On SGGS 138, there is a Sloka by Guru Angad ji; in it, the Guru tells his followers that the mind slave loves the things blessed by the Creator more than he loves Him. The Guru further explains, though the light of the Creator exists one’s within, one still acts good and bad as per one’s own wishes; however, once that light is taken out, one becomes nothing. Before we look at that Sloka, let us ponder over the verses of Guru Nanak ji on 23 SGGS to understand that everything we see is Him:
ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ਘਰੁ ਦੂਜਾ 2 ॥
ਆਪੇ ਰਸੀਆ ਆਪਿ ਰਸੁ ਆਪੇ ਰਾਵਣਹਾਰੁ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਚੋਲੜਾ ਆਪੇ ਸੇਜ ਭਤਾਰੁ ॥1॥
Sirīrāg mėhlā 1 gẖar ḏūjā 2.
Āpe rasī-ā āp ras āpe ravaṇhār. Āpe hovai cẖolṛā āpe sej bẖaṯār. ||1||
Raag Sree Raag, the bani of first Nanak, house second
In essence: The Creator is Himself the enjoyer and the relish. He Himself is the bride, the bridegroom, and their couch.
ਆਪੇ ਮਾਛੀ ਮਛੁਲੀ ਆਪੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਜਾਲੁ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਲ ਮਣਕੜਾ ਆਪੇ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਲਾਲੁ ॥2॥
Āpe mācẖẖī macẖẖulī āpe pāṇī jāl. Āpe jāl maṇkaṛā āpe anḏar lāl. ||2||
Akalpurakh Himself is the fisherman, the fish, the water, the net, the metal ball of the net, and the bait within.
In the above worse, the Guru shares his belief that the Universal Creator is the cause behind the existence of everything and its end. In this context, now let us ponder over the sloka of the second Guru:
ਮਃ 2 ॥ ਦੇਂਦੇ ਥਾਵਹੁ ਦਿਤਾ ਚੰਗਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਐਸਾ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਸੁਰਤਿ ਮਤਿ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਿ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਹਿ ਕੈ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਚਹੁ ਕੁੰਡੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਜੋ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਧਰਮ ਨਾਉ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਾਪਿ ਕਮਾਣੈ ਪਾਪੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਤੂੰ ਆਪੇ ਖੇਲ ਕਰਹਿ ਸਭਿ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਜਿਚਰੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਤਿਚਰੁ ਜੋਤੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਤੂੰ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਵਿਣੁ ਜੋਤੀ ਕੋਈ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਰਿਹੁ ਦਿਖਾ ਸਿਆਣੀਐ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਦਰੀ ਆਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਇਕੋ ਸੁਘੜੁ ਸੁਜਾਣੀਐ ॥2॥
Mėhlā 2. Ḏeʼnḏe thāvhu ḏiṯā cẖanga manmukẖ aisā jāṇī-ai.
Suraṯ maṯ cẖaṯurā-ī ṯā kī ki-ā kar ākẖ vakẖāṇī-ai.
Anṯar bahi kai karam kamāvai so cẖahu kundī jāṇī-ai.
Jo ḏẖaram kamāvai ṯis ḏẖaram nā-o hovai pāp kamāṇai pāpī jāṇī-ai.
Ŧūʼn āpe kẖel karahi sabẖ karṯe ki-ā ḏūjā ākẖ vakẖāṇī-ai.
Jicẖar ṯerī joṯ ṯicẖar joṯī vicẖ ṯūʼn bolėh viṇ joṯī ko-ī kicẖẖ karihu ḏikẖā si-āṇī-ai.
Nānak gurmukẖ naḏrī ā-i-ā har iko sugẖaṛ sujāṇī-ai. ||2||
The bani of Second Nanak.
In essence: The mind-slave prefers Ekankar’s given gifts to Ekankar, who actually gives those gifts to him. It is hard to explain what common sense, wisdom, and cleverness he has. Though he acts secretly, his actions become well known. One, who acts virtuously, is known as virtuous and that one, who commits sins, is known as a sinner. Oh Har! This is your own play, because they act as you cause them to act. What else we should say? As long as your (light) jyot is present in the mortals, they (you) speak; without your jyot, who can speak (none)? Oh Nanak! One can see the all wise and omnipotent Creator everywhere through the Guru. As He is everything, whoever acts here actually acts according to His ordinance. Good ones act good and the bad ones act badly and are known as per their acts. Understanding this fact, one should turn towards the Creator in love to become one with Him. As one breaks with one’s own ego, one sees nothing but Him.
Wishes.
G Singh
www.gursoch.com
