On the Importance of a Living Guru – Selection from ‘Spiritual Gems’ by Baba Sawan Singh Ji (vegetarian), Part 2 of 2

“If the Nirat (the souls ability to see) is not developed, no real progress can be made, even if you go on hearing the Sound all your life. Surat (the souls ability to know and hear) and Nirat are the two great qualities. If the Nirat is not developed, the veil will not be rent, even if you go on listening to the Sound all your life. I say, even if you are not able to put in much labor, try to develop love for a Mahatma or for a realized soul. If you really love a Saint or Mahatma, then – asleep or awake – you always think of Him. Where would you go after death? You go to the place of the person on whom your thoughts have been dwelling all along. This is the verdict of our Shastras as well.”

“The disciple should try to develop love and devotion towards the Master, and not sit idle. When he gets a Master and receives Initiation, it is his duty to do Bhajan (constant dwelling on the Lord) zealously and reach Sach Khand (the fifth Spiritual Region).”

“I maintain that no one else can help a disciple so much as a living Master. You may have heard the couplet: ‘Who could be greater than Rama or Krishna; but even they had to accept a Guru. Lords of the three worlds, they stood respectfully with their heads bowed before the Guru.’ The Lord is within us and when He sees that one of His servants is sitting in meditation, (literally in expectation of His Darshan), will He be unmindful? Certainly not. But if the veil is not removed, be sure that the mind is not quite pure.”

“It is not permitted to talk of things which one sees within. But there are so many things, it is a pity I cannot say everything; however, everything is possible through the help of the Guru. The most impossible achievements can be made possible through the help of the Guru.”

“To overcome kam and krodh (lust and anger) is real bravery. It is not a small achievement. So many rishis and munis of old lost the battle. What is the use if you go on scouring and cleaning a vessel, and put nothing in it? That is, the way to salvation or liberation lies in not only avoiding ‘kam and krodh’ but also in devoting yourself to Nam Bhakti. Man has within himself whole continents, universes, and God Himself, but only when he practices Nam devotedly, can he realize this.”