What a beautiful day it is today, as I sit down to pen a few words from the Grace of Maharajji. I am a simple man, who leads a simple life. Esteem, money, power: none of these attract me. What does attract me, is an Indian man in a plaid blanket, and his profoundly simple four rules: Love Everyone, Serve Everyone, feed everyone and tell the truth (remember God). I’d like to take a few minutes today to write about these, and why their interconnection is the perfect representation of our Baba.
Love Everyone is first and foremost on Baba’s list. For a great reason, no less! In doing this, we accomplish the other three, as well. What is Love? Not the text book definition, but the real definition? I prefer calling it the Big Love. It’s the Eternal Truth (see rule four) that is at the core of everything. It is fitting it is, also, at the core of Maharajji’s teaching. Love is unconditional, compassionate, and abounding. Love is the elixir of the gods, and the dream of every human. By loving everyone, we allow them the space in our hearts where the compassion, the comfort, the ultimate “hug” lies. Notice, there is no appendix or clauses about whom or what to love- only EVERYONE. In doing this, loving all, we offer them the service of our own sacred heart space, we feed their growth with our compassion, and we listen to their truth; while sharing our own.
How, then, does one serve all? In the west, at least for me, I associate service with restaurants or mechanics: that is, the physical action being done for others. Though physical acts of devotion allow us to serve others, that is not the only way. We can serve others, as demonstrated in rule one, without physical actions. Listening, praying silently, thinking and living with compassion all allow us to serve others, just as much as physical acts of service. By the opening of our hearts in rule one, we then open ourselves up to both actively and passively serving those around us. Any type of kindness, in any form, serves humanity.
Feed everyone, rule three. Now, surely this has to be a physical act of delivering food or water to those in need, correct? It absolutely can be (shameless plug- click the link below and support one family for one extra week of guarantee food stability!). It can also come from feeding their kindness, or their spiritual well-being. We can “feed” others by allowing our love (rule one) to shine through our actions and thoughts (rule two) and come to fruition via our ability to continue on the path of Love (rule three). The this all converges on the final premise: rule four.
We can feed others through our words, but only by speaking only the truth. “The truth will set you free”, yea? That is an absolute reality: truth is freedom. Within the confines of honesty, lay the seed of Baba’s guiding principles. By telling the truth, we feed the truth; thus creating a karmic cycle of positivity in this life (and with samskara’s- in the next life as well!). We serve others by providing the honesty that every situation craves and benefits from receiving. If we, then, view ourselves with the truth of Eternal Love, much like Hanumanji viewed his beloved Lord Rama, we will see how we, too, are a representation of the Truth: The Big Love.
In telling the truth, we also FULLY remember god. God is the truth. It is only by telling the truth that god will fully be realized. CHRIST said “I am the truth”, and we all know how our Baba adored Jesus!
I understand that I combined two in the last rule, the truth is- that is the truth. They are Sub Ek: all one. The truth may have many names, but only one Absolute Truth exists.
I humbly thank you for allowing Baba’s guidance and divine inspiration to flow through my pen and onto this paper. Yes, I still write with pen, then type it onto a phone. (I’m sorry for all the technological friends I just offended, ha!). It is a privilege to be allowed to further Love, Feed and Serve you all, through my truth.
Rama Ram,
Ganga Das
Ganga Das is an American Sadhu and sanyasi: having taken formal vows of renunciation in 2022. He is currently based out of a Hindu Buddha Mandir near Baltimore, MD.