WHY WORRY?
by
Sant Ajaib Singh Ji
May 26, 1977,
Sant Bani Ashram
Sanbornton, New Hampshire
0, Kabir, why should I worry?
What will I bring about by worrying?
God worries about me, I have no worries.
If you want to accomplish anything in this world, the first thing required
is to have faith, to have belief. When we are traveling in a train, going
over rivers on the bridges built by engineers, we have faith in those
engineers that their bridges will not break down. We surrender our
precious lives in their hands and travel in the train without any worries.
Fearlessly, we sleep all night while the train crosses bridge after bridge.
In the same way, when we fly in the air, we go up miles above the earth.
We surrender our lives to the pilots and the engineers because we have
faith in them that they will take us to the right place and that they are
able to take us where we want to go.
Similarly, when we enter into Sant Mat, in the beginning we need
much faith in the Master. If we have any doubt, we cannot progress and
the way to Him will not be open to us. We can deceive and misguide the
people, but we cannot deceive that God Which is within us; we cannot
play tricks on Him. In the beginning we need to build up faith outwardly
and, after that, when we go within and see with our own eyes, we realize
that we need not worry about anything: because the God Who is residing
within us is concerned about us and He is doing everything for us.
We read in the history of Bhagat Namdev that he had a very beautiful
hut and his neighbor was very jealous of it and wanted to destroy it.
Once it so happened that his neighbor did destroy it. But Bhagat
Namdev was not unhappy with him; he sat in meditation and said, "I am
not worried about this hut; if God wants me to sit in a hut He will make it
for me." And while he was sitting in meditation, his Satguru came and
made him a hut - much more beautiful than before - and that had been
the best hut in the village. His neighbors asked him, "Namdev, who has
made this hut? If the same person will come and make our huts, we can
pay him more than you have paid." But Namdev replied, "He will ask
for much more than you can pay." What payment does He ask? He tells
us to detach ourselves from our family, and all our attachments; when
we give Him this payment, then there is no need to call Him. He will
come by Himself.
Bhagat Namdev was a cloth dyer by profession, and he was not work-
ing hard at his trade; he was not a good businessman. He would come
home and his family would ask him, "What are you doing? Why are you
not making money?" He would say, "I don't find any customer to
whom I can sell my clothes." Then his mother told him to sell his clothes
on credit if nobody was ready to pay cash. So he took his clothes, went
outside, gave some of his clothes to the beggars and put the rest on some
stones there and came back. His mother asked him, "How is business?"
He replied, "Yes, I have given all the clothes on credit." His mother
asked, "When will you get paid for them?" He replied, "They told me
that whenever they have it, they will come here and pay us." Then he sat
for meditation. Some people told Namdev's family, "Nobody is going
to come here to pay you: brother Namdev has given his clothes to the
beggars and he has put some of them on the stones, and they will not give
you any money." So God Himself came in the form of a man, and
brought some money. He said, "Namdev has given me some clothes;
here is the payment." Bhagat Namdev was sitting there, in meditation,
while his God, his Master, came there in the form of a man.
But what are we people doing? We are worrying for our own self, and
we are always concerned that if we do not do this thing, we will not be
able to get that and this work will not be done. Because we are always
thinking for own self, we are suffering. We do not have faith in that God
Who has given us birth, Who has brought us into this world. We some-
times even forget that He is concerned about us and we think that He will
not give us food, He will not give us that which we need. But what are
Saints and Mahatmas doing? They don't worry about anything and they
leave everything to their Satguru. That's why their Satguru always
fulfills their needs. Guru Nanak says, "Look at God, how He has
created the creatures who live in the ocean. There is no market there; no
shopping place. But still, God is providing them food and whatever they
need. Everything is provided there, under the water."
Sadhus never save money, they accept only what is needed
For the future, God is there; when they ask He gives.
Now Kabir Sahib says that sadhus never collect money in banks, because
whenever they need it, God or their Master Himself provides it for
them.* If they do get some money from the sangat, they use that money
for the benefit of the satsang: they will set up a free kitchen or make any
necessary building for the sangat. In that also, if they need more money
for those purposes, God Himself comes and gives that money: because
God, or the Master of that Saint, is always worried about that Saint, and
whatever he needs He provides him with that. I have seen that Baba
Bishan Das never kept any money with him. But still - I don't know how
he did it - the langar was provided for the people who were coming
there, and nobody had to worry about where the money would come
from. When Hazur first came to our ashram, a lot of food was brought
there, but I don't even know who the man was who brought that food in
his truck. I tried to investigate and find out who the man was who
brought all that, but I was never able to find out. At three o'clock in the
morning that man came in his truck and told my sevadars, "This is for
your ashram." And my sevadars took it, and the next morning they told
me that somebody had come and given it to them. I mean to say that if
we have faith in our Satguru, we have everything; because Satguru
knows everything.
{* The following is from the Dehra Dun Northern Post, April 2, 1971: "His
Holiness Sant Kirpal Singh, who is celebrating `Mankind Day' tomorrow at ...
beautifully constructed 'Manav Kendra' on 25 acres of land, told the Post about
his further programme... The tall and cheerful saint, when asked how many
centres he intends to build .... gleefully laughed and said, `God is my budget-I
am going on like wildfire'... ")
Don't worry, remain worryless: the Giver is competent.
He gives even to animals, birds and insects, who neither have
anything in their hands nor any store.
Now Kabir says, Why do you worry? You should have only one worry
and that is about meditation: because that God Who has given you life,
He is worried about you-very much. Look at the birds and animals.
They don't have any bank balance; they don't have any source from
where to get money. But, still, God provides them with food by one or
another means.
The tortoise hatches the eggs, without nipples she feeds them;
In this way the Creator feeds all in the three worlds.
Kabir Sahib now gives a very special example, a very beautiful exam-
ple. You see, the tortoise lays her eggs on dry land, and those eggs hatch
there. But she doesn't have any nipples to feed the babies milk, like a
woman does, and she doesn't have any beak through which she can give
food for those babies. But Kabir says that to those babies also, God is
providing food. Kabir says that God is providing food not only to the
creatures which are in this physical world, but to all in the three worlds.
Whatever creatures are born in any of the three worlds, God provides
them food and whatever they need.
When day breaks and morning comes all the creatures wake up.
He gives to all according to their needs.
Now Kabir Sahib says that early in the morning when the sun rises and
everybody gets up - humans, birds, animals and every creature - God
provides them with food according to their needs; whatever they want,
God provides for them. Early in the morning, the birds remember God
in their own language. Farid Sahib says, "I sacrifice myself for those
birds who after eating, after picking over the stones, still remember
God." But man, even after eating many delicious foods, spends his
whole night in sleeping.
When one's mind unites with Sat Naam, he avoids Yama.
I have faith in the Master, that such a man will not go to hell.
Now Kabir Sahib says a great thing, which we should believe. He says
that when one goes and unites with Sat Naam, he puts a great distance
between himself and the angel of death. And Kabir Sahib says, "I
believe that those who have faith in their Master will never go to hell,
nor will they have any connection with the angel of death."
The Writer has written the fate, now nothing else can be
written there;
No matter what one may do, it can't be decreased, even a little
bit - nor can it be increased.
Kabir Sahib says, "Whatever we have to suffer or enjoy - happiness,
pain, good health, disease, wealth or poverty (Master Sawan Singh Ji
also used to say that all humans have these six things written in their
fate)- whatever is written in our fate, we have to suffer or enjoy it at any
cost. We cannot add anything to it; nor can we subtract anything from it.
O Lord, give me enough so that my family may survive;
I do not want to be hungry - the sadhu also should not go
hungry.
Now Kabir Sahib prays, "0 God, 0 Satguru, give me only that much in
which I can maintain myself and my family. And moreover, if any sadhu
comes to me, let him also not go away from my house without satisfying
his hunger. Give me only that much." It is written in the history of Kabir
Sahib that He spent all His life in weaving clothes, working on the loom
and serving the sangat. And sometimes when the sangat was visiting His
house, many times it happened that He was providing them with beds
and He Himself was sleeping on the floor. Sometimes it happened that
He gave the chapatis and food which had been made for Him, to the
sangat, and He Himself was eating gram. Kabir's mother was not happy
with this. She said, "Nobody used to take the name of Ram in this family,
but since Kabir has come, everything has changed. He is neither
weaving nor doing any other work. If anyone comes to him, he starts
talking to them and always he is doing this and not worrying about
worldly things." She used to say, "I don't know what is going on with
the people. Two people are coming from one place, two from another
place, three are sitting there and three are on their way. But when they
come into his presence, and talk with him, they get intoxicated and close
their eyes, and I don't know what is going on."
Those who have faith in Master, the Guru is always with them.
Even if Kal creates many storms, their attention is never
disturbed.
Kabir Sahib says that those who have faith in the Master and who always
believe in Him, are protected by Him. No matter if the Negative Power
creates many storms, even then He never lets them down. Such a disciple
will never allow dryness to come within him. Even if the Negative Power
creates many tricks to disturb him, still, with the grace and protection of
Satguru, he will always be devoted and he will always have faith in the
Master.
Negative Power is a great power. Hazur Swami Ji Maharaj says that
sometimes the Negative Power comes to us in the form of a friend and he
will ask us, "What is the point of this devotion? Nobody is going to
protect you. This is all a bogus thing." Sometimes he will come as an enemy
and will frighten us: "If you do this devotion, terrible things will happen
and you will get sick." And sometimes he does bring sickness and
disease to our body, because the Negative Power is such a great power
that he can create this kind of disturbance. When we get up in the night
and sit for meditation, sometimes the mind comes as a friend, saying,
"The night is very long, and tomorrow you are free. You can meditate
afterwards." And we fall asleep. When the morning comes, mind
again says, "You have a very long day, you can do it in the afternoon."
And when the afternoon comes, again the same thing. If, somehow, we
make up our mind to sit in the night time, then he will play another
trick, saying, "Just lie down for a few minutes." Then when we get up,
we see that the sun has risen.
After searching for the Path, accept it with faith -
Then you will meet the Lord, as the goat fearlessly ate grass,
climbing the elephant.
Kabir Sahib says that the Path which is shown to you by the Master is
real. The Masters are not telling you about that Path after hearing
about it from others, or as theoretical knowledge obtained from other
people, but because They have traversed it Themselves. That's why
They have given it to us. Have faith in Them and believe in Them, in
what They say, and one day you will also do it. He refers to a story in
which it so happened that a goat took refuge with a tiger; she had faith
that the tiger was very pleased with her, and because she was afraid of
the other animals, he assigned an elephant to carry her always to the
other side of the pond and to guard her while she drank water and ate
grass. So, Kabir Sahib says, in just the same way as that goat had full
faith in the tiger, so that she was walking freely in the forest, if we
have faith in Master or the Saint, we can also do the same thing.
The body is a fragrant tree, mind is a honey bee who is
attracted to the beautiful smell;
If the tree is watered by the nectar of Naam, it can bear fruit
by faith.
Kabir Sahib says that when we meditate on Naam, in the beginning our
mind creates sometimes dryness in us; but if we have faith in the Master,
when we collect our scattered thoughts and that Naam is manifested
within us, we know everything. The Naam can be manifested within us
only because of our faith-because we believe in Master. The tree of
faith will bear the fruit of Naam: we will manifest the Naam within us.
Even if one sings praise but remains attached, still his snare
of doubt will not be removed.
Without faith all are like hollow bamboo stalks.
Now Kabir Sahib says that the people who are preaching about God to
other people, but do not themselves have belief in God, they are hollow
inside like bamboo sticks.
Those who only sang of Him didn't get Him, but He is far
from those who don't sing of Him.
The Lord is always with them who sing of Him with faith.
Kabir Sahib says that those who have not realized God, but who are tell-
ing the stories of God to other people, they themselves are dry and they
make others also dry. But the man who has realized that God and whose
tongue is always wet with the Naam of that God, he himself is also wet
from inside with the Name of God and he gives the same wetness of
Naam to others. That's why Hazur Maharaj used to say that until you
have reached the third plane, Daswan Dwar, you should not try to ex-
plain to other people about this Path, not try to make other people
understand-but you yourself should try to understand. Hazur used to
say that by testing others we leave ourselves open to being tested; and we
should not make ourselves vulnerable in this way.
Those who have real faith, why should their pain not end?
Kabir says: After thinking it over, He surrenders His body
and mind.
Now Kabir Sahib says that, if you have true belief and true faith in the
Master, there is no question of your cycle of births and deaths not being
finished. First of all have full faith in the Master, and after that,
whatever practices he has told you to do, do them; and surrender your
body and mind to Him.
If one remembers Master with faith, even iron can turn into
gold.
Those who meditate on Naam with love are not affected by
pleasure and pain.
Now Kabir Sahib gives a very beautiful example. He says that if we have
faith in the Master, only then can we do bhakti. If we have faith in Him,
only then can we change ourselves into that goat. No matter how many
sins we have in our account, if we have full faith in our Master and do
meditation, we can also become mahatmas. Sehjo Bai says in Her
writing: "First, before taking refuge in Master, I had done many bad
deeds and I was carrying that bag of sins on my head; but when I came to
the feet of my Master, all my sins left me." When she did meditation on
Shabd Naam and connected herself with Shabd Naam, all her sins left.
Tulsi Sahib says, "Gold cannot rust, and iron cannot be eaten by ants."
Similarly, the disciple of a perfect Master, whether he is bad or whether
he is good, cannot be caught in the clutches of the angel of death. To be a
devotee of the Guru is most necessary. We can become His devotee only
when we collect our scattered thoughts with the help of Simran and
withdraw from all openings of the body and bring ourselves together at
the third eye. When we become the devotee of the Guru, then the Shabd
Dhun Which is resounding within us pulls us up. We can become His
devotee only when we learn to die while we are living. Simran takes us up
to sun, moon, stars, and to the Radiant Form of the Master. Beyond
this, Simran cannot take us. When the form of Master is manifested,
after that, He Himself, Who is the form of Shabd Dhun, takes us up. He
talks with us just as we talk with people outwardly.
At present you people don't know the greatness of Simran. You don't
know how beneficial Simran is. Through doing Simran many super-
natural powers come to a satsangi, and we become their master. But
Master always warns us not to use those powers for anything, except
spiritual advancement. If we do, we cannot advance spiritually.
Kabir Sahib says that blessed is King Janak Who had done Simran,
because His Simran of one minute liberated millions of sinners. So we
should not give up our Simran when are talking, walking, or doing
anything else. We should always continue doing our Simran. You do it
for a few days, and then you will understand what you can achieve
through constant Simran. Guru Nanak says, "If we do the Simran done
by the Master, we rise above births and deaths; and if we do the Simran
given by the Master, there is no question of coming again into this
world."
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