9 august Satsang by Satguru Kanwar Saheb Ji Maharaj
Our wishes alone cannot make everything happen. We often imagine or desire things that may not be possible. A person should certainly have a firm purpose, strong faith and complete dedication toward any work he undertakes. Sincere effort can lead to success, but sometimes our wishes go against the laws and limits set by the Lord. When we try to act against those laws, we may fail and also suffer. Then, despite all our hard work, we feel disappointed and think that our efforts have been wasted.
That is why the saints teach us to understand the will of the Satguru and the Lord in every situation. We should do only what has the Satguru’s approval. He asks us to undertake what we are capable of doing and stops us from doing what is beyond our ability. He knows where we can succeed and where we are likely to fail.
If the Satguru does not permit us to do something, we should accept his decision. But once he gives a command, we should not be afraid. His instructions are given with complete wisdom, and their final result will always be for our good. The task may take time, and obstacles may appear along the way, but we should regard them as tests. If we abandon the work as soon as a difficulty arises, it shows that our faith in his words is incomplete. True faith gives us the confidence that what the Satguru has ordered will eventually be accomplished.
The Satguru gives his disciples everything and always wishes for their welfare. Yet how can he help someone who refuses to improve? Suppose the Satguru asks us to give up a harmful habit, but we continue with it. In that case, we have neither accepted his will nor obeyed his command. The Guru has shown us the right path, but if we refuse to walk on it, we cannot blame him for our failure. Guidance can transform our lives only when we sincerely follow it.
The saints lived according to the circumstances of their time. They fulfilled their worldly duties and connected those duties with devotion to the Lord. Their work did not become an obstacle to spirituality; it became a part of their spiritual life. A person who does not perform his necessary duties cannot practise true devotion, and someone who is truly devoted cannot neglect his responsibilities.
Therefore, the first teaching of the saints is to earn an honest living. The body needs food and other basic necessities. If the stomach is empty and the mind is troubled by hunger, it will naturally think of food before it thinks of God. Spiritual teachings cannot easily settle in a mind burdened by unmet needs. We should first arrange our livelihood through honest work and then move forward on the path of devotion.
A person who avoids work and lives by deceiving or depending upon others may somehow keep his body alive, but his life will not move in the right direction. Food obtained through dishonesty may satisfy hunger, but it gradually corrupts the mind. The kind of food we eat influences our thoughts, our thoughts shape our actions, and our actions determine the direction and result of our lives. Therefore, we should never accept anything obtained through theft, fraud or manipulation.
Kabir Sahib prayed to the Lord for only as much as was needed to feed his family. He did not ask for great wealth or large stores of grain. He simply wished that no one should leave his door hungry. This teaches contentment, honesty, hospitality and compassion. We should fulfil our responsibilities without spending our lives collecting more than we need.
Kabir Sahib also warned against outward displays of devotion. A person may turn the beads of a rosary and repeat the Lord’s name with his tongue, but if his mind continues to wander through worldly thoughts, that is not true remembrance. Real devotion begins with the purification of the mind. It means giving up harmful thoughts, keeping pure feelings in the heart, wishing well for everyone, speaking gently and serving others through our thoughts, words and actions. Only a person who develops these qualities can truly progress on the spiritual path.
How can someone advance in devotion while being filled with worldly desires and constantly seeking praise? The Lord does not need our status, fame or importance. The desire for recognition strengthens the ego and leads us toward downfall. Saints and spiritual masters never called themselves great. They considered themselves servants of the Lord and remained humble even when people honoured or criticised them.
Bulleh Shah was criticised because his way of worship did not fit the customs accepted by society. Yet he remained absorbed in the love of the Lord. He taught that if people condemn you, let them do so; do not lose your humility or your connection with God. A seeker should consider himself small, meek and behind everyone else. The person who remains humble becomes truly great, while the one who begins to think of himself as great starts moving toward decline.
Nature teaches the same lesson. A crop stands upright while it is still empty, but when it becomes filled with grain, it bends toward the earth. In the same way, the more spiritual wealth a person gains, the more humble he should become. Someone already sitting on the ground has nowhere lower to fall. It is the person who rises high in pride who suffers a painful fall. If we wish to rise, we should rise in spiritual awareness, not in worldly ego. Spiritual growth comes through the practice of Naam, obedience and purity of conduct.
Spiritual teachings do not appeal to everyone. A person suffering from hunger, physical pain, sorrow or anxiety may find it difficult to concentrate on satsang. Someone who comes only with a worldly desire will keep thinking about it. The words of the saints touch those who have developed some detachment, who understand that the world is temporary and who sincerely wish to return to their true home. Those who consider the world permanent may feel restless during satsang because their minds are still deeply attached to worldly life.
The saints therefore explained a simple order for living: first earn honestly, then maintain love and peace in the family, and finally devote time to the Lord. This can be expressed in three simple words: work, rest and God. Perform your duties sincerely. When work makes you tired, give the body and mind proper rest. Then sit peacefully in remembrance of the Lord. A balanced life supports devotion; irresponsibility and dependence create worry and disturb the mind.
As long as we survive by constantly asking, borrowing or taking unnecessary loans, our minds remain burdened. We should stand on our own feet and live within our means. We should neither deceive anyone nor take what does not belong to us. Even though many obstacles arise on the path of honesty, we should never leave it out of fear. Truth may be tested, but it is never truly defeated. In the end, victory belongs to truth.
Compassion, humility, devotion and contentment are the qualities that carry a soul across the ocean of existence. A person whose heart is free from hatred, jealousy and discrimination cannot truly lose. The real losers are those who criticise others, spread bitterness or try to destroy another person’s life. They go out intending to harm someone else but eventually damage their own character and peace. Therefore, anyone who sincerely desires his own welfare should perform good deeds and wish well for everyone.
True devotion also requires us to respect the body given to us by the Lord. Alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances make the body impure. The saints also advise us to avoid meat, fish and eggs. This body should not be treated as a place for dead creatures. It is a sacred temple in which the soul lives, and the soul is a part of the Supreme Lord. The Lord is not far away; He is present within this very body.
The distance we feel between the soul and the Lord is created by our own weaknesses: anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy, dishonesty and harmful habits. When these impurities are removed, the inner path becomes clear. We cannot hold tightly to our faults and, at the same time, expect to realise God. The Lord is attained through love, compassion, pure thoughts and a clean heart. Only such a person can practise true devotion, earn the wealth of Naam and receive the spiritual treasure offered by the saints.
Saints come into the world to give, and their spiritual treasure never runs out. What we receive depends upon our willingness and capacity to accept it. The Satguru offers us the precious jewels of Naam, devotion and inner peace, but we often remain occupied with the small and temporary attractions of the world. Like a small trader who does not understand the value of diamonds, we exchange the priceless opportunity of human life for short-lived pleasures.
A person who remains trapped entirely in worldly attachment and Maya finds peace neither here nor hereafter. He cannot enjoy true contentment in this life, and after leaving the body he must face the results of his actions. Confused between the world and the Lord, he gains neither lasting worldly happiness nor spiritual fulfilment.
Therefore, we should not remain divided within. We must gradually turn our thoughts, love and attention toward the one Lord and make Him the foundation of our lives. This does not mean abandoning our family or responsibilities. It means performing every duty honestly while remembering that everything is temporary and that our real purpose is spiritual awakening.
When we accept the Satguru’s will, earn honestly, fulfil our duties, remain humble, purify our habits, love others and practise Naam, the distance between the soul and the Lord begins to disappear. Our thoughts become centred on Him, our conduct becomes gentle, and our life gains a clear direction. When our whole being turns toward the one Supreme Lord, this precious human birth becomes meaningful, and the purpose for which it was given to us is fulfilled.