SALVATION TOUR BY HIS HOLINESS
BABA HARDEV SINGH JI MAHARAJ
July
6, 2008
(Uttara Khand,
Mussoorie)
On the eve of the departure of His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj from Mussoorie, a blood donation camp was organized there at the Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawan, which was followed by a thickly attended congregation. Addressing the gathering, Baba Ji said:
“I have often visited Garhwal, specially the town of Mussoorie. In 1950s Baba Avtar Singh Ji used to come quite often and spend lot of time here. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji also visited Mussoorie regularly. I too have visited Mussoorie since 1960, my childhood, every year, except for one year. Initially Mussoorie had only a limited number of Punjabi families and we spent most of our time with them. Mussoorie hosted two important conferences of the Mission, first in 1965 and then in 1973, where several decisions were taken which had far reaching significance from the administrative as well as social point of view. And as the time passed, many families of the local people of Garhwal joined the Mission. They are now endeavouring with a spirit of cooperation to take the voice of Truth, which they have attained, to everybody else.
Devotees come here not only from Mussoorie, but various other places also. As compared to other cities, they find the environment here free from pollution. This freshness makes the body feel pleasant. Then we have the congregations of saints both in the morning and in the evening. This lends freshness to the mind, to the soul also.
Today, you organized a blood donation camp here. Devotees treat the entire mankind as their family. They remain submitted to God and serve humanity in different ways. Just as the river flows only for others, the trees give their fruits to others, devotees too lead their lives for the welfare of others. The world is overwhelmed by selfishness. What to talk of others, man deceives the members of his own family for his selfishness. He deprives them of their rights. Devotees, on the other hand, make sacrifices for the sake of others. While the world is guided by selfishness, devotees’ motto is selflessness. Devotees know only to give and they always try to give happiness to others. They do not only wish well for others, they do well unto others with full sense of submission.
Good people and bad people have always existed simultaneously. If there is darkness on the one side, the light has also existed on the other. There are people with noble values, while at the same time there are others who suffer from all kinds vices. Their minds are filled by the poison of hatred and they lend the same poison to others also and thus spoil the whole atmosphere. The devotees, on the other hand, always endeavour to lead a life like devotees did in all the ages in the past. They always wish to seek inspiration from what the saints of the past sought to teach, and mould their attitude accordingly.
Those who lead such a life are known to be religious in the real sense. Otherwise, people identify their religion with a particular style of dress, diet and culture only. Truly speaking, to be religious means to be united with Truth, to be guided by love for all, to rise above all kinds of discrimination. Visibly, a religious person turns the beads of the rosary in his hands, while his mind may be thinking of harming someone. If the mind is full of poison, full of hatred, how can one be called a religious person? A religious person is not identified with a particular dress or culture, he is known from his nature to help others, to work for the welfare of others. To cause harm to others is meanness. That is how we distinguish between a religious person and a non-religious person.
Truth has neither changed nor will change in any age. The features of devotion i.e. love, surrender, compassion, brotherhood, selfless service, congregation etc. are as significant today as they were in earlier ages. To live life hued in the hue of God-Formless while absorbed every moment in God-Awareness was as significant in the past as it is today for a devotee. Body, mind and possessions if used only for selfish and with an aim to exploit others are considered as impure today as they were in the past. Just as the significance of Sun and water has not changed with the change in time and age, the significance of different aspects of devotion in man’s life has also not changed.
Saints have always asked man to live his life in love, where there is no room for hatred. A writer has said, ‘If you cease to love, you cease to live’. Love is extremely significant as it gives life and beauty to the world whereas hatred destroys it. Love is a blooming flower whereas hatred is a prickly thorn. Man should not nurture hatred for anyone. Instead of hatred on account of his caste or creed or position or wealth or power, man should live a humble life. The one who makes himself humblest of the humble is the loftiest. To live a life devoid of pride is also an art. The lofty position of those who imbibed humility could never be lowered by anyone despite their vicious efforts. Those who have already destroyed their ego can not be destroyed by anyone. ‘Those who sleep on the floor, do not fall from their beds.’ The feelings of love, humility, large-heartedness, tolerance etc. are such ornaments which adorn man’s life just as the ornaments of gold, silver and diamonds adorn the body. Those who live in such a manner are indeed significant.”
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