Chapter from “Forever with Master” vol. II (p. 111), section “The Gurmukh knows Master’s competency and how to develop others” — by Dr. Harbhajan Singh
After His passing away one may derive benefit from the Satsang
conducted by a Gurmukh who is carrying on the duties of
the Guru, and may consult him in case one has some difficulty.
It is, however, of the utmost importance that the Master
is not to be changed on any account.
Loyalty to the Master who has initiated the spirit and whom
the spirit has pledged his troth demands the recognition,
that the Master is competent to impart further guidance
and instructions, even when He is working on the spiritual
plane after having left the physical world.(41)
— Kirpal Singh
After the physical departure of his Master, his condition is like a pious widow, who does not bother for another husband. This is the most pitiable stage of the widow, since she has to defend herself out of fear and respect of her husband. For her, the fear and respect do not finish after the physical departure of her husband, rather they grow, since she has to defend herself and she hopes to join her husband after the physical departure.
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His Master was a living example of all humility and all favour unto the whole humanity, and the Conscious Co-worker of the Divine Plan keeps it ever fresh and ever available by the ever-existent Grace of his Master. His Master was Word-personified and has left His sweet remembrance in the heart of people. No measure could measure the depth of His love. What is left after Him is His sweet remembrance. The daily life of the Gurmukh is to help himself and others to keep His everlasting love and never to forget it in the dire consequences of life. The condition of the Gurmukh is not like such a widow who slowly, slowly forgets her husband and searches for another one.
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The separation from his Master brings in endless sighs in his life. Throughout his life he maintains His commandments, and spends his life in the hope to meet Him soon. He is more careful of committing any mistake, lest he is shaken away with the otherness and duality. His life is a phenomenon, and he is the only one who witnesses it.
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To attend a funeral or a marriage-party hardly makes any distinction for a Gurmukh. In the funeral procession he weeps over the tragic end of the departed soul and prays for the blessing of his Master. In the marriage-party he curses his lonely stay in the world, yearning for the eternal union with his Master.
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He has constant touch with his Master, even if the Master is not physically with him.
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The child would always like to sleep in the lap of his mother. So is the condition of a Gurmukh, who will never surrender to another one even during the test-period of his life.
The loveable efforts of the mother to teach her child sweetly imprint the memory of the child throughout his life as the first and foremost lesson of the mother. So is the condition of the Gurmukh with his beloved Master.
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He does not show his cleverness upon others, but remains there like an ordinary person, and through his simplicity and high thoughts he wins over the hearts of others. His lifelong desire is to see his Master in the physical body. He would never like to work in place of his Master. If unfortunately his Master leaves the physical body, he would never claim himself as His spiritual successor. His relation as Gurmukh with his Master is unbreakable, ever fresh, and permanent.
If the disciple simply becomes a mouthpiece of the Guru,
he gets His place. But if he thinks he himself has
become a guru, then… He’ll know.
It’s a very delicate point.(42)
— Kirpal Singh
References:
(41) Godman, p. 24
(42) Light of Kirpal, p. 356