Today’s show celebrates the birthday of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj (vegetarian). We are pleased to present excerpts from Letter 21 of “Spiritual Gems” by Hazur Maharaj Baba Sawan Singh Ji, (vegetarian), which explains that a Master shows love in all forms to help the disciples walk the path of salvation, and that eating animal-people meat is detrimental to spiritual progress.
Letter 21
“I should like to point out that I have the same degree of love and affection for each and every member of the Brotherhood, like a father towards his children; secondly, according to R. S. teachings, the sins and short-comings of a soul are viewed by the Master in the same light as a washerman regards the dirt on a cloth. He cares for the cloth and not the least for the dirt. His aim is to cleanse the cloth by some means or other, whether by the gentle method of applying soap or by the rough and ready method of beating the cloth against a slab of stone. It depends upon His Will.
In the same way, the Master aims at reforming His disciples and curing them of their bad habits and wicked deeds so that the spirit may shine in its purity. He determines as to life’s procedure. At first He points out our mistakes in gentleness and with love. If this fails, then He adopts a less gentle course, and if even that does not serve its purpose, then He applies drastic remedies. In short, he is bent on reforming.
To explain the matter more fully, the Master at first tries to purify us by His discourses. If this fails, then He applies the soap of poverty, adversity, and disease. If these do not answer the purpose, then He gives another birth to the disciple. He does not rest until He has taken the spirit of His disciple to its Source. Even if the pupil deserts Him, becomes hostile toward Him, or wishes to injure Him, He does not slacken His efforts.
I have gone through the report of — They are not offended with you. They wished that you and others, like themselves, should give up animal food and eggs entirely. They did not take your words in any ill light nor should you, for if we are in error and another explains it to us, we have no right to be angry. In that case, our only course is to admit our mistake and say that habit compels us to repeat it. It is not proper to be in the wrong and to be impatient. They should have been more gentle and affectionate. But they are not to blame for that. They give more time to exercises than you do, avoid animal food, and stand on a higher mental plane. Under these circumstances, a devotee naturally becomes bold and forward. This is not pride, though it is looked upon as such by others.
Such a devotee wishes that everyone should do as he does. But this is not the stage of perfection. As the soul progresses it becomes gentler and calmer. Consequently, when they go higher, they will become calmer and more patient. What they did was right in a sense, and moreover, I do not think you are much to blame in the matter as you are far from our congregation, are ignorant of the rules of the Brotherhood, have read no more than the ‘Discourses’ and are unaware of the purity of the Society. When you gain knowledge and develop spiritual practice you will not mind even twenty denouncing you. A heart filled with love cannot contain anger. Your heart has not yet been filled with love. So try to devote a little more time each day to the spiritual exercises; gradually, the Master will grant you all.
You write that — is of the same opinion. Her complaint is the same as yours. […] It was as disagreeable to her as to you. This error is in all of you. It is proper that you should correct your errors I think — is to blame in this matter. He fell from his principles. You only followed his example. If he had acted up to his principles, you could have gained by his example. Let bygones be bygones.
But I must point out that animal food, even if a single particle is eaten, is detrimental to spiritual progress. What of eating? Those who help in killing are also guilty. You say that eating an egg is not so bad as breaking a heart. Both are bad. But a broken heart can be set right by love; however, an animal that is killed cannot be revived.
[…] I told you that repetition of Holy Names should not be undertaken for accomplishing worldly objects. This does not mean what you understood. It means that spiritual progress is the highest object and all our efforts should be directed to that end. If we sacrifice all the world for it, it is not too much. Therefore, to divert our energy from this highest object and apply it to worldly objects is not proper. When we ask for worldly things from the Lord, we would get them, but then our spiritual advancement would be hindered. Had we applied our energy to spiritual progress, we would have reaped greater benefit. The Saints of the highest degree never ask for anything that is perishable.”
