THE ROYAL ROAD

Kirpal Singh and his party were welcomed to Hamburg by Baron William Frary von Blomberg and Mr. George Dewey. During his stay in Hamburg, Kirpal Singh received the highest honor of the Free Polish People. Mr. V. Orlinkski, President of the Polish Combatants Association, made him an Honorary Member, the first Asian to be thus honored. Again, the West was giving back something to the East: the East which had presented the West with a heritage of Ancient Wisdom and ageless teachings, shorn of all spurious practices and superstitions. In the bright dawn of a new day the two apparent polarities of East and West were blending into a mutual recognition of unity. For, as the Master states, there is no division of East and West in reality. Perhaps a new spiritual Culture will be brought to birth by this new recognition. Then shall the inclusive spirit of Love that is ensouled in the Living Master succor the "thirsting ones" and bring mankind to its true heritage of spiritual rebirth.

Professor Wilhelm Flitner, latest winner of the coveted Goethe Prize, discussed the W.F.R. and the Science of the Soul with Kirpal Singh. The scholar listened with deep interest as the Sat Guru informed him that reunion with God was the greatest science on earth—a forgotten science but not a lost one. Kirpal Singh went on to say that since the beginning of creation, when the first flicker of self-awakening dawned on man, his attention has been more and more concerned with the problem of his own worldly existence. He has investigated into the cause and source of all creation. Through the ages he has probed and queried in vain, but now at long last his increasing thirst for knowledge is turning his attention to the results gained by other seekers in this field. The supreme knowledge is that which deals, both theoretically and practically, with man's true nature and his relationship to God. It is, in fact, a natural science, without hypothesis and not subject to change or time.

Professor Flitner was enthralled by the exposition of spiritual science, given by the great Master-Saint, and Kirpal Singh continued to tell him about the supreme science. It is a fact that man is composed of body, mind (intellect) and soul. Man is extremely careful to develop himself physically and mentally, but he understands very little about the soul, which is the controlling Power which rules both body and mind. As physical joys are only temporary, and there are limitations of the body and mind which man cannot shut his eyes to, man must search for the perennial source of joy and peace within himself. Self-analysis is the first step in this direction. Self-knowledge leads to God-knowledge, and this is the essence of the message of all Masters. The word "religion," as previously indicated, is a term for the great binding force which links man back to his Creator. Man, by his entire absorption in the mundane affairs of earthly existence, has. forgotten his True Home and has become identified with the physical world. A contact with the God-in-action-Power of the "Word" is, the living method which has been given to the. world by God, through the grace of the. Living. Master. It is eternal and unchanging permanence.

The House of Oldenburg is one of the oldest and most illustrious families in Germany. The Grand Duke of Oldenburg gave a reception in honor of Sant Kirpal Singh at the ducal Palace in Eutin, about two hours drive from Hamburg. Accompanied by Princess Devinder Kaur Narendra, Madame Hardevi and Baron W. F. von Blomberg, Kirpal Singh was received at the doors of the Palace by the Grand Duke and Duchess of Oldenburg and the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg, the parents of the Grand Duke. The Duke of Mecklenburg, an uncle of the Queen of Holland and a former Governor of Togoland, had evinced great interest in the World Fellowship of Religions. Later, at a private consultation with Sant Kirpal Singh, this elderly and dignified nobleman consented to becoming a vice-president of the W.F.R. In the presence of many distinguished guests the reception was held in the beautiful and impressive central drawing room of the Palace.

It was a symbolic act of the meeting of temporal and permanent. The Houses of Oldenburg and Mecklenburg, into which many of the past members of European royalty had been born, met the living representative of ageless, spiritual royalty: for such are the elite of the Supreme One, the great Masters. In the chequered history of Europe, Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, had been a grandson of the Oldenburg House on the distaff side. Catherine, the most famous of the queens of Russia, was also a descendant of this family. The Grand Duke made a stirring speech of welcome to the great Master from India, and he was followed by the Duke of Mecklenburg and other dignitaries present.

Sant Kirpal Singh thanked the Grand Duke for his kindness and hospitality, and went on to explain his life's mission to awaken mankind to the knowledge of God and the highest Truth which was hidden in man. He told them of the World Fellowship of Religions and its work for interfaith goodwill and world peace. He then spoke of the spiritual work of the Masters, who come into the world with a special mission: the dispensation of the saving Word of the Lord to those who hear their message and come to them in order to follow their teachings. The Masters will care for the souls of their disciples; they are not particularly concerned with the raiment of the body and the outer marks of rank, denomination, color, class, race or creed. The Master explained the way out of the human body by the way of conscious soul-withdrawal, and the way into the spiritual worlds beyond by contact with the Holy Ghost or the living Word. Masters come to unite individual souls back to their Source, and not to disrupt any spiritual relationships or religious affiliations. Religious barriers do not stand in the way of the true Masters. They have love for all religions and actually instill light and love into all religions; for without such light and love the social religions would be lifeless, a corpse without a soul. After his brief discourse Kirpal Singh again thanked his gracious host and hostess, and added that the loving welcome and esteem afforded him would be accepted in praise of God and also as a gesture of goodwill to India.

The Grand Duke and Duchess then conducted Kirpal Singh and his party through the ancestral halls of the Palace, pointing out the many beautiful art treasures which dated back for centuries past. Amongst these wonderful objects was a model of a sailing ship, designed and constructed by Peter the Great himself. The Grand Duke turned to Sant Kirpal Singh. "Your Holiness, what do you think of the Palace?" he asked. The Master looked at the Grand Duke with love and compassion in his eyes. Then he gazed at each person in turn, and, with a flowing gesture of his hand replied: "Nice place." The Masters see the living treasure of the soul within all human forms. They are simple and complete in themselves, untouched by material splendor and riches.

At the Hamburg Headquarters of the Landsmannschaft Ostpreussen a further reception was held for Kirpal Singh and his party. Kirpal Singh was welcomed by Herr Otto, a director of the organization in Hamburg. After a tour of the offices, where he met young men and women who were working in a dedicated and selfless way, Kirpal Singh told Herr Otto that he was most impressed by the spirit of helpfulness and love shown amongst the workers there. "If only all people would help each other like this," he remarked, "what a great effort that would be towards improving the world as a truly good place to live."

Throughout his journey through the West Kirpal Singh was to evoke important lessons from everyday affairs and posit the essential meaning of these happenings to all who heard his discourses. The majority of men and women, when they are not wrestling with the economic problems of survival, are continually seeking for pleasure and for the satisfaction of their many desires. As a whole, the human race is incredibly restless. But it is mainly in the West that this restlessness manifests as a search for pleasure. In the Afro-Asian countries, with their struggle for economic sufficiency, it is a grimmer emotion that is stirring in the breasts of peoples who have suffered the brunt of oppression, privation and war. However, pleasure is not synonymous with true happiness. Happiness within human hearts, attuned to the love of God, can bring settlement and peace to the world. Such happiness is far removed from the race for pleasure and the temporary satiation of the desires of the mortal personality. A true Master transcends the differences which the world gives the concepts of "East" and "West." He brings the key to happiness and joy for the whole human family.

At the Hamburg headquarters of the Women of Potnerania movement, Kirpal Singh delivered a discourse on spirituality and the World Fellowship of Religions with Baron W. F. von Blomberg translating from English to German. Kirpal Singh spoke on the necessity for man-making. A man, according to the Science of the Masters, is not entitled to be called a man in the true sense of the word until he has both theoretical and practical knowledge of his true position in Creation. Man is several component parts—body, mind and soul—in order of comparative importance, and he has a relationship with the Supreme Power while yet living on earth. The Masters, therefore, strongly advocate the need of man-making. This man-making is self-realization, knowing one's true self and then knowing God. This can be achieved through the grace and loving help of a true Master.

Kirpal Singh expounded upon the same theme at a reception given on June 22, at the home of Herr Gunther von Appen, a leading industrialist. Frau von Appen, the charming wife of the industrialist, exclaimed with wonder in her voice that she had never really understood the true significance of spirituality. She had never dreamed that it could be considered as a science and practiced systematically with love and devotion. "Your Holiness makes seeming impossibilities appear easy and practicable," she told the Master. Frau Appen, her husband, son and beautiful daughter, together with their guests, were unanimous in their praise of the mighty spiritual teacher who had blessed their house with his presence. "It is all the Grace of God working through my Master," was the characteristic reply of Kirpal Singh to such acclamation.

Kirpal Singh was again visited by Mr. George Dewey, the prominent American journalist. They had many talks upon various aspects of the World Fellowship of Religions. With his wide experience of international affairs, George Dewey was able to put many points of human interest before the Sat Guru. There is no doubt that the writers and artists who contacted the great Sat Guru found their creative work affected by the direct spiritual energy radiating from him. Scientists and psychologists also experienced this inner change in their work. The science of psychology in the West, still very much in its infancy, has much to learn from the ageless teachings of the East. Through the Science of the Soul, such a psychological science could be raised to a higher spiral of human experience. Disciples of the Living Master could become true spiritual ambassadors and help more and more people receive a fuller measure of the treasure of spirituality. Wherever Kirpal Singh went, and in whatever area of human endeavor he moved in, there was brought forth through human personalities tremendous power and inner knowledge. People found that they were externalizing energies of love and wisdom and they would interpret these experiences in thoughts and words which symbolized, in modern terms, the ageless teachings of the Masters.

Frau Dolling, the President of the Women of Pomerania movement, discussed the religious problems faced by people living behind the "Iron Curtain." "It is a known fact," she told Kirpal Singh, "that if the difficulties which parents have in attending church continue, then their children will forget God altogether." The Sat Guru reassured her. "If the parents are strong in their views, then nothing is lost," he informed her. "The world might forget God, but God will never forget His children. If one sees these things a little beneath the surface it will be found that, day by day, a spiritual awakening is dawning in the world. Man is beginning to enquire about the true purpose of life. He wishes to know who he is, where he has come from, where he is going, and what the purpose of his life is. There is truly no need to be over concerned with these things, for God will do what is best for all creation. Naturally, it would be best if all people would become helping factors and channels for God's Will," Kirpal Singh paused for a moment. "You say that people behind the 'Iron Curtain' are finding it difficult to worship God in church?" he asked. Frau Dolling nodded. In spite of the wide propaganda regarding the high rate of churchgoers in the U.S.S.R., there was apparently a great deal of difficulty for many devout people in several of the communist countries.

"God does not reside in human temples," continued Kirpal Singh. "He, Himself, made a temple in the form of the human body, and it is therein that He resides. People do not need churches in order to find God, although these places of worship have their value in providing a building where all can sit together in sweet remembrance of the Lord. When such actions are performed in deep sincerity, it helps us all to love one another. My, message to all humanity is to seek God within, for He resides within every human being; He is the very Soul of our souls. Our less fortunate friends should realize this, and bring up their children in this greater and truer faith. If there is a church or temple available, it is well to make good use of it; but we should also learn to go within the God-made temple and find the God residing within ourselves."