Spiritual knowledge is a regular science. Just as two and two make four, similarly everything is clean and obvious here also and there is no scope for any kind of modification or change in that.

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.