Heaven & Paradise...

One day a Jehovah’s Witness came to our house. He was very keen to sell his religion to me. “Are you happy with the world?” he said, “Yes, I am.” “Really? But there is war, crime and destruction. Jesus has promised us Paradise and Heaven. The Kingdom of God is to come soon.”



I thought about what he had said and asked him, “Whose kingdom are you living in now? Is this your Kingdom? No. We are already living in God’s Kingdom, but you have not realised this, because you are too busy selling Heaven and Paradise to others, rather than making your own life like Heaven by cherishing and enjoying the Presence of God.”

This idea of selling a ticket to Heaven and luring people with the hope of Paradise is used by many religions, in particular the Semitic religions like Christianity and Islam.

surag mukat baikuntt sabh baa(n)chehi, nit aasa aas kareejai. har darshan ke jan mukat maa(n)gehi, mil darshan tripat man dheejai.1.
Everyone longs for paradise, liberation and heaven; all place their hopes in them. The humble long for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; they do not ask for liberation. Their minds are satisfied and comforted by His Darshan.1.
(Ang 1324, SGGS)

I thought why not consult my Guru (literally meaning ‘Enlightener’ who dispels the darkness of ignorance) about Heaven and Paradise. Reading Gurbani, I came across a shabad, which if you read carefully, it appears as if a Muslim person is trying to persuade Baba Kabeer Ji to convert to Islam, and says that if he accepts being a Muslim he will receive Paradise (Heaven). I thought “Waheguru!!” (Wondrous Lord).


A picture depicting Bhagat Kabeer Ji weaving clothes

It is amazing how what the Shabd Guru (the Divine Infinite Wisdom recorded in Gurbani) does not offer just a philosophy but actual experience and reality. Gurbani is real and offers reality. Ninety percent of Gurbani is first hand experience of the Divine and reality. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji and the Bhagats of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji don’t show experience, as Sants, Babé and self-proclaimed Satgurus do, rather the Eternal True Guru shows a person how they can have an experience. For this reason, Gurbani many times follows the style of asking questions and provoking people to think and reflect rather than telling them x,y,z without making the person contemplate on the Ultimate reality and Truth...