At this time of the year, many Indians celebrate Guru purnima, the full moon night in which they honour and remember their spiritual guru. Tonight Maharaj ji reminds us that this tradition was originally celebrated in honour of the birthday of Ved Vyas, the ancient sage who is thought to have compiled all Vedic knowledge and the stories by which its values were taught. Over time, this full moon during June or July became dedicated to any guru who dispelled the darkness of ignorance and spread enlightened wisdom. Maharaj says,
Recently we celebrated the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, and today is the Guru purnima of Ved Vyas, who wrote the 18 Puranas and Smritis and compiled the Vedas, preserving all the old disciplines. It is a great day!
This being a very powerful full moon night, Maharaj is inspired to dictate a message to be given to the world, on the necessity of cleaning and controlling our mind:
When our mind is controlled, there will be no anger, no self-interest. We say we should love everyone, but why don’t we do so? Because our thoughts are worthless. In all religions, whether it is called prayer or puja, the essence of spiritual practice is to control our thoughts. To clean the pollution of the mind as well as the environment requires mind control.
The cure for our illness, the disease of the mind, is to follow our teacher’s teachings. No prophet has said to hurt anyone. If we hurt someone’s heart, it may not be possible to repair it.
Why is there anger in society? Poisonous waves from our minds travel through the air, bringing crime and oppression. Thus the atmosphere becomes poisonous. God originally made fresh air, fresh water, fresh greenery, but people’s poisonous self-centered thoughts have polluted the Creation. Give your mind the food by which it will be cleaned.
Trees, flowers, the earth all want love. The prophet said to see his Master in all Creation. We should love Him and keep quiet so that our poisonous words will not emerge, and our pure thoughts will develop. We are all eating bad food: Our thoughts want love, truth, and compassion. Then there is no need to speak. That poisonous air will be cleaned.
We are spending so much on weapons to kill and then on hospitals to cure, to pollute and then to clean. When control of a water body is broken, there is great damage. Even more damage is done when control of the mind is broken.
We should all obey the order of our holy places. All prophets have given instructions on cleaning the mind. We should take the love and peace of His kingdom. Holy places are training schools for cleaning our mind, not just places to bow our head.
If our brain is so dirty, how can we meet that pure Light? Prayer or worship are means of getting the good food we need. If we go to a holy place and then lie or hurt others, we are not following our master. If we take good food for the mind, then kindness, seva, love, and sharing will arise in us.
Khalsa means one who is pure within and has renounced anger, criticism, lust, and the like and who loves to recite Nam. Jesus loves a person who loves the whole cosmos. Moses left his kingdom and walked barefoot, praying to God to free the people and give them good homes. God was so happy that he made Moses a prophet. He became so powerful that he divided the waters with his staff. Just so, whatever was in Guru Gobind Singh’s hand—such as his sword–became pure. When people listened to the prophet’s orders, everything became pure.
Guru Gobind Singh gave up his whole family to teach love. The Prophet Muhammad and Jesus and his disciples likewise gave their lives to teach love and the oneness of God, who is called by many names—Father, Friend, even Best Girlfriend.
There is one message for everyone: Clean your mind and the air will become clean. This is my loving appeal to you all. My faith is that on hearing it, you will do it.