POWER OFPRAYER

Books authored

by

Bhai Sahib Bhai Raghbir Singh Ji Bir

have enlightened

&

uplifted

many souls.

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CONTENTS

No. Chapter Page

i) Foreword i

ii) Felicitation 5

1. Preface 8

2. The Philosophy of Prayer 123. Prayer 144. Sher-e-Punjab And River Attock 29

5. Draupdi And Shri Krishan 376. A Gurmukh's Prayer 417. Power Of Prayer 488. Things Never Get Lost.

These Get Out Of Sight 579. Various Stages of Prayer 65

10. Bhai Kamalia's Prayer 8311. A Waheguru-Sikh Bond 87

12. All-Pervasive Waheguru 95

13. Dignity Of A FaithfulAnd Humble Prayer 103

14. One Must Remain Expectant 109

15. Waheguru Protects The HonourOf His Devotees In Adversity 115

16. The Best Prayer 121

17. Prayer 125

18. Prayer (Views Of Mary Baker Eddy) 129

19. The Risk In Prayer 137

20. Tales Of Our Times 1945 146

21. Power Of Prayer (Sajjan Singh Sambholi) 148

22. Power Of Prayer (Bishan Singh Palta) 152

23. Power Of Prayer (G. Kaur) 154

24. A Devotee's Prayer Never GoesUnanswered (Giani Bachittar Singh) 157

25. Power Of Prayer (Surjit) 168

26. Prayer 174

27. Power Of Prayer (S. Hira Singh Ji) 177

28. Simran's Prayer 183

29. Let The Enemy Fire A Volley Of Bullets 185

Power OfPrayer

Foreward

No doubt, Waheguru is the creator as well asthe preserver of the whole universe. His divinelaws are just and fair as well as inexorable. It isalso an acknowledged fact that man reaps whathe sows. Our deeds determine our achievements.As we sow so shall we reap. We have to bear theconsequences of some of the deeds of our earlierlives along with the consequences of our deedsdone in this life. Some residual effect of ourpresent day deeds also gets carried qway to ournext birth and next life. In this way, this cycle ofcause and effect continues to operate. There areseveral illustrations in the Gurbani whichsubstantiate this cause-effect thesis. The Gurbanistates that a human soul wastes several livesengrossed in the vices of nursing feelings ofenmity, and hostility towards others; and in lust,anger, malice attachment, falsehood, greed, fraudand several other deadly sins and vices. Now,

(i)

Power OfPrayer _

when our soul has taken a human birth, it is ourprayer to Waheguru to show His grace, mercyand benevolence to rid us of all these vices.Gurbani states:

~ fJiJT/3" Ii1Jriim ffl'j}( /I

~ arflf~ 1H'lUi cdiJ iiC1J(/I

In their ways lnan has passed away many lives.o Lord, redeem Nanak, by showing Thine mercy.

We pray because we believe, and it is anaccepted fact as well that Divine grace andbenevolence are also integral parts of the eternalDivine laws and the Divine Will. Man makes acomplete surrender before the Divine and praysonly after exhausting all his human egocentricefforts to solve a problem. A prayer made withcomplete devotion and sincerity gets certainlyanswered because it is the nature of the DivineWaheguru to protect those who seek His grace :

it~ JH7? gg cif5 R fPy~ [PH7Jit fIprIf

11iar - 544

Who-so-ever seeks the Lord's protection, hinl Hehugs to His bosom. This is the quality of the Lord.

S. Raghbir Singh Bir has laid stress on thisaspect of prayer in this bOOK. He believes that

(ii)

Power OfPrayer

Waheguru is our real parent and He isthoroughly aware of all our needs and problems.He is Omnipotent and Almighty. He has beeneternallyour preserver and provider, andprotector as well. His bounty and benevolencehave always been with us. But we, human beings,ignoring such a benevolent and loving Waheguru,stray away and get estranged from Him and getentangled in the meshes of sinful deeds. RaghbirSingh Bir explains this phenomenon of humanestrangement from Waheguru and God'sbenevolence through an illustration. He says :Waheguru is eternally compassionate andbenevolent. He does not discriminate betweenhuman beings, be they good or evil. As the sunrises it spreads its sunshine over every earthlyobject. But those who shut themselves inside theirhouses and shut their doors and windows, remaindeprived of the sunshine. Similarly, those whoerect a wall of ignorance between Waheguru andthemselves, get deprived of Waheguru's bountifulbenevolence and grace.

S. Raghbir Singh Bir has laid out a roadmapfor all of us to lead a life of faith and bliss byclearing most of our doubts and disbelief about

(iii)

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God through the narration of his heartfeltexperiences and illustrations from Gurbani. Toconfirm our faith in God's benevolence, he tellsus that Waheguru is as trustworthy andbenevolent to us as a trustworthy and generousmother for her innocent child. Waheguru is asinstant and spontaneous in his generous responseas a mother is to a small infant's needs.

Shri Bir was an honest human being, adevout believer in Gurbani, a determinedspiritual seeker and practitioner of Nam Simran.He has tried to bring home the Gurbani's edictthat an earnest human prayer never goesunanswered "ft/oEit iSlP" (If iirn- f{?; cit~ /I"

through the innumerable relevant quotations fromthe Gurbani. He has also mentioned the fourconditionalities for the successful fulfillment of ahuman prayer. These are : a complete faith inWaheguru; genuineness of human prayer;complete trust in the omnipotence of Waheguru,and a total faith and hope in the fulfillment ofone's prayer.

The present book uArdas Shakti" like the twoother books NBandginama" and NSimran MaJzima"

(iv) -----------------

Power OfPrayer

written by the same author has also found awhole-hearted favour and approval of the readers.Its eighth edition, after the necessary correctionsand a thorough revision, has already reached thereaders. An earnest effort has been made totranslate this book into English in order to makeit reach a wider spectrum of readers across theworld. Prof. Kulwant Singh has accomplished thisstrenuous and challenging task of translating thisbook into English. Every effort has been made tocapture the subtle spiritual nuances of thisGurbani based text in a matching appropriatelinguistic English idiom and diction withminimum deviations from the original text. Theprimary aim during this translation has been toconvey the essence of the spiritual experiencedescribed in the book to the English readers. Thetask of translation is even more difficult thancreative writing. It requires to preserve thefundamental thesis of a creative work whileexpressing it in a different medium withouttampering with the originality and spontaneity ofthe author's approach. Prof. Kulwant has tried toaccomplish this task with an appropriate linguisticskill and insight. He has recently retired from the

(v)

P07.-uer ofPrayer _

Post Graduate Departlnent of English fromGovernment College Chandigarh after teachingEnglish language and literature for thirty years.Myself and Ataln Science Trust are sincerelyindebted to him for his services as a translator. Ihope the readers will benefit from this translatedversion of the already popular version in Punjabi.Atam Science Trust f1:.~hly deserves appreciationfor this noble deed.

Dated Nov. 1, 2005

(Dr. Jagjit Singh)

Pricipal (Retd.)

# 25, Phase VII,

S. A. S. Nagar - 160061

0172-2228761

Power Of Prayer

Felicitation

Although it is not very sensible to commentupon the vvriting of a spiritually enlightenedperson, bu tit is customary to felici 1ate anenlightened person for his great creative \-vork.r 11lightened persons not only enlightf'n andinstruct the devout congregations but ab,) leavebehind them footprints for the guidc1nce ofspiritual seekers for their benefit. The revered lateShri Bir not only guided and enlightened manyspiritual seekers during his lifetime, but alsoshowed the spiritual path to many others throughhis writings.

Late Shri "Bir" was an institution in himselffrom whom everybody sought spiritualenlightenment. Whosoever came into contact withhim, got enriched with spirituality and feltbiessed. Such blessed persons are really fortunate.These blessed ones get deliverance from thevicious cycle of birth and death and becomeseekers of truth. Thousands of such persons haveinherited the spiritual legacy of Shri 'Bir'.

Shri Bir is well-known to the followers of

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spiritual Therapy. Perusal of his books leads tothe understanding and knoV\rledge of Di\' inca ttribu tes. The hlunan soul enters the Divinethreshold and arrives at its real H0111C aftercrossing the material hurdles. This Divine J-lon1eis the ~dtin1atc reality \vhich is everlasting and\vhich controls and governs the \"hole uni,'crse.A finn belief in the idelitit" of this Ultin1ateReality and its complete understanding are theinitial landmarks of this powerful path of prayl'L

This book is the creative essence of Shri Sir'sspiritual experience and insigh ts. Its rcpea tedstud y relnoves a II Inisconceptions abou t thepower of hun1an prayer and leads to theunderstanding of the process of prayer and itsunderl ying philosophy.

fiJacit ClP- (liT~ H7) ott 1HCJPTfir/I 11for - 819

The prayer of God's slave goes Hot vaill ever.

The mOlnent a devotee understands the realimport of this divine statement, all his 'vvishes anddesires find their fulfilment instantly. Really

.; -blessed are those supplicants V\Thich attain thisstate of praying to the Divine. Like a lighthousein the ocean, Bhai Bir, through his 'vvritings,guides and leads the spiritual seekers/ pilgrims to

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Power Of Prayer

reach their destination of Divine realization. Alas!Ilo\\' Inany educated persons, after reading aLlrge number of diverse books, are led astray intonon-belief and skepticism and lose their balanceof 111ind and mental health. This book will surel"prove very beneficial to such a misguidedcategory of young readers.

This author wishes the readers of this bookto supplicate and pray with complete humilityand devotion to the Almighty, Omnipotent Godto grant them the spiritual strength and staminato read and understand this book. He advises usto read this book repeatedly and understand itsdeeper nuances.

When they understand its under!yingphilosophy, they must apply its postulates duringtheir prayer. They must also wait eagerly for itsbeneficial results. These will definitely materialize.

This book has been printed for the fifth timefor the propagation of its message by the IF AtamScience Trust" It is believed that it will enlightenthe path of many skeptics and the estranged.Many gllrsiklzs will stand rewarded through thestudy of this book.

- Muhinder Singh

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Preface

There is an elaborate description of theDivine attributes. The description includes notonJy the unlimited vastness of the Divine but alsothe fact that a human being can tap this Divinesource through faith/ devotion deep meditationand detachment for the fulfilment of all his desiresand aspirations :~!fO§" 1k11f~ iJfaFfT~Wrj~1I

it JHRr iJfa~~ iIPHirEfT 1k11f !Jtf lRftr ira" H('iT /I 11fcJr - 669

The Lord is the fulfiller of aspirations and the Giverof all the c011lforts. III His power is the elysiallcow.So, 0 tny sOlll, 111editate, on such Lord, then alone/shalt tholl obtain all the cOlnforts, 0 I1ly Soul.

The Gllrbani of Guru Grant/z Salzib gives themessage that through prayer based on faith anddevotion Wa!zegUrLl/ the Divine God/ humanbeings can seek fulfilment of their desires. Whydoes God behave in this manner? Why does He

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Power OfPrayer

pander to the prayers of His devotees? \Vhy doesHe discriminate between His devotees and thenon-believers? Does it mean tha t God lovesflattery and sycophancy because He discriminatesbetween the two categories of hUlnan beings?How can a deity having proclivity to sycophancyand flattery be just and impartial?

There is a scientific explanation of this queryin Guru Granth Sahib. It explains that Waheguruis always just and fair. His laws are inexorable.Neither His laws nor His own identity undergoesany change. His laws are uniformly applicable toone and all. As the sun spreads its sunshine foreveryone, so Waheguru dispenses his justiceuniformly for everyone. He is kind andcompassionate. He neither discriminates norfavours anyone, whether he is good or bad. Butas Sun's rays fall over everyone, only those receivetheir warmth and light who keep their doors adwidows open and who venture outside to bask inthe sunlight. Those who remain confined insidetheir homes and keep their doors and windowsshut remain deprived of the Sun's light andwarmth. Similarly, Waheguru is kind andcompassionate to everyone, but those v\Tho create

9

Power Of Prayer _

barriers of ignorance against His grace, remaindeprived of the Divine benediction. This denial ofDivine grace to such individuals is due to theirlack of faith in prayer. It is these barriers of lackof faith, devotion, belief and traces of variouskinds of doubts about Divine grace vvhich createa wedge between the Divine and the human. Asmall pond of water, connected to a vast oceanthrough a small rivulet, remains filled with waterso long as the connecting rivulet remains cleanand its channel free froin weeds. The 1110Inent thislinking channel is choked vvith rubble and weeds,the pond of water will also dry up. There is asimilar kind of communicational channel ofprayer betvveen the human and the Divine. Themoment this communicational channel getschoked with doubt, skepticism and lack of faithand disbelief, the link between the human and theDivine is snapped. It is human ignorance and lackof faith which are responsible for this failure ofcommunication rather than the Divine grace andbenediction.

Effort has been made in this book to list thosedoubts and roadblocks of disbelief which renderhuman prayer ineffective and inhibit its

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Power Of Prayer

C01TIlTIUnication with the Divine. It also lays .downa road map for the conditions to prevail whichrestore this snapped communication betvveen thehuman and the Divin"e. The moment we learn thetrue art of praying, we can immediately tap theOmnipotent Divine Force to solve all ourproblems.

Raghbir Singh 'Bir'

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PULver OfPrayer _

The Philosophy of Prayer

fsoEit iiP" ('iT~ ffl'i" ott 1Hi!JP7hrII 11iar - 819

The prayer of God's slave goes not vai1l ever.

it # qfJ c;rga lIfJ~~~~II 11iar - 403

Whatever the servant ask his Master, forthwithcOlnes to pass.

"For verily I say unto you, that whosoever,shall say unto this mountain, be thou cast intosea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shallbelieve that those things which he saith shallcome to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.Therefore, I say unto you, what things howsoeverye desire when ye pray believe that ye receivethem and ye shall have them". - Lord JesusChrist

A vendor crossed a street selling sugarcandies. A child happened to look at this vendorand felt an urge to consume a sugar candy. Buthe had no money. Asking the vendor to wait fora minute, the child went inside and begged his

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Power OfPrayer

mother for money. The mother gave a coin to thechild; and the child had a sugar candy. The childkept the vendor waiting in the street on the basisof his confidence that his mother would neverrefuse him the money. The mother, on the otherhand, could not refuse money to her son on thesame basis that her son would lose faith in her ifshe refused her request.

It is with this child like faith that we shouldpray to God and He will grant all our wisheswith the same parental affection. The onlycondition is that we must have the childlike faithand confidence in the Divine for the fulfilment ofour wishes.

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PowerOfPrayer _

Prayer/Supplication

Human prayer is a dialogu.e behveen manand God. The first and foremost Londition forprayers is that a devotee must have faith in theexistence and identity of the Divine. He must feelassured that God exists and prevails everywhereand at all times.

How can one hope to have one's prayeraccepted who prays with a wavering faith, havingdoubts about God's existence all the time? Ninetyfive percent of our prayers go unansweredbecause we pray with a wavering faith and doubtin our mind. In other words, we do not know theway to pray. Why should God, who is On1niscienthaving the knowledge of our innermost secrets,answer our prayers which are merely customaryand ritualistic rather than genuine and sincere?Does it not amount to a mockerv both of ourprayer as well God when we pray to Him withan insincere heart and doubtful mind.

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Our prayers remain unanswered because vve

have neither been instructed how to pray nor dowe know ourselves the way to prayer. Since ourdaily prayers remain unanswered, our faith inprayer goes on dwindling every day. Among thewhole congregation of people standing in prayerwith folded hands, only a rare individual has afirm faith in God's Omnipotence, which is aprecondition for every prayer., Very often, wepray with a divided heart and a dwindling faith.A skeptical mind, unsure of God's existence andOmnipotence, prays to God in desperation afterhe has exhausted all avenues to solve hisproblelTI. A typical prayer of such a fracturedmind runs somewhat like this : 1/Oh God, I havenever seen you; but I have heard from my eldersand through the reading oi our scriptures thatGod exists. But since I have failed in all myhuman efforts and mental intelligence to sort outmy problem, I wish and pray that some kind ofGod should exist and address my grievance. Oh:;od, if You exist and respond, please listen tomy prayer and answer my prayer. I still have myioubts about Your existence and Omnipotence to;olve human problems. But having failed in all

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my endeavours to sort out my problem, I antaking a recourse to prayer as a last resort t<seek a solution." A prayer lnade vvith such a spHstate of mind can never lTIaterialize since it i:based on a wrong premise of having doubt:about the very identity of God. It is illogical t<pray to an entity in whose very existence onldoes not completely believe. Such a prayer witla fractured faith can never be answered as a boawith holes in its floor can never reach a shore. Ait is necessary to plug all the holes of a boabefore launching it on a sea or river, similarly iis necessarv to remove all kinds of doubts, an<

.I

traces of disbelief from one's mind about God'identity before making a pra:·er to Him for an:boon. A devotee in prayer 111ust have the samlevel of faith in God as a child has in his mother'capacity to feed hilTI.

~ EJTl[ M?'di!()'d' f!l;f fBr Rlf CJTfJ:r/I81"~ tiTuR> i'i"~WID- w iT lS" 11f7#r~ /I

- - =:: A.

11far - 71

The Lord is the Renlover of the three fevers. He ithe Destroyer of distress and the stock of peace.No obstacle befalls him, 'lvho prayetlz before hiLord.

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2

For a prayer to be successful, a devotee 111Ustrepose his total faith in the Omniscience andOmnipotence of God. But faith alone ,viII notsuffice, it must be combined with some othercoditionalities for the success of a prayer.

Along with faith, a devotee must ensure thegenuineness of his prayer. If a supplicant is notconvinced of the genuineness of his prayer, it willremain unanswered. For example, such absurddemands from God as fulfillment of one's desireof acquiring a neighbour's wealth, or making thewhole world subservient to one's own dictates,can never be fulfilled since the supplicant himselfis not convinced of their genuineness orreasonableness. Most of our prayers remainunanswered because we ourselves are notconvinced of their genuineness. The golden ruleof prayer is : First deserve then desire.

As in a shooting competition, for hitting atarget, possession of a gun alone is not sufficient.One must have a good aiming capability as well.Even after being in possession of a gun and agood aiming quality, one cannot hit a target inthe absence of a fixed target. Even with the

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possession all the three ingredients of a gun, atarget and a right aim, one fails to hit the targetif ~;olnebod\' disturbs a shooter at the ti~11C ofpn5sing the trigger. In the same 'Nay, for a :Jrayerto 0e ansvvered, all the required ingredient.; of apri'yer Inust be utilized in perfect combil'ation.Thvse who fail to get their prayers ans\veredsh,' ,--dd learn hovv to pray rather than aband .~n thepa [h of prayer. As tvvo plus two ahvays makefour, a proper prayer made in a propE.:" wayah1ays gets realized. Before one prays, on~ mustknovv h01N to pray.

Prayer acquires the most valuable place inthe life of a Gll rsiklz devotee if he succeeds inn1astering the technique of proper prayer aftermeeting all the requirements of a prayer. Such adevotee will realize that there is neither anydearth of anything in the kingdoln of God nordoes He (God) disappoint anyone. A supplicantcan get his every wish fulfilled provided heknows the true art of supplication. As Sun's lightgrants warmth and light to every object whichexposes itself to it, so God grants every wish ofa supplicant vvho surrenders his self before Him(God). But if a person sitting under shade accusessunshine of discrilnination, he is ignorant of the

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telnperament of sunshine. It is necessar:y to giveup the comfort of shady coolness to receivevvannth and light of the sunlight. The Sun lightgrants wannth and light voluntarily to a personwho has renounced the shade. Similarly, it isnecessary to meet all the requirements of prayerand make a proper supplication. Once theserequirements of a rrayer are fulfilled, GodHimself grants the prayer of a supplicant throughone of His myriad ways of fulfilment.

So we must understand the technique andpower of prayer. We should pray only for thosethings which our own conscience regards to begenuine. A child asking his mother's permissionfor eating rubbish will only get a rebuff, but hisdemand for a feed for nourishment will get aninstant nod. So God refuses to grant our prayerswhen we pray for things which are either harmfulfor us or are at the cost of other similar creaturesof God.

iiPJf oft fsow fJfP' !J fffiJ l.Ifcr~ iifo/IW fwHrzzr ROll? HO 30 JHO!iIllfd/I JJfaT - 519

Regarding thy 1ninds' woe, nlake supplicationbefore thy Gunl.Forsake thou all thy cleverness and dedicate untoHinl thy 1nind and body.

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3

As lnan could not utilize the benefits ofelectricity till he became fully conversant vvith thebasic laws of electricitv, similarly luan can not.I _

derive full benefits froln hUInan prayer till heunderstands the basic principles of prayer. Basiclavvs, whether these are of electricity or prayer,operate uniformly without any favour orprejudice towards anyone.

Even vvhen Inan was ignorant of the laws ofelectrici ty, it used to ill u mina te the skiesoccasionally through lightening from the clouds.Similarly, even when man "vas unaware of theprinciples of prayer, it used to provide anoccasional relief to the bereaving persons. Aslightening, even nO\N, illuminates the sky not atman's bidding but \IV hen laws of electricity orlightening COlne into operation, similarly, humanprayer is ansvvered ,,\Then its basic principles findtheir application. But as occurrence of lighteningis not subject to human bidding, similarlyfulfilment of hUlnan prayer sOlnetilne is alsobeyond the realm of human \A/ish.

As electrical gadgets do not function whenthere is a slight disruption in the electric current

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due to certain technical fault, silnilarly humanprayer remains unanswered due to some kind ofviolation of the laws of prayer. As a leakingelectric current gives a shock to human touch,similarly non-fulfilment of prayer shakes the faithof a supplicant. For a prayer to be successfulrequires complete understanding and properapplication of the spiritual laws governing an actof prayer. Beneficial comforts derived fromelectricity pale into insignificance as compared tothe benedictions of human prayer performedaccording to the prescribed laws of prayer.

As has been repeatedly mentioned in theearlier pages, a supplicant must have a firm faithboth in the existence of God and genuineness ofhuman prayer. We shall now explain the thirdprinciple of prayer without which a prayer basedon two earlier principles would remainunfulfilled. A prayer will remain unfulfilled evenif performed with a faith in God's existence andgenuineness of one's prayer if a supplicant hasdoubts about the Omnipotence of God. Forexample, a person suffering from an incurableaffliction as per the declared expert medicalopinion, prays to God with a complete faith inHis existence as well as the genuineness of his

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ovvn prayer cannot be relieved of his affliction solong as he doubts the healing po\vers of Godbecause his affliction has been declared asincurable by the doctors. With his doubt in theOmnipotence of God, his prayer will remainunanswered.

There shQuld be such a steely firmness in thefaith of a supplico.nt in the Olunipotence of Godthat his own doubts and opinions should be ofno consequence in the face of his faith. His faithin God's almightiness and healing powers shouldhave the strength and firmness of a granite rockin the midst of an ocean whom the mighty wavesof the ocean cannot dismantle from its position.He should realize that the end of his humanefforts, the intelligence and shrewdness to dealwith his ovvn afflictions is not the end of God'sspiritual and healing powers as well. What is thedistinction betvveen the hUluan and the Divine ifthe power of the Divine also ends with the endof human power? When we declare our belief andfaith in the Omnipotence of God, it dearly meansthat Divine power is myriad times more powerfulthan human powers. It means that the po\vcr ofthe Divine is capable of accon1plishing even thosetasks which human intelligence regards

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impossible to be accomplished. Guru Arjan DevJi refers to such a Divine attribute ofOmnipotence to deal with boundary situations.Guru Ji states that God can not only bring abouta deliverance from pain, poverty, affliction andtension but create a counter condition of perfectcomfort and happiness in the life of a supplicantcaught in a boundary situation if he declares hiscomplete faith in the existence and omnipresenceof God.

;:(T~~ 1Hf3"~ itt~n ~II

l?W~~R'ci" m- §f;:r I:IH-II1B~ 11fTROT~11#~IIffJfg W ~ I./TfJ1fJJf HCfr (liT 831~II 11far - 70

He who is confronted with dire difficulty andwhom none offers any asylum,When friends turn into enelnies and even therelations flee away, and when all the support givesway and all the succours is at an end,If he then reme1nbers the Supreme Lord, even thehot wind shall not touch him.

# ~~~ !;orfflf ;if l/krIIPHlfT zm. (liT~ (liT~N dfaII~~ (liT~ eM (liT~~ i!i'tJ1IffJfg~~ I./TfJ1fJJf 3T frnJfJ?:r~CPjJII 11far - 70

If someone be weak front the pangs of poverty andhunger, and if he has got no 1noney in his pocket,

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and there be none to give hilll consolation, and if110 one lvere to gratify his ail1l and desire, and nolvork of his be accolnplished;

A.nd if he in his heart, re1Jlel1lbers the SuprelneLord, he shall have a pel1llanent kingdonl.

HT c@ ffW ElW ElW~ f?1Hrtr awllfa[Rf3" gffir~~~~ f!qrll

\1/~ ~~Wuaitn~fWlIffJf3"~ fig lfTCJ1FM 30HO R13?f~II 11iar - 70

He who is plagued by very excessive anxiety andbodily ail1nent,He who is wrapped up in household and fa 111ily andsOlnetil1les feels joy and sometilnes sorrow; andwanders in four directions and cannot sit or sleepeven for a 11101nent;Were he to reflect over the Suprel1le Lord, his bodyand soul shall be cooled (rest at peace).

A boon is sought from one who is capable ofgranting it. One can't ask for millions from aperson possessing thousands only. When we prayto God for a boon, we must have faith that He iscapable of granting that boon. Lack of faith inGod's Omnipotence has rendered millions ofhuman prayers to go unanswered. Human prayercan never be realized till man reposes completefaith in God's Omnipotence.

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4

The fourth condition which is indispensablefor a prayer to be answered is the supplicant'sown firm faith and hope in the fulfillment ofprayer. The foilowing anecdote will illustrate thisthesis.

Once a severe drought struck a country. Thedanger of crop failure and famine was loominglarge over the whole countryside. The villageelders opined that there was no other alternativebut to pray to God for rain, since God alone cancause rains. So the entire village populace shouldcongregate to pray for rain. This is the only optionfor bringing rain. With this resolution, a publicannouncement was made for the residents toassemble for prayer in an open ground on thevillage outskirts on a certain fixed day. Thisassembled gathering would pray to God for rainto save their crops and to save them from theimpending famine. The entire village populaceassembled on the appointed day and time in theopen ground. The head of the village societystood up to lead this prayer for rain. A wanderingmendicant appeared on the scene just before thestart of this community prayer ad enquired about

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the purpose of their prayer. The villagers repliedthat they had congregated there to pray to Godto send rain to save their crops from the

.impending drought and famine. The mendicantappreciated their noble gesture of praying to Godfor rain which sh~wed they had reposed their faithin God. Since their prayer was well-intentioned,it must get providential response and cause rain.But he questioned the congregation as to howwould they protect themselves from rain if raincomes immediately following their prayer sincethey did not have umbrellas or raincoats withthem. On hearing this, the villagers mocked at themendicant for his funny remarks. How couldrains come so suddenly on such a sunny brightday, they questioned the mendicant. Why shouldthey carry umbrellas on a such a bright sunnyday? The mendicant retorted why should they nothave faith in the immediate fulfilment of theirprayer if they believed that God was capable ofbringing rain at any moment of time. If they hadbelieved in the fulfilment of their prayer and hadbrought their umbrellas, they would havecompelled God to accept their prayer and causerain. He asked them to disperse after prayer andpredicted that their prayer will novv be answered

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in due course of time rather than immediately.

This anecdote provides a valuable advice toa spiritual pilgrim. Our prayers remainunanswered because of our own lack of faith inour prayer rather than any lack of response to ourprayer from God. The prayers of Bhai BidhiChand trapped inside a burning furnace andDraupadi's prayer in a public assembly wereimmediately answered because both of them hada firm belief in the power of their own prayer.

A child buys a sweet candy from a streetvendor. After taking a delivery of the candy fromthe vendor, the child asks him to wait till the childbrings the money from his mother. Neither thechild nor the vendor has any doubt about themother's generosity. The child approaches themother and asks for the money to pay to thevendor. The mother, realizing the child's faith anddependence on her, can never turn down thechild's demand. Human prayer, made with sucha firm faith and confidence, can never gounanswered. God, like a mother, is duty boundto accept such a prayer. The proverbial butcherSadhna had extended such a prayer which waspositively answered.

27

Power Of Prayer _

fHH (iT fiBr 3" {j~W1fTHT f3H~ glf~II

6?M1iJ ;r;ry Cro-ro taita~Hi; R- fr(;H111 11iar - 126~He, whose father Thou art, 0 Illy Lord; what sorlof hunger can that child have?In Thy HOllIe are the nine treasures of tlte Nallle'~

'lvealth. What his heart desires, that he receives.

fiJ3r~~ fP;r P11;T~Hfif JPcft fr~II~. POFr lIS tWHfJ fqP- idtr~~II 11iar - 126t

The kind father has given this order that wllatevelthe child asks for with his 1110Uth, he be providec,with that.Child Nanak longs for the Lord's vision. May th~

Lord's feet evel' abide within lily 111ind.

28

Power OfPrayer

Sher-e-Punjab &the Attocl< River

It is well known that even the very deep andturbulent river Attock had given the right ofpassage to the forces of Maharaja Ranjit Sing. Itis very difficult to convince those people whohave no faith in Wnhegunl and the power of Hishuman instruments through whom His Willoperates. But there is no need to convince thosepeople who repose their faith in Wnheguru; HisOmnipotence; the genuineness of their ownprayer and its definite fulfilment. This article isaddressed to those who are neither completelytheists nor totally atheists. These are thosepersons who believe in the existence of Wnheguru,or some kind of Divine, Superhuman force buthave doubts about His Omnipotence andbenevolence. His Highness, Maharaja Ranjit Singhwas a very devout Sikh and a man of firm faith.He considered himself a loyal soldier of Waheguruand attributed all his military victories to the

29

PowerOfPrayer __

grace of God. The various incidents related to hilife confirm his finn faith in Wnlzegllrll. Hivarious acts and deeds such as - his \villinpreparedness to accept the total annihila tion (his family consequent upon his construction ofSikh shrine Gurlldll'nrn at Nander, Hazoor Sahilhis offering of two precious items, a diamoncsh~dded crown and a very expensive coveringarment prepared for his son to the GoldeTemple at Amritsar as being worthy of a Guru'throne only, and his minting of his royal currencin the name of the Guru instead of his own nam- are symptomatic of his utmost devotion anfaith. There is a well known incident about th:legendary devout Sikh Maharaja. Once he and harmy had to cross the river Attock which at th,moment, was in a torrent (flood). The militarexigency demanded that his army must cross thriver. But there was no bridge over it. The devolSikh Maharaja, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was notconventional sort of follower of Guru GrantSahib whose faith \vas limited to the performan(of certain rituals alone. He was a devout Sikh (faith who truly believed in the teachings of GUIGranth Sahib. So at this juncture, Mahraja RanjSingh was confronted with a turbulent river on H

30

Power Of Prayer

)ne hand and his equally strong faith in God's)mnipotence on the other. There \-vas an echo of~uru Nanak's following words from the Japllji inlis mind:

Bfdr iJTfT~ 1HF1CJTTY/I 11iar - 3

By hearkening to (God's Nalne) the llnfatholnablebecolnes fa tho111able.

So, the visibly turbulent and formidable'\ttock overflowing and cutting its bank posed noiaunting threat to the spiritually enriched and:aith-laden Mahraja Ranjit Singh. He had learntlnd realized from the teachings of Guru Granth,alzib that no material or physical object,10wsoever formidable, posed any threat to a:levout Sikh who believed in the Omnipotencelnd fearlessness of the Divine. For a spiritually?nlightened person suffused with the Divinelttributes, external threats were of no consequence.'a, addressing his generals and army:ommanders, the Maharaja declared that this:urbulent river posed no threat to the Sikh forceslnd they must cross this river. But looking at themenacing river in flood, his generals and officersJpined that they would not be able to cross such1 formidable river without a makeshift bridge. Atthis moment, the devout Maharaja quoted and

31

Power Of Prayer _

recited the following hYlnn from Guru GrandSahib:

JiIcJr f1'HT warr CiCffiHr 8:v~ UPfJIIupym- f37;r ;{rg~ ffiJ t1M~ CJTCJ /IiWPHr f?fe"~~ Efl?1 eM 'J-.11C1fTUIIci/;Tr EPfir PIP' lJT3"RTCit l'iRCM q~t [P1f'Cl1I 11iar - 14.:

The tigers, hawks, kites and falcons, tlte111 the Lorecauses to eat gl'ass.Who eat grass, thel11 He causes to eat 111eat. Thi~

way of life He call set agoil1g.He exhibits 1110uuds il1 ri':'ers, and the deserts Hi111akes into unfathomable ocealls.A WOrln, He appoints to kingship, and He l'educetan a1'111y to ashes.

He declared that the Khalsa forces woulecross this river on the strength of their faith irGod Almighty. His generals, who were alreadyterrified by the turbulent river, felt morEthreatened by these foolhardy remarks of theilMaharaja. In their opinion, Guru Granth Sahiewas a scriptural text at the most worthy of certairritualistic supplications. Since they had lived theillives on the basis of such superficial religiou~

rituals, they felt extremely scared at the though1of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's determination to cros~

the river without ay bridge or any kind of humanassistance. On the other hand, the Maharaja had

32

Power Of Prayer

not only paid his ritualistic obeisance to GuruGrantJr Sahib, but had also understood itsphilosophy in his own life. He regarded GuruGrantlz Sahib not only the living embodiment ofthe Sikh Gurus as ordained by Guru GobindSingh but believed in the underlying philosop~1Y

of this sacred text and regarded its teachings asthe et~"rnal truth and a divine manifestation. ~{e

firmh: believed in the real identity andOmnipotence of God as described in the text ofthe holy Guru Grantlr Sahib. The Divine powel ofWaheguru is as intact, eternal and permanentlyprevalent as it had been during the time of SikhGurus - Guru Nanak Dev , Guru Arjan Dev andGuru Gobind Singh. Waheguru has always thepower and pleasure of creating mountains out ofthe deep gorges of rivers and deserts in vastoceans as He possessed these powers duringGuru Nanak's times. What is required is the truefaith and devotion to make this divine poweroperational and participative. The moment ahuman being expresses this level of faith anddevotion, the protective and benevolent power ofGod manifests itself instantly.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh ordered for his horseto be presented. When his steed was brought, the

33

Power Of Prayer _

river Attock was still in a state of terrible flood.The Maharaja mounted his horse, but the river'sflow remained steady. Maharaja shouted the Sikhwar cry "Wa]zegurll Ji Ka K/zalsa"l (victory to theLord) even as the river roared in its full fury.Maharaja spurred his horse and the horse jUlnpedin the air on the bank of the overflowing river.Maharaja's generals and their subordinates fearedfor the life of their royal King. But Maharaja,astride his horse, had a firm faith in the protectivepower of God as enshrined in the followinghymn:

#" JITfJ@ Rtf Rtf~~ lfR}{~/I 11ior - 619

What-50-ever I ask, that, yea all that I receive, forI have faith in 1I1y Master.

As the horse along with his master jumpedinto the waters of the river Attock, Maharaja RanjitSigh shou ted the Sikh war cry once more"Wa/zeguru Ji Ki FateJz" (Victory be to the Lord). Itwas a testing moment for the devout Sikh, sinceGod Himself was amusingly testing the extent ofHis devotee's faith. Will the devout Sikh waver inhis faith at the moment of truth or remainsteadfast? But the moment the horse and his riderjumped into the river, all doubts and fearsvanished in thin air and the protective powers of

34

Power Of Prayer

the Divine caIne into full operation. SinceMaharaja Ranjit Singh had fulfilled all theconditions for the fulfihnent of his prayer andfully qualified hilnself for the Divine grace andprotection, the Divine pov-Ter came into operationto protect. It was the same Divine ptJwer whichhad proved to be the saviour of the saintlyPrehlad during his forced embrace of a pillar ofred-hot iron, the protector of Draupdi during herinlpending stripping in the evil assembly ofKaurl.'as; the soothing power to Guru GobindSingh's court poet Nand Lal during the torturouspricking of his eyes; the restraining hand on thedevout Sikh Joga Singh's shoulder on thethreshold of a prostitute; the commanding voicewhich addressed Moses on the mountain top andthe Divine power which resurrected Jesus Christafter his crucifixion and burial. The saIne Divineforce appeared before Maharaja Ranjit Singh inthe midst of a river in turbulent flood. The horse,with Maharaja on his back went down, rose againtwice in the river to the consternation of gapinggenerals and officers standing on the bank. \Vhilethe Maharaja was still shouting the Sikh war cryIiWaheguru Ii Ki Fatelz" (victory be to the Lord), thehorse rose above the water and river seemed to

35

Power OfPrayer _

be flowing bela"" the stirrups su pportingMaharaja's feet. Maharaja, still shouting the Sikhwar cry "Wl1Jzegli rll Ji Ki Fl1teh", addressed hisgenerals to demonstrate his faith in the DivineOmnipotence and His protective power to protectHis devotees. With such a daring and devoutcommander leading the charge, the whole army ofMaharaja Ranjit Singh crossed the flooded Attock,which looked so formidable and indomitable afew rninutes earlier.

36

Power OfPrayer

Draupdi and Sri Krishna

Draupdi : "My Lord! You protected myhonour in the assembly Ol Kaunms but after a lotof suspense and harassment."

Krishna : "Draupdi, I do not harass anyoneor did I harass you either."

Draupdi : "Sir, what can be greaterharassment than this" Dushashan dragged me tothe court, yet you did not protect me. You didnot appear even when he threatened to strip mein the crowded court. Then catching me by thewrist and preparing to strip me, he challenged thefive Pandavas including yourself (Krishna) to dareto stop him from his act. I cried and called youin my prayers, but still you did not appear. Youarrived at the scene only when the wickedDushashan started stripping me actually.Thereafter,ryou saved my honour by keeping mybody covered through yards of cloth. I amextremely grateful to you for saving my honour

37

Power Of Prayer _

dnd chJstitv, but I fail to understand \-vhv vou_ ./ 0/

intervened so late. Ho\-v did you accept so muchdishonour of vour devotee?"

Sri Krishna : "Draupdi, I always protect mydevotees. No force on earth can stop Inc to reach111y devotees \lvhen they call me in prayer. I takepleasure in protecting the faithful. I, immediately,reach to defend hiin whosoev€r remembers andcalls Inc earnestly \lvhile in distress."

Draupdi : "Do you think Dushashan's acts ofdragging Inc frOll1 111)' chambers to the open court,slandering Inc there and the Kaurva's insultingand biting reinarks were not acts of dishonour?"

Sri Krishna: "Draupdi, these V\oere indeed actsof dishonouring you, I admit."

Draupdi : "Then, \lvhy did you allow theseacts of dishonour. \Vhy did you alloV\' Dushashanto touch me dnd drag Inc out of my chambers."

Sri Krishna: "Draupdi, I intervene and protectthe faithful only \\'h('n they call me earnestly andal1o\-v Inc to protect them."

Darupdi : "It 111callS, I did not pray to youearnestl\' and nor did I provide you anopportunity to help 111e."

38

Power OfPrayer

Sri Krishna : "Yes, this is a fact."

Draupdi : "Then you are not omniscient. Youdo not know my predicament."

Sri Krishna (Amusingly) : "Draupdi, this isyour Inisconception. I know each and every traceof your thought."

Darupdi : "How can I accept your words? Ihad started crying and calling you in prayer fromthe moment Dushashan appeared in my chamberand started dragging me."

Sri Krishna: "I agree you were calling me inprayer, but in your heart of hearts, you werethinking that the five Pandvas and their eldersincluding Bhisham Pitama, Dronacharya, Vidurand others would not allow Dushashan todisgrace you and they will punish him. You wereconfident of getting Dushashan punished for hisvile acts."

Draupdi : "My Lord! Even if I accept yourobservation, why did not you intervene when allthe five Pandavas and the elders expressed theirhelplessness to protect my hour? Why did youallow Dushashan to manhandle and disgrace meeven when I was all the time, calling you in

39

Power Of Prayer _

prayer?"

Sri Krishna : "Even at that moment yourpray';:"r was not earnest. You had tucked yuursaree in your teeth, thinking that you could SZiveyour ~lonour through your own efforts. You calledme ill all earnest only when all your hopes dndefforts failed to protect you. The moment youcalle t

,; me earnestly, abandoning every oelersour:'12, I reached instantly and saved you Lomdisg.'ace. I am protector and saviour of thehelpless rather than a protector of those whodepend on worldly sources."

40

Power OfPrayer

A Gurmukh's Prayer

Whenever our prayer remains unanswered,we should not conclude that either there is noDivine power or He doe~; not listen to our prayer.There can be several reasons for the non­fulfilment of our prayer. A prayer succeeds whenall the requirements for prayer are met. At suchmoments, when one's own prayer remainsunanswered, intercession by a more spirituallyrealized person in the form of a prayer producesstartling results. I take this .opportunity to relatean incident from my own life which would be amatter of interest for those who wish to embarkon a spiritual pilgrimage.

I was blessed with a son in 1918. This beingthe first male issue who had raised the status ofmy father to that of a paternal grandfather andthat of my wife's father to a maternal grandfather.This male child became a centre of attraction forboth the families. Being the eldest and the mostbeautiful, he became an object of love for all the

41

Power Of Pruyer _

relatives. Su t this child expired after tvvo yearsdespite all the Inedical aid and hun1an efforts.His death shocked everyone in the falnily. Butvvhatever is ordained is inevitable.

Soon after the death of this child, I wasblessed with a daughter. Although myself and myv\life got involved in the health care of the newborn, but Inelnbers of our family regarded it asan instance of Divine injustice. God had snatcheda Inale child and substituted a female child in hisplace.

Tvvo years after the birth of this girl child, wewere blessed with another male child. Both thefamilies celebrated the birth of a male child andregarded it as an act of Divine justice andcompensation to Inake up for an earlier loss. Butsoon this joy turned into grief ad consternationwhen this male child also expired after two yearsand another female child took birth in our family.The elderlv ladies in our family were often heard

./ -'

making comments against God's ways. They usedto question God's \ViU for taking away two malechildren and replacing them with two femalechildren.

Since I never discriminated betvveen male and

42

Power OfPrayer

female issues, I accepted God's Will gracefullyand busied myself with the bringing up of mytwo daughters. My wife, though feeling the pangsof the death of her two sons, also loved ad likedher two daughters. But other female members ofour family could not reconcile with the death ofour two sons and often made verbal protestsagainst God's Will. But the following lines frorrSukhmani provided me great solace:

lim cit~ fa!! 11fTffr eMII

~ cit JHTfiwHr1#~II~3"~~flxJwll;r;r;;;y..RF~/I 11iar - 268

He should place the thing before Him, to whom itbelongs, and should most willingly obey his Lord'sorder.There-at, the Lord will make him four-fold happy.Nanak, the Lord is ever Merciful.

With the passage of time, three more femalechildren were born in our family. Members of ourfamily felt quite offended with the birth of fivedaughters and the loss of two sons. Femalevisitors to our household openly declared it asour misfortune. They were also peeved that we,as parents, loved our five daughters to the extentof indulgence and pampering them beyond a

43

POLuer ofPrayer _

limit. In their opinion they considered it as ourperversion to pamper our daughters. But both ofus, as parents, loved our daughters as we wouldhave loved our sons and never displayed anysense of hurt at the loss of our two sons. Since Iregarded daughters better than sons in certainrespects, I, often, dressed my two eldestdaughters as male children and took them out fora drive. On certain occasions, dressing them asmales, I used to take them out on hunting sprees.I always expressed my \tvilling acceptance of God'sWill in blessing me with daughters during mydaily prayers. I always prayed for the good healthand well-being of my daughters.

Despite this complete acceptance of God'Will, I and my wife could not wipe out thememory of our two sons. Their memory stillrankled in bur minds. This remembrance of ourdeceased sons was alive not because weconsidered sons to be superior to daughters butbecause this craving for a male issue is inbuilt inhuman psyche. In the event of our having fivesons, we would have craved for two daughters.Man delights in having both sons and daughters.We have come across people who having beenblessed with sons expressed a craving for a

44

Power Of Prayer

daughter as \'vell. When a Sikh Saint BabaVasakha Singh, President of a welfare committeefor the families of imprisoned Indian freedomfighters visited Calcutta in 1930-31 for collectingdonations, I invited him to a dinner, consideringthat he was a spiritually realized soul. Heacceded to my request graciously and came overfor a dinner at our place. Post dinner, aconversation about Nam Simran and meditationensued. My interest in meditation and its practicein my daily life pleased him. I also felt blessedto be in the company of a meditational soul.Admiring my wife for her hospitality for havingserved the dinner with devotion, he asked mywife about our progeny. My wife replied humblythat we had been blessed with five daughters.Baba Ji asked us if we had no male issue. Mywife replied that we were initially blessed withtwo sons, but both expired. Now our householdhas five daughters.

Just before departure after listening to myvyife's reply, Baba Ji uttered that a Gursikh familylike ours should have both sons and daughters.After this, he asked my wife if we had everprayed to God for the restoration of our two lostsons. My wife replied that we had never

45

Power Of Prayer _

particularly prayed for such a blessing becauseGod Himself is olnniscient. Then he asked me ifwe had the installation of Sri Guru Gral1tlz Sahibin our home. I replied that we had such anarrangement at our place. Baba Ji then declaredthat let us go inside and pray together beforeGuru Granth Sahib.

So w;~ went inside the room where Sri GuruGrantlz •Sahib was installed. Baba Ji, prayed withfolded hands bowing his spiritually hallowed facein the words: "True Almighty Lord of lords, Youare Omnipotent and bountiful. It. is our humbleprayer that let this Gursikh's household beblessed with sons."

Baba Ji departed after the prayer. We justforgot about Baba Ji's visit to our place and a bigprayer on behalf of us in due course of tilne. Butwhen we were blessed with a son after a year,we recalled Baba Ji's prayer. We were blessedwith another son after tvvo years. We receivedcongratulatory messages from all the relatives andfamily friends. My father came· down to Calcuttato have a glimpse of the two male kids. There\,vere recitations of Guru Granth Sahib's text anddonations were given to charities. Everyone

46

Power OfPrayer

thanked God for such a boon. But myself and mywife realized that it was on the intercession andprayer of a spiritual soul V\'hich brought aboutthis miracle; Hence Guru's words :

fiToEit cW ;r;r~H7f cit1HOf!'fH/I~Ro~ (iT l.RI7f~ 3'fR'1i 11far - 819

- :=-

The prayer of God's slave goes not vain eve,..Nanak has the strength of the Peifect Lord who isthe Treasure of excellences.

m3"Jftr3"~H~~1Il.[f1TC u;par HTlJPT Rfs H«a#"/I 11iar - 306

The words which the saints utter with their 11touthC01ne to pass.In His workshop, He appears 1nanifest. All peoplehear of it.

47

POLDer Of Prayer _

Power of Prayer

Sri Guru Gobind Singh had a great liking fOJweapons. He felt extremely deligJ-l~ed whenever cSikh present~d him with a weapon. All the Sikh~

in the surrounding areas knew 3.bout Guru Ji' ~

liking for \\Tea pons and offered "\Tea pons a~

presents to seek his blessings.

A blackslnith by the nalne Gujar also kne\r\about Guru Ji's liking. He cast such a formidabl(iron shield \vhich he considered \vas impregnabhby any kind of bullet, spear or s\vord. HEdeparted for Anandpur Sahib \r\!ith the present 0

such a shield. Guru Ji was preparing to confronthe might of the several-hundred years oletyrannical Moghul dynasty at Anandpur Sahib.

Guru Ji was holding his court when BhaGujar reached Anandpur Sahib. Guru Ji wa~

flanked by great \varriors on one side, anescholars, poets and learned persons on the othe:side. Gllrbmzi kirtmz \-vas being recited. Bhai GujaJ

48

Power OfPrayer

listened to Gurbani recitation \vhile sitting in thecongregation. At the end of the congregation, hepresented his shield to Guru Ji.

Guru Ji looked at the shield and appreciatedits texture. Guru Ji dre\-v the attention of hiswarriors to the shield who also admired theweapon. The shield "vas really excellent. It \-vascast out of the alloys of several metals, light inweight but quite hard in texture. Everyoneappreciated the weapon and craftsmanship of BhaiGujar as it was circulated among the gathering ofassembled warriors. But Bhai Gujar, instead ofbeing thankful to the Guru for making it theobject such a wide admiration, felt proud of hiscraftsmanship. He declared proudly addressingGuru Ji and the court audience: None in thewhole congregation could dare pierce through hisshield. He challenged even Guru Ji to have atryst with his shield.

Although Guru Ji regarded his shield as agood work of craftslnanship but Guru Ji did notapprove of the boastful words of Bhai Gujar.These were the words of a proud individualexpressing his false pride. House of God does notapprove of such a bravado. Therefore, Guru Ji

49

Power OJ Prayer _

once again adlnired his creation but asserted thathe (Guru Ji) himself "vauld try to pierce thisshield the next day to test his claim. Even thesevvords failed to remind Bhai Gujar of his falsepride and he accepted Guru Ji's challenge. Heonce again reiterated his claim that a weaponcrafted by his hands was ilnpregnable. Hechallenged Guru Ji hJ make even hundreds ofattempts to pierce his shield with a bullet.

Congregation then dispersed. An elderlyGursikh told Bhai Gujar that the latter hadcomn1itted a grave error and that he should nothave made such a boastful claim about his shieldin the Guru's presence. He explained that BhaiGujar's shield might have been too formidable tobe pierced by ordinary warriors, but for Guru Ji,with his spiritual powers and martial expertise,his shield would not be impregnable.

Bhai Gujar argued that it was impossibleeven for Guru Ji to beat his claim. If his shieldwas really formidable as he claimed, then it wasequally impregnable for Guru Ji as well as otherwarriors' bullets. Guru Ji \\'ould be using thesame stock of bullets. The elderly Gursikh triedto prevail upon Bhai Gujar to realize his folly and

50

Power Of Prayer

learn to differentiate betvveen Guru Ji's skill andthat of his other vvarriors. He \varned Bhai Gujarthat his boastful claim would get exposed the nextday and he would have to face a lot of ridicule.He had come to the Guru's court for his blessingsbut after making such a proud and boastingassertion he would have to return empty handed.

Bhai Gujar again questioned the elderlySikh's advice and asserted Guru Ji's gun vvouldnot be any better than those of his warriors. TheSikh elder impressed upon Bhai Gujar that it wasnot the gun which made the difference but theperson who would aim at his shield. There wasa world of difference between the worksmanshipof the Guru and that of his Sikhs. While theordinary warriors would aim at his shield only,Guru Ii would aim at Bhai Gujar's pride andignorance. Guru Ii knevv the complete texture ofthe molecules which comprised his shield. GuruIi knew the reality behind the physical existenceof material things. When there is nothingpermanently formidable and integrated in thismaterial world, how can his shield beimpregnable and unbreakable. Guru Ji kno\vs thissecret of the material universe. The moleculeswhich formed his shield with his great 'skill and

51

Power Of Prayer _

crafts111anship had already started disintegratingsince the 1110111ent of its present existence. Thisprocess of disintegration would continue till thetotal dislnantling of the shield \-vith the passageof tilue. This time span could be ten years to tenthousand years. These molecules wouldultimately get disintegrated. As he had joinedthese molecules into a formidable shield vvithgreat craftsmanship, a greater craftsman coulddisintegrate and dis111antle these molecules witha bullet shot much in advance of their naturaltenure of expiry. As he was a highly skilledcraftS111an, similarly Guru Ji was a far moresuperior artist to look through the motives of menand the luanufactured fabric of things. Possessedwith such a deep insight, Guru Ji's bullet woulddefinitely pierce through his shield. Bhai Gujarshould not equate Guru Ji with other able-bodiedSikhs, otherwise why should these warriors feelblessed \-vhen they bow before Guru Ji everyday.Why do they always remain ready to make anysacrifice for their Guru? Knowledge is power, butspiritual knowledge is the greatest power. SinceGuru Ji possesses this spiritual knowledge, he isthe centre of veneration for all his warrior Sikhs.In fact Guru's followers are the devotees of the

52

Power Of Prayer

supreme, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient divinepower of which Guru Ji is a living elnbodiment.So the divinely blessed Guru Ji would surelyimpregnate his formidable shield the next day.

Hearing these facts about Guru Ji's spiritualpower, Bhai Gujar felt convinced that Guru Ji'sbullet would certainly pierce through his shield.He confessed his blunder of challenging Guru Ji's

. powers and entreated the elderly Sikh to suggesta way how to make amends for his act ofdisobedience and defiance. He had realized thathe would surely lose the bet next day andbecome a butt of ridicule among the wholecongregation next day. He had come to seekGuru Ji's blessings by presenting his shield madewith great skill and craftsmanship, but hadinstead invited Guru Ji's displeasure andhumiliation of the Sikh congregation. With thisrealization, he begged the Sikh elder to suggesta way out of the impending insult andhumiliation at the next day's congregation. Heexpressed his sincere apologies for his act ofdefiance and discourtesy which emerged out ofhis ignorance of Guru Ji's divine powers. Heentreated the Sikh elder to save him out of thisself-created ordeal.

53

Power Of Prayer _

The Sikh elder suggested to hiln to pray withhumility and faith to the great Guru's spiritualsource ~V(lJregllrll to protect his honour. Prayermade in all hlunility and earnest faith alone couldprotect his honour. There was no other way out.He should go hOlne, invite five Gursikhs to adinner, serve thenl food with devotion and begthem to intercede on his behalf.

Accepting the same advice, Bhai Gujar servedfood to the five Gursikhs with devotion, andbegged theln to sa\'e him from dishonour bypraying to God on his behalf. He appealed tothem that their prayers alone could save him fromdishonour. They should pray to God to make hisshield impregnable. Acceding to Bhai Gujar'sappeal, the five Gursikh's prayed to God toprotect this errant Sikh's honour since he hadconfessed his sin. They ended their prayer witha Sikh prayer's epilogue~ ;:it (iT lfTl?RT

~ ;:it cit G3CJ/I-=

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

All the Sikh warriors assembled at the nextday's congregation. Guru Ji called for Bhai Gujar.

54

Pouler ofPrayer

Bhai Gujar was a figure of humility and devotion.He made a humble presentation of his shield toGuru Ji.

The shield was fixed as a target. Guru Jiaimed at the shield amidst great suspense. Theaudience was eagerly awaiting for the momentwhen Bhai Gujar's shield would be pierced andhe would become a butt of ridicule among thewhole congregation.

Guru Ji took the aim twice at the shield, buttwice the bullet could not be fired. -The SikhwClrriors entreated Guru Ji to change the gun, butGuru Ji declined their suggestion. Instead hecalled for Bhai Gujar. Bhai Gujar appeared beforeGuru Ji with great humility. Guru Ji asked BhaiGujar's last night's activities. Bhai Gujar repliedthat he had been praying throughout to makeamends for his last day's act of disobedience anddefiance. He had appealed to the five Gursikhs tointercede on his behalf and protect him fromdishonour. He begged Guru Ji to forgive him forhis misdemeanor since he was an errant humanbeing and Guru Ji was an epitome of the Divine.

Upon this entreaty, Guru Ji addressed thecongregation and declared that he could not

55

Power Of Prayer _

ilnpregnate Bhai Gujar's shield since God HilTISelfand his predecessors the nine Sikh Guru's wereon the side of Bha~ Gujar.

Such is the F'0\Ver of prayer n1ade withhUlnility and faith.

56

Power Of Prayer

Things Never Get Lost,These Get Out Of Sight

Once I had to travel from Lahore to Karnalon a missionary trip to preach Sikh philosophy.Departing at night from Lahore, the tr2in's arrivalat Karnal was early in the morning. I reached therailway station with my bedding and a leathersuit case. The compartment which I had to boardwas extremely crowded. The Muslim porter askedme to get into the compartment and he wouldhand over my luggage through the side windo\v.

After entering the compartment, I put mybedding on an empty seat. But soon the porterreported that someone had picked up my suitcasewhile he was handing over my bedding to me. SoI got down the train. The porter and myselfsearched the whole train, but we did not find mysuitcase. I told the porter to bring down mybedding from the train since I could not travelwithout my suitcase. The porter brought down

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Power Of Prayer _

my bedding and the train departed after a fewIninutes.

It occurred to me that the suitcase containedthree copies of Iny most valuable notes on GuruGranth Sahib vvhich I had been preparing for somany years. I felt shocked over the loss of mynotes. I yvas going on a missionary trip and a fewfriends Nould be waiting for my.arrival at Karnal.Why had such an incident occurred? Was it apunishtnent for my egoistic pride, my duplicityand dichotomy between what I preached and whatI practiced? Was my trip jinxed? Not only this illomen, three big exercise books of notes on GuruGranth Sahib were lost forever. Why did ithappen? Hoyv did it happen? What did I do todeserve such a punishment?

Sardar Sadhu Singh, a companion and afellow seeker of spiritual sci~nce had come to thestation to see me off. He suggested that vveshould lodge a report about the loss of a baggagewith the railway police. So vve lodged a reportvvith the police. An easy-going sort of Pathanhappened to be the sub-inspector at the railwaypolice post. He sympathized with us andremarked that the hired porter was the rea]

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Power Of Prayer

culprit. He further remarked that those raihvaysporters were a gang of cheats \-vho robbed thepassengers every day. The inspector relnarkedthat he was sick of these porters' petty criminalactivities. He asked the constable to put theporter behind the bars and he "vould deal withhim after his dinner. I insisted that the porter wasinnocent, but the inspector refused to accept myplea. The inspector told lne that these portersused such tricks everyday. They asked thepassenger to get into the train and they wouldhandover his luggage. They picked one odd itemof luggage during this handling over process andpleaded innocence. In this case also, the inspectorsuspected the porter of stealing my suitcase. Heasked me to lodge the report and go home. If itwas the handiwork of an outsider, then mysuitcase might not be traced. But in case it wasthe mischief of that porter, the inspector wouldmake him vomit out the theft. The inspectorpromised to inform me at my home address incase the lost luggage was traced.

I returned home with my friend. He alsolived in our vicinity. My father enquired aboutmy return at the dead of night. I related thewhole incident and expressed shock and regret at

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the loss of I11y nntes on Gurbani, the creation ofIny life-long hard \vork. vVhy did such anincident n1arred bv Inissionarv effort?- -

Putting his hand on my shoulder, Iny fatherasked me if I really' thought that my suitcase hadbeen lost. I replied that it \-vas a fact and it \-vasalso a fact that I had returned fron1 the railvvaystation. My father rClnarked that it "vas an illusionand said that nothing in the \-vorId ever got lost,at the Inost it could get out of sight. Nothingcould get lost and disappear from this earth. Iagreed \vith him, but since my suitcase haddisappeared and I could not trace it, so I wouldtake it as lost. tv1y father remarked that it was athought of loss vvhich made objects as lostarticles. But things do not get lost in rt>ality. Hefurther asked me to think hypothetically that anobject lying at a distance of fey\, n1iles \vould bedeclared as lost since human eye could not spotthings beyond a certain short distance. But aperson with long distance eyesight and capable ofspotting objects could not consider it as lost. ButI insisted that I vvould consider mv suitcase a~

lost since it V\Tas out of my sight. My father thersuggested me to pray to God to seek HiEassistance for V\Thom nothing was invisible. ]

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Power Of Prayer

;hould pray to HilTI vvho is On1nipresent,Jmnipotent, who could bring my suitcase withinny sight and reach. He reprimanded me for)eing a luan of faith and yet feeling frustrated athe loss of an insignificant suitcase. It revealed myractured faith and a dichotomy between my)recept and practice. He directed n1e to go to bedrVith a prayer on n1Y lips and go to KarnaI by theirst train available next luorning on a missionarylssignment.

I passed through a strange sensation onlearing these words fn)lu my father. I could not~ive a verbal expression to this feeling. I packedlnother suitcase and went to bed. My father wokene up early in the morning and asked me to)roceed on my journey to KarnaI.

I was to proceed to Delhi after a stay for twolays at KarnaI. As soon as I reached Delhi at the'esidence of my friend Sardar Gurdit SinghvIalhan, I got a postcard by post. My father hadvritten this letter to me. He informed that a'onstable had come to inform him about my lostuitcase just ten minutes after my departure for~arnal. The suitcase had been found and I couldake its delivery.

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Power Of Prayer _

I had already been influenced by my father'logical argument. This postcard infonnatiolfurther sh-engthened n1Y faith. It was revelation fome. I felt nearest to God at this mOlnent.

But my skeptical Inind did not stop waverin;even at this auspicious mon1ent. I kept on arguin;that it was an ordinary incident. The policinspector Inust have recovered Iny suitcase wit:a little dose of torture to the porter. How coullGod contribute to this recovery of the 105

suitcase. Rather the \tvhole credit went to thinspector. But even then I persuaded myself texpress my gratitude to God who had enablelthe inspector to act intelligently to recover the lo~

article. Although I compelled myself to expresmy gratitude to God, but Iny initial faith, at thmoment of receiving my father's letter, wasomewhat diluted. It \tvas once again a fracturekind of faith.

I spent four days attending congregations (Delhi. On illy' return, I "vent to the office of trraihvay police. The sub-inspector greeted me bshaking hands and related me the whole storabout my lost suitcase. I had thought that trinspector must have reco\'ered the suitcase frol

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:he railway porter. The inspector told that he hadJeen in raihvay police service for the last fifteenlears, including three years at Lahore. It had beenlis experience during his service that some stray1:indu gentlemen had been occasionally returningost articles, but Muslims seldom returned anylrticle. I retorted that there were good and badJeople in every community. Neither all the1:indus were spotlessly honest nor the Muslims.rhe inspector remarked that I was talkinglypothetically, but he was talking on the basis oflis felt experience. The inspector told that he waslstonished to find an ordinary Muslim returningny suitcase early in the morning. The Muslim~entleman expressed his regrets for taking awayny suit case inadvertently as the railway porterlad placed that suitcase among the items of hisuggage. He located its presence after travellingor a distance of six miles from Lahore. He~xpressed his regrets that its owner must have)een put to great inconvenience. He had spent thevhole night in great discomfort over thisnadvertent mistake. He revealed that the suitcase:ontained two, three woolen suits, a few books,l rosary and some cash. He expressed his sorrow)ver the loss of these valuable things belonging

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to an unknovvn person because a loss of eversmall article disturbed hUlnan beings. It mushave been his life time's earning. He might havlabandoned his journey on account of the loss 0

that suitcase. He expressed sincere apologies fothis Inishap. He could not return the suitcaslimmediately as it vvas too late in the night widno transport available for Lahore. He caught holeof the first available transport, a horse drivercoach (tonga) and can1e to return the suitcase. Hlcould not sleep the whole night for this sacepisode. He entreated the inspector to return thlsuitcase to its rightful ovvner. He must havllodged a report about its theft or loss.

The inspector informed that gentleman thathe suitcase belonged to a Sikh gentleman wh<had lodged a report vvith the police. He asked thlinspector to offer sincere apologies to the owneon his behalf and return the suitcase to hin1.

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Power Of Prayer

Various Stages Of Prayer

The First Stage

Ordinary people pray for sound health andworldly comforts. Majority of people belong tothis category. It is not a sin to pray for bodily admaterial comforts. Gurbani states :

~ Elf[ ao fir~ fRfa~~ t!lf"ro iii!~~ }(1) ittg1:f,,- 11iar - 958

To ask for aught but Thee, 0 Lord, is the archaffliction of all the afflictions.Bless Thou Ille with Thy Na111e that I lnay feelcontented and 111y lnind's hunger be satisfied.

But they are ignorant that a prayer for God'sNam is far more superior to a prayer for worldlycomforts. A select few realize this secret. Manalways prays for those things which he considersindispensable for himself. We do not pray forDivine Grace and Nam till we experience thevalue of Nam Simran and its efficacious results.Our divided psyche during prayer, praying for the

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boon of NOI1l Sil1lrn1l \vhile actually craving for\tvorldl:y comforts sin1uI taneousl y, keeps usdivided bet\tveen two ends. It rather betrays ourduplicity and fraudulence. It is not forbidden topray for good health, dignified livelihood,deliverance from disease and tension and welfareof one's family. Gurus, prophets, saints, have beenpraying for worldly needs and spiritualenrichment unhesitatingly as follows :

;m;jf~ CJTEf ~ cf5r1/lJCJi'i jfp" ffJ3" cit~1/

~ f1fJ7i?) Hi)~W 1/1HlJ?iT H'7i~ l.{fa1.PcJr/ICJHfr~ Fit gJ{~1/11PY CJTff p. Hfc:r fIfJ7?Y /I

Blif 11H~ ufcJ?rcJr1/~ fmr R§-~1/

Protect 11le 0 Lord with Your own hands,May nly cherished desire be fulfilled.May IllY 11lind reulain focused on Your lotus feet,May You sllstaill11le as Your own dear de'lJotee.May You vanquish all Illy adversaries,May Your protective hands shield 11le as Your Olvn.May IllY fa 11lily prosper under Your Divine Grace,Which includes a II Illy followers and othercreatures.

~ fR1:r~ 3"CfPHftJ1/

Wn Wn R?"~ JPCiPHfcJ1/

I beseech You to redeenl alllny followers,

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Alld vanquish alll1lY adversaries aile by aile,Raise Ule, 0 Lord, lvith YOllr OlVIl hallds,And eliuzinate the fear of death fro111 Illy heart.

Saint Dhanna :

ciPJrl? iRJr 11fTCW/I

;;H?>~~~

3fIi ;j- i!i'i1~/I

erfi? R1w~~1/CJHCJT¢ eM f&I~/Il.Pi'fPHr S'P5 i'ffqr/I1Hi'i'f!HaTU R3" R1 CiT/I

~ §Fr HaTU~/IfEq 3'i1f6¢ WTiffI/UIO oft aiJfJ;t; fJaft /Ii10 d7;r~ Jiait/I 11fcn - 695

o Lord, I per/ann Thille devotiollal worship. Thouarrangest the affairs of those persolls who per/amiThine devotiona I service.Pulse, flour and ghee, 1 beg of Thee. So shall11'IYIIzind be ever pleased.The foot-wear, good clothes, and carll of sevensorts. 1 beg of Thee.The ,nilch cow and buffalo I ask for, alld also agood Turkistani Inare.1 ask for a good loife to look after Illy hOlne.Thy slave Dhanna, 0 Lord, begs Thee to pl'ocurethelll.

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Power OJ Prayer _

The Second Stage

As one progresses in one's ':'lriritual journey/the content of one's prayer also goes on changing.He begins to prefer spiritual l.lliss to 111aterialcomforts. All the material comfo .. ~:s start appearingsuperfluous, tCInporary and transient, his innervoice telling hinl that nothing material ispermanent.

tr fa1Hr JfTO@ fa§ fitg 1> acJTPT CJfcJ t!Jit 1i'JJ tiPHrcff~/I

11ioT - 597

What sllould I ask for? Nothing rCl1lainspennLlUelll. 0 Lord, bless Hte lvitlz Thy BelovedNal1Je.

As an adult rejects childhood pleasures andcra ves for In 0 resens ib1e thi ngs/ S imil a rl y aspiritually enlightened person gets dissatisfiedwith the fleeting 111aterial comforts. He startsfeeling as if he had enough of these pleasures.His inclinations turn towards a permanent state ofhappiness. His prayers adopt a different track :

l:fT3" lfI3"~ CJR3" sair fflTi}{~/I

S?Hl? 3" ~.l!ff~ 3cit zqII "jar - 261

In eating, drinking, playillg and laughillg have Ilvaudered ill IIlallY births.Take IIle out of tire terrible 7votid-oceall, Illy

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Master. Nanak has Thy support alone.

At this stage, one craves for lofty ideas,spiritual quest and guidance. His soul cries :

tr 11fH1O iTo gfair 1)~ f[Tl.[ IiI§l?r w e-II 'Jiar - 873

I aln an lInskilfllllnall and know not hOlv to swint.o God, IllY dear Father, give Tholl Ute Thine arm.

His thought craves for a flight to a higherspiritual sLlte. Nature starts providing guidanceto a perso! l vvho has reached this stage.

The nt::xt leg of this spiritual state or journeyis extremely arduous and involves a formidablepsychic struggle. It involves shedding. earlierhabits, thoughts and views, and acquiring a newcode of conduct and thought process. It looks abit odd and difficult to adopt this new mindsetand new outlook. One is sandvJ"itched between thecontrary pulls and pressures of worldly desiresand sensual pleasures on one side; and the nevvlyexperienced spiritual delights on the other side.It appears to be a terrible struggle between bodilyurges and spiritual aspirations. At times, onefears one can never achieve deliverance from the.urges of the human flesh. Once, I came across asaintly hermit and enquired about his state ofspiritual growth. He replied that he was passing

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through a \tvorst phase of his life. He was in adileInnla because he could not meditate althoughhe remained detached froin the world and itscomforts. I-Ie kept tossing and tumbling betweenbodily desires and an urge to do selfless servicein a sacred place. l--Ic "vas flip flopping betweenrenunciation and involvcInent in the pulls of theflesh. Quoting a line from Baba Farid, herelnarked that ·he \tvas in a terrible dilemma:

q]i'Xff~tr~#igqjPa?g1l ~ - 1381

I lvallder about soiled by and people call Ine asaint.

God's grace alone could take him out of thistorturous state of duality. During a brief stay withthis saintly hermit, I canle to know that he hadcastrated himself to get rid of his lust ad sensualdesires. But still he \-vas not at peace with hiinself.

Several seekers of spiritual bliss abandontheir spiritual quest when they fail to overcomethis state of duality. I myself have feltdisappointed many tilnes and felt that it "vas notmy good fortune to attain a state of spiritual bliss.I would relnain a degenerate forever. But aseeker should never lose heart and abandon hisquest. All obstacles get cleared in the face of

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strong faith and determination. Nature provides amarvellous guidance to the faithful and devoutseeker who prays with detachment and humility.One may ebb and flow with the frequent andalternative bouts of disbelief and faith. ()ne vvhoperseveres with his spiritual quest and keeps onfighting against human weaknesses succeeds inhis endeavour. He finds his efforts rewardedwhen he observes a friendly powerful forcesolving all his problems.

Physical and Psychic AilmentsPsychic disorders are far more serious than

bodily ailments. Man is keen to keep good health,but acquiesces in the psychic pulls ad pressuresof his physique. He is unable to detach himselfeven after getting saturated and sick of these. Aman would make desperate efforts to get rid ofa fever, but an alcoholic and a man of lust wouldnot easily withdraw from their indulgence in thesevices, even when aware of their damaging results.Continuous prayers with deep faith are needed topull one out of these vices. A spiritual seekerprays with humility and self-surrender :

"~weqrHtll

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fi:@ ;:w;fJ fW~ fJ'H')it /I

3" HHdlf Hafo RoT= - -?"~ J1fl.I'1ft~ rrfo /I

i:rTl.r :fTlI 1iJ.r Bftf irHJrr;rcff fgz; fEJir §ZCiTO /I

fJTa3' iiio 11irr 3" WW1.p~~ f&Jrfa"II 'JiaT - 1301

I anI filthy, stone-hearted, deceitful and lustful.As Thou deel1lest fit, so save Thou, Ine, a 11ly Lord.Thou art All-poweiful, worthy ofgiving refuge andexercising Thy Inight, Thou savest the l1l0rtals.Worship, penance, religious vowes physical purihJand self-111ortificatioll, by these 1neans,elnancipatiol1 is attained 110t.Casting Thy eye of grace, a Lord, pull ThOll out,Nanak,lroln the awfully dark ditch.

wit (iT fCPHr w[P1f'H1 HTZ"H cit rnfg Pdt" ~ - 882How can the dust be washed? Such is the state ofthe 1na11, a 11ly Lord.

;p;]T lR CPfi:r Her1/;J){ i fqg (Ii 5re- Hfr WJitlifo~ 11fY1iT i'i?f ~II ~ - 675

0, a my Lord, do Thou save Hle. By lnyself I cando nothing, a l1ly Lord. Mercifully, bless 1ne, ThOll,with Thy Nanle.

w·1iP:PPT~ ara1flr CfTl@"~II

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'JiaT - 205

o Saviour, the five quarrelsol1le vices are theellelllies of the sole poor soul Save IIle fro111 theln.They cause HIe suffering, and inl1llellsely annoy 1ne.So I have sought Thine shelter.

After crossing over the second stage ofduality, :Jne finds the long-indulgent but nowhelpless mind being dragged by the assertivespiritualised self. One feels a wonderful sense of

,_ bliss and the world starts appearing to be a place,vorth living. A spiritual seeker at this stage feelscleansed after a life-long fight with the sensualdesires like a washed crystal blue sky after aheavy downpour. One feels lightened aftershedding the worldly baggage of lustful desiresand a bit purified. His mind starts taking delightin meditation and Nam Simran. His power ofconcentration increases and becomes immune toall diversions and distractions.

Furtive onslaughts of the carnal desires: TheThird Stage

Although the carnal desires get weakened inthe third stage of spiritual quest, but these desireskeep on interfering and gripping the seeker's

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conscious, u nconsciousl y. These sensual and\<\'orldly pulls keep on intruding into hisconsciousness. Sometilnes, the' seeker may evenget trapped into their snare and relapse from hisenlightened state. But since these desires havelost their earlier sting, an enlightenedconsciousness ilnmediately overpovvers theironslaught. N0111 Silllrtlll and humble prayer restorethe lost balance. The avvakened consciousnessgrips these weaknesses like a eat's paw. Theseeker launches once again on his spiritual questwIth an added vigour. Saint Kabir has describedthis vulnerable stage as follows :

fa7;r 3f;:r EIi'iW iPP/JK fIf;r;~ciF/I

Wiw ffRira 7i~Wiit JIG Jipr/Ifc@'~~~~ {;t;ftr §Tift//

~~~~ flO ROf1;~1/ 1ifar - 855

Abandoning Illy hOllIe, though I 11lay repair to theforest region and pick up tubers to live on;Even then, nly sinful and evil lnind forsakes not11lisdeeds.How can I be saved? How can I cross the greatand terrible world-ocean, the treasure of water?p,.eserve Ule, preserve 111e, 0 lny Lord. I, Thineslave, have sought Thy refuge.

H1fJftftf~ 1iCJ~ fRtr p- CJTfcN 1ff3'/I 11iar - 536

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The stupid l1lind, as yet, refonus hi111self 1I0t,though I have grown weary of ever instructing hi111.

The Fourth Stage

The state beyond the third stage is a spiritualparadise. Although human psyche does not shedits human vulnerability completely till the laststage of sp~rituality, but human consciousness atthis higher level gets so much cleansed andsacred that all the divine attributes startmanifesting in its personality. The wholeenvironment gets suffused with the fragrance ofdivine bliss. All kinds of wavering, tumbling andtossing between divergent desires gives place todetachment and poise. An ecstatic sensation, bornout of this detachment and poise, overtakes theconsciousness. Gurbani states this ecstasy asfollows:

wit H- 1lO l.fTfW ufo ('iT!f/I

JIG Ha" l:/'iWf 3"¢ cdir~ ftnIar!r /I 11iar - 1186

o mother, I have attained the wealth of God'sName.My mind has ceased to wander, and has laid downto rest.

As the consciousness learns to reside in this

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ecstatic states it feels as if it is in the companyof a far greater consciousness - the Divine itself.At InOluents of rare poise and peace during thisblissful state, one's consciousness feels spells ofecstasy and blisS. The prayer of such a realizedsoul adopts an a[together new terminology. It nolonger prays for bodily and worldly comfortsbecause one feels fulfilled in all respects. Theprayer employs the vocabulary of thanksgivingand gratitude :

~ l?'l?~ hJo~~II0TCi/fr fiwrtJ~ ifar~~WII 'Jiar - 1106o IllY Love (God), who but Thee can do such athing?o Iny Lord, the Patroniser of the poor and the Lordof he world, Thou hast put overlny head theUl11brella of Thine grace.

One prefers to spend maximum time in thisstate of spiritual bliss. The consciousness nowfeels itself poised in a state of ever rising moralea higher state of evolution and fearlessness. Anoverwhelming consciousness seems to bebeckoning the human consciousness all the time.A person, in possession of this fortunate state ofspiritual bliss, surrenders all his problems, fears,and worries to the Divine consciousness, and

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timself becomes detached. He experiences anmplicit assurance that he will get all his worries:nd problems of this newly acquired Divine bliss.-lis daily prayer at this stage acquires a tone of.ssurance and guaranteed assistancE

3" iIcJr fiEr 3jHcJr~/I

~ ifo'" fJcly } HcJr~/I3" HaT ortfT R97iT EfT'it3r~ icJr Cl'W~/IgHCit~ 3" gg~1/3" ircif~~HcJr~/I~fsopW~i'>~

.... ~......1.Q. "11K 3aT l:/ff 11{l:ff$1T HIt:! !I JHOT - 103Thou art 11ly father, Thou art my mother, Thou artmy kinsman and Tholl art my brother.In all the places Thou art my protector. Then whyshould I feel fear and anxiety?By Thy grace do I undel'stand Thee.Thou art my covert and Thou art my honour.Beside Thee there in no other second. The entireuniverse is the arena of Thy play.

~he Fifth Stage

The fifth stage is a stage of furtheronsolidation in the sense that a seeker feelsssured that the Divine presence which he feels~siding in his consciousness is far more powerful

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and well-Ineaning than his o\-vn consciousnessThis Divine entity is his eternal protector an,concerned about his prosperity. He also realize:that his human thoughts, plans and scheme:create hurdles in the Divine scheme laid out fohirrl. Once assured of such a protective presencea spiritual pilgrim gets rid of all his tensions an,wO~'ries :

fifPK R3" F1fg" RCk 3JITCit RCJW' fJ3" 3fT lI'ir/Iit gg W m fJaTr-tpq i'i'i'iCi' cit~/I 11iar - 79~

Men and other beings all seek Thy protection. Alanxiety fO,. theln rests with Thee.Whateve,. pleases Thee,· a Lord that is good. Thi;alone is Nanak's supplication.

God forbid, even if he is to face crucifixioIfor any reason, he finds the Divine presenc l

standing by his side and willingly surrenderhimself to his cause:

#,ggWWPTmiRl/8' RPT Rl?'JIfg f&J;w /I 11iar - .=Whatever pleases Thee, that is a good pursuit.Thou a,.t ever safe and sound, a F01'111less One!

At the highest ladder of this stage, hIabandons his prayer also as he feels the Divinpresence an active partner in his ordeal :

H3" Ci3'~ 83" 83" gJf cit Hfcr~ fEIBJHT[f fk~/I

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~ l.Ifcr~ 1HCJPTfFr iI;t;3t ;@~J~/I11iar - 205

Wherever I behold I find Thee there. I am now,finnly convinced of it.Before wh01n snould [ 11lake a supplication, andentreaty, when the Lord Himself is hearing all.

ufo~1[g fidi:r~3T fi1[f l.Ifcr 1JfTlf~/I 11iar.- 624God, the Reader of hearts, fully knows all the stateof my mind, then, who1n else am I to go to tell?

fcwr e10~ 1HCJPTfFrIIi@1[g UJfe If§ fli~'11 11iar - 1304

What supplication I, the poor one, can make, whenthe Lord abid;es in all the hearts?My mind thirsts for the touch of the Lord's feet.

fhe Sixth Stage :

At the last stage of Nam Simran andneditation, the roles are reversed. The seeker orhe devotee becomes the deity, and deity becomeshe devotee's attendant. At this stage, the Divines always impatient to carry out the will of theievotee. Every wish gets fulfilled at the slightestlicker of a wish :

iIi1 iIi1 ii'H fciaf3"~ cit 3CJT 3CJT~~IIFIR-~ fIicle1 fW~II

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Power Of Prayer _

it it~ li'9O lIfJ~~ fW 11fT?/I 11iar - 40

Whithersoever the business and affair of His slavis, thither the Lord runs.To His servant, the Lord shows Hilllself to be neaWhatever the servant asks his Master, forthwitcaInes to pass.

Ci1i/;J H?> fIKJHl?~Rw ifTaTr 1ikT/Iz.M~ CJfo~ iiCJ3" Ci1i/;J Ci1i/;Jii 11iar - 136

Kabir, Iny mind has become itnmaculate like thGange's water.The- Lord follows Ine, saying "Kabir, 0 Iny Kabir l

fHH w fiBr ?' it~ fPHTJit f3B"~ jl:f mit/I6mfa ;r;ry ftwro fafir~HfI> N it Hm/Ifisr~ 1Jf'far1Hr !Per tfI1ft lfTfag !:ftf JPrfr itW;r/I

~ lfTfag~ '? fJ7ft Hfcr fqP- flRfiJ fig flCl7iT /I11iar - 126

He, whose father Thou art, 0 lHy Lord; what salof hunger can that child have?In Thy HOllle are the nine treasures of the Name'wealth. What his heart desires, that he receives.The kind father has given this order that whatevethe child asks for with his lHouth, he be provide,with that.Child Nanak longs for the Lord's vision. May thLord's feet ever abide within I1ly Inind.

Prayer gets its highest degree of fulfilment athis spiritual stage. The Divine fulfils every desir,

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even before its articulation./imEit cW ('iT~ Hi'> oft 1HCJPTfR'1I 11iar - 819

The prayer of God's slave goes not vain ever.

A spiritual devotee who has achieved thisstage stops praying since he has realized theunderlying philosophy of prayer. He realizes thatone needs to pray till one is in need of anything

When the human merges with the Divine andbecomes Divine then what else is left to pray for?All cravings and desires cease to appear, as thebenefactor and the s.upplicant merge into one:

(J}{~orJt Pa-~1111f'C1r~at Rtf1/;w;q qfa WfJf §orrII (J){~ !Hfl?~~ frcnr1/

11iar - 391

I am nothing, He alone is all-in-all.In the past and the future He alone is.Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubts anddemerits.He and I, uniting together, have assumed identicalcolour.

Need for Prayer :

Prayer is essential for everyone, irrespectiveof his mental state. Prayer helps at every stage oflife from the mundane to the spiritual level.Prayer makes us humble ad cleansed. Prayer is

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as indispensable for life's voyage as a supportingstick (staff) for a blind person.

fci1Hr fn:r fci1Hr E1i1W ;:rr c@ 0t!fcJ~/I

it f3Er~nrr;;ir CifTOTY cfir CifJ/I 11iar - 91

What is a swan and what a crane? The Lord 111ayshow Inercy 0 allY He likes.He, who is pleasing 0 Hinl, 0' Nanak! hi11l Hemakes a swan [roln a crow.

ciJ3r~~g ufa ufcr 11fTl:iPtr/IiNiJ" Ffp- RWo Rf6w;r 11§' RTliPtr/I >HaT - 91Whatever work, thou desirest to do, tell that to theLord.He shall accomplish thy affair. The Trne Gunl bearstrne testimony to it.

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Bhai !(amaliya's Prayer

A small hillock, at a distance of a few milesfrom Lahore, is popular!y knovv n as BhaiBuddhu's Brick Kiln. It is believed that BhaiBuddhu earned so much money which could lastfor whole of his life by selling bricks extractedfrom just one corner of his kiln. That he did notextract bricks from the other sectors of the kiln.The unextracted bricks still lie there as a historicalmonument. There is an interesting tale in the Sikhhistory about this brick kiln.

Bhai Buddhu was a devout follower of SriGuru Arjan Dev Ji. During the Guru's visit toLahore, Bhai Buddhu invited Guru Ji and hisSikh followers to his house, organized acongregation and served food to the wholecongregation with great devotion. It wascustomary to pray for the welfare of the host afterpartaking of the meals. Bhai Buddhu beggedGuru Ji and the congregation to pray for thesuccessful baking of his bricks in his huge brick

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kiln. Acceding to Bhai Buddhu's appeal, Guru Jiand the \vhole congregation prayed to God for thesuccessful baking of his bricks. Sikh followers ofthose times had a firm belief in the efficacy of anearnest prayer. The congregation \vas extrelnelysure that their prayer would surely be ansvvered.So they cried in exciten1ent : Bhai Buddhu's brickswi!' be fully baked.

But at the saIne lTIOment, a lunatic dressed inra[.s started shouting : Buddhu's bricks ,:ouldrelnain unbaked. The people caught hold of thelunatic and presented him before Guru Ji with acomplaint that he \vas shouting against the prayerand vvishes of the whole congregation. He wasdeclaring that Bhai Buddhu's bricks would remainunbaked. The congregation pleaded for a suitablepunishlnent to the wayward lunatic.

Guru Ji called hiln in and asked hiln toexplain the reason for his curses. Guru Ji furtherenquired hiln hoy\' Bhai Buddhu had offendedhim. The Inan complained that Bhai Buddhu'sminions did not allow hin1 to enter thecongregation. He had pleaded vvith them that he,too, was a Guru Ii's devotee. But these people didnot pay any heed to his request and turned him

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out. How could he pray and wish for thes~c::cessful baking of Bhai Buddhu's bricks aftersuch a discriminatio~-' and humiliation. BhaiBuddhu's attendants \vere hauled up and theyconfirmed that they haL~ really prevented the manfrom entrance. Guru Ji directed Bhai Buddhu andhis attendants to tender an apology to theaggrieved person and they begged pardon fortheir wrongful act.

However this incident created a very piquantsituation. How could the tvvo prayers, one by thewhole congregation in favour of Bhai Buddhu andthe other by an equally devout Sikh against BhaiBuddhu's interest, be answered at the same time?Guru Arjan Dev gave his verdict in favour of theaggrieved Sikh and declared that Bhai Buddhu'sbricks would remain unbaked. Guru Ji wanted toteach him the lesson that the humiliation even ofa single Sikh was tantamount to the disrespectshown to the whole congregation. A Sikh's earnestprayer never goes unanswered. However, sinceBhai Buddhu's and his men had tendered anapology and the whole congregation had alsoprayed for the success of Bhai Buddhu'soperation, he would also be rewarded. Even hisunbaked bricks would sell at the rate of baked

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bricks and Bhai Buddhu would not suffer anyfinancial losses.

It is recorded in history that the bricks of allthe brick kilns remained unbaked due to heavyrains tHat season and even unbaked bricks weresold at a proemium. This historical episode revealshow much faith the Sikhs of those times reposedin prayer and its success.

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A Waheguru - Sikh Bond

Once a Sikh scholar visited me at Calcutta.He disclosed that he had been highly impressedby my written article: Bandginama (A Manual forPrayer). Since then, he had been very keen to seeme. Asked about his Calcutta visit, he disclosedthat he had been directed by the Government tomeet a Railway Engineer at Calcutta in connectionwith a job. Earlier, he had been serving as aGovernment servant on India's border during thesecond world war. He further disclosed that therailway engineer had conducted the interview oneday ahead of the fixed schedule. The engineertold that since the Sikh scholar did not possessany work experience of railway machines, so hehad not been selected for that job. But theconcerned engineer had not 'filed a written reportabout his selection to the higher authorities so far.

Noticing the crestfallen face of the Sikhscholar I asked him if he really wished to get a

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job at Ca1cu tta. The gentleman replied thatalthough he was reconciled to God's Will, but stillhe felt depressed at the loss of an opportunity.He would be returning to his home the sameevening. I suggested that since the concernedofficer had not sent his written report, he shouldstay at Calcutta for a couple of days. Heremarked that it was futile to wait for the writtenreport after the officer had conveyed his decisionto him verbally. While taking leave from me, heexpressed happiness over our meeting, thedisappointment over the loss of a jobnotwithstanding. This moment reminded me ofone of the Guru Arjan's hymns and seekinginspiration from this hymn I addressed thedeparting guest in this way : "Sir, Have youprovided an opportunity to Waheguru (God) forassistance in this matter." He replied that he hadprayed just once for assistance on the eve of hisdeparture from home. He asked me what did Imean by providing an opportunity to God. DidGod look out for an opportunity and providedassistance when such an opportunity wasavailable. He believed that all things movedaccording to God's Will. The engineer's consent orrefusal also depended on God's Will. I remarked

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if he was really reconciled to God's Will then heshould not have felt so much depressed at theengineer's refusal of a job. Why should a manwith an abiding faith in God's Will feel sofrustrated at the loss of an opportunity. In myopinion, he vvould have felt delighted on gettingthat job, but having missed the opportunity, hewas trying to dilute his frustration by attributingthis loss to God's Will.

These remarks disturbed him and set himthinking. He agred with my analysis and admittedthat he really wanted a job at Calcutta and wouldhave been really delighted had he been selected,but having lost the opportunity, he was returninghome disappointed. I retorted that he should havegiven Waheguru an opportunity to help him, ifhe had really prayed for a job at Calcutta. I furtherassured him that Waheguru never disappoints aperson who prays and surrenders to His Will asper the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib :

;1~ JJR faR'~ lWfey ft1fJ¥~ 1if:r /I JJ/ar - 544

Who-so-ever seeks the Lord's protection, him Hehugs to His bosom. This is the quality of the Lord.Prays Nanak, I have found God, tny Spouse, whoever indulges in dalliance with tne.

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~ l1f?:r if ;:rr# lRf?i~

..N if~= /I 'Jlor - 784

The Pel/ect Lord, lvho thiHks 1lot of Illy del1lerits,knows Hot the bitter lvord.

He asked Ine to explain my repeCl tedassertion on praying, surrendering and providingan opportunity to Waheguru to assist a devotee.I explained that according to Guru Granth Sal~ib'steachings 1/surrender to God" means to pray ""vitha complete sense of humility and abandonlnent ofall other options. Gurbani states this mental stateas follovvs :

Ra1l'f~~~ cnfc:Jfr~~IIm cro- cit lPH 1HH rfdW PTR" gcpo"Abandoni1lg all other sources, I have cOlne to seekYour protectionI beseech You to kindly protect 11ly honour,Since I a111 Your hUl1lble devotee.

When a devotee prays with this kind ofa tti tude, then he achieves a state of totalsurrender. This total surrender of human will toGod's Will amounts to giving Waheguru anopportunity to assist a devotee. After listening tothis explanation, he admitted that he had neverexperienced this state of mind during his prayerand had never prayed in a state of total surrender.

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I assured him that Waheguru never feels offendedover our half-hearted prayers as he is eternallyloving and generous. I advised him to pray toWaheguru once. again in the true state ofsurrender and provide a fresh opportunity toWaheguru to assist him.

He asked me how should he make a freshstart in this direction. 12xplained that he shouldenter into a bond with Waheguru which CuruArjan wished everyone of his Sikh followers tosign with Waheguru, but which very few Sikhssigned and that too very rarely. He asked me tofurther explain the conditions or clauses of sucha bond. I explained that Guru Arjan had laiddown the conditions of this bond in a hymn inRaga Gaudi. The first and foremost condition ofthis bond is that a devotee must approachWaheguru and pray with a sense oJ totalsurrender and humility. The bond furtherstipulates that after an earnest prayer, a devoteemust repose a complete faith in Waheguru' somnipotence to solve all human problems. Hemust feel assured that Waheguru would surelyresolve his tensions, worries and all other troublesand tribulations. He must remain convinced thatWaheguru would do everything to ensure a

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devotee's victory even if the mightiest of mightyin the world had to bend before His devotee. Thethird stipulation of this Guru-Sikh bond is thatfollowing the resolution of all his problems, adevotee would do Nnw Simrnll or meditation ina pose of fearlessness. Practice of Nmn Sinzranwould shower a state of perfect bliss on thedevotee. The fourth stipulation requires that adevotee vvho attains a state of spiritual blissthrough Nam SiInran and Waheguru's grace mustshare with and impart this experience to otherswithout· any discrimination. Upon thisexplanation of the Guru - Sikh bond, he arguedwhy did all these divine boons and blessingsresulted just from surrendering the human will tothe divine Will? I gave a further expfanation ofthe underlying philosophy of this Guru-Sikh bondas stated in Guru Arjan Dev's hymn in the RageGaudi. Guru Arjan Dev states in the concludin~

lines of this hymn that Waheguru, is a Lord of allords, who expects nothing in return from (devotee, who knows every secret of human mindwho never assists a devotee till he makes a totasurrender of his will and prays vvith complet.humility. But the moment a devotee sheds ever:other hope and surrenders his will to God's Wi!"

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his sense of surrender and humility evokes;od's grace and the Divine Will comes intoperation to resolve all human problelns. Guru.rjan Dev categ9rically states in the concludingnes that he himself has entered into such a bond'ith the Divine and on the basis of his own<perience recommends the same pathway to hiskh devotees for the resolution of their worldly~oblems. The Sikh scholar asked me to point outlis powerful hymn which stipulated such a bond~tween Waheguru and a devotee. When I recitedlis hymn, he was astonished to see that hemself recited this hymn daily but never realized; potent content :fi1a lJIfa iHcT (Jfa- f1if~ /IHfaiilfo g}fj i!1'tr~ /I

?Ri ei wimfa }('# /If1if ;i! li;r ro i!iU3"# /IsifeHJ() R'CT 1B?fIr afa ifI;f /I• 1f'}{ HCJT aR z/J;f IIftxJgg cTfe' Si1CT~ /IH1l./H~Jf3 fHfl'f~ ern /I~Wlp~1IifT1XX 5c lIZ«it IF !fJ1PJ/I /I JJlar - 201

Sit steadily at h011le, 0 dear slaves of God.The Tme Gum has arranged your affairs.The Lord has smitten the wicked and the evil.

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His slave's h01l0ur, the Creator has preserved.The Kings and Enlperors the Lord has all subjecteto His slave.He has qallffed the great essence of the a111brositNa1ue.Fearlessly 111edltate 011 the 'Fortunate Lord.Meet the society of saints and give this gift f

Lord's 111editation to others.

Next day the Sikh scholar informed IT

telephonically :hat being overwhelmed wi1diverse sentiments, he could not face me. 1­further informed that he had been selected for t]same job and by the same engineer who hecategorically refused him the same job a deearlier. He had no explanation for this sudd!turn of events except that he had become wort]of God's grace. He thanked me for explaining timplications of the Guru-Sikh. bond sign f

through prayer and sought my blesstngs fremaining steadfast in the execution of the bo:that he had voluntarily signed with Waheguthrough prayer.

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AlI-Pervasive-Waheguru

Fortunate are those who seek Waheguru'sJrotection during adversity. A verbal prayer alones not sufficient to evoke God's grace. An earnestJrayer made with complete faith and devotion)rings about divine benediction. We becomeN'orthy of divine grace only when we abandon allluman hopes and other means of protection. Theiivine power as a saviour comes into operation.vhen a devotee seeks divine protectionlbandoning all other efforts and props. The;urbani of Guru Granth Sahib has laid down the)rocedure for seeking divine help at so many)laces in the text :

'Rfa~ 11f6~ prg iVlf HfeJ,p /I- n

1JIaT - 817I have abandoned all other efforts and have takenthe medicine of the Name alone.

f:PJf'fir~ !tPJp;wr ~ ZfTCffCJH~ /IJiiar - 405

Lay aside all thille cleverness and remember the

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FOr1llless Supreme Lord.

':[Elil }8T fit ztiJ~ II~ }8T ?flr JfTO?:f l/5}tl'€g II

~ }8T fcl€~~ II

II ~ fcl€ m- lfl" ?Cit~ II >ikJr - 3 7

At first I 'was cOlluselled to send a letter. Secol1dl~

I was advised to seud two 1Jlell to l1lediate.The third sllggestioll was that S01Jle effort should b11lade.Forsaking oue aud a li, I have IIleditated OIl Thealone, 0 Lord.

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji has also stated thprocess of evoking divine grace

RaIl?~~~ BTftJ€r~~II

IJifJ cnfJ citWH )J{J1 ffdfIp- f?T'F1~"

Abandoning all other sources, I have COllIe to see,Your protectionI beseech You to kindly protect IllY !,ollour,Since I aliI Your humble devotee.

Walzegllrll, being Olnniscient, kno\!vs \!vhethea devotee is just paying a lip service to seek Higrace or is earnest in his prayer. Walzegllru seethrough the motives of a devotee \-\'ho keeps OJ

depending simultaneously on his own intelligencand efforts while making a pretence of praying a

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well.

HUlnan Inind's rational faculty always keepson diverting and distracting us away from God.Even during human prayer for divine protection,human intelligence keeps on distracting ourattention through various kinds of rational andlogical arguments. But those who have faith inGod's Omnipotence do not .fall into the snares ofhuman intelligence. Such persons reject the clevermental arguments firmly:

if ;fp" fmrJn~ ifcr ?fTdt uufa m:r (B' wg ;j j1fcff /I

NT N~ UtP cTe1 /I11 i1if W ziio f1T3' if #dI /I

11 • ~ gc;yfo /I11F' 1ifar ;;rcff ufa ffa /I 'J1ar - 33"()

o shameless fellow, dost thou feel not shanle?Forsaking God, whither and to whom goest thou?Whose Master is the lnost high, for that man, itseems not graceful to go to another's house.That Lord is fully pervading everywhere.God is ever with us, and is never distant.

When we earnestly seek Divine assistanceand pray with faith and devotion during our hourof adversity, Waheguru does not weigh our meritsand demerits, but extends His grace according to

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his fundamental attributes of being compassionateand kind. A prayer performed with completehumility and sense of dec,peration brings outmarvellous results.

There was a GursiJdz scholar among themembers of our spiritual science organization atCalcutta. I always sought his scholarly assistancewhenever I needed an iliterpretation of theintricate sankdtised hymns in the text of GuruGranth Sahib.

This Sikh scholar's eldest son was inemployment at Amritsar. Being a devout Sikh, hewas associated with various Sikh organizationsand commanded their respect. One day, duringthe communal riots of 1947, Giani Ji approachedme. He was under great stre'ss and tension. Heinformed me that his son has been arrested by thepolice In connection with the communal riots.Giani Ji had learnt that those detained for theiralleged involvement in communal riots wereseverely tortured by the police. Majority of thepolice force, .comprising Muslims, maltreated theHindu and Sikh detainees. 'Giani Ji furtherinformed that due to his own absence at Amritsarand the detention of his son, there was nobody

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else in the famil y to defend his son in the policecase and look after the family affairs. In his ownabsence, his eldest son, now under policedetention, used to look after the entire family. Wehad a detailed discussion on this topic which wenton as follovvs :

Giani Ji reiterated his fears that Muslimsconstihlted the majority in the Punjab Police. ThisMuslirn force was inimical to\vards the Sikhs andthe Hindus. These detainees were detained asunder trials for a long spell before presentingthem before the courts. They were humiliated andtortured during their detention. False \vitnesseswere produced as evidence to prove the cookedup charges and many innocent detainees wereconvi~ted with very harsh sentences.

I advised Giani Ji to follow the golden ruleof seeking Divine protection and grace in the tiIneof adversity through the medicine of a prayerperformed with complete earnestness andhumility. He should abandon all human effortsand rational efforts and seek divine protection. Heargued that he knew the complete philosophy ofGuru Granth Sahib as he had a thoroughknowledge of· its text and had undertaken many

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non-stop readings of the text. He had alsopreached thi~ philosophy Inany a time to the Sikhcongregati~\n~. But, inspite of his completeknovvledge ;)f Guru Granth's philosophy and hisscholarship,. h(~ doubted its efficaciousness. Heexpressed his apprehensions that God, no longer,listened to prayers of the people living in Ka/iYllga(the Dark A~~e).

I tried to inlpress upon him that WrzJzeguruand His divine attributes were irreversibleirrespective of changes in time and age. I furtherreiterated that Wn/zegurll's divine identity anddivine attributes were not subject to changeunder any dispensation: Wn/zeguru, in His trueidentity, always saved those who seek his shelterand grace in right earnestness. Somewhatinlpressed by Iny contident assertions, Giani Jipleaded with Ine to pray for the safety of his son.

I, once again, asserted that Wa!leguru's graceand protection extended to all the creatures of thevvorld alike. Whosoever sought His protection inright earnestness, recei ved his grace andbenediction. At this, Giani Ji promised to prayhilnself, but still insisted on my praying for him.

Throughout this discussion, I felt that Giani

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Ji himself lacked conviction because he asked merepeatedly to pray for him. But knovving the basicprinciples of prayer I wished tC' drive home thislesson to Giani 1i and insisted that he himselfshould pray with faith and hUPliEty.

FinallY', we agreed that Qoth of us shouldpray to God independently. 1 had started therecitation of Guru Grantlz Sahib cd my residence forthe peace of the departed soub of those innocentHindus, Sikhs and Muslims who were killedduring the communal riots. Giani Ji preferred tostay at my residence that night. He recited theholy text during that night with completedevotion and faith. I felt that his impressiverecitation had fulfilled all the conditions of aprayer. I was sure of its being answered andfulfilled.

Giani Ji again insisted on n1Y praying for him,while departing from my residence in themorning. I, once again, reminded him that a singleprayer made with faith and devotion could bringabout the Divine power to operate and intercedeand that repeated prayers exposed one's own lackof faith.

After about a week, my wife informed me

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that Giani Ji had visited our residence. He was ingood humour and brought a token gift of fruit.I-Ie had informed her that his son had beenacquitted of all charged and released from jail.

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Dignity Of A FaithfulAnd Humble Prayer

As Waheguru is eternally pervasive andeternally compassionate and responsive to 'theprayers of the deyout, similarly, the devout andmen of faith always keep on resolving theirproblems through their earnest and humbleprayers. The devout and men of faith are thosepersons who repose a permanent faith in theeternal omnipotence and omnipresence of God.Such persons make earnest human efforts to solvetheir problems; but admitting the inadequacy ofhuman efforts, keep on praying in all humility forthe success of their mission. Every community,every society and every nation has a fair share ofsuch devout people at all times. I wish tointroduce one such person of faith, a trulyChristian Lieutenant General Sir William Dobi tomembers of the Spiritual Science Association.Born at Madras in 1879, commissioned in the

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British Army', he took an acti,Te part in the Boerwar and reinained a Governor of Malta froin 1940to 1942. He has described his faith and belief inGod in the following words.

"The chief and the most far-reaching lesson Ihave drawn from my experience of life isundoubtedly the reality of God. When I speak ofthe reality of God I don't mean some abstract ideawhich some people may call God, nor a vagueconception such as the prime cause, nor fate, norany of the other indefinite and impersonalexperiences by which men sometimes seek todescribe Him. But I mean that I have learned thatHe is intensely a personal Being, with whom onemay become acquainted and get in closerelationship and who is interested in me and myaffairs, who desires my well-being and plans touse me to fulfil His purposes. This Being hasbeen intensely real to me. His reality has been sotruly part and parcel of my life that it has exerteda contrailing influence on me.

An illustration of the way to vvhich I haveseen, His guiding hand may be hel pfu!. Forinstance, my entrance into the Army may bequoted' as a case in point. As most of my relatives

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and forebears had been in the Army, I naturallydesired to follow their steps. But when I was aboy, it was discovered that my eyesight was nottoo good, and it was considered very unlikely thatI would pass the medical examination for theArmy. Consequently, my studies were planned toenable me to enter the Indian Civil Service, butit was considered that the experience of a publicexamination would be beneficial to me and inconsequence I sat for the entrance examination tothe Royal Military Academy with that object inview than any other. To my surprise and to thatof my parents I passed the Medical test, but I hadnot passed with high marks enough to qualify fora place. But to my further surprise, a number ofcandidates above me were rejected on medicalgrounds and in due course I was admitted to theRoyal Military Academy. Since my parents and Ihad made the choice of my career a definitematter of earnest prayer, we had no doubt thatGod answered these prayers in this quiteunexpected way and that it was His purpose forme that I should follo\'\7 a military career and mysubsequent consideration of the matter in the lightof this experience has, so far as I am concerned,fully confirmed that original opinion."

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Sir Dobbi states his faith in prayer in thefollowing words : "In 1929, I \vas comlnandingthe Cairo Brigade. Serious disturbances broke outin Palestine where the situation threatened to getcompletely out of hand. Troops and navaldetachments were rushed to Palestine from Egyptand elsewhere and I was sent up to takecommand of the forces of the three fightingservices of the country. Before the fullreinforcements had arrived and ,\Then the troopsin Palestine were fully extended, I received areport in my headquarters at Jerusaleln that alarge force (said to be 5000) of armed Bedouinwas moving on towards Gaza from the South East.In Gaza, there were many defenceless peopleincluding a British mission hospital with nursesand families. I knew that if the Bedouin force,enflamed as it was with false propaganda, got intoGaza, the place might become a shambles. But Ihad no available force to send there, all at mydisposal being already fully employed. I sent anengine with two trucks in which a couple of lewisguns were mounted to patrol the railway line tothe east of the city, though I realized that the effectthey could have would be microscopic. I alsoordered some aircrafts to go out, locate the

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Bedouin and drop bOlnbs in front of then1, in thehope of diverting them off. They, however,returned at dusk, having been unable to locate theBedouin, who presumably took over in the Wadiswith which the country was intersected. But Icontinued after that to get information from otherresources that the Bedouin continued to movetowards Gaza until they were extremely close. Thesituation to me seelned pretty desperate, so I did"vhat I had frequently done before in difficultcircumstances and sought God's help. I ren1elnberkneeling down in my office in Jerusalem andusing some such words as these: "Oh God! Ihave come to that end of my resources. If theBedouin get into Gaza it seems that there will bea massacre. I cannot stop them. Please intervene."I continued to get information for a short timethat the Bedouin were continuing to approachGaza i.e. in a South Western direction, thensuddenly I heard that they had changed directionby a right angle and were moving North East i.e.in a direction where there was nothing to matter.They actually spent the night in the open countryand did no harm to anyone. Early next morningH.M.5. courageous arrived at Jafa \vith a battalionfrom Mala; part of a battalion was immediately

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sent to Gaza and the situation was saved. ABritish Govt. official also succeeded in getting intouch \'vith the Bedouin and after son1e difficultyInanaged to convince them that they had beenmisled and persuaded them to return to theirhomes. I tried to find out afterwards what hadcaused the sudden change of direction but nosatisfactory explanation was found. I have neverdoubted that it was a case where God intervenedin ansvver to a humble prayer."

Sir William Dobbi has related several otherincidents when God listened to his humble prayerand became his saviour. In the end, Sir \VilliamDobbi states that those who repose their completefaith in the eternal omnipotence of God andexperience His on1nipresence, they can face themost dangerous ordeals in life on the basis oftheir faith.

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One Must Remain Expectant

One of the major postulates of spiritual;cience is to remain expectant after prayer. Onenust remain expectant of a boon for which onelas prayed to God. A GursikJz who prays with:aith and devotion lTIUst expect his prayer to belnswered. Most of our prayers remainlnanswered because we abandon hope about:heir fulfillment.

Wahegunl fulfils human desires manifestly. Heiemonstrates His divine power by fulfilling everyluman prayer performed with determination. As1 cinematographic film, passing in front the light:alling from the film projector, gets reflected on:he screen, similarIy a human wish expressed:hrough prayer acquires its transparentnanifestation in the world through a back up:rom the Divine Force. A firm belief is one about-vhich one is sure to be materialized. A wish,-vhich lacks conviction and expectation, fails to

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attract sufficient Divine energy for its realizationand manifestation.

An episode from the life of a Kashn1iri oldwornan illustrates the veracity of this spiritua:postulate about expectation after prayer. This oklad,! frorn Kash111ir started making preparation~

for Guru Hargobind's visit to her humble cottagEimrnediately after rnaking a prayer that the Curlmust pay a visit tv her cottage. She wa~

determined to present to the Guru a \-voolen robespun and knitted by her own hands. With such,firm belief and determination, she startecspinning and knitting the woolen robe ancbecame a butt of ridicule among her cominunityShe prepared the desired robe ignoring publi f

ridicule. People 111ade fun of her for heridiculous fancy tha t Guru Hargobind woul(travel froin Punjab to accept a hand-spun rohfrom an old hag. The Guru had no dearth 0

devotees in Punjab who could present hin1 \-vit]silken and quality woolen robes. But thesignorant people hardly realized that the firnbelief and prayer of an old female devotee woul,induce the Divine power to compel GunHargobind from distant Punjab to visit thi

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supplicant's cottage in Kashn1ir. They \\'ere dUlnb­founded when Guru Hargobind presentedhimself in the devotee's cottage to receive her gift.[t was a miracle for them. But the old female:ievotee was congratulating herself for her firmfaith and conviction which had materialized herprayer.

This kind of fulfillment or Inaterialization of3. well-intended prayer made with faith andJetermination should not be mistaken for a falsepride or vanity. Pride and vanity are not basedIn divine sustenance. These are creatures ofhuman ego. Human self gets sustenance from theDivine only when it reposes its complete faith inHim and relnains attached to Him. This3.ttachment should not have a trace of ego. Onemust detach or disentangle from ego in order toget attached to the Divine. We must shed our~gotism and pride for seeking entry into theDivine much like we remove the dust laden shoebefore entering a place of worship.

Based on a similar faith and determination apoor, ignorant adolescerlt rustic boy started,hou ting for Guru Hargobind's visit to his

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l1lcado\\'s. He had learnt ironl her l1lother tha(~uru Hargobind \'isits those \\"!1o call froln thldepth of their hl'arts with faith dnd detenninatiollUpon this he had also asked her rnather Clbout thkind of offering to be' tnadt: to the Guru in caSIhis prayer \vas Zlns\\'crL'd. The? lnl)ther advised hinthat he l11ust lllakc ,1 offl'rin~r of one rupee and (

( 1

dollop of jaggl'r~·. This bitlrJul and devout chil,took these t\\"o (1 rticles fro}T her nlother and tie<.these: in a knot ot his headgear before inviting thlGuru through his loud shouts. He \vauld not blable to collect thl'se offerings if the Guru visitechinl in rcsponsL' to his shouts and calls. ThlInothcr, in order to keep the innocent boy's fait!intact, tied these articles in a knot of hi:headgear. He carried thes~ offerings in a knot fo1110nths together. To his rnates several enquirieshe \vould finnl~' dIlS\Ver that he \vould presenthes(' offerings to Guru Hclcgobind vvhen he visite(his fields.

The village urchins and folks nicknalncd hin"A boy \vith a knot of rupl'e and jaggery" an(often called hiln bv this nickname "Palla". Histor~

.' .bears a \vitness to this fact that one day GunHargobind paid a visit to this boy's fields. Thl

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boy opened the lnonths long knot and presentedhis offering of a rupee and a dollop of jaggery".

In the opinion of general public, GuruHargoblnd Inust have taken pity on this boy andresponded to his shouts. This seelns to be 2 ;"l

obviou s explana tion of this incident. Bu t the'deeper significant aspect of this recorded historicolepisode is its spiritual content vvhich can beunden.tood properly by spiritually enlightenvdpersons alone.

Guru Hargobind loved and respectedeveryone vvithout discrilnination or favour. Hevvas above prejudice and favour. I-Ie loved hisdevotees alike. I-Ie \vas alvvays keen to presenthimself to his devotees, but those \vho prayedwith faith and confidence could receive hisblessings. So this ru"stic boy Bhai Pallo had nodoubts about the fulfiln1ent of his wish expressedthrough faith. He \vas cOlnpletel:J' sure that GuruJi would definitely respond to his shouts andcalls coming from the depths of his heart. That iswhy he had tied his meager offering of a rupeeand lump of jaggery in a knot in anticipation ofGuru Ji's visit.

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E\"en todd\', anv dc\"out Sikh can call for hisGuru through a me~sage of lo\'e and faith. Theonly condition is b' ha\"(: faith, and pray Vo/ithfaith and hope and to keep ahvays ready withone's offering in anticipation of His visit after acall for such a visit

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Wah~guru Protects TIle H()llOUr

Of His Devotees In MOITlentsOf Adversitv

tI

My daughter was in a state 01 ad\Tancepregnancy. This being her first deliver.y. \V(~ wereapprehensive. She n1aintained good health for ninemonths, but there V\Tas a sV\Telling all ovcr herbody at the end of the ninth month. For S0111eother medical reasons as well, doctors fel titwould not be a normal delivery. A surgery vv'ouldhave to performed ~or a safe delivery.

When I told the senior most surgeon thatGod had never disappointed me and every thinghappened at my household in a normal way, hegave me a wry smile. He called his juniors andtold them that Mr. Singh (the author) had a finnbelief that it would be a normal delivery. Theother doctors remarked that they also wished itwould be a nonnal delivery but since the patientsmedical condition was not normal, they would

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hel ve to make arrangenlents for a su rgica Ioperation.

We admitted our ddugbter in a nursinghOlne on the expected date. She spent the wholeday in great discomfort. The doctors told us ataround 11. P.M. that the delivery \;\ras expected ataround 4 A.M. in the early morning and advisedus to go hOl1le. They promised to inform ustelephoni..::ally at hOl1le.

My L1aughter looked terribly exhausted andweek due to the unrest during the day. She calledme and asked me to pray for her, since she wasso Inuch exhausted that she could not even pray.She was too scared to bear the labour pains. Imyself \vas dumbfounded. She had passed thewhole day in severe pain and still the delivery\-\ras expected next day in the morning. Her health\vas continuously deteriorating. On the repeatedinsistence of the doctors, I went home with a mindthat I Inust pray to God for the \;\!ell-being of mydaughter. Before Iny departure for home, I enteredthe Labor ROOl1l and recited the full text of thefolhn\'ing Gllrhnni hylnn \vith cOlnplete faith anddevotion :

~~?f~~~11

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tif!/tJde cnrr# fIT}{ ar;r ?if rJit 1i grtt 1/ Jior - 819

Not even the hot willd touches hilll, tVI,O is underthe protectiol1 of the Suprel1le Lord.AU Iny four sides is the Lord's circle, so painafflicts Ine 110t, a brother.

My wife and my elder daughter stayed backin the nursing home. It took Ine ten minutes toreach home by car. I started praying again at tenminutes pas.t eleven at night. 1 feared I would notbe able to sleep at night, so I preferred to spendthe whole night in prayers.

I would like to share with the readers thespectacle which I saw and the spiritual experiencewhich I underwent during my prayer. As I beganto pra;', I saw a terrible spectacle. I could notexplain whether this spectacle vvas the creation ofmy lack of faith or it "vas created by the Divinepower to test my faith. But now I feel that Maya(the illusory world) creates such a scenariowhenever a devotees has to pass through a testof faith. This negative force tries its utmost thatits prey, the man with a wavering faith, shouldnot escape its grip of disbelief and mistrust. Butif a devotee relnains steadfast and asserts hisfaith with a determined confidence and humbledevotion, then this negative force withdraws and

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disappears. The Divine vVill prevails and casts aprotective shield over the devotee. During the(ourse of n1Y prayer, I had a dialogue \Nith theforce of negati\'ity and illusion. It questioned methat the Divine povver "vhose protection I vvasseeking in my pra~rer either did not exist, or evenif it existed, it did not interfere in the cause-effectcycle of hUlnan deeds. It argued that my daughtermust have c0111Initted some sinful acts in herprevious birth for vvhich she vvas being punishedin this life. It tried to frighten Ine by stating thatmy daughter \-vas really in a terrible state. Thedoctors had Inade a correct diagnosis of heraffliction. It further tried to dishearten me bysaying that prayer at such a stage would resultin disappointment only. Instead of escaping fromthe scene, I should have stood by her in thehospital till she breathed her last, the voiceseemed to rebuke me for mv act of omission and

.I

cowardice on the pretext of making a prayer andaccused me of running away from the scene onthe false pretence of praying for my daughter'swell-being. It built up a night-marish environmentaround Ine in vvhich I visualised my daughter asalready dead and I praying in vain for thesurvival of a dead body. I becalne extremely

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nervous as I passed through this scene. But aftera mOluent, I asserted my faith and declared thatsuch a thing could never happen. Waheguru isomnipotent and Almighty. His grace can wipe outall the sins of the past. When His grace manifests,the effect of previous deeds gets obliterated. Healways protects those who seek His grace. Thespectacle which I had been witnessing was false,it was an illusion. Waheguru is million timesmore powerful and mightier than the pOV\Ter ofillusion Maya. While others, including doctors andmy daughter, could be discouraged and deceivedby the force of negativity, I, being a devotee ofGuru Gobind Singh, could never be misled. Iknew certainly that Waheguru' s grace couldsnatch a devotee from the jaws of death. Mydaughter V\Tould certainly recover and survive thisordeal. She V\Tould suffer pain no more. With thisassertion of faith and confidence I prayed to Godto ignore our misdeeds and acts of omission andcommission and save our daughter. I furtherprayed to God to manifest His Divine grace anddemolish this illusory force of negativity.

When I asserted my faith, the horriblenightmarish spectacle started disappearinggradually into thin air. My frayed nerves acquired

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their poise and a \-vave of fearlessness passedthrough my \tvhole being. I started feeling myselfin the protective custody of the fearless, eternallygracious Waheguru and the Sikh \-var-cry ofvictory escaped my lips.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

I was shaken out of this dream-like state bya telephonic ring. My elder daughter informed-methat Iny younger dL1ughter had given birth to ababy girl at 11.43 P.M. It was a completely normaldelivery. The doctors were also surprised. Boththe mother and the baby were safe and sleepingpeacefully. I \-vent to sleep reciting hymn fromJnpllji :

?'fcp,p ;; FfT?T ~ ?'Cf /I

;1 Ef11 W l1'l!f m CPa II1 JiPr~ fIxia'ra II "for - 3

(1) cannot even once be a sacrifice unto Thee.Whatever pleases Thee, that is a good pursuit.Thou art ever Existent and Eterna 1, a FonnlessOne!

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The Best Prayer

The best prayer is one \vhich comprises adetermined supplication before Waheguru forbringing about one's spiritual evolu tion. Thehigher a Gllrsiklz cIilnbs the spiritual ladder, themore contended and the more calm he becomes.

What is a spiritual growth? It is not merelyan effort to acquire a God-like identity or Godlike persona, but to succeed in one's efforts toacquire divine attributes. We can evaluate ourspiritual evolution by the reflection of divineattributes in our day to day thoughts and deeds.Spiritual growth is direct!y proportional to theadoption of. divine attributes and their practice inour everyday life:

is" OTJ( ~ Pi} qt}{/I

Saints and God fU11ction for the sanle objective.

One has to keep the divine attributes in one'sconsciousness every moment of one's existence inorder to attain a God-like persona. One attains

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this Divine persona by continuously keeping thedivine attributes elTIbedded in one'sconsciousrj~s:' and reilecting these in one's dailyconduct. ,)ne becornes cndo\ved with divineattributes b'- the conscious exercise of theseattributes. How can one e111bed these divineattributes In one's consciousness? This can bedone thro" gh the conscious recitation of certainhYlTInS fn 'n the scriptures particularly the hY111n5which resllnate with the varied Divine attributes.This kind of repeated recitation of these sacredhy111115 accli111atizes the hUlTIan consciousness withthe Divine spirit and leads to spiritual enrichmentof the human spirit.

One lTIUSt develop a selfless and sacred bondwith the Divine spirit for a cOlnplete union \viththe Divine.

This state of spiritual union materialises andstarts lnanifesting itself when all other materialconsiderations and human relationship startsappearing fragile and inferior to the spiritualrelationship with Waheguru. This, then, is thestate of spiritual enlightenment and kinship withthe Divine:

t fkrr fiBr t3 ikJr J1T3T /I

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~:~~f:::1J~ ~ &cJr awr FIIU /I 1ikJr - 103

Thou art nzy fatlzel', Thou art illy nzother, Thou art111y killsl1zall and Thou art IllY brother.III all the places Thou art Iny protector. Theil zvlzyshould I feel fear and anxiety.

We become an embodiment of the Divinevvhen we are purged of all kinds of evil and sins.Evil is an alternative force wl~lch, beginning ,vithsin, ends in tension, suffering disease and death.There is not a trace of evil in the Divine(Waheguru). We acquire as much divinity as weshed evil and sinful thoughts. Evil has no'existence, but it appears to be very formidable tothe ignorant mind. Lack of consciousness of theDivine, infact, creates the illusion of evil. There isno rOOin for evil in a consciousness whichbecomes an abode of the Divine and Hisattributes. Evil resides in a consciousness devoidof the Divine or opposed to the Divine.

However, it is a Herculean task to cleanseone's consciousness of evil and in its steadsaturate it with the Divine attributes. It needs alot of effort and sacrifice to bring about such atransformation.

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It involves synchronising one's precepts anddeeds with the Gurbani's teachings; meditatingcontinuously on the name of God or non-stop­practising of Nnm Simrnl1 and willingly acceptingtl- e subsequent changes in one's thoughts andd(:~eds as an aftermath of Nmn Simrnll. In otherwords, this is the sacrifice, the hard labour andtr.~ spiritual preparation that one has to p1.::.t in toachieve the status of a realised soul

;1 Rif1r fata'fR ftmrre Har "ilfa CJfoJ1~ wg Hft;~ /Ih11r ;t~ iN ikP 1PK'Jitf3!r wafmr j,g~ ¢ /IW; ?i7XX td5"-iii! fa11~ ;ifif "f'fi ill~ i?J-~ /I 1J1aT - 305

The Guru's disciple, who with every breath and1110rsel contel1lplates; over lily Lord God, hebecol1les pleasing to Guru's Inind.lIe, unto Wh0111 lily Master beco111es Inerciful, tothat disciple of His, the Guru ilnparts hisinstruction.Servant Nanak asks for the dust of the feet of thalSikh of the Guru, who hil1lself contel1lplates ot,

God's Nalne and 11lakes other conte1nplate thereo1l

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Prayer

Every noble or virtuous hUlllan desire is aprayer. Prayer does not need any particular placeor any particular vocabulary for its expression.Every human desire and aspiration which aims atmoral edification is a prayer.

Since Waheguru is omnipresent andomniscient and takes a prior cognizance of ourevery human desire and aspiration we do notneed any particular place or any particularritualistic methodology to invoke his grace.~ fsfq ~ cff ;p;g IiPJp#filtr lifer~ [Ri'fe /I ~ - 432

Thou knowest all the condition of Inine, a Love. TowhoIn should I tell and narrate it?

~~ cWa '3 faJ,p ffff «afil YiN "- JiST - 1420

The Lord is ever near, why callest thou Hiln with aloud voice?

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EfT fa!! lIfu JJITfir~ /I Jiqr - 62

God, the Reader of hearts, fully knOlVS all the statof IllY l1zind, theil, 'lVlz0111 else a11! I to go to tell?

Every hunlan aspiration vvhich leads to moreupliftment and vvhich is sincere and detennine(constitutes a prayer.

Although prayers in the congregative mannEare also beneficial for the overall societal welfarebut every genuine prayer, whether expressed (made in silence, elicits divine response :

1Jf1i11* af~ lIS'1ifcr it i&fr; HfiJ cJ3" /I Jiqr - 82

Thou, 0 Lord, knowest un-uttered what-so-ever ;in the ulinds.

Prayer is deeply rooted in our consciousnesThere is wide gap between a verbal prayer ana prayer arising out of our deepest consciousnesMajority of our verbal prayers without tI­involvement of our consciousness are superficiand irrelevant. Sometimes we verbalise Ot

prayers without being involved in them mere:for the sake of a ceremonial formality. A praycis superfluous and artificial unless the deepecore of our consciousness is involved in it.person addicted to bouts of Alcoholism acts I

lechery and avarice, acknowledges the viciousneof his vicious acts and prays for a deliveranc

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rom these evils; but falls a prey to these viceshe moment he gets a chance to indulge in thesects. This is because he does not shun these evilslonestly. but makes a pretence of denouncinghese desires. That prayer alone is genuine whichrises from the deepest core of our consciousnessnd which stirs our entire consciousness.

Whe"l we taise the pitch of our prayer touch a lofty state through continuousupplication, utmost humility and deepest faithhat raises the status of our consciousness to the~vel of the Divine will, our prayer gets an "instantlivine response, as if in a flash, and materialisesllto manifest success.

Since every human consciousness breedslesire and aspirations, every human being keepsIn making conscious and unconscious prayers.~very human being seeks fulfilment of his hiddenlesires and aspirations. So he keeps on prayingor their fulfilment. Even an atheist who denieshe existence of God has desires and aspirationsnd keeps on praying for their fulfilment. But hislesires are fulfilled to the extent of histlvolvement and desirability of his prayers.

A prayer is the deepest expression of human

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consciousness \vhich on the basis of its capacit:to invoke Divine grace results in its successfufulfilment. One may acknowledge it or not, ever:hUlnan being prays. Sometime we are not eve]conscious that \ve are praying because we do nohear its verbal expression. As we are noconscious that we are breathing, similarly Wl

remain unconscious of our prayer. Who does nowish to impro\'e his environment, his health, hi:family and his motherland? Is there any humalbeing who does not pray? Most of our secredesires are also prayers. Irrespective of our bein~

theists or atheists, \tve keep on aspiring an,praying according to our needs and awarenessAn invisible power keeps on fulfilling our desire:as well. It is immaterial wether we call thi:invisible power Waheguru or give any othenomenclature :

Fm? fgzpfft~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O?f /I blaT - 142c

The world wanders about as a beggar and the Lor.alone is the Besto'lver of all.

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PrayerViews of Madam Marry Baker Eddv- -

The Divine takes cognizance of even ourexpressionless desires. Infact, human desire oraspiration itself is a prayer. Surrender of humanaspirations to the Divine lends them to a spiritualdimension which, in turn, leads to their manifestfulfilment. We cannot bring about a change in theDivine will through our meditative eulogizing ofHis Divine attributes, but we can certainly activateit.

Since eternal Waheguru is eternally benevolentand loving towards His creation, nothing butgood and beneficial can come out of Hisdispensation. Prayer does not alter ourconstitutional framework, but streamlines ourconsciousness in accordance with the Divine will.Since Waheguru, by His own Being, is benevolent,who are we to make Him more benevolent? Canwe add to His existing Omniscience? Can we add

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to His perfection? Can vve increase the flo\-\' of Hisbenevolence Who is alreadv exc~ssi\'elv

benevolent to us? Each hU111an aspiratior.( vvithoutgiving expression to it, brings us near~r to ouret,--'rnal source of happiness and bliss ­Waheguru.

Waheguru, being eternally benevolent,irrespective of the past, present and fu turedimensions of time is always keen to disoense I-lisDivine grace. Man's knowledge, being ir 1c1dequate,cannot influence the Divine Will.

It is futile to stand in front of a blackboardand pray to the fundamental rules of Mathematicsto solve our mathematical problems.Fundatnentals of mathematics have already beenfixed forever. We can solve our 111athematicalproblems by applying those fundalnentals.Similarly, we can not increase the quantum ofDivine beneficence, because Waheguru is alreadyperfect in His benevolence. We should makeefforts to solve our problelns through the properutilization of His guaranteed benevolence.

Man has already been cast in the image ofWaheguru (God). He has already been endovved

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vvith the Divine attributes. Man needs to cultivatethese attributes in his consciousness and reflectthese in his thoughts and deeds. More thanwords, Inan should express his sense of gratitudeto Waheguru through his everyday conduct anddeeds. Divine attributes should be reflected inhuman conduct.

We should aI ways pray to become noble,truthful and contE: \lted. \Ve can pay our debt ofgratitude to our spiritual Gurus (mentors) bypractising their teachings in our conduct. Wordswithout deeds are hollow claims.

Jesus Christ exhorted his followers to expresstheir love for him through their noble deeds.Verbal expression of our faith.in God is notadequate. vVe should always be impatient tocultivate Divine attributes in our life and reflectthese in our everyday conduct and deeds. Wemust cultivate the Divine attributes to seek unitywith the Divine. The verbal expression that welove God is not adequate. We must be keen toacquire the divine attributes and reflect thesenoble qualities in our everyday conduct. We mustcultivate the moral values in our life to acquire

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ilnage of the Divine \Vaheguru. Spiritualenlightenment benefits us more than thecontemplation of higher goals because it inspireus towards higher quality of life. Silent prayer,conscious cultivation of noble thoughts andpractice of Guru's teachings take us closer to theDivine.

Expiation of one's past evil deeds is the firststep towards spiritual rejuvenation. Cultivation ofmorally clean thoughts despite temptations andprovocation is the second step towards spiritualreformation. Continuous repeated resistance toevil thoughts and temptations, despite occasionalfailures and lapses, ultimately leads to cOlnpletespiri tual cleansing.

It is not desirable and proper to seekforgiveness for one's sins through prayer. Sins arecondones only when hUlnan soul starts regardingthese as evil and ceases to indulge in further sins.Cessation of indulgence in sins is synonymouswith redelnption and spiritual reformation. It isthe greatest sin to pray for forgiveness of sins ifindulgence in sin continues even after prayer.One who keeps on praying for forgiveness of sins

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without stopping to indulge in sins, falls deeperinto moral and spiritual degeneration. Sins arecondoned \Jnly when one ceases to indulge in sinsany further.

Retribution for sins is meant to stop thesinner £rOITI further indulgence in sin. Quantum ofdivine retribution is ahvays higher anddisproportionate to the sins committed by thesinner only to teach him a lesson. But the ITIotivebehind this retribution is always reformationrather than vengeance or punishment. This cycleof divine retribution continues till indulgence insins does not cease.

It is crucial to pass this test of non-indulgencein sins before the successful fulfilment of a prayermade with faith and devotion. This kind of testis meant to assess the moral fibre of a supplicantor devotee and the extent of his faith in theDivine. Clearance in this test (complete non­indulgence in sin in thought and deed) endearsus to Waheguru and his Divine grace leads to thesuccess of our prayer.

So, the best human prayer is one which seeksenergy and Divine grace for accomplishing noble

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deeds. Prayer Ineans a supplication for spiritualenlighterllnent and cast one's life in that mouldeven if we have to mortify our sensual pleasures.It is not syfficient to aspire for higher moral andspiritual mode of life. We have to make concertedefforts to attain this mode. The dawn of spiritualenlightenment and spiritual realisation dawnsonly after one has (eached its threshold throughconscious and con~'erted efforts.

Most often our prayers do not materialisebecause we are skeptic about the essentiallybeneficent and graceful nature of the Divine. It ismandatory to pray with cOlnplete devotion andfaith. Jesus Christ says that some human prayersare not answered because the supplicants pray forimmoral and undesirable things. We often seekthose things from Waheguru which are notbeneficial for us. In such cases, the ever beneficentand extremely \vell-vvishing Waheguru does notgrant our prayers. Our prayer is not genuine andjustified if we pray for the condonation of sinswithout the proper expiation of sins on our part.Sin without retribution leads to further indulgencein sin. A vvhore approached Jesus Christ andsought forgiveness for her sins. Jesus Christ

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condoned her past sins provided she did notindulge in sin in future. The just and perfectWaheguru not only condones sins but pulls outthese sins from their roots.

A follower of spiritual science can seekbenefits from the ever loving and beneficentDivine.

If our prayer is genuine, sincere and from thedeepest core of our consciousness rather than asuperficial verbal expression, then we shouldmake concerted efforts for the materialisation ofour prayer through continuous spiritual cleansing.:The Omniscient Waheguru will certainly help usin our efforts leading to fulfilment of our prayer.

Jesus Christ says :

"When thou prayest, enter into the innermostcompartment of your soul and shut it in from alloutside sources. There prayest thou to thyOmniscient father in solitude. The all-knowingfather will listen to thine prayer and grant it."

The innermost compartment of the soul refersto the deepest core of one's consciousness whichopens only to virtue and truth but remains shut

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towards sins and vices. For the successfulfulfilment of our prayer, our consciousness lTIUstremain completely evacuated from sins and vices.In such a vacuum, prayer is silent and humansoul stands cleansed and naked without any traceof sensuali ty. It is a moment of completeforgiveness for the soul and its unity with theDivine."

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The Risk In A Prayer

Many a time, prayer, instead of beingbeneficial, causes harm. Waheguru is as Inuchbeneficent as just and fair. Waheguru'ssimul taneous beneficence and sense of justice andfairplay both are required for human spiritualreformation. Had Waheguru been beneficentrather than just and fair or only fair and justwithout being beneficent, then human soul couldnever cross over the snares of illusory world andseek unity with God.

A Gursikh (devotee), not conversant with thetwin aspects of Waheguru or the Godhead, veryoften lands himself into trouble through wrongkind of prayers. A Gursikh, who prays for thecondonation of his past sins, and having prayedonce considers that his sins must have beencondoned is, infact, ignorant of the Divine aspectof justice and fairplay. Prayer alone does notresult in the condonation of our sins. If it is so,how can, then, Waheguru be just and fair.

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It is not adequate to atone for one's sins forthe ir d iv ine condon a t ion. A de v () tee 111 u s tdelnonstrate his sense of atoneillent through hisdeeds in future. Abandoning indulgence in sinsforever after prayer is the only affidavit of agenuine and heart-felt repentance.

Cleansing of one's thoughts and deeds is atestimony of spiritual refoflnation. We must makea solemn detennination to shun indulgence inthose sins or lapses for vvhjoh vve have soughtdivine forgiveness in our prayer. Pennanentabstinence frOITl indulgence in sins or inlmoralacts is a solid proof of out atonement. A prayercoupled vvith clean thoughts and acts leads to thedispensation of divine grace because such agenuine and just prayer reconlmends itself to thesense of Divine justice and fairplay.

It lnust also be relnembered that the Divinesense of justice and fairplay is not ainled atretribution bu t directed tovvards the spiritualrejuvenation of the hUlnan soul. Lav" avvardssentence for the ilnprovenlent of the crilninal.When a convicted person reforms hin1self andgives a delnonstration of his reforn1ed selfthrough his good conduct, la\v has a provision for

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the condonation of his punishtnent.

In the la\\T courts also, \vhen a judge isconvincf:J of the reformed status of a criminalthrough ;he demonstration of his good conduct,he takes 1 lenienf view of his past crime. A Judgeof a la\v court Inay commit an error of judgement\vhile taking a lenient view of a criminal's act ofculpability; but vVaheguru, being onlniscient andconversC'.! it with the innennost thoughts of sinner' fconsciousness, condones his sins only when hisreal conduct satisfies the Divine sense of iustice

~

and fairplay. Genuine expiation and good conductmake us eligible for Divine grace.

So self improvement and good conduct areprerequisites of Divine grace. Divine grace is theinevitable consequence of purity of thought andgoodness of conduct. Performance of meaninglessrituals such as vocal invocations, making pfferingsof Karah Parshad, undertaking 'pilgrimages to holyplaces without bringing about an improvement inone's conduct do not qualify a Gursikh (devotee)for a Divine forgiveness. These are hollowdenlonstrations of one's duplicity of behaviour.

Divine grace shuns those nations andreligious societies who practise hollow vocal

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invocations without bringing about a refonnationin the conduct of their citizens. Such nations andreligious organisations do not progress upwardson the civilizational ladder. On the contrary, thesehollow rituals breed hypocrisy and duplicity.These meaningless ritualistic practises encouragetheir practitioners to indulge in further sins. Thesepractices provide a handle for these practitionersto indulge in flagrant indulgence in crime andsin. Such prayers are really prejudicial andharmful for human welfare and humanimprovement.

When one seeks to get one's sinful actscondoned through the performance of an easy andeffortless rituals conducted by a temple priestwithout improving his own conduct, one gets anencouragement to further indulge in more sinfulacts since he gets an assurance that sins can beeasily condoned through such vocal invocationsand rituals. Gurmat sanctions the endowment ofDivine grace based on good conduct and self­reformation alone. It does not recommendforgiveness without atonement and self­purification. [t is because of this reason that aSikh prayer follows a simultaneous path of sel£­improvement and Divine grace

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IW*~ 11lffR ~ Iff~ J.ITOfaT zR /I

,;m, - 624

So pardon Tholl 111y past ll1isdeeds, 0 Lord, and putl1te unto Thy way for the future.

~ fi:Ilf S' irln art /I

wa liT fR!I~ # ~ /I ,;m, - 287

The True Guru cuts off the fetters of his disciple.The Guru's disciple recoils frol1z evil deeds.

Some Gursiklzs (Sikh devotees) are ohen heardIt they are incapable of curbing their habit oflulging in sins by their own human efforts andIt Divine power or Divine 'grace alone canrieve them from their indulgence. SuchJocritical persons keep on indulging in sins as11 as praying at religious shrines for theldonation of their sins. This habitual'.ulgence in sin and meaningless prayerames chronic. Such individuals cease to beulsed by sinful acts and lose the nerve to curb.r indulgence.

These clever people assert that since man isible and liable to err because of his)titutional framework of being made of flesh and)d, he is incapable of reforming himself throughlan efforts. Such people even quote scriptures

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in support of their devilish misconduct:CJT CJT zg aifir ~ /I

CJ}{ #~ if rJff~ 1fi/f«fir faaiir 'JfY?iT ;;ry #g- /I Jim - 6 7~

0, 0 IllY Lord, do Tholl save IIle. By IIlyself I caldo nothing, 0 lUy L01'd. Mercifully, bless IIle, Thollwith Thy Nal1le.

JPcT ;:x, fciJHr W tpJI'}/t~ ctt U!fa- ectI II

Jim - 82.

How call the dust be washed? Sud, is the state cthe I1lan, 0 IllY Lord.

These people do not know that the Guruand saints who have uttered these pious wordhad led a life of hard regimen of immaculatconduct and unblemished integrity. They habeen leading a life of contentment anprocurement of their livelihood through just anrigorous hardwork.

These Gurbani hymns have not been utterefor the defence of evildoers and sinners but f(the inspiration and encouragement of dynamiindustrious and progressive, self-reformirGursikhs. These hymns are meant to impartlesson in humility to the struggling self-reformisrather than in defence for the V\Tilling offenders.

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Gursikh struggles to purify his thoughts andconduct under the directions of Guru's teachingsand tries to exercise self-control over vices andsinful thoughts and achieves his goal of self­reformation through the grace of God. For all hisstamina and sttuggle to improve himself morallyand spiritually, he gives all the credit to Divinegrace rather than to his oY\tn will power in thetrue spirit of a devout, humble Gursikh. Gurbaniteaches us to overcome human weaknesses withfaith confidence and determination under ifsguidance:

~~~t~!Pft¥I/~tlf1~ ;W;;X~~ /I Jihr - 522

Making an effort for the Nalne, thou shalt live andpractising it, thou shalt enjoy peace.By lneditating on the Name, 0 Nanak, thou shaltmeet the Lord and thy anxiety shall vanish.

Gurbani also exposes those who keep onndulging in sins and vices and also keep a)retence of getting their sins condoned throughneaningless rituals and invocations at places ofvorship. Addressing such people, Gurbani states:

lPlI i!ifffiT zlfp N 11fR #' /I

dk1fEr ;;rfe aufiT 11fs~ /I"l@'fu l1JRfcT;Jfe fiifa /I

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f1}{ yfa 11ifq 1:1#~ II Jiior - 13,

He cOln111its sills ullder the influence of fi~

demons.Bathing at the holies, he says that all his sins habeen washed of!He cOl1units theHl again without any fear.The death's courier binds the sinner and takes hlto his city.

Translated simply, it means those caughtthe vicious, cycle of indulgence in anger, lu~

greed, attachment and pride and subsequeprayer for the condonation of their sinful acfollowed by yet an other recourse to indulgenwill get damned forever.

Sometimes, a Gllrsiklz commits an occasioninadvertent moral lapse while genuinely strivilto rid himself of sins and vices. In such a ca~

the benevolent Waheguru tries to condone I­lapse by making hilTI genuinely repentant over 1lapse. Divine justice is meted out according to t]intention and determination of a devotee to figwith the vices and sins in his life. Wahegu:provides a protective shieJd to a devotee eventhe case of an inadvertent moral lapse during 1struggle for moral, spiritual reformation. At t]most, the Divine Will admonishes a devotee

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repent over his lapse. But if a devotee keeps onignoring this Divine admonition and keepsindulging in sin and vices, then the Divine willexpose such an indulgent sinner to public ridiculeso that he may feel ashamed of his sinful actsand makes a renewed effort to reform himself :

lfTl?RT R" R- I7i3- «fr RaTIHe alone is a true Sikh who wages a war againstindulgence in vice and sin everyday.

6n ;:ng. fa;r ~ i1Cf( H-!fll 3- eN ffg tt fJCf fiJfR/I

Blessed are those in this world,Who have God's Narne on their lips,And wage an internal war against vices.

This hymn means that a Gursikh keeps onwaging a war against his indulgence in vices andconsiders it his birth right to wage such a war.Victory over human weaknesses makes us worthyof Divine grace. The Divine grace manifests itselfat the victorious end of this psychic war againstvices and sins.

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Tales Of Our Times 1945

He was a clerk employed in a Governmentoffice in Shimla. He lived in a house just belowthe Nabha Estate. He was the only bred-earner ofthe family.

The eye-specialist had given his verdict thathis eye could not be cured. The vision would belost.

The wife heard it and cried. No human couldbear her sorrow.

Then came a Saint XYZ Singh. He asked thecouple to pray for recovery. Non-stop recitationof Guru Granth Ji was immediately started. Thecouple prayed, particularly the wife. I haveseldom heard prayer more sincerely offered. Itwas the outpouring of a true and loving heart.

At the end of the Bhog the bandage \vastaken off and a miracle happened; the man couldactually see.

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Readers! have faith, such things are stillpossible.

(2)

His arm was affected by gangrene. The doctorsaid an amputation would be necessary. Thepatient must be rushed to the hospital the sameevening or it would be too late. The poison wasspreading upwards.

The doctors were asked to ,vait for a night.The ambulance car would come next morning totake the patient to the hospital.

The patient spent that night meditatingsincerely. God must save his ann for he mustplay the harmonium and sing songs of Hisdevotion.

Next morning came. The eruption wasreceding. The operation did not take place. Thedoctor, an experienced Muslim Surgeon ofAmritsar, felt astonished.

And the patient continued playing theharmonium and singing the praises of the Lordthereafter.

- Gurdit Singh Malhan

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Po·wer of Prayer

The girls in our family longed to be tall. Myounger sister vV(lS only four feet and ten inchewhile both of n,y uncle's daughters were al5short-statured. rvly elder uncle's daughter was a15short-statured. My own daughter was not tal1{than her aunt. My sister was so much obsessewith a tall fralnc of body that she stood on twbricks in the back row during a photo session ia familv .

./

Girls shorter than five feet in height arconsidered short-statured in Punjab and DelhGirls taller than five feet are considered aconsiderably tall. My second daughter attainedheight of four feet and nine inches at the end cher thirteenth year and thereafter her growtstopped. My cousin once remarked that mdaughter was getting obese for her height.thought that she would also be not taller than heelder sister. After a fey\' days, my daughter camto me with sadness writ-large on her face.

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enquired about her gloomy looks. She said thatone of her friends had remarked that she and allher other sisters would remain short-statured.None of us could grow as tall as she was. Sheasked me with a sigh if she would really not growtall. I preferred to keep silent at her enquiry.

After a visit to the Gurudwara in the evening,I really got worried about my daughter's concernfor her growth. I consulted my wife. She informedme that since our daughter had reached the stageof puberty, there was less likelihood of hergaining any more height. She was not likely togain more height than her elder sister. I keptthinking about it the whole night. Could there beany medical treatment for this problem? Then, Iintuitivel y felt that no medical option wasrelevant in this case. In the early hours of themorning, It occurred to me to tpke a recourse toprayer. I had read a lot about the power of prayerin the books on spiritual science written by S.Raghbir Singh Bir. I decided to adopt the path ofprayer and test the veracity of the statementsabout the power of prayer. So I took a firmdecision to adopt the way of prayer.

I called my daughter and advised her to

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follovv my advice if she really vvished to growto.II. She' readily agreed to follow my advice. I"d\,ised her to pray to God daily for a gr~)v;th inher height and take a nutritious diet of dairyr·ro:iuc.ts. These dairy products contain .1 10t of~ alcium which helps in the growth of bo·,les. Myuaughter promised to pray everyday tor this:_"lrpose. I also made it my daily routine ..0 pray~'Jr my daughter's goal. I kept on prayinr- for mydaughter's growth in height at every mcment ofIny spare time. Simultaneously, I kept onreminding my daughter about her promise topray and take a proper diet. Even \-vhen I wentaway from home, I used to rem;nd her aboutprayer through letters. Finally, with God's grace,she started growing taller and taller till the ageof sixteen years. She grevv four inches taller thanher elder sister. She vvas now very happy abouther growth.

My third daughter and younger to the firsttwo, also adopted the path of prayer and attaineda height of fi\'e feet and one inch.

My fourth daughter and the youngestadopted the prayer path and dairy product's dietat the age of tvvelve. No\'\! at the age of fourteen

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years, she is as tall as her elder sisters and is stillgrowing. She is the tallest girl in her class andfeels a little bit complacent about her height atthis age. I tell her that she would feel proud ofher height at an adult age.

I have prayed 1.nfinite number of times forthe height of my three daughters during the lastseven eight years. I pray daily whenever I am atpeace with myself. '1 have been making offeringsof Kara/z Pars!zad for their proper growth.

I have noticed that girls grow in height fromMarch to September and their growth remainsstatic during rest of the five months in a year.They keep on gaining height till the age ofpuberty, but the onset of menstural cycle does notstop their growth. The growth continues till theage of eighteen.

In the end, I' am extremely grateful toWaheguru who answered my prayers and mademe worthy of His Divine grace. His grace fulfilledmy daughter's wishes and blessed me as wellwith happiness.

- Sajjan Singh Sambholi

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Power of PrayerA devotee's prayer never goes unans\vercd

There is no doubt that prayer has a greatpower but one must adopt a proper procedure tomake a prayer. The supplicant must havecomplete faith in God and His Omnipotence. Themotive behind the prayer must also be noble andone must make earnest efforts for the fulfillmentof prayer. I relate below two real incidents frommy life which prove the power of prayer.

1. I was an officiating Deputy Superintendentof Police at Moga in the year 1939. There washardly any possibility of myself getting confirmedin this rank. Mv wife meditated and recited thehymn: fu2 u& ~ \JFd+io ~, HF3qjd ~aTff ~' 1,25,000 times within a span of fortydays with an aim that her husband may getconfirmed in the rank of a D.S.P. At the end ofthese recitations, I myself prayed for myconfirmation. As soon as I reached my office at 10A.M., I received a telegram of congratulations

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)In a friend regarding my confirmation in thisnk. I was really astonished to see the power ofayer.

2. During the year 1953-54, I used to meditateily at 4 A.M. in a room of my residence wherenu Granth Sahib was installed. A subordinated kept a poultry in one of the out houses. A:k used ~o crow every morning and disturb myncentration during prayers. It just crossed mynd that such a cock should die for disturbing! prayers. The cock fell sick next day and died.)egged forgiveness from Waheguru for thellicious intent of my prayer. But the prayer had~n answered. My subordinate brought an other:k and it also started crowing. In this way,len cocks died one after the other. After Inmunicated my inadvertent wish during myiyer for the cock's death to my wife, she askedr subordinate not to bring any more fowls asy will not survive. He accepted her advice andpped breeding cocks. Through this incident, Ivise the meditating devotees to guard~mselves against any such wishful expression.ich may prove detrimental to anybody.

- Bishan Singh Palta

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Power of Prayer

The incident happened six, seven years ago,when I had not tak\~n a membership of the Atam(spiritual) Science Organization. There was adivision among the workers of an organization,wherep1y husband worked. As a result, therewere many factions among the workers. Veryoften, a person whom one considers a gentlemanmay be a villain in the eyes of many others. Oncemy husband also got involved in such a situation.He ·was so much fascinated by one particularfactional leader that he kept discussing thingswith him for hours at a stretch in front of theentrance to our residence. There was a shady treeat the entrance. My husband and this leader usedto stand under this tree and discussedorganizational matters under the full gaze of thepublic on this thoroughfare. Their daily gatemeetings came to the notice of the workersbelonging to various other factions. My husbandwas holding a high position in the company. I

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insisted upon my husband to desist fromhobnobbing with a factional leader of the workerson a public road. Being highly placed executive,he should discuss cOlnpany affairs in the privacyof the house rather than on a public road. But myhusband did not pay any heed to my advice. Hewould rather adn10nish me for disturbing them.I felt extremely perturbed that resulted sometimein a tiff between the two of us. This everydaydiscussion gave me a lot of tension. It occurredto me one day that since all of my efforts hadfailed to relieve that tension, I should seek thedivine help from the Omniscient Waheguru toend this unpleasantness. Since then, I startedpraying for divine assistance. My prayer beinggenuine and noble, it elicited an instant divineresponse. One day, my husband remarked thatsince that tree at the entrance was an obstacle onthe drive way, we should chop it off. I was elatedat the proposal. I sent a silent prayer. Within amonth, the tree was removed and their dailypublic discussions also ended with the fall of thistree. I still kept on praying to God to get rid ofthis undesirable person. Soon, another miraclehappened. This person got a better employmentin an other company through the influence of my

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husband. The change of job reduced hi~

interference in my husband's company. No"v hEcame occasionally and left after a few minute~

chat with my husband in his office.

I remain extremely grateful to Wahegu~'u f(nhaving responded to my prayers and fulfilling 01)'

wish and protecting my husband frOIn all

undesirable influence.

- G, KalH

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A devotee's PrayerN ever Goes Unanswered

Dear friends, .I arn not a gifted writer whowould present his experience in an impressiveexpression. I am an ordinary reader of AtamScience journal like many others. From theteachings of saints and my own experience, Ibelieve in the veracity of the proverb : "Ricegrains get cleaned by getting rubbed against eachother." The two incidents which I experiencedconfirm this statement of Sardar Bahadur OnkarSingh of Jabbalpur in an article which waspublished in November 1952. I am definitely surethat these two incidents would help in theconcentration of those devotees who believe in thepower of prayer. The reading of these twoincidents would benefit the readers as well as me,and both of us would get more purified like thecleaning of mutual rubbing of rice grains.

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The first incident (1936-37)

I was serving as a fireman in the Assamrailways in East Bengal during 1936-37. I us-ed tomove between the sta tians of Badarpur andChandpur. In between, thf!re is a station namedShaha Ji. People of that area must have seen thisstation. N ow this area forms a part of EastPakistan, BangIa Desh. This place was namedafter the name of a Muslim saint. The train usedto pass by the Mosso! eum of this saint.Passengers, irrespective of their caste and creed,used to make offerings of coins and candles atthis memorial. A few European Railway driversalso vvorked in railways \along with me. As thetrain approached this sacred place, theseEuropean drives would switch off the enginesteam, stand on their seats and bowed their headsin prayer to this ancient saint. I kept observingtheir faith and devotion to this sacred Muslimsaint for a long time. I, too, felt a surge of faithand devotion, but, being a Gursikh, I restrainedmyself from bowing my head in prayer before themonument of a Muslim saint. But this devotionand faith expressed by these strangers confirmedmy own faith towards Sikh saints and Sikh placesof worship. I, too, longed for a Sikh place of

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vvorship near a raihNay track \\There I could alsobow my head in prayer and devotion. I wascertainly wrong in my opinion whi~-:h

discriminated against spiritual saints on the ba"isof religion. We should not be so narrovv-mind,:~d

and fanatical in spiritual matters. But I alwi3 vswished that I could be a driver on a railway trackto An,ritsar in Punjab so that I could perfornl asimilar prayer from a railway bridge near ri". erTangLl and bovv my head to a Gurudwara bl:iltin the memory of Sant Baba Gurbax Singh nearthe bridge. I made this motive the main theme ofmy everyday prayer. I was made to join Eastprovincial railway after the partition of thecountry.

The readers can ,veIl imagine the turn ofevents, how from the distant Assam Railways inEast Bengal, I was moved to East PunjabRailways in Punjab. I attribute this miracle to thepower of my prayers and their acceptance byWaheguru the omniscient.

No\-v when I drive my train to Amritsar, Irepeat the ritual of praying and bowing my headto my revered saint much in the fashion of thoseeuropean drivers. I make it a point to slow down

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and pray even "vhen I alTI running late on anexpress train.

Dear readers, trust me to affirm the veracity,of this scriptural statement of Gurbani that adevotee's prayer perfonTIed with faith anddevotion never goes unansered. But we mustfulfil all the conditionalities of a prayer mentionedin S. Raghbir Singh Bir's article on the contractualbond mentioned 1n the sacred hymn:

fsa lJffa i11cJ em- i1?i~ /IHf3i!.rta ?Hi a7f1 1fri' /I ~ - 201

Sit steadily at honte within, a dear devotees ofGod.The True GliJit will surely accolllplish your affairs.

Guru Ji has illustrated these conditionalitiesin great detail in this hymn. This article has beenincluded in this book in chapter 11 with the title."The contractual bond betvveen a devotee andGod." Many devotees with a wavering andunstable faith can seek direction from this articleprovided they understand the full implications ofthis contractual bond.

The second incident (1954)

My aged mother fell seriously sick and

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becanle bed-ridden at Rawalpindi in 1945. I \-vasat her bedside. She would repeat a few \-vordsabout her pangs of separation from her older sonwho had not visited her for the last seventeenyears. These words of commiseration uttered onher death bed would melt a stone even. Withtearful eyes, she \-vould remember her separatedson and pray to God for a reunion during hereveryday prayers. She would refer to Rama's longexile and his subsequent return after twelve years.She would pray desperately for a slight glimpseof her son before her end came. She made it anevery day practice to pray for a reunion with herson after the recitation of her daily Sikh prayer.I, too, was moved to tears by the heart-rendingprayers of my mother. Some of the readers musthave undergone such an experience in their ownfamilies.

I was desperate to fulfil the last wish of mydying mother. But I was really helpless. Africa,where my brother resided, was at a distance ofthousands of miles from Rawalpindi. I was alonewith my mother with no other relatives around.It occurred to me that I should seek Divine helpto solve this problem with a faith and devotiondistilled in me by my mother. Waheguru, with

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v\Thom v\Te have a contractual bond of father-sonrelationship, is more po\!verful than our biologicalbonds. So I must seek assistance from Wahcguru.I started reciting the following hymn C0111posedby Guru Ram Das in Raga Ganci :

# Hftr ftJfa" 1JIT11 eMiT CJfa~EfT H1i IW~~ Grr iirtt /ICJfa fIT! 113 fag ;1 ;:fife~18' lJITf!p,p- faR- (iT tea f:nr if~ /I

'iifa f31r cit 1JIT11 off# -H1i i:kr;1 113 HfcJ 1PJITJII ofcmtr 11H'lft /I

ik1 H1i 1JfT1ir afa ;mtfl1:r~ II;1 fso CJfa 1JIT11 1JI?ff wi cit ciJ#J1'~ 1JIT11 113 /WE1t~ /I;1 W H'febtr iiu m ~

H2f fa1:r cit 1JIT11 ,m" i11iH~ /I~ ~ fii¥ CJTfET rnfI air e«Jfcr fffiJ I!Y#f5; (iT ?ifcp,p as if~ /Iikl H1i 1JIT11 afa-ufo zI8H bflIit cit;1 ~ EfT# 3ar tmf ~~ /I# ffxg 1JIT11 m iefci lIafH37

H2f if i1Wu # ~ ;iflr~ /IfeeT=1JIT11 wfHtI~ FR' jfit;; HfcJ ~ fs;;fi:r 113 ;:nff /I

ik1 H1i~ afa ufo lj&H 11'i1 cit;1 3ar lJITf!p,p 113 flTfe lfTl!t /I

"fT11T H?'i11' 113 io7 ik1 1PJITJII;11If g 1JIT11 dd/~/b ~-a- 1JIT11 i!i'fITe1 /I

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fas fcntJ ~ ufEr nrcfI H# 1P'fTHTJii:ft }fi; Hf3?}fa ~~ /If11i~ ;ff J1IT11 -g~ufo e-aRO #tr ifa eaRfrr~ /I JJlor - 859

o 11lan, if, ill thy 11lilld, thOll rest thy hope 011 God,then sha It thOll obta in thy heart-desired I1lany11lany fnLits.God kn01vs everything that passes ill tI,e l1lilld. TheLord overlooks 1l0t evell a sesa111e of allY olle'slabour.o 111y soul, put thOll thy hope in that God Lord,who is contained in evenJthing.o IllY soul, rest thou thy hope 011 the Lord of theWorld and the Master of Universe.The hope, which is reposed in allY other thall God,that hope is fruitless and goes all ill vain.The wealth, 1vorldly love and the entire fal11ily,that thou seest, pin not thou thy hope Oil tI,CI11.Like-wise thou shalt lose the 111erit of thy life.Nothing lies in their hands. What call these poorfellolvs do? By their doing nothing can be setaright.My soul, place thOll reliance on God, thy Friend,1vho shall save thee and also elnancipate all thyfa11zi/y.If thou reposest any hope in another, or in a friend,other than the Lord, know that it shall not availthee anywhere.

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This Izope of anotlzer frielld is borll of duality.Being false, it all vallishes in a IIlOlllent.a Iny soul, have thOll fait/z in t/zy True BelovedLord, UJ/zo slzall approve all tlly service.Hope and desire are all Thine, a IllY Lord. As Thou11lakest luan /zope, so is the llope he clzerishes.Nothi11g Iies i 11 t Iz c hand s of any 111 an, a 111 yMaster. Such all ullderstandillg, Illy Tnle Guru hasi111parted unto Ine.My Lord Master, ThOll knou'est tlze yeanlillg of Thyslave Nallak. He belzolds Tizine visioll, alld withThine visio1l, he relllaillS satiated.

The recitation of this sacred hymn somewhatlifted the sense of gloom from my mind. I wasalso reminded of Moghul clnperor Babur'ssupplication to God for the recovery of his sonfrom a fatal illness. I should also pray like himfor a Divine relief. So \vhilc taking a round of myailing mother, I prayed to Waheguru for atemporary reprieve for my mother till her lastunion with her long separated son. I prayed toGod like a child to restore her health for a shortperiod till their reunion. Waheguru may terminateher life soon after the fulfilment of her last wish,since a mortal must perish as per the Divine Will.The family would accept her death with gratitudeafter this wish fulfilment. My mind kept drifting

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between fear and hope during these prayers.Sometimes, I felt the inadequacy of my ownprayer, but an inner voice would again impel meto pray with more faith and devotion. Once againI resumed my prayer and recited a hymncomposed by Saint Sadhna from Guru GranthSahib:

fQzt cifi;bp ;j ;xra;f reg~~ /I

«'H'a1IJ 1f11fI01if ~ cit zifr JWTcff /I3¥ aT1i iIur i1UI3" lIlf1T i1U iWf if r;rJ1 '/1f1ilq-11CTif Ci3"~~-#'gij~ ;grR /I

ilK dF RH Ci'aif • ~ ~ /Ilfif -UJi 1l'alg fH* ¢1; ll'fH if 1JI'i /I

lfif ff El'i1 f6g ;;elf iJ1~ /IWiT l% lfUar fH# CiCT wfu~ /IHniitf ai uU ncfJ las J1!Tfcr if Jlar /I~ liP i1ir lfg itTnr NO W /I b/;n - 858

For a King's daughter, a 111an assumed the disguiseof Vishnu for the love of lust and his own object,but the Lord protected his honour.What nterit is in Thee, 0 Guru of the world, if myevil deeds are not to be erased?What avails it to seek lion's refuge, if he is to beeaten up by a jackal?For want of a drop of rain, the pied-cuckoo suffersagony.When its life is gone, then even if an ocean is athand, it is of no avail.

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NOll' that my life is grouJIl lveary, and I a1ll HOt tolas t IIllich [oliger, hOlO call I be patiellt?If I alll dro7.ullcd to death alld a boat is obtailled,say, /1OlV slta 11 I embark thereon?I ll1ll Ilot/ling, I have nothing and nothing is 11line.At tllis co ~ ;llllcture, protect Thou HlY hOllour, 0Lord, Sad/ma is Thy slave.

I n this 'fein, I prayed for Divine grace. Iprayed to VVaheguru that since His Divine willhad saved Zlj"lLi graced innuinerable devotees andsinners, He 9hould also give a teinporary reprieveto my dying 1110ther, so that she Inay have a lastglilnpse of her elder son before shedding hermortal fraine. I became quiet after this honestprayer and took a glass of water. I also put a fewdrops of \-vater in n1Y dcvout mother's mouth.These fevv drops of water proved to be an elixirof life for n1Y mother for which God made me aninstrument to administer this elixir to my mother.

I lack adequate words to share my experiencewith Iny readers. Things took a miraculous turn.I kept on adnlinistering the prescribed medicineto my mother and she started recovering from herillness. She could sit in the bed in the evening.She started recovering gradually. It \-vas the Divinegrace and fulfilment of a wish made in prayer,

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SInce Inv mother recovered cOinpletcly.

She fell sick again in the SUInlner of 1947. Butbefore that, my elder brother had arrived. Shebreathed her last in the lap of h~~r loving son.

Dear readers, we must have faith and praywith faith. Waheguru, Al111ighty defini tel yresponds to our prayer provided we are sincereand honest in our prayer. The way to prayer islined with humility and faith. We must say withconviction: The prayer of the devout never goesunanswered.

f8frEIf i!i# if cJffl ;:{if cit~ /I ,;;;" - 819The prayer of God's salve goes not vain ever.

- Gyani Bachittar Singh

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Power of Prayer

This is the story of a world's biggest Radionc';vvork devoted to the preaching of GO~t)el ofJe:;;us Christ and the cause of Christianity. It ovvesit~ origin to the power of prayer made with deepfaith and devotion by its founder Bily Grahm andits almost instant fulfilment by Divine Grace. Thearticle was written in 1949. So, the reader mustmake out the necessary conversion of themonetary worth of its network assets in today'sn10netary terms from the figures prevailing in1949 to realize the enormity of this monumentaltask. The true incident as related by Mr. Surjit isreproduced in its English version below:

"The largest Radio Programme beingbroadcast over more than seven hundred RadioStations and which costs more than sixty thousandrupees for a weekly coverage belongs to Mr. BillyGrahm. It is entirely devoted to the Christianmissionary programme. This is the most extensiveand expensive programme of all other

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Governnlental and commercial RadioProgrammes. The history of the origin of thisenormously expensive Radio Programme waspublished in the "Reader's Digest".

Billy GrahlTI is the youngest and the mostpopular Christian preacher. He travels all overthe world to spread the message of Christ andChristianity. Thousands of people all over theworld after listening to his sermons repose theirfaith in Christ and get attracted to Christianity.

Once a team of his friends suggested to himto start a Radio ProgramlTIe for spreading themessage of Christiany. Billy Grahrn thought thatit was impossible to undertake such an enormousand expensive project. On the persistent demandof his fellow missionaries, he asked about theestimated cost of this venture. They calculatedthat it would cost twenty five thousand dollars orseventy five thousand rupees for its initial launchand seven thousand dollars or twenty onethousand rupees as its broadcasting expenses perweek. Billy Grahm commented that hisorganization had neither the resources nor time toundertake such an enormous task. He would notbe able to accomplish this project. This answer

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disappointed his colleagues dnd they departed.I-f o\vevcr, a fter their depa rtu rc, Bill y GrahlTIstarted thinking about the \-\Thole thing. Being anlL111 of faith and devotion, he felt as if there wasthe hand of the Divine behind the concertedinsistence of his colleagues and that it might beGod's \vill that wants to make hilTI the instrumentfor carrying out this task. In the nleantilne, thesame t\\'O colleagues, vvho hdd insisted on sucha venture, returned to his plaLe. Once again, theypleaded \-vith him to review his earlier decision.Bi!ly GrahlTI did not reject their proposal this tinlebut reiterated that the accolTIplishment of this taskdepended on the \vill of God. He asked them topray together and wait for the unfolding of theDivine Will. Thereafter, all the three went downon heir knees and prayed vvith faith anddevotion. One of them revealed later on that hehad never made such an earnest prayer earlier.Billy Grahm himself felt that he had never madesuch an sincere prayer earlier nor could he makeit in future. This \-vas a prayer of direct dialogueand comlTIunication with God. Billy Grahmuttered in his prayer to God that God alone kne\vthe souree from where the money for such a hugeproject \-vould come. If God really wanted to make

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hin1 his instrUlTIent to undertake this task, thenGod lTIUst provide him vvith the initial seventyfive thousand rupees.

Sinc(' Billy Grahm had never received morethan fifteen hundred rupees in donation andcharity during his appeals, his two friends alsofelt that Billy Grahm had prayed for theimpossib~e. Feeling that such a prayer could neverbe granted, they departed for the airport to flyavvay to their places.

Addressing a huge congregation that night,Billy GrahlTI presented the blue print for thisventure through a radio broadcast. He told hislisteners that he could not accomplish this taskalone and had infact expressed his inability in thisrespect, but this time he was leaving the projectto the Will of God. He did not disclose theamount needed for undertaking this venture, butappealed to the audience to respond to his appealfor such a venture was the Will of God.

As he retired to his room after addressing thecongregation, one of the devotees was waiting forhim. Behind him, there was a long queue of otherdevotees. These devotees kept entering his roomand, after placing their donations in cash, Bank

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cheques and prol11issory notes on pieces of paperin front of Billy' Grahn1, leaving his r00I11.

A tilnber merchant left a promissory note fora donation of seven thousand five hundredrupees. A school teacher and his \vife donated anentire an10unt of one thousand ru pees in theirbank account and wrote that the\' could donatemorc for that noble cause if they had morc. Aschool student elnptied vvhole of his pocketn10ney and pleaded for the acceptance of hishun1ble contribution. An amount of rupeesseventy thousand five hundred were collected inthis single donation. Bill y Grahm's twocolleagues, who had departed for the airport,were also standing at the end of the queue. Beforeboarding their flight, they felt that they shouldwait for the result of their prayer and so they hadalso returned. These two colleagues congratulatedBilly Grahm for the success of his prayer. BillyGrahm remarked that his prayer had not beenansvvered yet and reiterated that he would notaccept this collection until it reached the exactfigure of seventy five thousand rupees. Hiscolleagues assured him that they wouldcontrib'~Ll(l the balance amount. Billy Grahn1remark~,_l that he had prayed for an exact amount

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of seventy five thousand rupees and vvould notreceive a penny less.

When these three friends reached their hotelroom a few minutes before midnight, he foundthree letters addressed to him lying on the table.One letter contained a cheque for three thousandrupees and two others contained cheques forseven and half hundred rupees each.

Billy Grah:n remarked that God had acceptedtheir prayer. All three went down on their kneesonce again and made a prayer of thanks andgratitude to God for the fulfilment of their prayer.Billy Grahm's radio programme is successfullybroadcasting its missionary programme to thisday. The devout Christians are continuouslymaking donations to keep this programmerunnIng.

So, Waheguru always answers the prayersmade with faith and devotion and would keepHis promise in future as well.

- Surjit

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PrayerBased on the vieV\Ts of Marry Eddie Baker

Waheguru knows our needs much before wefeel the need. He is Omniscient and Omnipotentto fulfill our needs. Waheguru does not meetthose of our demands which are detrimental toour interest. All our genuine and legitimate needsget realized through prayer. For a prayer to beanswered, we must repose our complete faith inthe Omnipotence of Waheguru. Nothing isimpossible in Waheguru's realn1.

Waheguru is privy to our innermost andmost secret desires. Our everv secret desire is aprayer, but its fulfillment depends on itslegitimacy and its efficacy for us. The Divine Willfirst grants legitimacy to some of our desires, thenmakes their articulation possible and finallyconcedes these desires V\Then they will provebeneficial to us.

Waheguru's Will operates to the extent of His

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determined welfare for us, despite our prayersand invocations. Whatever is in our interest isalready being done by Him. Whatever He endowsus with is endowed keeping our best interest insight. None else is a greater well wisher of manthan God. Prayer cannot change the laws of naturewhich is synonymous with God's Will. On thecontrary, vVaheguru uplifts the moral content ofour desires to make these compatible with thelaws of nature for our own benefit.

Waheguru is love-incarna te and lovemanifest. We can't add anything to make Himluore loving. He is Omniscient and all pervasive.We can't add to his knowledge who is already,.yell-informed. Can we change the dimensions ofperfection? Can we ask Him to be more generouswho is already providing us more than ourexpectations.

Each well-meaning prayer takes us nearer tothe bountiful Waheguru. Waheguru is eternallysteadfast in His beneficence as He has alwaysbeen. Being Omniscient, He can't be oblivious toour interest. Nor does He require our consultationfor our welfare. We are not so farsighted to watchour interest and suggest to Wahe.guru to do a

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favour to us. A student cannot find solutions toa mathe111atical problem by standing in front of ablackboard and pleading before it to pr<.)\Tide asolution. Mathe111atical solutions arc based oncertai n funda 111ental forlTIulas. t\1a thelTIa ticalprobl2lTIs can only be solved through theapplicd.tion of those formulas. In the same, way,we cc:q get our 'Nell-meaning desires fulfilledthrough the application of the inexorable laws ofthe Divine Will. The most prominent attribute ofWaheguru is that He has created 111an in I-lis o\vnimage. The Divine has put the divine spark in thehuman. Being the best creation of God, 111an is theson of God with all His attributes.

Realising this intimate relationship with God,man should strealuline his own desires andaspirations and invoke divine grace for theirfulfillnlent. Reposing con1plete faith in thebenevolence of God, man can solve all hisproblems through prayer :

H1f i itf5 Rgy cJ "fTZIiYT Y?f~ IIH1f frfa- ;:ff # ;;rf7;r cJ wiH37 $ JfT?' II Jiqr - 441

My soul, thou art thee e111bodi111ent (i111age) ofDivine light, so kllouJ they source.

@db:-176 ------------------

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Power of Prayer

I would not have written this article had S.Hira Singh not been my nearest blood relationand had I not observed his life most intimately.Here was a person \'vho had been endowed withthe paradoxical instincts of both spiritualenrichment and sensual indulgence. Both of theseinstincts had been inextricably entrenched in hispersonality.

He was the sole inheritor of a property worthmillions from his paternal and maternal families.Coupled with this affluence, he was endowedwith the attribu;tes of liberalism and generosity inequal magnitude. His extremely handsomeconstitution with fair complexion, wide eyes,impressive handle-bar mustachios and fine beard,six and half feet tall stature, smiling charmingdisposition together with bright royal turbanmade him the cynosure of everyone's eye. Hisliberal, generous disposition and large

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heartedness Inatched his extraordinary stature androyal status.

Despite this apparent personality traits, hisclose famil v members and friends had a very low

~ J

opinion of him because of his excessiveindulgence in alcohol, gambling and promiscuitymade him a pauper within a span of few years.The wealth earned over generations, he drainedout in lechery and alcoholism. He became apauper in a few years.

But despite this recklessness and self-createddeprivation, he remained untouched and in highspirits. During this phase, he happened to visitme at Calcutta. When I returned from my officein the evening, he was busy in talking over thephone to many of his acquaintances. My domesticservant informed me that he had been busy overthe telephone for the last few hours. I asked himabout his telephonic conversations.

Smilingly, he informed me that he had morethan forty acquaintances in Calcutta. Since hecould not visit all of them, he thought it better totalk to them over the phone. I asked him furtherabout his friendly connections. Smiling again, hequipped that those who are fortunate converse

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onl~T \-\lith the fortunate. Most of the dancing bargirls were cOInplaining that a royal personagefrom Punjab vvas going back without enjoyingtheir company.

Contrary to this aspect, there was an otheraspect of his personality as well. This article hasbeen written to highlight that very aspect. Despitehisind u 1gen t v\' a ys, hewas a n1 an 0 £ fi rmdetennination, good intentions and a deepabiding faith in God.

Once he accompanied inc to Amritsar. FacingAkal Takhat, he stood and prayed to GuruRamdas in the following vein, "Revered GuruRamdas Ji, the king of Sodhi Dynasty, I havecome to seek two boons £roln your DivineHouse. I hove neyer prayed for anything so far inmy life. I vvill return only after receiving thesetwo boons froln your Majesty. Though I havealready been endowed w·ith millions, but I stillneed millions more to satisfy and saturate mycarnal desires."

I vvas listening to this prayer dumb founded.He had become oblivious of my presence in hisprayer. He was completely absorbed in hisprayer. After a brief silence, he resulned his

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prayL'r 'oNith deep faith and devotion. "Great God,the second boon that I have C0111e to seek is thatno one fron1 In;' falnil y should ind u Ige inalcoholis111, galnbl ing and acts of lechery.ff Hestood silent for (I 11linute. Tears were rollingdown his eyes apd floV\ring over his sparklingbl'ard. Wiping his face vvith Cl handkerchief, herenla rked tha t h~~ vvould seek the boon oflneditation Nnl71ll ~il11nlJl and salvation in next life.He had prayed fol' those boons only V\rhich V\rererl'quired at this stage.

Returning hOlnc at Lahore, he infonned allthe falnilv melnbers and close friends that he hada dre,un last night. The dream told him that hevvould take his next birth in a royal House.Pn'parations for his arrival in that palace hadalt-cad}' begun. Arrange111cnts 'oNere being Inade toappoint governesses, buy baby dresses andcradles in that roval house. I-Ie further infonnedthat after one Inonth on a given date, he wouldshed his lnortal fralne and be reborn in a royalpalace. His family 111cn1bers and close friendsV\Tould make fun (If hiln over his prophecy andrem in d him that his finaiday \vas fa s tClpproaching. But he never took all of their teasingremarks. I-Ie would rather retort that the

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appointed day \vas fast approaching; they shouldkeep a close watch over titne. He stretched hisopinion so tnuch through repetitioTl that hisfriends really started counting days andcontinuouslv relninded him about the

.I

approaching date. S. Hira Singh would agree withthem and take their taunts in his stride.

Exactly three days before this predicted dateof his death, he fell sick with a high fever andsoon contracted pneumonia. The family membersand friends really got worried. Quite a fewdoctors and Vaidayas were consulted. To thequery of a famous Lahore physician Dr. Beli Ramabout his health one morning, S. Hira Singhreplied very calmly that thanks to the Lord andDr. Beli Ram, he was gradually moving towardshis end. Exactly on the predicted day, S. HiraSingh breathed his last and departed forever.

Now there is none in his entire family whoindulges in alcoholism, gambling and any othervice. They are leading a clean moral life. His sonis a highly placed Government Officer. GuruGranth Sahib has been installed in his house andall members of the family assemble together inthe morning for a prayer in the presence of Guru

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Granth Sahib. His vvife has been the President ofWOlnen's Ki rtan Wing and is leading a pious lifeof meditation and devotion.

- S. H ira Singh

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Simran's Prayer

Simran is a nalne give to a girl. She is noweight and quarter years old. She is the elderdaughter of S. Jagjit Singh Advocate and his wifeSardarni Kuljit Kaur B.A., the patrons of AtamScience Movement. Their younger daughter, theyhave given the name - Sukhmani.

When she was felicitated and congratulatedon her success in examination, she humblyattributed her success to Waheguru's grace. Sheused to pray every morning and evening forGod's grace. Closing her eyes, she repeated herfollowing prayer, which she has been making dayand night. /I Almighty God! I am first yourdaughter and thereafter a daughter of mybiological parents. Grant me the strength to workhard so that I may never fail in my examination.You are our saviour and father, we are yourignorant children. May your grace endoweveryone irrespective of their financial and socialstanding. May we always speak the truth and

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never tell lies. Jv1av I never steal or take vvhatbelongs to others. May I be an obedient child ofIny parents. Protect me from immoral thoufhtsand ~ireams. May I never be weak and frail. Youare /ln1ighty, we your children are ignorant rindinsif,'lificant. May my parents and other relabanslive lung. Pardon my inadvertent sins. Make Inylife (~'ee fr0111 sin and vice. We are grateful forYOUJ grace and beneficence. May your grace \:isitthof,I.~ as well \vho are poor and dispossesl3ed.!'vIal' our pet dog 'Joe' also be worthy of yourgrace. May my parents never have a tiff with eachother. May your grace bless each and everyone ofyour creatures. Nlay our domestic servant andInaid be also blessed by your grace."

Later on she narrated that during the Goaoperation she prayed everyday for the victory ofher country over her enemies.

Simran has a rosary of white beads with\vhich she meditates on God's Name twenty eighttimes every night before going to bed. She keepsthis rosary under her pillow at night.

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Let the Enemy firea volley c;f Bullets

Not a bruise c.omes to thoseWhom the I-tlrd protects.

The hill station Daghai "vas exclusivelyeannarked for British troops. No Indian was eitherallo"ved to stay here or construct a house here.After the departure of the British Army in 1947,Dagshai, out of all the Silnla hills, is being usedfor the rest and recrea tion of Indian troopsbecause of its salubrious clilnate. During 1966,two battalions, vvhich had fought the \ivar againstChina in the Ladakah and Nefa sectors werestationed at Dagshai for recouping and recreation.There were quite a few Sikh officers. One of thecommanding officers was also a Sikh officer.

Male students of our Sikh convent institutionDagshai Public School "vere frequently invited bythese officers to play hockey matches against the

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hoc key tea 111 S 0 f these un its. I a1S 0 got ,1 nopportunity to V\'itness one of these tnatches. Afterthe match \,vas over, school students V\rerc treatedto a lavish tea party. During this get-together, Ihad a friendly talk with the cOIYdnanding officerand he started talking about the battle scene atNefa during the Chinese aggressIon. He narratedthat during this battle, Chinese suffered heavycasualties. But for the Chinese leadership, thesecasualties Inatter very little and they sent Inorereinforcements. However, they were ordered to\Nithdra\o\l fr0l11 their positions after heavy losses.Indian troops also suffered many casualties butIndian loss was comparatively very low ascompared to the Chinese loss of lives.

During this conversation, he narrated, that anumber of enemy bullets pierced through histurban and one bullet swished past his ear, huthe escaped any serious injury. He told that hebelieved that a tnysterious Divine power hadprotected him during this war. He furtherrevealed that being bred and educated in theEnglish convent schools, he was not full yconversant V\Tith the basic tenets of Sikh religion.But despite his not being devoutly religious, hehad been protected by the Divine po,ver. He

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narrated that unit's doctor had hidden hilnselfunder an Army vehicle instead of attending to theV\Tounded soldiers. Even after a reprimand by thecOlnmanding officer, this doctor retorted h(Y\N

could he come out in such a fierce vollev ofbullets being fired. The cOlnmanding officerthreatened to shoot the doctor, but a bullet frointhe Chinese side hit the butt of his revolver andstopped hinl from shooting the doctor. I toid thedoctor that he was lucky to escape the bullet sinceGod had saved him, so he should COlne out. Butthe doctor still refused to come out.

We were listening to the commendingofficer's narration of events. Closing his eyes fora second, the officer informed us that suddenly ashower of bullets hit the doctor hidden under thetruck and he died instantly.

When an other Sikh officer approached us toserve us tea, the commanding officer pointedtowards him and remarked that the brave officerhad always been with him during that operation.He had all along been boosting the morale oftheir fighting troops along with the commandingofficer. He too came unhanned out of thatoperation.

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We \'vere listening to his narration spell­bound. He resulned his narration once again. Heremarked that he believed that the credit for theirsafe return from this bloodv war went to their

.I

wives. They learnt on our return that their wiveshad been praying and reciting Gurbani for theirprotection everyday. They had been taking frugalmeals and sleeping very little during those days.But they had beep continuously reciting Gurbani,meditating and praying for their husbands' safereturn.

We became absolutely convinced that it wasthe faith and devotion of their wives which hadprotected their husbands during the war.

After this, the commanding officer introducedus to another Hindu officer. He used to playafull-back position in his unit's hockey team. Hetold that as the war went on becoming hotter andbloodier, the pulse of this officer kept on beatingslower and slower. His face would get more calmand peaceful instead of becoming tense andanxious. Once when the enemy troops wereadvancing fast, this officer did not order histroops to open fire at the advancing enemytroops. He ordered firing only when the enemy

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troops came too close and eliminated hundreds ofthem in a stroke. He was promoted to his presentrank after that operation. Before my departure, hedeclared that he had developed a great faith inGod and His protective powers. He asked me tosend him a few books on religious and spiritualtopics.

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Glossary Of Terms Used

Atam Science: Science of spirituality or spiritualexperience

Guru Granth Sahib : The Holy Book of the Sikhs

Gurbani : The text of Guru Granth Sahib

Gurbani Kirtan : Choral recitation of Gurbaniwith music

Gurmukh : Guru-oriented person

Gursikh : A follower of the Sikh Guru's teachings

Gurudwara : A place of Sikh worship

Giani : A learned Sikh scholar

Kaliyuga : The Dark Age (The present era)

Karah Parshad: A pudding offered at SikhShrines by the devotees

Naam : The sacred Name of God

Naam Simran : Meditation or concentration onGod's Name

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Wadis: Vallevs

: Waheguru : God

Waheguru Ji Ki Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh :The Sikh slogan of victory (The Khalsa belongs toGod, Victory belongs to God)

------------------ 191

130.00

100.00

S. Raghbir Singh Ji 'Bir' (7th Oct., 1896 -14th Apr.,1974), author of the spiritually stirring Books, isscarcely known to readers of English. Steeped in thesublime light of the Gospel of Peace, Sri Guru GranthSahib, the dozen or so of his books, including hisrousing poetry of 1920's in the post - Jallianwala Baghera of resurgent Sikhism, not only popularized thetreasured truths of Gurbani but also inspired manypatriots and seekers ofTruth.

An earnest prayer never goes unanswered.

"fa-am~ ()~ ;:rn eft~ II"(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Page 819)

Four conditionalities for successful fulfillment of a humanprayer are:

• Complete faith in Waheguru (God).

• Genuineness of human prayer.

• Complete trust in the omnipotence ofWaheguru.

• Total faith and hope in the fulfillment of one's prayer.

130.00110.00

65.00100.0065.0080.0080.0080.0035.0060.0060.0035.0015.0030.0020.0025.00

Punjabi1. Sarab Rog Ka Aukhad Naam2. Bandagi Nama3. Ardas Shakti4. Gurmat Chanan5. Simran Mehima6. Chardhi Kala7. Khalsa; Shan8. Saphal Jiwan9. Ramzi Kahanian10. Bir De Teer11. Anubhav Prakash .12. Ramzan13. Sadhe Vichar14. Sad; Vartman Dasha

English Translations15. Ban·dgi Nama (Communion With the Divine)16. The Name Divine - APanacea for all ills

(Sarb Rog Ka Aukhad Naam)17. The Power of Prayer (Ardas Shakti)Books by other Authors1. Naam-Jap-Simran - Dr. Jagjit Singh

& Gurbani Vichar2. Gurmukh Jiwan - Bhai Lehna Singh 80.003. Shukrane - Surjeet J Singh 60.004. Sadivi Khere - Surjeet J Singh 35.005. Saffal Bhai Jatra - Prof. Harkrishan Singh 110.006. Vismadi Dasha - Prof. Balwant Singh 22.007. Health Disease - Dr. B1. Manocha 100.00

and Hope- asupport for the common man

Note: 1. Prices are subject to change.2. Prices are exclusive of packing &Postage charges.

BOOKS AUTHORED BYBHAI SAHIB BHAI RAGHBIR SINGH JI BIR

BOOK SELLERS:

Singh Bros., Bazar Mai Sewa, Amritsar.Bhai Chattar Singh Jeewan SinghBazar Mai Sewa, Amritsar.New Book Company, Mai Hira Gate, Jalandhar.Lahore Book Shop, 2, Lajpat Rai Market, Ludhiana.Punjabi ParkashakJ6/85, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.Bhai Chattar Singh & Co.Koocha Jatmal, Dareeba, Delhi.National Book Shop32-B, Pleasure Garden, Chandani Chowk, Delhi.Bhatia Bros., Gurudwara Bangia Sahib, New Delhi.Sikh Dharam Granth StallGurdwara Sahib,Sector 34 Chandigarh.

"I say unto you, what things however ye desire

when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and

ye shall have them."

Lord Jesus Christ.