55. Necessity of a Living Adept for Spiritual Training

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

55. NECESSITY OF A LIVING ADEPT FOR SPIRITUAL TRAINING

            88. The Saints and other adepts withdraw their spirituality, at the time of death, from the various planes with which it was associated in consequence of their advent on this earth, and regain the original place which they had first occupied. Departure from this earth in their case is not like that of ordinary human beings. It is all along known to them, and it takes place when the purpose, for which their advent had been ordained, has been served. Their spirituality, while they are on this plane, is so great that whatever object comes in contact with them is spiritualised to some extent, and contact with or the use of such objects is beneficial; but the energy of the spiritual force of the sphere from which they had sprung up ceases, with their departure, to function on this plane. And as the law is that the spirituality assigned to the various planes in creation does not act on a lower plane save by percolation, which allows passage to a fractional part alone of the spirituality, the Saints or adepts after departure do not, in contravention of this rule, extend the same spiritual assistance as they afforded during their life. Of course, disembodied spirits, who have been liberated from the coarse physical bondage by death, but whose worldly desires and mundane affinities are as strong as they were during life, often hold communion from the astral plane (which is associated with the earth and is situated in the ethereal plane) with friends and kindred to whom they are attached, or dabble otherwise in worldly matters, be this good or bad. The religious teachings of Saints, specially of the incarnation of Radhasoami, therefore, lay special stress upon the necessity of a living adept for practical spiritual training. The science of the spiritual development is highly technical and subtle, requiring regular daily training on planes with which the devotee is unacquainted. A perusal of the holy books is, therefore, not sufficient for spiritual experimentations. The successful performance of such experimentations requires constant aid from an adept both internally and externally. The root of all evil is 'egotism', which has been used here in its literal sense, and means and conveys the idea of a consciousness that whatever is being done, whether it be temporal or spiritual, is the outcome of the worth or power that the actor possesses within himself, forgetting or ignoring the source from which that worth or power was derived. So long as this function remains, a translation of the spiritual entity to higher planes is impossible, and the disciple will revolve round his mental ego, which he considers to be his inner self, and no real progress is possible. The adept who acts from higher planes can alone overcome this great impediment. Assistance of the description we have been speaking of comes unsolicited at moments when the disciple is in despair in consequence of the futility of all his efforts. The frequent occurrence of such a condition during the course of spiritual training of a devotee gradually introduces a change in his nature and character. Confidence gives way to diffidence and true humility; and the devotee off and on turns his gaze and attention to higher quarters within himself for assistance. This exercise gradually results in a change of the plane of action. When the powers of the higher planes are developed to a degree, the devotee is enraptured by the freedom, bliss, and the enlargement of the scope of vision he has acquired. He then becomes truly conscious by personal experience of the evils concentrated and concealed in egotism, and also of the efficacy and bliss of devotion. Such pure and true devotion, which leads the devotee rapidly on towards the object of his devotion, can be generated by a living adept alone and not otherwise. Devotees who have made some advance can to some extent render assistance to others, who have not made so much progress, in the shape of strengthening the faith and the eagerness for religious devotion of the latter by a description of their own internal experiences and by their example; but the ascension of a spirit from its ordinary seat to higher planes is possible only when a living adept is present. It is not necessary that the disciple must always be in the personal company of the adept. So long as the adept is alive, his spirituality is kinetic on higher planes, and he can extend help (of course spiritual) even when the disciple is away from him at a distance. The absence of adepts has been the cause of deterioration and stoppage of internal progress in all religions, whether they appertain to the second grand division of creation or to the first. Continuous internal progress is possible only when the succession of one adept after another is continuous, or when it takes place at very frequent intervals. During the gap, the spirituality, which had already been gathered, consolidates as it were, and on the advent of the next adept, it is fit for further exaltation from the foundations already laid.

54. Advent of Radhasoami Dayal

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

54. ADVENT OF RADHASOAMI DAYAL

            86. When ground for true spiritual regeneration, as has bee explained above, was thus prepared for further development by the Saints and other adepts referred to, then the incarnation of the presiding deity of the highest spiritual region, viz, Radhasoami, took place. The tenets and teachings and the practical devotional methods of the religion of Saints, which had already been give out, as explained above, were made manifest in their simplest forms, and the devotional practices rendered so easy of performance, that they can be attended to without difficulty and performed with success by human beings of both sexes and all ages, subject to the observance of certain simple rules regulating the conduct of life and diet, etc.

            87. The true genesis and object of creation, which had hitherto been an insoluble mystery and which had not been explained in details by Saints even, were given out by the most gracious Radhasoami in a complete form. The true spiritual articulation of the sound of the highest division, which had not been made known by Saints, was also disclosed by Him. To demonstrate the truth of all these revelations, arguments based on lines of pure inductive and deductive reasoning, and supported by illustrations taken from facts, which are within the access of ordinary observation, and by devotional or experimental experiences, were advanced in discourses of a most extraordinary character, delivered during the holy service held under His august presidentship every day. The scientific presentation of the revelations made by Him, as unfolded in this book, is based on those discourses.

53. Uniform Nature of the Teachings of Saints

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

53. UNIFORM NATURE OF THE TEACHINGS OF SAINTS

            84. The precepts and sayings of all these adepts and Saints are in unison in respect of the methods prescribed for spiritual training, which, briefly speaking, emphasize the importance and need of Satnam, Satguru, and Satsang. Satnam means True Name, and it implies that the true or spiritual name should be heard or articulated within. Satguru means True Guide, i.e. an adept who has access to the true and purely spiritual region and who can lead a disciple to that region. Guru Nanak defines such a true guide in the following couplet :-

?kj esa ?kj fn[kyk; ns lks lrxq# iq#"k lqtkuA

iap 'kCn /kqudkj /kqu rga ckts 'kCn fu'kkuAA

            The English version of this couplet is as under :-

            He who showeth mansions within mansions is the all-knowing true guide. The reverberations of five different sounds are resounding as the distinctive features of their five respective spheres.

            85. Satsang means true company or association. As Satguru is the living manifestation of pure spirituality, which alone is true or real I consequence of its everlasting nature, his personal company is external Satsang. Internal Satsang is the company of the spiritual current within, which consists in listening to spiritual sounds or in articulating internally spiritual names. As a true guide has access to the spiritual planes of his disciples, his manifestation there, either unsolicited, or in consequence of earnest and affectionate contemplation of his form, or remembrance of his gracious acts, is also internal Satsang.

52. Partial Revelation preceding Incarnations

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

52. PARTIAL REVELATION PRECEDING INCARNATIONS

            82. To pave the way, as it were, for the incarnation of a deity, it is sometimes expedient that a partial revelation should be made in advance; and a spirit born of the essence of the deity and known as his son or a denizen of his sphere is empowered and sent to this earth for the above purpose. Not only the secrets of the second grand division of creation, which is known as Brahmanda, but also those of the purely spiritual regions, have been made known in the manner explained above. The Saints or the adepts of different grades, who came from purely spiritual regions and were the sons of the presiding deities of the different regions of the first grand division of creation, thus made their advent. Kabir Sahab was the first to come. Some of His holy pieces point out in the most clear terms that He had come from this highest sphere, the one beyond the Alakh and Agam, which is known as the region of Radhasoami (vide Article 54). He was the son of the true Almighty, Supreme Creator, Radhasoami, and had come in advance to communicate the august commands of the true Supreme Father. This is alluded to in the following verse of Kabir Sahab :-

dgsa dchj ge /kqj ?kj ds Hksnh yk, gqdqe gqT+kwjhA

            This rendered into English would be as follows :-

            Saith Kabir that He knows the secrets of the highest mansion and that He has brought the commands of the Omnipresent.

            83. Other Saints followed Kabir Sahab at short irregular intervals. They were Guru Nanak, Jagjivan Sahab, Paltu Das, Tulsi Sahab of Hathras (who is not to be confounded with Tulsi Das, the poet, whose main compilation is the Ramayana). Other adepts, too, of a very slightly lower order, made their advent. They were Garib Das, Dulam Das, Charan Das, Nabhaji, Darya Sahab, Raidas, Surdas, Shams Tabrez, Mansur, Sarmad, Moinuddin Chisti etc., etc.

51. Spiritual Regeneration

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

51. SPIRITUAL REGENERATION

            81. As knowledge of every description is gained from the contact of the spiritual current with the object of knowledge, it is clear that the essence of a presiding deity and the creation subordinate to him could be known to him alone or to the presiding deity of a higher sphere of creation. Accordingly, when the presiding deity of a sphere considers it necessary and proper to allow the spirits of lower planes access to his region, he has originally to incarnate himself for making the necessary revelations and imparting esoteric teachings for the purpose. Such incarnations are rate, and when they do take place, the innermost secrets are revealed, and great and rapid progress is made by the disciples who come in personal contact with them. Later on, the work of spiritual regeneration is carried on by adepts trained by them; the success of the adept's training varying in accordance with the grade of adeptship attained by him. If the adept is of the first order, that is to say, if he has acquired the power of uniting himself with the essence of the presiding deity, the training imparted by him is as efficacious as that by an incarnatio of that deity.

50. Proof that Origin of Incarnations and Prophets of Extant Religions from Brahmanda

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

50. PROOF THAT ORIGIN OF INCARNATIONS AND PROPHETS OF EXTANT RELIGIONS FROM BRAHMANDA

            79. It has been mentioned above that the incarnations and prophets referred to descended upon this earth from the regions of the Universal Mind. The proof in support of this statement is to be found in the holy books revealed by them, as the esoteric allusions made therein clearly indicate to one trained in spiritual science, that the goal of the incarnations etc. was situated in the second grand division of creation. To a layman, however, these allusions are incomprehensible, and no differentiation is made by him between the goals of the various extant religions.

            80. Many things which appear on their face to be impossible or ridiculous are perceived to imply the various stages and means of the spiritual journey. It is, for instance, said that the prophet Mohammed ascended to the sky on his well-known horse, Burraq, and that he divided the moon in the course of his ascent. To the ordinary person, who has no acquaintance with esoteric technicalities and who has not received esoteric training, the incidents, referred to, would appear to be in the nature of a myth. But to an alumnus of a spiritual alma mater, they present quite a different significance. The horse, Burraq, is the highest electric current of the third or material division of creation. It is, as it were, the life and spirituality of everything physical in this division, and it is only by a ride upwards upon that current that ascent to the higher division is possible. The fountain-head of this current is in the moon (which should not be confounded with the earth's satellite), the orb which is above our sun and which corresponds to the sixth ganglion of Pind, viz, the seat of the spirit. For further ascension, it is necessary that this centre should be penetrated. When this penetration was effected by the prophet, it might well be stated in spiritual technicality, that he cut asunder the moon in twain. He then got a glimpse of the dazzling flame, the 'Jyoti' of the Vedic religion, the consort of 'Maya Sabala Brahma'. All commands and revelations were made to Mohammed from this place, and the goal of his teachings ends here.

49. Incarnations and Prophets of Extant Religions

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

49. INCARNATIONS AND PROPHETS OF EXTANT RELIGIONS

            78. As we shall show later on in this book, the incarnations and prophets we have been referring to descended from the second grand division of creation, or that of the Universal Mind or Brahma, who is, as already stated, together with his region, dependent for existence and for action on the true Supreme Creator, the origin and source of spirituality; and who, with his region, undergoes the same vicissitude as the individual mind does at the time of death. Access to his region, although it may give spiritual benefit for a very long time, does not secure supreme and everlasting bliss and immunity from change and dissolution of every description. Like the tendencies of the individual mind, the tendencies of the Universal Mind too are outward in his planes, and they accordingly present inherent antagonism to the journey which takes place with the help of inward spiritual currents to the pure region of spirit which is above Brahmanda. As the kinetic mental ego of man is ever engaged in work which would contribute to its happiness, in the same manner, the Universal Mind is engaged in work and functions which appertain to his being, and like the individual mind, he does not concern himself with the purely spiritual regions. If this holds good in the case of the Universal Mind, it also holds good in the case of incarnations and prophets ordained by him. They, accordingly, only provided means for access to the regions of the Universal Mind, and that too, in such a way, that only those who came into contact with them, or with the adepts trained by them, received the practical benefit of their teachings. In the case of followers, who espouse their religion after they and the adepts had passed away, actual progress during life was seldom, if ever, made; and, in accordance with the net result of their sinful and virtuous acts, location was allowed to them in higher or lower regions, but not in the region of the Universal Mind or Brahmanda; as, unless the tendency of the currents appertaining to the individual mind be entirely eradicated, the spirit is not fit for entrance into Brahmanda. And similarly, unless all the tendencies of the Universal Mind are cut asunder, the spirit will not be fit for access into the purely spiritual region. This might be likened to the transmutations which take place in the conditions of matter, in its passage from the solid to the ionic state. In the first place, the atom has to shake off the cohesiveness characteristic of solid substances; then the slippery hold of liquids disappears; at the next stage, weight producing gravity has to be dispelled; the state of frictional disintegration, which is the form of atoms in the condition of heat, is then overcome; and finally the atom breaks up into ions, gaining freedom and increased energy at each step.

48. The Awakening of a New Spirit of Research

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

48. THE AWAKENING OF A NEW SPIRIT OF RESEARCH

            77. With the inner light which the incarnations and prophets possessed, they could have substantiated the revelations they made by means of arguments, but the time was not ripe for such a course, and beyond the revelations and statements of tenets about the esoteric path and regions, no further attempt was made by them to convince humanity. A change of a very marked character is, however, fast coming now, and the universal demand appears to be that everything should be reduced to practicability and definiteness, and that reasons should be adduced in support of all matters, whether they be temporal or religious. This inquisitiveness of the present age is not antagonistic to spiritual research or pursuit; on the contrary, it requires a presentation of revelation in such a form as would leave no doubt of its acceptance at present and in the future. This universal mood is not accidental, but is the outcome of a craving for a revelation of the highest order, which will confer permanent benefit of the highest degree now and hereafter.

47. Prophets and Incarnations - Source of All Spiritual Knowledge

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

47. PROPHETS AND INCARNATIONS - SOURCE OF ALL SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

            76. Similarly, at proper times prophets and incarnations make their advent for the spiritual benefit of humanity suited to its conditions at the time. They, then, reveal the higher regions from which they have come and impress upon all the necessity for a training which would secure them access to those regions. During the ages of simplicity and faith, example and piety were sufficient to inspire confidence in the revelations; and esoteric teachings, which constituted the proper spiritual training, were accept and undergone without question or doubt, and the disciples derive benefit from them. The spiritual training, of whatever degree it may be, was, is, and will be associated in future also with impediments and difficulties as will be explained later on. With the aid of a spiritual guide, who was originally the incarnation or the prophet, and whose functions were subsequently exercised by an adept trained in the prophet's or incarnation's school, there was no difficulty in surmounting the obstacles referred to; but when such adepts were no more, the external ceremonials only were regularly observed, but no internal progress or very little progress was made. The training referred to here means the spiritual journey through the regions of dream, deep slumber, trance, and death to the higher planes above. In this journey the faculties of volition and thought undergo a collapse at each stage; and for awakening them at each higher plane, assistance of a helping hand is as much needed as it is for the rearing of an infant.

46. Gifted Spirits - The Source of All Knowledge and Blessings

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

46. GIFTED SPIRITS - THE SOURCE OF ALL KNOWLEDGE AND BLESSINGS

            75. All the comforts and luxuries of civilization; all appliances and aids which mitigate sufferings, provide protection from them, or advance and develop trade and commerce; all discoveries and inventions which allow us a glimpse, howsoever fractional it may be, into the working of nature; all imagery, thoughts, and products of man's intellect which provide such serene intellectual happiness; all laws and regulations whose main aim is to remove friction and to provide smooth and harmonious working - all these owe their origin to the advent on this earth of spirits possessed of the necessary gifts. It seems as if the rise or fall of nations and the advance or deterioration of civilization are the result of the advent of such spirits, or the absence of the same. In short, all knowledge, of whatever description it may be, was, or has been unfolded, or will be disclosed by spirits possessing the necessary mental calibre.

45. An Incarnation - A Source of Immense Benefit

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

45. AN INCARNATION - A SOURCE OF IMMENSE BENEFIT

            74. We should now proceed to explain the necessity and object of incarnation. We have already said that in a creation evolved by an Omniscient Creator, nothing is haphazard or accidental, and that beneficent laws govern all the conditions of creation and those of the denizens thereof. The apparent hardships and miseries, though they are painful and, at times, heart-rending and most tyrannical in the aspects they present, must nevertheless result in, some eventual benefit, as they represent only some of the laws framed by the all-knowing and all-wise Supreme Creator. The conception of a perpetual doom of misery is an obvious contradiction, if it is assumed that the origin or source of creation is all-knowing and all-wise. Accordingly, if benefit is intended even in conditions which appear to be contrary to the all-blissful essence of the Supreme Being, what immense benefit must be in view when the advent of an incarnation is ordained!

44. Incarnations Explained

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

44. INCARNATIONS EXPLAINED

            73. In this connection it may not be out of place to remove a misconception that prevails in respect of incarnations. The idea of the finiteness of humanity makes it appear as preposterous, at any rate paradoxical, that a deity with infinite or immense powers should shut himself up in the body of a man. Such an idea does not, however, appear to be correct for the reasons set forth below. We have already stated in a previous portion of this boo that to carry on the ordinary work of the human frame, while his spirit has passed the threshold of death and gained access to the regions of the Universal Mind or to the purely spiritual regions, as the case may be, and that his spiritual action is not hampered in any manner by the association of spiritual currents with the physical body. Now, if this proposition holds good in the case of adepts, it holds good, with greater force, in the case of incarnations. They deity remains where he is and carries on the work of the creation subordinate to him, as usual. Direct rays from him, however, assume the human form, when he incarnates himself, and the incarnation carries on, by the deity's direct impulse, the work appertaining to the object for which the incarnation was ordained. His functions might be likened to the tidal ebb and flow in that portion of the river which is subject to tides. The ebb and flow is no doubt limited to the river itself, but it is a part and parcel of the tidal impulse of the sea. The sea remains where it was before, and yet the ebb and flow of the tide is regulated by its upheaval.

43. Adepts and Incarnations Distinguished

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

43. ADEPTS AND INCARNATIONS DISTINGUISHED

            72. We have been describing the powers and functions of the adepts in the preceding paragraphs, and have in that connection alluded to the miracles and other extraordinary exhibitions of spiritual powers manifested by incarnations and prophets etc. It would appear from what we have said that there is hardly any difference between an adept and an incarnation etc. Such is, however, not quite the case, and although eventually an adept might possess almost the same powers as the incarnation or the prophet of the sphere which he has attained, yet, there is an initial difference between him and the latter. Broadly speaking, the distinction consists in the incarnation or the prophet being possessed of higher powers from the time of birth, while the adept acquires the same powers after spiritual training and access to higher regions.

42. Accidental Coincidences

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

42. ACCIDENTAL COINCIDENCES

            70. There is, however, another and a natural way by which their extraordinary powers were made known to true devotees and followers. The oft-occurring accidents, which do not admit of ordinary explanation, produce extraordinary eventualities and introduce such features as nobody can ordinarily foresee. Like other natural phenomena, accidents are regulated by laws, as we shall have occasion to show later on, and they are not haphazard incidents which may be inexplicable as is commonly believed. As the application of the laws pertaining to accidents is a matter of everyday occurrence largely affecting the condition of humanity, there can be no contravention of higher ordainments by the utilization of these laws; and adepts often resort to them for the benefit, mainly spiritual, of their disciples. Impediments and difficulties, which a disciple considers to be insurmountable or impracticable, often disappear during the course of his spiritual training, and are accompanied by accidental coincidences, which unmistakably reveal the hand of his spiritual master. When such experiences are often repeated, all doubts about the extraordinary powers of the adepts disappear, and a feeling of grateful faith is generated. Such favours, however, are shown only when the difficulties arise directly or indirectly in connection with the spiritual journey of the disciple. They are never extended to the fulfilment of worldly desires which are contrary to the dictates of true spiritual ambition. If any worldly difficulty is seriously rendering the devotion of a disciple impracticable, it will be removed or mitigated, but no assistance would be given in the attainment of the objects of purely worldly desires.

            71. The following saying of a Persian adept might be aptly quoted here :-

rkfyckus nqfu;k ed+gwjan] rkfyckus md+ck eT+knwjan] rkfyckus ekSyk el:janA

            This is rendered into English as under :-

                        Seekers of the world are doomed, seekers of the paradise are mercenary, and seekers of the Supreme Being are blessed.

41. Reverses of Prophets and Adepts

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

41. REVERSES OF PROPHETS AND ADEPTS

            69. Because of a law inherent in the working of the spirit-force, the miracles could not be extended to the ordinary plane of humanity, which is full of desires of worldly aggrandisement. This is the reason for the reverses allowed to take place, when the prophets or the incarnations etc. were pressed for an extension of their supernatural powers to the accomplishment of worldly objects. In the matter of conversion of people, too, only ordinary means, viz, reasoning, statement of the teachings and rectitude of conduct, were almost exclusively employed for the inculcation of religious truths, and, as already stated, miracles were very rarely resorted to for this purpose.

40. Miracles Distinguished

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

40. MIRACLES DISTINGUISHED

            68. Persons endowed with some slight powers of spirituality, who are in no sense adepts of any order, and who are not aware of the responsibilities of adeptship, make a wanton who of their powers and abuse them for the purpose of performing jugglery. These exhibitions serve the object of arousing an interest in religious and spiritual matters in sceptics, but they should not be confounded with the powers true incarnations and prophets etc. manifested. These manifestations were in the first place very rate; and then they were mainly made with the object of corroborating the existence of the internal regions described by the prophets, and for the purpose of spiritual elevation, the eventual aim being that access should be gained to those regions by internal devotion. Such miracles were, however, only intended for persons endowed with some spirituality, that is to say, for persons who were more or less fit for devotion and access to the higher planes.

39. Laws regulating the exercise of Higher Spiritual Powers

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

39. LAWS REGULATING THE EXERCISE OF HIGHER SPIRITUAL POWERS

            67. We have previously shown that the spirit-force is distinguished from other forces, in consequence of its being endowed with intelligence, bliss, and prime energy. We have also stated that the source and origin of the spirit-force, the Supreme Creator, is an unbounded and infinite ocean of supreme bliss, supreme intelligence, and supreme energy. Having thus noted His main attributes, it is a truism to say that whatever He has done, is doing, or will do, is equipped with supreme intelligence, which can have no other object in view than to confer benefit on all. His laws, too, which embrace the past, the present, and the future, and from the scope of which nothing can be left out in consequence of the Omniscience of the Supreme Creator, are all perfect and are not susceptible of any change or modification like mundane laws. An adept, who becomes acquainted with these laws or exercises them to some extent, must necessarily be a conformer to, and not a breaker of, these laws. Now, if we turn to the action of the spirit-force as it is observable on the physical plane, we find that it is always hidden, so much so, that even human intelligence of the highest degree is not aware of the working of the spirit-force within it. When spiritual currents flow from the focus of the spirit-force to different planes in animate beings, the functions assigned by nature to those planes come into play, and a limited amount of experience and knowledge is gained which is helpful in carrying on the ordinary avocations of life. The spiritual power, as revealed on the planes referred to, is also endowed with the faculty of diving, to some extent, into the secrets of the non-intelligent forces of nature, which enable it to make discoveries and inventions, which add to the comfort and convenience of mankind and which possess great educational value. This is the field assigned to ordinary spirituality. The spiritual currents, however, act unperceived in the performance of all these functions, and the inward course assigned to them remains undisturbed. There are extraordinary conditions, e.g. those of trance, hypnotism etc. during which inner light and some extraordinary functions of the spirit-force are at times manifested. But the subjects in those conditions are unconscious and have no control over their identity. Their actions are either regulated by the operator's will, or they work at random. Furthermore, man statements made by subjects in such conditions turn out to be inaccurate, and it appears as if the extraordinary powers wielded at those times cannot, to any appreciable degree, be utilized for the furtherance of worldly objects. From what we have stated above, it would appear that the law is that internal spiritual powers are not intended for the performance of physical work, which can be done by physical forces, and that they have other functions assigned to them in the economy of nature. Another law is that the hidden spiritual forces can be possessed and wielded in those conditions only in which complete cessation of activity of the physical, and to some extent, of the mental energy takes place, and the will of the possessor of the powers becomes subservient to that of another. Applying these laws to adepts, it would appear that an indispensable condition for access to higher regions, and for the acquisition of higher spiritual powers, is complete subservience of the adept to the will of the presiding deity. The corollary to the proposition is almost self-evident, viz, that the adept must entirely conform to the laws in accordance with which the presiding deity acts in his sphere; and whatever he does for the revelation of the functions of the deity must be with the deity's command. The adept cannot at will and pleasure break those laws and use them for the purposes of this world.

38. Miracles and their Character

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

38. MIRACLES AND THEIR CHARACTER

            66. Before entering upon an explanation of the question, we would make a brief survey of the miracles reported to have been performed by various incarnations and prophets, etc. Many miracles of an extraordinary character, which unmistakably reveal powers not ordinarily possessed by humanity, are ascribed to Rama, Krishna, Gautam Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, etc. If the miracles in question be looked at for features of similitude, it will be found that the relief of suffering, the protection of followers, the conversion of unbelievers or their vanquishment etc. are the characteristics which might be traced in the majority of the miracles. No regularity or law is, however, discernible in the performance of the miracles. They appear to have been performed on special occasions, and were not always resorted to for the attainment of the objects specified above. On the contrary, the messiah, the prophet, or the incarnation not infrequently allowed himself and his followers to be vanquished, or allowed non-believers to prevail otherwise. It is clear, from what is mentioned above, that miracles cannot be the ordinary means either for protection or cure or success. This furnishes us with an explanation of the question under consideration, and also enables us to explain the extraordinary powers that are exhibited to show off.

37. Supernatural Powers of Adepts

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

37. SUPERNATURAL POWERS OF ADEPTS

            65. The access of an adept to any sphere endows him, to some extent, with the powers of that sphere. When he gains union with the presiding deity thereof, he becomes possessed of the same powers and functions as are possessed by the presiding deity. The remarks, we have made above, naturally give rise to the question as to why these powers are not exhibited so as to leave no doubt regarding their possession by adepts.

36. The Four Grades of each class of Adepts

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

36. THE FOUR GRADES OF EACH CLASS OF ADEPTS

            63. There are four grades of each class of adepts described previously. An adept might have access only to a particular sphere, or he might be allowed location close to the presiding deity or the central power of that sphere. Further proficiency in adeptship is

            (1) the assumption of the manifest form of the presiding deity, and

            (2) a union with the deity's essence.

            In these two latter conditions, however, the adept has power to detach himself from the deity at will.

            64. It is clear from the above remarks that an adept must have gone through all the four stages, referred to, in respect of the spheres he has passed in his journey to the final goal he has attained. For instance, a Yogi has passed all the above four stages of each of the six spheres of the material plane or Pind and of the three lower spheres of the region of the Universal Mind or Brahmanda.

35. Spiritual Contemplation

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

35. SPIRITUAL CONTEMPLATION

            61. All feelings of strong character are always due to a high state of excitement, but the highest pitch of frenzy to which humanity can be tossed does not approach the perturbations which accompany the passage of a spirit-entity from the ordinary plane of wakefulness to that of death and to the regions beyond it. As, however, the passage is inward, the outward manifestations do not appear to be so strong as those produced by ordinary conditions of excitement. In the stages preceding death, the muscles and the entire nervous system are however, gradually twisted, and when death supervenes, the effect of internal torsion, which is terrible, is unmistakably impressed upon them. The same conditions are very gradually produced by the performance of internal spiritual experimentations or devotional practices. Accordingly, the physical frame of a devotee undergoes a complete change, and the constitution of his nervous system muscles, etc. is so altered that no resistance takes place in the process of separating spiritual currents from the physical frame, i.e. in undergoing the process of death. Outward marks of these changes are not entirely absent from the physical frame, although they are largely manifest in the subtler frames. The physical marks are specially noticeable on the forehead and in the eyes of an adept, and the effect of these marks on advanced devotees in producing concentration and sublimation of spirit is very remarkable. An adept who has reached Brahmanda is beyond the region of creation that we see, and he performs ordinary acts from the planes of Brahmanda. His face thus reflects the spirituality of Brahmanda. Similarly, all actions of Saints and Supreme Saints are performed by spiritual currents coming down from the regions of pure spirit. The contemplation of the image of an adept of Brahmanda would, therefore, be a contemplation of the image of the spiritual form of Brahmanda, and the contemplation of the form of the region of pure spirituality. The contemplation of the form of a Saint or Supreme Saint, or in their absence, the contemplation of the form of a Sadh or Mahatma, has accordingly been prescribed as the spiritual contemplation referred to by us. The effect of association which forms of those for whom we cherish an affection has been explained in Article 33. In the case of adepts, this effect is comparatively much more intense, as it is not the association alone which gives rise to the effect. Adepts have access to all the subtle planes of the various spheres they have traversed and gained access to. They accordingly become cognizant of the contemplation of their forms, as soon as this devotional practice is performed, and accord necessary help to the devotee. This assistance is always accorded in an imperceptible form during the practice of contemplation, but a devotee having some experience recognizes it in the spiritual concentration produced at the spirit-centre by it. To strengthen faith and to stimulate fresh impulse, an adept, however, allows devotees at times to get glimpses of his astral forms.

            62. The contemplation of the image of an adept of Brahmanda, i.e. of the second division of creation, is no doubt highly spiritual and goes far towards awakening spirituality; but, unless the form of an adept of the purely spiritual or the first division of creation be contemplated, a development of the spirit-force, detached from the association of the Universal Mind, will not be possible. The company of such an adept and of those engaged in spiritual training under his guidance is also indispensable in the beginning for spiritual development, as the personal spiritual influence of an adept is very considerable, and it becomes specially manifest when he is conducting divine service for spiritual training. During such service, devotees begin to realize his internal presence, and a service of this kind is, therefore, highly valued. The necessity and the benefit of the company of a Saint are fully described later on in Article 56.