Day and night, sitting on the burning furnace of desires, we worship the Creator and pray to Him for the peace that we ourselves burn. This, the disease of our duality littered minds, remains beyond cure if we do not sincerely follow our Guru. First Nanak beautifully expresses this plight:
ਐਸਾ ਜਗੁ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਜੂਆਰੀ ॥
ਸਭਿ ਸੁਖ ਮਾਗੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਬਿਸਾਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Aisā jag ḏekẖi▫ā jū▫ārī.
Sabẖ sukẖ māgai nām bisārī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
In Essence: I have seen this gambling world; forgetting Name of the Creator, it is asking for peace. [Pause] {222 SGGS}
And he, on 15 SGGS, shows our destiny wrapped in full failure:
ਬਾਬਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਰਚਨਾ ਧੋਹੁ ॥
ਅੰਧੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਨਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਏਹ ਨ ਓਹੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bābā mā▫i▫ā racẖnā ḏẖohu.
Anḏẖai nām visāri▫ā nā ṯis eh na oh. ||1|| rahā▫o.
In Essence: O wise person! The Maya is deceitful creation; the blind mortal has forgotten the Name of the Creator; consequently, he or she gets neither Maya nor His Name. [Pause]
We become cause of our own suffering because we are not made aware of those acts that invite miseries for us; in desires, we build furnace of miseries and anxieties. All this that forces us to go through painful times is like a disease; it must be understood to cure it. Second Nanak on 1279 SGGS, enlightens us about this:
ਮਃ ੨ ॥ ਵੈਦਾ ਵੈਦੁ ਸੁਵੈਦੁ ਤੂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਰੋਗੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
ਐਸਾ ਦਾਰੂ ਲੋੜਿ ਲਹੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਵੰਞੈ ਰੋਗਾ ਘਾਣਿ ॥
ਜਿਤੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਰੋਗ ਉਠਿਅਹਿ ਤਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਵਸੈ ਆਇ ॥
ਰੋਗੁ ਗਵਾਇਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਤ ਨਾਨਕ ਵੈਦੁ ਸਦਾਇ ॥੨॥
Mėhlā 2. vaiḏā vaiḏ suvaiḏ ṯū pahilāʼn rog pacẖẖāṇ.
Aisā ḏārū loṛ lahu jiṯ vañai rogā gẖāṇ.
Jiṯ ḏārū rog uṯẖi▫ah ṯan sukẖ vasai ā▫e.
Rog gavā▫ihi āpṇā ṯa Nānak vaiḏ saḏā▫e. ||2||
Second Nanak:
In Essence: Oh Physician! You can be only then called “a wise physician” if you diagnose the disease. Search out that medicine which can eradicate multitude of diseases and thus they can be replaced with peace within. If you get rid of your own ailment, Nanak says, only then you deserve to be called a physician.
Above Guru Verses address a person who claims to be a physician for others but himself suffers from the same ailment his patients suffer. Application of these verses is wider than we think of. It also points our own plight we are not aware of. We follow the crowd. Diseased crowd cannot be helpful. Therefore, listen to the Guru and follow the path shown by the Guru. In Sukhmani, Fifth Nanak addresses all these issues one by one. As stated earlier, becoming dependent on desires will weaken us.
To obtain peace; we have to get off the burning fire of desires. To do that, we need to end this “self” filled with desires, and we should obtain virtues because it is the virtuous life that attracts the Creator. Peace comes through developing close relationships with the Creator. Interestingly, peace itself guards us as we follow our Guru in pursuit of the union with the Creator.
ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਰਾਮੁ ਗੁਣਹ ਵਸਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਨਿਵਾਰਿ ਬੀਚਾਰੇ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Nirguṇ rām guṇah vas ho▫e. Āp nivār bīcẖāre so▫e. ||1|| rahā▫o.
In Essence: The “Nirgun Creator” gets swayed with the virtues. The one who effaces one’s “self” can reflect on the Creator (successfully). [Pause] {222 SGGS}
In Sukhmani, Fifth Nanak prepares us for the goal of obtaining peace; he asks us to rise beyond the desires, conceit and infatuations of things and relations. As the mind starts satiating with the love of the Creator, the furnace of the desires is put off once for all.
Let’s go through the nectarous divine Bani.
ਗਉੜੀ ਸੁਖਮਨੀ ਮਃ ੫ ॥
Ga▫oṛī sukẖmanī mėhlā 5.
Raag Gauri, Reservoir of Peace, Mehla 5
Before starting the Bani, Fifth Nanak pays his respect to the Creator and First Nanak. Besides the expression of initial bowing, the verses signify the importance of Akalpurakh and the Satguru who hold everything about the journey of the soul. This prayer inspires the mind to settle on both, the Creator and the Guru. Thus, Fifth Nanak inspires us to indulge in praise of Akalpurakh, Guru and His devotees vigorously. A Sikh when bows before the Guru, he or she asks for the blessings of the Guru to become sincere in the devotion of the Creator and to get rid of powerful influences of the Maya. When the Guru’s blessings occur, the Sikh achieves everything because “His Naam” contains everything. Begging Maya from the Guru is going against Guru’s own teachings. If it is felt that we need more help than our own given capacity to complete a project; the Guru guides us to pray to the Creator (91, SGGS). Sikhs should not look for any other place but the refuge of the Creator and Guru Nanak Dev Ji who leads the followers only to Akalpurakh. In this Bani, Fifth Nanak stresses this point. How it is done, he elaborates it in detail.
ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਗੁਰਏ ਨਮਹ ॥
ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਗੁਰਏ ਨਮਹ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਏ ਨਮਹ ॥ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰਦੇਵਏ ਨਮਹ ॥੧॥
Salok. Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ. Āḏ gur▫e namah.
Jugāḏ gur▫e namah. Saṯgur▫e namah. Sarī gurḏev▫e namah. ||1||
Sloka:
In Essence: There is but one All pervading Akalpurakh who is obtained with the blessings of a True Guru. I bow to Primordial Guru Akalpurakh; I bow to Akalpurakh who has been Guru through the primal age; I bow to the True Guru and I bow to venerable Guru (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji).
Note: Freedkoti Teeka uses “aad Guru” for First Nanak and “Jugad Guru” for Second Nanak, “Satguru” for Third Nanak and “Gurdev” for Fourth Nanak. I wonder how Fifth Nanak can omit “the Creator” in his prayer!
We must understand as Sikhs that the real Guru is Akalpurakh who has been acting as a Guru through His mediums. If we learn from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, it means we learn from the Creator. Gurbani makes it clear why Guru is important: through the Guru, Akalpurakh guides the mortals [ on 1024 SGGS, Mehla 1:
ਗੁਰ ਮਹਿ ਆਪੁ ਰਖਿਆ ਕਰਤਾਰੇ ॥
Gur mėh āp rakẖi▫ā karṯāre.
In Essence: The Creator has installed His light (Himself) within the Guru.
Gurbani also warns the mortals to be aware of the false Gurus. Today the words like Guru, Saint and swami have become so common that it has become a fashion to use these words for the people having some followers. That is why Gurbani explains who can be a true Guru or a Saint or a Brahamgyani. In Sukhmani, Fifth Nanak provides us this useful knowledge so that we should not fall into the net of Maya influenced fake Gurus or Saints.
In the following, Fifth Nanak shares with us the magical power of contemplating the Creator. Please bear in mind, the bani expresses a story of the heart absorbed totally in the Almighty; it is filled with His praise. Guru Ji also indicates that in the primal scriptures, His Name is deemed as the purest one. Therefore, all the rest rituals in context of pleasing Akalpurakh are not as pure as His Name. It is advised to remain associated with those who remain absorbed in Him. We are guided to follow only His Naam once praised in the old scriptures; all irrelevant things to His Naam added in the old scriptures are not worth our attention. We are not guided to harbor nostalgia of the old scriptures; we are advised to cling to His Naam. Fifth Nanak takes the responsibility of eradicating duality of the followers; therefore, with reference to old scriptures, he asks us to move on with His Naam.
ਅਸਟਪਦੀ ॥
ਸਿਮਰਉ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥ ਕਲਿ ਕਲੇਸ ਤਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਮਿਟਾਵਉ ॥
ਸਿਮਰਉ ਜਾਸੁ ਬਿਸੁੰਭਰ ਏਕੈ ॥ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਤ ਅਗਨਤ ਅਨੇਕੈ ॥
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸੁਧਾਖ੍ਯ੍ਯਰ ॥ ਕੀਨੇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਇਕ ਆਖ੍ਯ੍ਯਰ ॥
ਕਿਨਕਾ ਏਕ ਜਿਸੁ ਜੀਅ ਬਸਾਵੈ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਗਨੀ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥
ਕਾਂਖੀ ਏਕੈ ਦਰਸ ਤੁਹਾਰੋ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਉਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਉਧਾਰੋ ॥੧॥
Asatpaḏī.
Simra▫o simar simar sukẖ pāva▫o. Kal kales ṯan māhi mitāva▫o.
Simra▫o jās bisumbẖar ekai. Nām japaṯ agnaṯ anekai.
Beḏ purān simriṯ suḏẖākẖ▫yar. Kīne rām nām ik ākẖ▫yar.
Kinkā ek jis jī▫a basāvai. Ŧā kī mahimā ganī na āvai.
Kāʼnkẖī ekai ḏaras ṯuhāro. Nānak un sang mohi uḏẖāro. ||1||
In Essence: I contemplate Akalpurakh and get peace by contemplating Him. By doing so, I will end strife and anguish from my body. I contemplate the Master of the world Akalpurakh whose Name numerous persons utter; the Vedas, the Puranas and the Simiritis have expressed Name of one Akalpurakh as a pure word. Who harbors His name for a moment in the heart, his praises are beyond words. Nanak says,” Oh God! Save me by keeping me in the company of those persons who long to obtain only your vision.”
Sadh Sangat is highly recommended for the seeker in Gurbani; there is a well explained reason of that. Maya influences are so powerful that even if some Guru followers decide to tread on Guru – path very sincerely, they often get trapped in the Maya net. Keeping this in mind, the Guru suggests us to stay in the company of those who are committed to the Guru and Akalpurakh. It is the company that makes and breaks the soul eventually. No wonder, Guru Ji promotes it loudly and clearly. Above Guru Ji offers prayer to Akalpurakh on behalf of us in this context. After advising us about magical effects of His meditation, Guru Ji, below in the following verses, makes clear that the contemplating Prabh Ji is what stills the mind; therefore it is the highest deed the mortal should involve in.
His Name, His acknowledged presence within and getting drenched in His love lead us to liberation of our minds. Only His Naam brings peace to our minds not the Maya; the Guru expresses the state of that mind which sincerely falls in love with His Name, and when it utters His Name, like a new breath, the body feels Him and it liberates the mind. Only a full trust in the Name brings such miracle.
ਸੁਖਮਨੀ ਸੁਖ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਨਾਮੁ ॥
ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾ ਕੈ ਮਨਿ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sukẖmanī sukẖ amriṯ parabẖ nām.
Bẖagaṯ janā kai man bisrām. Rahā▫o.
In Essence: Eternal Name of Akalpurakh is a reservoir of peace; (Because of it) the peace abides in the minds of His devotees. (Pause)
Above statement of Fifth Nanak is a basic canon of Sikhi. No entity or religious deed is deemed as pious as the act of contemplating His Name. First Nanak preached to all whom he met throughout his life to contemplate His Naam. Jap Ji overflows with His Naam – praise. No pilgrimage is equal to Naam; no entity is closer to the power of the Naam. On 15, SGGS, he states that who has forgotten His Naam has gained nothing. On 220, SGGS, Guru Ji literally defines the ultimate power of Naam compared to known nine treasure of supernatural powers. On 473 SGGS, First Nanak asks us to become fearless by associating with the Creator. Respectfully fearing Him dispels all other fears (151 SGGS). Thus, First Nanak frees us from all fears and anxieties. Then, as we contemplate Akalpurakh, our minds get stilled. Consequently, we enjoy eternal peace. Indeed His Naam is a reservoir of peace as expressed in the above Sloka of Fifth Nanak.
Interestingly, Gurbani doesn’t set up religious rules and laws for the mortals to enslaves them because it aims at stilling the mind; through stillness of the mind, liberation from all bonds occurs. How to live as per society’s norms and laws are left on the society builders because then the mind of His devotee progresses by becoming civilized only through spirituality; no effect of the society on a person in love with the creator remains alive though the society keeps coining its own laws as per its needs. Without this spiritual progression, any religion that binds the mortals with old set up laws will face obscurity as its society progresses in civilization.
The description of power of His Naam continues:
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਗਰਭਿ ਨ ਬਸੈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਦੂਖੁ ਜਮੁ ਨਸੈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਕਾਲੁ ਪਰਹਰੈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਦੁਸਮਨੁ ਟਰੈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਕਛੁ ਬਿਘਨੁ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਜਾਗੈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਭਉ ਨ ਬਿਆਪੈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਨ ਸੰਤਾਪੈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਸਾਧ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਿ ॥੨॥
Parabẖ kai simran garabẖ na basai. Parabẖ kai simran ḏūkẖ jam nasai.
Parabẖ kai simran kāl parharai. Parabẖ kai simran ḏusman tarai.
Parabẖ simraṯ kacẖẖ bigẖan na lāgai. Parabẖ kai simran an▫ḏin jāgai.
Parabẖ kai simran bẖa▫o na bi▫āpai. Parabẖ kai simran ḏukẖ na sanṯāpai.
Parabẖ kā simran sāḏẖ kai sang. Sarab niḏẖān Nānak har rang. ||2||
In Essence: Because of contemplating Akalpurakh, one doesn’t take birth (again); contemplating one almighty makes the fear of pain and death disappear; due to contemplating Him, anxiety of death goes away, and the vices go away. By contemplating Him, the obstacles do not come; by contemplating Him, one remains aware of Maya influences. Contemplating Him eradicates fear and pain or troubles. Contemplating Him is attained in the company of His true Devotee. All the treasures are found in the love of Akalpurakh.
CONTINUES…..
G Singh
For reading Part – 2
https://www.gursoch.com/gurmat-vichar/sukhmani-raag-gauri-part-2/
