malady was cured. His mind became crystal, the dirt of the sins on the mind was gone and he started treading on the true path of 'Recitation of the Lord's name with love'.
See, the greatness of Guru Nanak who blessed people in this way. When he allayed the suffering, then he turned the mind towards the Lord, so that it doesn't go after vices again.
The world is in pain. The Guru saw the pain and suggested the remedy also.
He said: Those who recite the Name will win over pain. Nothing else can help.
The Fifth Guru has also elaborated the above principles for our mind that wanders ceaselessly:
O Alind, who is that who has not fallen prey to you? You have not even cared for kindness and piousness. You have remained under the control of the five fires In the body and given all the sufferings.
He has given the remedy also: Keep company of holy people and recite the Lord's name.
He says : This mind is like a donkey who requires To he reined in the front and hack.
If you loosen that, it will lay its body in dust. It will make itself dirty and make others dirty. So, open its rein only after loading it with weight.
The meaning is: First, you load your mind with the Lord's name, then, loosen the rein.
It also means, that if you want to allay the suffering of the people, then, first put them on the path of reading the scripture and reciting the Name.
It means the prime thing in allaying the suffering of the people, is to root out the cause of suffering.
The sadhus cannot do that much, that Guru Nanak did but if any sadhu is in 'doing good to others' then, he should first put the people on the path of 'recitation of Name' and tell them: This Name will ultimately remove your
suffering. If I cure you by my supernatural powers, then, you will again fall into the path of suffering. But if you recite the Name, then, the root cause of suffering will go and it will not come again.
It is good to be kind and pious and allay the suffering of other people, because people are in suffering, but put them on the Lord's path.
Also, when you do goodness, do it in the name of the Lord i.e. it is His command and wish. Don't do it in ego that 'I am doing goodness'.
Then, you do not get bad influences from others.
'Recitation of Name is our prime duty.
Recite the Name yourself and make others recite'.
This is the command of the Guru. When we do all this as a command of the Guru, then, it is very fruitful. An ideal man's nature is to do good. This, he has to do as a command of the Guru. If any distress comes on the way, then, we have to tolerate the same, thinking that it is the Lord's wish.
As per the command of the Guru:
Let us recite:
O Lord', 'O Lord', 'O Lord', 'O Lord'
Starting with at least five minutes a day.
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