Today, being occupied with the worldly affairs and too many personal engagements, we feel difficulty to remain focus on our Guru’s advice of getting imbued often with our Creator. In many shabdas, the Guru has expressed an easy way out of personal engagements without abandoning anything related to our duties. We can continue our responsible duties while following our Guru. In this regard, the following shabda, on 386, SGGS, must be reflected on. The Guru starts with simple advice to contemplate our Creator while we rest or work. How? The mind should remain inclined toward Him just as we plan or think about something while we drive our cars; we keep engaged in thinking about something; however, we also keep driving our cars flawlessly. Does it mean that we don’t pay attention to our job? Not literally. It means back in our minds, our goal and its planning keep going on and our attention on driving the car continues. Whatever moment we get, we should applaud Our Creator. At our success, we should applaud Him. At our failure, we should applaud Him. Let us look at the shabda, it will help us in this regard:
ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਊਠਤ ਬੈਠਤ ਸੋਵਤ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥
ਮਾਰਗਿ ਚਲਤ ਹਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਗਾਈਐ ॥੧॥
Āsā mėhlā 5.
Ūṯẖaṯ baiṯẖaṯ sovaṯ ḏẖi▫ā▫ī▫ai.
Mārag cẖalaṯ hare har gā▫ī▫ai. ||1||
Raag Asa, the bani of Fifth Nanak.
In essence: Har should be contemplated all the time; thus by walking on this path, we should sing Har’s praises.
Continuity in our job doesn’t require forgetting the power that has created us; that power is our Creator whom we address with numerous names. It doesn’t matter with what name we remember Him according to the Gurbani; however, it stresses on remembering Him continuously with sincerity; doing so helps us in concentrating on Him and developing the ultimate love for Him.
ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ਸੁਨੀਜੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕਥਾ ॥
ਜਾਸੁ ਸੁਨੀ ਮਨਿ ਹੋਇ ਅਨੰਦਾ ਦੂਖ ਰੋਗ ਮਨ ਸਗਲੇ ਲਥਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sarvan sunījai amriṯ kathā.
Jās sunī man ho▫e ananḏā ḏūkẖ rog man sagle lathā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Hear about the sweet divine discourse about Akalpurakh and listen to His praises. This way, the mind will be in bliss and all the pains and diseases inflicted on us by Maya will be eradicated. Pause.
When we get time, we should listen about Ekankar from those ones, who know Him better than us, or we should praise Him witnessing His wondrous show filled with positivity and negativity as well. In this context, it is worth mentioning that we should avoid that person, who is more eager to indulge in debates than to remember the Creator all the time without a question. One, who is devoted and committed to remember Him without seeking anything in return, should be our companion on the Guru path. The habit of devoting to the creator will lead us to learn about His Ordinance in force. Obeying His ordinance, whether we like or not, sets us free from our worries and anxieties.
ਕਾਰਜਿ ਕਾਮਿ ਬਾਟ ਘਾਟ ਜਪੀਜੈ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਹਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪੀਜੈ ॥੨॥
Kāraj kām bāt gẖāt japījai.
Gur parsāḏ har amriṯ pījai. ||2||
Remember Har’s name while working and walking(always). With the blessings of the Guru, taste His name nectar.
Our work should not hinder our remembering Him, because it doesn’t stop us praising His virtues. The Guru keeps reminding us our scared duty of remembering our Creator through numerous shabdas. How can we get our Guru’s blessings? By doing what the Guru asks us to do just as the Guru is inspiring us to focus on our Creator in this shabda.
ਦਿਨਸੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਗਾਈਐ ॥
ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਵਾਟ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੩॥
Ḏinas rain har kīrṯan gā▫ī▫ai.
So jan jam kī vāt na pā▫ī▫ai. ||3||
Sing Har’s praises day and night; one, who does so, doesn’t go through the fearful death.
Indulging in the praise of our Creator brings us near to Him and feeling near to Him eradicates our fear of death.
ਆਠ ਪਹਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਵਿਸਰਹਿ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਗਤਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਸੁ ਲਗਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੪॥੧੦॥੬੧॥
Āṯẖ pahar jis visrahi nāhī.
Gaṯ hovai Nānak ṯis lag pā▫ī. ||4||10||61||
Oh Nanak! Liberation is obtained by associating in utter humbleness with a person, who doesn’t forget Har ever.
In the company of a gambler, we develop our taste for gabling; in the company of a community helper, we learns to help others; in the same way, we develop love for our Creator in the company of those, who are already in love with Him. What we will learn from those, who have limited themselves to debating and arguing over one word or the other or slandering others? The Guru makes us clear that the most sacred task is to remember our Creator all the time. What other kind of help we need from the hair-splitters?
On 848, SGGS, Fifth Nanak also advises his followers to fall in love with Ekankar and start feeling real separation from Him to walk on His path; here are his words:
ਲਾਇ ਬਿਰਹੁ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਸੰਗੇ ਹੋਇ ਮਿਲੁ ਬੈਰਾਗਨਿ ਰਾਮ ॥
ਚੰਦਨ ਚੀਰ ਸੁਗੰਧ ਰਸਾ ਹਉਮੈ ਬਿਖੁ ਤਿਆਗਨਿ ਰਾਮ ॥
ਈਤ ਊਤ ਨਹ ਡੋਲੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਜਾਗਨਿ ਰਾਮ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਆਪਣਾ ਸਾ ਅਟਲ ਸੁਹਾਗਨਿ ਰਾਮ ॥੪॥੧॥੪॥
Lā▫e birahu bẖagvanṯ sange ho▫e mil bairāgan rām.
Cẖanḏan cẖīr suganḏẖ rasā ha▫umai bikẖ ṯi▫āgan rām.
Īṯ ūṯ nah dolī▫ai har sevā jāgan rām.
Nānak jin parabẖ pā▫i▫ā āpṇā sā atal suhāgan rām. ||4||1||4||
In essence: Be in love with Har and feel His separation. To meet Him, you become detached. Get rid of your attachment to sandal, raiment, scents, vice and conceit. Stay awake from the Maya influences and do not waver by other attractions or things by remaining in Har’s service. Oh Nanak! That bride, who has obtained her Spouse, Har, becomes eternal (remains with her spouse forever).
On 897, SGGS, the Guru clearly states how the Guru’s service is done and why following the Guru is important to get liberated from the Maya bonds: Here it is:
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਜਪੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਉ ॥
Gur kī kīraṯ japī▫ai har nā▫o.
Gur kī bẖagaṯ saḏā guṇ gā▫o.
The Guru’s glory is in remembering Har’s name; and the Guru’s service is to keep singing Har’s praises.
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨੁ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨੁ ॥੨॥
Gur kī suraṯ nikat kar jān.
Gur kā sabaḏ saṯ kar mān. ||2||
Fixing attention on the Guru is to feel Akalpurakh very close, and believe that the Guru’s shabda is true.
ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਸਮਸਰਿ ਸੁਖ ਦੂਖ ॥
ਕਦੇ ਨ ਬਿਆਪੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਭੂਖ ॥
Gur bacẖnī samsar sukẖ ḏūkẖ.
Kaḏe na bi▫āpai ṯarisnā bẖūkẖ.
Through the Guru’s teachings, take comfortable and pains alike. Then, you will not be disturbed ever by the hunger of desires.
When the Guru’s follower starts living strictly according to the Guru by emptying his or her all other intellectual influences from his or her mind, what happens? The Guru answers:
ਮਨਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਗੁਰ ਰਾਜੇ ॥
ਜਪਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਪੜਦੇ ਸਭਿ ਕਾਜੇ ॥੩॥
Man sanṯokẖ sabaḏ gur rāje.
Jap gobinḏ paṛ▫ḏe sabẖ kāje. ||3||
The mind is satiated and contented by the Guru’s shabda. By remembering Ekankar’s name, all faults (bad done deeds) are covered.
ਗੁਰੁ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ॥
ਗੁਰੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਦਇਆਲ ਬਖਸਿੰਦੁ ॥
Gur parmesar gur govinḏ.
Gur ḏāṯā ḏa▫i▫āl bakẖsinḏ.
The Guru is a form of Ekankar; yes, the Guru is a form of the Master of the universe. The Guru is bounteous, compassionate and forgiving.
ਗੁਰ ਚਰਨੀ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਮਨੁ ਲਾਗਾ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸ ਤਿਸੁ ਪੂਰਨ ਭਾਗਾ ॥੪॥੩੬॥੪੭॥
Gur cẖarnī jā kā man lāgā.
Nānak ḏās ṯis pūran bẖāgā. ||4||36||47||
Oh Nanak! A person, who takes refuge in the Guru in utter humbleness, becomes perfectly lucky.
In the end of the first shabda we have reflected on, the Guru verifies that one, who sincerely gets involved in His praise by humbly associating with that person, who never ever forgets the Creator, gets liberated. In other words, we need to associate with that person, who has realized Him by never forgetting Him. If we don’t find such a person, we need the company of those seekers, who are trying eagerly not to forget Him while performing the worldly duties. With their company, we will be in special environment in which remembering and thanking our Creator become our priority. Then, all the secondary thoughts or actions never can dominate us.
Humbly
Gurdeep Singh
