Earlier today Maharaj was speaking frankly to a Sikh leader about the weaknesses in contemporary Sikh practice. Now a spokesperson for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Hindu organization with close links to the BJP party, has come to Maharaj ji and gets strong guidance regarding the true practice of dharma. Maharaj says to him,

            The greatest quality in dharma is justice. It stays strictly with truth. A person who reads scripture and worships will have a kind heart and strong character. He will see Gobind/Ram (names of God) everywhere. Ram is the Master of the Cosmos, giving light to everything.

            Your party has improved. Its actions are becoming dharmic. They were not before.

            The soul, divine light is within us all. If we hurt anyone, we are hurting that Light. If you have no enmity, you see Him everywhere. Dharma’s base is enlightened wisdom.

            Dharma, policy, and service have always been linked in our country. The policy has been don’t be corrupt, be loyal to the country, and understand it as your family. If you separate dharma and policy, you will waver. Ram and Krishna and the Prophet Muhammad were both rulers and divine messengers. They kept only those policies that benefitted the country, that were dharmic. You will never find any word in the Vedas supporting jealousy. God is beyond all this– “Neti, neti” (beyond, beyond). We should not run dharma by our ideas, but run our ideas by dharma. If we look inside ourselves, we will love others.

            Dharma is in our blood. If we set it aside, we will immediately become nervous. This is the land of Puranas, Vedas, great rishis. This is no ordinary land. It is very pure. If we become atheistic, the very land cannot tolerate it.

            Science has become so progressive. But there was so much science in our ancient scriptures.  We just bow before the scriptures. We haven’t studied them in depth.

            Dr. Karan Singh was amazed that Guru Gobind Singh’s words—such as “Jale Hari, Thale Hari” (God is in the water, God is in the earth)—were just like the Vedas. Nothing is different. When Guru Amar Das was dying, he said, “Call Keso Pandit and recite the Puranas.” Stand on this base. It’s not just for Hindus. Guru Granth Sahib says, “Don’t call the Vedas and four scriptural traditions false. False are those who do not contemplate them.” The Vedas were written with enlightened wisdom. They are not to be criticized. The Bhagavad Gita says, “Do good works but do not desire their fruits.” If the tree is good, how can it give sour fruit?

            We should sit together and study the scriptures. But priests have made religion their own—whereas dharma is all enlightened wisdom.

            When a person has faith in the Vedas, he does havan for focusing the concentration. Why use fire? It creates great power; the Light comes. Bhai Manni Singh, Guru Gobind Singh’s granthi, worshipped with incense, sacred whisk, and fire daily, but now Sikhs have become rigid. Guru Nanak said that when rain comes all is cleansed, and grass grows for cows, who make milk, from which butter is made, from which ghee is extracted, which is valuable for havan.

            People don’t want to talk about that which will bring people together. Hatred makes people nervous. The real pandit is one with Ram in his heart. Guru Granth Sahib says, “It is difficult to be called a Muslim. A true Muslim is one with a heart as soft as wax—a kind and serving heart.” Guru Gobind Singh said that Khalsa is one who renounces anger. It is not a symbolic matter.

            If we adopt all dharmic qualities, we are all brothers and siters. To serve is a great way of worship, as in giving time to listening to and consoling people. Vivekananda was asked, “What is renunciation?” He said it is not going to the jungle, leaving the world. It is becoming strong inside and giving inner strength and altruism to the weak. If all the good people sit in the mountains, what will come of it?

            We are not separate. We are one family. We should run everything by dharma and keep it very firm. We should not run it in a way that people’s awareness of God is spoiled.

I feel that dharma is within us all, but it is sleeping. Wake it by meditation. We must think we are all one, love each other, love God, and always knock on His Door.