[Continued from the previous post]
Below, Guru Ji expresses the power of His Will; as in Jap Ji it is said: nothing is in our hands including our longing to attain knowledge of Him and getting liberated (7 on SGGS). Whoever succeeds in spiritual spheres is because of His Will. He has created this world along with a pill of Maya intoxication (15, SGGS); luring Maya keeps the mortal inebriated in it. Still, a few dare to dump all that like a worthless thing and hold on to Him in love. Guru Ji says that such daring act occurs if Akalpurakh bestows His grace:
ਬਾਬਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂ ਦੇਹਿ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
ਪਾਵੈ ਤ ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਹੋਰਿ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹਿ ਵੇਚਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਇਕਿ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੂਲੇ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਦਹ ਦਿਸਿ ਇਕਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਾਗਿ ਸਵਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਜਿਨਾ ਭਾਣਾ ਭਾਵਏ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਸੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਵਏ ॥੮॥
Bābā jis ṯū ḏėh so▫ī jan pāvai.
Pāvai ṯa so jan ḏėh jis no hor ki▫ā karahi vecẖāri▫ā.
Ik bẖaram bẖūle firėh ḏah ḏis ik nām lāg savāri▫ā.
Gur parsādī man bẖa▫i▫ā nirmal jinā bẖāṇā bẖāv▫e.
Kahai Nānak jis ḏėh pi▫āre so▫ī jan pāv▫e. ||8||
In Essence: Oh Almighty! To whom you give it (your name to have this bliss) obtains it; only those obtain it whom Akalpurakh gives, what other poor things can do (nothing)? (As per His Will) There are some who, in doubt, wander around in all directions, and there are others who are bedecked by being imbued with His Name (Here hint is at showing oneness with His Naam). As per His Will, with Guru – blessings, they love your ordinance and their minds become pure. Nanak says that only those obtain it (Name) to whom Akalpurakh gives.
In Gurbani, doubting the Guru or Almighty’s existence or His Ordinance is deemed as a blunder committed under the influence of conceit. Those who commit such blunders are destined to live in anxieties and fears. If this blunder is committed due to one’s so called wisdom, that wisdom is deemed as petty wisdom. Our Guru has seen Him and he wants us to see Him; it can be only possible if without a doubt we follow our Guru. As we follow our Guru, he also makes us aware of His Will and asks us to trust it. There is no place for the doubts on this path. Spiritual experience cannot be proved or expressed with reason. If anyone is stopped by the reason from believing the experience the Guru wants to share with his followers, he or she is not criticized with strong words but taken such act as His Will. Atheist calls “believing in one Creator is like living in a fools’ paradise.” Gurbani responds to such person as a person behaving as per His Will. In Gurbani, the people in duality or in denial of the Creator are deemed as unfortunate ones filthy with Maya influences; nonetheless, no stern action is recommended against them as His Ordinance is already in force. Regardless what people say, the Guru fortifies the faith in the guide and the Creator who helps in materializing His vision. There is no place for negativity in the Guru – path.
First our Guru asks us to put a full trust in Akalpurakh and get rid of doubting mentality. He offers his prayer before Akalpurakh for us to show mercy on us. Now Guru ji asks those of us who have put full trust in Him to discuss about Him; means to discuss how to get close to Him and where we should go to obtain our goal. When we try to discuss the inexpressible, we need to know how to do that. How He is expressed and how He is attained? Guru Ji answers these questions below. Please note it down, below Guru Ji advises us to become real Guru – followers:
ਆਵਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਪਿਆਰਿਹੋ ਅਕਥ ਕੀ ਕਰਹ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥
ਕਰਹ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਅਕਥ ਕੇਰੀ ਕਿਤੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਸਭੁ ਸਉਪਿ ਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮੰਨਿਐ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਮੰਨਿਹੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੇਰਾ ਗਾਵਹੁ ਸਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੁਣਹੁ ਸੰਤਹੁ ਕਥਿਹੁ ਅਕਥ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥੯॥
Āvhu sanṯ pi▫āriho akath kī karah kahāṇī.
Karah kahāṇī akath kerī kiṯ ḏu▫ārai pā▫ī▫ai.
Ŧan man ḏẖan sabẖ sa▫up gur ka▫o hukam mani▫ai pā▫ī▫ai.
Hukam mannihu gurū kerā gāvhu sacẖī baṇī.
Kahai Nānak suṇhu sanṯahu kathihu akath kahāṇī. ||9||
In Essence: Lets us oh Saints speak about the Inexpressible Almighty. Let’s talk about Him; (and try to know) Where He is obtained? (Answer) By surrendering to the Guru completely and obeying the Guru-will, He is obtained.( Therefore) Obey the Guru and sing the praise of Akalpurakh (Gurbani). Nanak says oh Saints! Listen, talk about the Inexpressible Almighty.
The idea of trusting Guru and Akalpurakh is elaborated in the advice the Guru gives in context of attaining Him. The mind cased in doubts will never understand this deep thought about getting connected to Him through the Guru. As we eradicate the doubts by putting full trust in Guru, we see the light. Guru Ji asks us to do what the Guru says. When the mind gets one with the Guru, it is qualified to become one with the Creator. How He, who is inexpressible, can be discussed? Inexpressible is discussed by singing His praises in full trust through the Guru Shabadas. When the mind is ready, through His praise, it gets drenched in His love. What is the order of our Guru? He says to praise Him through Gurbani because it is all about Him? A Sikh understands that Akalpurakh has passed on to us His word through the Guru; therefore, Gurbani is as pure as He is.
As said earlier, in pursuit of following the Guru, doubts can exist. If they do, we degrade our sincerity. It is the trust in Guru and Akalpurakh that decides the destiny of the seeker. The doubts are created by petty intellect; they come through unfaithfulness. Guru Ji warns us very clearly about negative aspect of the intellect that plays games with feeble mind. If one agrees to follow the Guru, one should never dream to envision Him if one deems one’s intellect as a guiding light on the Guru – path. This so called wisdom can create doubts in our pursuit, it can search other ways out to please itself and thus it leads to failure in His pursuit. Remember, if a Guru is followed who has seen him and is trying to help others to see Him, success is eminent; if the success comes through the Guru, why does anybody need one’s own intellect that has failed to realize Him? Guru Ji says that the Creator is not realized through one’s own wisdom. ( On 6, 991 SGGS Mehla 1, 541 SGGS Mehla 4, 962 SGGS,Mehla 5). Same idea about personal wisdom is expressed below:
ਏ ਮਨ ਚੰਚਲਾ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਿਨੈ ਤੂ ਸੁਣਿ ਮੰਨ ਮੇਰਿਆ ॥
ਏਹ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਏਤੁ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ॥
ਮਾਇਆ ਤ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਤਿਨੈ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਠਗਉਲੀ ਪਾਈਆ ॥
ਕੁਰਬਾਣੁ ਕੀਤਾ ਤਿਸੈ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਮੋਹੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਲਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਚੰਚਲ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੦॥
Ė man cẖancẖlā cẖaṯurā▫ī kinai na pā▫i▫ā.
Cẖaṯurā▫ī na pā▫i▫ā kinai ṯū suṇ man meri▫ā.
Ėh mā▫i▫ā mohṇī jin eṯ bẖaram bẖulā▫i▫ā.
Mā▫i▫ā ṯa mohṇī ṯinai kīṯī jin ṯẖag▫ulī pā▫ī▫ā.
Kurbāṇ kīṯā ṯisai vitahu jin moh mīṯẖā lā▫i▫ā.
Kahai Nānak man cẖancẖal cẖaṯurā▫ī kinai na pā▫i▫ā. ||10||
In Essence: Akalpurakh is not obtained cleverly oh mercurial mind! Listen to me oh mind! Akalpurakh is not obtained with cleverness. This is fascinating Maya, it has deluded the mind. This fascinating Maya is created by Akalpurakh who has given this illusion. (I) sacrifice to that Akalpurakh who has infused this sweet love for Maya (Advice is to turn towards Him who has created it instead of getting attracted to Maya,) Nanak says no one has obtained Him cleverly.
What Guru Ji says above is enough to comprehend the game of Akalpurakh. He plays through Maya (433 SGGS, Mehla 1). In His show, without Maya, there is abyss and emptiness. There is nothing that can keep the soul in the show. Both kinds of mortals play in His show; the ones, who are attracted to the Maya, lose the virtues of attaining Him, and the other ones who remain above the magnetic attraction of His created Maya, attain Him consequently. Above, Guru Ji advises us not to allow our personal wisdom, which hasn’t understood His show, guide the mind to obtain Him; instead, Guru Ji asks to abandon it and follow the Guru advice. People read Gurbani and let their intellect reflect the meaning of Gurbani instead of letting basics of Gurmat do it. If our Guru says that we should let the logic guide our acts, he also says not to bring the logic in to negate what the Guru says as a belief. Wisdom and reason get tainted by outer influences; therefore, it is suggested to follow Guru with open mind, and trust that he definitely will lead to His vision as he has envisioned Him.
Now Guru Ji addresses the issues of attachment that keep the mind away from Akalpurakh. We must understand why Guru Ji questions the attachment we have towards our immediate family. Look at the word “chit Laiai,” it conveys the meaning of one’s mind’s complete association with something that becomes our priority. When we love something or somebody, we also express those feelings through words of praise. Guru Ji, while addressing his followers by addressing his own mind as a follower, is passing a message to us: do not fall in love with anything that doesn’t go with us as we depart from here. Now question is this, how we should deal with our family? If we learn the art of detachment, without falling in love with our family, we can love it, care about it and support it. In other words, detached mind, which is in love with the Creator, remains responsible towards mundane duties. Only the change that occurs while being in His love is that the mind becomes bigger to absorb the whole world in it. For this, the Creator has created “feelings of passion and responsibility;” to understand it, see how birds and animals perform their family duties. Let me give one example of loving something while remaining detached. As we go into the lap of nature, we love the magnificent scene we behold while standing close by it. Don’t we feel that we love it? We do. Do we get attached to it and refuse to leave the scene? No, we walk away eventually. This is what the Guru asks us to do while living in this world: live and love but remain detached. As we hold on to the Eternal Prabh, we can live free of bonds and pains of separation from what we adore too much.
ਏ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥
ਏਹੁ ਕੁਟੰਬੁ ਤੂ ਜਿ ਦੇਖਦਾ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਸਾਥਿ ਤੇਰੈ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਨਾਲਿ ਕਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਈਐ ॥
ਐਸਾ ਕੰਮੁ ਮੂਲੇ ਨ ਕੀਚੈ ਜਿਤੁ ਅੰਤਿ ਪਛੋਤਾਈਐ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਕਾ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਤੂ ਹੋਵੈ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥੧੧॥
Ė man pi▫āri▫ā ṯū saḏā sacẖ samāle.
Ėhu kutamb ṯū jė ḏekẖ▫ḏā cẖalai nāhī ṯerai nāle.
Sāth ṯerai cẖalai nāhī ṯis nāl ki▫o cẖiṯ lā▫ī▫ai.
Aisā kamm mūle na kīcẖai jiṯ anṯ pacẖẖoṯā▫ī▫ai.
Saṯgurū kā upḏes suṇ ṯū hovai ṯerai nāle.
Kahai Nānak man pi▫āre ṯū saḏā sacẖ samāle. ||11||
In Essence: Oh my mind! Always contemplate on the Eternal Almighty. This family you behold will not go with you (as you will depart). When it will not depart along with you, why to get attached to it? Never do a deed upon which eventually one has to repent. Listen to the True Guru Instructions, which shall be with you. Nanak says oh dear mind! Always meditate on the Eternal Akalpurakh.
The reference of repenting in above Guru Vaakas is all about our wastage of life in attachment to Maya. When the life ends, being in the attachment, we suffer, but being detached, we remain in joyful state. We enjoy in many situations by not getting attached to many things. When we do that, as we go away leaving behind the enjoyed things, we never turn sad or get anxious to remain in those situations. Understanding “being detached” in His love comes as we follow Guru practically.
Here comes the advice about holding the Creator in the heart. Guru Ji praises Akalpurakh by expressing His infinity and His power of running the worldly show. It is the way to express the Inexpressible Creator. We must believe in His infinite power and control over all. Praise His care taking responsibility. Praise His natural laws, anatomy of the beings and the change which is vital for the world to exist though it has to go through sometimes tragic moments. Praise them all. Such exceptional act of praise occurs if we become sincere in our acts, we give our hearts to Him and then evidently we live in His love. In the proceeding verses, a prayer is offered while putting the mind in His infinity.
ਅਗਮ ਅਗੋਚਰਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਅੰਤੋ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਿਨੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੁ ਤੂ ਜਾਣਹੇ ॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਕਿਆ ਕੋ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣਏ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਤ ਵੇਖਹਿ ਸਭੁ ਤੂਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਅਗੰਮੁ ਹੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੨॥
Agam agocẖarā ṯerā anṯ na pā▫i▫ā.
Anṯo na pā▫i▫ā kinai ṯerā āpṇā āp ṯū jāṇhe.
Jī▫a janṯ sabẖ kẖel ṯerā ki▫ā ko ākẖ vakẖāṇa▫e.
Ākẖahi ṯa vekẖėh sabẖ ṯūhai jin jagaṯ upā▫i▫ā.
Kahai Nānak ṯū saḏā agamm hai ṯerā anṯ na pā▫i▫ā. ||12||
In Essence: (To Akalpurakh) Oh inaccessible and in apprehensible! Your limits are unknown! Only you know yourself. All the staged show of all beings is your creation; how any one can express you? You speak (through the beings) and take care of the world you have created. Nanak says that you are inaccessible and no one has found your limit.
This is Him, the Creator. He is unknown to our senses; therefore He is inaccessible. He must be praised for His immense power. He must be sung for His care He provides to all. The mind should b e fixed on Him. No one is like Him and no body can express Him fully.
After talking about the infinity and immense power of the Creator, Guru Ji shares another idea about Him. He is sought by many like Devtas and Sages; however, He is realized through a true Guru. Why? It is the true Guru who envisions Him and can enable others to envision Him. He is filled with nectar of eternity. The Guru blesses when a person is ready to obtain divine knowledge about the Creator. In Guru’s refuge, miracle of envisioning the Creator occurs; who have experienced it, he loudly and clearly express it like Kabir Ji, Namdev Ji and other Bhagatas.
ਸੁਰਿ ਨਰ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਖੋਜਦੇ ਸੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਪਾਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕੀਨੀ ਸਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਉਪਾਏ ਇਕਿ ਵੇਖਿ ਪਰਸਣਿ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਚੂਕਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਭਲਾ ਭਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਪਿ ਤੁਠਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੩॥
Sur nar mun jan amriṯ kẖojḏe so amriṯ gur ṯe pā▫i▫ā.
Pā▫i▫ā amriṯ gur kirpā kīnī sacẖā man vasā▫i▫ā.
Jī▫a janṯ sabẖ ṯuḏẖ upā▫e ik vekẖ parsaṇ ā▫i▫ā.
Lab lobẖ ahaʼnkār cẖūkā saṯgurū bẖalā bẖā▫i▫ā.
Kahai Nānak jis no āp ṯuṯẖā ṯin amriṯ gur ṯe pā▫i▫ā. ||13||
In Essence: The (Name) Nectar that is searched by Devtas and Sages is obtained through the Guru. My Guru has blessed me and I have obtained the nectar and enshrined the Eternal Almighty in my mind. All being are your creation; there are some persons who hold on to the Guru. Their attachment, greed and conceit are eradicated as they love the True Guru. Nanak says with whom Akalpurakh is pleased, they obtain (His eternal Name) Nectar from the Guru.
Above Guru Ji defines his personal experience, we just need to feel it. All beings are His creation. Many of them are into their personal pursuits; however, there are those who stick to the Guru – teachings. They live as Guru wants them to live. While following their Guru, they eradicate their conceit, attachment and greed. What they like is the True Guru, and they want to be one with the Guru. As they succeed in their mission, they become one with the Creator. How come some people obtain the True Guru and obey the Guru and the rest not? Guru Ji says that it is the Creator who blesses such people. It is seen that people who become one with the Guru and they appear to be misfit because they refuge to blend in the society highly influenced by the Maya.
When the Guru is followed and the conceit, the attachment and the greed are eradicated, the Guru – followers become true devotees of the Creator; indeed, they behave differently; more differently than we can ever understand them completely.
ਭਗਤਾ ਕੀ ਚਾਲ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ॥
ਚਾਲਾ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ਭਗਤਾਹ ਕੇਰੀ ਬਿਖਮ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਚਲਣਾ ॥
ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਤਜਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਬੋਲਣਾ ॥
ਖੰਨਿਅਹੁ ਤਿਖੀ ਵਾਲਹੁ ਨਿਕੀ ਏਤੁ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਜਿਨੀ ਆਪੁ ਤਜਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਵਾਸਨਾ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਚਾਲ ਭਗਤਾ ਜੁਗਹੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ॥੧੪॥
Bẖagṯā kī cẖāl nirālī.
Cẖālā nirālī bẖagṯāh kerī bikẖam mārag cẖalṇā.
Lab lobẖ ahaʼnkār ṯaj ṯarisnā bahuṯ nāhī bolṇā.
Kẖanni▫ahu ṯikẖī vālahu nikī eṯ mārag jāṇā.
Gur parsādī jinī āp ṯaji▫ā har vāsnā samāṇī.
Kahai Nānak cẖāl bẖagṯā jugahu jug nirālī. ||14||
In Essence: Devotees of Akalpurakh have a different life (than regular life); as it is different, they tread on very difficult path. They renounce, avarice, covetousness and pride, and don’t talk too much. The path they tread on is sharper than the two edged sword and finer than a hair. (Only) Those who get rid of “self/I – force” (self-conceit) with the blessings of the Guru, their aspirations merge (die) in Almighty. Nanak says through out ages (always), way of His devotees have been different.
As stated above, becoming one with the Guru and the Creator magnifies the display of virtues in His devotees. They appear different obviously as they tread on very difficult path. Let us understand it with an example. Most of the people who claim to be believers of the one Creator hardly try to obtain the virtues of the Creator as going beyond greed, avarice, vice, attachment, lust, anger, conceit and favoritism. The easiest deed they choose is to perform religious rituals because going beyond greed, avarice, vices, attachment, lust, anger, conceit and favoritism is extremely difficult. Contrary to such people, His devotees do that. No wonder they appear different than the frustrated crowd.
Introducing a difficult path of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Third Nanak further elaborates on it by stressing on getting imbued with the source we all emanate. He shares Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings as he has taken and secured success. He prays to the Creator for us so that we can understand the truth and follow the Guru. Indirectly the Guru is leading us to His Simran. It is an inspiration implied through a genuine prayer; we should not miss Guru – advice at any cost.If our Guru takes us to the door of the Almighty and we fail to knock at it wholeheartedly; indeed, we are very unfortunate.Please remember that to become a part of shared spiritual experience is the blessings of the Creator; missing it is a destined act.
[Part 2, continues] Happy Birth Day of Tenth Nanak !!
G Singh
