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SRUTI - PAM's Encyclopedia

My experience reveals to me that in almost all the cases, with perhaps rare exceptions, I had to thrust into them everything required for their own spiritual growth; still everyone seemed to be slipping down if my attention was withdrawn even for a while. This can be due to nothing but lack of earnestness. (SS-384)

LADIES

Punctuality of time for puja is not possible in the case of ladies because of their varied duties, and is hence not insisted upon in their case. They may however utilise their spare time for the purpose. That is a special allowance in their case. Besides, if they go on with their household work with the thought that they are doing their duty in compliance with God's command, it shall all be transformed into puja and they shall be with it all the while without any conscious effort on their part. (SS-287,288)

LALAJI

Please see ADI GURU.

LALAJI ERA

It was the auspicious day of Basant Panchami (1873) on which the Divine Soul of the Great Master descended on earth in the physical form of Samarth Guru Mahatma Shri Ram Chandraji of Fatehgarh (U.P.). The happy day, so beautifully coordinated with the most pleasant season of the year, breathed into every heart the blooming freshness of the spring. The blissful time ushered in by His advent introduced a new era of spiritual awakening which promises a practical solution of the human problem of existence. Our hearts leap up with joy when we recall to our mind the grand renaissance brought about by him in the spiritual field. He offers an easy solution of the problem of existence which has ever been confounding even the greatest of sages.Practical experience alone can verify the truth of what I say herein.

There was a time when India was at the highest pinnacle of spiritual glory, claiming to be the world-teacher of religion and spirituality. But with the march of time the degradation set in and almost every thing of it seemed to be lost. In course of time we sank to such a low level that even those who previously learnt from us began to claim to be our guides on the path. There have been, no doubt, at times higher souls who tried to mend and correct the situation, but in spite of their efforts the degradation went on increasing on the whole. Finally we not only lost everything but also forgot about it altogether; and now, if anything of it comes to our view, it seems to be quite foreign to us, and we do not feel inclined even to believe it. It was however not only to revive this long-forgotten spiritual science that the great master had come into this world but also to bring it again to our practical knowledge and perception.

It is thus for the spiritual regeneration of mankind and the emancipation of the pining souls that the Great Master came down to help the masses on the Divine path through the old yogic process of pranahuti. The process, though age-old, had during the later period been quite forgotten and was almost lost to the Hindus whose saints were the very originators of it. It is this service of the highest rank that the Mission stands for. None of the workers in it including even the preceptors have any personal motive, neither for money nor for fame and appreciation. This is, as a matter of fact, one of the essential duties of a true teacher of spirituality. But it is a pity that few of the people perhaps take these facts into account since we do not bear any imposing appearances by way of particular form of living or dress. My master's calibre was, of course, beyond words. To enumerate all his merits would be like lighting a candle before the sun. Suffice it to say that he was a Samarth Guru in the true sense. He brought to the people's view the ideal of human life and the surest means for achieving it in an ordinary worldly life surrounded by troubles and worries. The means he suggested provided for an easy approach to the highest point for which one had previously to give up one's home, family and worldly life and to take up an ascetic form of living. He not only convinced the people of the efficacy of the natural means but also took them successfully along the path up to the highest level.

The system which he brought to light provides easy means for the highest spiritual advancement along with due discharge of our worldly duties and responsibilities. Similar in spirit was the practice in vogue in the time of Lord Krishna, through which he imparted spiritual training during his time. But in course of time the system, having been relegated into oblivion, was completely lost. Now the same old system has been revived and brought to light in new colours by our great master who had beyond doubt come into the world for this very purpose. Blessed are those who had the good fortune of having been associated with him. He was beyond all shortcomings and had in this respect no parallel. What he did for the bewildered humanity is really beyond words. He infused into all those who were connected with him a new life by creating in them a spirit of negation which is sufficient to absolve the very being of man. He introduced unfailing practical means for the attainment of the Highest. Such great personalities of calibre, though very rare indeed, have been in existence at all times and shall ever be. But to trace them out is the real difficulty, which depends to some extent upon one's samskaras or past impressions also. There is still another difficulty. Even if we somehow happen to come into contact with such a great soul most of us may not feel inclined to accept him as such, because he seems to offer no charm. This is all due to the mayavic effect they are encircled in, which keeps them confined only to things of similar nature.

In olden days the gurus usually demanded from the abhyasis a good deal of personal service in order to develop in them capacity for the Divine knowledge and to promote fitness for it, before they imparted to them even an iota of spirituality. But our great master, taking into account the helpless condition of a common man, most graciously dropped this precondition. All through his life he avoided accepting personal service of the abhyasis. On the other hand he himself offered to serve them physically at the time of need. Thus he devoted himself to the all-round service of humanity, all his life. (SS-9,10,11,12,13,14)

For further reading please see ADI GURU.

LAST STAGE

Please see STAGES OF PROGRESS.

LATENT MOTIONS

The latent motions generated power which rushed out and created something that can, for the sake of understanding, be expressed like the eggs of a fish in the spawn. These egg-like things are full of concentrated essence of power and energy created by invisible motions. Now all these three, i.e., the Centre, the latent motion, and the so-called egg-like things, are so adjacent to one another that it is very difficult to distinguish them each separately, and all seem to be one, or adjusted together as one. (BWS-85)

But though they were dissolved into Origin losing their individuality, the previous impressions persisted. This was because of the shade of reality which remained under till the time of dissolution, which helped them to retain the effect of the impressions during the entire period of their existence. How long they continued to absorb this effect is beyond human imagination to determine. It must at least have been during the entire period of existence since the time of creation. The effect taken in by them was no other than the motion which generated from the shocks of the Root-Power. This being saturated with the effect remained slowly in motion and this continued indefinitely. This powerful motion is not visible and can be perceived with difficulty. It is known as the Latent Motion around the Centre. This thing went on till the time of creation. (BWS-126,127)

LAYA / LAYAVASTHA

Merging really refers to a state of settledness in the condition at a certain point, or knot, arrived at by the abhyasi. When after sufficient practice an abhyasi is able to secure his entry into a certain knot or granthi, he goes round in it for some time touring the place in order to acquire a thorough experience of it. By this process he begins to absorb in him the state prevailing at the place. When he becomes saturated with it, his merging has then come into effect. This is known as layavastha (merging). But the consciousness of the condition we have by now arrived at also exists, and so long as it does, the state of merging cannot be said to have matured to fullness. For this we have to proceed on further to acquire the state of settledness, which is termed as identicality or sarupyata. This again is not to the final phase, till it has developed into a still finer state of sayujyata, where the impressions of the state of merging and identicality also become extinct. (BWS-307,308 Footnote)

For further reading please see SAYUJYATA.

LAZY / LAZINESS

I regret to find that some of you do not try to overcome your lazy habits, which is a clear indication of the fact that the ideal has not yet been firmly fixed in your mind. If it is foremost in your view, it can never be that you would shirk or neglect your duty in this respect. (SS-260)

It is my strange experience that laziness can also breed cancer. I have come to the point that laziness is surrender to the self. In other words, a lazy man surrenders to the self which is suicidal for spiritual growth. I am also very lazy, but this is only in household work. (SS-290)

LEARNING

Learning and knowledge have their own importance and people having it are often held in high esteem. I too have a regard for them and for that reason I usually behave submissively with them, exalting them in all formal ways. But on my part, I never did hanker after knowledge. Yet, to be quite outspoken, I may say that I do not feel myself lacking in knowledge in any respect, and I do possess it in its fullness. The reason is that my great master had transmitted to me everything that he possessed, and that included knowledge as well. For that reason, I feel myself immensely in possession of every type of knowledge from the lowest to the highest, though I may be lacking in the use of technical words in my expression. But it is my meekness of nature and disposition, which I have copied from my master that keeps it veiled under covering. (SS-286)

LEISURE

While describing the events of your life you have requested me not to read further if I have no leisure. In reply I may say that I do have enough leisure since I have attained leisure from my own self-creation. As such it is now wholly yours. (SS-25)

LEISURE HOURS

It would therefore be better if during leisure hours you rest your thought on the ‘all-pervasiveness of God' and try to remain in that thought so long as you have time. This may serve a double purpose, of constant remembrance and of a happy pastime as well. This is for every one to follow in all seriousness. (SS-116,117)

During my leisure hours I remain mostly busy with cleaning the abhyasis under my training, in order to develop in them the remembrance of God all through, and this service is for me a substitute for God's worship, hence my foremost duty. But that is a very tedious job and requires quite a long time which might perhaps exhaust the patience of the abhyasi. (SS-161)

LIBERATED SOULS

The impression held by certain philosophers that liberated souls do not possess the actual consciousness but only the potentiality for it, is wrong and misleading. No doubt the liberated souls develop their power so much that they utilize both consciousness and potentiality any way they like, but really they are above both; and then only follows liberation. If you have got potentiality developed in you, it means you have got something which is far away from the idea of Nothingness. (BWS-72,73)

They swim and swim near about the Centre — the vast limitless Expanse — Infinite. The liberated souls will lose their identity altogether only when mahapralaya, the state of dissolution, comes in dead form as stated above.

The space shown round the dot marked ‘C’, the Centre, is the actual place of landing and swimming for the liberated souls. This is such a vast expanse that the first rishi of the time when the world was born is still swimming, and has not yet been able to reach even the middling point of this ocean. Those who have got vision of that first type or, in other words, that which they ought to have when they get into the central region, can verify the truth of what I have stated above. (BWS-80)

LIBERATION

The problem before us is not mere deliverance from pain and misery but freedom from bondage, which is the ultimate cause of pain and misery. Freedom from bondage is liberation. It is different from salvation, which is not the end of the process of rebirth. Salvation is only a temporary pause in the rotation. It is the suspension of the process of birth and death only for a certain fixed period after which we again assume the material form. The endless circle of rebirth ends only when we have secured liberation. It is the end of our pains and miseries. Anything short of liberation cannot be taken as the goal of life although there remains still a lot beyond it. We find but a few persons who have even liberation as the final goal of their life, which represents the lowest rung in the spiritual flight. The problem of life remains totally unsolved if we are below this level. There are persons who may say that they do not want Mukti (liberation). They only want to come again and again into this world and practise Bhakti (devotion). Their goal of life is undetermined and indefinite. Bhakti and nothing beyond as they say is their goal. Really they are attracted by the charming effect of the condition of a Bhakta (devotee) and like to remain entangled in it forever. They do it only to please themselves. Freedom from eternal bondage is not possible so long as we are within entanglements. The natural yearning of soul is to be free from bondage. If there is one who does not like to free oneself from the entanglements there is no solution for him. (BWS-189,190)

Liberation has today become very easy because of the presence of the Divine Personality. The conception of people does not generally go beyond the point of liberation which they take to be the final limit of human approach. But that is a wrong idea. As a matter of fact liberation is the lowest attainment on the Divine path, hence it is just like a toy for a child to play with. Beyond that there is yet a lot to be achieved. The Infinite ocean lies still ahead. It is a limitless expanse. Have your eyes fixed upon That and only That, and go on and on to trace it out. (SS-339)

Moksha is commonly presumed to be the final point of most religious pursuits. But moksha may be represented in two ways as salvation and as liberation. Salvation refers to a state of temporary pause in the normal routine of birth and death. This temporary suspension of the normal routine may, in different cases, extend to different lengths of time according to one's attainment. During that period the soul enjoys freedom from rebirth. But after the expiry of that period it returns again into the world to assume a material form. But in the case of liberation, when once it has been achieved, there remains no possibility of the soul's return to the material form. Liberation is literally the end of the routine of births and rebirths. (SS-340,341)

For further reading please see SPIRITUAL SPHERES.

LIFE

Some feel enjoyment as the purpose of life, while others feel life to be monotonous. But the question is as to what is life. It is a state of being which should remain permanently, as long as we live, thoroughly in contact with the Being, smelling at each step the fragrance of the Being. (SDG-36)

People ask the meaning of life. Life is meaningless in some persons' minds, and this is a suicidal idea. Life has its meaning because there comes a force with it, and that reminds us of something which should be very precious to those who want to keep it within them. Accepting turning towards the spiritual life is the beginning of life, and the highest state of it is `Life in Life' which lies hidden in life itself. We should start for that Life which is to be entered into. All our abhyas leads us to that Life. (SDG- 104)

Now I come to your question, “Whether life has got some meaning". I may quote here a verse to give you some idea of it.

"Life means liveliness; damnation is for those who are dead at heart."

Whatever poetical meaning it might carry, my view-point will be clear by the following interpretation. What is liveliness? It is to live with a heart. But what kind of life would it be? In a word I may say, "Give away your heart to another, what remains then is only life". If you ponder over the word ‘life' you will come to the conclusion that life is only that which is connected with living. My expression makes it clear that there is certainly some type of living with which life is connected. At the same time it is also clear that the living with which this life wants to remain connected is eternal and immortal. If we merge our life in that life it is then the real life, where there is neither bliss nor sorrow, neither pleasure nor pain. I wish to lead you all to that life which alone is the goal of life as I have put it. Whatever sense you apply to the sentence, "give away your heart to another", will be correct if that is associated with the feeling of love. But it is also definite that Reality can never be revealed through mere interpretations because that would be far away from mental grasp. My object in writing all this is that the real being which is shrouded over with worldliness, or the heart which is inclined towards silly pleasantries, should be turned round. This is all that one has to do in life — the heart to be His, and you to be yours!

Regarding your question as to what you shall get by this kind of life, I may say that the question of getting arises only when there is a motive at the bottom. But when the heart itself is no longer ours the question of motive does not arise at all. What will you get then? Only that which is really yours. You had certainly a life prior to this one, and your coming into this life is the result of that. Now if you want to have your past life again, it is impossible. The worry for the next one should not also be there since you have surrendered your mind and heart to another, as you say. (SS-514,515)

We are here again to take stock of our work on the path of the Master Almighty for the benefit of His children of all ages and climes. I eagerly wish that all my sisters and brothers in the world may taste the tasteless taste of mergence. Then you can understand the efficacy of the System in a better way. Life is not life we are living. There is something beyond and beyond. I hope all of us will see the better days, if we are devoted to Him and Him alone. (SDG-103)

My object of life is that not only everyone of you present here but all the humanity should become the Real life personified i.e., life in life as I often say. Many of you have not yet fully seen the grace of the beautiful flowers of the garden and have not tasted their fragrance. I pray that you all may taste it to the full. This is the thing for which the Kings of the ancient used to leave their thrones and go to forests for penances. But the Sahaj Marg, provides a system in which, while living a normal worldly life in the way that all our actions may become penances themselves, we try to achieve our highest Goal — The Ultimate. (SDG-69)

There is every sense in living — not only in living but achieving the highest. The craving of the soul can be satisfied best, while one is living and existing. Nobody knows the shore. The beauty of the training of my Master is that spiritual life runs parallel to the life in the world, with ever increasing efficiency. Once you have decided to attach yourself with a system, where regulation of mind is the responsibility of the Master, please give a fair trial, and have your own experience after sometime. There cannot be any breakdown in spirituality, if faith and desire for the Ultimate is there. Physical or mental troubles do not tell upon spirituality. My Master unequivocally declares: `Spirituality is my responsibility, as practice is your responsibility'. (SDG-163)

LIGHT

Please see MEDITATION - DIVINE LIGHT

LIGHT (NESS)

If the abhyasi begins to feel himself lighter and lighter, it means he is progressing, because in that case he is going into the state that God is in. Light means the loss of the weight of one’s own thoughts. Thus the real Light refers only to the real substance, or more appropriately, substanceless substance. (WU-52)

LIKES AND DISLIKES

Liking something means egoism. So, one should rise above likes and dislikes. (SS-23)

LIMITATION

Nature's power is unlimited. The very word ‘limit' came into man's understanding when he experienced his thought confined within a certain sphere. Thereby he concluded that his power is limited. The idea also promoted within him the thought of some higher power or superior force which lay beyond, and which is presumed to be unlimited. This thought of duality sprang up only when our sphere was taken to be narrower. If this idea gets banished from the mind, as it must be at a certain stage of spiritual advancement, it is then quite possible that we may lose the idea of being limited as well. When both these thoughts i.e. being within or beyond limit, are washed off from the mind, then we are in the true sense free from limitations, and the self has been joined with That which is beyond limitation or the limited. If fortunately one happens to have transmission from that higher stage then the above attainment is quite possible and practicable. (SS-369,370)

When you are describing your condition of bliss as heavy, it proves that your link is connected with the centre (or kendra) of ignorance, and it is due to limitation. It would be more proper if you describe it as boredom instead of heaviness. Boredom means that you require pleasant and light air as you are now proceeding in higher altitude. Peace will never be dull. I have given the reason above. Only such a one will like it whose one eye is damaged instead of both. If, by some fortunate chance, a man living in a hut gets a good and comfortable house, he likes it very much. But when he gets habituated to it after living there for a long time, he will begin to think of a house even better than that. This illustration is to show why you are feeling boredom and dullness. You have written, ‘I feel that my mind's tendency is to get out of this condition; hence either my mind is not yet prepared, or those are not the real conditions of peace and bliss'. The natural property or power of mind is to feel the good thing, it may be either material or spiritual; hence whatever comes before its view it gets attached with it, whether it be peace or bliss. (SS-404,405)

LIMITLESSNESS

It is definite that a person having been bestowed with that highest approach, is in complete subjection to the will of God. The Divine will, through the medium of his guru, works in him every way to this extent that he cannot be away from it even for a moment. In other words he is completely under the charge of his master. Such a man alone as can give himself up completely to his master is possibly worthy of that highest approach. But this too is after all the beginning of the state of limitlessness, which is to be entered into after this. In short, how far one has yet to go on cannot be determined in any way. (SS-173,174)

LINK

Please see FAITH, GURU.

LIVING DEAD

Vairagya can be attained only when one is wholly diverted towards the Divine. When it is so, one naturally becomes disinterested in his own self including everything connected with it. Thus he loses not only the body Consciousness as well. What remains then is nothing but the ‘being in dead form' or a ‘living dead'. (SS-97)

It is possible that I cannot understand the meaning of Zero in as good a manner as others do, because the zero cannot know the condition of another zero, nor can the dead know the condition of the corpse. In a way, you may call such a condition as that where all dualities whatsoever go away, and we become living dead. Or we get dissolved in Reality in such a way that every discrimination is lost, and the difference between the Real and the imitation is not discerned. (SS-521)

LIVING STONES

Everything casts a reflection in a form similar to its own. If the thing is subtle its reflection will also be subtle in character and if it is gross the reflection will likewise be gross. If we concentrate on a solid thing we are sure to become ourselves inwardly solid. Great havoc has been wrought by teachers, who have presented to the ignorant masses everything they had learnt from the holy books in hard and solid form. It destroys the reflexive power of mind. If one develops such a horrible state he is gone forever. He loses his approach to a broader vision and the capacity for further progress becomes extinct. Such person may be compared to frogs in the well, with a little field of activity, which they consider all and enough. They remain whirling round in a closed sphere, hemmed in on all sides. They are hammering on the same thing all their life. Stories and illustrations of gods are all and enough for them. When the practice continues for long the cells of the brain are affected and they become saturated with the thoughts, which grow stronger day by day. Finally the whole nervous system is affected. The external opacity gradually creeps inwards and completes the work. They are now completely impervious, both within and without, to the passage for the Divine Light. Their approach to inner self is completely barred. I shall prefer to call them living stones. The hardened crust, which they thus developed, keeps them aloof from slightest association with anything higher or finer. They are almost spellbound by its effects, which they consider to be a spiritual stage although in fact they are far away from it. My personal experience in the spiritual field has revealed to me that it is a pretty hard and tedious task to shatter the hard crust, created by such forms of practice, from the hearts of those coming to me for spiritual pursuit. If one wants to free oneself from these bondages of soul he must necessarily clear off the layer of grossness and solidity settled over his mind as a result of these stultifying practices. (BWS-183,184)

LOBHA

Please see VIKARAS.

LOKAS

There is hell for the sinful, paradise for those who are ignorant and Brahmaloka for those who are innocent. But, for the wise and the learned there is the artificial paradise of their own making, and for those who are weak, this mortal world. But who may the weak be? They are only those who lack self-reliance and confidence. (SS-273)

I think the above divisions are correct. If I explain it, it will require a number of pages. Therefore I leave the explanation to you people. (SS-519)

LONGING

If our longing (or Lagan) for the realization of the goal is great, our negligent or sluggish habits will not stand in the way of our efforts or progress. If we go through the history of ancient sages we find that they had sacrificed all the comforts of life for the sake of attaining Reality. They led a life of austerity and penance, undergoing every kind of hardship and trouble for the sake of the object so dear to their heart. Intense longing for the goal made them blind to everything else and they remained firm on the path not minding the difficulties and reverses that came across their way. Such an intense longing for the object and an iron will to achieve the goal is absolutely necessary to ensure complete success. I may assure you that you can win laurels in the spiritual field if only you turn your attention towards God and proceed with will, faith and confidence, no matter how adversely you may be placed in, surrounded by all the worries and miseries of a household life. Your busy life will then offer no hindrance in your way. (BWS-205,206)

Your letter offered me greatest pleasure. I feel some lover has started thinking of this insignificant being. It is not however a small thing for me. My services to you may perchance be of a nature which might promote in your heart the growth of longing. But both you and I have to wait for that. Peace is transmitted from heart to heart. If you have not started meditation yet, please do so now. May God bless you. I do not want to tell you much about myself since mere telling drove Mansoor to the gallows. Although those days are now no more, yet it is quite likely that people might begin measuring me with an undeveloped sight. I hope you will arrive at the reality by weighing me in the balance of your heart. Dear brother, you have taken into your heart my views expressed in the letters. Shall it not be regretable then to ignore the writer thereof? No sooner do you form a will than the action thereof starts automatically (Ideo - motor action). Do pray and try to get drowned in it to the extent that the begging bowl alone remains in the hand while the begging also is lost in unawareness. If you create such a condition your prayer shall never go unheeded. Practise sobbing and weeping in love which, if it is not real, may be taken up artificially. Do this and see the result. (SS-58,59)

LORD KRISHNA

If the question as to from whom Lord Krishna got light is put to me, my answer would be that He is Self-luminous. But then this need not mislead the enquirer that he too is self-luminous and everyone else is also such, and there is an end to all enquiry. Logical speculations are no substitutes for the cravings of the heart. The heart is not satisfied even if the logic stops dead in some blind alley. (SS-230)

For further reading please see BHAKTI, GITA, AVATARS.

LOTUSES

Please see CHAKRAS.

LOVE

My associates have often enquired from me the method for creating such type of restlessness within them. I may tell them that intense love for the object will automatically lead them to it. When we are in deep love, we shall naturally feel impatient to secure nearness with the loved object. When we are greatly in love with any of the worldly objects its idea comes to our mind again and again, and we think of it over and over again. Now in order to develop Divine love in our heart we have only to reverse the process. If we remember God frequently or for the most part of the day, we will automatically develop love for Him, which if continued with earnestness will create impatience in our heart to secure union at the earliest. Another way of developing love with God is to play the part of a lover as if you are enacting a drama. But it is only for those who are almost incapable of finer means. The method though artificial will shortly bring you to reality and feeling of true love and impatience will begin to agitate your heart. (BWS-208)

The only way to develop love is constant remembrance. While doing your daily work you must think that you are doing it in obedience to God's orders, and hence as part of your duty. This simple process, if followed in the right spirit, will keep you in touch with the Ultimate. Another advantage would be that you will stop further formation of samskaras. The constant remembrance promotes attachment to God which develops into bhakti. This is because the heat contained in the thought stimulates emotion which assumes the form of bhakti. If you turn it into a habit you will find how fast love develops in you. It is in fact an essential feature of spiritual life. (SS-37,38)

But for one like myself, I may assure you that I did not step into this field with an object of realising God. I had no such intention, or purpose or aim. I was blind to everything except the one I sought for. I sought for Him and Him alone, my master. He was to me all in all. Nothing else was in my view. His image alone was implanted deep within my heart. I never looked to anything but to His form. I never craved for the joy and comfort of the world nor even of heaven. I felt perfectly unconcerned with God. All that I craved for was the attainment of an end like that of His, nothing short of it and nothing beyond. I had absolutely no desire for the realisation of God, even if it be, on my part, an act of blasphemy in the popular sense. I was so mad with love for Him that I had lost my power of vision for all things. People may condemn it as blind faith, but my love-madness pulled me up to it, and I liked to linger within the dark gloomy atmosphere of love, rather than enjoy the blissful state of anandam. But I like to keep it reserved exclusively for myself and I do not induce any other to follow this mad course. His every gesture was to me the revelation of the Divine mystery, his every word a volume of spirituality, and his every action the exposition of the ‘Unknown'. I had no choice or liking nor even a sense of discrimination between the right and the wrong. To me everything of his was what it ought to be. I was in complete submission to his will and could never think otherwise even for a moment. I literally followed the following concept:

“If your spiritual guide asks you to dye your prayer carpet with wine, do it; for he, having travelled himself the entire distance, is well aware of all ups and downs of the path!”

One might think it a serious blunder on my part. My simple answer to it would be that like Majnun. I was beside myself with the madness of love, and a Majnun can best be judged from the viewpoint of Laila. I was concerned solely with my beloved Laila. This is in a word about me and my condition, but for others I do not insist upon their taking up the same course of mad love. (SS-251,252,253)

Love is praised everywhere. There is a story in the Mahabharata: When Lord Krishna went to Vidura's house, Vidura's wife, who was bathing naked, rapturously opened the door and came out on hearing Krishna's voice. Krishna threw his upper garment and covered her. She began to feed him with plantains in such a way that she gave him the skin (peel) and threw away the fruit. When Vidura came and reminded her as to what she was doing, she came to her senses and began to feed him the fruit. Lord Krishna then said that the taste which he found in the peel was not there in the fruit. So when love and Bhakti take hold to such an extent, the condition which Vidura's wife had is some times experienced by the less advanced.

Shri X has written to me that I must go to Chickmagalore. But my health is not capable of withstanding the strain of purposeless journey. He thinks that he would gain merit by my going there, but it would in fact be gained by Rakat, the meaning of which you know. In short, merit is earned by prayer and devotion. (SS-302,303)

Having stayed with this insignificant being for sometime, you have actually created in yourself a condition which if further developed can be interpreted as an all-absorbing love. This is the reason why you create deep impressions wherever you go. I am much pleased with whatever service you have been rendering to the samstha so far and I believe success will soon dawn upon you. (SS-263)

Do not feel surprised if I say love and hatred are the same. Love is only positive thinking and hatred is negative thinking. It is very strange that people do not like to remember God who is so merciful and kind. All His actions are greatly beneficial to us. People think that remembering God is an unprofitable business although, I say, it is more profitable than the biggest factory in the world. (SDG-121,122)

Finally love makes every task easy and paves the way for the shower of Master's grace to smoothen the way to the Ultimate Goal. “Love is the hunger of human soul for divine beauty”, according to Socrates; and “Love is the inner awakening to Reality” according to me. Love Him who loves all, and thus everybody is automatically loved through Him. Amen. (SDG-159)

If there is real love, every particle of the body should get transformed within seven years. If the disciple enters the mental sphere of the Guru surrendering all his belongings to him, it takes only seven months to deliver him into the brighter world. (SS-363)

LOVE OF GOD

Please see MYTRI.

LOWLINESS

He alone can climb up a height who has created in himself recognition of his lowliness. (SS-343)

Sruti

Daily Inspiration