Recognize Your Infinity: Akal Takht

Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji

Excerpt from video lecture Recognize Your Infinity. June 6, 1990

In the Sikh religion, the very aspect that we have the Akal Takht does what? It takes us from Infinity to Infinity. It gives us a combination, a jurisdiction to belong to and to relate to. I know what I am going to say to you, you will not even recognize it. It’s a matter of caliber. It’s a matter of one’s state of consciousness. I know that we do not like adversity or calamity. I don’t like it myself. Why would I think that you like it? But without the worst calamity, there is no legacy. Without legacy, there is no legend. And without the legend, there is no Infinity. I cannot change this law.

I know you don’t want to be bothered, troubled, or challenged. This is human escapism. The human tendency is to recognize micro consciousness and think of macro consciousness. The human tendency is not to recognize macro consciousness and be on top of it. A human wants to recognize Infinity, but does not want to associate with it. The human has reduced Infinity to come and serve him, to come to his help. This is where we have blundered. We have made God as a part of us which comes through. We have never made ourselves part of us which can come through for God.

It is such a perverted religious teaching on this planet. It has been going on for thousands of years in order to build the earth and its earthlings. That total essence – where religion should be a religion of reality; where the parts should totally merge and join the part of Infinity; where Infinity should be understood and be powerful within us so we can relate to it; this is all totally gone.

What happened was that a pundit, a wise religious man had to live. How could he live? He could only live by elevating you and giving you assurances. So you would go to him and he would say, “Well, this is a bad time. Let us do a prayer.”

Guru Nanak says,

“Dukh daaroo sukh rog bha-i-aa jaa sukh taam na ho-ee.”
– Guru Naanak, Ang 469, Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Dukh, discomfort is a medicine. Dukh daaroo sukh rog bha-i-aa. Comfort is a disease because in comfort, we forget about the heavens. We only remember the Earth. What we have done is we have tried to make the entire heaven for earth. Earth was for heaven. It’s a transport station where the soul comes in all five sensitivities. The five tattvas (elements) were given to the soul to become sensitive enough to recognize Infinity. And to recognize the Infinite manner, which is reorganization and recreativity. To see it, to feel it, to hear it, and to speak about it. A poet talks in poetry about the grace and Infinity of God. The one who watches and sees it, also recognizes it and writes about the Infinity of God. This was where we understand life. That is planet Earth. Yet, here we have reduced our total life, and total God, to some guy with all the power sitting up there and serving us. Because we happen to fold our hands or kneel down and say help me. The entire joy of human life is gone. There is no joy in it.

Suppose for example, we live here a hundred years. Our hundred years are perfect and happy – monetarily, socially, physically, sexually, sensually, relation-ship wise. Every facet is happy. Is that enough? Now I am not going to quote myself. I am going to quote Guru Nanak on it.

Jay jug chaaray aarjaa hor dasoonee ho-ay.
Navaa khanda vich jaanee-ai naal chalai sabh ko-ay.
Changa naa-o rakhaa-ay kai jas keerat jag lay-ay.
Jay tis nadar na aavee ta vaat na puchhai kay.
– Guru Naanak, Japji Sahib, Pauree 7

(Translation: If a person were to live through the four ages or ten times that,
Known across the nine continents, followed by everyone,
Protected by a good name, with fame and reputation received from the entire world,
Yet, if You do not look kindly our way, oh Divine One, that position no one would want.)

These few lines totally decide it. The very concept of the human mind when it comes to something is the biggest blunder a human ever commits. However great, however precious and joyful that thing is – it is something, but it is not everything. Reality lies in totality and totality lies in Infinity. The individual has to recognize Infinity within and without. Outside Infinity exists. It cannot be denied. But inside Infinity is denied every day.

Click here to listen to the video lecture, Recognize Your Infinity.

Sikh Dharma International invites you to celebrate this awakening with us. Starting with Baisakhi of 2009, we will release 11 historic video Gurdwara lectures by the Siri Singh Sahib in which he explains the significance of this event in depth and how it relates to Sikhs and the whole of humanity. One new video will be posted on-line each week, leading up to the 25th Anniversary of the Akal Takhat Martyrdom. Join us in this journey of awakening in this season of renewal.