Prem
(Divine Love)
In today’s evening session, we shall contemplate on the meaning of Prem or Divine love (referred to as ‘Love’ hereafter).
To quote a couplet from Swarveda –
“Yoga Bhakti Upaasana, ek arth kar waach;
Ananya bhav Prabhu sharan mein, Prem nirantar saanch’’
According to these words of Swarveda – words of Vihangam Yoga, the three words Yoga, Devotion (Bhakti) and Prayer (Upaasana) essentially signify the same concept. They are synonyms. How can one attain these? To rephrase the question: How can one internalize practices of Yoga, Devotion and Prayer? “Prem nirantar saanch’’ – where the love is unconditional, its quality is overwhelming; it is only then that one can attain core-values of Yoga, Devotion and Prayer. It is a must to understand this powerful secret. Love is divine. It is of a sacred and pure nature. It is not momentary. It is not temporary or conditional. It is an everlasting and eternal.
Physical love is momentary, unstable, fleeting, and perishable. It is like the scent of a body; it is a mere physical infatuation, based on lust. Lust is centred on the self, it is selfish and possessive. But, what is Spiritual Love? It is fragrance of the soul. It is a deep connection. It is not about I, me and mine. It is about sacrifice and surrender. It is not temporary or momentary. It has a transcendental quality, it goes beyond time. What is the inherent joy in Love? It is ever-lasting – Why? because true Love demands sacrifice. Sacrifice brings with it, happiness. But sacrifice of what, does the true love demand? Sacrifice of egoism and rigidity. Courageous are the ones who Love.
“Yah toh ghar hai prem ka, khaalaa ka ghar naahi;
Sheesh utaarey bhuin dharey, tub paithey ghar maahin.’’
An egocentric person cannot conceive true Love. One who is blanketed by ignorance, arrogance and egoism; can never understand the sacred nature of Love! Arrogance and egoism have seeds of hatred. Obsessed with oneself, egoism breeds either indifference or hatred for others. Today an absence of Love can be felt. What has come to replace Love? The place of Love has been squatted by vices of egoism, hatred and jealousy. When the ego of an egoist gets hurt, he starts hating the person who pricked his ego. And, what is jealousy? It is another form of hatred. It is hatred that gives rise to, and strengthens, the feeling of jealousy. It begins with pride. Pride gives rise to hatred and hatred in turn, breeds jealousy and malice. Man gets caged by such vices. Hatred cannot be remedied by hatred. Hatred can only be remedied by Love. Today there is a necessity to cultivate the virtue of Love. May the stream of Love flow and wash away feelings of hatred, pride and jealousy.
Knowledge, Detachment and Love are believed to be the virtues that help in devotion. It is a beautiful-fulfilling journey. This journey of Love, this journey is of detachment, of renunciation – that enables the pilgrim to move forward. His ego gets dissolved, jealousy gets destroyed, hatred also gets washed away and then the stream of Love flows within his soul. The words of the Swarveda, the words of Vihangam Yoga emphasize that the foundation of Love must be strong. Without Love one cannot achieve devotion, one cannot achieve Yoga. Knowledge is also a necessary requisite. Knowledge, Detachment, then Love, and then Devotion – this is the right sequence. The foundation of devotion becomes strong only when the base of Love is firm; and there must be an absolute faith and a strong hold over knowledge and principles. Knowledge, Detachment and Love are the bases of devotion. Let us meditate on Swarveda and tune in to the words of Sadgurudeo; which encapsulate all the secrets of Love. Focus mindfully on these lines-
Prem va gyaan sambandh se, so hai vividh prakaar;
Mool gyaan kaaran rahey,prem sambandh vichaar.
Gyaan vridhhi jyon jyon chaley, prem badhhat tyon jaaye;
Tatwa gyaan ke agreh mey, poorn prem dridhh aaye.
Pratham bhoomi ka prem hai, bhakti nahi bin prem;
Bhakti bina kas mukti hai, nar jeevan mani prem.
Is it possible to attain devotion without Love? It is not. And, when does one feel Love? – when this wisdom is obtained, and when this belief strengthens that this path is the eternal path of truth. This is the path of Brahm Vidya and the conscience path. This path leads uplifts the soul – and, as knowledge keeps expanding, Love also grows. Knowledge and Love are inter-dependent – according to the words of Swarveda. If there is no knowledge, if ignorance is there, how could Love be steady? When there are doubts in the principles, then how can the practice bear fruits?
Today ignorance and egotism are widespread. There is a need to stop ignorance and imprudence, for knowledge to illuminate and destroy darkness. Several lives are spent in ignorance and darkness. Wisdom eludes those people. They do not realize this; they are unable to realize the true nature of their own spiritual selves. They fail to understand their responsibilities. Today it is important to understand our responsibilities in life, what is the mission of our life, why have we been granted this human form, what are our duties towards our own selves. Unless this wisdom dawns upon us how can the virtue of Love get strengthened? How can we proceed on the path of devotion? It is essential to have complete faith in the principles. And, one who has doubts in the principle cannot attain (spiritual) experiences. He does not deserve to be called a devotee, he is not a Lover. This realization comes from Seva (service, obeying the orders of the Guru) and Satsang (Company of ‘the truthful’). This is the outer knowledge, one must acquire it. This should be acquired through Swarveda and through Satsang. This is the first secret of Brahm Vidya:
Brahmavidya doe bhed hai, tatwa gyaan abhyaas;
Pratham bodh tatwan kareyn, antar bhed samaas.
So, let the knowledge of the elements be obtained and let the edifice of Love become strong. As this knowledge keeps expanding, Love keeps growing. Eventually we realize true devotion. Our Sanskaras (the impressions of current and previous incarnations as registered in Chitta) are also effective role-players. Sanskaras also influence our mortal lives. Nevertheless, we have the power to influence through our own efforts and actions. Human life is not merely for reaping the good and the bad of the previous lives. It gives us an ultimate opportunity of taking actions. This is why this human life is a reward to us; we got born in human form; to exert, to try, to be industrious and fulfill the goals of our lives; to meet our social duties, family responsibilities and to build a spiritual life. In our human-body form, the soul can make infinite progress. Human life, the human body, is the best medium for spiritual advancement. In this (body) alone can the soul emancipate.
There is a need for knowledge; there is a need for Love, through which an entire set of realizations will unfold. It is human-beings who can experience the inner spiritual existence. Let us plunge deep into the words of Swarveda and hear what all secrets of Love Sadgurudeo reveals. Let us meditate on these words. These are indisputable words, the words of truth. This is the foundational base on which the mission of propagating Brahm Vidya Vihangam Yoga has to be taken ahead. Swarveda is the life-line, the soul of Vihangam Yoga. Let us move to the depths of Swarveda and hear the divine words of Sadgurudeo; what all secrets of Love are unveiled. Let us focus –
Prem ratan gun jehi basey, waha adhikaaree jeev;
Prem heen ayogya hai, prem bhooshit var seev.
Kshaney chadhey kshanh ootarey, yah toh prem na hoeye;
Prem nirantar lagan hai, nishidin sahaj samoye.
Manee sarpwat prem hai, kshanh manee nahi wiyog;
Sahi na sakey tan ko tajey, shabd surati rath yog.
The virtue called Love is an invaluable jewel of human life. The words of Swarveda emphasize this very aspect. This jewel of human life is an invaluable gem. And, those who are devoid of Love are what? They are non-deserving. “Prem heen ayogya hai, prem bhooshit var seev’’- one who is devoid of Love is unfit for Brahm Vidya. This Love is supreme. Several people sometimes experience a momentary feeling of solitariness. Their detachment is only a fleeting-restless state of mind. Their detachment lacks wisdom.
Manaa kshanhik vairag ley, chadhey utoong akaash;
Turat raag mey girat hai, sadgunha jeeva vinaas
Because detachment based on knowledge is alone lasting. Mind is restless, the detachment based on a fleeting mind is not knowledge-based. They miss their target since their detachment is based on only am ephemeral mind. Momentary detachment of the mind is of an unstable nature. Until noble virtues like Shama (calmness) and Dama (self-restraint) emerge in the seekers, the detachment is not steady. This, in turn, triggers Raag (attachment, craving), resulting in the disintegration of noble virtues. It has happened with so many people. Momentarily the feeling of detachment becomes strong and again, after few days, they get attached to Raag, get attached to malice, and egoism. Only Knowledge-based detachment persists –
Kshanhe chadhey kshanh ootarey, yah to prem na hoye.
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What is the property of Love? It is stable. Continuity is there in it. Very rare practitioners attain this state of Love. This is like the snake that bears precious gem; and searches for its food in the brightness of that gem. If the gem goes away or is snatched away, it sacrifices its life. Similarly, Chaatak is a unique type of bird that drinks only the drops of rain during Swati Nakshatra. What does it do when it is extremely thirsty and then falls in a pond of fresh water? It closes its beak (and thus does not drink that water). It will drink only the rain water of Swati Nakshatra.
“Chaatak swaati prem jal, vristi hoey chahu maas;
Grahanh runch jal nahi karey, tyon bhaktan prabhu aas.’’
Swarveda describes the quality of exclusive Love towards one’s Beloved. Endless Love – that of a fish for water, that of the bird Chakor for Moon. Chakor is the bird that keeps gazing at the Moon without blinking. Some examples of whole-hearted Love have been mention in the Swarveda – that of a gem bearing snake, the Chaatak bird, the fish and the Chakor bird. The depth of true Love has also been described. Chaatak may break its vow, jewel-bearing snake may give up its jewel and yet survive; but the Loving devotee shall not – the steam of Love constantly flows in his soul. He reaches the zenith of love. There are several practitioners of Vihangam Yoga who have acquired this precious treasure in the priceless journey of human life. There are several highly evolved souls, the male and female Hansa, who have attained this priceless jewel of Love. Love pervades in their lives. As a result, ignorance, egoism, hatred and malice have vanished and their lives are on the path of true Love. What is required is just the feeling of Love – not any external make-up or attire. What do the words of Kabir Saheb say? –
“ Prem bhaav ek chaahiye, bhesh anek banaaye;
Bhavey ghar mey waas kar, bhavey van mey jaye.’’
Whether someone follows a domestic life with a family or becomes an ascetic and goes to a secluded jungle, Love must be there. If there is no Love, if the feeling of love is not ignited, then what can be achieved in a jungle? But, if the virtue of Love is present, one attains the zenith of human life while staying in the house with one’s family. This is the secret of Brahm Vidya Vihangam Yoga. Several people do not have Love within them. Nevertheless, their outer appearance is that of a Lover. Inside, there is a complete absence of Love; but from their external appearance, they would appear to be God-Lovers.
Love for God does not germinate through surface appearance, Love for God cannot be spread. If the elements of Love exist as an intrinsic value then the external-surface manifestation makes no difference. The need is of inner experience; need is to acquire the inner treasure. Whatever may be our external appearance, whatever dress we may put on, that dress does not qualify us to be a devotee; does not prove us to be religious. A devotee or a religious person is none but the one who possesses inner invaluable qualities. If one’s inner consciousness is devoid of Love, if there is an internal yearning for worldly pleasure, if there is a craving for the materialistic pleasure only then he is not a Lover, he is not a devotee. We move on to the insights and the secrets of Love that Swarveda has to reveal. All may hear attentively –
“ Aash vasana prem jag, raag dwesh sang leen;
Karey Himalay waas so, laabh kawan mati heen.
Jaako Prabhu priyatam baney, Prabhu ko priya hai so;
Jaahi varan Prabhu karat hai, taa kahna darshan hoi.
Jeev prem Prabhu mey karey,utaney Prabhu kar hoey;
Kripa drishti Prabhu jaahi par, jagat prem kar soey.’’
The words of Sadgurudeo, the words of Swarveda say that what is the use of staying in the Himalayas if there are worldly desires and cravings within? For whom is a lonely habitat beneficial – for the one who is a Yogi. For whom is the Himalayan abode useful? For none other than a Yogi; through whose heart flows the stream of Love towards God. One whose life is full of worldly desires, whose life has malice, what achievements can he get by going to the Himalayas? Raag is the recurring desire for enjoying the worldly pleasures. Raag is the feeling which runs after pleasure, is compliant to pleasure, which works according to the demands of pleasure and which submits to the worldly pleasures. Chronic desire for sensual pleasure once experienced – once enjoyed – becomes deep-rooted and consequently becomes Raag. Several people spent in their entire lives indulging in this very Raag. Their entire life gets confined by desire for sensual pleasure. They remain indulgent in material pleasures. Their spiritual life does not evolve. Rather than they consuming pleasure, the pleasures consume them.
How should the worldly pleasures be enjoyed? With a sense of sacrifice the worldly affairs should be indulged in, but then we remain only in pleasure-hunt and finally this pleasure consumes us. (I have not understood this) Our body grows old and weak but our desires, our cravings have not grown weak. What is this attitude? This is Raag, which repeatedly makes one pursue worldly pleasures. One, who is a Yogi, who is wise, understands this riddle. He understands that “Oh! I have been indulging in these pleasures for many reincarnations, since the time immemorial.” In previous births also these pleasures were savored and even at present I am indulging in the same. His wisdom awakens. He overcomes his hankering after material pleasures and becomes detached. He understands the secret very well; and how does he meet the worldly pleasures? He enjoys them with a sense of detachment. The material pleasure obtained by a yogi is not a material pleasure. He obtains them with detachment, remains uninvolved like a lotus in water. This is the pinnacle; this is the zenith of spirituality. While living in the world, how to make our consciousness rise upwards?
Tena tyakteyna bhujeethaa
rsu R;äsu Hkq×thFkk
It affirms the above statement. According to the Vedic scriptures; to whom does the worldly things belong? This world belongs to God; all things belong to God. Whatever products are offered should be savored with a sense of detachment. Love cannot be realized without distancing oneself from the feeling of ‘me and mine’. A Yogi absolutely stays away from ‘me and mine’; he stays aloof. It is the materialists who keep screaming the word ‘I’. ‘It is me and this is my possession’ – ‘I own this’. This is unwise, this is ignorance, stubbornness. Every single object belongs to God. All the things that are given to us are for our use. But how do we utilize them? We utilize them with detachment. ‘This is not mine, it all belongs to God’. Here the feelings of sacrifice and surrender are crucial – only when this wisdom dawns upon us, can we begin to attain the invaluable gem of Love.
Bhakti Bhagwaan kee bahut baareek hai, sheesh soupeyn binu bhakti naahi
HkfDr Hkxoku dh cgqr ckjhd gS] 'kh'k lkSais fcuq HkfDr ukghaA
We have always been given the message to give up the egoism. From the words of sages and from the divine lessons of Swarveda we receive the divine guidance to eradicate feelings of ‘me and mine’. The one who loves God, is equally loved back by God. This too has a very unique secret. Whoever Loves God, God also loves him. Such a person sets an example in the world, he becomes a role model. His life, his efforts, his deeds they all become unforgettable and it leads and inspires many others lives. So there is a need for Love, for a heart-felt, exclusive Love. A practitioner cannot make progress if he possesses ego, pride and ignorance. He cannot attain spiritual achievement; he just cannot with those attributes. Let the Love bloom; there is a mutual dependency between knowledge and Love. This is the very medium through which devotion is sustained. Let us now listen to Sadguru’s words, the words of the eternal Sadguru; unveiling all the secrets of Love. Let us all hear attentively –
Padhi padhi key pathhar bhaye, likhi bhaye joo eet;
Kabir antar prem ka, laagi nek na chheent.
Prem bina nahi bheysh kuchh, naahak karae suwaad;
Prem baad jab lag nahi, sabae bheysh barbaad.
Prem bhaav ek chahiye, bheysh aneyk banaaye;
Bhaavey ghar mey waas kar, bhaavey ban mey jaaye.
The words of Kabir Saheb say: what did one become by extended reading? One became as rigid as a stone, pride has set in. Even knowledge can give birth to pride. What did he become by repeated writing – he became brick-like. There are several people who pride themselves for the knowledge they possess, and as a result they do not lead a spiritual life. With the knowledge of physical subjects, the Apara Vidya, they remain ever engulfed in pride; they become stone-like. The stream called Love does not flow within them. We get to meet many people during the Prachar work. We come across many people during this course who boast of having written several books. Good books must be authored, but if it causes pride to set in, if arrogance sets in, then does it reflect knowledge? This is what ignorance is, ego is, indeed ignorance. Refer to ten books, and one book gets created. We become a writer and here comes pride and egoism. What is this? Is this knowledge? This is ignorance.
We receive messages in Upanishads: those who are teachers of Apara Vidya (worldly subjects) they go to the shelter of a teacher of Para Vidya (the subjects beyond the worldly ones). An intellectually acquired knowledge cannot fetch us the inner aspects of spirituality. Intellectual exercise cannot ensure inner peace. It is merely surface knowledge. It can only throw light on the path of inner peace, that too if the conduct be in its accordance to the spiritual practice, and if there be Sadguru’s patronage. If there is only external exercise, if there is only intellectual exercise then spiritual life cannot uplift.
In ancient times, for learning the science of spirituality, pupils were required to serve the guru at his Ashram. They had to do Seva. Only then the rare secrets of Brahm Vidya were imparted. Seva destroys ignorance, egoism and darkness. One, who does not have the true attitude for performing Seva, does not deserve Brahm Vidya.
Mahimaa mahaapanth mai bhaasha| Durlabh yog sahaj kar raakha ||
efgek egkiaFk eSa Hkk’kkA nqyZHk ;ksx lgt dj jk[kk AA
The words of Swarveda, the words of Sadguru Sadafaldeo ji Maharaj say: “I have presented this rare Yoga in a simple form”. Today that science is easily available to us in a comprehensive form. Need for Seva, Satsang and Sadhana (meditation) is there; by means of which our ignorance and egoism dissolves and that feeling of Love germinates and grows. Only then do we become entitled to devotion. In the ancient times one had to perform several kinds of Seva work; only then the knowledge used to be imparted. Today this knowledge is available easily. However, Seva is still required, Satsang is still required; by means of which wisdom can awaken, and darkness and ignorance can vanish.
Absence of Satsang causes many problems. Let Satsang be held in every house – at appointed place, in appropriate manner, in a disciplined way; let the verses of Swarveda be recited, let there be a practice of Vihangam Yoga Meditation. If Satsang is discontinued then problems will increase. If every member of the family participates in Satsang in regularly then not only the atmosphere in the family becomes pleasant, that family also attains prosperity. Conflicts in the family also get reduced. If all the members perform Satsang at a fixed, appointed place then the family well-being also improves; prosperity, social recognition comes, mutual harmony develops.
In the Swarveda, Sadgurudeo has described Satsang as the “disha pradarshak yantra” (a compass). What is the compass for human beings? It is Satsang. This is a sanctification process – sanctification of the mind. What is the recitation of Swarveda verses? It is the Tapa (spiritual purification) of speech. If you want to purify, sanctify the speech, recite the verses of Swarveda; the speech will get purified. This is its strength, the power imbued in the verses of Swarveda. Everyone should have a copy of Swarveda. But one should not just possess it; it must be regularly recited too. It creates a spiritual ambience and, in turn, unravels the path of inner peace. The media for spiritual upliftment becomes available. Love is the tool for moving inwards. Love is absolutely essential. This Love is an invaluable treasure of human life. Love grows with knowledge and only such a person deserves devotion.
