We are all lovers, devotees of a higher power, thousands of lovers, but the Beloved is one for all. He whom we desire is the beloved of the whole world and is the one God for all men, not specifically for Muslims only, or for Hindus only, or for Christians only.
          Sant Kirpal Singh

How to develop love

From the book "Morning Talks", written by Sant Kirpal Singh

1967-10-27, Delhi, Sawan Ashram
Talk available as mp3 at audio.sant-kirpal-singh.org

 

Love can be developed in many ways, but the most effective way is through looking at the Master, into the eyes of the Master. Eyes are the windows of the soul. The Master is always within at the eye focus, so when you talk to Him, you should always be attentive there. He is also attentive when He talks and soul speaks to soul. The Master gives lessons through the eyes without talking. He is overflowing with the love and intoxication of God and the radiation comes through His eyes very strongly. Those who are embedded in His eyes by receptivity get a boost. There are other means too, but this is the most effective.

This is how we should attend Satsang, so as to derive full benefit from it. When you come to the place of Satsang, just forget your homes. When you come here and sit, forget everybody else. You will even forget your own body. Just be embedded into the eyes of the Master. You will forget your body because eyes are the windows of the soul and the soul radiates its impressions through the eyes. This is the most effective way of developing love. There are other means, such as having the society of those people who are overflowing with the love of their Guru. When two disciples of the Master sit together, their love for the Master will flare up.

When you happen to go to a Master, just embed your attention into His eyes. Because He is overflowing with the love and intoxication of God, that comes direct to you. With the overflowing love in Him, what words cannot convey, His eyes can convey. Those very impressions go into the heart and wherever you sit, you will enjoy that sweetness. This is how love develops. Who gives it? It is first He who loves us. It is first the mother who loves the child. The child's love is only reciprocal. The question then arises, how to maintain this love? We should not be businesslike. Sometimes we want this and that thing of the world. We should wholly have the love of the Master for the love of the Master. This is how that love can be maintained. What sort of love is required? We should have always a respectful love. Sometimes out of love we transcend our bounds. Sometimes we just try to vie with the Master. Well, the king is the king and the minister is the minister. The king may give the minister a good position and even make the minister sit by his side. Still the minister should think that he is a minister, not the king. Because of misunderstanding, we sometimes transcend the bounds of love. The king will not say anything but he will see that it is not respectful.

I was just relating a story of Humayun, who was a great king of India. He had one servant, Ayaz by name, whom he loved most of all. His ministers approached him and said, "It is a very strange thing, you love your servant so much that you do not love us. Why is this so?" The king replied, "Because my servant takes me as king." His ministers then said," Do we not take you as king?" "No, not the least," replied the king. One day, the king sent for a cup that was embedded with jewels from his treasure house. It was a very costly cup, the most costly of all his treasures. The king put it in front of him and asked each one of his ministers to break it. He ordered them to break it. Each minister said, "O king, this is a most valuable thing, one of the wonders of the world, it should not be broken." One by one, all of the ministers refused to break the cup. The king then called his servant and said to him, "Break it!" Without any hesitation, the servant took a stick in his hand and broke the cup. The king then said to his servant, "Don't you know that you have broken a very valuable treasure?" The servant replied, "O king, this cup has no value as compared to the cup of your order."

You follow me? Implicit obedience and love which is always respectful gives you more than any other discipline. You may have other enjoyments, other appreciations, but unless you remain a minister, you will lose out. He might give you the kingship, but even then you should remain a minister at heart. Once I wrote to my Master and craved Him for love (it is the Master who can give love; it is He who first loves us), but such a love which was respectful. He got that letter and put it on His breast and said, "I want love, but it should be a respectful love."

So these are the teachings which are given here. How love can be developed; how it can be maintained and further, who gives it. Also, what sort of love it should be. It should always be in a respectful mood. God is love. Love is innate in our soul and the way back to God is also through love. All performances, making obeisance and other things are the symbols of the respect that you have got at heart. The more you develop that way the better and, as I told you, the most effective way is through the eyes. One love pouring glance from the Master will go to the very depths of your heart and you will remember it all through your life; you cannot forget it.

These details are not given in the books. These are practical things which you learn from a practical man. If you get it, well, as I told you the other day, you will be detached from the world, you will have detachment at heart. When you are attached to One wholly and solely, that is true renunciation. That love which cannot be expressed by words is expressed through the eyes of the Giver to the eyes of the receiver and goes to the very depths of the heart. So this is what is meant by these little talks here. We must understand and see, find out where we stand.