GURU MAHARAJ JI - Denver 25th February 1979

Part 2:

I know that every night we sing Arti. Okay. Anybody can sing Arti. Tape recorder does. The speakers do. They sing it nice. ("Jai Gurudev Maharaj Ji.") Beautiful. Sounds really great. But do you really think those speakers are ever going to become devotees? Do you think that they are going to get liberation, salvation? In this world, if we were to start fighting - not a violent war, not a war with weapons or anything like that - but with just ideas that people had, it would be literally outrageous.

"What did he do that for?" "What did he do that for?" "What did he do that for?" "Why do you have to sing the Arti?" "Why do you have to do this?"

Look, it's very simple. A realization, your experience of Knowledge. is, by far, stronger than all the elements of this universe put together. This Knowledge is so strong that it defeats all the karmic laws of this universe. That's how strong the experience of Knowledge is. Be it a sin committed on the moon, Mars - anywhere. It defies the entire structure. It's made for that. It takes you above and beyond everything and shows you a realization of Knowledge. of Itself, of that Truth which nobody, nobody ever can deny.

If the whole world turns against you. if the whole universe - including the Martians, if there are any - turns against you. still your weight on the scale will be heavier. Because you have realized Knowledge. That's how powerful. that's how strong, that realization really is And it is that way.

It has been that way since time immemorial. It is that way on February 25th of 1979. It will be on the 26th, 27th, and 28th. And for time immemorial. Even when the Earth phases out. sun diminishes, everything goes to wherever it goes to, your experience of Knowledge cannot diminish. Because it is from where even, you might say. eternity starts. It is the source of all sources. It is It. It is the experience which is beyond death, beyond creation, beyond anything in this world. And this is why, when I say that it is such a beautiful grace that we have this Knowledge, this is what I mean! Now we have the Knowledge. Now is when we have to let go.

Look, this is what I understood. You know, what I speak today is my experience of this Knowledge. I have not read scriptures. A lot of people are very amazed to see me. They think, you know, that since I am an Indian "guru," I shouldn't shave my beard. (I don't have very much of it, anyway.) I shouldn't have hair cuts. Why do I wear a suit? And I'm always supposed to be sitting like this (hands folded in lap) with my legs crossed, too. Looking straight ahead. And once in a while standing on one leg. And for about a couple of months, not eating. On the contrary (pats his stomach). And never tell a joke: "The serious guru." Never wear these suits. I'm always supposed to be just in this little grass hut. All hand-painted, handmade, in this little room, sitting on top of my bed sheet like this, in saffron clothes. Always looking out. With incense burning on one side. And that's it. No cars. No watches. Nothing.

And the devotees come and they all sit down outside. And they're about as dumb as their guru: drop their lower lip, just look in. And they all come out and they all sit down and they listen to him, understand a little bit. The rest doesn't reach their ears. It was all beautiful. It was all great. You know, he spoke in Chinese and all you can understand is Greek. And when is all over, they all get up and they go away. Then you go back in your room and you sit down.

So I'm not like that. So what?

And the truth of the matter is that that has nothing to do with Knowledge! That has absolutely nothing to do with Knowledge. Knowledge is Knowledge. What has Knowledge got to do with not speaking? What's Knowledge got to do with whether your head is shaved or not? What's Knowledge got to do with it all? Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.

And I realize that Knowledge is beyond what my imagination, what my expectations, ever can be. And Knowledge is something, is an experience. that I want to impart to you And it has absolutely. again, nothing to do with who you are, what you are. If you come from northern Africa or southern Africa. If you come from the heart of the Africa. It has nothing to do with whether you are a Canadian or a Texan or an American or if you live in Florida or in California or if you're Siamese, or Chinese or live in Siberia. It has absolutely nothing to do with it This Knowledge doesn't just go up to you and say, "Hey! This guy speaks Russian. I'm splitting. That's it. No realization for you. kiddo. Give up Russian first." No.

That's us. We, in this world, do that. But not Knowledge. Because Knowledge is already existent there in everybody's heart. This is what's making you tick right now. There is something that is keeping it all alive. That life. itself, is that Knowledge - the realization, the point, the heart, the … everything!

This Knowledge is for every human being. And the differences go away. And you look at a person's face and you don't see his face but you look into his heart. You look in that person's eyes and you look in that person's love and you look at that person's real heart.

And this is why people cannot understand. Because what we want to think, what we want to find here, what we want to associate with, is Truth. And there are a lot of things in this world that we just simply don't do, or want to do, at least at this point. I know I'd love to fly a Concorde someday. But if somebody right now brought a Concorde backstage and said, "Fly it right now," I could care less about It.

Right now all I feel is my experience that just wants to explode. All I want to do right now is to tell you about that Knowledge. about that Love, about that understanding that I've had. I want to tell you what - not in words - my Guru Maharaj Ji revealed to me. No words. But a whole thesis, whole scripture, which has no words in it. Just an experience. Just an understanding. Just a love! Nothing else.

Nothing else has ever mattered to me; nothing else will ever matter to me. Because there is only one thing.

Maybe there's a lot of people out there ready to convince me. "Look, you're crazy." And I know there's a lot of people out there ready to convince you that you're crazy. And I know one thing for myself. Maybe I am crazy. But I'm not crazy where it counts. I'm perfectly sane where it counts. And those guys who think I'm crazy, might not be crazy in a worldly sense but they are crazy where it counts - absolutely bongos.

Because to be able to sit and to be able to just talk about something that you experience - and I experience Knowledge. and I experience that Love and I experience what that is - is beautiful. It is beautiful. And that s satsang. That's one thing that I know that I can share with all of you. We can all come together and we share this.

And people don't know. As far as people are concerned, some crazy thing is going to happen. "A convention." "Oh, you guys going to hold your convention again?" I don't know what people think we do in here. And this is the convention that has been held ever since man was created. Most authentic; most genuine. Devotees and Master came together. And the Master said something to the devotees. And this has been going on for ages and centuries. And that's why we come.

And then there is service. That's your effort. Not your prerogative. No. No, no. That's not your prerogative. Neither is meditation. Nor is satsang. It is not the matter of choosing one, leaving two. It's not your prerogative. It's your effort of service, of sincere service.

Listen. Remember one thing. It's not the service that you think counts in your heads. It doesn't. You can build me a house according to your concept. That does not by any means mean that that's what I wanted. Taking that little rag in your hand and cleaning where you think it counts and putting it back in your pocket is not service.

Service is an experience. Service is opening up. Service is another way of surrendering to Guru Maharaj Ji. It's not your ideas of service. (I just can't believe the ideas people have of service. God. I just can't believe. it It's too much!) People just pick what they want to do that day and call it a service. That is by no means - ever was, ever will be, or ever is - service.

And meditation: It's not your prerogative. But it is your pleasure. And that is the way it has to be. Your pleasure to do meditation. Your pleasure to do service. Your pleasure to listen to satsang.

Look, I am not trying to just tell you these things because I think you might like them. But I assume one thing. You're sitting in this hall because you are in some way interested in this Knowledge. (If you think Charlton Heston's going to walk in here, forget it. He's not. If you're out to see Elvis Presley, forget it.) I just figure one thing: that you're interested in Knowledge.

And if you traveled as far as you've traveled - even if you only live across the street - then I feel that it is my duty to tell you about that which is going to fulfill what you desire, what you want: the experience of Knowledge. the devotion, the Love, the Peace, the Truth.

And that will happen when you sincerely listen to satsang. Listen. Grasp. And understand. And then implement what you hear, what you digest. Don't convert it into 50, 60, 120 or 240 volts of electricity. But as is.

And this is what we have to understand. That that Love is real. That understanding is real.

And where this whole suggestion even comes from of doing satsang. service, and meditation is purely from a place of Love. It's not because I hate you that I say. "Do satsang. service and meditation." If I really had that intention, then I would tell you. "Do not do satsang, service or meditation" - just like Mr. Mind tells you. "Enough of this. Look, son, you don't want to get holy all too fast. Slow down. Wait a minute, mister. Take it easy. You don't want to get liberated in one second, all at one time, do you? Take it easy.-

But this time is running out, all of our time. And we have to take that step. We have to make that a reality.

And one day I hope that this whole world will understand what I am saying, because it needs to. This whole entire world. Yes, I know it's kind of hard to imagine, billions and billions of people. But yes, I mean all of them. Understand the language of Love. Understand what I am trying to say. what really Peace is, what really salvation is, what really Love is. what the true understanding is.

And premies, I cannot see a better time than right now to really take that all-determined step. to really make that step reality for yourself. Because you can do it. I know you can do it. You have to have faith in me. I have to have faith in you. Faith is the only transporter between you and me that can pass along that Love, that understanding, that experience. Nothing else. If you don't have faith in me, then I certainly will not have faith in you. But when you have faith in me, I will have faith in you. And it is your effort to make sure that your end of the rope …

Look, the land is not going to float away. It is your little boat. And you have to make sure that your little rope is attached to your boat and to the land to keep you from drifting. That's your problem. A captain doesn't take his boat, put it on the dock, tie the cords up and then go. "I'm crossing my fingers. I hope the land doesn't float away." But he hopes the knots don't untie.

Because why was there a necessity to take that boat and dock it? The currents, those elements that are against it, will carry it away.

Our faith in our Guru Maharaj Ji has to be constant. Our faith in our Guru Maharaj Ji has to be real. Our faith in our Guru Maharaj Ji has to be there. There is no and, if, and but about it.

And pray! And just with all your heart, pray that Guru Maharaj Ji, by his mercy, will have faith in you. Because Guru Maharaj Ji has absolutely no necessity of having faith in you. Because remember, there is that prayer. "Oh Guru Maharaj Ji, do not forget me. To you there are thousands. But to me, you are the only one. And if you forget me, then I've had it. Your Love and your Grace is what I depend on. I do not doubt your mercy. And I do not doubt your faith. But I doubt myself. And so give me the strength. Make my effort manifest. Give me the strength so that I may never forget you.-

How many times do we forget Guru Maharaj Ji How many times does everything else in this world become more important to us and Guru Maharaj Ji just sort of gets set aside? God, you're betting your real life on that. You just can't joke and fiddle around with it.

But when that faith becomes weak, when that faith becomes no good, when that Arti's meaning is nothing but a recital …

You know, last night when all the premies there were singing Arti in sign language, it was just so beautiful. I do not understand sign language, but I could understand them. Because what they were trying to say, and even just the way they designate "heart," was just so beautiful. And that language of Love is what we can all talk, we all can understand.

But, premies, we have to have that faith in Guru Maharaj Ji. We cannot just stand there and say, "Because everybody is singing Arti in this hall, chat along, kiddo." But mean it. Even if Arti changed tomorrow. You know. It is not the matter of just mere words, but it is meaning it in your heart. and not going. "You are my mother, and you are my father." But. "Yes, Guru Maharaj Ji! I love you because you have mothered me. And I love you because you guide me. I love you because you are my friend." And we have to stay conscious of what Brahmanand wrote. because it was Brahmanand's feelings that he put down into Arti: "Oh Guru Maharaj Ji, take this heart, for in you it will mellow."

I mean, what does it all mean? It means Love. it means faith, it means trust.

If it were any other way, premies - I would wish that my Guru Maharaj Ji would give me the Grace to be the first one to tell you if it were any other way. But it isn't. It just isn't any other way. That truth, that faith in Guru Maharaj Ji, has to be there constantly.

I know for all of us is very difficult. Because our trust, that faith that's supposed to go towards Guru Maharaj Ji, goes into these relentless worldly things that do not by any means deserve that faith. Like Raja Ji was saying, we put our faith in a stupid bus. We put our faith in an airplane.

But in Guru Maharaj Ji, who is truly the Captain, who's going to truly take our true life and make it cross the ocean … Remember. Guru Maharaj Ji is merciful, but the mercy comes upon only those who haven't shut their door to mercy. If we, by our stupid concepts or ideas, shut that door to mercy, Guru Maharaj Ji will come, knock, but we won't hear. We will not be able to hear.

When Guru Maharaj Ji comes to lift us up right as that snake is ready to bite us and the buzzards are ready to swallow us, when he calls us to come back to his oasis and picks us up right at that moment, then we are the ones that are going to squirm out of his hand and fall right back to that snake again. Given a whole lifetime's chance and yet blow it just in a second. And it can happen. And it has happened. And premies, neither you nor I can ever afford to become another example for that. This life is way too precious for that. It is just too much to become food for a rattlesnake.

Guru Maharaj Ji gives us everything. Guru Maharaj Ji gives us Love. Guru Maharaj Ji gives us mercy. Guru Maharaj Ji gives us passion. Guru Maharaj Ji gives us Truth. Guru Maharaj Ji gives us that experience.

And really, premies, right now, if my Guru Maharaj Ji told me, "Okay, repay me," I'd die. Because how could I? I mean, what is there in this world that you can repay Guru Maharaj Ji with? And maybe there is no point to even ask that stupid question, "Oh Guru Maharaj Ji, how can I repay you?" He's already said, "Look, all I want is your Love. All I want is your faith. And you can have all this."

Yeah, it all sounds easy. It all sounds easy. Because here you are sitting in nice chairs - I don't know if they are nice or not (this one is, anyway). listening to satsang over a P.A. system. Some of you have had a chance to do service. Tonight or tomorrow, you'll get into nice comfortable 727's, 707's, 747's, DC-10's, DC-9's, your bus, your car, your van, your motor home, and drive off to wherever you came from. Get back into your nice cozy little home. whatever it is.

But tell me sincerely - I know I've asked myself this question, and I know what the answer is. If really Guru Maharaj Ji were to be on the peak of Mt. Everest - and to me this isn't funny at all - in my sincere heart, because of my sincerity, because of my sincere desire to be with Guru Maharaj Ji, if he called me to the top of Mt. Everest, would I have the guts enough to crawl up there? Not fly up there. To walk up there. To crawl up there? No! I just wouldn't.

And so where am I? Is that my sacrifice? Is that my faith? If I cannot even fulfill a little accomplishment of this very finite world, then where am I left? What are my chances?

And so I see how much Guru Maharaj Ji has really made it easy for me. How simple he has made it for me. I mean, there is already one thing to repay him for, that is his mercy, that is his Grace. That is already one debt. And now one other debt: that he has made it simple. He has made it possible. He's made it available to me.

Because sincerely, premies, how many of you are here that would do it, without ever seeing Guru Maharaj Ji, ever seeing Guru Maharaj Ji?

How many of you would, if you were in New York City, walking along 33rd Avenue, and saw a poster, "Guru Maharaj Ji is on top of Mt. Everest. People wishing to see him, please go." At the bottom: "It's unconfirmed if he'll see you or not," would go?

And we've got it easy here. A hall, a nice warm place. Come in, sit down. "Guru Maharaj Ji should be coming pretty soon." God! It's not like that. It's just simply not like that. Is there any more thanks in this world than that which belongs directly to Guru Maharaj Ji from our hearts? I don't think so. I think all the thanks in the world would have to be depleted! You cannot thank Guru Maharaj Ji enough for what he has done.

Because, I mean, who is in this hall? I don't think I deserved any faith of Guru Maharaj Ji. I can speak personally for myself anyway. I don't think so. Who am I?

Who are you?

And yet that Guru Maharaj Ji has faith in you, and that is why he's given you that opportunity. And what do you do with that opportunity? Play, play, play. Everything is a football. Before you eat your apple, you throw it on the ground, bounce it, and then eat it.

It's not like that. Don't you understand that this world isn't there? It just doesn't sit like that for you, frozen for the rest of your life? "Cannot happen to me" doesn't exist, premies. Yes, it can happen to you. Any time. Any moment. And it has to be your determination. Guru Maharaj Ji's done whatever he can.

What else can we ask from Guru Maharaj Ji? Nothing. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that we deserve, or can ask, or know about. It's nice to put things into lines and statements, this and that, and concepts and ideas and "Oh, it's this way. 0 Guru Maharaj Ji thank you," and this and that. "I do my service." God, you don't do anything.

Kabir said that if you take all the earth and make it into paper, take the entire ocean and make it into ink, and take all the trees in this world and make them into pens, you cannot write the glory of Guru Maharaj Ji.

What has he said? Do you really think he computed how many pens all the trees in the world would make, or how many gallons of ocean water would be made into ink? He said it as a "top-of-the-line thing" that we can relate to. And what he means is that there is no way you can sing the glory of Guru Maharaj Ji.

And yet we always try to take Guru Maharaj Ji and try to wrap him in a neat little box. We take our service and we try to wrap our service in a neat little box. No! We can't do that. We can't afford to do that.

Look, if I am coming on a little bit too heavy, maybe it is to compensate for all the jokes. Because what I mean, I'm really saying it. I mean it! I don't want to drive you over the cliff, but I'm saying it because this is what you have to do.

You have to have that endless faith in Guru Maharaj Ji, in your self, in your heart, in you. Unchanging love, constant love, constant faith. Not the one that goes up and down depending on the weather, depending on the day, depending on what happens in this world. No. No, no, that can't happen. But a constant faith.

There is a song that, "0 Guru Maharaj Ji, I want to be with you even if I have to cross the biggest mountains, walk on fire, and even if I have to get away from death - I will - to just be with you. I will make the impossible possible to be with you. Whatever I have to do in this world."

I know that if that song were to be translated, we could all sing it. Just like that song that I really like, "Maharaj Ji. please, please teach me devotion. If you want to wander or roam, go on, go on." But Guru Maharaj Ji, when he teaches us devotion, what do we do?

What do you think Guru Maharaj Ji is doing? Teaching you A-B-C-D? Yeah I know that when that song comes on everybody gets up. "Yeah, you know. Get into it. Maharaj Ji, please, please teach me devotion. Guru Maharaj Ji, show me the way. Show me the path. Make me understand."

What do you exactly think Guru Maharaj Ji is doing anyway? Teaching you how not to be a devotee? No, Guru Maharaj Ji is showing you the devotion. Guru Maharaj Ji is teaching you the devotion. You just have to become a student. Yes, you. I don't care how smart you are And I don't care how educated you are. That education so far I am concerned isn't worth anything. That Love is the most important thing. That understanding, to learn from your heart what Guru Maharaj Ji is telling you, teaching you.

You know "O Guru Maharaj Ji, you are already the perfect teacher, just let me be the perfect student." The world is a place to roam.

And what Guru Maharaj Ji gives you is a shelter. And we have to, in our heart, accept that shelter and come towards Guru Maharaj Ji and come on Guru Maharaj Ji's call. And do we?

How many of us would sincerely come on Guru Maharaj Ji's call, or even be able to identify Guru Maharaj Ji's call? How many of us … What kind of students are we, anyway? How many of us would really even know when Guru Maharaj Ji calls us? I don't know.

And you don't have to ever tell me. You don't have to ever, ever in your whole life tell me whether or not you understand me. But when the day comes, just come when you're called, and that's all. That's all that matters, that's all that counts. If you will be able to. It's completely up to you. Keep it in your heart. But when Guru Maharaj Ji calls, come running. That's it.

So premies, it is not a matter of just going out into our brains, into our heads, into your "idiocities." but it is a matter of true surrender from our hearts. This world will not give us what we want. And Guru Maharaj Ji will. And it is true. I know that.

This world will give us what we don't want: itself. And Guru Maharaj Ji gives us what we want, what we have wanted all our lives.

So premies, just that little thing is all Guru Maharaj Ji's asking. You don't have to climb Mt. Everest and you don't have to make the whole ocean into ink and Guru Maharaj Ji isn't saying. "Sit down and write the glories of Guru Maharaj Ji." All Guru Maharaj Ji is saying is, make that little effort. keep it sincere. Make it sincere. Come when Guru Maharaj Ji calls you. that's all. Be that student who is open. Have that faith so Guru Maharaj Ji can give you that Love which he wants to. Have that understanding so that that whole world can bloom.

Because the difference between this world and what Guru Maharaj Ji offers us is just completely incredible. And sometimes you catch a glimpse of it; a very, very, very practical glimpse of it. The difference in just completely getting lost in satsang, the difference in completely merging with satsang, and then the difference in just thinking about this world is just completely - I don't know, completely outrageous. You just lose yourself in satsang. It's that beauty: it's a perfect river. You just let go! You don't have to hang onto anything.

There might be 8,500 people in this hall, and yet the ratio is one-to-one. One premie to one Guru Maharaj Ji, and one premie to one Guru Maharaj Ji, and one premie to one Guru Maharaj Ji. The whole world disappears when we merge in that river of satsang, of service, of meditation.

That is the obvious difference between Guru Maharaj Ji's world and this world. This is not a lecture. This is an experience. This is not a discourse. This is the company of Truth. This is not a philosophy. It is Love. You know.

In this world's lectures and philosophies you have to sit there with your ears and eyes open, and in this river, you have to let go of yourself, just lose track of everything. Because it's just you and Guru Maharaj Ji, that's all. And this is the way it has manifested for me. And this is the way it can manifest for you. It's really true. It can. It will. When you give it the right go. When you give it the right effort.

There's so much to say. I know you could never say it. There's so much to say. There's so much to see, there's so much to experience, there's so much to love, there's so much there, that it's almost impossible to grasp it in one hand at one time.

And so, anyway, we've just been able to come together this year, see each other, have a program, to be able to come, to be able to listen to satsang once more. And as far as I'm concerned, it can go on and it will go on. It will go on more and more. And very soon, as a matter of fact very soon, not haha got any ideas yet? But very soon Holi is coming, its right across the corner, its coming I know that by the time you get back, unpack, get into your mind for a couple of days. 8:02 (General hilarity and screams and applause from now on) There'll be time to pack, get dowm get out of your minds again (whooping) uh I've got the dates with me right here. This time, that time, this year instead of doing Holi yeah yeah for Indians it has to be the night of the full moon when everybody gets slapped with grease and Mobil Oil on the face. To me it is whatever Guru Maharaj Ji wants. (that brings the roof down)

So the Holi is not in March, in April and the dates are 5 the 5th the 6th the 7th the 8th. Yes, we're gonna have a 5 day Holi. Bow Guru Puja is a little bit far away. Hopefully there will be some programs happening betyween it and Guru Puja will be again in Miami in July, it's a nice convenient place, no problems. Believe me I have nothing to do with Miami Beach. The only thing that I would care about Miami Beach is a hall when its full of premies that's all. And Guru Puja will be in July. July 20th, 21st and 22nd. I have seen in the darshan line a few Europeans here, not too many, a few. You can take a message oh actually you shouldn't take a message but anyway for any Europeans here the Holi in uh Europe will be in Marbella, Spain and the April 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th. So there's a lot more going on in between, of course there is a lot more about takes 2 pages there's a lot more going on but you'll know about that. Basically all I wanted to tell you is about Holi. I hope you can all come, all of you, bring your friends along if we can get a premie can get it together by then we'll try to have a gun, a water gun that works for a change and so premies. I hope you've enjoyed this festival. I have. (Bolie Shri Satgurdev Maharaj Ki Jais)

Today's the 25th and program starts on fifth. (where?) Where? Maybe I should leave that for you to psyche it out. Alright. I won't I won't joke around. I'll tell you. Alaska. Isn't that a wonderful place? Don't bother, we'll try to have hot water. It'll only last about a couple of minutes. After that it'll be all freezing. I mean, you know, what difference does it make, right? We'll have the initiators lined up in the front to be the first ones to get hit by the icicles. No, on the contrary, on the contrary. We're having ha ha Alaska is close to North Pole. On the contrary ??? close to the South Pole. You don't like South Pole? Its about as freezing as the North Pole. No, no this is for real, we are having Holi Holi 5 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th April 1979, this century … you have to be quiet so I can tell you that those guys who couldn't hear it before can hear it.

Okay, in Miami (pause) Beach. Now let me tell you one thing, very important, the Holi playing will not be at Miami Beach Convention Center, only the program and if you wanna know where the Holi is going to be, your guess is as good as mine, I don't know. Actually it might be in the stadium - it doesn't matter just come come for the program, it'll all be taken care of you know. Just come to the program and um you'll find out exactly where the Holi is going to be. We're gonnna have, I've always had this idea of water guns mounted on the front part of the stage you know and last night everybody gets well dressed, right at that peak of it all have water mixed with India Blue Ink, doesn't come off, and you squirt the whole hall with it haha. Don't bother, we won't do that but just come to the program and you'll know where the Holi's gonna be.

So premies, I'll see you later. 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th. (Bolie Shri Satgurudev Maharaj Ki Jais) Till then - keep doing satsang, service and meditation. Premies, thank you very much.

My blessings to all the premies.

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