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THE RIGHT PATH
IT is the Age of Materialism and man wishes to have all his desires fulfilled, at all
costs and as early as possible. For this, he worships God and prays for success.
After one desire is fulfilled, he is restless to have another fulfilled. Knowing well
that the material wealth cannot bestow abiding peace, he still is involved in
fulfilling his desire for the wealth. Non-fulfilment of his desires creates anger and
frustration, and consequent mental agony.
We know well that adding fuel to fire flares it. Similarly, while worshipping God if
we focus on our desires instead of God, our desires flare up. However, we can
overcome the desires by reposing faith in God and imbibing contentment and
gratitude. But this is possible when we regard God and not materials as the
mainstay of our life, and drawing inspirations from the lives of the holy personage
imbibe contentment and gratitude.
One should be contented and grateful to God in every situation. Even on
acquiring power and pelf, one should not turn arrogant. But this is possible when
one takes refuge in a God-realised personage or True Master and lives up to his
teachings and dedicates oneself to his service completely. Only after selfsurrender
can one attain real mental peace.
Today the entire world is racing towards destruction. No doubt, everyone looks a
human by appearance but he imbibes so much greed, avarice, malice, hatred,
jealousy and grudge that he has turned into a beast. For fulfilling his vicious and
wicked designs, he may even join the company of the evil doers. For material
gains, he loses his mental balance and instead of diffusing love, he spreads
hatred.
In the circumstances, the only way to rationalise the desires is to attain Selfknowledge
from a True Master. A True Master, who is the Formless in human
form, is the master of all the means of peace and happiness. Instead of regarding
oneself as the master, one should imbibe the spirit of trusteeship and shed one's
ego, selfishness and greed for materials. Only on being practical, can one imbibe
contentment and peace and rid oneself of fear and anxiety.
Let us pray to our True Master to bless us with the wisdom to tread the right path
and lead an active and peaceful life even in this Age of Materialism.
* * * * *

DISCOURSE
The Sant Samagam of Uttar Pradesh was held at Amethi on March 16 & 17,
2007. It was blessed and addressed by Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj.
A free English translation of his discourse delivered on the 17th is given below.
SAINTS,
DHAN NIRANKAR!
We are meeting here at Amethi in a large number. While we are singing the glory
of God, we are also listening the noble thoughts based on Truth, expressed by
the devotees in different languages in the form of speeches, songs and poems.
Since each word is based on noble feelings, it bestows bliss. The devotees
always wish for such occasions.
Self-realisation
The journey of life goes on and it cannot be halted even for a moment. During
this span, the more we associate with the saints, the better. That is why we so
pray to God. Holy beings have always imbibed such thoughts and feelings. Their
thoughts and feelings remain unchanged and as does God. He ever remains
unchanged, and whoso identifies himself with God, his feelings of goodness do
not change. If the sun shone in the Golden Age, it does even in the Iron Age.
Change of Age does not change the sun's function. Similarly, God is eternal. The
devotees born in any Age imbibe the same traits. We are familiar with the
devotion and feelings of the devotees, may he/she be Kabir, Prahlad, Tukaram,
Meera Bai, and others. Some were born in palaces and some in humble huts.
However, discharging their duties at different places, they had the same state of
mind. Today, too, the devotees, having realised God, have attained the same
state of devotion. Holy beings wish that everyone may imbibe the devotion. No
one may remain ignorant but realise his true self. This task needs to be
accomplished by all.
Identity
Today, man's identity is linked to physical exercises, language and culture, but
holy beings tell us that this is not his real identity. He should know his real self i.e.
real identity 'Self-realisation through God-realisation'. Soul or self is a constituent
of the Over Soul or God but it does not know its origin. That is why it is oblivious
of its true identity. Identifying with the body, the soul regards itself Hindu or
Muslim, male or female, child or adult. In this way, these have become the
identity of the soul, whereas the soul is a constituent of God. Those, who realise
this fact, understand that God is not related to a particular caste, community or
culture. Then how can a soul be related to a particular caste, community or
culture? When the soul realises its true identity, its delusion is dispelled and it is

liberated from all bonds. Liberation from the bonds results in dispelling of
delusions. We remain in bondage so long as we are deluded:
Shed all delusions, remember God, This is the true religion.
Bondage
Ignorance is the root cause of all misconceptions. Where there is ignorance,
there is misconception; where there are misconceptions, there is bondage. The
bondage can be broken when the misconceptions are dispelled. How can the
misconceptions be dispelled? Misconceptions can be dispelled by attaining Godknowledge.
With the light of God-knowledge, the darkness of ignorance is
dispelled and then it is all light. The bondage of the soul is very strong:
The body is born and dies again and again,
It is a severe and long punishment.
It is the birth-death cycle. Says Lord Krishna that a soul puts on bodies as we
change clothes. Clothes change, but our body remains the same. Similarly, the
soul puts on several bodies. The bodies go on changing and this process goes
on. So long as there is ignorance and illusion, the soul remains mired in the birthdeath
cycle until a True Master breaks the bondage by uniting the soul with God.
Names
God is all-pervading and infinite. He is called by countless names due to His
different traits and languages. His prominent traits become His Names. We know
the same object has different names in different languages. Similarly, God is one
but has several different names, signifying His traits. What is meant is that saints
and devotees realise the One (God) who is known and remembered by several
different names.
Manifestation
As already stated earlier, the ignorant soul remains in the dark. Despite being a
constituent of God, the soul remains oblivious of this fact. How strange that
though a constituent of God, the soul is unaware of God? If there were no
ignorance, there would be no need of manifestation of a Guru, Messenger or
Prophet in the world. A related question: after having once manifested and
revealed God and composed scriptures, what is the necessity of manifestating of
a Guru, again and again? Holy beings have been manifesting in the world, from
time to time, to dispel the darkness of ignorance and to awaken the humanity.
Perception

When the veil of ignorance is removed, God is perceived:
I whichever direction I perceive,
I behold God, who is equally present in every entity.
Holy beings say that God is nowhere and yet everywhere! He is non-existent for
those who have not realised Him, but exists everywhere for those who have
realised Him.
Today, too, you have heard what Saint Kabir said:
People say God is great,
But only on beholding God, it can be known how great He is.
Again:
God is invisible but I behold Him by the grace of my True Master,
Having perceived the all-pervading God, all my misconceptions have been
dispelled.
Today, too, the devotees say that they have seen God, but the ignorant question:
How can God be seen? To see God is impossible. If seeing God was impossible,
why did the holy beings say or write:
Unless the soul perceives the Over Soul, it cannot be redeemed.
It was only on having been blessed with the divine vision that Saint Kabir could
see God. God is not a gross entity like a house, mountain, etc. which we can see
with the physical eyes. God is subtle. The physical eyes can see only the gross
world and the colourful nature but not God. When Kabir says that he sees God, it
means that he sees God with the vision of divine knowledge; the divine
knowledge itself is a vision. Humans are alike but because of their specialised
knowledge, they are known as doctors, engineers or lawyers. We behold words
inscribed on a milestone or on a signboard. But only the one who knows the
language can make out what the words mean. Similarly, we need the vision of
God-knowledge to see God:
If you wish to perceive God, you must first have the vision to perceive.
In the battlefield of Kurukshetra, armies were arrayed but only Arjuna beheld God
by the grace of Lord Krishna. Likewise, there were countless people in the world
but only Meera Bai was blessed with God-knowledge by Guru Ravidas. On
attaining God-knowledge from his Mentor, Shah Inayat, Bulle Shah said:
None is as near as God, but only the blessed ones perceive Him.

Also:
How can one praise God without having perceived Him?
It is like a blind man's description.
Also:
Praising God without perceiving Him is groping in the dark.
What is meant is that people do remember God and recite His Name but since
they have not realised God, they discriminate on the grounds of high and low,
mine and thine, etc. But once a person is enlightened, he sheds the
discrimination. Not only the soul, his mind too is enlightened. Then he regards
none as a foe or an alien, rather owns all. Then there remains no scope for
discrimination on the grounds of religion, gender or caste. Then one realises that
all humans are equal. With a blow of the hammer of God-knowledge the wall of
discrimination is demolished. Then one does not regard others as inferior.
Rather, perceiving God in every human, one is rid of the attitude of discrimination
in any form.
Divine Vision
All humans have the same divine origin, irrespective of country, region, language
and culture. With such state of mind, one prays for the welfare and well-being of
all. How can one attain such a state? One can attain such a state by attaining the
divine vision through God-knowledge. Such vision is non-discriminatory and
therefore the blesee prays for universal welfare. How could Ravana, Kansa or
Hirankykshapu and such others say such a prayer? Such a prayer comes only
from those who are spiritually enlightened, otherwise the common people imbibe
enmity and selfishness. They regard themselves as superior to others. How can
such people take refuge in God and pray for human welfare? If they truly believe
in the existence of God, their prayer will be different. No doubt, they may join
others in praying for the welfare of all, but inwardly they would pray for the
downfall of the one who hails Lord Rama or the one who recites “Allah” or who
does not belong to the same state or region. They say something but mean
something else. However, saints and devotees, who composed these prayers
and hymns, were spiritually enlightened and did not discriminate against people
on any ground. In other words, holy beings have always imbibed noble
sentiments since they were enlightened and all their misconceptions had been
dispelled. For this reason, their souls were liberated and they were redeemed.
They completed their worldly journey, imbibing not enmity, jealousy and hatred
but love, affection and fellow feeling, uplifting the fallen instead of committing
atrocities on them and making them happy even at the cost their own comforts
like a tree which itself bears the heat but provides cool shade to others.
Enlightened beings do not discriminate against anyone, rather own all because

they regard all as their own. When they realise the truth, they accept the same.
Hence they bear no feeling of otherness:
Whom to hit with a stone,
In a mirror-fitted palace, one sees only one's own image.
Often we hear or recite such utterances but there are a few in the world who
imbibe such exalted sentiments. That is why the fire of hatred, enmity and
jealousy rages in the world. In our own country, too, we witness so much loss of
lives. No doubt, we have attained political freedom after making many sacrifices
but the country has greatly suffered: there are frequent communal clashes,
exploitation and commission of atrocities in the name of religion. The assembled
devotees pray: may the people all over the world imbibe the spirit of altruism and
brotherhood.
Religion
The real purpose of religion was to unite the people but today it is doing just the
opposite i.e. dividing the people. What divides cannot be a religion:
Compassion is the base of religion and pride of sin. Tulsi forsake not compassion
till the end.
But today, religion is proving the greatest cause of destruction. Whichever the
country, religion plays a major role. As already stated, religion is meant to
unite:
It is the first lesson of the holy book that all humans are God's family.
If one has not learnt this first lesson, what has one learnt?
In the holy city of Kashi, Kabir watched what the religious persons were doing:
reading and reciting the scriptures, bathing in the holy rivers, rotating the beads,
undertaking pilgrimages, saying prayers and applying a mark to their foreheads
and considering the same as the religion! At this he said: If one did not realise
God, what did one gain?
If one did not imbibe love, then as Kabir said:
By merely reading and reciting the scripture one cannot be a Pandit (religious
scholar). The one who learns to love is a Pandit.
In fact, the one who loves is truly religious. Why should the one who does not
imbibe hatred, commit atrocity on any one or incite the people to fight? A poet
has aptly said:

What sort of conspiracy has been hatched in the places of worship that smoke is
rising from the houses in the city!
Conspiracy in a place of worship where religion is preached is a paradox.
Conspiracy means planning to harm someone. This word has no relation with
religion. However, the poet wonders how a conspiracy has been hatched in a
place of worship. The smoke is rising not from a kitchen but because the houses
are on fire and the people are being burnt. The cause is the conspiracy. Has the
conspiracy been hatched by an atheist or by a merry maker? No, unfortunately, it
has been hatched by those who are supposed to imbibe nothing but love, the
spirit of human unity and brotherhood, Hence all round destruction. What kind of
religion is this? Religion is not a religion if it divides the people and causes harm
to humans by humans. Religion unites and infuses love. Those, who help in
creating a congenial environment, are truly religious. May God bless all to be
truly religious.
Saints, Dhan Nirankar.

FOUR SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
By Col. (Retd.) Dr. Karam Singh
SIGN means a distinct mark, gesture, signal, token, giving information or
indication that something is existing or happening or may happen. It is a hint, a
pointer, a clue or a proof of something e.g. rising smoke is a sign of fire burning
underneath. Spiritual means something having to do with human spirit (Soul) as
opposed to gross physical body or subtle mind. It has something to do with
religion, not just a religious belief or dogma. It is related to holy, sacred and
eternal as opposed to temporal or material. Transformation means a change or a
turnabout from one belief to another. It is a change in appearance, form,
character or nature. It is complete metamorphosis, mutation or revolution. A
transformer is anything used for achieving transformation. In the field of
electricity, a transformer is a device used for changing the voltage of alternating
current of electro-magnetic induction. Spiritual transformation means mutation of
a person tossed by gross and outer worldly allurements into an individual
stabilized in subtle and deeper inner (spiritual) values.
A common human being generally lives in a state of restlessness due to desiring
innumerable and contradictory things at the same time. He is mentally split and
lives a life of complexity because his personality consists of many contradictory
traits hard to reconcile. He is like a house divided in itself. He is having
multifarious feelings and thoughts like a swarm of flies without any direction. This
leads to a mental state of conflict resulting in erratic behavior. He is a mix of a
real and an imaginary part. He is heterogeneous, knotty, intricate, perplexing,
proble-matical, tricky and tortuous. Because of such a state of confusion and
complexity he becomes insincere to himself as well as to others. Insincerity
means saying or doing things that one does not mean. He keeps on lying. He is
deceitful, false, crafty, phony, pretender, double-faced, treacherous and untrue.
To cover up his dubious character, such a person quite often resorts to
intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs and gradually gets addicted and loses
control on himself and ultimately becomes a dipsomaniac (madly thirsty for
intoxicants). Some of the people who do not resort to intoxicating agents tend to
become frivolous which means silly, trifling, childish and flippant, not having any
serious (spiritual) purpose and value. They behave in a casual and irresponsible
manner. They indulge in cheap jokes, superficial cheerfulness, clapping and
shouting for joy, though feeling complete hollowness inside due to a lack of
connection with their real inner essence (spiritual centre).
If by good luck and grace of God, such a person meets the Spiritual Master of the
day who shows him the path of true and blissful living by bestowing spiritual
enlightenment on him and asking him to attend Satsang (holy congregation),
render Sewa (selfless service) and do Simran (God-remembrance) and follow the
five tenets of the Nirankari Mission (which act as a Transformer), so that he may
gradually get transformed.

Some of the signs of Spiritual Transformation may be described in four words
beginning with the letter 'S' i.e. Simplicity, Sincerity, Sobriety and Solemnity, as
opposed to Complexity, Insincerity, Inebriation and Frivolousness, respectively.
Whenever an ordinary person mentioned in Para 2 above, really gets
transformed spiritually, he becomes Simple, Sincere, Sober and Solemn. (The
word Simplicity is derived from the Latin word 'Simplicitas' which means clear,
easily understandable and devoid of luxury or sophistication). He becomes plain,
natural, guileless, comprehensible, unassuming and austere in dress, food and
manner. He shuns greed and enjoys the serenity of simplicity which is the nature
of great souls. H.D. Thoroeau, an American saint, has stated:
Luxuries as such and most of the so-called comforts are not only not necessary
but are positively a hindrance to spiritual evolution of mankind. Therefore, wisest
of human beings were content to live life simpler than the poor.
Socrates has also said:
He is the richest who is content with the least, for contentment is the wealth of
nature.
Indian saints Baba Farid, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravidas and many others led
simple lives in spite of the insistence of their rich devotees to enjoy comforts and
luxuries. A really spiritually transformed person is sincere, genuine, honest, free
from pretence or deceit in behaviour. (The word Sincerity is derived from the
Latin word 'Sincerus' which means pure and clean). He becomes straightforward,
truthful, upright, trustworthy, whole-hearted and an integrated person, because
the false aspect of his personality gets burnt in the fire of spiritual knowledge.
A.E. Raosevelt has stated:
An important requirement for happiness is a sense that one has been honest with
oneself and those around him.
He develops the quality of Sobriety which means moderation, tranquillity, selfdenial
and self- discipline. He becomes temperate, teetotaller i.e. abstains from
all kinds of alcohol and intoxicating drugs. He becomes calm, clear-headed and
composed. His dress and appearance will not be fanciful. He will develop the
quality of solemnity. (The word Solemnity is derived from the Latin word
'Sollemnis' which means mysteriously impressive, dignified, thoughtful, grand
and holy). He will become Solemn in performance of any ceremony or ritual and
in being part of any procession.
Spiritual transformation is easier said than done. It is a difficult process. A saint
has said:
Spiritual transformation is the most difficult thing to achieve, it is the last limit of
experience and the last effort of genius.

Many prophets have come down the ages and have tried to transform the divided
and erratic nature of human beings into a calm and composed state through the
device of divine knowledge but 'on the ground' such a transformation, generally
speaking, has never occurred in the masses in the whole history of human race.
Spiritual transformation is a very rare phenomenon because of the old Sanskars
(influences) of previous lives, which have a very strong gravitational force which
pulls a person down from spiritual to material domain unless he takes spirituality
as the only aim of life very seriously and remains surrendered to the Spiritual
Master truthfully in a very humble manner without bothering to satisfy worldly
desires under the guise of spirituality.
It has bean the greatest fallacy of any spiritual movement in the past to judge its
spiritual progress by the number of followers gathered and the amount of
revenue (offerings by devotees) collected (without bothering about their spiritual
transformation) because the moment any spiritual movement pretends to satisfy
all the material desires of the people, that very moment it starts failing in its real
aim of spiritually transforming humanity. This is the law. No one has ever been
able to change it. Excessive worldly desires (satisfied or unsatisfied gross or
subtle) have always eaten away the roots of the tree of Spirituality, resulting in a
state called 'square one' i.e. the state mentioned in Para 2 above— materialism.
A spiritually transformed person will consider it disgraceful and absurd to live
luxuriously and lavishly when so many around him live in poverty and hunger. He
will try to change the society based on greed and possession into a society
based on caring and sharing. It is a well known fact that almost all the great men
of the world, particularly spiritually transformed ones, led a very simple, sincere,
sober and solemn life.
Baba Hardev Singh Ji, the True Master of the day, epitomizes all the aforesaid
traits of Simplicity, Sincerity, Soberity and Solemnity, and preaches the same. It
is the bounden duty of his devotees to emulate his example and imbibe these
traits to prove to be the true devotees of the True Master.
* * * * *

SELF SERVICE
By Gurpreet Bhatia
As last year, this Easter, too, the spirited devotees of the Mission, through the
Knights Table Soup Kitchen, Brampton, Ontario (Canada), served hot meals to
about 200 persons for two days. A touching feature was that this time among
those served, were children and people who once owned companies and who
had good jobs but due to circumstances beyond their control, they could no
longer work and earn their bread. There were also addicts of drugs, alcohol and
victims of social evils. One of them was young Bonny, who was recovering from
being an alcoholic, and remarked, “To achieve a goal, one needs hope and faith.”
Besides money and food, they needed love in practical form such as a smile, a
warm handshake or a hug.
Living in the Western world, we often forget that even in Canada there are so
many less fortunate that Canadian Food Banks with meal programmes serve
more than 2.29 million meals per month. Of these 40% beneficiaries are
children.
Let us pray to our Satguru that as wished by him we, his devotees, be 'food for
the hungry, water for the thirsty and clothes for the naked.'
* * * * *

Hands that give are holier
Than the lips that pray.
CHARITY AND SACRIFICE:
WHY AND HOW?
By A.P. Anand
BY undertaking pilgrimage to holy places and participating in 'Satsangas' (holy
congregations) one advances towards charity, individually, combined or by some
other way, which is very much desired for the needy and down-trodden for their
upliftment. Pilgrimage without imbibing virtues will remain and mean only some
distance covered and journey undertaken without purpose. No doubt, holy places
give refuge to the weary souls, make us humble and help in enhancing our
spirituality. Charity is an act of great sacrifice, graciousness, piousness,
nobleness, compassion, forgiveness and one of the virtuous qualities for
dissolving one's adversities. One who gives charity feels the pinch of problems of
others as his/her own. Happiness and grace multiply by sharing with others.
Some of these charities are compassion, land donation, material charity, charity
of cow, donation of limbs, education, charity for peace and charity for food which
is the most pious service to the poor and needy. In fact, charity given to a needy
person for education is a permanent one as it dispels one's ignorance.
Knowledge and wealth are God's gifts which must be shared with others to enjoy
and fructify. Charity of education cannot be stolen, being a hidden treasure, and
is helpful even when one does not possess money. Some prefer secret charity
without revealing their names, as they believe that their left hand should not
know what the right one gives. Blood donation to save some one's life is also a
supreme act in the service of mankind. Those who have absolutely nothing to
give can at least devote their precious time for the benefit of the needy. With
charity of love, which is instilled in us by parents, saints and erudites by
drenching us with the nectar of love, we can inculcate brotherhood and friendship
towards all, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, gender, religion, etc. and
reinstate them into the mainstream of life, otherwise they will be alienated from
the society. This also gives them emotional support. In short, charity is nothing
but service to the needy. It is a marvelous act and the donor is placed in heaven
on this earth itself.
We should contribute and share our possessions with others as trees, rivers,
seas and mountains do without discrimination. Charity is a trust, which should not
be considered in terms of cash or kind in quantity. Even a road does service by
leading us to our desired destination without expecting any reward.
Unfortunately, we share our grief with others but not our comforts and
possessions. God is the Supreme Giver, Who always fills our treasures with His

ounties and marvels. His treasures are full upto the brim. He takes care even of
the tiniest creature. Charity dissipates and checkmates our craze for amassing
unnecessary wealth and helps in preventing many discomforts and vices in life. It
also stops allurement of unworthy ambitions and wants.
Learn that the whole life is giving, that nature will force you to give. So, give
willingly. Sooner or later you will have to give up. Besides, the attitude of giving
leads to spiritual progress. It is believed that charity or donations sanctify the
earnings of the donor. Thus one elevates one's soul. It is also said that God
manifests in different forms before His arch devotee, like food for the famished
and consolation for the helpless, etc.
Charity given with pomp and show stains its true purpose. The purity of hands is
based on the charity given and shared through them with generosity. What we
give to the poor, in fact, we give back to Lord God by His grace. We are giving
this gift of God to the weak, unhealthy, illiterate or broken-hearted, lowly and
suppressed. We get satisfaction and Lord's blessings only when it reaches the
real needy, otherwise its purpose is lost in case the receiver becomes dependent
for ever and does not try to stand on his/her own feet.
A renowned diplomat and author of Artha Shastra, Acharya Chanakya, had
rightly said: We should remain within our limits even while giving charity,
otherwise our stocks will dwindle and we will be left with nothing except worries.
It is proved beyond doubt that one who gives in charity without expecting
anything in return is benefited. Such persons remain free from tension, etc. and
attain peace of mind by God's grace and blessings of the receivers and also due
to their positive attitude towards life. The giver also attains contentment. Such a
giver never tires in his virtuous actions and his treasures never exhaust but are
always replenished by the Supreme Lord in a mysterious way. Also we should
give as one lamp lights up many other lamps without losing its own light. Charity
is also like an intellect; the more we use, the more it sharpens, strengthens and
breeds. Charity is a penance for inner purification.
* * * * *

VISITS TO HOUSES
AS is well known, I am available in Delhi only for four months in a year. For the
remaining eight months, I am on tour during which I get an opportunity to visit
various places, states and countries. In this way, every effort is made to cover as
many places as possible. This gives me an opportunity to attend the
congregations. Since the devotees assemble in a large number and with great
zeal and fervour, each congregation turns into a Samagam. The general public
also come and attend such congregations which helps in spreading the message
of the Mission and brings the public closer to the Mission. If visits to some
houses or other such engagements are scheduled during these tours, it takes
away from the time meant for the congregation.
It has been observed that, during our tours at some places, visits were arranged
to the same few houses, each time, which might have given a wrong signal to
other devotees, waiting for such a visit to their houses for long, and even put a
question mark on the conduct of the Mukhi/Parmukh. There might be some
exceptions such as an untoward happening in a family in which case a visit to
them may be essential. It has also been observed that even the affected families
come to and meet us at the Bhavan. In any case, visits to individual houses have
to be avoided for the reason stated above.
My good wishes are always there for the welfare and well-being of every
devotee/family. I always wish that a sublime environment of peace, bliss and
happiness may prevail in the home of every devotee.
— Baba Hardev Singh Ji
at the Special General Body Meeting, March 29, 2002

SOUTH ASIA INTERFAITH HARMONY CONCLAVE
By Kirpa Sagar
A South Asia Interfaith Harmony Conclave was held in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation
Hall of the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan, Delhi, on April 21-22, 2007. The principal
organisers of the conclave were the Interfaith Harmony Foundation of India, the
Indian Council For Cultural Relations and the Temple of Understanding (India).
The subject discussed was the Role of Religion and Spirituality In Promoting
Universal Human Values. It was attended by senior representatives of nine world
religions from India and across the South Asian region. His Holiness Baba
Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj represented the Sant Nirankari Mission at the
conclave.
The Conclave was inaugurated by Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India,
in the presence of Dr. Karan Singh, Chairman, Indian Council of Cultural
Relations, Shrimati Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, and Khwaja Iftikhar
Ahmed, Chairman, Interfaith Harmony Foundation.
In his address the Prime Minister said: “Through the Constitution of India, every
citizen of the country is committed to secularism which means equal respect for
all religions. We accept all religions as true. We accept outward diversities but
not the internal ones. We believe that we must be spiritually one. When it comes
to interfaith relations, religious 'tolerance' would not be sufficient, we must
endeavour for religious 'harmony'. And, as in the past, India must show the path
to the world. Instead of majority community or minority community, we must talk
in terms of humanity.”
In his Presidential address, Dr. Karan Singh said: “Religion has a mixed
impression—the one that of cultural beauty, promoting moral values, and the
other that of spreading of hatred, violence and terrorism. We should care more
for the religion that seeks to enhance the quality of human life. As we talk of
Interfaith Harmony, our outlook should be to identify and integrate the common
principles of various religions that may promote human values and make man
virtuous. Divine God has to be one despite the numerous names we use for Him.
India has a long history of peaceful co-existence of people subscribing to
different religions. Let us take it further.”
Earlier, as Chairperson of the Reception Committee, Shrimati Sheila Dikshit
welcomed the delegates hoping that those coming from outside India would like
the city and its hospitality.
In his Vote of Thanks, the Convener of the conclave, Dr. Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed
said: “The Interfaith Harmony Foundation of India symbolizes the sentiment of
the Muslims of India that they have accepted the challenge of terrorism in the
name of religion which it would like to counter, moving hand in hand with other
religions. The Conclave was being shared by nine religious faiths and one

Spiritual Movement from South Asian Region. The foundation plans to set up a
Harmony Compound where every religious faith will have a place to preach its
teachings. The Foundation has also instituted some national and international
awards for outstanding work towards Peace, Tolerance and Harmony.”
Addressing the Conclave, Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji said: “We can achieve
this goal (of Interfaith harmony) if we all teach man the basic universal values of
love, compassion and tolerance. We must preach the Religion of Humanity so
that man abstains from hurting man:
Dharm Hai Bas Insan Hona,
Koi Aur Dharam Iman Nahin.
(To be truly religious, one has only to behave like a true human being).
We claim that God made man in His own image. Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord
Jesus Christ, Hazrat Mohammad, Guru Nanak and all other saints, Gurus and
prophets taught a human being to behave like a human being. No doubt, we
remember and revere them, but we do not follow what they taught. The violence
and bloodshed today only reveals that we have forgotten their teachings of love,
compassion, peace and harmony. A poet has aptly said:
Daryaon Pe Bandh Banane Walo,
Jazbe-e-Nafrat Pe Bhi Bandh Banaya Hota.
It means that man has made a lot of progress in the material sphere. He has built
barrages across rivers but failed to build barriers to stem the feelings of hatred
“We have to exist together. All our diversities do not prevent us from uniting. I
have been visiting and talking to people across the globe for the past 27 years. I
find that they are understanding the message that our Mission preaches, despite
the diversities of language, culture and region because, our message is that of
universal love and brotherhood. As a matter of fact, the message of every
spiritual master, Guru and prophet was universal and meant for all. Let us all
preach the same. Religion unites and never divides. So, let every religion
endeavour to unite man with man, eliminate the distances, dismantle the walls
that divide humanity. This is what is expected of Religion. If Religion is found
erecting walls to divide mankind, it is a great paradox, a serious selfcontradiction.
Let us be peacemakers and not peace- breakers. Moreover, let us
remember that we cannot shake hands with a closed fist. We will have to open it
before we extend our hand to welcome a person. This is what we need today and
this task will have to be taken up by everybody who has a say in society.”

Nirankari Baba Ji's discourse was highly praised by all the distinguished
delegates and intellectuals in the audience. Satguru Baba Ji also met all the
religious heads and delegates from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sweden, USA, Sri
Lanka and other countries. The spiritual delegations from Pakistan and
Bangladesh cordially invited Satguru Baba Ji to pay a visit to their countries.”
Other personalities who addressed the Conclave were: Mrs. Zena Sorabjee,
Chairperson, Baha'i House of Worship Committee, Venerable Prof. Bellanwila
Wimalaratna, Vice-chancellor, Sri Jayawardenapura University, Sri Lanka,
representing Buddhism, His Eminence Dr. Telesphore Topps, President of the
Catholic Bishops Conference of India, representing the Christian Faith. His
Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Convener of the Hindu Dharamacharya
Sabha (Apex Body of Hinduism), Maulana Syed Mohammad Abdul Khabir Azad,
Shahi Iman, Badshahi Masjid, Lahore, Pakistan, representing Islam, Muni Sri
Sumermal Ji, representing Acharya Sri Mahapraggya Ji of Jainism, Chief Rabbi
David Rosen, KCSG, President of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious
Consultations, repre-senting Judaism, Dr. Dastur Jamasp Asa, High
Priest of the Parsis, representing Zoro-astrianism, Sardar Asaf Ali Daula, the
former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Dr. Kamal Hossain, the former Foreign
Minister of Bangladesh, His Excellency Halil Akunce, the Ambassador of Turkey
in India, and Dr. Homi B.D. Dhalla from Mumbai.
On this occasion, the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru International Award for Inter-
Continental Peace, Tolerance and Harmony, instituted by the Interfaith Harmony
Foundation of India, was awarded to Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji and was
received on his behalf by Rev. Major J.D. Sharma (Retd.), Incharge, Public
Relations, Sant Nirankari Mandal, from Dr. Karan Singh.
Revs. Rajmata Ji and Mata Ji graced the occasion with their august presence.
On the conclusion of the Conclave, a Cultural Evening was organised at the India
Islamic Cultural Centre Hall at which the devotees of the Nirankari Mission
enthralled the audience with devotional music highlighting the ideal of ONE
WORLD FAMILY.
The Chairman of Interfaith Harmony Foundation profusely praised the services of
the devotees of the Nirankari Mission led by Rev. Major J.D. Sharma (Retd.) who
was also presented a Felicitations Memento on the occasion.
* * * * *

WORLD PEACE—I
In the divine presence of Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj, a seminar on
Universalism And Peaceful Co-existence was organised by the Sant Nirankari
Mission at Delhi on October 14, 2006. Below is given the text of address by Sri
D.R. Kaarthikeyan, President of Life Positive Magazine and the Guest of Honour
at the seminar.
Most respected Nirankari Raj Mata Ji, His Holiness Satguru Babaji, Most
respected Dr. Karan Singhji;
Dignitaries, scholars, panelists and honoured invitees.
Namaskar! Good Evening!
I have great pleasure to participate in this seminar on the most relevant subject—
“Universalism and Peaceful Co-existence.”
None of our ancestors enjoyed even a fraction of the physical conveniences and
material comforts that we enjoy today.
Science and Technology have made distances irrelevant. Every part of our body
can be replaced in any of our cities today. We live much longer than our
ancestors. But do we enjoy more peace, harmony and joy?
Every country has huge arsenal of weapons—having more and more of Military,
police and security forces-more weapons and fire power. But do we enjoy more
sense of security?
The answer is no. In fact, we live in a society with more and more insecurity—
constantly afraid of each other.
The nations live in greater fear of each other—all the time accusing the
neighbours—near and far, for all their ills.
People living in the most affluent and the most powerful nation are also the most
threatened.
Even today man cannot create or give one life—in fact, cannot produce even one
drop of blood in the laboratory or industry. But with nearly 30,000 most
destructive nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, man has
acquired the capacity to destroy all life forms on this planet.
When asked how the third world war is going to be fought, the best known
scientist of the last century said, “I do not know about that, but I know how the

fourth world war will be fought—it will be fought with sticks and stones—as in the
third world war everything else would have been destroyed.”
Should there be third world war—I hope and pray that would not take place—it
can be only as a consequence of religious fanaticism and intolerance.
Hence I compliment Sant Nirankari Mission for organising this seminar on this—
the most vital subject of relevance of today—Universalism and Peaceful Coexistence.
The Sant Nirankari Mission is an all-embracing spiritual movement dedicated to
human welfare.
It's message is for the human being in man and not for a member of any
particular religion, community or a nation.
The Mission believes in God, who is one, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient
and eternal—the All-pervading Divine Spirit, which creates, sustains and
regulates the whole universe. This aspect of cosmos has been termed as
'Nirankar' (Formless God)—though invisible, yet all-pervading.
In fact, what we see is unreal as it decays and dies. But what we do not see is
reality; because out of that invisible power, the visible comes who existence. The
changeless in the changing physical world is called God and the changeless in
the changing human body is called the Soul.
The one who experiences it is known as 'Nirankari'. The sole aim of the Mission
is to impart the knowledge of Nirankar (The Formless God) to the seekers' soul.
Hence its name, 'The Sant Nirankari Mission.'
Universalism refers to any concept or doctrine that applies to all persons and/or
all things for all times and in all situations. In creation there is diversity. But there
is also an underlying unity and harmony everywhere.
We believe in a connected world. Our Dharma must embrace all, and must
neglect none. This is the imperative of our higher consciousness. This is the
imperative of our understanding that the web of life is one, it is sacred, and we
are a part of it.
Universalism only emphasizes and re-articulates the essential understanding of
life, within which all is connected and breathing the same rhythm. The
evolutionary grandeur of this connected tapestry takes our breath away, and at
the same time convinces us that to participate in this grandeur is to take
responsibility for the magic of all creation.

Universal responsibility is born out of our deeper understanding of the universe in
which we are a part; but also responsible for all others who seek good life,
happiness, enlightenment and self-realisation. In self-realising ourselves, we
need to help in the self-realisation of the whole cosmos. Such is the imperative of
the evolving universe. Such is the imperative of our truly cosmic understanding.
Universalism means contributing to the well-being of the divine creation. We
enshrine Mother Earth as sacred because we are particles of this sacred being.
All is sacred and we are sacred, too.
But this sacredness must be enacted, acted upon; must be lived, must be
participated in; otherwise it is only a dim sacredness, only a potential
sacredness.
Universalism is a new awareness of what our present world and future
generations require for a meaningful existence.
Universalism is not only a call to action, to clean our dirty streets and our polluted
minds. It is also a new spiritual force, a new spirituality which sheds a new light
on the eternal question: what is Divine Life truly about? It is about making
ourselves sacred, while bringing the whole of creation along.
In reality, the world is one; the sun is one, the sea is one to supply water for all by
way of vapour, cloud, rain; the air we breathe is only one. Man has not created
any one of these four essential resources. Everybody is born, grows, lives and
dies. During the lifetime everyone enjoys the benefits of labour and technical
knowledge of all the people. In turn, everyone's production and services go to all
people of the society.
We want a world of peace. People need peace, more than they need food and
shelter. Some have been searching for peace desperately throughout ages. It is
missing in the lives of many.
When different nations, races, castes, religions come together for the common
good, we are progressing on the way of peace. Our aim should be to establish a
world community based on a universal moral order based on the dignity of the
individual.
According to the Hindu sages, duality is the cause of conflicts.
Human kind will never see the light of peace as long as one person, group,
community or nation seeks to subjugate others by force, with both sides caught
in a vicious cycle of reprisals that demands an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
and a life for a life.

There is a spiritual urge in every soul for peace. The soul nature is based on
oneness, humility, peace, compassion, love and helpfulness.
All the world may be bad, but if there is no badness in our heart, then the world is
to that extent good.
All the world may be unjust, but if there is no injustice from us, then the world is
to that extent just.
All the world may be peaceless, but if there is no peacelessness in our inner
mind, then the world is to that extent peaceful.
We believe that education for justice is a basic skill that must be universally
nurtured.
We want a world free of poverty, free of crime, free of racism and fanaticism. A
world full of equity, justice, fairplay and understanding, where people are joyful; a
world without environmental destruction, a world of social stability, a world with
new identity, a world to enjoy Vishwa Shanti (World Peace).
The air, sun, water and earth are only one, belonging to all of us. We did not nor
could we have created even a grain of the sand of this Earth.
In this era of advancement in global consciousness, we witnessed the collapse of
the Berlin Wall and the promotion of a single European currency, the Euro. In the
coming years, let the process continue throughout the world. Let us all fervently
pray for and work for a spirit of universal brotherhood, beginning with our own
families, neighbours and colleagues. Let us all live in peace.
What we mean by peace is not just absence of violence. Absence of violence is
only negative peace—negative peace is absence of war—the absence of
personal physical violence.
Positive peace is the absence of war, plus the absence of structural violence like
poverty, discrimination and hunger. When we are struggling for peace, we are
not just struggling against the war and violence but for equality, justice and
freedom.
Vishwa Shanti as contemplated in our ancient scriptures is positive and all
comprehensive.
(To be concluded)

PUNJAB
EXCERPTS FROM BABAJI'S TOUR DISCOURSES
Amritsar: 8.4.2007: The one who loves humans is a true God-devotee. Ego is
like a thorn which keeps pricking. The devotee Hanuman possessed so many
powers, yet he always gave credit to Lord Rama for whatever he accomplished,
for which reason he is revered even today. Humility makes one great.
It is said that after crucification on Good Friday, Lord Jesus Christ rose from the
dead on Easter to reestablish the spirit of mutual love. He inspired all to love but
today there exists hatred and consequent discrimination on the grounds of caste,
colour, race and nationality. We should look for ways to foster love.
Paradoxically, man loves hatred but hates love!
Kartarpur: 9.4.2007: Unique is the state of mind of the devotees who are ever
blissful and do good.
Ludhiana: 10.4.2007: All holy beings have given the message of love but,
unfortunately, man does not heed. Lord Jesus too gave the message of love and
peace. He said: Love thy neighbour. It does not mean that we should love only
the immediate neighbour but whosoever comes in contact with us should be
loved. We should not merely sigh of love but also love.
Let us live like a flower: whether surrounded by thorns or flowers, a flower ever
blooms and exudes its sweet fragrance.
Khamano: 10.4.2007: As a fish is happy in water immersed in God-communion
a devotee is blissful and unaffected by ups and downs of life like a lotus.
Chandigarh: 11.4.2007: Today when man is bent upon creating hatred, it is the
duty of the devotees to foster love. Martin Luther King Jr. said: 'I cannot shed
love because I am unable to carry the burden of hatred. What is meant is that
hatred is so dangerous that the one, who cannot shed it, gets caught in the web
of vices.
Before the body perishes, let the vices perish.
It is the need of the hour that the devotees of the Mission set an example of
clean and noble life for the society. There is a clock-tower in many cities and
people set their watches by it. Similarly, the devotees lead an exemplary life and
the people are inspired by their lives and endeavour to emulate them. Thus the
responsibility of the devotees for leading an exemplary life is greater.
At times, instead of being instrumental, the mind becomes a hurdle in spiritual
evolvement. Scholarship, penance or ego is the hurdle which prevents the

people from approaching the realised ones and pushes them into the whirlwind of
the worldly ocean. But those blessed with the light of God-knowledge swim
across.
HARYANA
Yamuna Nagar: 12.4.2007: As the sun radiates its light over the entire world, holy
beings convey the message of Truth to whole of the humanity.
If a man does not imbibe love, he cannot love.
Birth and death are the two stages in life. What is important is how the life span
has been availed of: whether in realising the Truth instead of wasting it in
materialistic pursuits. Similarly, there are two banks of a stream. What is
important is whether clean or dirty water flows between the banks. If one has
achieved the chief aim of life and imbibes goodness and altruism, life is surely
meaningful.
* * * * *

SANT SAMAGAM OF AUSTRALIA
By Manjit Singh
THE Second Sant Samagam of Australia was held at Wagga Wagga, on April 7
& 8, 2007, presided over by Rev. K.R. Chadha. The devotees from different
places of Australia and other countries also participated with devotional fervour.
On the 7th morning, the devotees participated in sports, creating an environment
of unity, harmony and brotherhood. In the evening, devotional and cultural items,
depicting Mission's teachings such as Seva (selfless service) Sangat (holy
congregation) and Simran (God-remembrance) and universal brotherhood, were
performed. A play depicting the services and devotion to the Mission of Chacha
Partap Singh and Rev. Santokh Singh were staged. Rev. Chadha enlivened the
programme with humorous and spiritual compositions.
On the 8th morning, a Seva Dal rally was held which was covered by the local
press. Rev. Chadha sought Almighty Nirankar's blessings so that the volunteers
may serve with still more strength and serenity.
At the holy congregation held in the afternoon, speaker, singer and poet
devotees gave the message of universal brotherhood. In his address, Rev.
Chadha said: The youth is our main focus. Their interest and efforts for the
Samagam are praiseworthy. When one is spiritually awakened, one does not
question the Lord's will, rather submits to the same. Ifs and buts are maladies
which drift away one from the Lord Master.
* * * * *

NIRANKARI WRITERS’ MEET
The Northern India Nirankari Writers, Meet was held at the Satsang Bhavan Kulu
(H.P.) on April 5, 2007.
Inaugurating the Meet, Rev. C.L. Gulati, Incharge Magazines, said: The Nirankari
writers are playing an important role in this direction. There is a significant
contribution of the Nirankari Periodicals in propagating the Mission. While “Sant
Nirankari” and “Ek Nazar”, are a medium to transform outlook of the society,
“Hansti Duniya”, a children's monthly, is the chief source of all round
transformation of the children. There is a need to create greater interest in study
and increase the circulation of all these periodicals. Nirankari periodicals can be
offered as a gift on suitable occasions.
Among others, Dr. Vijay Sharma, Editor and Rev. Prajapati Joint Editor “Ek
Nazar” (Hindi) and Rev. Sulekh “Sathi”, Editor “Sant Nirankari” and “Ek-Nazar”
(Punjabi), expressed their views.
* * * * *

MANAV EKTA DIVAS SAMAGAM
MANAV EKTA DIVAS (HUMAN UNITY DAY) SAMAGAM was held on April 24,
2007, at the Samagam Ground, Burari Road, Delhi. The devotees from
neighbouring places also participated in large numbers.
Blessing the holy congregation, Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj said: We
cannot forget the services of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji for forging human unity.
Besides Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji, Chacha Pratap Singh and other devotees,
upholding Truth, sacrificed their lives. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji gave the
message that without realising God, discrimination cannot be eliminated nor can
peace be established in the world. This message has been given by holy beings,
from time to time. The torch of Truth which was lit by Baba Buta Singh Ji, was
carried forward by Baba Avtar Singh Ji all over the country. Baba Gurbachan
Singh Ji hoisted the flag of Truth even in distant countries, travelling by road and
facing heavy odds. Ever since he assumed the mentorship of the Mission, Baba
Gurbachan Singh Ji took so many revolutionary steps in the social sphere. While
streamlining the administration of the Mission, he also took notable steps in the
propagation of the Mission. The existing administrative framework reflects his
farsightedness. In the matter of social reforms, he initiated exemplary steps to
curb dowry and drinking.
To forge human unity, man has been inspired in every age. Natural boundaries
between countries, different cultures and civilisations will continue to exist.
Despite these diversities, there is a need to forge human unity. God created one
earth, but we created Iran and India. Physical boundaries may remain but there
should be no walls in the hearts. Had humans been different, there would have
been separate earths, but God has created one earth. Only humans discriminate
between one another.
Addressing the holy congregation, Rev. Rajmataji said: Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji
taught broad-mindedness. God created humans but they divided themselves into
Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. All holy beings emphasise on human
unity love and peace.
Earlier, speaker, singer and poet devotees highlighted the services of Baba
Gurbachan Singh Ji. Rev. J.R.D. Satyarthi said that Babaji inspired the humanity
for Truth, Action and Devotion. Besides spiritual awakening, he also infused
social awareness in the devotees.
On this occasion, a CD of hymns composed by Rev. Rajmata Kulwant Kaur Ji
and sung by sisters Jagjitji, Rani Khannaji and Vijayji was released by Babaji and
one CD each was presented to Rev. Rajmataji and Mataji by Shrimati Raj
Vasdev Singh.

At the Blood Donation Camp organised on the occasion, Baba Hardev Singh Ji
said: Life is worthwhile if it is devoted to the service of the humanity. Holy beings
have not only trodden this path but also inspired their followers for the same.
Today when man is bent upon shedding human blood, it is a great service to
donate blood to save lives.
1155 units of blood were collected by a dozen teams from the well known
hospital in Delhi. 55 such camps were held at different places all over the country
today. There is a plan to hold 165 camps till September, 2007.
At Chandigarh, presiding over the holy congregation Rev. Mohinder Singh said:
Following the personal example of Baba Hardev Singh Ji and Mata Swinder Ji,
there is always a surge of the devotees, male and female, to donate their blood.
It is this spirit that matters and helps in saving many human lives. 492 units of
blood have been collected here.
Human Unity Day Samagam was also observed in distant lands by holding holy
congregations/blood donation/health camps.
At Sandwell (U.K.), Human Unity Day was observed in conjunction with the
Sandwell Council on April 21, 2007 as “Big Spring Clean.” a drive to keep the city
clean and to cleanse the environment, in which 80 devotees, young and old,
participated. This also brought the Mission closer to the local community,
acquainting them with the Mission's ideals.
At Huston, Texas (U.S.A.), paying homage to Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji Rev. Raj
Bhala said: From his very childhood, Babaji had been utterly humble and hard
working. He would not miss an opportunity to serve the devotees. Speaking on
the occasion, Rev. Gurcharan Lal Arora (from India) said: Babaji introduced
many reforms to liberate the devotees from the stranglehold of social evils.
At Tracy, California (U.S.A.), a Health Fair was organised at the local Satsang
Bhavan, where a team of prominent doctors conducted medical check-ups.
Addressing the holy congregation, Rev. Mohan Sabnani inspired the devotees for
selfless service quoting the Satguru: A flower exudes fragrance which perfumes
a limited area but the devotees exude spiritual fragrance which perfumes the
whole world.
At Michigan (U.S.A.), a Free Health Camp was held at the local Satsang Bhavan
and a band of eminent doctors conducted medical check-ups. Presiding over the
congregation, Dr. Arora, who had attained God-knowledge from Baba Gurbachan
Singh Ji, traced the Mission's history and inspired the devotees to lead an
exemplary life to bring the locals into the Mission's fold.
* * * * *

I NEVER THOUGHT
By Ravinder Singh
I never thought the world would be so,
Instead of water, blood would flow.
Often would freeze the good deeds,
The world would another Jesus need.
Man would imbibe so much of hatred
That holy places would be left no sacred.
Selfish would be man in his words and deeds,
Fields of love would lack good seeds.
Man would shower shingles of sarcasm,
Compassion would be replaced by fanaticism.
Mankind would witness heinous scenes,
Peace and harmony would only be in dreams.
This is a stark reality and not a mirage
To counter which is needed great courage
To march on and to grow,
Oh, no, I never thought the world would be so.
* * * * *