Who can truly guide seekers to the right path?

1. Motivation for Writing:
   • Many individuals pick up a pen to write, but often, writers have vested self-interests such as deceiving people, making money, or showing off their knowledge.
2. Notable Saints and Their Writings:
   • Some great saints like Kabir Das Ji, Guru Nanak Ji, Ramdas Swami, and Tukaram didn’t personally publish their scripts. However, their writings were later published and revered.
3. Ancient Saints and Confusion:
   • In ancient times, there were saints like Sage Valmiki and Yog Vashishtha and many other saints. But people would find it difficult to identify right and wrong ones amongst them all.
4. Adi Shankaracharya and His Teachings:
   • Adi Shankaracharya, an influential figure in Hinduism, emphasized devotion to Mother Bhagwati and believed that one could only find the divine through her blessings.
5. Hatha Yoga Misconceptions:
   • Hath Yogis, known for their strict practices, often practice Hatha Yoga. However, Hatha Yoga is not meant for those leading a worldly life and should be practiced carefully in celibacy under the guidance of a Guru.
6. Seekers and Realized Souls:
   • Among seekers, it’s essential to differentiate between those who are still searching for God and those who have already found Him.
   • Reading the work of realized souls like Kabir Das Ji or Guru Nanak Ji is more beneficial as they have already attained union with the divine.
7. J. Krishnamurty’s Perspective:
   • J. Krishnamurty’s teachings do not emphasize union with God but instead focus on seeking and questioning.
   • Reading his work may lead seekers into a similar state of seeking and questioning rather than guiding them toward realization.
8. Importance of Reading the Right Source:
   • It’s crucial to discern whether an author has truly found divine union or is still in the state of seeking.
   • Reading the work of those who have found union with the divine can lead seekers on the right path.
9. Enjoyment in Sorrow – A Twisted Mentality:
   • People may find solace in the writings of those who are also in a state of sorrow and seeking, as it resonates with their own journey.
   • Conversely, writings about union with God may cause jealousy if the reader has not yet reached that state.

In summary, it’s essential to choose one’s spiritual reading wisely, focusing on the writings of those who have already attained union with the divine to guide seekers on the right path.

Sat Chit Anand, Advice given on 15th February 1977 at New Delhi.

[Translation from Hindi]

….. anybody picks up a pen and starts writing. Most of the writers, most of them, have self-interests vested. They have some or other interests like befooling people, making money or showing off etc. By grace of almighty few great saints have been there and they also wrote something. However, they did not publish anything themselves but later their scripts were published, for example Kabir Das ji, Guru Nanak, Ramdas Swami, Tukaram. In ancient times, we had Sage Valmiki, Yog Vashishtha and many other saints. But people would find it difficult to identify right and wrong ones amongst them all.

Thirdly we have Swami Markandey and Adi Shankaracharya. We call ourselves Hindu, this and that but no one reads Adi Shankaracharya’s work. Even after reading it no one could understand him well. He was such a big devotee of Mother that he won’t do anything other than offering prayers to Mother. All the time he kept praying to Mother Bhagwati and he knew nothing else. He would suggest only to pray to the Mother and anything shall be done. And this is absolutely correct.

He said whatever Yoga etc. you do, will not help you find Divine. You can find [divine] only when Mother endows Her blessings, otherwise you just can’t find Him. He mentioned this very clearly.

But in our country, everyone is practicing Hatha-Yoga. What Hatha yoga you people are practicing? It is something not meant for family people. Here they have made it compulsory. Yesterday cops came to check out, if we teach Hatha-yoga. It’s like Hindi Idiom: Karela Neem Chadha – Bitter gourd flavoured with Neem.” Hath Yogis are so angry people that God save us. Their wives just run away. You look at any Hath Yogi, Hath Yoga enters the house and wife runs away, and the man runs after with stick. And if wife becomes Hath Yogini then God save, her man is in trouble.

Because it is prohibited to practice it while leading a worldly life. It is practiced very carefully in celibacy under guidance of a Guru, following six strict regimes of Rules and regulations [Yam, Niyam] etc. Now, whoever studies Hath-Yoga, comes over and starts lecturing me on this matter that,

“Mataji so is written in that book.” Oh dear, who has authored that book? Now amongst those people who is right or wrong, who is real or fake? Amongst real ones also there are two types. One, who are still searching for God and second those who have found. Those who are still searching, what’s the point in studying their work, as they are still searching?

If a blind follows another blind person, what’s the point?

Those who have already found the God, study their work, e.g., Kabir Das ji, Guru Nanak ji. If you talk about Surdasji, I would say no. Surdasji wrote good poetry of separation [emotional/virah]. He sang separation [emotional poetry], but you must read one, who talks about Union. One who talks about Union, actually only such person can show you the path because he has already found it. Nowadays everyone is like that, so many such people have cropped up all over.

You just mentioned about J. Krishmurty. But he does not talk about Union. He is actually a very disconcerted individual. He knows nothing. He is just seeking in dark and making everyone else (his followers) fall down flat. And whoever reads his books, starts singing the same tune. Just by talking you don’t get God Almighty, this event has to happen within.

In Sahaja, this event takes place within us, due to which our Attention enters a new dimension, a new event takes place within. Until this happens, what are we talking?

Just singing Krishnamurty’s tunes? He is like a blind man and so are you. I keep listening with surprise to all big things this boy is talking all over, that this happens, that happens in this. If I ask who said this, answer is Krishnamurty. Now, Krishnamurty is not realized soul for sure. If he was in real, won’t talk like this.

A realized soul talks with authority that, “It’s like this, that, and see this.” Take case of anyone.

Krishna said “Leave all Religions [Dharmas], duties, and come in my shelter [surrender to me].” He had no fears and said very clearly. Christ said “I am the door, I am the path, (inaudible), I am the Light”. He was not afraid of anyone, just said that, “I AM”. How Kabira has said, “I will take control of all five elements, will tie them all with a single thread”. How courageous! He said.. “I will DO it.” It’s not that he had to coax in front of Almighty “Hey God, I did not…” One who has found it, why would he sing song of separation [Viraha]?

So, if you say that we must read all, it’s wrong. If you are seeking, then read someone who has already found it. Now if you are seeking and the other person [author/writer] is also seeking, if you read such a person’s work, you will also go into ditch along with that person. Assume that he is already in ditch, then you will also fall. How would you know whether he is right or not? So now you have read J. Krishnamurty, he has not mentioned anywhere that, “I have found it” or “I had such experience.”

The enjoyment we get in reading work of such people is because he is in sorrow and we are also in sorrow just like him. We enjoy Surdas’s bhajans because we are seeking God and he is also seeking in a way coaxing to Almighty that, “When will you meet?” And if someone is singing songs of union [with God], we don’t like it. Because one feels jealous that, “See he has already found God and see we are still just here.”