It is necessary to work very sincerely to achieve any goal, and to be sincere, we must do our self-analysis: we should weigh our intentions and realize what flaws we have that can drag us away from our set up goal. In spiritual realms, to become one with the Creator, we must filter our all flaws; any one flaw can ruin our entire hard work in this regard. First Nanak’s following shabda guides us how to do our self-analysis to achieve the spiritual goal. It is on 154 to 155, SGGS:
ਗਉੜੀ ਚੇਤੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕਾਇਆ ਰਹੈ ਸੁਖਾਲੀ ਬਾਜੀ ਇਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੋ ॥
ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੁਚੁ ਕੂੜੁ ਕਮਾਵਹਿ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਉਠਾਵਹਿ ਭਾਰੋ ॥
ਤੂੰ ਕਾਇਆ ਮੈ ਰੁਲਦੀ ਦੇਖੀ ਜਿਉ ਧਰ ਉਪਰਿ ਛਾਰੋ ॥੧॥
Ga-oṛī cẖeṯī mėhlā 1.
Amriṯ kā-i-ā rahai sukẖālī bājī ih sansāro.
Lab lobẖ mucẖ kūṛ kamāvėh bahuṯ uṯẖāvėh bẖāro.
Ŧūʼn kā-i-ā mai rulḏī ḏekẖī jio ḏẖar upar cẖẖāro. ||1||
Raag Gaurhi, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: This body, deeming itself as an immortal entity, remains in comforts, but the world is just like a game (it will end). It gets too much into greed and falsehood; it gathers a lot of weight (effect) of these things. Oh human body! I have seen you rolling like ashes on the earth.
We are part of the same very world, which is engrossed in greed and falsehood for attaining comforts and pleasure. The Guru asks us to realize this truth and do something better. This life, we have, may not come handy again if we waste it without becoming one with our Creator. The life is just like a game; the game starts and its end is inevitable even if it goes for days. Is it really necessary to waste a lifetime chance for petty pleasures that do not last? Can our wealth free us from the bonds that keep enveloping us? Can all our establishments and status provide us with ever lasting bliss? The answer is “No”. If our goal is only to obtain materialistic things and a high status littered with anxiety and worries, our becoming one with the Creator is not significant; He is beyond animosity and certainly He will not hurdle our materialistic achievements; even if we stop believing in Him, He will continue caring us; nonetheless, if we want to realize that there is better happiness that lasts forever, we must follow the Guru.
ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਸਿਖ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥
ਸੁਕ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਕੀਤਾ ਰਹਸੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਜੀਅੜੇ ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਵਾਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Suṇ suṇ sikẖ hamārī.
Sukariṯ kīṯā rahsī mere jī-aṛe bahuṛ na āvai vārī. ||1|| rahā-o.
Oh my soul! Listen to my advice: only virtuous deeds shall remain (fruitful); there will be no other chance again. Pause.
One should not assume that the chances of doing virtuous deeds would come again and again. Our life span is dripping like a leaked pipe. In the following, the Guru points out the mortals’ flaws that jeopardize their any chance of realizing or getting close to the Creator. The day we have now will not come again; therefore, letting it pass without remembering and praising Him will be a big folly.
ਹਉ ਤੁਧੁ ਆਖਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਇਆ ਤੂੰ ਸੁਣਿ ਸਿਖ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥
ਨਿੰਦਾ ਚਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਝੂਠੀ ਲਾਇਤਬਾਰੀ ॥
ਵੇਲਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਜੋਹਹਿ ਜੀਅੜੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਚੋਰੀ ਬੁਰਿਆਰੀ ॥
ਹੰਸੁ ਚਲਿਆ ਤੂੰ ਪਿਛੈ ਰਹੀਏਹਿ ਛੁਟੜਿ ਹੋਈਅਹਿ ਨਾਰੀ ॥੨॥
Hao ṯuḏẖ ākẖā merī kā-i-ā ṯūʼn suṇ sikẖ hamārī.
Ninḏā cẖinḏā karahi parā-ī jẖūṯẖī lā-iṯbārī.
vel parā-ī johėh jī-aṛe karahi cẖorī buri-ārī.
Hans cẖali-ā ṯūʼn picẖẖai rahī-ehi cẖẖutaṛ ho-ī-ah nārī. ||2||
(Addressing to the body is a way of making the mind-slaves aware about what they are into; we, as our Guru’s learners, should talk like this to ourselves to refrain from the deeds that can make us shallow and petty spiritually.) Oh my body! Listen to my advice: you praise others with false back up reports and criticize others as you feel. You look at others wives and do bad act secretly. Once the soul departs, you will be left behind like a deserted woman.
For what the drums of falsehood are beaten then? We hide our ill intentional activities from others to satisfy our bodies, but the Creator is aware of all that and our lives have limited time. The body for which so much bad things are done becomes dust eventually. It is time for us to wake up to change the course of our acts. Bringing various virtues in and eradicating our ill intentions will bring the Creator closer to us.
ਤੂੰ ਕਾਇਆ ਰਹੀਅਹਿ ਸੁਪਨੰਤਰਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਚੋਰੀ ਮੈ ਜਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਲੀਆ ਤਾ ਮਨਿ ਭਲਾ ਭਾਇਆ ॥
ਹਲਤਿ ਨ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਲਤਿ ਨ ਢੋਈ ਅਹਿਲਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੩॥
Ŧūʼn kā-i-ā rahī-ah supnanṯar ṯuḏẖ ki-ā karam kamā-i-ā.
Kar cẖorī mai jā kicẖẖ lī-ā ṯā man bẖalā bẖā-i-ā.
Halaṯ na sobẖā palaṯ na dẖo-ī ahilā janam gavā-i-ā. ||3||
(the idea continues) Oh my body! You remain in a dream; what really you have done? Whatever you have taken is through stealing, but it has appealed to your mind. Neither here you have gotten any respect because of your deeds, nor will you have it hereafter. This way, an important human life has been wasted.
What we have established cannot provide us ever-soothing peace; what pleasures we experienced were so temporary that still we long for them repeatedly. They never satisfy our minds to still us within. When finally the old age knocks at our doors, we even cannot do anything that we used to do before. The ultimate end that throttles everything leaves us in a pitiable condition. Nothing can be done then.
ਹਉ ਖਰੀ ਦੁਹੇਲੀ ਹੋਈ ਬਾਬਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਰੀ ਬਾਤ ਨ ਪੁਛੈ ਕੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Hao kẖarī ḏuhelī ho-ī bābā Nānak merī bāṯ na pucẖẖai ko-ī. ||1|| rahā-o.
(Regrettable plight of the mortal, who remains indulged in evil acts, is expressed in these verses). Oh Nanak say: Brother! I am very miserable; no one cares and listens to me. Pause.
We have wasted our best time in trivial achievements and pleasures and when the bad time takes over us, no one will care what we miss or lose. In the following, the Guru compares all the worldly things that build a high status in the world with the Creator’s nectarous name that sets us free from the worldly bonds; the underline advice for us is to taste His name that fulfills us completely. How? We start living in His ordinance like a guest without entertaining our greed, lust, anger, attachment and avarice. In a guest’s mind, the owner owns and he or she doesn’t fall for anything.
ਤਾਜੀ ਤੁਰਕੀ ਸੁਇਨਾ ਰੁਪਾ ਕਪੜ ਕੇਰੇ ਭਾਰਾ ॥
ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਨਾਲਿ ਨ ਚਲੇ ਨਾਨਕ ਝੜਿ ਝੜਿ ਪਏ ਗਵਾਰਾ ॥
ਕੂਜਾ ਮੇਵਾ ਮੈ ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਚਾਖਿਆ ਇਕੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ॥੪॥
Ŧājī ṯurkī suinā rupā kapaṛ kere bẖārā.
Kis hī nāl na cẖale Nānak jẖaṛ jẖaṛ pae gavārā.
Kūjā mevā mai sabẖ kicẖẖ cẖākẖi-ā ik amriṯ nām ṯumārā. ||4||
Oh Nanak say: Oh fool! Turkish horses, gold, silver, and loads of clothes do not go with anyone. Oh Ekankar! I have tasted everything, but only your name is the sweetest of all (a comparison is done).
Only Ekankar’s name is important for us; only His name brings peace and satisfaction to our minds; yes, it is only His name that frees us from all bonds to procure everlasting bliss, which cannot be bought with any worldly status or wealth.
ਦੇ ਦੇ ਨੀਵ ਦਿਵਾਲ ਉਸਾਰੀ ਭਸਮੰਦਰ ਕੀ ਢੇਰੀ ॥
ਸੰਚੇ ਸੰਚਿ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਅੰਧੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਸਭ ਮੇਰੀ ॥
ਸੋਇਨ ਲੰਕਾ ਸੋਇਨ ਮਾੜੀ ਸੰਪੈ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਕੇਰੀ ॥੫॥
Ḏe ḏe nīv ḏivāl usārī bẖasmanḏar kī dẖerī.
Sancẖe sancẖ na ḏe-ī kis hī anḏẖ jāṇai sabẖ merī.
Soin lankā soin māṛī sampai kisai na kerī. ||5||
The walls, which were constructed in deep foundation, fall apart and become a heap of dust. The mortal keeps gathering the wealth; he doesn’t even give it to anyone. The ignorant man thinks that it is all his. He doesn’t understand that all this belongs to none permanently as Rawan couldn’t hold on to his golden Lanka (Sri Lanka) and golden palaces.
By giving examples of the famous name, the Guru advises us that nothing lasts forever but Ekankar’s eternal ordinance, which decides the fate of everything.
ਸੁਣਿ ਮੂਰਖ ਮੰਨ ਅਜਾਣਾ ॥
ਹੋਗੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਕਾ ਭਾਣਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Suṇ mūrakẖ man ajāṇā.
Hog ṯisai kā bẖāṇā. ||1|| rahā-o.
Oh foolish and ignorant mind! Listen! Only Ekankar’s ordinance will prevail. Pause.
So far, the Guru has addressed the plight and habitual behavior of foolish and ignorant mind-slaves. Now in the below verses, he expresses how a devotee dedicates his life to the Creator (contrary to the mind-slaves):
ਸਾਹੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਭਾਰਾ ਹਮ ਤਿਸ ਕੇ ਵਣਜਾਰੇ ॥
ਜੀਉ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਸਭ ਰਾਸਿ ਤਿਸੈ ਕੀ ਮਾਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਜੀਵਾਲੇ ॥੬॥੧॥੧੩॥
Sāhu hamārā ṯẖākur bẖārā ham ṯis ke vaṇjāre.
Jī-o pind sabẖ rās ṯisai kī mār āpe jīvāle. ||6||1||13||
Akalpurakh is my great master and I am His trader (of His name). My body and soul belong to Akalpurakh, who kills the lives and reanimates them.
The last verses lead us to surrender to His eternal ordinance as His devotees; what He does is not our concern but His; therefore, leave it to Him. Falling in love with Him and feeling proud of Him become our life, and this way, we should walk on that spiritual path through which becoming one with Him becomes certain. Only attention we need to give is to the Guru. By doing our self-analysis, we should replace our flaws with those virtues that create positivity around us and negate any negativity created by our flaws. When the Guru shows the path, he leaves us to tread on it flawlessly; if we don’t, it should be our bad luck. Either way, the Creator’s ordinance will remain in force.
Walking on the Guru’s path will eliminate our desires to bow before idols or fake Babas or fake Gurus, who not only mislead us but also make us weak emotionally and spiritually. Then only then, we can imagine being free from visiting any religious place and offering flowers and other stuff to please any one, or being free to worship anyone to settle our affair right. Through walking on the Guru’s shown path, we will start getting absorbed in the memory of our ultimate Creator, who is beyond form, color and birth. Yes then, only replacing our flaws with virtues and enjoying His memory will become our aim of life; consequently, feeling Him very close will become a reality and the ultimate freedom will glow on our faces regardless the situations we will be in.
Wishes
Gurdeep Singh
