Friends, as we have said before, love is the path of the mad. Have you ever wondered why we say this? It is because a mad person lacks intellect. Intellect is the seat of logic and reason. It is intellect that breeds ego within us. Intellect looks down upon the mind, dismissing it as chaotic. Conversely, a mad person is devoid of intellect; they are entirely governed by their heart and mind. While the mind can mislead us, it does not mislead as much as intellect does.
Consider this: you are walking down the road, and a beggar extends their hand, seeking alms. Your heart moves you to give, but your intellect immediately intervenes, analyzing and rationalizing. This beggar looks perfectly healthy. Perhaps begging is his profession. There’s no point in giving him money. And so, you move on, trusting your intellect over your heart. Intellect convinces you that trusting others is foolish, that love must be conditional. It recalls past betrayals and warns you against loving someone who has hurt you before. Intellect directs the mind to resurface old wounds, and together, they steer you away from the path of love.
True Love Transcends Intellect
For those who truly fall in love, their beloved takes permanent residence in their hearts. They see their beloved everywhere and in everyone. Their beloved becomes a part of their very being, impossible to forget. You might think this is impractical or impossible in today’s world, but it is both possible and real. History bears witness to it.
Take, for instance, a pregnant woman. She cannot forget, not even in her sleep, that a new life is growing within her. The child in her womb becomes an inseparable part of her being, present in every fiber of her existence. If she can carry such profound awareness, why can’t we let love permeate our being in the same way?
Meera and Radha have demonstrated this on this very earth. Guru Nanak wandered from place to place, immersed in the resonance of Ik Onkar. For him, the divine was omnipresent; he saw it everywhere and in everything. He would lose himself in love for the divine at any moment, in any place.
There is a story about Guru Nanak. Once, he was tasked with weighing grain in a shop. As he measured and distributed the grain—one kilo, two kilos—he reached the thirteenth kilo (tera, meaning “yours” in Punjabi). Upon hearing the word tera, he was overcome by love for the divine, repeating, Sab tera, sab tera (“All is yours, all is yours”). In that moment, he was lost in the bliss of divine love.
Similarly, Ramakrishna Paramhansa saw the divine mother in everything, even in his own wife. It is said that when he was appointed as a priest to worship Mother Kali, he would sometimes offer her devotion several times a day and, at other times, disappear for days. When questioned by the temple committee, he simply replied with a smile, “I present myself when Mother comes. When she doesn’t come, whom should I serve? If you have further questions, ask her.” Such is the nature of love—it transcends logic and compels even the divine to manifest.
Fear and Love Cannot Coexist
We are taught to fear God. Phrases like “I am a God-fearing person” or “Fear the Lord” are common in every language. Even Tulsidas wrote in the Ramayana: “Fear fosters faith.” But should we really fear God? In truth, where there is fear, there can be no love. A lion in a cage might obey its trainer out of fear but will never love them. This fear has seeped into our relationships as well—fear of parents or teachers in childhood, fear of losing respect or status in adulthood, fear of losing a spouse or lover. Life becomes a cycle of fear, leaving no room for pure, unbroken love.
Some may argue, “We love our parents. Everything they did was justified.” If that were true and your love for them was unconditional, why do you still remember their mistakes or harsh actions? A true lover, like Nanak, only says, “Sab tera” (“All is yours”). But how often do you say that?
Rekindling Love in a Fearful World
Today, love is disappearing from society, replaced by fear and hatred. Fear breeds more fear, and hatred attracts more hatred. To change this, we must rekindle the light of love within ourselves and spread it to others.
Friends, the path of love may seem like madness to the world, but it is a madness worth embracing. Love dissolves ego, silences the intellect, and allows the heart to connect with the divine. Let us extinguish fear and light the lamp of love, so it may illuminate not just our lives but the lives of everyone around us. Let us foster a world where love reigns supreme, banishing fear and hatred forever.
