For a long time, it has been my curiosity to understand what our Gurus’ routine had been for a spiritual perfection. The stories told about them are not enough for me, as I suspect that some hear say elements and egregious lies are layered in them. Fourth Nanak guides us how our day should start on 305, SGGS, but my desire has continued to know more about their own routine through their own words. While studying the bani, I have come across a shabda by First Nanak that is satisfactorily relevant to my curiosity. In it, he tells about him and his priorities, which is a base of his missionary exploration. That is what he has believed in and that is what he wants from us, his followers. Let us look at that shabda, in Raag Parbhati on 1331, SGGS:
ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
Parbẖāṯī mėhlā 1.
Raag Parbhati, the bani of First Nanak
ਗੀਤ ਨਾਦ ਹਰਖ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥
ਰਹਸ ਰੰਗ ਫੁਰਮਾਇਸਿ ਕਾਈ ॥
Gīṯ nāḏ harakẖ cẖaṯurā-ī.
Rahas rang furmā-is kā-ī.
In essence: The worldly songs, tunes and cleverness, the comforts, pleasures and dominion,
ਪੈਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਣੁ ਖਾਣਾ ਚੀਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਸਾਚੁ ਸਹਜੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਨਾਮਿ ਵਸਾਈ ॥੧॥
Painĥaṇ kẖāṇā cẖīṯ na pā-ī.
Sācẖ sahj sukẖ nām vasā-ī. ||1||
and wearing and eating do not please my mind; I enshrine Har’s name in my mind, and I obtain peace and poise.
In this context, look at the Guru’s another expression on 225, SGGS in which he declares that everything one desires to attain fails to provide peace for one’s mind without the Creator’s love. We see everyday that the achievement of the worldly financial and power related goals fails to procure peace and happiness that can last. It is our shallowness that we fall for that petty stuff if we are longing to have everlasting happiness. Where is peace without Him? Certainly, there is no peace without loving Him flawlessly:
ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਚੋਆ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਅੰਕਿ ਚੜਾਵਉ ॥
ਪਾਟ ਪਟੰਬਰ ਪਹਿਰਿ ਹਢਾਵਉ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥
Ga-oṛī mėhlā 1.
Cẖo-ā cẖanḏan ank cẖaṛāva-o.
Pāt patambar pahir hadẖāva-o.
Bin har nām kahā sukẖ pāva-o. ||1||
Raag Gaurhi, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: Even if I apply perfume of Chandan and wear silky robes, I cannot obtain peace and comfort without Akalpurakh’s name.
ਕਿਆ ਪਹਿਰਉ ਕਿਆ ਓਢਿ ਦਿਖਾਵਉ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ki-ā pahira-o ki-ā odẖ ḏikẖāva-o.
Bin jagḏīs kahā sukẖ pāva-o. ||1|| rahā-o.
What should I wear to make a show? I cannot obtain peace and comfort without Akalpurakh, the Master of the world. Pause.
The essence is the same; without living in His memory and love, peace remains unattainable. Obviously first priority of the Guru is remembering the Creator and feeling His presence within and out. Then the daily routine of making a living starts. Whatever is due to do is done but without forgetting Him for a second. Basically, the entire attention remains on the Creator. The result of it settles a flow of peace within. Add to it, the plight of the mind that becomes uninterested in the worldly attractions is expressed as it falls in love with the Creator. The mind, in love with the Creator, doesn’t worry what is going to happen or what is there in the future, because it is irrelevant for it as it is drenched in His love. It is only His memory that keeps it in bliss.
ਕਿਆ ਜਾਨਾਂ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਕਰਾਵੈ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਤਨਿ ਕਿਛੁ ਨ ਸੁਖਾਵੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ki-ā jānāʼn ki-ā karai karāvai.
Nām binā ṯan kicẖẖ na sukẖāvai. ||1|| rahā-o.
What do I know what Akalpurakh does for me, or what He makes me do? Nothing pleases my mind without His name. Pause.
Worries have no place in believing in His eternal laws that are bound to occur. We are treading on a path leading to our goal, but does it matter if it is littered with obstacles? It doesn’t, because important is the spiritual goal – filled with everlasting bliss – that we intend to attain. The Guru implies here his determination to stay in His love. As long as the mind is fixed on His memory, nothing matters. If the path is blocked, all measures at hand can be applied so that treading on the path continues. Sikhi doesn’t accept outer influences save for the Gurbani; it doesn’t compromise with other alternatives but the Guru’s shown path; walking fearlessly on this path, the follower merges with the Guru’s guidance finally.
ਜੋਗ ਬਿਨੋਦ ਸ੍ਵਾਦ ਆਨੰਦਾ ॥
ਮਤਿ ਸਤ ਭਾਇ ਭਗਤਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਾ ॥
Jog binoḏ savāḏ ānanḏā.
Maṯ saṯ bẖā-e bẖagaṯ gobinḏā.
I enjoy bliss through the wondrous play of Akalpurakh’s union, as I am totally involved in His devotion in love.
Then our living becomes sweeter, and negativity around us disappears; even some ups and down may hit hard, but the cozy presence of the Creator soothes our flickering minds; thus we are saved from the fire of anxiety. Such powerful is His devotion if done with impeccable sincerity.
ਕੀਰਤਿ ਕਰਮ ਕਾਰ ਨਿਜ ਸੰਦਾ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਰਵਤੌ ਰਾਜ ਰਵਿੰਦਾ ॥੨॥
Kīraṯ karam kār nij sanḏā.
Anṯar ravṯou rāj ravinḏā. ||2||
Praising Akalpurakh has become my daily routine. My all-pervading Akalpurakh is illumining me within.
As His presence glows within, positive energy is established not only within but also outside. If the negativity is experienced around, it is converted into positivity. Now in this situation, it is not our minds that take the steering of our lives, but the presence of Akalpurakh that drives us toward the unending bliss. In Maya pursuits, such experience is not inevitable; instead it remains incomprehensible.
ਪ੍ਰਿਉ ਪ੍ਰਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮਿ ਉਰ ਧਾਰੀ ॥
ਦੀਨਾ ਨਾਥੁ ਪੀਉ ਬਨਵਾਰੀ ॥
Pari-o pari-o parīṯ parem ur ḏẖārī.
Ḏīnā nāth pī-o banvārī.
I have enshrined my Akalpurakh’s love in my heart. My spouse, Akalpurakh, is the Support of the meek; He is the Master of the world.
Feelings of His greatness envelop the mind and it enjoys the bliss it is in. It never comes out of it knowing and realizing that He is the Master of all and He is ever present in and out. Then what else can scare us? What else can worry us?
ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਾਨੁ ਬ੍ਰਤਕਾਰੀ ॥
ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਤਰੰਗ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥੩॥
An-ḏin nām ḏān baraṯkārī.
Ŧaripaṯ ṯarang ṯaṯ bīcẖārī. ||3||
I am performing my duty of remembering His name and inspiring others to do that every day. As I reflect on Akalpurakh, the source of all, I become satiated and free of the Maya waves.
The waves of Maya subside and die, as the mind gets soaked in His love. As the mind is in His blissful love, it pursues its aim to get together with those, who are ready to listen and to walk on the same path. Let others also realize that the presence of the all-powerful and all wise Creator is saturated all over; realization of this truth is itself an ever-lasting joy.
ਅਕਥੌ ਕਥਉ ਕਿਆ ਮੈ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
ਭਗਤਿ ਕਰੀ ਕਰਾਇਹਿ ਮੋਰ ॥
Akthou katha-o ki-ā mai jor.
Bẖagaṯ karī karā-ihi mor.
Oh Akalpurakh! What power I have to express your inexpressible virtues? I do your devotion, because you make me do it.
Make sure, no claim gets place in the heart ever; whatever is obtained through His devotion should be credited back to the Creator saying loudly: Oh Ekankar! It is you who can make it happen; otherwise, a small attraction of Maya can floor us instantly.
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਵਸੈ ਚੂਕੈ ਮੈ ਮੋਰ ॥
ਕਿਸੁ ਸੇਵੀ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਹੀ ਹੋਰੁ ॥੪॥
Anṯar vasai cẖūkai mai mor.
Kis sevī ḏūjā nahī hor. ||4||
When Akalpurakh abides within, my self-conceit and claims related to it go away.There is none other whom I can serve but Him.
Truth is that when Ekankar is realized, none other is deemed as worthy of worship or praise, because there is none equal to Him. No fear bothers us and we stop going door to door for any help. All rituals and rites lose their luster. No need is felt to please anyone. His immanent presence within evaporates our duality and conceit once for all and the ultimate freedom dawns in. No other one exists to be compared to Him. Thus no other compromise or alternative exists in His true devotee’s mind.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਮਹਾ ਰਸੁ ਮੀਠਾ ॥
ਐਸਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਡੀਠਾ ॥
Gur kā sabaḏ mahā ras mīṯẖā.
Aisā amriṯ anṯar dīṯẖā.
The Guru’s shabda is supreme elixir; I have seen such elixir of life (Akalpurakh’s name) within.
To elevate to that mountainous peak, the instructions from the Guru are mandatory; therefore reading and putting them in practice bring the mind closer to Akalpurakh; eventually, it falls in love with Him forever. As the Guru’s instructions are inspiring and sweet, so are Akalpurakh and His memory. Like an actor, the mind plays an assigned role; after that, it comes back to its real home. How such experience can be expressed? It is not possible. A few words can be said about that but that cannot define its entirety.
ਜਿਨਿ ਚਾਖਿਆ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਦੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਧ੍ਰਾਪਿਓ ਤਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੫॥੧੪॥
Jin cẖākẖi-ā pūrā paḏ ho-e.
Nānak ḏẖarāpi-o ṯan sukẖ ho-e. ||5||14||
Who ever tastes that, obtains the perfect status. Oh Nanak! By becoming satiated with that elixir of life, one obtains peace.
Such spiritual experience is inexpressible and incomprehensible as well for most of us; nonetheless, a rare one gets elevated so high that it enjoys the ultimate experience. Bottom line is to follow the routine the Guru has expressed in the above shabda by sharing his personal experience with us. Live with the Guru; seeing him drenched in Ekankar’s love, fall for Him forsaking everything but the Guru’s instructions. Any short cut can ruin the entire purpose of studying his shabda or enjoying his experience. One wrong step can push us far away from our selected goal. Sincerity is very essential. Consequential nature has no place on this path. It is a complete surrender to the Creator but after falling in love with Him. As His presence is realized within, a guiding light glows within us forever; then no turning back occurs. We play our assigned roles, but we live in His ordinance perfectly by staying with Him all the time. We should also extend our hands to others. Establishing spiritual shop to gain financial gains and worldly recognition is nothing but committing spiritual suicide that drowns not only its owner but also its customers. Our becoming customers of such a shop leads us to get cheated in day light at our own hands. Walking away from such fake spiritual-shops will be perfect wisdom to attain what the Guru expresses in the above shabda; otherwise, bear in mind that the storm of treachery and exploitation or incendiary speeches has no pity for any one.
Wishes!
Humbly
Gurdeep Singh
