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-Maya is a slave to those who worship Naam (Akal Purakh). Maya (sexual desire, anger, greed, worldly attachment, ego) is a slave.
-There is one and only one way to fulfillment and that is through Naam. Without this all else is incomplete.
-Khalsa Ji, one who is without pride, without power, innocent and oppressed, finds a place in the home of the Guru.
-Khalsa Ji, the poorest people are those in whose mind [God’s] Name does not abide

The following is an extract of a speech delivered by Sant-Sipahi Shaheed Baba Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindrawale before a Sikh congregation at Sri Amritsar Sahib, Punjab on December 31, 1983.

Guru’s Image, Guru Khalsa, Assembly of Akal Purakh’s worshippers constituted and blest by Satguru- Supporter of the Humble, the True King; the entire congregation, say aloud:

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

[The first part of this speech is not available]

WORLDLY PEOPLE ARE BUSY IN PURSUIT OF MAYA (Sexual Desire, Anger, Greed, Worldly Attachment, Ego)

Dayalpuri Ji read a poem (which conveyed the idea) that Maya, money, is everything. As suited the occasion, he presented his views about the worldly people- that worldly people think like that. In his poem he expressed these thoughts keeping in mind the role of politicians as well. If we chase Maya, Khalsa Ji, (we shall eventually find that) Maya is a shadow. Guru Sahib’s words are:

Gur Kar Pakree Na Ayee Hath. Preet Karee Chalee Nahee Sath. Kahu Nanak Jao Thiag Dhaee. Tab Charnee Aye Paee.
‘When one tries to hold it (Maya) firmly, one cannot keep it in hand. If one loves it, it does not go with him. O Nanak say, when one gives it up, it falls at his feet.’

A man goes walking. His shadow accompanies him. If the man turns toward the shadow and wishes to catch it, he will get tired and fall but will never be able to catch his shadow.

Maya is a Shadow of Akal Purakh [God’s] Name

Maya is a shadow. Akal Purakh [God’s] Name is a form. Maya, the shadow, follows the form which is [God’s] Name. Satguru Ji has said the words:

Ridh Sidh Naam Kee Dasee.
‘Miraculous powers, worldly possessions, are subservient to [God’s] Name.’

Dasee is a word which refers to a servant/slave. Some of you rich people have them in your homes. Maya is a slave to those who worship Naam (God). Maya (sexual desire, anger, greed, worldly attachment, ego) is a slave.

Jis Naam Ridhay Soee Vad Raajaa. Jis Naam Ridhay Tis Poorae Kaja.
‘One who has [God’s] Name in mind is the greatest of kings. One who has [God’s] Name in mind is fulfilled.’

Kar Kar Thakae Vadae Vadaerae. Kin Hee Na Keeae Kaj Maya Pooray.
‘In the past, people tried until they were tired; no one was able to fulfill the business of Maya (fulfill their desires).’

We heard here that people with money get married while the poor stay unmarried. With Maya, one is never fulfilled. There is one and only one way to fulfillment and that is through Naam. Without this all else is incomplete. Those of you who are readers of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and especially those who present discourses and listen to them and understand the fundamentals, would certainly know that if you read the entire Gurbani in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, only one Raja (Ruler) has found a place there. Why did anybody else not get a place? And the Raja who did find a place is one who considered Maya [his wealth] to belong to God. Any Raja who thought it was his own did not find a place there. Read the entire history; read all of Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji;

Milee Nimanae Maan.
‘That one who is without pride receives honor [with Akal Purakh].’

Khalsa Ji, one who is without pride, without power, innocent and oppressed, finds a place in the home of the Guru.

Mayadhari Ath Anna Bola. Sabad Na Sunaee Bau Rol Ghachola.
‘The person who loves Maya is totally blind and deaf. They do no listen to the Divine Word and are lost in doubt.

Naam Sunat Jan Bichooa Dasana.
‘Hearing [God’s] Name is like a scorpion’s sting to them.’

If you start a katha (religious discourse), start kirtan (praises of God), start reciting a poem as these brothers did about the Sahibzadas, a Mayadhari (a person who loves Maya, has adopted the ways of Maya) will feel sleepy. However, Maharaj (literally means the Great King, in reverence to Guru Sahib) says,

Burae Kam Kau Oot Kaloaea. Naam Kee Bela Pay Pay Soaea.
‘A person gets up in a hurry to engage in bad deeds. When it is time to pray, he wants to sleep.’

If one watches television, listens to dirty songs over the radio, watches movies, one does not feel sleepy, but having to listen to katha, kirtan or discussion of Gurmat (the Guru’s teachings), one is afflicted with gandasa rog (gandasa means hatchet and rog means disease. The phrase means that one acts as if hit with a hatchet and rendered unconscious.) Nihangs call sleep the gandasa rog. One is overpowered [by that disease]. Some lose their turbans. I have seen some of the newcomers to the place of Satguru Granth Sahib Ji, the True King, in such bad state during katha.

Akal Purakh [God] Loves Humilty

The first and foremost place has been given to Bhagat Kabir Ji born in the home of the weavers. If someone has found a place here, it is Bhagat Ravidas Ji who barely made both ends meet by stitching shoes. He not only got a place here but:

Bhagat Bhagat Jag Vajia Chahau(n) Chaka(n) Dae Vich Chamiraeta.
‘The world over, in all the four directions, the cobbler won renown as a devotee [of Akal Purakh].

Even though he was called a cobbler, he became known all over the world. All of you are educated. Some have had education extending up to the M.A. and others hold other degrees. I am but an illiterate person. I shall try to manage saying this much only. Whenever one makes obeisance at Darbar Sahib, regardless of whether he is a sant, a dhadi, an educated person or whoever, he will have to make obeisance at the feet of Bhagat Ravidas Ji, the cobbler. What Maya (wealth) did he have? Maharaj, the True King says:

Ridh Sidh Sabh Moh Hai Naam Na Vasay Man Aee.
‘Miraculous powers, worldly possessions, are all attachment. They cannot lead to [God’s] Name abiding in one’s mind.’

Worldly possessions, miraculous powers are forms of Maya. What is Ridhi and what is Sidhi? Ridhi is unending availability of food. The meaning of unending availability of food is that if we take ten pounds of food- whether it is sweets or soup or parshad- and keep it inside say within the tent walls you have erected here; no matter how many people come and eat, even if they are in hundreds of thousands, the ten pounds of food are not used up. This is called Ridhi. What is Sidhi? Eighteen Sidhis have been recognized. Sidhi is this. If we put five pennies in our pocket and, for say eight days, we send off full trains, the five pennies will not be finished. We shall keep getting wealthy endlessly. That is called Sidhi. What is Nidhi? Just as we are sitting here. If anyone here among us has Nidhi, he will know what is going on in the mind of each of us. He will know as to who wished to sleep; who wishes to hurl abuse, who is wondering when is this Sadh (Sadh means a holy man in a disparaging manner. Here Baba Ji is referring to himself) going to get off his back, and who is wishing that he [the Sadh] speaks some more. He knows every little thing. He sees everything as if brought to him on television. Sitting here, he can understand everything he wants to whether it is in Canada, America, England, Africa, or Europe. However, Khalsa Ji, those who love God do not get caught up in these things. Only worldly people get caught in these. Worldly people are those who consider Ridhi, Sidhi, Nidhi to be the Truth and get caught in the love of Maya. They follow this path. Satguru Ji’s instruction is:

Hon Najeek Khudhae Dhae Bhaeth Na Kisay Dhaen.
‘Those who are close to God, do not share their secret with anyone.’

They will go hungry and naked. They will suffer poverty and even have their heads cut off but:

Natak Chaetak Keeae Kukaja. Prabh Logan Kau Avath Laja.
‘They displayed miraculous powers, did unbecoming acts. God’s people feel ashamed [of such things].’

They consider these [Ridhi, Sidhi, and Nidhi] merely displays.

Ridh Sidh Ja Kau Furee Tab Kahoo Sio kia Kaj. Tere Kahnae Kee Gath Kia Kahau Mai Bolat Hee Badd Laj.
‘If by merely thinking of them you can have worldly possessions and miraculous powers, why would you need to deal with anyone else? What can I say about what you are describing? I feel exceedingly ashamed at just having to talk about it.’

Bhagat Kabir Ji says that if God does give him Ridhi and Sidhi, how can he show it to anyone; he is feeling ashamed at what he has got. However, worldly people, or those ‘holy’ men who are looking for disciples, do not get anything because they are hypocrites.

Akhan Bheethar Thael Kau Darath.
‘They put oil in their eyes.’

They put oil in their eyes and pretend to people that their eyes are watery [in separation from God]. But the state of such Vairagis (ascetics) can be described as:

Nar Mooaee Ghar Sampath Nasee. Moond(u) Mu(n)dae Baytae Saniasee.
‘When the wife dies and everything in the home is destroyed, they shave their heads and sit as ascetics.’

The wife dies, all wealth is finished. Some is spent on illness. Then, after this, shaving off their head like an earthen water jug, they say they are Saniasee (one who has given up the pursuit of worldly objects.) Guru Sahib has exposed such hypocrites. Bhagat Ji was asked: “Who is poor?” Bhagat Ji said:

Kau Kabeer Nirdhan Hay Soee. Ja kay Hirday Naam Na Hoee.
‘Kabeer says poor is one who does not have [God’s] Name in his heart.’

Khalsa Ji, the poorest people are those in whose mind [God’s] Name does not abide. You are all educated. Those who have listened to katha or have enjoyed the company of both the elder Sants (reference to Baba Gurbachan Singh Khalsa and Baba Kartar Singh Khalsa) know this. The rest of you might hold many degrees but I believe that none of all of you who are sitting here, with perhaps the exception of one or two fortunate ones, will be able to answer my question; tell me who was the king (worldly) during Kabir Ji’s time? You will think a hundred times. The Tenth King, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji was holding court in Anandpur Sahib. The Support of the humble (reference to Guru Sahib) asked: “Guru’s men, who was the king (worldly) during Kabir Ji’s time?” Some named Babar, others someone else.

Sikander Lodi was the king (worldly) at that time but no one was able to tell correctly. Maharaj asked: “Who was Kabir?” They replied that he was the son of a weaver. Satguru Ji asked as to what was the reason that all of them knew about the man who worked the handloom to earn a living but no one knows the one who was king of the earthly throne? The reason is that he [the worldly king] had not read Gurbani. Kabir Ji was completely imbued with Gurbani; he was one with it. Gurbani is supreme.

Studying eighteen, twenty or twenty-two years we barely reach a state where we can earn about three thousand rupees [a month]. Over these eighteen years your parents keep on feeding you milk so that their son can study. Some time later he gets married and he wonders whether he should bring up his children or feed his parents. He goes over [to his children]. The parents who bore him, fed him, brought him to his youth, educated him, again get pushed around. Everything in the home, sugar and butter, was fed to the son so his brain would work well but later, the son’s mind changed. All this happened for merely three thousand rupees. [On the other hand,] if eighteen years had been spent in prayer, in acquiring the spirit of Sikhi and Shaheedi, let alone three thousand, even hundreds of thousands would come in a single second.

Is that path better or this? You educated people have many questions. [You ask] “Sant Ji, there are so many people who work. They apply fertilizer, irrigate the fields, spend day and night working and even then the country is starving. If, listening to strayed Sadhs like you all of us sit idle, would God give us food? You have this worry because of doubt. You are in ignorance. You see birds flying around in the sky. Have you seen a factory of these birds anywhere? To which store do the birds go to get their food? We keep cattle, put it under yoke, beat it with sticks and feed it on dry chaff. Another one roams around free, feeds in open fields and is even fatter [than the domesticated one].

Gurbani Has Answers to All Questions, God Provides For All

Whatever question you might have, Gurbani will provide you with an answer. I am illiterate and not competent to answer but Gurbani will certainly have the answer to anything you say. The way we are sitting here is somewhat different. They were sitting in the presence of Satguru Ji: “Maharaj, you always tell us to listen to katha, to listen to kirtan, to read Gurbani, to pray, to be immersed in prayer but if all people started to pray, would all of them get food? Maharaj smiled and said: Guru’s Man, why are you worried? In that Bani that came from God is written:

Too Kahae Dholay Praneea Tudh Rakayga Sirjanhar. Jin Paydhaesh Thoo Keeya Soee Dhae Adhar. Jin Upaee Maednee Soee Karda Sar. Ghat Ghat Malak Dhila Ka Sacha Parvadhgar.

‘O Man, why are you worried. The Creator will protect you. The One who created you provides support. The One who created the universe takes cares of it. Pervading all beings, Akal Purkah is the Master of everyone’s heart. Akal Purakh is the True Provider.’

They said: “We are not satisfied. You have said that God will give but what is it that God will give? We need milk; we need bread; we need butter; and we need sugar.” Maharaj said: “Brothers, God will make such arrangements; you will not have to start an agitation. It will not be as in the case of the boy who joined the struggle to get the price of milk increased by five paisa per liter and is still in jail in Ferozepur. You won’t have to suffer like that.” They asked: “Satguru Ji, what will the arrangement be? Maharaj replied:

‘Nadeea Hoveh Dhaenva Sum Hoveh Dhudhh Gheeau’
‘[If] all the rivers became cows (sources of milk), the ocean becomes milk and gheeo (clarified butter).’

The rivers that run full of water will become Kamdhenas (a mythical cow, in Hindu belief, which purportedly would provide all that a person might desire), meaning that they run full of milk. There was a hotheaded one in the congregation. He quickly stood up and said: “Listen to my appeal as well.” Maharaj said: “Go ahead.” [He said] Satguru: “It is right that rivers shall flow with milk but dry bread is hard to swallow. The fifth ingredient, gheeo is needed.” I said the fifth here today. Why are you all looking at my face? Gheeo is called the fifth. They said they could not do without the fifth. Maharaj said:

‘Nadeea Hoveh Dhaenva Sum Hoveh Dhudhh Gheeau’

Sum is the word for ocean. God will make the ocean of milk and gheeo. A third impatient one, one in a hurry, was sitting there too. He said: “Listen to my appeal as well.” Maharaj said: “Go ahead.” He said “Gheeo, even though it gives strength, tastes flat without sugar. It is hard to swallow. We need sugar.” Maharaj said:

Saglee Dharthee Sakar Hovay
‘The entire earth shall be sugar.’

Now it is of stone, isn’t it? Maharaj says it will all become sugar; and

Kushee Karae Nith Jeeo
‘My soul will enjoy.’

You won’t have to beg from your spouse, nor will you have to use a stove, nor worry about fuel. You can just take it and eat as much as you like.

Serve Akal Purakh [God] With Devotion. As you sow, so shall you reap

This is a five day camp. In just five days, there are whispers behind tent walls as to when it will all be over, as to when will they be released from here to return home, and we seek, as is written in Gurbani:

Fareedha Lorrae Dhakh Bijaureea Kikar Beejay Jat(u). Handay Oun Kathaedha Paydhaa Lorray Pat(u).
‘O Farid, [a person who seeks happiness without prayer is like] the farmer who plants kikkar (a tree which has branches with long hard thorns) and seeks to harvest raisins of Bijor. He spends his life spinning woolen yarn and desires to wear silk.’

He seeks the raisins of Bijor but plants kikkar. He spends his time spinning wool and seeks to wear clothes of silk and pashmina (a superior type of wool). Which is the country Bijor? Is is heaven. The person seeks salvation, the raisins, in heaven, the country Bijor. However, the person plants sin, the seeds of kikkar. How shall he get salvation? He spends his time in lust- that is like spinning wool and seeks divine knowledge, divine love that is like silk. How will he get silk garments, clothes made from pashmina? He will not get them. We spend our time watching television and listening to dirty songs over the radio, and then we say we cannot fix our mind [in prayer]. I had a brother who was somewhat educated. He is a teacher. He was not very generous in his temperament except in talk. One day he asked me: “Bhai Jarnail Singh, what is the significance of reciting Jap Ji Sahib? I replied: “The significance simply is that if Guru Sahib is pleased he can even give Guruship.” He said: “Would I get anything else?” I said: “There is nothing above Guruship. Besides that there is only hell. You can see if you need that.” He said: “How about worldly things?” I said: “All worldly desires are fulfilled.” He went away. He got up early in the morning and having done one reading of Jap Ji Sahib came to me and said: “I got nothing.” I asked him: “What were your desires at the time you did the reading? One was that you get a son. Another was that you get a raise in salary. Then you wished that you should get four acres of land. All this for only one reading of Jap Ji Sahib? This is just as some people read Jap Ji Sahib. They start reading with:

Ik On(g)kar Satnaam Kartaa Purakh
‘There is One Creator, Eternal, the Reality, the Name, the Creator who pervades all’;

And then “O boy get me that….[inaudible]….” Isn’t it so? Then Nirbau Nirvair [without fear and without enmity] “get me that biscuit.” Is this Patth? The mind is set on eating. This will not do. Love Gurbani and serve the congregation. The service does not have to be in materials. Gurmat tells us:

Bhavnee Bhagath Bhae Kauddee Agrbhag Rakay Taeh Gur Sabad Nidhan Dhan Dhaeth Hay.
‘If a man, with love and devotion, places a cowry before the Guru, the Guru bestows upon him all the treasures.’

If with devotion we bring even the fourth part of a cowry to the congregation of the Guru, it is accepted. There are many stories about service. I shall tell you this one about….[inaudible]….