Shillong
The 7th July 1937
The enclosed message of His Holiness Bhola Nathji Maharaj, published in the form of an epistle, is the true copy of a letter written by him to one of his beloved friends in Vienna, Count Alexander Hoyos. His Holiness is the founder of the Divine Love Society, and is the author of many books written for the benefit of humanity at large.
In the present message, His Holiness has clearly revealed in plain language the fundamental truth that God is everywhere and that God is Love–that there is nothing but Divine Love and that the ultimate goal of mankind should be to be merged in that Divine Love. From the message of His Holiness it is also clear that all that we see in this universe are mere phenomena, and behind the phenomena there is Reality and that Reality is nothing but God or Divine Love.
His Holiness is an outstanding Spiritual Personality and this epistle, like His Holiness’ other works, will be appreciated very much by those who seek after Truth.
It was only by sheer luck that I came in contact with His Holiness, and, after my meeting with him, my reverence for him became so deep, that I found happiness only when I was with him.
I was given the privilege of going through the proof sheets of the Inspired Epistle, and I was charmed at the manner and simplicity of the elucidation of the Vital Truth.
With my humble homage to His Holiness,
Kasinath Saikia,
Ex-member,
Legislative Council, Assam.
The Inspired Epistle
My dearest, God’s beloved, well-wisher of Humanity, and Lover of Divine Love.
It has been a long time since I received your letter. I am really very sorry that I could not reply earlier. Why this happened is difficult to explain.
A seed must lose itself for a long time beneath the ground before it can grow into a tree. The seed does not vanish inside the earth; it grows slowly and imperceptibly, continuing its work in secret. Human eyes, that have long been accustomed to seeing external matter, cannot perceive the changes that are working in the seed hidden from sight. And man is apt to say: Oh, the seed is gone forever!
But when numerous leaves, branches and fruits make their appearance, man understands that the period of hiding of the seed was not in fact a period of annihilation, but rather one of hidden activity. The seed was existing all the time beneath the earth and evolving.
Your letter was like a seed of Love, which lay hidden in the depths of my thoughts for a long time. And today it has brought forth the fruit of thankfulness and gratitude, as also some interesting ideas to serve mankind.
Every seed has in itself the power of growth and evolution. The period of this growth depends upon a favourable environment and favourable circumstances. The final stage appears only at its appointed time.
An actor cannot appear on the screen before his time. He must come when it is his part to appear in a proper, pre-arranged act.
In a like manner, everything appears in this world at its proper time. And this time is determined by God. If this were not true, the world would have lost all sequence of order, and would have destroyed itself.
While on the one hand, I am sorry that my reply comes late, on the other hand, I am fully satisfied that it comes at its appointed time. I must, however, apologise for what appears to be an element of delay. I believe you will not mind the delay, for, both, you and your letters, were always in my mind. Had I written to you before this, I would not have felt your nearness so clearly in my mind. The thought of writing to you existed in my mind all the time, bringing you within the sphere of my remembrance.
Outwardly, the cause for the delay was that I had been very busy and not very well physically. I wished to write this letter in complete silence and seclusion. Now that I have found these, I am writing to you.
In the meanwhile, did you not receive a message of Love from me from within? – For I have a great love for you and great appreciation for your spiritual aspirations.
Even as the Sun can only be revealed to the eyes, God or Divine Love, can only be revealed to pure and pious souls.
Love is omnipresent. There is no difference between Love and God. Some philosophers say:
Love is the quality of God. If that is so, then one may ask them whether that quality is superimposed upon God, or one with God. If they say it is superimposed, then God must have been without the quality of Love, Himself. If it is one with Him, then that quality must be that of God. Can you separate heat from fire? God is like the fire, and Love, like the heat. How then, can one say that Love, being a quality of God, is separate from God?
I ask another question: is Love limited or unlimited? If someone says Love is limited, then some part of God must be without Divine Love. But that is impossible. Therefore, Divine Love, which is one with God, must be as omnipresent as God Himself. And if this is true, then no atom can be devoid of this heavenly elixir. Love is a perfect Heaven, it is peace, it is Bliss, it is Light, it is Strength. I dare to say that every atom has an ocean of Love in its breast! The logic may seem strange–the limited contains within itself the unlimited! You might say this is impossible. But I assure you, dear brother, that this is what happens. The unlimited cannot be divided into parts–everything is contained in it, and it is contained in everything. It cannot be moved to make place for anything else. Nothing is separate from it. God is present everywhere, in each and every part of the Universe, in each and every atom that exists. You cannot say only a part of God exists inside an atom. Everything that is being exhibited is another face of the Unlimited. Therefore, every atom owns this unique wealth of Divine Love.
In fact, all the atoms are illusory. Only God–Divine Love–exists. When we realise that Love is unlimited, there remains no room for all the shapes and forms that appear separate from one another. The diversity of atoms dwindles away.
What is ice? Water. What is Vapour? Only water. What is a wave or a bubble? Merely water. Can you separate the wave from the water? No, it is impossible. What existed before the formation of the wave? Water. What shall exist after the wave has disappeared? Only water.
Have the name and form of the wave got any reality of their own? No. If they were real, they would not have been destroyed, for Reality remains ever the same. Therefore, we are forced to say that it was water and only water which appeared before us in the shape of the wave.
What is real? Water. What is unreal? Its shape and form. Therefore, what you actually see, touch, and feel, is nothing but water. The wave is only the ever-changing shape and form of the water.
In a deeper sense, the wave is nothing, and there is only water. It is only water that assumes this shape.
In a like manner, the All-Pervading Love exists in the Universe, and there is that, and nothing else. The multiplicity of shapes and forms, the myriad of worldly conflicts, hatreds and jealousies, are all illusions seen by the human mind, the product of a narrow angle of vision in life. In the depth of everything there is only Divine Love. It is veiled by the human ego. There is only one Reality and the rest is nothing.
One must not be disconcerted by the magic play of this seeming diversity. One must learn to feel the existence of Love in the Universe.
At this stage one may ask: if there is nothing but Love, then why do we feel this variation and diversity in the world? Answer: All this exists merely to give you the bliss of Divine Love. If there were no apparent hatred or jealousy, you would never feel the pleasure of Unity and Love. It is Love, itself, which assumes the form of diversity just to give you the happiness you would never have enjoyed otherwise. You could never have enjoyed the bliss of unity unless you were conscious of duality. When Love is alone, it is no longer Love, it is something which is inexpressible. We can never say One unless we feel the existence of Two. It is Two which gives a feeling for One. And the inexpressible Love sought to make itself known to the souls, Jivaas. This Love created the Universe, so full of diversity, to give the world a feeling for unity, in which every atom is inclined to return to its ultimate goal. The proof of this lies in the fact that when we see hatred in this world, we are not satisfied, and strive to get back to the original goal (Love). You may ask, what is the proof of the fact that everyone has sprung from Love and wishes to go back to Love? The proof is that everyone finds satisfaction only when he is merged in Love.
In India, the poets say that the nightingale loves the flower. But this bird, unfortunately, cannot love the thorn.
The flower is located in the same place as the thorn, and the thorn is different from it. The love of the limited is not peace-giving. When one obtains a spark of Universal Love, there can be no place for misery. When we find this kind of Love, hatred disappears, and the world changes into Heaven. Love is the beginning and end of life. If you can love even hell, it will be pleasanter for you than Heaven. Surely, this love can give us true salvation. Love is sweet. Love is bliss. It is a lack of Love which makes humanity miserable. Why is there so much bloodshed and strife on earth? Because there is want of Love in the world.
Why do we hate others? Because we do not Love them. God created this world only to bestow upon others the radiant smiles of His Love Divine.
Indeed, that man is fortunate who has caught a glimpse of Love. In fact, the whole universe stands in need of Love. Look at the man who comes tired from office and wants to lie down and rest. His child comes towards him and clings to him. He at once rises and kisses the child and forgets his fatigue. Love can refresh you and make a new man out of you. Love can give you a new life. You can turn the whole universe into bliss with the sheer force of Love. But this kind of Love cannot be found by one’s efforts. It is a gift from God. You can obtain it by humbling yourself before God. After a rainfall, it is always the lowly pits which are found full of water, and not the high peaks of the mountains. The high peaks get the rain first, but no sooner has the rain ceased, than they are left dry, scorched by the heat of the sun. No drop of water can remain on the high peaks. In a like manner, those egotistic souls, who are proud of their health, wealth and knowledge, etc., are always left devoid of the showers of this Love. But those who have no pride within themselves even though they possess all these attributes, are always deserving of Divine Love.
Think of yourself as nothing, or a zero, and come before HIM and you will become Ten. When you deny yourself again and say, I am nothing. you will become 100, and 1000, and 10,000 etc., etc.
When a dry log of wood comes near fire, it begins to burn, and when it burns itself completely, it becomes one with the fire and loses its entity.
This is the right time to beg of this unique wealth from God. Our ego cannot give us happiness. Therefore, we should beg from HIM who is the Master of Love. And those who need it genuinely will be filled with it. We cannot obtain this Love from books or libraries or from meritorious acts; we can obtain it through HIS Grace alone. So we should come before HIM like beggars, true beggars, and we shall be given this Love. I hold that this Love exists everywhere. Nay, everything is Love in a condensed form. We can melt everything into Love with the fire of Love. Drops of water cannot wound a person but a block of ice can. When you give heat to the ice, it becomes water again. In a like manner, when we remove the solidity of ego from our souls and from the world, everything becomes an image of Love. Therefore, we have come from Love, we live in Love, and we have to die in Love. It is Love that reigns on every side of us. We breathe Love, we eat Love, we drink Love, we smell Love, we taste Love. For all is Love.
O Man! Why weepest thou like a fallen creature in the midst of Love? Thou art the true son of Love (GOD), thou art the true heir of Love and thou art Love. Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached! Man is born to die; so he should die for the sake of Love. There is no pleasanter life than in such a death. This death does not mean suicide, but rather the obliteration of ego. Look at the moth which destroys itself on the flame of the fire because it loves the flame. But alas! It is only man who hesitates to die for the sake of Love. Love is sweet, so die for it. It will give you an eternal life. Love everyone, respect everyone, for everything is Love. Be not deceived by the false names and forms. It is Love which is hidden in all these, and you will have to find it and recognise it. Be not deceived by these masks. They are nothing but Love. Promulgate this truth from the East to the West and from the North to the South. Sacrifice everything for the sake of Love, but do not sacrifice Love for anything. Everything is to go, it is to vanish and die, then why not sacrifice all these things, now, for the sake of Divine Love? If you will sacrifice your life for it you will find hundreds and thousands of lives for yourself. When the matchstick of life must be extinguished, why not light your lamp before it goes out?
Try to feel that everything is Love. If this is difficult to understand, then try to feel, at least, that we are all brothers, and that our father is God, and our mother is Nature. So, it is incumbent upon us to love our brothers irrespective of their caste, creed or nationality. We may say: how can we love others when their response to love is false? It is wrong to think so. You have to love for the sake of Love. You should not expect a reward outside of your Love, for Love is its own reward. When you love someone how can you feel any hatred from him? It is the lack of Love which creates a feeling of imperfection for this world in your mind. No, the world is perfect and it is only the weakness within us which reflects itself as hatred and jealousy outside. Even if there be hatred outside, if your love is strong enough to wash off the dirt of hatred, then you will be freed from fear. Fill your mind with the ocean of Love, inhale Love, exhale Love. Fill every creature with Love, who comes to you for help.
My mission is Love, why, therefore, should I perceive ugliness of any kind anywhere in this universe? I must love the sinners as well as the good. I must love Christians, Mohammedans, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsees, and indeed everyone. If I hate anyone, I hate myself or I hate my mission. I desire a tempest of Love, filled with the fire of Love, to set to flame the withered hearts of people. I cannot bear to see anyone devoid of Love. Come with your broken heart and place all its pieces together before the fire of Love. You will taste a new Bliss in this burning. In this death you will find everlasting life.
Q. How can we love everyone?
A. When we begin to see God in every being, we discover a strong relationship with everyone, and we are forced to love Him in all these names and forms. Never forget this truth. This is the secret of Love. If a man has enough of Love in his heart, he can change the attitude of his antagonists and enemies in no time, if he so wishes.
When we begin to understand that God is everywhere, we will begin to love everyone; and love will urge us to help all the forms of the poor and fallen and downtrodden that God takes. You may say: when there is only God everywhere, why should misery and poverty exist anywhere? True, there is misery and poverty, but when we realise that He is acting as a poor man only to provide us an opportunity for charity and service, then we must serve the poor, not to help them, but to be helped by them.
He will bestow upon us His blessings through these forms of poverty and will be pleased to see us serving the poor. Service towards the poor is dear to God. If we have complete faith in HIM we will find no stumbling block anywhere. Faith can move mountains. It is only faith which makes us strong. When difficulties come before us, and we are surrounded by troubles, it is only faith which can give us happiness.
Today the world needs this mission of Love, Faith and Service. But mere words are of no use. We want a life of practice, and a spirit of sacrifice, and the surging ocean of devotion behind our words and actions. If you have no power for this, then pray to God that you may be filled with this spirit of sacrifice; and you shall be filled with it. O Children of Divinity! You have no right to hold yourselves back from this truth. Your greatness lies only in a spirit of sacrifice. Be not afraid of death. Everyone has to die sooner or later. I assure you, whilst you have to eat another morsel of food in this world, you can never fall into the jaws of death.
The happiness of a drop of water lies in its merging itself into the ocean. The happiness of man lies in effacing himself in the search for God. Flowers come and bloom, they play their part and fade away. O Man! Sacrifice thyself in the service of God. This is the only goal worth achieving in this world.
He, who will save his life from the truth, must lose it, and he, who will lose it for the sake of truth, must save it.
There is a relationship between all the souls who thirst after truth. They must come into contact sooner or later, and will recognise each other through intuition, not through reason. All the actors of Love will have to come together on the same stage of sacrifice. Tell everyone, that with the Grace of God, they are the children of God and a part of Divinity. You, who are the rays of Light, Love and Strength, should not stoop down to hatred, untruthfulness, avarice, lust, anger and greed. You should know your dignity. The son of a king never goes out to the shop of a fish-monger. Come out of the quagmire of lust, anger and greed, and realise your real nature which is that of Divine Love, and thus make yourself free of all worries.
Tell everyone that all those who truly want help from God must be helped by HIM. Do not lose heart. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The whole world will be flooded with the waves of love, peace and devotion. The time has come. This is the acme of evolution. Everyone will be filled with happiness in this world. Everyone will think of everyone else as his real brother, nay his own self. A golden age has arrived. Those, who have obtained this Love, are already in the millennium.
Purify your mind, just now, to invite the Master. The dust of desire, and the dirt of hatred, jealousy and avarice should be removed from the heart, so that the Master may be pleased to come within. Where is the Master? He is deep inside your heart, waiting all the time to come forth, but, alas, that the heart is clogged with impurities!
The time has come now to spread this truth. God will help us all. He is the real Actor and Director, the rest of humanity is only an instrument in his Hands. He will give power to His devotees.
My humble love to the whole universe and to all of creation.
I am yours,
in Divine Love,
Nath.
Servant of the Earth”