MAHANT SHREE JAGDISH DASJI SHASTRI SAHEB
U.K. TOUR 1999
DISCOURSE
By
The following discourse was delivered by Beloved Saheb
At a disciple's home in April in London
A soul is endowed with a human body by Parmatma (God). It is a blessing to receive human form. What Parmatma has given us is invaluable. So what do we need to give Parmatma in return for his blessings?
When we are born into this world, we believe that whatever we are or whatever we do it is us. For example, I am young, I am beautiful etc. This is being naïve. One needs to think, what have we got that is ours to give Parmatma. Everything that we have has been blessed with his grace. Until and unless we learn to get rid of our ego and awaken to the real knowledge one cannot achieve enlightenment. As Kabir Saheb said:
"Ghunghat ka pat kholre, tuko piya milenge,
All we need to do is remove the curtain of ego, which stops us from reaching our ultimate goal. To reach there we need to offer true love. There is a lot said and written about love, but, Kabir Saheb says that there are only a very few people like great saints and sages who understand what true love is.
Let me explain, there are four different types of feelings that express love. The first is affection or sneh - a relationship in which one partner gives love and the other one receives. The person giving the love has control and influence over the other person. For instance, a parent and child relationship. In this relationship the one receiving the love makes continual demands, so one is a giver and the other a taker.
The second is known devotion or shrada - a relationship where one continually gives and accepts nothing in return. This type of love is not complete as the giver feels that they are giving. This is egoistic.
The third is known as passion or priti - where there is no ego. Whatever one gives they receive and accept in return. For instance, in marriage where there is passion and commitment and both partners want to give as much as they can to each other. Both partners to learn to compromise and negotiate with each other because of their passion and commitment to each other.
However, it is the fourth one that is of most importance, which is regarded as pure love, total dedication and devotion for Parmatma whereby, "there is no demand and there is no demand of demand". When a devotee offers everything at the lotus feet of Sadguru Saheb including the ego that exists within oneself this is known as Bhakti or love. Kabir Saheb says:
"Yeh tu ghar hei prem ka,
khala ka ghar nai,
shis uttar bhuimai dhre,
tuub phethe ghar mai"
Meaning:
This is the home of love,
It is not an empty house,
Offer your head,
Only then you may enter the home of love.
"Prem gali atti sankri,
tame dou naa samai,
jab mai tha tab hari nahi
ab hari hai mai nahi"
Meaning:
The street of love is very narrow;
two cannot pass through it at the same time;
When I was, there was no God;
Now there is God, but I am not.
To attain perfect love, one has to give up ego, which is the biggest obstacle on the path of God's love. When ego disappears God appears.
Param Bhakti means to completely surrender yourself at the lotus feet of Sadguru Saheb or God.
However, be warned - for a devotee, to achieve as well as to maintain their status in society and to ensure that they are not exploited by others they must retain some ego - but only to maintain the everyday relationships including the need to earn a living. As Guru Govindsingh prepared and preached his disciples to hold mala/rosary in one hand and a sword in the other. Therefore, be prepared to offer total devotion to God, but at the same time be prepared to fight for your rights.
Finally, Kabir Saheb says that the purpose of life is do devotion and to experience Parmatma's love.
Edited by Lila Odedra