By Sant Kirpal Singh, transcription of recording made during the First World Tour,
27 July, 1955
Talk available as mp3 at www.audio.sant-kirpal-singh.org
Dear Gentlemen and Ladies,
Today is the birth anniversary of one of the greatest saints who ever visited the earth; at who's feet I had the good luck to sit and enjoy. The birth anniversary of a great man means for us to tread the path of Truth as explained by Him, to follow the teachings in their right perspective and digest them in our own life.
Once a man asked the follower of a great man, "Would you write the life history of your Master?" He said "yes", he would do. After some time, they asked him whether he had written the life of his master. And he replied that he was writing very fast, very hard and he was writing in his practical life and there was still to be written. So my words mean to say that to celebrate the birth anniversary of a great saint truly lies in the fact that we tread in footsteps of the Great Master.
The teachings he gave, in a few words, were that all mankind is one. Whether they were theists or atheists. I've no time as yet to give you a long talk over his life but just in a nutshell to tell you that he loved the theists as well as the atheists for he said that soul is within all and soul is the essence of the Almighty, a drop of the Ocean of Life. If the poor atheists do not know that they have got anything overhead, it is not their fault, it is their bad luck. So at least we do know that there is God overhead, the source of all creation and all souls. So he said that Mankind is one, love all and all things shall be added unto you. This is the outer way. The biggest religion of mankind is to consider that we all are reading in one class to reach the ultimate goal. This is the highest social religion he preached.
In his attendance, there were sometimes thousands of people to attend, of all creeds and colours and denominations. So much so, once I had an experience just to find out how much salt was spent in the kitchen to serve those attending the Satsang held by Him, and in one day the salt spent ran up to 10 maunds (1 maund = approximately 82 pounds). Just consider how grand the gathering was there.
So whenever there is light the bees will hum over it. He was the source of gentleness. He was the source of all spirituality. He was the source of all ethical life. He was competent to raise man's soul from the bondage of mind and matter and give them firsthand experience into the Beyond. He raised man from the abyss of the indrias – mind and matter – brought them up to contact the Divine Link within and ultimately reach God. In a few words, he was the mouthpiece of God. He always said it is He who speaks in him at times. They will only give out this truth when they are left to their own-selves. So if you hear we do not know about the Saints, what they are, it is only by hearing their personal talks they do give at times, they refer to their origin, their cause of coming into the world and their mission that they carry into the world for the uplift for mankind. They come for all the humanity at large. To Him there was no difference – East and West both were dear to him – and those who sat at his feet they spoke very highly about him. The people that came from the west; Dr Johnson, Alexander, and many others, they also sat at his feet and drank deep into the nectar of Divine Name and rose into the higher realms.
Thanks for the great blessing of the Lord that He sends suchlike personalities into the world to guide the child humanity unto Him. And for the so many saints who came in the past, we had the pleasure of only sitting at his feet. He was a grand personality. However, how can we define him, give His praises? Once when I was reading in the school, I put the question to a missionary, I asked him why all other saints who are addressed by their followers, they all attach so many epithets to their names, why Christ does not carry any epithet attached. And the missionary rightly replied "Are you giving any epithets to God?" I said "no." The he said "the Sons of God, how can you define them?" It is only by praising that we bring them below to the dignity of a man but they are not men they are something Higher Power working at the pole of a man. And they are nobody else, no other than the God Power overhead. Naturally we have not seen God. Guru precedes God, because in him He is refulgent …expressable. When we sit at His feet, we simply say we have sat at the feet of the Lord, who is residing in Him. If you go into the shallow waters and have a bath, you say that you had a bath in the ocean. Similarly when you sit at the feet of such a great Master you say you sat of the feet of the Lord overhead.
We had the good fortune to have seen Him with this physical eyes, moving on earth in all humility of saints and humility personified, showering his blessings all around to all who came to His feet. You – exception to these blessing he showered on all. Thank you so much for all and the other gentlemen who are here who know me by name at least or by photo which have been sent to the … (tape cut off)