Who do you think will help you? || Acharya Prashant, on Guru Granth Sahib (2019)

In good times, there are many companions around, but in bad times, there is no one at all. Says Nanak, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord; He shall be your only Help and Support in the end. ||32||

~ Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Salok Mahalla

Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 14128

Question: Acharya Ji, it is my tendency to seek help from those whom I consider to be good and reliable. I want to know the truth of what Guru Teg Bahadur Ji is saying in this verse, because when I seek help from others, I usually spoil and strain my relationships, and even the help does not come.

How can I see that the only genuine help is the one that comes from the Lord?

Acharya Prashant Ji: It depends on what is the quality of help that you call as ‘final’.

There is help that comes from the world, and there is help that comes from the Lord. Which of these two helps do you more desperately want?

The verse that you are quoting says, “He shall be your only Help and Support in the end.” ‘End’ does not mean a particular moment of death etc. ‘End’ means – the highest.

‘End’ means – the highest.

So it is being said that the Lord shall be your only and final support. Now it depends on you, what is it that you consider as your ‘final support’. And what would that depend on? That would depend on what you perceive yourself as.

Which kind of help will you value more, that depends on which need do you experience more. Is that not true? You might have a need for a new Kurta , and you might be needing some water too. A fellow comes to you with Kurta, another fellow comes to you with water.

Which of the two would you value more?

Depends on which ‘need’ do you value more.

If you value the need for Kurta more, then you would be very forthcoming in thanking the one who is bringing the Kurta to you. If you feel your thirst deeply, then you will profusely thank the one who is bringing water to you.

So, there is something that the world brings to you. And there is something that the Lord brings to you. You find out which one is a greater need to you.

Questioner: Acharya Ji, my need is understanding what is going on in my life, understanding myself, and probably, what you meant by ‘the highest’. But, I do not see the Lord, and I do not know from where the help would come.

Acharya Prashant Ji: When you say that you are looking at your life, your need is to understand your life, essentially you will understand what is it that you lack. Otherwise, there is no need to understand life.

Even the need to understand life arises from a discomfort with life, experiencing that there is something odd in life. So, there is an internal need, and therefore one gathers self-knowledge.

What is it that you are needful of? – That is to be found out. What is it that you are really needful of? And that which you are really needful of, is it being brought to you by the world, or the Lord?

Self-knowledge is in a way an understanding of self’s needs. Some of those needs can surely be fulfilled by the world. But are they your deepest needs?

Questioner: No.

Acharya Prashant Ji: Then what are your deepest needs? And who will meet those needs?

Questioner: That I do not know.

Acharya Prashant Ji: That is to be found out by looking at your life.

“What am I looking for?”

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