Baffled and frustrated with the competition set up in the worldly materialistic pursuits, the mortals prefer materialistic gains to divinity. If somehow success dawns in their pursuits, they get puffed up with it and offer very enigmatic responses to the questions referred to divinity. The lenses of their eyes perceive everything according to their successes or goals that can only be procured with certain measures at the cost of others welfare. It is well known fact that the wealth cannot be accumulated without exploiting others, so says the Gurbani (417, SGGS). In the landscape of Maya world, the true devotees of Ekankar, the eternal Entity, seek Him only; obviously, they feel like a loner among the worldly people but not perplexed or frustrated or fearful or petulant. Thus the gap between the worldly people and the true devotees keeps expanding. The devotees deem what the materialistic minded people want or desire for as almost useless. Some people who vaguely understand the devotees try to applaud them, or in certain circumstances, show their support for them; nonetheless, they always fail to go for the ultimate truth the devotees embrace; instead they are seen begging materialistic things at the doors of the true devotees. And, the game of the Divine goes on through which the devotees enjoy the ultimate ordinance in force where as others endure this or that kind of misery. Through loving the Divine, the devotees tear down the curtain of their feeling of “mine or yours” by leveling the mountains of their greed, anger, lust and conceit erected between them and the Creator; consequently, they get enveloped in the eternal bliss. First Nanak starts the following shabda about the shallowness of the mundane affairs engraved in Maya attractions that never allow the mortals to enjoy the bliss well placed in them already and he advises them to seek the Guru who can really be helpful; according to him, many people claim to lead their followers to Him but only the real Guru can help the seekers to realize Him. It is on 60 to 61 SGGS:
ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਸੁਤ ਬੰਧਪ ਘਰ ਨਾਰਿ ॥
ਧਨਿ ਜੋਬਨਿ ਜਗੁ ਠਗਿਆ ਲਬਿ ਲੋਭਿ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ॥
ਮੋਹ ਠਗਉਲੀ ਹਉ ਮੁਈ ਸਾ ਵਰਤੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
Sirīrāg mėhlā 1.
Ŧarisnā mā-i-ā mohṇī suṯ banḏẖap gẖar nār.
Ḏẖan joban jag ṯẖagi-ā lab lobẖ ahaʼnkār.
Moh ṯẖag-ulī ha-o mu-ī sā varṯai sansār. ||1||
Raag Sree Raag, the bani of first Nanak.
In essence: The mortal is involved in the love of sons, relatives, and wife; this way, wealth, beauty, youth, avarice, and conceit have bewitched this world. I am also a victim of that kind of attachment that dominates the world.
As described above, we are in a game that chokes us spiritually with its overwhelming impact. Important is not to have that which cannot give endless happiness; instead important should be that which can give happiness that lasts till the last breath. Ekankar’s true devotee, being present right in the whirlpool of Maya storms, calls Him believing:
ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮਾ ਮੈ ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਮੈ ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਭਾਵਈ ਤੂੰ ਭਾਵਹਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Mere parīṯamā mai ṯujẖ bin avar na ko-e.
Mai ṯujẖ bin avar na bẖāv-ī ṯūʼn bẖāvėh sukẖ ho-e. ||1|| rahā-o.
Oh my beloved! I have none other than you, nay; no other one pleases me but you. When it pleases you, I obtain peace. Pause.
The devotees care less about the Maya pursuits by realizing the ultimate ordinance of the Creator of all and everything. Thus for them, realizing His presence within brings bliss, and His ordinance in force becomes soothing. Without the bliss, the mortals walk on the thorns of pains regardless of the success they feel proud of. Nothing is beyond His ordinance; indeed the worldly Maya is also well placed in the Maya game; therefore, renouncing it is not the way out; instead how all this is settled under His ordinance should be realized by relating to Him and seeing Him within and in all equally. It is the impact of Maya that has misled the mortals; it is their submission to the enslaving power of the Maya that has bound them. Where as His devotees, without letting Maya, youthfulness, beauty, conceit, and attachment detour them away from Ekankar, fall in love with Him realizing that everyone has to meet an end like a bubble eventually:
ਨਾਮੁ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਰੰਗ ਸਿਉ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ॥
ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਚਲਸੀ ਕੂੜਾ ਮੋਹੁ ਨ ਵੇਖੁ ॥
ਵਾਟ ਵਟਾਊ ਆਇਆ ਨਿਤ ਚਲਦਾ ਸਾਥੁ ਦੇਖੁ ॥੨॥
Nām sālāhī rang si-o gur kai sabaḏ sanṯokẖ.
Jo ḏīsai so cẖalsī kūṛā moh na vekẖ.
vāt vatā-ū ā-i-ā niṯ cẖalḏā sāth ḏekẖ. ||2||
With contentment and love through the Guru’s teachings, praise Ekankar’s name. Whatever is seen is bound to vanish; therefore, do not involve in false love. You have come here just like a traveler to walk on this way of life and notice that all people in your company are passing away.
The Guru advises the seekers to turn toward the Creator in love by understanding that only the Maya pursuits induce them to go away from Him; he counsels them to praise the Creator by loving Him very sincerely. As per the Guru, the entire process of worldly influenced thoughts needs to be changed. It is a good start to fall for the one who is eternal. If none is here forever, for whom we should give up the eternal One, our Creator? Everyday we witness this truth happening around us.
It is the Guru who enables the seekers to realize the Creator and His ordinance and to praise Him without faulting; it is the Guru who replaces one’s frustration, attachment, greed, conceit with contentment; the blessings of the Creator still are mandatory. By remaining focused on materialistic things, His blessings remain an illusion.
ਆਖਣਿ ਆਖਹਿ ਕੇਤੜੇ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਵਡਾਈ ਜੇ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਚਿ ਰਪੈ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵਹਿ ਸੇ ਭਲੇ ਖੋਟਾ ਖਰਾ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੩॥
Ākẖaṇ ākẖahi keṯ-ṛe gur bin būjẖ na ho-e.
Nām vadā-ī je milai sacẖ rapai paṯ ho-e.
Jo ṯuḏẖ bẖāvėh se bẖale kẖotā kẖarā na ko-e. ||3||
There are numerous persons, who tell about Prabh; however, without the Guru, one doesn’t get His understanding. If one obtains the honor of having His name, one gets drenched in it and obtains glory. Oh Prabh! Those ones who please you are the good ones; otherwise, no one is good or bad.
Who is better or who is high or low? Such questions become insignificant for the true devotees, because they realize through the true Guru that it is not important to be a person of status in the eyes of the world, which is transitory. That is why they want to be better in the eyes of Him who is eternal. In other words: if the world showers me with honors, so what if I am away from the Creator, because without realizing Him, I will never enjoy the eternal bliss. Whatever situation or work one is in to make a living, one needs to keep one’s unquestionable love for the Creator intact through living a virtuous life as a trusty who is entrusted in a work to be completed.
ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਾਈ ਛੁਟੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਖੋਟੀ ਰਾਸਿ ॥
ਅਸਟ ਧਾਤੁ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹ ਕੀ ਘੜੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਵਿਗਾਸਿ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਪਰਖੇ ਪਾਰਖੂ ਪਵੈ ਖਜਾਨੈ ਰਾਸਿ ॥੪॥
Gur sarṇā-ī cẖẖutī-ai manmukẖ kẖotī rās.
Asat ḏẖāṯ pāṯisāh kī gẖaṛī-ai sabaḏ vigās.
Āpe parkẖe pārkẖū pavai kẖajānai rās. ||4||
In the Guru’s refuge, one is liberated, but the mind-slave has the counterfeit capital (the Maya love). The body of eight elements, created by the king, Ekankar, should be reanimated to bloom in His love. Ekankar, the assessor, weighs us and accepts us for His treasure.
The Maya love fails to fill one with endless happiness though it can provide a lot; therefore, it is false and deceptive. According to the Guru’s advice, through the Guru, one should bring a total change within. Regardless whatever situation the devotees are, they start living in the Creator’s love; they bear life-given ups and down by understanding His systematic ordinance in force. They treat all equally regardless of race or gender. They do business; they do assigned jobs; however, their minds remain focused on virtues without having “the sense of mine”. In their eyes, successes or failures are a part of life; therefore, they should never ever let them influence their thoughts negatively.
ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਸਭ ਡਿਠੀ ਠੋਕਿ ਵਜਾਇ ॥
ਕਹਣੈ ਹਾਥ ਨ ਲਭਈ ਸਚਿ ਟਿਕੈ ਪਤਿ ਪਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਤੂੰ ਸਾਲਾਹਣਾ ਹੋਰੁ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਕਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥੫॥
Ŧerī kīmaṯ nā pavai sabẖ diṯẖī ṯẖok vajā-e.
Kahṇai hāth na labẖ-ī sacẖ tikai paṯ pā-e.
Gurmaṯ ṯūʼn salāhṇā hor kīmaṯ kahaṇ na jā-e. ||5||
Oh Ekankar! I have tested all carefully; no one can value your worth. By merely talking, you are not obtained. Your honor is obtained if you are kept in the heart. You cannot be praised but through the Guru’s guidance.
There are many out there who become guides in divinity realm, but the true devotees do not fall for anyone but the Guru who can help them in searching the eternal bliss within. Debating about religions becomes insignificant for them. Proving this person or that person wrong becomes irrelevant to their lives. It is their focus on the Creator and His ordinance that matters them.
ਜਿਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਭਾਵਈ ਤਿਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਵਾਦੁ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਸਾਦੁ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਮਾਇਆ ਫੀਕਾ ਸਾਦੁ ॥੬॥
Jiṯ ṯan nām na bẖāv-ī ṯiṯ ṯan ha-umai vāḏ.
Gur bin gi-ān na pā-ī-ai bikẖi-ā ḏūjā sāḏ.
Bin guṇ kām na āvī mā-i-ā fīkā sāḏ. ||6||
That person who doesn’t like Ekankar’s name is infested with pride and strife. Without the Guru, the divine knowledge is not obtained. And other Maya-relishes are poisonous. Without the virtues, Maya taste is not useful; it is insipid.
It is the virtues that kill our negative forces one by one. The Guru advises us to become true seekers of the virtues that can maintain our dignity of the truth and negate our faults. Wearing various dresses or performing rituals as stated by various religions do not help in cleansing the mind soiled with conceit, greed, anger, lust, and other flaws. The curtain of the worldly Maya attractions remains enticing if the Guru’s advice is not practiced.
ਆਸਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਜੰਮਿਆ ਆਸਾ ਰਸ ਕਸ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਆਸਾ ਬੰਧਿ ਚਲਾਈਐ ਮੁਹੇ ਮੁਹਿ ਚੋਟਾ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਅਵਗਣਿ ਬਧਾ ਮਾਰੀਐ ਛੂਟੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਨਾਇ ॥੭॥
Āsā anḏar jammi-ā āsā ras kas kẖā-e.
Āsā banḏẖ cẖalā-ī-ai muhe muhi cẖotā kẖā-e.
Avgaṇ baḏẖā mārī-ai cẖẖūtai gurmaṯ nā-e. ||7||
Born in hopes, the mortal enjoys the Maya pleasures in hopes (to have more). Thus the desires bind the mortals to Maya; subsequently, they (the desires) make them suffer from the blows of defeat in spirituality. Without the merits, they are bound to suffer. Only through the Guru’s teachings, they get imbued with Akalpurakh’s name and become liberated from the Maya bonds.
Getting attached to the Creator’s love needs one’s devoted mind; otherwise, one remains enveloped in all kinds of hopes that eventually enslave one forever. This is the way the world teaches the young ones to get into the game of Maya, which automatically weaves a curtain between the Creator and them. Even if one is led to the Creator by any seer, it becomes difficult for one to break away that curtain of attachment built constantly by the Maya lures. The Guru refers to that situation in the above words. To obtain all what one hopes for takes one’s entire life, but something is always left to hope for more. In that pursuit, virtues start disappearing and flaws start taking over one to secure what one hopes for; only the Guru leads one out of that quagmire by inspiring one to attain virtues through getting rid of the enslaving flaws. The Guru’s advice remains focused on loving the Creator and tearing down the curtain of Maya by behaving like a trusty. Remember that the trustee should not ever develop a feeling of having the wealth of the trust he is trusted in; thus, he doesn’t expect it either. Obviously, his expectations cease.
ਸਰਬੇ ਥਾਈ ਏਕੁ ਤੂੰ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਉ ਰਾਖੁ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਭਲੋ ਪਤਿ ਸਾਖੁ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਰੋਗੁ ਗਵਾਈਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਚੈ ਸਚੁ ਭਾਖੁ ॥੮॥
Sarbe thā-ī ek ṯūʼn ji-o bẖāvai ṯi-o rākẖ.
Gurmaṯ sācẖā man vasai nām bẖalo paṯ sākẖ.
Ha-umai rog gavā-ī-ai sabaḏ sacẖai sacẖ bẖākẖ. ||8||
Oh Prabh! You are the only one, who is present at everywhere. Keep me, as you want. Through the Guru’s guidance, Prabh abides in the heart. Oh Prabh! Your name is good for us and it brings glory to us. Through the true words of the Guru, the disease of self-conceit is eradicated and one utters Prabh’s name (remembers Him).
First thing is to believe in His ordinance, which is eternal; the second step is to fall in love with Him. As the Guru guides, the followers work hard to get rid of their self-conceit that is a source of their fall from virtues. When praising the Creator becomes their natural practice, they become able to walk away from futile debates, criticism, conceited behavior, and anger.
ਆਕਾਸੀ ਪਾਤਾਲਿ ਤੂੰ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਭਗਤੀ ਭਾਉ ਤੂੰ ਆਪੇ ਮਿਲਹਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਰਜਾਇ ॥੯॥੧੩॥
Ākāsī pāṯāl ṯūʼn ṯaribẖavaṇ rahi-ā samā-e.
Āpe bẖagṯī bẖā-o ṯūʼn āpe milėh milā-e.
Nānak nām na vīsrai ji-o bẖāvai ṯivai rajā-e. ||9||13||
Oh Akalpurakh! You pervade the nether regions, the sky, and the three worlds. You create devotion in the mortals and unite them with you. Oh Nanak! Pray: Oh Akalpurakh! May I not forget your name! Your “will” works as it pleases you (nothing is beyond your ordinance).
As His presence is realized everywhere and in every life, one gets rid of one’s duality and seeks Him through attaining virtues. Then total change in one’s behavior starts taking place. Efforts are done to attain the goal. One constructs within a higher realm that swallows up what is known as attachment, greed, and conceit; His presence realized within becomes a guide to attain the bliss that is already placed within. What happens then? One realizes that “ਮਹਲ ਮਹਿ ਬੈਠੇ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ॥ Mahal mėh baiṯẖe agam apār. Within resides the Inaccessible and Infinite Creator.” However, “ਭੀਤਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਆਚਾਰ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Bẖīṯar amriṯ so-ī jan pāvai jis gur kā sabaḏ raṯan ācẖār. ||1|| rahā-o. Only that person, who is holding to the Guru’s shabad-jewel and lives according to it, obtains the Creator’s nectarous presence within. Pause
The Guru already has asked us to eliminate our claims of “this is mine or that is mine” witnessing carefully what is happening around us. In very simple words, he guides us toward the inner light that exists everywhere by taking off the curtain of our duality once for all. The inner light is actually of the all-pervading Creator, who is inaccessible and infinite. Beyond the curtain of attachment, conceit, anger, and greed, His presence becomes visible. Then He is identified and the feeling of “I” is deemed as His part having no individual identity.
When we are carried away with the worldly Maya game, we are merely under the influence of worldly spirit. When we start turning towards virtues and truthful living, we start inclining toward the eternal light of the Creator present in us. As we start merging in it, the curtain is taken off and we become one with Him. And, the Maya lures disappear.
Wishes!
Gurdeep Singh
