Being the Guru’s Sikhs, we must follow him and decide what we should ask for from the Creator forgetting about materialistic demands we give priority in our prayers, because if we want to reach to a state of mind in which eternal bliss shines all the time, we cannot demand that thing, which may deprive us of that very bliss. In this article, I just want to share with you how living in His love is prioritized and how the materialistic achievements are deemed as insignificant in the Guru’s bani. After all, the Guru’s bani also says on 91, SGGS:
ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਕੀਤਾ ਲੋੜੀਐ ਕੰਮੁ ਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿ ਆਖੀਐ ॥ ਕਾਰਜੁ ਦੇਇ ਸਵਾਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਖੀਐ ॥
ਸੰਤਾ ਸੰਗਿ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਚਾਖੀਐ ॥ ਭੈ ਭੰਜਨ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਨ ਦਾਸ ਕੀ ਰਾਖੀਐ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ਅਲਖੁ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਲਾਖੀਐ ॥੨੦॥
Pa-oṛī.
Kīṯā loṛī-ai kamm so har pėh ākẖī-ai. Kāraj ḏe-e savār saṯgur sacẖ sākẖī-ai.
Sanṯā sang niḏẖān amriṯ cẖākẖī-ai. Bẖai bẖanjan miharvān ḏās kī rākẖī-ai.
Nānak har guṇ gā-e alakẖ parabẖ lākẖī-ai. ||20||
Stanza.
In essence: To accomplish one’s affair, one should pray to Har; the Satiguru testifies that Har will accomplish it (the affair; therefore) In the company of Har’s Sants, the treasure of Har’s name-nectar should be tasted. Har, the merciful and the destroyer of fear, preserves the honor of His servant. Oh Nanak! By singing His virtues, one can see Har, who is invisible.
Here one thing must be clear in the mind about asking something from the Creator; the Guru says that any affair the seekers want to be taken care of should be a part of their prayer offered to Him, but at the same time, the Guru also asks the seekers to remain in that environment in which His memory is kept alive. As we live by remembering Him surrounded by His sincere devotees, our demands become leaser and lesser and successfully we attenuate our desires that drag us to the road of various unending miseries. Again the Guru stresses on to be in love with the Creator. Then, what do we need to ask the creator literally? Its answer also lies in the shabda, which we will ponder over in the end of this article. Let us see first how the Guru takes on the materialistic achievements; on 142, SGGS, he says:
ਮ; ੧ ॥
ਕਿਆ ਖਾਧੈ ਕਿਆ ਪੈਧੈ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਜਾ ਮਨਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਕਿਆ ਮੇਵਾ ਕਿਆ ਘਿਉ ਗੁੜੁ ਮਿਠਾ ਕਿਆ ਮੈਦਾ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਸੁ ॥
ਕਿਆ ਕਪੜੁ ਕਿਆ ਸੇਜ ਸੁਖਾਲੀ ਕੀਜਹਿ ਭੋਗ ਬਿਲਾਸ ॥
ਕਿਆ ਲਸਕਰ ਕਿਆ ਨੇਬ ਖਵਾਸੀ ਆਵੈ ਮਹਲੀ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੇ ਨਾਮ ਵਿਣੁ ਸਭੇ ਟੋਲ ਵਿਣਾਸੁ ॥੨॥
Mėhlā 1.
Ki-ā kẖāḏẖai ki-ā paiḏẖai ho-e. Jā man nāhī sacẖā so-e.
Ki-ā mevā ki-ā gẖi-o guṛ miṯẖā ki-ā maiḏā ki-ā mās.
Ki-ā kapaṛ ki-ā sej sukẖālī kījėh bẖog bilās.
Ki-ā laskar ki-ā neb kẖavāsī āvai mahlī vās.
Nānak sacẖe nām viṇ sabẖe tol viṇās. ||2||
The bani of First Nanak.
In essence: What else eating and dressing achieve if Ekankar doesn’t abide in one’s mind? So what if one enjoys fruits, ghee (purified butter), sweet molasses, fine flour, and meat? What is the value of the attire, the comfortable couch to fulfill sexual urges and reveling (without His name)? What is the use of army, mace-bearers, servants, and dwelling in mansions? Oh Nanak! Except Ekankar’s name, the entire paraphernalia is perishable.
According to the Guru, without enshrining the memory of the Creator within, whatever we enjoy is useless. If we live in His love, these materialistic things do not taint our virtuous thinking. We need to be very sincere in our faith in the Guru; for example, after reading and believing in the Gurbani that slandering is not good, how can we slander anyone? If we do, we just read the Gurbani without believing in it and forget about it. It is called a trick of mind-slavery.
According to a Gurmukh’s prospective, regardless where we are, we are in a situation through which we make our living; we work and stay on an honest way of living. What we gain or lose is not as important as our love for our Creator, who has put us in our current situation. We will survive as per His Will depending on our flawless faith in Him, but if we want to ask something from our Creator, what should we ask? The Guru suggests us to pray for getting drenched in His love and to become virtuous, because the rest will be fine. In the below shabda, the Guru says that for him all the big things, or a status or any kind of power is insignificant without living in His love. Shouldn’t we follow our Guru then? In the next shabda on 225, SGGS, the Guru gives the details of materialist pursuits that are insignificant if we don’t live in our Creator’s love. Surprisingly these are the things for which the most of people go crazy, become corrupt and even steep low to take others’ lives:
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 Har’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 Ekankar, the Master of the world. Pause.
Obviously, as per the Guru, the real peace is in loving Him with utter sincerity.
ਕਾਨੀ ਕੁੰਡਲ ਗਲਿ ਮੋਤੀਅਨ ਕੀ ਮਾਲਾ ॥
ਲਾਲ ਨਿਹਾਲੀ ਫੂਲ ਗੁਲਾਲਾ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਭਾਲਾ ॥੨॥
Kānī kundal gal moṯī-an kī mālā.
Lāl nihālī fūl gulālā. Bin jagḏīs kahā sukẖ bẖālā. ||2||
If I wear earrings and garland of pearls around my neck and if I keep flowers and red coverlet on the red mat, how can I obtain peace and comfort without Akalpurakh, the Master of the world?
ਨੈਨ ਸਲੋਨੀ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਨਾਰੀ ॥
ਖੋੜ ਸੀਗਾਰ ਕਰੈ ਅਤਿ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਭਜੇ ਨਿਤ ਖੁਆਰੀ ॥੩॥
Nain salonī sunḏar nārī.
Kẖoṛ sīgār karai aṯ pi-ārī. Bin jagḏīs bẖaje niṯ kẖu-ārī. ||3||
(The Guru expresses about the worldly attractions and the mortal’s indulgence in it without Akalpurakh’s memory in his/her heart) Even if I have a beautiful wife, who has very attractive eyes and who decorates herself for me and loves me, but without remembering Akalpurakh, the world Master, I will remain in miseries every day.
We must ask ourselves,” Do such things really provide us with constant comfort and peace?” The answer is,” No, they don’t”.
ਦਰ ਘਰ ਮਹਲਾ ਸੇਜ ਸੁਖਾਲੀ ॥
ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਫੂਲ ਬਿਛਾਵੈ ਮਾਲੀ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਸੁ ਦੇਹ ਦੁਖਾਲੀ ॥੪॥
Ḏar gẖar mėhlā sej sukẖālī.
Ahinis fūl bicẖẖāvai mālī. Bin har nām so ḏeh ḏukẖālī. ||4||
If I have big comfortable houses and my luxurious bed is decorated everyday with flowers by a gardener, but without Har’s name, my body still remains miserable.
Luxurious life doesn’t provide peace, period. Go and ask the richest people if really they enjoy peace forever? Are they carefree, or are they content? Contrary to that, a seeker living in His love remains carefree.
ਹੈਵਰ ਗੈਵਰ ਨੇਜੇ ਵਾਜੇ ॥
ਲਸਕਰ ਨੇਬ ਖਵਾਸੀ ਪਾਜੇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਝੂਠੇ ਦਿਵਾਜੇ ॥੫॥
Haivar gaivar neje vāje.
Laskar neb kẖavāsī pāje. Bin jagḏīs jẖūṯẖe ḏivāje. ||5||
If I have excellent horses, fine elephants, musical bands, armies, Naib, royal servants and ostentatious displays, but these will be a false show without Akalpurakh.
The Guru names various kinds of inclinations of the mind that never let it rest; the more it wants the more aggressive it gets by becoming uncontrollable; it keeps us starving for peace.
ਸਿਧੁ ਕਹਾਵਉ ਰਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਬੁਲਾਵਉ ॥
ਤਾਜ ਕੁਲਹ ਸਿਰਿ ਛਤ੍ਰੁ ਬਨਾਵਉ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਕਹਾ ਸਚੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੬॥
Siḏẖ kahāva-o riḏẖ siḏẖ bulāva-o.
Ŧāj kulah sir cẖẖaṯar banāva-o. Bin jagḏīs kahā sacẖ pāva-o. ||6||
If I were called a man of miracle with riches and supernatural powers and if I had a crown on my head and royal hat with royal umbrella, how could I obtain eternal stability without Ekankar?
ਖਾਨੁ ਮਲੂਕੁ ਕਹਾਵਉ ਰਾਜਾ ॥
ਅਬੇ ਤਬੇ ਕੂੜੇ ਹੈ ਪਾਜਾ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਨ ਸਵਰਸਿ ਕਾਜਾ ॥੭॥
Kẖān malūk kahāva-o rājā.
Abe ṯabe kūṛe hai pājā. Bin gur sabaḏ na savras kājā. ||7||
If I were called an emperor, a lord, or a King, and I would treat my servants arrogantly, but all that show would be destined to perish, because without the shabda of the Guru, my purpose of life is not accomplished.
All the conceit to have everything of power or luxury and the attachments bind the mind; consequently, it becomes actually an obstacle for us to obtain peace. The Guru advises us in a different way; his advice remains focused on living in His love, which eventually loosens the grip of Maya-influences:
ਹਉਮੈ ਮਮਤਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਵਿਸਾਰੀ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਰਿਦੈ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰਣਿ ਤੁਮਾਰੀ ॥੮॥੧੦॥
Ha-umai mamṯā gur sabaḏ visārī.
Gurmaṯ jāni-ā riḏai murārī. Paraṇvaṯ Nānak saraṇ ṯumārī. ||8||10||
Through the Guru’s shabda, one’s conceit and infatuation are eradicated. Through the Guru’s guidance, Akalpurakh is recognized within. Humbly Nanak says: oh Akalpurakh! I am in your refuge.
Materialistic people want wealth with which they can buy whatever they want or enjoy to satisfy their urges; however, the spiritual inclined people want peace of mind that stays forever. Their demand is to have blessings through which they can remain focused on His love through His cozy memory; for them all, other things are not worth anything compared to the bliss they want always. Now see on 597, SGGS, the Guru advises us:
ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਤੂ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਦਾਤਾ ਦਾਨਿ ਮਤਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਹਮ ਥਾਰੇ ਭੇਖਾਰੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਮੈ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਗਉ ਕਿਛੁ ਥਿਰੁ ਨ ਰਹਾਈ ਹਰਿ ਦੀਜੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥
Soraṯẖ mėhlā 1.
Ŧū parabẖ ḏāṯā ḏān maṯ pūrā ham thāre bẖekẖārī jī-o.
Mai ki-ā māga-o kicẖẖ thir na rahā-ī har ḏījai nām pi-ārī jī-o. ||1||
Raag Sorath, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: Oh beneficent Akalpurakh! You bless us with the perfect understanding; we are your beggars. What should I ask from you? Nothing remains stable here; therefore, bless me with your name, dear.
Yes, only it is His name with which we build our relations with Him, tie ourselves to Him and absorb in His love eventually. As we reach to that peak, our prayer changes, because like the boatman whose boat is already fully loaded likes to keep it light instead of putting more things in it, the seekers in love with the Creator will not draw a list of materialistic things and make a part of their prayer ever as they are convinced that the Creator has been giving them all without asking since the beginning. In that situation, when the seekers read the following shabda, they feel its essence heartily: the shabda is on 1329, SGGS through which the Guru guides us for what the prayer should be done:
ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੈ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਮਾਨੁ ॥
ਆਪਾ ਮਧੇ ਆਪੁ ਪਰਗਾਸਿਆ ਪਾਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥
Parbẖāṯī mėhlā 1.
Gur parsādī viḏi-ā vīcẖārai paṛ paṛ pāvai mān.
Āpā maḏẖe āp pargāsi-ā pā-i-ā amriṯ nām. ||1||
Raag Prabhati, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: One who reflects on the divine knowledge with the Guru’s blessings obtains honor. Within one, Ekankar becomes manifest with that knowledge as one obtains His name nectar.
ਕਰਤਾ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਜਜਮਾਨੁ ॥
ਇਕ ਦਖਿਣਾ ਹਉ ਤੈ ਪਹਿ ਮਾਗਉ ਦੇਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Karṯāṯū merā jajmān.
Ik ḏakẖiṇā ha-o ṯai pėh māga-o ḏėh āpṇā nām. ||1|| Rahā-o.
Oh Creator! You are my giver! I beg from you a gift: give me your name. Pause.
All the time, every Sikh needs to pray for having His memory in the heart. His name germinates His memory within; in other words, His memory is enshrined within through His name; we should remain saturated in His love every moment: a moment of taking a decision, a moment of taking a step toward something and a moment of behaving toward others. The Guru gives a list of those virtues that help us to get absorbed in His love; what are those?
ਪੰਚ ਤਸਕਰ ਧਾਵਤ ਰਾਖੇ ਚੂਕਾ ਮਨਿ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥
ਦਿਸਟਿ ਬਿਕਾਰੀ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਭਾਗੀ ਐਸਾ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੨॥
Pancẖṯaskar ḏẖāvaṯ rākẖe cẖūkā man abẖimān.
Ḏisat bikārīḏurmaṯ bẖāgī aisā barahm gi-ān. ||2||
Through your name, one’s five thieves are put under control and self-conceit is eliminated. The divine knowledge about Akalpurakh (His realization) is so powerful that one’s inclinations toward vice and evil go away.
ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਚਾਵਲ ਦਇਆ ਕਣਕ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤਿ ਪਾਤੀ ਧਾਨੁ ॥
ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਘੀਉ ਕਰਿ ਐਸਾ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਦਾਨੁ ॥੩॥
Jaṯ saṯ cẖāval ḏa-i-ā kaṇak kar parāpaṯ pāṯīḏẖān.
Ḏūḏẖ karam sanṯokẖ gẖī-o kar aisā māʼnga-o ḏān. ||3||
(So) Bless me with the rice of continence and chastity, wheat of compassion and wealth of your union (reference is to a Pundit, who seeks only materialistic things). Give me the milk of your grace and (Purified) butter of contentment; I beg from you such alms.
ਖਿਮਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਗਊ ਲਵੇਰੀ ਸਹਜੇ ਬਛਰਾ ਖੀਰੁ ਪੀਐ ॥
ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਰਮ ਕਾ ਕਪੜਾ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਵਤੁ ਰਹੈ ॥੪॥੭॥
Kẖimāḏẖīraj kar ga-ū laverī sėhje bacẖẖrā kẖīr pī-ai.
Sifaṯ saram kā kapṛā māʼnga-o har guṇ Nānak ravaṯ rahai. ||4||7||
Bless me with the cow of forgiveness and patience so that my mind becomes calm. I, Nanak, beg from you the clothes of your praise so that my mind keeps uttering your virtues.
In a nutshell what is asked in the above shabda: His name that controls the mind from running toward vices under the influence of the five negative passions. Also asked are continence, chastity, compassion, a chance of realizing Him, contentment, forgiveness and patience, and inclination to praise Him. Do we ask these things ever from Him? If not, we should start asking, because with these virtues, our approach toward life will change. A peace filling dawn will be on. Sticking to these demands we can have what our Guru has wished for us, and this is what is useful for us in attaining eternal bliss; otherwise, if we remain centered at what the rest of the Maya drenched world is, we have no chance of that achievement, which is strongly advocated by our glorious Guru: unfading bliss. Sitting on religious chairs and preaching the Guru’s bani is not enough for a Guru’s Sikh, because a hypocrite can do that kind of job easily. The real preacher doesn’t give in to the pressure of outer influences realizing that the Guru wants to bring a change in the Sikhs; that change builds a strong faith in Him and it sees Him all present in all and all over. In His respect, we change totally into true seekers, who rise above the materialistic establishments. If we see the people who are into materialist pursuits, we shouldn’t give much attention to them.
Don’t make any preacher a celebrity, because our attention should remain aimed at Him in whose love we live. We are seeking eternal bliss and it is achieved only through following our Guru. Obviously we need to pray for His name, continence, chastity, compassion, a chance of realization of Him, contentment, forgiveness and patience, and inclination to praise Him. This is an essence of the Guru’s guided prayer that can keep us in bliss forever.
Wishes
G Singh
