Bringing Back the ‘Shehanshah Yug’ - Who is Responsible?

Let us face it.  

We can never find a solution by hiding or denying the problem.

We all talk about how things – our ways and customs have changed over the period of time and sometimes, there seems to be a feeling of unrest as well over how things are being done now days. We keep comparing the current situation with old times. We talk about bringing back the ‘Shehanshah’s Yug’ again. 
We talk about how people were ‘Sat-bachani’ in those days.
We talk about how there used to be so much Shradha; respect for elders and seniors - genuine love for all - 
and that all of these seem to have disappeared now.

But who is responsible for all this? 

        We all are. 
                       We Are All Responsible for the change.

We usually criticize and complain about what is happening these days. We attack and blame others for what has happened. 
But have we really tried to understand why things were different before? 
Why the attitudes of people were different in olden days? 
Why they were Sat-bachani?
Why there was so much Shradhaa and respect? 
One reason is that the people who came into the mission in those days, were real seekers. They had spent years searching for the Truth – reading the Holy Scriptures for answers, going to their respective religious places with ample faith and genuine respect -  doing Seva at those places to the best of their abilities with utmost respect and devotion. So, when they found the Truth and Gyana in the Mission, they were struck with awe and felt utmost and genuine respect for the Guru and all other fellow saints. Many danced in ecstasy with love - because they had found what they had been looking for – they found happiness and peace. The mission became their life - and their life became the mission.

Then the times changed. 

Because of the publicity and media, crowds of people started to come with the attitude of - ‘let’s see what’s this all about’. Some of them might have been the real seekers, but many - simply after seeing the multitudes of gatherings, decided to join this new and growing organization for different reasons – or just to become part of a beautiful, growing and loving community.
Now, there cannot be a genuine respect and sense of sacrifice if there is no genuine spiritual reason to join a divine movement. So, as the famous saying goes: ‘the quality decreases when the quantity increases’- the overall level of spiritualty inevitably started to go down when the huge multitudes of crowds started to join the mission. Eventually, this simple spiritual organization became so big that it had no other choice than to work like a corporation to handle its affairs properly and efficiently. Management and discipline issues became more prominent than the spiritual talks and debates.

But this is only one side of the problem.
There is always another side to every story, or every situation.

In those early days, those seekers turned saints – who were willing to sacrifice everything to help spread the Truth, were actually groomed and encouraged to do so. They were groomed to become ‘saints’. They were guided and encouraged to spend more time in Sumiran – meditation. It was like apprenticeship. All those old and great saints we usually talk about, used to travel with Baba Avtar Singh ji in trains and in buses as a group. People used to see them as a group of saints and many would want to know about them and their Guru. The tradition continued even later, when they started travelling in a convey of cars. 
This system worked well in two ways:
First: Those who were accompanying Baba Avtar Singh ji on regular basis - knowingly or unknowingly – were being groomed into sainthood. 
Secondly….
With the increased number of devotees, it became extremely difficult for masses – for individual devotees to keep a one to one relation or a personal contact with the Guru. But Shehanshah ji was always accompanied by few great saints who sat in different small groups of newcomers, seekers – to answer their spiritual queries – to satisfy their curiosity. This way – intentionally or unintentionally - the second line of Guru like saints had been prepared, who were admired, looked upon and revered almost like the Guru himself. 
Shehanshah ji used to become extremely happy whenever he was told that the Saints; his senior disciples were treated just like him.
Many serious seekers just as myself would try to stay in the company of those saints - to serve them and to learn from them with respect. It worked like ‘apprenticeship’ for the future preachers also. Just by being with them and observing them closely had a great impact on many who stayed in their company.
This sort of apprenticeship for the younger – or elderly new ‘would be preachers’ continued with the senior saints for a while. They were encouraged to study and speak from the Scriptures and they learned proper ways and life style of a Pracharak by observing the senior saints closely. 
When we used to accompany Bhapa Ram Chand ji of Kapurthala and Sant Amar Singh ji of Patiala during their Prachar tours, they used to guide us how to speak with humility, treat everyone with respect and to adjust in every situation just as they did themselves. They never asked for anything from the hosts– even such small and common things as salt or sugar and taught us to do the same. We were taught to accept everything happily and graciously that was offered to us. 
“It is not our right – that we ought to be served” they said. “It is not their duty to serve us – it’s the kindness of their heart that they serve us with respect - so accept everything that is being offered to you - with humility and gratitude.” 
At times, we were even scolded if we did not eat and accepted gratefully what was offered to us - or if any expression of rejection appeared on our face - or if someone asked for something. Later, they will teach us that if you want to do Prachar then you must be ready to give up your comforts and desires. You can eat your favorite dishes or food of your choice at your home. But when you come for Prachar, then eat whatever is offered to you - sleep at whatever place or bed is provided to you. This is a Prachar tour - not a pleasure trip for sight seeing or something. 

I don’t know how, but somewhere along the line, we lost that tradition of apprenticeship - creating and grooming of a second line of ‘Guru like Saints’. Shehanshah ji used to insist that the senior saints - especially the one who bestowed the Gyan to us - should be given utmost respect and be treated just like him. Today, however, the feelings have changed. Everyone is considered a sevadaar. We say that we should learn from every one but don't want to consider anyone a teacher - because no one is supposed to teach. Even the final discourse has become a "Vichar-Duty or Vichar-Seva". 
There was time when we used to look forward to listen to the Vichaars of the 'saints' with shradhaa and devotion. But now, the Vichaar or the final discourse from the dais has become just a duty - being performed in rotation by different members of the congregation. It is not looked upon with respect or reverence anymore - because now it has been named as ‘Vichaar duty’ or Vichaar Seva’. 
The word ‘duty’ or Seva creates a different psychological effect on the minds of the listeners - and subconsciously – it is not taken or absorbed with reverence. The spiritual discourses; directions and teachings have turned into a ritualistic duty for both - the speakers and the listeners. Though, everyone is equal and should be respected and treated as equal – yet, in the eyes or minds of the listeners, one person is standing in the parking lot, another in the shoe room, yet another one doing the secretary ship and one sitting on the dais to do the Vichaar. Each one is performing the duty that has been assigned to them. Then how can we expect the same respect for the preachers and the same outcomes of their preaching as it used to be? 
For example, assign a duty to some students to speak on a topic on a certain day. Some might prepare their speech with the intention of a better performance and some others may not - and one by one they all deliver their lecture in front of the class. Everyone in the audience – the class mates, as well as the teacher, would be judging them as to who was good and who was not – who performed well and who did not – or who was better than others etc. No one is listening with the intention of learning. 
But on the other hand, if someone is appointed as a teacher and is sent out to teach, his intent as well as the intention of the students would be very different. He would behave differently because he knows he has to speak and act in a certain way to earn his respect and honor. He would also keep in mind what not to do – so he doesn’t lose his respect and reputation. At the same time, the students would listen to him with respect - with the intention of learning - not judging.
The same could be true with today’s youth’s attitude towards their parents or elders. All over the world, all parents sacrifice their own desires and time to provide the best for their children – to create a better future for the children. But when the young generation starts feeling that whatever their parents did for them – was their duty as parents – that they did what they were supposed to do, the feeling changes and there is not much love or respect left towards the parents anymore. 
Similarly, if the parents also did everything for their children simply as a duty – without love or feeling of sacrifice – the mutual feelings would be very different. According to the psychologists, the children who grow up in such environment behave very differently. 
Undoubtedly, on the Aadhyaatmik level - on the basic spiritual level, we all are one. Everyone is equal - but yet, there are always some distinctions to be followed. Two Gyani Mahanpurush - one a soldier and the other a captain or a colonel - although, as saints, they are not different at all but yet they have to act and be treated properly in order to maintain the discipline and for the organization of army to work properly. 
Parents and children have their own respective roles to perform. How can a household run smoothly by switching their roles casually on day to day basis? 
Receiving the ‘Brahm-Gyan’– the ‘God- knowledge’ is considered the highest form of learning. According to the Bhagavad Gita, after receiving this Gyana – there is nothing more left to be learned (in the field of spirituality). In the earlier days, bestowing the ‘Gyan’ was considered the highest form of teaching – to be conferred upon others by a revered saint. It was a sign of Sainthood. Unfortunately, bestowing Gyan has also been termed as a mere ‘duty’ now. 
These days, quite often we hear phrases like:
“Who is doing the Vichaar duty next week?
“Whose duty is to give Gyan today?”
“Is it your duty to do the Vichaar today or to give Gyana?”
Or even : "Hey! Isn't your duty to do the Vichar today? You are late. Hurry up and go on the stage."
Few times I have noticed, especially in the Sangats outside India - when a new person comes to Sangat and asks someone "who is this Mahatma ji sitting on the stage?"
The answer given many times is: "Oh. He is just a member of our Sangat. It's his or her duty to sit there and deliver the discourse today. We do it in rotation."
And the newcomer thinks: So, he is not a Mahatma? His duty is just to sit on the dais and have people touch his feet? To have people do Namaskar to him? 
Expressions like these do not implement any feelings of reverence. Hence the outcome of such acts would be quite different than it used to be when the person sitting on the stage – delivering discourse and bestowing the Gyan was seen as a Mahatma - a Saint. 
I remember Sant Amar Singh ji Patiala used to say that Sadh-Sangat means company of Saints or a Saadhu. If there is no Mahatma - no Saadhu in the congregation then how can it be called a Saadh-Sangat? 
Undoubtedly - the person executing the activities of a Preacher should certainly do it without ego – with love, kindness and humility – and with complete devotion towards the Satguru. But no one can gain any spiritual wisdom from them if they don’t see them as Saints and if the preachers do not present themselves as Saints.

In order to do all that, one has to become a true Saint. 

Therefore, in order to bring the ‘good ol’ days’ back - if we really want to bring back the ‘Shehanshah Yug’, then we must bring that old system back. We need to create new saints - to groom the disciples to become - not just the followers or preachers, but true Saints. At the same time, as an individual, we need to strive to become a Gyani Saint rather than becoming a mere follower.

We need to change the system from both ends. Complaining and blaming one side or the other is not going to change anything.

                                    ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

Note:  As a lifelong follower and well-wisher of the Mission - 
these are my personal views based on my personal observations and experience. 
It’s not a criticism or complaint against any one individual or the management as whole. As I said earlier: 

We Are All Responsible for the change that has happened
                                               and  
We Are All Responsible for the change we want to bring about.