"MASTERS COME FOR SINNERS"
by
Sant Ajaib Singh ji
June 16, 1977
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Now, O God, pull me toward You.
This is the bani of Sehjo Bai. The reason for taking the writings of
different Mahatmas and Saints is to show that all Saints and Masters Who
came in the past gave out one message. Mahatmas make us understand that
the God for Whom we are searching and Who has given life to all of us is
One. The God for the American people and the God for the Indian and all
other people is the same.
Mahatmas say there is only one practice by which we can achieve that
God, and that way, that Path, is within all human bodies. Up to this
time, He has never been achieved from outside the human body; nor will
He ever be achieved except in the human body. Guru Nanak says that those
who are trying to realize Him outside of their human body are making
useless efforts and are wasting their time. There is no question of man
or woman. It is not true that only men can realize God and women cannot:
both man and woman can do the devotion of God. There is no question of
caste either; people of all castes can do the devotion of God. Many women
have become Mahatmas - Sehjo Bai, Daya Bai, Mira Bai, and among the Muslims,
Mahatma Gargi and Rabia Basri - all these people were perfect Mahatmas.
That's why Sehjo Bai's bani is presented to you. Sehjo Bai's Master
was Charan Das. She was born in a Rajputana family and She was a perfect
meditator; She initiated many people and made them cross the ocean of life.
Mahatmas come in this world carrying much humility with them. And
they have only humility. Master used to say, "God has everything except
humility; He is the All-owner - to whom should He show His humility?" So
now with very much humility, She is begging God, "O God, pull me toward You
and shower grace on me! Only because of Your pull can I create the yearning
to meet You and only with Your grace, love and help will I be able to do
the devotion."
Do not count my bad deeds.
Forgive me, so that You will maintain
Your reputation of forgiving.
If the Guru only looked at our bad deeds and bad qualities He could not
forgive us, and for the rest of our lives we would be able neither to come
to the Satsang nor to get Naam from Him.
Kabir Sahib says, "The Saints come into this world as washermen.
The washerman accepts everyone's clothes. He doesn't care if the clothes
are from the oil merchant, or the baker, or the gentleman." But the thing
is that the clothes of the baker or the oil merchant will need more
attention, more work, while the gentleman's clothes will be easily washed.
But, because he is proud of his honest skill and he knows that he can
clean everyone's clothes, he accepts everyone's clothes.
Similarly, Saints know about Naam and rely on Naam. They know within
whom they will keep that Naam and who will one day go back to Sach Khand.
Kabir Sahib says, "When Naam dwells in the heart all sins go away,
just as a little bit of fire finishes the heap of hay." Guru Nanak says,
"We, the worldly people, committed many sins, but when we got the Naam,
It worked like fire and burned our sins just as wood is burned by fire."
Kabir Sahib says, "Even a leper who is meditating on Naam is better
than a person whose body is made of gold." Sehjo Bai says, "Ask God,
`O God, shower grace on me and don't look at my bad qualities, because
now You are concerned about me and You are taking my care.'"
Age after age Your glory is such,
As is sung in the Vedas and Puranas
Now Sehjo Bai says, "I am not requesting of You any new thing. The Vedas
and Puranas all bear this witness: that God is always liberating the
sinners. That's why I am requesting You to liberate me also."
Master used to say, "The Masters always come for the sinners."
There was one Udham Singh who was a very famous robber of Maza, and he
used to torment the disciples of Master Sawan Singh who were coming to
see Him, and sometimes he drowned them in the river. But when he learned
the importance of the Saints, he came to Master Sawan Singh and got
initiated by Him. After that he used to put a piece of cloth in his mouth
and praise Master Sawan Singh constantly in front of the Sangat. When
Master Sawan Singh used to say to him, "Stop doing that," he would say,
"Let me remove all my sins, because with this mouth I have criticized You
a lot - now let me remove those sins by praising You."
Similarly, there was a famous dacoit in Rajasthan who had committed
many murders. When he came to Master [Kirpal], Master asked him, "What is
your profession?" He replied, "All my life I have been a hunter of men."
Master asked him, "Now what is your idea?" He replied, "That's all over;
now I have come to repent and take refuge at Your feet." Master gave him
initiation and he became a very good man.
In the same way there is the story of Ajamal. Ajamal was the son of a
pandit, but he was caught up in adultery and was defamed in his community
or caste. As you know in India, if anyone in a caste is doing bad deeds he
is thrown out of the caste and the other people in the caste don't have any
relation with him and hate him. So that Ajamal was thrown out of his caste
and he was thrown out of his village also. Outside of the village he made
a small hut and lived there.
Once a perfect Mahatma came there and he was surprised to find a hut
outside of the village. So he came to the hut and asked Ajamal, "Why is
this?" He told him, "I am a sinner; this is the hut of Ajamal the sinner.
I made this mistake in my youth and the people of the community have thrown
me out. I am a very great sinner." As you know, Saints have full power and
have many sticks to rebuke the souls. They have Their own ways of liberating
souls. It is not necessary that They liberate souls only by giving Naam
Initiation. If They want, They can liberate souls only by looking at them
once. They have many ways. Because that perfect Mahatma knew that Ajamal's
attention was scattered all over the world, He knew he could not be
liberated by giving Initiation; He had to use other means. So He told him,
"All right; whatever you have done in the past is done, now forget about
that. But you will have one son and you should name him Narayan. (Narayan
means "God"). And your son Narayan will liberate you."
Now when that Mahatma told him, "You will have a son and name him
Narayan," all the bad thoughts that Ajamal had which were scattered in the
world were concentrated on the name "Narayan" and he was always thinking of
that soul, that son, who was going to come to his home, and he was very
grateful to the Mahatma. He always remembered that Narayan. When his end-
time came, he was still remembering that Narayan. When the angels of death
came to take him and were giving him a very hard time, he cried, "Narayan,
O Narayan, come and save me." So Guru Nanak wrote in his bani of that
occasion: "He did the devotion of God understanding Him as his son;
repeating the name `Narayan,' Narayan came to save him." So he did the
devotion of God understanding Him as his son, and still God came to
liberate him.
That's why Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say, "If you cannot meditate
and your mind is not steady, at least you should love the Master." And you
can love the Master - the more you think of Him, the more you can love Him,
and the more you will be inclined in His direction. The more you will
remember, the more you will become His form.
Your Naam is the liberator of sinners -
Hearing this my mind is determined
Sehjo Bai says, "When I knew that only Your Naam can liberate sinners,
then I had determination and faith in You and believed in You. After
having faith in You, I got Naam from You and now I am begging You to
liberate me, because I know that Your Naam can remove all my sins." Just
as if we put soap or detergent to dirty clothes, all the dirt will be
removed; in the same way, Naam removes all our sins.
Tulsi Sahib says, "Rust cannot eat gold; ants cannot eat iron. The
devotee of the Master, whether he be good or bad, Kal cannot accept
him and he cannot go to hell."
I am ignorant, You know everything about me.
You are all-pervading, all-conscious.
Very often I have said this in the Satsang: that those who are meditating
according to the instructions of the Master, they have never said that
their Master or this Path is untrue; because this Path is true and those
who are meditating according to the instructions of the Master go back
to God. This Path leads the soul toward God, because this Path has
come from God and God Himself has made this Path.
We praise the Masters, but we understand Them only as men. As long
as we are not doing meditation, we do not understand Them as more than
human beings. Those who have gone within never ask any question of their
Master, because they know that He is all-conscious. What question should
I ask of Him Who knows everything?
Bhatt (a disciple) says to Guru Arjan Dev, "We are illiterate and
foolish and have no good qualities. Because we left your nectar, the Naam,
we ate poison." What are the poisons? The poisons are the worldly pleasures.
He said, "We learned about Your good path, and when we came to Your good
path, we understood about You, and the fear of the angels of death was
removed."
Sehjo Bai says here, "I am asking You, even though You know everything
about my heart."
I have taken refuge at Your lotus feet.
O Kirpal (merciful), compassionate Swami (Master).
Now Sehjo Bai says, "I have only the support of Your lotus feet and
now You have to be gracious. You have to shower grace on me; now only You
can help me."
Guru Nanak Sahib says, "If that gracious Saint Kirpal (the merciful)
showers grace on your soul, even critics can be liberated along with the
dear ones."
Folding my hands I beg You:
Please accept me, and let me sit in Your lap.
Now Sehjo Bai says, "Folding my hands, I am begging You, I am praying to
You: Please take me into Your lap, let me sit in Your lap so that I may
know that I am sitting in my Father's lap."
My beloved Satguru Kirpal never allowed me to bow down to His feet.
Always He was embracing me, always He was making me sit on His lap. I had
never gotten such love and I can never get such love again in this life.
He would not make me sit on His lap when alone only, but in front of all
the people; and the people who were standing there, they would sing this
hymn: blessed are the souls whom the Guru embraces, very blessed are those
souls whom Master allows to touch His body. Hazur Maharaj Ji was the ocean
of love, and according to the capacity of their vessels, everyone received.
Hazur used to say this also: "There is no problem for the giver. The
problem is only with the receivers."
I have come to thy door, O Param Purush
(supreme being);
I do not have any good qualities.
Now even after reaching Sach Khand, how much humility does Sehjo Bai have!
She says, "I don't have any good qualities. All the good qualities are in
you, I am still full of faults."
Kabir Sahib says, "Always sit at the door of the Saints even though
you are pushed away from there and are always thrown out. Still you should
be attached to that place."
All the wealthy people are unhappy,
poor people are the form of unhappiness;
Sehjo says: Sadhus, Who have known the secret
of the unique path, are the only happy people.
Now Sehjo Bai gives a very beautiful example to make us understand that it
is not by collecting worldly wealth that we can get happiness and peace.
She says, "The more you have worldly wealth, the more you collect money,
the more you will become restless and the less happiness and peace you will
have." She also says, "If you have collected a hundred thousand, you will
want to collect millions; if you have collected millions, you will want to
collect billions. In that way your mind will lose all peace and happiness."
Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say, "Only the desires of man keep him
a pauper."
On the other hand, Sehjo Bai says, "The people who do not have any
wealth, they are also not happy, because in the evening they need food to
eat and also shelter. They have become the form of unhappiness. Neither
the wealthy man nor the poor man is happy." Sehjo says, "Only those who
have got the knowledge of the Saints, the knowledge of God, are happy."
Tulsi Sahib also says, "Some are unhappy because of their minds, some
are unhappy because of their bodies. Everybody has one or another kind of
suffering. But only the servant, the dass, of the Mahatma, who is doing
meditation, is happy."
Guru Nanak Sahib says, "O Nanak, all this world is suffering. Only
they are happy who have Naam as their refuge."
Neither in reading nor in arguing
is there happiness;
Sehjo says: Sadhus Who have made
the third plane their abode
are the only happy ones.
Now Sehjo Bai says, "Neither the learned man nor the illiterate ones are
happy," because by reading all kinds of knowledge, we get the habit of
arguing and debating. And there is no happiness or peace in that debating
and arguing. Neither are the illiterates happy. But only those who have
contacted God, whose connection is made with God - only they are happy.
I have had the opportunity to see many learned men and attend their
meetings. I have seen that if any learned man is giving any speech or
lecture, the other people who are sitting there also get something from
within and want to speak. And if they don't get the opportunity to speak,
they go away with anger in their mind.
Hazur Maharaj Ji used to say, "To come into Sant Mat even a person
with a master's degree has to become a child five years old." Guru Nanak
says, "Even if you read a million tons of paper, even then your mind will
not get any peace. Those who are remembering the name of Gobind - God -
they can have peace." There is no question of reading or illiteracy here.
Those who are doing the meditation, only they can have peace.
Just as the tongs of the blacksmith experience
water one moment and fire the next.
So are the pains and happinesses of this world.
Sehjo, you give them up and run away from them.
Now Sehjo Bai says, "We have come into this world carrying our good and bad
deeds, carrying happiness and pain." If we had done only good deeds, we
would have been allowed to stay in the heavens forever; if we had only bad
deeds to our account, we would have been compelled to stay in hell forever.
But because of the good and bad karmas, the good and bad deeds, we have
been sent into this world and have been given this human body. And that's
why you will not find anyone who has not enjoyed any happiness or anyone who
has never suffered pain. Everyone enjoys happiness and everyone endures
pains and sufferings.
Guru Nanak says, "This is the city of good and bad deeds and only by
taking refuge in the Mahatma can one be liberated from this."
Now Sehjo Bai gives us this very beautiful example to make us understand
that the happiness and pain of this world which we have got are just like
the tongs of the blacksmith. You see, the blacksmith's tongs are in the hot
furnace for some time and for some time in the cool water. So She says, "We
are getting happiness and pain which are coming and going like the tongs of
the blacksmith."
Sehjo says: Live in this world as the tongue
lives in the mouth.
Even after eating Ghee (butter)
it doesn't take on its greasiness.
Hazur used to give a very beautiful example to make us understand: that
we should be like that fly which comes and sits on the edge of the bowl
full of honey, eats that honey and flies away with dry wings. But there
is another fly who comes and sits in the center of that bowl of honey;
but she can neither eat the honey nor fly, because when she tries to get
out her legs are stuck, and when she tries to pull out her legs her wings
are stuck. So in that way she cannot eat the honey nor can she remove her
body, and she dies in the bowl of honey without even tasting it.
Mahatmas do not tell us to give up the world and go into the wilderness.
But They say, "Live in the world like that fly who ate the honey sitting
on the edge of the bowl and flew away with her wings dry." They say,
"Whatever duties you have been given - taking care of a family and
children - you live in this world and take care of those children
understanding that as your duty. But keep your goal, always remember your
goal, and always keep your attention toward that Shabd Naam."
Sehjo Bai gives another very beautiful example: "The tongue is in our
mouth but even if we are always eating the clarified butter, still our
tongue will not get glossy or greasy from eating that ghee." In the same
way, if we always live in this world remembering our goal, we will remain
unaffected by the pollution of this world.
Mahatmas go so far as to say, "This small tongue has thirty-two enemies
to fight, but still she is always safe there." We say, when we get free
time, only then will we meditate. But the Mahatmas tell us, "You look at
the condition of the tongue; she is living in the prison of the thirty-two
teeth but still she is safe and dping her work."
We have to go; we are not to live here always;
we are to go soon.
Sehjo says: For the pleasure of a moment,
do not sacrifice your head.
Now Sehjo Bai says, "We are like the travelers in this world. All our
companions are fellow travelers and it is not wise to forget your goal
when you stop and rest in the shade of a tree for a few moments. And if
you start building any houses here, that is not good." It is the work of
the traveler that if he is resting he should always remember his goal and
he should always keep his goal in front of him.
Similarly we are like the travelers in this world. Our work is to
remember our goal and always go on proceeding toward that. Our work
is not to dwell permanently in this world because we are not going to
live in this world forever.
King Ibrahim Adham of Balkh Bukhara used to sleep on a very comfortable
bed made out of tons of flowers. Once a man was sent by God Himself, and
he was wandering about on the roof of his palace. So the King asked him,
"Who are you?" He replied, "I am a shepherd." So the King of Balkh Bukhara
asked him again, "What are you doing here?" He said, "I have lost some of
my camels and I am looking for them here." So the king said, "O foolish
man, how can camels come onto the roof of a palace?" He replied, "In the
same way that God can be realized by sleeping on a bed of flowers."
And when that man went away the King thought, "Why didn't I ask him how
God is realized?" But anyway he went to bed and he slept and on another day
when he went to his court, the same person came there without caring about
any gatekeeper or anyone and came straight to the King, who was very
surprised that he had made it through without the permission of the
gatekeeper or guard. He said to that King, "I want to stay in this
travelers' inn; what should I do?" The King asked him, "Who told you this
is a travelers' inn? This is my palace!" So he said, "Who lived here before
you?" The King replied, "My father was living here before me." After that
he asked, "Who was living here before him?" And in that way he counted
many forefathers. So the man asked, "When the people are always coming and
going from this place, is it not a travelers' inn?" Then that person went
away.
Then the King of Balkh Bukhara realized, "Really, this is a traveler's
inn; because people are always coming and going from this place. No one
lives here permanently." Again he thought, "Why didn't I ask him how God
is realized and what is our real home?"
Because he was yearning for God, he gave up all his kingship and
started searching for God. He came to India and eventually to Kashi.
Kabir was a Muslim and he was also a Muslim, so he thought he would
get along well with Kabir. So he came to Kabir Sahib and he stayed with
him. Kabir Sahib told him, "I am a poor man and you are a King. How will
you be able to stay here?" So he replied, "No, whatever you will give me
I will be satisfied with that only; please allow me to live with you."
He lived with Kabir Sahib, Who was a weaver; His work was weaving and
all day they were making threads and they were doing all kinds of weaving
work. And in that way, serving Kabir Sahib, six years passed. Because
women are always the soft hearted ones, Mata Loi thought, "He is the king
and we are poor and he has been living here six years and serving us;
Kabir should give him something." So she asked Kabir to initiate him.
But Kabir Sahib said, "No; his vessel is not ready." So Mata Loi
said, "How can I believe that when whatever I am telling him he is doing?
That means he is ready and you should give him something." But Kabir
Sahib said, "No, he is not ready." But Mata Loi would not believe it. So
Kabir Sahib said, "All right; we will test him." Kabir Sahib told Mata
Loi to stand on the roof carrying some fruit skins and other garbage.
And when he called the king of Balkh Bukhara, she should throw the garbage
on him and they would see what would happen then. So Kabir Sahib called
the king, "Come here!" When he was going out of the room into the street,
Mata Loi, who was standing on the roof threw that garbage all over his
head. He became very angry and looked at Mata Loi and said, "If we were
in Balkh Bukhara I would give you a very good lesson and learn why you
have done this!" And he spoke many foul things also. Mata Loi was very
surprised because she had thought he was a very humble man. So then she
believed, "Yes, he is not yet ready."
After that, similarly, six more years passed. But Mata Loi was afraid
that whatever she was seeing was not true. She was seeing the King of
Balkh Bukhara as he was before. So she didn't recommend to Kabir Sahib to
give him Initiation. But one day Kabir Sahib called Mata Loi, "Now he is
ready for Initiation, because his vessel is now ready." Mata Loi said,
"How can I believe this, because I am looking at him and he is exactly as
he was before? I do not see any difference." So Kabir Sahib said, "All
right. This time you stand with a great basket of rubbish and dirt instead
of those fruit skins. Again when I call him, you should throw that on his
head and then we will see." So then Kabir Sahib called him and he came.
And when he was coming Mata Loi threw that basket of dirt down on his head.
When that happened, the King of Balkh Bukhara looked up and said, "I am
grateful to whoever has thrown this because I am much more dirty than this
dirt. I am very grateful to you."
So then Kabir Sahib said to Mata Loi, "He is ready," and then He gave
him the Initiation. When Kabir Sahib was giving him the instructions and
telling him about the Initiation his inner vision was opened, and in that
way, right from his Initiation, he went up.
After getting Initiation, once when he was sitting on the bank of the
River Dhajal and sewing a cushion, his prime minister came there and said
to him, "O King, I took care of your children and I taught them how to
fight in battle. Moreover, I have taken care of your kingdom up to this
day. But now you should come back to the kingdom and you should be King.
I will work under your guidance. Please return to the kingdom, because I
don't want to manage the kingdom anymore."
So when that minister told him that, the king threw that needle with
which he was sewing into the river and said, "Minister, bring me that
needle." And the minister replied, "If you give me half an hour I can
give you thousands of needles like that." But the King said, "No, I want
the same needle." But he couldn't do that. Then the King applied his
attention and a fish came out holding that same needle. And after that
the King told his minister, "I don't want that unreal kingdom of yours.
If you want to take care of that, do so; if you don't want to, don't. But
I don't want that unreal kingdom because now I have got the real kingdom,
Sach Khand."
Sehjo says: With the grace of Master
I have learned:
"Do not rely on your breaths, as death
is standing on your head."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO CONTENTS
