The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why1.
Born into a Hindu family, I went through a naming ceremony whereby the parents whisper the name into the child’s right ear; the name is repeated a few times, along with a prayer. All others present, repeat a few words after the priest to formally accept the name. This is followed by the blessings of the elders, along with gifts. The ritual ends with a feast with family and friends. The family astrologer also presents the child’s horoscope at this ceremony.
As I grew up, I was called by my name. It became my identity. Within the family fold, my name became the norm. In being introduced to others, it was also the name that I carried as my identity. When old enough to read newspapers, I would identify people in the news with their name and photo. Via television, I began to recognise celebrities and newsreaders by their name. I understood that every human being had a name.
Beyond such names, I began to associate people in society on the basis of the religion, dress, and diet they subscribed to. I was no different to others in adopting this societal conditioning, which expanded to include the residential area you live in, the school you go to, the grades you achieve, the qualifications you get, the type of job you potentially do, and the material comforts you acquire. These were all factors by which I fashioned my identity, and categorised others too.
Running my life in auto-pilot mode, I had no time to question these filters, or even the real purpose of my life. In college as part of my Psychology class, I was introduced to the five-tier model of human needs – popularly known as Maslow’s Hierarchy – depicted in the form of a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied to some extent before one can attend to needs higher up.
My life became busy in satisfying the bottom four needs – perhaps we may call this the herd mentality. The material comforts left no room to look into the need for self-actualisation. With aspirations to find a better life, I arrived in the UK. Here too, I could see that most people were working towards improving their living standards.
However, a couple of months later, I happened to attend a holy congregation in Glasgow, in the august presence of the then Satguru, Baba Hardev Singhji. The Nirankari Master’s discourse made me introspect, as he spoke the words;
Time is slipping away; man must know himself.
Happily, within a few weeks, I was readily offered the gift of Brahm Gyan – the Knowledge of God. I came to realise that I am not the body, but the animating spirit that resides in the body. I am not the doer, but I still play my part with the attitude of the non-doer. I am the soul that is part of the Over-soul, Nirankar, which inherently is formless and beyond any attributes.
The Hardev Bani eloquently expresses it as follows:
Oh’ dear human, don’t you ever waste
Mistreat any breath of yours, Nirankar,
Do work for the welfare of all an’ serve
Pray, keep sacred company – Nirankar!
Just as the last moment has gone away
This moment will also expire, Nirankar,
But if this moment were to be wasted,
You shall regret it, hereafter, Nirankar,
What the value of every instant truly is
Are you actually aware of it – Nirankar,
Hardev, the moments you possess, are
Priceless beyond measure, O’ Nirankar
– Hardev Bani, 63
Having been blessed with the Knowledge of God, the devotee strives to live in God-awareness 24×7, whilst still going about his worldly duties. This contemplative awareness is aided by the supporting tools of Holy Congregation2, Selfless service3, and the Remembrance of God4. Further counsel and guidelines are provided by the contemporary Mentor, the Satguru, to ensure that our lives are replete with human values, and that we are as wholesome as we possibly can be.
With one’s true self revealed, one begins to live life with greater joy. All shackles, doubts, delusions and superstitions simply drop and disappear. Life becomes altogether beautiful and meaningful.
I earnestly pray for everyone to realise their true self to ascertain that the true journey has always been outside in – the journey that leads one from me and mine to thee and thine.
– Shiva Rane, Livingston, Scotland
