Guru HarKrishan is the eighth Sikh Guru. He was born at Kiratpur, India. His father was Guru Har Rai and his mother was Mata Krishan Kaur. He became Guru at the age of five.
Once when Guru Harkrishan Ji was traveling near Panjokhara, one of his Sikhs asked him if he would remain there for a day because many people were traveling to meet him from Peshawar, Kabul and Kashmir. They all wanted a chance to see him, and so the Guru agreed to remain in the village. A certain pandit named Lal Chand lived in this village. He was very proud of his caste, as well as his knowledge of the ancient Vedic texts. He asked to see the Guru, but when he came before him, he spoke very disrespectfully, saying, “You are sitting on the gaddi of Guru Nanak, but what do you know of the old religious books?”
Just at that moment, Chaju Ram, a deaf, mute, illiterate village water-carrier, of a lowly caste—who was even forbidden access to the Vedas—happened to be passing by. Guru Harkrishan Ji asked his disciple, Dargah Mall, to call him. When Chaju Ram was brought before the Guru, Guru Ji touched Chaju Ram with his small walking stick. He then asked Chaju Ram to explain to the pandit Lal Chand, the gist of the Bhagavad Gita. To the amazement of everyone gathered there, this deaf, mute, illiterate water carrier began espousing a cogent and judicious commentary on the ancient, sacred texts! Upon witnessing this, Lal Chand overcame his pride, and he humbly fell at the Guru’s feet. Thereupon, both of these men became the Guru’s disciples.
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In our own lives, we have learned that by balancing the energies in our Ten Bodies, we can access our own infinity and the divine realms. We often see references to the Ten Bodies, shown to correspond to each of the Ten Gurus. However, in truth Guru Harkrishan Ji always held mastery over all of his Ten Bodies, as did all of Ten Gurus. This child of God, wearing the mantle of the Guru at such a young age, proved his mastery in the spiritual and earthly realms. His constant victory over various tests that were strategically designed to derail him, demonstrated a profound awareness unique to a leader of any age, let alone one as young as he.
Thinking of the examples of the Guru’s lives can deepen our understanding of the Ten Yogic Bodies. As a leader, Guru Harkrishan was without precedent. With regard to Guru Harkrishan Ji, the powerful projection of his healing Pranic body and the expansiveness of his Heart Chakra were greater than we can describe or imagine.
The teachings of Raj Yog reference powerful Pranayama to empower our own Pranic Body and open the Heart Chakra. Conscious, deep breathing, combined with repeating God’s Name, infuse us with divine awareness and inner strength. Guru Sahib Ji gives us countless references to these teachings:
Those who do not forget God with each breath and morsel of food. The ones who have Lord’s Name within their mind. They alone are blessed; O Nanak, they are the perfect saints.
Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 319By contemplating the Name of the Lord within each breath of my life, all my doubts and sorrows have departed.
Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 442I remember Naam in my mind with each and every breath. In this way, my mind finds the treasure of peace.
Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 673
We may thus ever remain attuned to our own infinite source of the Divine when we breathe consciously, in deep gratitude, repeating God’s Name with each breath we draw. This is the true goal in the practice of Raj Yog, known as Kundalini Yoga in the West. When we draw in a deep breath and then retain that holy breath, while stretching the spine up, we are infusing our lungs with the maximum amount of oxygen and prana possible. In this way, while suspending the breath in the lungs, our blood will even change color and become what is called “scarlet red.” This very rich, oxygen infused-blood becomes touched by the pavanor the prana as we repeat the Name. Breathing consciously in this manner is the best way to increase our vitality and stamina. Taking many vitamins and eating the best healthy food are wonderful to do, but it is truly the breath that gives and sustains a radiant life force.
Through constant remembrance, let us ever honor our body temple by repeating the Holy Name of God with each sacred breath that we draw. By chanting the Name with each breath, we dwell in earth and in heaven, our prayer becomes powerful, and others may be healed by our presence. May we always live in the vastness of the blessed Divine within and around all living beings, to understand the Lord’s Grace. May we have the strength to be pure, graceful, and radiant and always kind, compassionate, and caring and may we forever be grateful.
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