9 April, 1998 – Hunger for the Truth

 

            Today the leading editor of the Tribune newspaper and others have come to see Maharaj ji. He gives them a wonderful long talk:

            The hardest thing is to share truth. For this, Jesus went to the cross. You may say any word about religions, neutrally, but a priest will think he is being attacked.

            Meditation is very necessary so that our mind will not waver. In scripture it is written, “He who conquers his mind conquers the world.” In our thoughts there are fear, crime, corruption. To conquer them, both work and meditation are needed.

            A religious place is a school. Whether church, gurdwara, mosque, or temple its reason for being is to strengthen people’s minds and uplift their character. If we work, our health will be strong, and one who takes charity is not a good person. How can people take money for kirtan or speeches? If we do, we are not looking at God; we are looking at material goods. When will dharma spread? When people see God in those who represent Him.

            Now religion has become only symbols and rituals. It is not dharma. We speak of keeping our long hair, but it came with us from God and we have just entered with that natural thing. Even trees have hair. It is nothing to be fanatic about. You may wear a turban, but then why are you so corrupt? Empty symbols are there in all countries.

            I feel that if charity (in the name of religion) ends, people will go to gurdwaras to learn truth, to become good.  Kra prasad can be made at home, but you should take Gur prasad from a gurdwara, which is God’s hukam. If we don’t take these things, we are wasting our time.

            Guru Gobind Singh is not of any one religion or country. He is above all that, I feel—most supreme. He saw God pervading everywhere. In Jaap Sahib he wrote,

You have no form, symbol, caste, class, or lineage

No one can describe Your form, colour, dress, or shape.

The stamp of truth: An idle person is not religious. One who is will share everything and even sacrifice his family, as Guru Gobind Singh did. It is a matter of management versus guru, who always gives light and is cool as a mountain of ice. Guru Gobind Singh was inwardly without enmity.

            Dharma means to work and share, to take enlightened wisdom and share it, to share everything good you have, including good thoughts. Why do free work? Dharma is free. When people come here from abroad we offer them everything for free.

            We can’t cut dharma into small parts. If a person is dharmic his whole life is good. When dharma leaves, the mind wavers and all weaknesses come. A dharmic person always worries about society, about others. The guru prayed, “The whole world is burning. By whatever door a person enters, please save him.” The guru was merciful, but people have interpreted religion in their own ways. Guru Singh described Khalsa as a person who forsakes anger, criticism, who stands on the front line against injustice and conquers the five evils—lusts, anger, greed, attachment, and ego—in himself. He burns his karmas and doesn’t covet other people’s things. Always reciting Nam is his joy, and he falls in love with the words of the gurus. He faces difficulties, always attacks evil, and helps the poor. He shares Nam with other people but is not confined within the forts of narrow-mindedness.  Khalsa gave character a very high position, but now people think they are Khalsa and yet get angry. What was the example set by Guru Gobind Singh? Now people don’t set a good example.

            I feel that Guru Gobind Singh is the master of everything. Gobind (God) will be happy when there are no boundaries. Just watch. In a few years, Gobind’s name will spread to the whole world. Share as much as you can.

            Maharaj ji speaks of knowledge included in Guru Granth Sahib–of the Goddess, of Krishna, of Lord Rama, of the power of ragas. He says,

There is a clash between popular sentiment and true history, and thus things have gone bad.

 Don’t try to become a Guru. This path is so thin and it is so difficult to please Him. Praise Him and share with all. Everything is the Guru’s. Nothing is ours. Even if the sun doesn’t rise, the Guru’s word will always last. Someone asked how to stay with God. He was told, “If you write your Guru’s message, you get 100 years with God for each word.”

Never be afraid of truth, and never tolerate cruelty. God is within us, but That must be illuminated. He is always listening from within. So go inside. It is written, “Death will eat the body and your elephants and horses will not accompany you, but where my Master is, Light, Light, Light is falling.” We must work, and if we look toward Him, we will get such Power. He says, “If you become Mine, I will give you the whole cosmos.”

Keep writing about dharma. It is renunciation: A dharmic person will give his whole body. It is very difficult. There is no fear.

 Guru Granth Sahib is for the whole world. So many seats are given to those who recite ‘Allah.’ Take virtues from Him. Take even one word and it is enough. We cannot become like Guru Gobind Singh, but at least we can follow his teachings.

 People want to hear about dharma. We are all brothers and sisters of One Father who won’t be happy if we fight. We shouldn’t just bow in holy places. We should try to practice the teachings. And try to lovingly give the Gurus’ teachings to the public.

The Tribune editor says, “From now on we will try to do as you say.”

Maharaj tells him,

There is great hunger for the truth now—for this food. You are young, just starting your journey. Try and God will always help you. You will never be alone. God will give you everything. We are so fortunate: He is always with us.

After they leave, Maharaj ji says,

Dharma is such a great thing. People have no idea. They instead carry fire or bombs in their hands and say they are spreading peace. By contrast, when prophets came they gave their lives and met with such opposition. Dharma doesn’t increase by taking the name of religion. It spreads by giving one’s life. Those who did so broke an ocean of enslavement. No doubt, people want love.