O! Moon, you have not risen today.

O! Moon, but know that beauty is not dependent on you only!

Beauty is divine splendor. 

Sometimes, it glances through you. Other times, it glances through the flowing waters. Occasionally, through the springs arising from mountain-tops or it blossoms from flora. Sometimes, it flashes like thunder or swims on the waves of the ocean. Other times, it awakens an inner melody that flows from the tongues of those immersed in beauty. And on occasion, it reveals itself through marble, bricks, lime, wood, steel, and iron. Sometimes, it twinkles from the eyes of an amazing woman, or it materializes from the silver beard of a gracious man. 

O! Beauty, you are not material, yet you reveal yourself as splendor in the material. 

Are you a goddess or a god? 

Are you the Sovereign or the Light of the Sovereign?

A sage once remarked, “Something beneficial is beautiful.” But the appreciators of beauty know that you are a goddess. You may be beneficial to one or too many, but your glamour is beyond beneficial. Beauty is more beneficial than anything beneficial. 

O! Beauty! You live in the hearts of the saints, the poets, the singers, the artists, and the sculptors.

O! Beauty! You reveal yourself in nature, and when your radiance enters consciousness, the experience of blissful Supreme Consciousness transpires. 

O! Beauty! You are not a superstition. You are not an illusion. You are a spirit from the unseen world. Those who cannot see anything beyond the visible world, it is you who whispers, “See! This is the unseen world.”

O! Beauty! You elevate the mind. The euphoria takes the mind out of fear and anxiety. At times, the effect is so strong that the mind immerses in the Supreme Mind, and the rapture is so much that the mind stops thinking, understanding, and perceiving as if the mind is in a trance.  

O! Beauty! You take me into the world of sensation and wondrousness in moments. In the blink of an eye, you give me the sensation of the Presence within. This sensation differs from the pleasures of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. Within me, the Melody resounds, and ecstatic pleasure transpires.

But, alas, my habits become my foes. In love with the seen world, I leave the sphere of sensation and wonder. I rush to open the windows; I see humans and their wood and leather musical instruments and get immersed in the visible world. I lose so much, running after beautiful things and getting trapped in worldly sights. If only I could realize that it is the goddess of beauty that can lift me out of the sphere of fear and anxiety to the sphere of tranquility and enable me to experience the Presence. 

The fault is not Beauty’s but mine. My scattered mind becomes distressed. Beauty withers and slips away. 

To change my nature, I seek the company of the pious, where the Song of Praise is sung with love. The Song enters the mind, and the Presence is felt. The sensation of the Presence is more beautiful than anything else in the world. This is not a glimpse of beauty. This is the magnet of love, and I am cradled in the lap of Rapture. 

O! Moonless night! I have seen beauty in you. But why are you hiding tonight? 

The sky is lit with stars. But my eyes are drawn towards another wonder. 

It is not the moon, but no less than the moon. A star is shining ever so bright. It is Venus, the goddess of love. She is rising eastwards, and I follow her. 

I reach a lush grassy area where the water flows softly. I am on the banks of the Ganga. 

The sun has yet to grace. 

I see a man wrapped in a woolen shawl. His eyes are closed, but the doors of his heart are open. He is in love with someone whom he calls Bala-Pritam (Child-Beloved). 

Ethers shower love. 

Stars drizzle brilliance.

Zephyr hums:
The night is asleep, but the stars are awake.
The world is asleep, but the saints are awake. 

Ah! The ecstasy of solitude, the ecstasy of the night, the ecstasy of the riverbank, the ecstasy of the sweet breeze, and the ecstasy of natural beauty bestow a rapturous sensation on the one immersed in the love of Bala-Pritam. 

A golden brightness fills the sky. 

A couple arrives and, reverently, places an offering before this man. 

“Pandit Shiv Dutt, we have come to you as beggars. Be kind and bless us with a son so that he can take over the kingdom.”

“O! Raja Fateh Chand Maini! Your coming is most welcome. But it is the Creator that gives, not I.”

 “The Creator does so through your tongue. Bless us with this boon.”

“Look! The sun is rising in the east, and my Bala-Pritam is standing on the sun disc with a bow and arrow. If you take his refuge, eternal happiness will be yours.” 

Tears flow from the Pandit’s eyes—his body trembles, engrossed in the love-pull of the beloved.

“O! Gracious Pandit, then take us to him. We both shall fall at his feet.”

“The way of love is distinct. Go and sit in your home. Have a longing in your heart, a wanting for a glimpse of him. Remember him with love emanating from the core of your heart. Be in the pangs of love. When love flows from every pore of your being, my wondrous Gobind, my Bala-Pritam, will come to your home and bestow you with all you wish. 

“But take him not to be ordinary.

“He is the Master of the unseen world. He is a blossom, blossoming in the lotus. He is the enlarging seal of happiness. He is the embodiment of love, charm, delight, bliss, and so much more. He is the spellbinder. Vivacious and heart-pleasing, he is the fountain of ecstasy, always exuberant. His voice is enthralling. He is enchanting. He is the sea of rapture. He is the lake of exuberance. He is the inspiration for the spring season. He is the river of joy. More handsome than the moon, he is radiance. You will see him, but you won’t be able to bear his dazzle. But your inner vision will open, and you will see him within you.” 

Love-filled tears cascade from his eyes and fall into the calm waters of the Ganga. Elements stand in awe.

Raja Fateh Chand and his wife leave with a wondrous sensation. The yearning to see Bala-Pritam invades their consciousness. 

Ethers resound:
Beautiful has graced!

Patna is adorned. 
Ganga stands still. 
Fauna and flora bow.

Divine splendor is “The Beautiful.”

_____________________

Excerpt from Kalgidhar Chamatkar, Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh (December 5, 1872-June 10, 1957). Translated and abridged by Inni Kaur. Inni Kaur is the CEO of the Sikh Research Institute. She is also the author of ‘Journey with the Gurus’ series, ‘Sakhi-Time with Nani ji’, and ‘Thank You, Vahiguru.’

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