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Radhaswami Faith

Radhaswami Faith is neither a religion or sect nor it is built on the basis of scriptures appertaining to Hindu or any other religion, but on the precepts or instructions of the Supreme Being Himself, who appeared on this planet in human form and graciously performed the functions of a Sant Sat Guru or perfect Saint or true Guide and Preceptor, and preached holy doctrines to sincere inquirers of Truth for the deliverance of their spirit from the bondage of body and its surroundings, as well as from the pains and pleasures of this world, and for the ultimate admission of their spirit into the Holy Presence of the Supreme Being after traversing and breaking through and trammels and impediments in the material spheres. This faith derives its name from its original Founder, Radhaswami.

This path is based upon purely scientific grounds and nothing is to be accepted which cannot be comprehended by facts, natural laws, and phenomena observable in this world. Nothing is to be believed as hearsay or blind faith. Mere theoretical comprehension of the principles is not aimed at, their experimental realisation is specially laid stress upon.

The object of this faith is the spiritual upliftment of the sincere seekers of truth who have observed that the love or affection for objects in this world is associated with pain and trouble consequent on their separation or disappearance, are anxious to know the Supreme Creator and approach Him in His Highest Mansion. And for those who have realised the instability and transitory state of the things in this world, as well as its short-lived pleasures and greatness, have craving for everlasting and unalloyed happiness, immortal and supreme bliss and undisturbed peace in a mansion which is not subject to change, decay or dissolution, by exalting the spirit or soul to the purely spiritual regions, through its passage within the physical frame which is a miniature of the cosmos.

In Radhaswami Faith the deliverance of spirit from the bondage of body, senses and mind, and its gradual ascension and eventual entrance into the first or highest division by the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga is regularly performed. At present the Surat or spirit which a particle of the Supreme Being or a ray from the Supreme Sun or a drop from the Supreme Ocean of Spirit, having descended from the Highest or First Region has become encased in material coverings, and in a manner has intermingled with matter and is in this, the third region, subject to the forces or carnal desires and passions resulting from such mixture.

In its descent from the highest region the spirit has become enveloped in various coverings of matter or bodies, and as long as it remains in the second and third division where matter exists, it cannot be freed from rebirth in the lower or comparatively higher regions. It is only in the first or highest division where there is no matter, that there is no rebirth. It is a highest sphere all pure, a bondless ocean of spirit, the residence of the Supreme Being, the Unchangeable, the Supreme Master and Director of whole creation, that every human being should aspire to, and try proper means to approach. These means have been prescribed by the Supreme Being Himself when He appeared in human form with the merciful object of reclaiming these helpless seekers of truth involved in endless troubles and miseries of this world. These can be easily practised by both men and women of any age, caste and creed. No fees are charged for it and no group meditation is required.

Exaltation of the spirit by the aid of the spiritual current, which is perceived as sound internally, to the pure region of spirit, which is the only true abode of perfect emancipation and salvation, constitutes the devotional practice of the Radhaswami Faith.

This path of spirituality involves a personal relationship between the disciple and the spiritual teacher. The teacher asks for self-commitment to maintain a vegetarian diet, to abstain from drugs and alcohol and to lead a moral life. Unaided by the True Master, Who has access to the astral and higher planes, the devotional practice of sound and spirit cannot be properly performed. No rituals or other outward ceremonies are enjoined by the Radhaswami Faith. The practice is to be performed in a secluded place wherever it is available. The sound heard internally is a current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Being and is the means not only of concentrating the will but also of raising the spirit to the source from which it emanated.

At the time of initiation, a novice receives instructions as regards the particulars of Word (Shabd) of each subdivision by means of which he has to raise his spirit upwards. At present the spirit of man is residing in the third or material-spiritual region, and has, therefore, to do all the work here by means of the senses and the mind, which are mediums between it and the material objects, and consequently, as a natural result, its power has become quite hampered. But as soon as it begins to ascend, the powers which are now lying dormant, become active and the spirit acquires ultra-material or higher powers.

The current which has been instrumental in having brought it down here, must naturally be the only true path for its return to the original source, and whoever finds this current is on the path of salvation. This current which is the spirit and life current, is called in the Radhaswami Faith, Sound or Word or Holy Name.

The original books of all true religions, however, bear sufficient testimony to the superiority and efficacy of the Surat Shabd Yoga as the only means and the only highway to the Highest Heaven, but may have used different words for it. For instance in the Vedas and the Upnishads we find Naad or Naad Brahm, the Pranaya or Om, Udgeet, Shruti and so others.

In Rig Veda (Sha, Aar. 8/9 'this human body is termed as a Divine Musical Instrument 'Veena'.

It is also written in Naad Bind Upnishad (5/51) 'Pranav Naad is the true yoga and gives salvation'

God Adi Nath has also said "I have told millions of paths but the Supreme among all those is the Naad Yoga.'

Muslims call it ; Kalam-e-Elahi, Sada-e-aasmani, Baang-e-aasmani and Kun.

The Bible also has;

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

and "All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life ; and the life was the light of men." -John 1 : 3-4

Guru Nanak and other Saints of His times have called it Shabd, Anahad Dhun and Nam, He has said :

'From Shabd (the Word) is the earth, from Shabd is the sky, from shabd emanate all light. The whole creation rests on Shabd and this Shabd, abides in us all.'

In the Adi Granth there are many such references;

'Shabd creates, Shabd dissolves; and Shabd again brings Creation into being.'

also ; 'O blessed one, listen Anahad and be contented for ever.'

'Nam (the Word) supports all worlds and universes.'

But their true meaning is one of the least known to their followers.

Shams-e-Tabrez has also said :

'This Sound (or Word) creates the whole universe, and to all lights given it birth.'

Zoroaster of Iran, named it as Sraosha, meaning the Sound from the firmament. The early Greek philosophers refer to it as the Logos.

Maulana Rum has also said:

'Bring the Sky under your feet, O brave man, and listen to the melodious Song coming from the heavens above.'

And Shams-e-Tabrez says :

'We should see God with our own inner eye and hear His voice with our inner ear. We should penetrate the dark veil within and behold His glory.'

These names are given to the it, and this Unspoken and Unwritten Word can only be heard by human beings whose inner ears have been opened by a true Master.

Cosmologists also today, have proved the same truth by the Boomerang experiment, which was known to Saints since very beginning. A report of this experiment from The Independent, London is given below:

"Scientists have recorded the music of creation in an experiment using the astronomical equivalent of a time machine to go back to the origin of the Universe. A telescope suspended from a high-altitude balloon circling the South Pole has detected harmonic “notes”, which rang out like a bell in the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang.

Cosmologists believe these minute ripples of sound became the “seeds” of matter, which eventually led to the formation of stars, galaxies and planets such as Earth.

Phil Mauskopf of Cardiff University, the British team leader said: “The early Universe is full of sound waves compressing and rarefying matter and light, much like sound waves compress and rarefy air inside a flute or a trumpet. The Boomerang experiment involves 36 scientists drawn from universities and research institutes in Britain, Canada, Italy and the United States. The latest results were released yesterday at a meeting of the American Physical Society in Washington DC." (April 2001)

Hence Supreme Being can only be and was ever approached only through the path of Divine word.

But there is a difference between the Word or Sound which is alluded to in the different religions and that in Radhaswami Faith. Their information is confined to the Word or Sound of one and the same sphere, some belong to the spiritual-material and some to material-spiritual regions. While in Radhaswami Faith all the divine Words or Sounds are distinctly explained and the highest level word is distinguished which appertains to the first or highest spiritual sphere. All these sounds are real sounds resounding in their appropriate spheres like the ringing sound of bell, flute, etc.

Great stress is laid in the Radhaswami Faith on engendering love for the Supreme Being Love being attraction, a strong fervent desire and perseverance to approach the Supreme Being. This desire should outweigh all worldly desires and this can only be done when all worldly desires are gradually eradicated from the mind, and it becomes impressed to the inmost core, with the unbounded bliss that might be attained by approaching the Supreme Being.

Priests find no place in Radhaswami Faith, all the followers are originally equal and form one big brotherhood or fraternity. But the superiority of each member depends on the degree of love, which he imbibes for the Supreme Being, and on the intensity of the desire he manifests to approach Him. Such superior adepts receive inspiration and preach to others but only by the directives of the Master. There are no temples and no shrines. Any house or even open air is equally fit for the purpose of this special worship. No place is more holy than another except where any Master resided, while on earth.

All external works of charity, worship, pilgrimage, or mere reading of holy books, unless accompanied by true internal practice do not lead to true salvation which can only be attained by raising the spirit to the First Degree or pure spiritual regions. One may reap the fruit of such acts by obtaining happiness in the same or a new body on rebirth, in the same or a higher sphere. But to approach the Supreme Being, there is absolutely no other means except the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga under the guidance of a True Master or a sincere lover of the Supreme Being who has received instructions from Him, and is helped in his practice by that Superior and Holy Spirit.

It must be clearly understood that Radhaswami Faith does not require or permit any one who joins it, to quit his family or surroundings or give up his avocation or profession to obtain his livelihood; on the other hand it enjoins the advisability of a devotee continuing to live with his family and discharge his household and professional duties satisfactorily and at the same time secure salvation by earnestly and fervently practising devotion for two to four or at the most six hours a day, distributing the above time at the rate of about half, three fourths or one hour at a time or continuously according to his convenience.

All people belonging to any caste, creed and colour can be admitted into Radhaswami Faith ; and as the devotional practice is conducted mentally and spiritually, it is not binding upon them to publicly renounce their former creed and its external observances; internally, they must, however adhere to also they can easily attend to the practice prescribed by Radhaswami Faith, unnoticed by others, at the time they have to be present with their family and friends at the performance of the rituals or ceremonies of their old creed. It may be pointed out here that the Radhaswami Faith is strictly exclusive and uncompromising but at the same time extremely tolerant and unobtrusive.

Human actions which tend to, or result in, the increased concentration or exaltation of the spirit-force constitute true virtue according to the Radhaswami Faith, while those affecting the opposite results, viz., diffusion and degradation of spirit into lower material regions are vice.