A heart-to-heart talk given by Sant Kirpal Singh at Sawan Ashram
Question: Master, You shower us with so much grace every day. You give us so much grace every day. How can we develop more love and devotion and gratitude for what You give us?
Sant Kirpal Singh: I am growing grey-headed and you are just fresh. Mind that, Christpower does not grow old or young. It is always young and fresh, working in due course. That is never old. Once that seed is sown no power on earth can have the power to pluck it away. Rest assured, He will never leave you. What more?
Question: I once read that Your Master Sawan Singh had in a previous incarnation been Kabir and I wonder if this is correct?
Sant Kirpal Singh: How will it help you?
Disciple: It is just something that comes up in my mind once in a while.
Sant Kirpal Singh: They all had the same power working through them. Kabir and everybody else. They are Word made flesh. So Word is sometimes manifest as Kabir, sometimes this, sometimes that. The Word never changes. When your friend comes today in a white suit, tomorrow in yellow clothes, third day in brown clothes, would you not recognize Him? I hope you recognize and do not discard him (Master chuckles). That's all I can say.
Yes, anyone else. Yes, please. Come on. What else do you say?
Disciple: How may we have better conduct?
Sant Kirpal Singh: Read "Seven Paths". For what benefits the states of existence, read the seven steps for that; your nature will change. First we are to purify our minds of all foreign thoughts that occur. So He says and all Godmen say, "Those who love their children, their parents, their other relations more than Me are not my disciples." For one ruling passion, God-in-man, they sacrifice all others.
Disciple: Yesterday, when You were not here ...
Sant Kirpal Singh: I was not here.
Disciple: We all felt let down.
Sant Kirpal Singh: What happened to you?
Disciple: We are getting dependent on You, Master.
Master: It is better to depend on Him who is within you, not outside. He is always with you. If you think He is away, then away He will be. It will take time for Him to come. If you think He is already there, He will come all at once. You will solve the mystery of Koro. You must have heard about it in the Mahabharata (Epos). Draupadi was won by the Koros (in a game of dice). She was abducted and the abductor began to unwind her sari – the cloth which she was wearing over her head. Naturally, nowadays to sit bareheaded is a sign of fashion or respect. But in the old days to sit with head covered was a sign of respect – to sit bareheaded was great disrespect. She cried, "Oh Lord Krishna, come, save me, I am being dishonoured." In the meantime, he dragged the sari off her head. Then Lord Krishna appeared and explained, the cloth she was wearing could not be unwound. She asked Lord Krishna, "What's the use of coming here when the cloth has already been taken off my head? Well Krishna, you came late. You did come, of course, but you came late." Then he asked, "To whom did you cry for help?" – "I cried for Krishna to save me from Brindaban." He said, "I had to come from Brindaban, that took me time. I am the very life of your life. Had you cried there, I would have saved you then and there." You see? So never depend on others. Help is directed to all, you are never without Him. So He promises, "I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world." How could I ever do that? Is this the Bible truth? Truth or not? He did say, "I shall never leave you till the end of the world." What is true then, what you say or what He says?
Disciple: First of all I want to thank You. I am glad to be here. And secondly, I'm also a student on a government-funded program and there are certain cultural activities which the program directors either require us to attend or recommend that we attend. And I was wondering if you have some suggestions about the way to take the best advantage of those opportunities that arise. For example, tomorrow is August 15.
Sant Kirpal Singh: Yes.
Disciple: Indian Independence Day, isn't it?
Sant Kirpal Singh: Yes. I wish you to be independent.
Disciple: What?
Sant Kirpal Singh: I wish you all to be independent – independent of your body, independent of your outgoing faculties, independent of your mind, independent of your intellect. Dependence is a heinous crime. Never depend on anyone. Outer help may come to help you up. He says, "I am within you, come!" How will you enjoy Independence Day tomorrow?
Disciple: Well, I thought that I would attend Mrs. Gandhi's speech at the Red Fort, if I had Your permission.
Sant Kirpal Singh: Well, you can go. Go, that's all right. But that won't make you independent; talks will make you further dependent. So the best independence day is to withdraw from all outside. You come out of this narrow dark cave of your body and rise above it into the beyond. That leads to the unconditional. So come in contact with that Power which is God. Even after you are independent (outside) you are still bound. Truthfully, you are not independent. Each man is bound in his own way. When you are independent you feel blissfulness, radiate freedom.
Disciple: Radiate freedom?
Sant Kirpal Singh: Yes. About the show tomorrow – thousands will gather together to hear the talk of the Prime Minister. They are going to pay obeisance to her. If you had told me, I would have arranged for your ticket.
Disciple: Wow!
Sant Kirpal Singh: If you told me earlier this morning I could have got a seat for you. And now you will have to stand.
Disciple: Wow!
Sant Kirpal Singh: You can see it on the television. There will be no crowds pushing there.
Disciple: Will you be watching it, Yourself?
Sant Kirpal Singh: I need not. I may or may not. I am not bound. You are bound. But I can stay or not. You're bound to your likings. I am very thankful to you – you have reminded us of Independence Day tomorrow. Let us all be free tomorrow, Independence Day. All outward shams and shackles should be shaken off.
Disciples: It's also Guru day tomorrow, Master.
Sant Kirpal Singh: Guru day is tomorrow or now?
Disciple: Yes, Guruwar – tomorrow!
Sant Kirpal Singh: Today is also Guruwar. Guru is not bound to Guruwar. He is free. He comes to make you free. He'll give you a contact with truth, which frees you from all outside entanglements. That is why Christ said, "Those who do not take the cross daily are not my disciple followers!" Take cross tomorrow. Why not fly (rise above)? You take cross. To take cross you must be up in there (in the head).This is the cross (Master outstretches His arms and makes a cross of His body). I won't be able to find you here, if you are all free. Independence Day is not in reach to the touch of the outside people. So real freedom is that. Outer freedom, too, comes only where there is no requirement for needs, military or anything; when each man has his own share of freedom without any exertion, the kingdom of God will come on earth, you see. Master comes to make you free from all entanglements: physical, astral, and tells you how to do it. Do not be stuck fast in this room. If you go up, you have got free air. If you rise above the physical body, it is all free. If you are made to live in some unventilated house with no windows, all pitch dark, no free air, do you not become fed up with it? Would you not like to go into a more ventilated room in the building, where everything is free like air, sun and water?
If you are free from all desires then you'll really be free. Be desireless! All Masters say this. Tenth Guru also said, "Kama nahin". So, any works performed without reward are true; if you want compensation or return, naturally you are bound.
Question: How does one reach that state of being desireless?
Sant Kirpal Singh: When there is no desire? Read "Seven Paths". Truth is free. When you come in contact with truth you are free. All darkness is removed. You come out of the Pindi-house (the physical body) in which they give you no air to breathe. The atmosphere is very stifling. Come up to higher bliss! Would you not like to come out of this narrow, narrow building? Masters tell you how the very first day. Those who can at their own will and pleasure go, come and go, come and go, are free.
Yes, anyone else? I hope you enjoy Independence Day tomorrow. If all of you are enjoying independence, I won't be able to see all these faces.
Question: You shower so much grace and so many kindnesses on us. How can we repay it?
Sant Kirpal Singh: By keeping His commandments first. Do what He says. No complaining, no grumbling. Whatever He gives should be accepted with joy. Generally we simply start with complaints.
Disciple: Yes, if you don't get one thing you like, you start grumbling.
Sant Kirpal Singh: The more the sheep bleats, the more morsels fall from his mouth. I tell you to keep your meditations accurate. Put in more time; take cross daily. This gives you more bliss. First of all, keep commandments hundred per cent; then develop the very habits and nature of the Master. That is had only through receptivity. You'll earn two-thirds more. Your independence day starts what time? When?
Disciple: The sooner the better, I guess. (Master laughs.)
Sant Kirpal Singh: I wish you to go and be ready to enjoy Independence Day. Parades and speeches make you bound, not independent. They are more chains. Rise above!
Question: Master, if you are true to yourself in thought, word and deed, is that enough?
Sant Kirpal Singh: Not only that, something more, still more. If you have sweet remembrance of the teacher in God, then you become receptive. (The lights went out).
Disciple: Master makes the darkness beautiful.
Sant Kirpal Singh: In just three minutes silence you can want independence, within three minutes silence, can you not?
Question: Beloved, what if one has a great desire and that is just to be with You? Don't care for anything else, they just want to go with you?
Sant Kirpal Singh: If it is true, you'll have it. You are already there (with Him) but not realizing. Never alone.
(Master dropped a pebble in the dark room and explained that the people go outside to look for it there because they couldn't see in the dark room). I tell you, they think there is more light there and they can find it outside, because there is more light there. All right, God bless you, go.