The Story of Shiv Dayal Singh
Michael Turner
(c) May 1996 - part 2
http://home.att.net/~h.kight/index.htm
SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE:
SHIV DAYAL SINGH ("SOAMI JI DAYAL"),
Modern Founder of the Light & Sound Teachings
- by Gregory Michael Turner
I really feel at a loss of trying to do justice in talking
about Soamiji Maharaj. A soul of this magnitude is nearly
beyond description - or comprehension. One thing I would
like to say is that we all owe Him our deepest gratitude.
Everyone - virtually everyone - who is currently studying the
Light and Sound Teachings, regardless of whom their chosen
Satguru is, is indebted to Soamiji. For He is the spiritual
great-great-great grandfather of us all. Virtually every
significant Light and Sound Lineage can be traced back to
Soamiji Maharaj - Radhasoami Satsang Beas, Soamibagh,
Sawan-Kirpal Ashram and Suma Master Ching Hai (among
others) in the east, and Eckankar, ATOM, MasterPath and
MSIA in the west - we are all His children's children's
children's children.
"`How does one die daily and yet live?'
This is the seventh spiritual question which one
must confront once he steps out on the pathway
to the Absolute. The answer is simple if you
know Shabda Yoga - that is, you must learn
to leave the body at will and dwell on the
other planes . . ."
- Paul Twitchell: Letters to Gail II, p. 140
"I have a book in my collection called
全ar Bachan' . . . which is the teachings of the
Sound Current, and acts practically as my Bible!"
- Paul Twitchell: "Letters to Gail II", p. 149
Soamiji Shiv Dayal Singh's "Sar Bachan Radhasoami
("Sar" meaning "real, true or eternal," and "Bachan" meaning
"teachings" - which can be translated as the "Teachings of the
Eternal") are landmarks in this path, offering detailed descriptions
of Soamiji's journeys through the inner planes, and solid instruction
about the nature of God, Guru and Naam, and how to properly
approach this path. From here out, I think I'll just try to let
Soamiji speak for Himself.
In Sar Bachan Poetry: Volume one, He makes the
following comments about the inner trek:
"I experienced the bliss of Nam, in the
company of Guru I gave up the pleasures of
the world, realizing that these are transitory
and unreal. Having curbed my mind, I got
dyed in the colour of Nam. I burnt Krodh
(anger) and adopted Chhima (patience and
forgiveness). Today I obtained the treasure
of Nam. I cast off Lobh (avarice and greed),
realizing that it is poor. When I ascended to
Akash, I attained Nam; I saw light and the
darkness of Moh (attachment) was gone.
"In Trikuti, I was delighted to receive
the wealth of Nam. I abandoned Ahankar
(pride, egotism) and became happy. I heard
the Dhun of Nam in Sunn or Daswan Dwar.
Beyond Maha-sunn, I attained Nam Pad.
In Bhanwarhupha, my Surat heard the Shabd
of Sohang and the melody of Bansri (flute),
and received sustenance from them. In the
company of Nam, I reached the fourth Pad,
and went to Alakh Lok. Adorning myself
with Nam, I arrived at Agam Lok, and then
met the Most Excellent, Eminent and
Illustrious Name RADHASOAMI.
"Making a bonfire of the world, attend
Satsang. Your Ghat or inner self will be
illumined. Man and Mad (pride and arrogance)
will both be vanquished. In Nam Pad, your
Surat will put on a garland of Nam round its
neck.
"Saints give out these teachings. But
the Bekhs do not accept them. They are foolish.
Pandits (scholars) and Yogis (Yoga practitioners)
remained on this end. They could not cross
over to the other side. Gyanis (sophists)
remained lost in their sophistry. Only some
rare Sants have access to the inaccessible
regions. They have penetrated the barrier
at the third Til (third eye).
"Sants describe the stages of Naam as
they see with their eyes. There is no confusion
and ambiguity. They have lifted the curtain,
and revealed Nam. I explain this to you out
of love.
"Seek the extremely munificent Sat
Guru. You will get redemption. You will
then be initiated in the Most Supreme Nam.
Withdraw your spirituality and proceed upwards.
Like a fish, ascend upwards, against the current.
Like a spider, hold fast to the thread, and
return along it.
"Kal feels tired and exhausted, and Maya
feels ashamed because I do not pay attention to
them. My Surat has now attained her Nij
Gharbar (Original Home) and met the Supreme
Being, Radhasoami." (Bachan 10, Shabd 2)
Regarding meditation and devotional practice, Soamiji
Maharaj made the following observations,
"Collect your mind at the third Til,
and take your seat in Sahas-dal-Kanwal.
Turn your inner eyes skyward within, and
behold the flower garden of Jyoti. Anhad
Shabd is audible. Let your inner self be
filled with joy.
Surat has ascended to Shikhar (Sahas-
dal-Kanwal) and is going through Banknal
(the crooked tunnel).
When a black bee gets to a lotus, it
rests there; so the mind, on reaching the Kanwal
or lotus of Trikuti, stops there fully contented.
The Dhun of Rarankar is heard, and the forces
of Kal are vanquished. By the grace of Sant
Sat Guru, all centers within have been opened.
This is the path of the Nij Piv (True
Beloved). No body can find it except by good
fortune. Be a recipient of higher powers, and
play the game of Prem (love). Behold the internal
spectacles, and let the stream of Ami (nectar) flow.
For the sake of Nij Bhaktas (true
devotees), this new religion has been
promulgated. The Vedas are ignorant of this
secret. Jivas are wasting their time in the
ceremonial acts and rites recommended by
the Vedas. This is the Nij Marg (true and
special path to salvation) of Sants, which
can be found in Satsang only.
Perform the Arti (devotional rites) of
Sat Guru and win His pleasure. By the Daya
(grace and mercy) of Radhasoami, attain
Pooran Pad (the ultimate and final goal)."
(Bachan six, Shabd 18)
Before turning to "Sar Bachan: Prose," I want to
briefly discuss Soamiji's use of "Radhasoami" as a name for
the Supreme Being. This has been somewhat of a bone of
contention between various Sant Mat lineages. All of the Beas
lineages - starting with Baba Jaimal Singh and continuing
through Sawan, Jagat, Charan, Kirpal, Darshan, Ajaib, etc.
- consider this name to be simply another "varnatmik" name
(i.e., an outer expression of the inexpressible) for God, and
that the True Reality is in fact nameless (Anami).
The lineages arising from the original ashram in Agra,
on the other hand, place greater importance upon "Radhasoami."
They believe it to be the true, original and hitherto hidden Name
of the Lord which was revealed to the world by Param Sant
Satguru Soamiji Maharaj Shiv Dayal Singh, at the behest of
his finest student, and successor, Rai Saligram, and which
supplanted all other names for the Lord. Soamiji's own
teachings seem to validate the former perspective, for He
states clearly in "Sar Bachan Radhasoami: Prose,"
"Name is of two kinds, Varnatmak
(expressible) and Dhunatmak (inexpressible,
primal sound). The latter is of much
greater value than the former. He who as fear
of Transmigration should seek a Sat Guru
Who is proficient in the practice of Dhunatmak
Nam. He may then be saved from the cycle of
birth. But he who is content with Varnatmak
Nam only, will not escape Transmigration."
(Pg. 100)
As a result, whereas Beas satsangis chant the Five
Holy Names revealed by Nanak and Kabir, Sant Mat students
arising from the Agra lineages using only the word "Radhasoami"
for simran (and many even regard their Beas and Delhi cousins
as being somewhat inferior, calling them "Sat Naamis"). We
will discuss this more next month.
What is vastly more important that semantical
difference between various family trees emanating from Soamiji,
however, is the unity which binds us together as children of
Naam. It is the same unity which has made the Sound Current
teachings the most ancient on this planet, and in every universe
which has ever existed. It is the unbroken chain of spirituality
which provides the remarkable consistency between his teachings
and those of Mirabai, Ravidas, Tulsi Sahib, Nanak, Kabir, Rumi
and so many more. Again returning for a moment to "Sar
Bachan Radhasoami: Poetry (Part I)," Soamiji sings this hymn
to soul, Shabda and God,
"My Surat has become Vairagi. She
has made the Holy Feet of Radhasoami her
support and sustenance. The beloved Surat
went on, following the Holy Name. She
majestically attained the nuptial bed prepared
by Radhasoami . . . Here, there and
everywhere, flowers of Shabd have blossomed.
I am now enamored of Radhasoami. In His
Region, Shabd is resounding incessantly.
Radhasoami has adorned my Surat."
(Bachan four, Shabd 4)
Commenting further on the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga, He stated:
"Open the door. Come to the balcony.
Let not your Surat get dissipated. Let it
enjoy the company of Shabd. Learn the secrets
and mysteries. Be free from death. Make your
life fruitful. Awaken Nirat. Peep into the lane
of Guru. Let your Surat rush forward. Adopt
Saran. Be delighted in the bliss of Nam.
Seek pristine purity. Ward of Yama. Get
rid of the thoughts and reveries of the mind.
Unite with Radhasoami Shabd."
(Bachan 20, Shabd 8)
One of the challenges in writing about a spiritual giant
such as Soamiji Maharaj Shiv Dayal Singh - or any great Shabda
Saint - is that, on the one hand, his message was exceedingly
simple. You could take the above quotation and pretty
much sum up a major portion of the teachings. There are
really only three major tenets of this path after all: God,
Naam and initiation by/guidance of Living Satguru. These
points Soamiji - and all true saints - reiterate over, and over,
and over, and over again. And yet, every word of the masters
glistens with Their radiance, and I have a hard time picking and
choosing which to include.
Following are some selected quotes from "Sar Bachan
Radhasoami: Prose" (Radhasoami Satsang Beas edition).
Regarding the role of the Vedas and other holy books of the
past, Soamiji echoed Kabir when he stated:
"The Vedas and all other revealed
books originated from the region which gave
rise to the three gunas, the five tattwas, and
Maya. The sayings of the Saints come from that
region where there is not even a trace of Maya.
Therefore, they talk only of Nivritti, while others
talk of both, salvation and the world.
In the Vedas, 80,000 couplets are
devoted to rituals alone . . . and only 6,000
couplets deal with real knowledge. The same
is true, more or less, of the Quran and other
revealed books. They are full of historical
material and touch but lightly on methods of
spiritual exercises and God Realization. Even
Lord Krishna told Arjuna to go beyond the
Vedas, which are associated with the three
gunas - that is, to reach the region which is
above that of the Vedas . . . It is said that,
so long as a person is entangled in Karma
and Dharma, he is a slave of the Vedas - that
is, he has to follow the Vedas.
But, once he crosses the region of
Maya and the three gunas, his feet are on top
of the region of the Vedas - that is, he becomes
the maker of the maker of the Vedas, is superior
to them, and his commands are superior to the
commands of the Vedas. The Quran states:
`Perfect Muslim Faqeers are not bound by the
Shariat (law of the Quran). Rather, their
commands supervene the command so Shariat."
(Pg. 70-71)
Soamiji Maharaj laid out the essence of this path quite simply and clearly:
"Three things alone will lead to salvation
in this age of Kali Yuga.
1. Surrender to a perfect Sat Guru.
2. The Society of a Saint.
3. Simran (repetition) and listening to the Holy Name."
(Pg. 82)
And furthermore,
"In the Kali-Yuga, the Saints have
prescribed Shabd as the means of opening
Daswan Dwar (the tenth aperture), which is
hidden in the body. The tenth aperture, in
other religions also, can no longer be opened
by any other means."
(Pg. 86)
On the importance of Shabd in taming the mind, He stated:
"In this age, one cannot succeed in any
other way except by devotion to the Sat Guru
and the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga. All other
forms of worship are like striking at the snake hole.
The snake will not be killed this way. It is likely
to reappear at any time. The proper way is to
catch the snake (mind), and this will be done
only by devotion to the Sat Guru and the
Shabd. By no other means will it be caught."
(Pg. 101)
Regarding the importance of a living Satguru, Soamiji wrote:
"Devotion to the Sat Guru is most
essential. He who loves the Sat Guru will
eventually obtain all that he seeks. One who
seeks only Nam and Sat Lok, but has no love
for the Sat Guru, will get nothing. Love for
the Sat Guru is of first importance. It detaches
us from all bonds."
(Pg. 73)
Regarding Satsang, He stated:
"Satsang is like the Paras (Philosopher's
Stone). Just as iron is changed into gold by
mere contact with it, those who sincerely
follow Satsang are turned into the gold of
immortal life. But a hypocrite with mental
reservations, in spite of Satsang, remains the
same iron as before. Satsang, however, is
Paras all the same."
(Pg. 75)
On the creation of the universes, Soamiji said:
"In the beginning there was dhundhukar
(misty chaos). The Lord Purush was in Sunn-
Samadhi (absorbed within Himself). Till then,
there was no creation. When His Mauj (the
Wave of His Will or Pleasure) surged, Shabd
became manifest and brought into being the
whole of creation; first the Sat Lok and then,
by the Kala (emanation) of Sat Purush, the three
worlds and all the rest of creation were brought
into being."
(Pg. 79)
And regarding the Shabd of ItSelf, Soamiji repeatedly stated
variations on the same theme, to wit:
"It is through the Shabd that the soul
has descended into bondage, and so long as
one does not meet a Sat Guru proficient in the
mysteries of Shabd, he will not be able to return
to his Real Home. He can go up only via
Shabd. There is no other way to escape from
this captivity."
(Pg. 98)
As we can see, all of the above statements are in
harmony with teachings of true saints and mystics. Soamiji
Maharaj was perhaps a bit more emphatic than some due to
the times in which he lived. There is a sense of exhilaration
in his message, a sense of, "Now, it can finally be told!"
He knew that the opportunity presented itself, finally, to
openly express what had been a nearly secret teaching for
centuries, if not millennia. He didn't know how long the
opportunity would last and so He struck while the iron was
hot, publicly expounding the Way of the Sound Current in
all of Its glory.
Through this one man, an aperture was opened in this
universe for an unprecedented influx of Naam. Flowing through
Soamiji Dayal, this River of Sound flooded the planet, and gave
rise to many tributary streams, all paying homage to the One.
This is all part of God's blessing for the child humanity, that
It has chosen to manifest ItSelf in an unprecedented number
of paths and Satgurus. These are truly wondrous times in
which we live. And this writer, for one, is eternally grateful
to Soamiji Dayal - a true saint of circumstance - for being
such a large part in bringing this miracle about.
Baraka Bashad!
"My Surat has caught hold of true and
eternal Shabd; now my whole community has
been redeemed. I have been deeply dyed
with the colour of Naam. I have attained the
form and status of a Hans (swan). I have
discriminated between milk and water. I have
sacrificed my body and mind, and drunk milk.
I have given up water, which is all trouble in
misery. I now daily drink of the Holy Current.
I have trampled Kal. I hold fast to the Holy Feet
of the Guru. My Surat has attained pristine
purity on associating with Name. It took
bath in Mansarovar, and removed all its
dirt. I pick up pearls of Shabd. The Guru
has opened my inner gates and stages. Having
subdued the mind, I picked up the Heavenly
Sounds. Then emanated from within various
Sounds. Guru's Name has redeemed me. I
have given up the whole unreal world."
- Shiv Dayal Singh