God cannot be known by the outgoing faculties, by the intellect or the vital airs called the pranas.
He can be known only by the soul: like alone can know the like. When is the soul liberated? When it is analysed from mind and the outgoing faculties.

Sant Kirpal Singh

Love versus lust – I

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From the book "Morning Talks", by Sant Kirpal Singh, 30 January, 1968
Available as mp3 at www.audio.sant-kirpal-singh.org

 

Love – ­many peo­ple ­say ­that ­they ­know ­love. We ­also ­repeat ­now ­and ­then ­that ­God is ­love, ­our ­soul is of ­the ­same ­essence as ­that of ­God, ­love is ­innate in ­our ­soul ­and ­the ­way ­back to ­God is ­also ­through ­love. ­Love is ­innate in ­our ­soul ­and it ­requires some­body to ­love ­and to be ­loved by some­body. ­This is a nat­u­ral ­desire of every­body. ­Our ­soul is a con­scious ­entity ­and it ­should ­have ­love ­for ­all Con­scious­ness or ­God. ­Instead, it ­has ­been ­attached to ­worldly or mate­rial ­things. ­The ­result is, ­wherever ­you ­have ­love, ­there ­will ­you go. ­The ­soul ­should ­love ­God, ­who is ­the ­very Con­trol­ling ­Power in ­this tem­ple of ­the man­body. It ­has ­been ­attached to ­the ­body ­and ­its envi­ron­ments, ­the out­go­ing facul­ties ­and enjoy­ments of ­all ­lusts out­side. ­This is ­the rea­son ­why we ­have ­become ­enslaved. We ­are com­ing ­again ­and ­again to ­where we ­are ­attached. If ­our ­soul is ­attached to ­God, ­who is ­the Con­trol­ling ­Power ­within ­this man­body, ­who is eter­nal ­and ­even ­beyond eter­nity, it ­will ­become ­free ­and ­will ­not even be sub­ject to bond­age. So ­the dif­fer­ence ­between ­true ­love ­and ­lust is ­that ­true ­love can­not be ­broken ­even ­after leav­ing ­the ­body. ­This ­love is devel­oped in ­the ­body ­but ­absorbed in ­the ­soul, ­not in ­the ­body ­and ­its envi­ron­ments. So ­this is ­called ­true ­love or char­ity. ­The ­other is ­called ­lust or attach­ment ­and ­there is a ­vast dif­fer­ence ­between  ­the ­two. ­Love of ­God ­makes us ­free, ­makes us ­all ­joy, ­all hap­pi­ness, ­all ­bliss. ­Lust or attach­ment ­enslaves us, it ­makes us ­very nar­row ­minded. In ­the ­worldly ­way, if ­you ­love some­body, ­you ­will be envi­ous if ­another per­son ­shares ­that ­love, ­but ­those ­who ­love ­God, ­will ­also be ­loved by ­you, ­because ­they ­love ­God. So ­the ­love of ­God ­gives ­you ­love ­for ­all ­the ­world ­over. ­Love of ­the out­side ­things ­will ­only ­make ­you nar­row ­minded, ­close ­fisted, ­and ­the ­result is, ­one ­lives ­for ­God, ­the ­other ­lives ­for ­the ­world.
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Ever ­since we ­left ­the ­Home of ­our ­Father, we ­have ­been ­attached to out­side ­things, ­because ­our ­love ­has ­been mis­fit­ted to ­the ­worldly ­things, ­the phys­i­cal ­body ­and out­side envi­ron­ments. So ­what is ­the cri­ter­ion  of ­true ­love, or char­ity? It ­starts ­from ­the ­body ­but ­absorbs ­the atten­tion ­into ­our ­soul ­and ­higher ­self. ­The ­other ­just ­keeps ­you ­attached to ­the phys­i­cal ­body ­and out­ward envi­ron­ments. To ­meet ­with ­your ­own ­wishes is no ­love, in ­the ­true ­sense of ­the ­word. ­That ­love ­gives ­you bond­age ­and slav­ery.
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Ever ­since we ­left ­the ­Home of ­our ­Father, we ­have ­been ­going ­around ­and ­around ­and ­have ­not ­yet ­found ­our ­way ­back. ­There is a ­story of ­one ­Majnu, ­who ­was a ­lover of ­Laila. ­Laila ­was a prin­cess ­and ­she ­was every­thing to ­him. ­Among ­the Moham­me­dans, ­there is a ­title ­that is ­given to ­one ­who is ­most ­devoted to ­God. ­Once ­Majnu ­was ­asked to ­whom ­should ­this ­title be ­given. He ­said ­that ­the ­best ­suited per­son ­was ­Laila, ­whom he ­loved. He ­was so ­much ­devoted to ­her ­that ­once he ­was ­seen lick­ing ­the ­feet of a ­dog ­that ­had ­been roam­ing in ­the ­street ­where ­his ­Laila ­lived. ­One les­son we ­can ­derive ­from ­this is ­that if we ­are ­devoted to ­God or to ­the ­God-in-­man, ­then we ­must ­love ­each ­other. ­This is ­but nat­u­ral. ­But ­any ­love ­which is col­oured ­with ­your per­sonal inter­est or self­ish ­motives ­makes ­you nar­row ­minded. ­You ­would ­like ­that ­the per­son ­whom ­you ­love ­should be ­loved by ­you ­and ­nobody ­else. ­But if ­you ­have ­true ­love ­for ­God, ­then nat­u­rally ­all ­who ­love ­God ­will be ­loved by ­you. ­This is ­the ­vast dif­fer­ence ­between ­the ­two. So ­when ­Majnu ­was ­told ­that ­Laila ­had ­died, he ­said, “No, ­she can­not ­die – ­how ­can ­she ­die?” ­When he ­was ­told ­that ­she ­was ­truly ­dead, he ­said, “Is it ­true ­then? ­That hap­pens to ­every ­man ­who ­lives ­and ­why ­should I ­love a ­thing ­that is ­not last­ing!” So he ­turned, ­you ­see, to ­the ­right ­way.

So ­love is ­love, ­which is ­with ­God, ­all Con­scious­ness.  ­Even ­when ­you ­leave ­the ­body, ­that ­love ­won’t ­leave ­you. ­Love ­for ­the ­world, ­outer attach­ments, to ­meet ­with ­your ­own ­wishes or pur­poses is ­lust or attach­ment, ­not ­love. ­One ­prophet ­said ­that ­love is ­like a ­bridge to ­cross ­over ­the ­river under­neath. It is ­only ­for ­the pur­pose of cross­ing, ­not to ­remain on ­the ­bridge. So ­your ­love ­for ­the ­God-in-­man is ­for cross­ing ­the ­bridge, to be ­attuned by ­His com­pany, ­where nat­u­rally ­the ­love of ­God is radi­ated. If ­you ­are recep­tive to it, ­then ­your ­love is ­true. If ­you ­are ­attached to ­the phys­i­cal ­body ­and out­ward attach­ments, ­that is no ­love. ­Love is ­blessed if ­directed to ­the ­God over­head, ­all Con­scious­ness. If it is ­directed to ­the phys­i­cal ­body ­and ­its attach­ments, it is bond­age, it is slav­ery, it is attach­ment. ­You ­come ­again ­and ­again to ­the ­world ­where ­you ­are ­attached. ­This is ­the dif­fer­ence ­between ­the ­two. ­Guru ­Amar ­Das ­said, “­Let us ­love ­the ­God-in-­man, ­because He is over­flow­ing ­with ­the ­love ­and intox­i­ca­tion of ­God. In ­His com­pany, ­you ­will ­have ­the radi­a­tion of ­the ­love of ­God”. ­That ­will ­give a ­boost to ­your ­soul ­and ­directs it ­towards ­God. It is ­the ­true cri­ter­ion to ­find ­out ­whether ­you ­love ­the ­God-in-­man’s ­body ­only ­for ­the ­God in ­Him. If ­you ­love ­the ­God in ­Him (­His ­body is ­blessed of ­course), ­then that is ­the ­bridge to ­cross ­over ­the ­ocean of ­the ­world to ­our ­Beloved.

So ­love is ­innate in ­our ­soul ­and we ­are con­scious ­beings. If it is ­directed to ­all Con­scious­ness, it is ­true ­love. ­That ­will ­give ­you free­dom, ­all ­bliss ­and ­all ­joy. If it is ­attached to ­the ­worldly ­things, ­the phys­i­cal ­body, ­its envi­ron­ments, ­the enjoy­ments of out­ward facul­ties, ­then ­that is bond­age ­and a ­sure ­way of com­ing ­again ­and ­again to ­the ­world ­where ­you ­are ­attached. So ­love is ­good. ­Even poi­son is ­very ­good if ­you ­take it in ­small ­doses to ­help ­you. ­But if ­you mis­use it, ­then ­you ­will ­die. ­True ­love, ­which ­will ­help ­you, ­should be ­directed to ­God or to ­the ­God-in-­man, ­for ­the ­sake of ­the ­God in ­Him, ­not ­the phys­i­cal ­body. ­Then ­you ­are ­saved, oth­er­wise ­you ­are ­doomed, I ­would ­say. It is a ­very del­i­cate sub­ject. We ­should ­see ­where we ­stand, ­where we ­are ­going. ­These ­things ­are ­referred to in ­the ­books, ­though ­they ­are ­not ­very ­clearly ­put. So ­now, ­what is ­love ­should be ­clear to ­you.
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Love is ­innate in ­our ­own ­self ­but ­with ­all ­that, we ­are ­attached to ­the ­world ­because it ­has ­been mis­fit­ted. ­Instead of ­being ­attached to ­God, ­who is ­all Con­scious­ness, it ­has ­been ­attached to ­the phys­i­cal ­body ­and ­the ­world. ­Love is a ­bridge to ­cross ­over ­the ­ocean of ­life, ­from ­this phys­i­cal ­world to ­all Con­scious­ness. If ­this ­love is ­directed to ­the ­worldly ­things, ­you ­will be ­attached to ­the ­world.  It ­should be ­directed to ­God or to ­the ­God-in-­man, ­the ­human ­pole at ­which ­God is man­i­fested. He is over­flow­ing ­with ­the ­love of ­God ­and ­the intox­i­ca­tion of ­that ­love. By sit­ting ­near ­Him, ­you ­will ­have ­the radi­a­tion of ­that ­love ­and nat­u­rally ­you ­will ­begin to ­love ­God. If ­you go to a ­man, ­who ­sells per­fume, ­and if he ­does ­not ­give ­you any­thing, ­you ­will ­still ­have ­the ­aroma of per­fume, ­free of ­any ­cost. If he ­gives ­you a ­phial ­full of per­fume, ­then…? So ­the soci­ety of a ­God-in-­man ­gives ­you per­fume, ­love of ­God, by radi­a­tion. He ­gives ­you a con­tact ­within ­your ­own ­self by direct­ing ­your atten­tion ­from out­side to ­the ­God in ­you. He ­gives ­you a con­tact ­and ­what ­more is ­wanted? ­Love of ­the ­God-in-­man ­for ­the ­sake of ­the ­God in ­Him is ­love of ­God. If ­you ­love ­the ­God-­man ­for ­the ­sake of ­His phys­i­cal ­body, ­that is ­still attach­ment. ­The ­love of ­the ­God-­man is a ­bridge to ­cross ­over ­into ­the ­Beyond, ­mind ­that! It is a ­very del­i­cate sub­ject, as I ­told ­you ­before. We ­have to ­judge ­how we ­are pro­ceed­ing. If ­every ­day ­our ­love ­for ­God ­grows ­more ­and ­more ­and ­becomes ­more ­dear as com­pared to any­thing ­else in ­the ­world, ­that is ­love ­for ­God. ­Even if ­you ­are lov­ing ­God, ­and ­your ­worldly ­things ­are ­more ­dear to ­you ­than com­pared ­with ­God, ­then ­that is ­not, so ­far, ­love of ­God. ­One is attach­ment, bond­age, slav­ery, ­and ­the ­other is free­dom, ­all ­joy, ­all ­bliss.

It is bet­ter to ­have ­the com­pany of some­one ­who is ­imbued ­with ­the ­love of ­God, ­rather ­then ­have ­the com­pany of ­those ­who ­are ­imbued ­with ­the ­love of ­the ­worldly ­things. If ­you ­can’t ­get ­such a soci­ety, ­you ­can ­have ­the soci­ety of ­those ­who ­are ­after ­the ­love of ­God, ­not ­the ­love of ­the ­worldly ­things. If ­you ­can’t ­have ­that, ­then ­live in ­your Mas­ter speak­ing ­through ­books, ­that’s ­all. ­Live to ­your ­own ­self, ­just in ­the com­pany of ­the Mas­ters ­who ­came in ­the ­past ­and ­who ­are speak­ing ­through ­books. ­This ­will ­help ­you to go ­back to ­your ­true ­Home. ­But ­still, as ­God is ­unsaid, ­love is ­also ­unsaid, I ­would ­say. ­The ­more ­you go ­into it, ­the ­more it wid­ens ­like ­God, ­who ­has no ­end. ­One ­poet ­has ­said, “­Love is an ­Ocean, a lim­it­less ­Ocean, with­out ­any ­shore”. ­You ­can ded­i­cate ­your ­life to ­Him, to ­His ­mercy. Ini­ti­a­tion, ­the ­Word of ­God, ­the ­Shabda or ­Naam ­Power, is ­within ­you ­and ­that is ­the ­true soci­ety of ­the ­Saint. A ­Saint is ­the ­Word ­made ­flesh. ­For ­the ­sake of ­the ­Word, ­you ­love ­Him. If ­you ­have devel­oped ­that ­way in ­the man­body, ­you ­are for­tu­nate, ­you ­have ­derived ­the ­full ben­e­fit of hav­ing ­the man­body. If oth­er­wise, ­you ­have ­made ­your arrange­ment to ­come ­back ­again ­and ­again.