HOW TO SAVE MANKIND FROM EXTINCTION

Satsang given by Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj at Prem Nagar Ashram, Hardwar, India

The burning question of the day is how to save man from extinction? Although this has been the problem of the century, never before has it assumed the tremendous proportions that it has today. The scientific invention of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction have made mankind apprehensive about the extinction of the human race in the event of another world war. Leaders all over the world have tried to solve this problem. They genuinely feel that only permanent peace can save mankind, but they grope in darkness trying to find a way to achieve permanent peace. They meet and disperse; they discuss and disagree; they hope and become frustrated. Every ray of hope seems to recede beyond their reach, and the desired solution remains invisible and inaccessible to them.

There is, however, absolutely no reason for despair, for peace is not invisible, neither is it inaccessible; it can be achieved. Many people have acquired peace, and many more can as well. In fact, peace can be permanently established on this earth if the right efforts are made in the right direction.

Peace is not simply the negation of war, but it is the negation of the warring tendencies in man. War exists in the mind of man and it is from there that it must be uprooted. Man can be cured of his warring tendencies by infusing his mind with the vision of God. This will kill the germs of man's warring tendencies and completely change his outlook.

Permanent peace can be achieved when lust, greed, hatred and fear are overcome by people en-masse. But this is only possible by the control and concentration of mind. Only Knowledge of God's Holy Name and realisation of Divine Light enables man to gain the concentration necessary to achieve eternal bliss. Naturally the realisation of Divine Light and the Knowledge of Holy Name is only possible when one knows what they are.

Much confusion has been created as to what Divine Light, the Holy Name of God and concentration of mind exactly are. Some people maintain that concentration of mind can be attained by the regular study of the scriptures and the performance of rituals and sacrifices. Others feel that it can be achieved by the practice of austerity. But all this is delusion - total deception. If concentration of mind could be achieved by the mere study of scriptures like the Vedas, the Gita, the Ramayana, the Upanishads, the Bible, the Koran, the Guru Granth Sahib and the like, or by the performance of outward rituals and sacrifices as preached and practised by so-called religious men, there would have been no conflicts and peace would have been established long ago. But it has not been so. On the contrary, so-called religions have been responsible for many great conflicts, and they have caused destruction of many cultures and civilisations. These religious practices have not changed man's gross nature, and they have brought about no change of heart. Really they cannot do so, for they are not the right way.

However, the inherent quality of the Holy Name of the Almighty is to make the heart sacred and pure the moment that it is known and realised. The case of Ratnaker can be cited as an example of the power of the Holy Name. He was a ferocious bandit but as soon as he received Knowledge of the Holy Name he was transformed and became a great saint.

People have been made to believe that names like Ram, Krishna, God, Om, Elahi, Jehovah and Akhbar are the real Name of God and that He can be realised by uttering these names. This is also a delusion - a mere deception, for these names only signify His attributes, they are just adjectives. They are not His real Name. If they were His real Name, the performance of prayers would have helped people realise God and acquire Absolute Truth, eternal bliss and everlasting peace, and mankind would have been freed from all fears. This obviously has not been so, and it proves beyond all shadow of a doubt that mind can neither be concentrated by merely studying the scriptures and performing outward rituals and sacrifices,

13

nor can Truth, eternal bliss and permanent peace be realised by the recitation of adjectives that describe God.

The question again arises, how is concentration of mind possible and how can Truth, peace and bliss be attained? The answer to this has been provided in all the scriptures of the world, the way has been shown by all the saints and prophets of all time, but confusion has been purposely created by ignorant and selfish interpreters of the scriptures. The answer has been clouded with myth and ignorance.

It is a simple truth that human life is the only means by which Absolute Truth, eternal bliss and perpetual peace can be realised. What cannot be acquired and realised during the life of a man can certainly not be realised after death or in animal life. Hence, only man can attain peace and establish peace on earth. A man's birth is rendered useless if God is not realised by him during his lifetime. In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says, "Seek the shelter of the Perfect Master who has realised God; He will show you the way to realise Him. The Satguru or Realised Soul is the only shelter and it is He alone that can provide you with the vision of God." Lord Christ said, "Come to me and I shall deliver you from all troubles:" Prophet Mohammed and other prophets have all said the same thing. The question now arises, how to know and recognise the Satguru who can bestow the vision of God, Lord Krishna was the Satguru of His time; He bestowed the vision of God to His disciple Arjuna. But where to find the present living Satguru? Although this might appear to be a difficult question, it is not really so.

God has been described as Vergo in the Vedas, Jyoti in the Upanishads, Param Prakesh in the Ramayana, Chandna in the Guru Granth Sahib, Noor-e-Elahi in the Koran and Divine Light in the Bible. Arjuna was shown the Divine Light by his Guru, Lord Krishna. Christ and Mohammed saw the same Light; Buddha also realised this Light. The saint who can reveal this Divine Light instantaneously is really the Satguru, or Realised Soul of His time. A man who cannot do so, cannot be a Satguru, however great he may be in other aspects of life. Lord Krishna in The Bhagavad Gita declares, "I come in every age, but one who sincerely seeks finds the Perfect Master."

The next question that arises is: is there such a Satguru these days? The answer is emphatically yes. Satguru is here. In the Gita, Lord Krishna says, "The seed does not perish. The moment the seed perishes, it will be the end of the universe." The existence of the universe logically proves that the seed of Satguru is here, for it is the Satguru who is responsible for the maintenance and control of the universe. It is He who is competent to bestow the vision of God; He reveals Divine Light to all those who aspire for it and seek His guidance. The very word 'guru' connotes a person who dispels darkness and shows Light. The only test to recognise the Satguru is whether He can reveal Divine Light instantaneously or not.

Truth can be realised and peace established by the realisation of Divine Light and the Holy Name of God, but this is only possible through the help and guidance of the Satguru of the time and by no other means whatsoever. The concentration of mind necessary for peace is only possible through the Knowledge of the Divine Light and the Holy Name of God. But what is the Holy Name? God's Holy Name has been called Pak Nam, Sat Nam or True Name. It is something other than mere adjectives that begin and end with letters which scholars and philosophers have attributed to it. God's Holy Name is imperishable and ever existent. It is the same for all men, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, nationality, region and language. It cannot be different. The Creator is One and His Name is One for all. The teachings of all the world's scriptures signify that His Name is One. It has to be realised. The outward differences in preaching is due to the selfish and egotistic interpreters. The sum total of ten plus ten is always twenty, irrespective of the number of people who work it out. If the sum total is worked out to be anything other than twenty, the answer must be incorrect. If anyone says that there are different names of God, he betrays his ignorance of the real Name of God. One can meditate on God's real Name at all times day or night, whether awake or asleep, whether in the womb or after being born. It is always the same. The Holy Name must be known and meditated upon, for it is not only necessary but indispensible for concentration of mind. Only the Satguru of the time can reveal what this Holy Name is.

If the people of the whole world acquire this Knowledge of the Absolute Truth and concentrate their minds on the Holy Name of God, their gross nature will be transformed and man will look upon each other as brothers and not as objects of hatred and suspicion; there will remain no cause for unrest and fear and not only will permanent peace be established on earth but the earth will be turned into heaven.

This is the only way in which man will be able to save himself from extinction! The brotherhood of man can only be established by accepting the Fatherhood of God.

Hari Om Tat Sat

16

Published in the "Divine Light" monthly magazine, Volume 2, Number 6, March, 1973, pp 13 - 16