There have been contradictory discussions in different Sikh circles about the concept of liberation and the Creator’s realization even though the Gurbani makes both of the terms very clear. About liberation, some of the Sikhs say: it means to get out of the continuous life and death cycle, but others believe it is a freedom from Maya. About the Creator’s realization, they differ as well. Usually their debate ends up in very personal and envenomed verbal or written attack as they slip the grip of logic; it is well defined in the Gurbani according to which liberation means to become free from lust, anger, jealousy, greed, conceit and attachment and it is attained while being alive (220, SGGS); basically it leads to knowing and realizing the Creator. If the Guru is the same, then why do the Sikh-groups fight with each other with so much contrast approach and exacerbating language? To comprehend that, we need to know the journey of a Sikh from birth to the time he or she takes the Guru’s refuge:
While growing up, among whom we live also change our way of looking at life; as we take education, our teachers influence us as per their personalities influenced by their environments. During this, our culture also keeps influencing us continuously and consistently; if we join a new culture even though temporarily, it also leaves an impact on us up to some degrees. By the time we truly go in the Guru’s refuge as grown up Sikhs, our heads are already full with how to live and what to achieve; consequently, our built relations and schemes never leave us. How then the Guru can influence us when we are already full with so much resilient influences? As we turn a little bit humble toward the Guru, we start giving in to his advice; nonetheless, our outer influences we bottled up during our brought up and student-period start interfering in our behavior and beliefs. We respect the Guru but unfortunately we try to find the meaning of his discourse in a way that fits well into our adopted influence. Contrary to that, a true seeker sheds off every idea or thought and falls humbly at the Guru’s advice. This is the same difference we see historically between Bhai Lehna ji and those Sikhs who had been also around Sri Guru Nanak ji; it was only Bhai Lehna ji, who got elevated eventually to the designation of a Guru. How did only he become like the Guru but none of those ones, who had been around with the Guru more than he had? The answer is very simple: he just dumped what he learned during the period of his brought up and education, and the Guru opened his eyes. Unfortunately all the seekers don’t touch that kind of height because of the brought up and education they refuge to abandon. Following the Guru is emptying the head from all previous conceived or persuaded ideas. If we do it, we will become different from others, many times we may appear misfit in the cultural commotion. Thus the realization has nothing to do with any discussions, or giving unsubstantial statements, because its total base is progression through sincere acts. The best way to start on this path is to study the bani in simple version, because if the Guru has worded his idea in compact and subtle way in some of his compositions, he has expressed it in very lucid words as well.
According to the Gurbani (433, 580, SGGS), the world is a show staged by its Creator just as a drama is performed at a director’s guidelines. Basically in spiritual realms, it is made clear that deeply involvement in the worldly show abates the excitement of realizing the Creator; however, involvement in it with responsibly is not rejected in the Gurbani (1246, SGGS). Sri Guru Nanak ji tells his follower to realize first the main purpose of coming into this world- to become one with Him while alive- and to tread on a path that leads to it. In a show in which good or bad acts are performed, the seeker also has a choice to perform the acts that don’t hamper his/her spiritual goal. A slight fall on the seeker’s path enhances the negativity that can become a permanent hurdle; therefore, the Guru’s guidance should be followed strictly without listening to anyone. The Guru says (1093 SGGS) that becoming one with the Creator tears down the seekers’ duality, because then a feeling of “being different from Him in nature” ceases to exist in them; instead a feeling of “ being His part/ ਸੋਹੰ” glows in them (Also such a state of mind is called “Sehaj”); then taste of liberation becomes sweet forever. There are two basic experiences in this context: to become able to see Him only in all and everything (Sehaj in detachment); to become like Him in nature (Beyond fear and animosity or discrimination; it is also called His realization). At this stage, no hatred is felt against even those whom we don’t like at all or oppose, because then we lack the feeling of animosity. We start understanding how individuals are wired and wrapped differently in positivity or negativity because of their different environments in which they are brought up. The Guru’s words “ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਭਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਾਣਾ ॥ Jo ṯuḏẖ bẖāvai so bẖalā sacẖ ṯerā bẖāṇā.(318, SGGS)” are an example of this state. Many people wonder why Tenth Nanak would not allow his soldiers to pursue those who were running away from the battlefield; the state of mind he reached was beyond comprehension for those who didn’t know about liberation. This is the beginning state of Ekankar’s realization. Now lets talk about the first one, please see on 599, SGGS:
ਤਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈ ਸੋਹੰ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਓਪਰੰਪਰ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲਿਓਾ ਸੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥5॥11॥
Ŧaṯ niranjan joṯ sabā-ī sohaʼn bẖeḏ na ko-ī jī-o.
Aprampar pārbarahm parmesar Nānak gur mili-ā so-ī jī-o. ||5||11||
In essence: Immaculate Ekankar is the origin of all the lives and His light exists in all; therefore, there is no difference between Him and His created ones (all are Him/ ਸੋਹੰ). Oh Nanak! I have met Ekankar, the Guru, who is infinite and supreme.
Above the Guru gives a statement not out of books but from his own experience; in a nutshell, no difference should be considered between Him and His creation; therefore, to develop this kind of feeling is a mandatory element for the Creator’s realization.
The Guru now gives a hint to us to overcome our all personal thoughts or outer influences to love “the Guru”, because the conceit we have built over years is dangerous to this spiritual pursuit. Learn about it on 60, SGGS:
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਸੋਹੰ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਭੇਦਿ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਅਵਰ ਕਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਰਾਇ ॥੯॥
Bin gur parīṯ na ūpjai ha-umai mail na jā-e.
Sohaʼn āp pacẖẖāṇī-ai sabaḏ bẖeḏ paṯī-ā-e.
Gurmukẖ āp pacẖẖāṇī-ai avar kė kare karā-e. ||9||
In essence: Without the Guru, the filth of conceit doesn’t go away and the love for Akalpurakh doesn’t develop. Through the Guru’s shabda, when one realizes that one’s nature is like of the Creator (ਸੋਹੰ when one realizes that one is a part of Akalpurakh), one recognizes Akalpurakh. Through the Guru, one understands one’s “inner self”; otherwise, what other efforts can one do?
When the seekers see Ekankar only in all and everything and start to live without duality, they realize Him; otherwise, any lecture, or a written essay, or an elaboration of the Gurbani remains away from Ekankar’s real realization; it just doesn’t help. If we don’t listen to the Guru, possibility is that we will get lost in fake statements of others.
In the following shabdas, the Guru takes his followers to that height from where spiritual goal becomes sustainable, but the Guru is important. Very contrary to a Sikh, an editor of a Punjabi Newspaper, who says that the Gurbani doesn’t stress on a human Guru, First Nanak, on 686, SGGS, suggests the seekers to find a Guru, who has realized the Creator and who can make others realize Him:
ਸੋ ਗੁਰੁ ਕਰਉ ਜਿ ਸਾਚੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵੈ ॥ ਅਕਥੁ ਕਥਾਵੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲਾਵੈ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਲੋਗ ਅਵਰ ਨਹੀ ਕਾਰਾ ॥ ਸਾਚਉ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਸਾਚੁ ਪਿਆਰਾ ॥੨॥
So gur kara-o jė sācẖ ḏariṛ-āvai . Akath kathāvai sabaḏ milāvai.
Har ke log avar nahī kārā . Sācẖa-o ṯẖākur sācẖ pi-ārā. ||2||
In essence: I shall accept that Guru, who implants Har in my mind and whose teachings enable me to express the inexpressible Har. The devotees of Har have no other task than doing Har’s devotion, because their Master, who is eternal, is dear to them.
It has become a fashion to give mere statements about the Sikhi and some words used in the Gurbani without getting any substantial support from the bani itself as in case of an editor of a Punjabi Newspaper I referred to in the above paragraph. Unfounded ideas colored in the Sikhi do not help a seeker to realize the Creator, as the Guru wants. I cannot realize the creator by simply interpreting the Gurbani either; if I cannot, it is possible that you may not realize Him unless you get totally tuned to what the Guru says. In this context, my personal thought has no value at all, because its origin is not out of the Creator’s experience. My limit is up to sharing what the Guru says in his own words. Remember, the realization needs progression through sincere acts only. Let us first look how meticulously the Guru leads the followers to Akalpurakh’s realization.
In the shabda on 598, SGGS, the Guru tells the followers that real purpose of this life is not to gain materialistic successes, or to indulge in pleasures, but it is beyond that:
ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਜਿਸੁ ਜਲ ਨਿਧਿ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਤੁਮ ਜਗਿ ਆਏ ਸੋ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਛੋਡਹੁ ਵੇਸੁ ਭੇਖ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਇਹੁ ਫਲੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥
Soraṯẖ mėhlā 1.
Jis jal niḏẖ kāraṇ ṯum jag ā-e so amriṯ gur pāhī jī-o.
Cẖẖodahu ves bẖekẖ cẖaṯurā-ī ḏubiḏẖā ih fal nāhī jī-o. ||1||
Raag Sorath, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: The treasure of nectar (Ekankar’s name that satisfies the thirst of desires) for which you have come into this world is with the Guru; therefore, get rid of your garbs, disguises, cleverness, and duality, because through these, that nectar is not obtained.
In the above verses, a strong point immensely advocated in SGGS is made clear. The purpose of life is to realize the Creator through remembering Him, but here is another question: how to get His name when we already know His name? Or how the Guru can give us name when we have a name for Him? To understand that, we should also remember that the Guru doesn’t stress on any particular name of the Creator but simply says that His name (existence/He) is a reality (ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ); also please see on, SGGS:
ਕਿਰਤਮ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਿਹਬਾ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਰਾ ਪੂਰਬਲਾ ॥
Kirṯam nām kathe ṯere jihbā.
Saṯ nām ṯerā parā pūrbalā. {SGGS–1083}
In essence: My tongue utters your given names (as per your acts/virtues), but “Sat” is your primal name.
Thus no special name given to Him is valued particularly in the Gurbani; therefore, getting His name means to know Him to that degree, which makes the seekers realize to be His part. In other words, when the seekers through His memory feel that they are not separate from the Creator contrary to the rest of the world, they realize His name; realizing His name triggers an act of getting lost in His memory by focusing on His name within and seeing Him in all and everywhere; slowly the seekers drop His name as He Himself occupies their hearts. Through His name (which introduces to His identity) and the Guru’s advice only, the seekers realize that the world show doesn’t belong to them but to Him; positivity and negativity are in clash in it. Then a guest’s mentality, which germinates detachment in them by rejecting all the negativity, sets in them; it means they live only the way the Guru guides them without letting interfere any personal or other adopted thoughts. The Guru advises the seekers to involve with Him, and involving in Him is to know Him; Knowing Him will help us to evolve to become a part of Him. He is not an entity of a form, because He is “ਅਜੂਨੀ /Akalmoorat”(1, SGGS); therefore, desiring to see Him in a limited form is a folly. Look at another example: we need air to survive, but can we see it? No, we can’t, but we know it and feel it and realize its presence all over. Air is one part of His form. Actually all the lives, the things, visible or invisible, are parts of His form. Obviously His memory of being infinite can be brought in the mind with any of His name. We know that one’s name brings to us one’s entire personality, but unfortunately we are fed in a wrong way about the Creator’s personality. Some say He is up in the sky watching us; some say He incarnates in the humans, but the Guru rejects the idea of His being in a single form by calling Him “Ajooni”; obviously His form is not limited, where as “ਜੂਨ /joon” is. The Guru defines Him in one word to know His form and that is,” ਸੈਭੰ /Swambh/ Self-illumined”(1, SGGS), which opens the door for us to see Him in an infinite energy, power and His visible creation and beyond. Now we identify Him in all and over everywhere; this way, we are also convinced that He cannot be personal. To feel Him within, we will need to overcome of our powerful awareness of ourselves as different entities than Him. This is the way we know Him and attain His name as His part. Please read the following and learn how to feel to be part of Him:
ਮਨ ਰੇ ਥਿਰੁ ਰਹੁ ਮਤੁ ਕਤ ਜਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਬਾਹਰਿ ਢੂਢਤ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਘਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਘਟ ਮਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Man re thir rahu maṯ kaṯ jāhī jī-o.
Bāhar dẖūdẖaṯ bahuṯ ḏukẖ pāvahi gẖar amriṯ gẖat māhī jī-o. Rahā-o.
Oh my mind! Stay stilled by getting focused on Ekankar within and do not wander around, because the nectar is within. By searching it outside, you will go through many difficulties. Pause.
After knowing from the Guru that the Creator is within and all over, why do we need to go in search of Him? To realize Him, first we need to search Him within. As the Guru said earlier, the presence of the Creator is within and the Sikhs, as the Guru’s followers, should battle within with their negative forces to find out His presence/ nectar/Identity within, in other words to attain liberation from lust, anger, jealousy, attachment and greed. As we get liberated from these negative forces, feeling to be part of Him becomes easy. The Guru answers the question in the all following verses):
ਅਵਗੁਣ ਛੋਡਿ ਗੁਣਾ ਕਉ ਧਾਵਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਅਵਗੁਣ ਪਛੁਤਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਸਰ ਅਪਸਰ ਕੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਕੀਚ ਬੁਡਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
Avguṇ cẖẖod guṇā ka-o ḏẖāvahu kar avguṇ pacẖẖuṯāhī jī-o.
Sar apsar kī sār na jāṇėh fir fir kīcẖ budāhī jī-o. ||2||
Obtain virtues by forsaking demerits; because of these demerits, you will have to repent. You don’t know the difference between good and bad; therefore, you keep sinking in the mire of corruption (the Maya love) again and again.
We just cannot merely say that we are part of Him (ਸੋਹੰ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ), because according to the Guru, merely saying means nothing (491, SGGS). We need to live and feel as His part through attaining virtues and getting rid of our flaws (negative inclinations that keep us separate from Him). Thus we need liberation from them. If we are diseased by a grudge against anyone, we will be grounded right there; if we learn to move on, we will be able to untie our bonds and become able to walk on the Guru’s path successfully. I prefer to walk away from that person, who holds on to grudges, because my eyes are set on getting rid of my negative forces.
Here is the clarity about the confusion, which engulfs most of the Guru’s followers; we think we know to handle everything or we know better than others; we feel that we know which is right or which is not, but it is our illusion layered in our conceit. We are wrapped in outer influences we take from a group, the books and friends and acquaintances, and the Guru wants us to get out of these bubble wraps.
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਲੋਭ ਬਹੁ ਝੂਠੇ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਨਾਵਹੁ ਕਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਸਦ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਗਤਿ ਤਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥
Anṯar mail lobẖ baho jẖūṯẖe bāhar nāvhu kāhī jī-o.
Nirmal nām japahu saḏ gurmukẖ anṯar kī gaṯ ṯāhī jī-o. ||3||
If there is great deal of filth of greed and falsehood in the mind, what is the use of washing the body? If you remember Ekankar’s pure name through the Guru always, only then your internal plight will be better.
If we look at a slok of Bhagat Kabir, the concept of remembering His name or Him becomes very clear; it erodes our doubt that remembering Him with His name is not useful:
ਕਬੀਰ ਨੈਨ ਨਿਹਾਰਉ ਤੁਝ ਕਉ, ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ਸੁਨਉ ਤੁਅ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਬੈਨ ਉਚਰਉ ਤੁਅ ਨਾਮ ਜੀ, ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਰਿਦ ਠਾਉ ॥੧੧੯॥
Kabīr nain nihāra-o ṯujẖ ka-o sarvan sun-o ṯu-a nā-o.
Bain ucẖara-o ṯu-a nām jī cẖaran kamal riḏṯẖā-o. ||119||
In essence: Oh Kabir say: Oh Akalpurakh! I want to keep seeing you with my eyes and hearing (ਸੁਨਉ /sunuon) your name (ਤੁਅ ਨਾਉ) with my ears. I want to keep uttering (ਉਚਰਉ) your name by keeping your lotus feet in my heart.
The Guru applauds those who remember Him with his name: 722, SGGS:
ਹੰਉ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੈ ਜਾਉ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਨਾ ਹੰਉ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੈ ਜਾਉ ॥
ਹੰਉ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੈ ਜਾਉ ਤਿਨਾ ਕੈ ਲੈਨਿ ਜੋ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਲੈਨਿ ਜੋ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਤਿਨਾ ਕੈ ਹੰਉ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੈ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Haʼn-u kurbānai jā-o miharvānā haʼn-u kurbānai jā-o.
Haʼn-u kurbānai jā-o ṯinā kai lain jo ṯerā nā-o.
Lain jo ṯerā nā-o ṯinā kai haʼn-u saḏ kurbānai jā-o. ||1|| Rahā-o.
In essence: Oh Merciful Akalpurakh! I sacrifice to you repeatedly. I sacrifice also to those, who utter (ਲੈਨਿ) your name; yes, I sacrifice to those, who utter your name. Pause.
Obviously remembering Him by uttering His name or singing His praises or listening to His name praise is desired to remain with Him to feel to be His part. In this practice, a time comes when He is remembered without using tongue (ਅਜਪਾ ਜਾਪੁ), in other words to remain in His memory; it is on 1391, SGGS
ਅਜਪਾ ਜਾਪੁ ਨ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਆਦਿ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਸਭਿ ਸਖੀਆ ਪੰਚੇ ਮਿਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
ਸਬਦੁ ਖੋਜਿ ਇਹੁ ਘਰੁ ਲਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਦਾਸੁ ॥੧॥
Ajpā jāp na vīsrai āḏ jugāḏ samā-e.
Sabẖ sakẖī-ā pancẖe mile gurmukẖ nij gẖar vās.
Sabaḏ kẖoj ih gẖar lahai Nānak ṯā kā ḏās. ||1||
In essence: One’s mind remains imbued with His praise without speaking. One’s all five senses align with virtues and stop tempting one’s mind; this way, one’s mind stills within itself. Nanak says: I am servant of that person, who reaches to such a state of mind through reflecting on the Guru’s shabda.
Another point, sometimes we are told to take bath at religious places, but will it help us? The Guru says “no”. Instead, he advises us to get wrapped in His memory through His name as stated in the Bhagat Kabir’s Slok quoted above; consequently, if we do, we will be bound to Him; binding to Him will clean us off our dirty acts that keep bringing those reactions, which trigger miseries for us. Don’t focus on the literal meaning of “ਨਾਮ / Naam” or “ ਨਾਉ /Naon”, basically it is all about feeling Him present all the time very close. If we try to live just feeling like that, we will be surprised that we are not now what we were a moment ago without His feeling. The Guru continues asking us to embrace the virtues by keeping Him in our hearts. As in Bhagat Namdev’s shabda (972, SGGS), it is stated that just as a mother works in and outside but her mind remains fixed on her child, laid down in the cradle, our focus should remain on Him because we love Him as His part. As we feel Him within, the virtues will replace our all demerits and our trust in Him will remain intact.
Back to the shabda; doing efforts to attain virtues is our choice:
ਪਰਹਰਿ ਲੋਭੁ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਤਿਆਗਹੁ ਸਚੁ ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਉ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਲਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥੪॥੯॥
Parhar lobẖ ninḏā kūṛ ṯi-āgahu sacẖ gur bacẖnī fal pāhī jī-o.
Ji-o bẖāvai ṯi-o rākẖo har jī-o jan Nānak sabaḏ salāhī jī-o. ||4||9||
Forsake greed, slandering of others, and falsehood and follow the Guru’s teachings. You will obtain its fruit (His name-nectar). Oh Nanak! Pray this way: Oh Ekankar! Keep me as you wish, but bless me so that I can praise you through the Guru’s shabda.
Why is His name nectar? Read on 1327, SGGS:
ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਸਹਜੁ ਨਾਇ ਸਾਲਾਹ ॥ ਨਾਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਬਿਖੁ ਉਠਿ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਸਭਿ ਸੁਖ ਵਸਹਿ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਬਾਧੀ ਜਮ ਪੁਰਿ ਜਾਇ ॥੩॥
Nā-e ṯerai sahj nā-e sālāh. Nā-o ṯerā amriṯ bikẖ uṯẖ jā-e.
Nā-e ṯerai sabẖ sukẖ vasėh man ā-e. Bin nāvai bāḏẖī jam pur jā-e. ||3||
In essence: Through your name, equipoise is attained and your praise is obtained. Your name nectar eradicates the poison of Maya. Through your name, all peace and comforts are attained. Without your name, the soul remains bound by the death.
Now the Guru says: get rid of greed, slandering of others and simply obey the Guru, which means to live with a feeling of His being present within. Don’t worry about what the world says, because the Guru says so. Also pray to the Creator,” keep us the way you want, but bless us so that we remain indulged in your praise by being wrapped up in your love only”.
The Guru gives importance to the Guru; obviously, the same point he stresses in the following verses by adding another point and that is to comprehend the ordinance of the Creator around which our entire lives revolve; the shabda is on 636, SGGS; as we live in His memory, we urge to praise Him, because He becomes our everything:
ਭੀ ਤੂਹੈ ਸਾਲਾਹਣਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਾਲਾਹ ॥
ਵਿਣੁ ਬੋਹਿਥ ਭੈ ਡੁਬੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਕੰਧੀ ਪਾਇ ਕਹਾਹ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bẖī ṯūhai salāhṇā pi-āre bẖī ṯerī sālāh .
Viṇ bohith bẖai dubī-ai pi-āre kanḏẖī pā-e kahāh. ||1|| Rahā-o.
In essence: Oh dear Akalpurakh! Only you should be praised and your virtues should be sung. Your praise is a ship, and without it, one drowns in the dreadful (Maya) ocean without reaching to the shore. Pause.
ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਣਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਦੂਜਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਾਲਾਹਨਿ ਸੇ ਭਲੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਤੇ ਰੰਗੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਜੇ ਮਿਲੈ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਰਸੁ ਲੈ ਤਤੁ ਵਿਲੋਇ ॥੨॥
Sālāhī salāhṇā pi-āre ḏūjā avar na ko-e .
Mere parabẖ sālāhan se bẖale pi-āre sabaḏ raṯe rang ho-e.
Ŧis kī sangaṯ je milai pi-āre ras lai ṯaṯ vilo-e. ||2||
Akalpurakh is praise worthy and we should praise Him. Oh dear! There is no other one who is worthy of praising. Those persons who praise my Akalpurakh by getting drenched in the Guru’s Shabda are sublime and they get colored in His love. If such devotee’s company is obtained, one can have the essence of His name, and by uttering (churning) it, Akalpurakh is obtained.
Seeking company of those who are lost in materialistic pursuits is another disaster that the Guru doesn’t want his followers to have; keeping up the company of those who have started living in His love is fruitful; now in His praise, to follow His ordinance is very important; the Guru will elaborate on this as well:
ਪਤਿ ਪਰਵਾਨਾ ਸਾਚ ਕਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਚਾ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥
ਆਇਆ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਵਣਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਬੂਝੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਾਚੇ ਸਾਚਾ ਤਾਣੁ ॥੩॥
Paṯ parvānā sācẖ kā pi-āre nām sacẖā nīsāṇ .
Ā-i-ā likẖ lai jāvṇā pi-āre hukmī hukam pacẖẖāṇ.
Gur bin hukam na būjẖī-ai pi-āre sācẖe sācẖā ṯāṇ. ||3||
Prabh’s name is a pass to meet Him. Anyone who has come to this world is supposed to take His name–pass; therefore, understand His ordinance. Oh dear! Without the Guru, His ordinance is not understood; Prabh’s power is eternal.
His ordinance commands our lives; obviously we need to understand it and honor it as well. What is it actually? The Guru explains it in detail:
ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨਿੰਮਿਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਉਦਰ ਮਝਾਰਿ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਜੰਮਿਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਊਧਉ ਸਿਰ ਕੈ ਭਾਰਿ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਚਲੈ ਕਾਰਜ ਸਾਰਿ ॥੪॥
Hukmai anḏar nimmi-ā pi-āre hukmai uḏar majẖār .
Hukmai anḏar jammi-ā pi-āre ūḏẖa-o sir kai bẖār.
Gurmukẖ ḏargėh jāṇī-ai pi-āre cẖalai kāraj sār. ||4||
In Har’s ordinance, we conceive and as per His ordinance, we grow in the womb. In His ordinance, we are born with heads down. Through the Guru, we are accepted in His court as we settle our affair right (settling affair right here is to praise Har’s name/ live in His love; please see verses number 3).
We come here to get Har’s name–pass that is obtained through the Guru. Here the Guru elaborates the idea mentioned above that we should understand His ordinance according to which we should get His name–pass to be with Him.
ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਆਇਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਜਾਦੋ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੇ ਬੰਨਹ੍ਹਿ ਚਲਾਈਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਲਹੈ ਸਜਾਇ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੇ ਸਬਦਿ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਦਰਗਹ ਪੈਧਾ ਜਾਇ ॥੫॥
Hukmai anḏar ā-i-ā pi-āre hukme jāḏo jā-e .
Hukme banėh cẖalā-ī-ai pi-āre manmukẖ lahai sajā-e.
Hukme sabaḏ pacẖẖāṇī-ai pi-āre ḏargėh paiḏẖā jā-e. ||5||
The mortal comes and goes under Akalpurakh’s ordinance. As per His ordinance, the mind-slaves get bound and suffer. Through the Guru’s Shabda, Akalpurakh’s ordinance is understood and one is accepted in His court (as His devotee).
ਹੁਕਮੇ ਗਣਤ ਗਣਾਈਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੋਇ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੇ ਭਵੈ ਭਵਾਈਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਅਵਗਣਿ ਮੁਠੀ ਰੋਇ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਸਿਞਾਪੈ ਸਾਹ ਕਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਚੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਹੋਇ ॥੬॥
Hukme gaṇaṯ gaṇā-ī-ai pi-āre hukme ha-umai ḏo-e.
Hukme bẖavai bẖavā-ī-ai pi-āre avgaṇ muṯẖī ro-e.
Hukam siñāpai sāh kā pi-āre sacẖ milai vadi-ā-ī ho-e. ||6||
As per Har’s ordinance, thinking about obtaining Maya blooms in one’s mind, and as per His ordinance, self conceit and “his or mine” kind of thinking develops. As per His ordinance, some wander and in His ordinance, they beguiled by demerits because of which they bewail. Oh dear! If one understands the ordinance of Har, the King, one meets Him and obtains glory.
What occurs beyond His ordinance? The answer is “nothing.” The entire procedure from birth to death, from good acts to bad acts and to go away from Him and to get merged with Him occurs in His command. Why should we get angry with anyone then? Now we know that we are just actors, but the drama we play is directed by Him. Thus His ordinance prevails and before it we are noting; nonetheless, He has blessed us with intellect with which we can get aligned to it and pocket the peace we desire always by remaining aware of the fact that we reap what we sow.
Remember the Guru has talked about His name earlier, here he is going to elaborate it; suddenly we will realize that it is not merely uttering His name that can help us, because remembering or uttering His name is not as simple as we see:
ਆਖਣਿ ਅਉਖਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਕਿਉ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹਿਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹਉ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੈ ਜਾਉ ॥
ਨਾਉ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੰਤੋਖੀਆਂ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਉ ॥੭॥
Ākẖaṇ a-ukẖā ākẖī-ai pi-āre ki-o suṇī-ai sacẖ nā-o.
Jinĥī so salāhi-ā pi-āre ha-o ṯinĥ balihārai jā-o .
Nā-o milai sanṯokẖī-āʼn pi-āre naḏrī mel milā-o. ||7||
Oh dear! (The world is involved in Maya) it is hard to utter Prabh’s name and it is also difficult to hear His name; however, I sacrifice to those, who praise Prabh. Oh dear! Those ones who become contented obtain Prabh’s name, and He blesses them and unites them with Him.
Why praising His name or hearing His name is difficult? Answer is simple: when we get involved in the Maya pursuits, it appears that we are on the right track as the things are coming in our ways, but as we realize our fallacy, we sink into miseries; in disturbance we cannot focus on Him. Pursuing Maya pursuits will not let us be content or focused on Him. With virtues at our hands and being in love with Him, we start feeling content. Forgetting Him implants in us ballooned conceit, anger, greed, lust, jealousy and attachment. Staying in a good company of His lovers and sticking to the Guru’s advice help us to succeed in realizing Him.
ਕਾਇਆ ਕਾਗਦੁ ਜੇ ਥੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਮਨੁ ਮਸਵਾਣੀ ਧਾਰਿ ॥
ਲਲਤਾ ਲੇਖਣਿ ਸਚ ਕੀ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਲਿਖਹੁ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥
ਧਨੁ ਲੇਖਾਰੀ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਾਚੁ ਲਿਖੈ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰਿ ॥੮॥੩॥
Kā-i-ā kāgaḏ je thī-ai pi-āre man masvāṇī ḏẖār.
Lalṯā lekẖaṇ sacẖ kī pi-āre har guṇ likẖahu vīcẖār.
Ḏẖan lekẖārī nānkā pi-āre sācẖ likẖai ur ḏẖār. ||8||3||
Oh dear! Deem your body as a paper and your mind as an inkpot. Use your tongue as a pen. This way, write the virtues of Har and reflect on His virtues. Oh Nanak! Blessed is that inscribe, who enshrines Har in his heart.
Pay attention to what the Guru says: involve in His praise, because it will help us to fill ourselves with His feelings for which we have come into this world. We should keep working for living without ever forgetting Him at all. The final realization comes with His grace, but to qualify for His grace, we need to follow strictly the Guru not the people, who are just spinning the words out there. The efforts of knowing Him will lead us to that point, where His grace becomes eminent. The Guru also says that we should keep treading on His path in love without worrying about anything. Don’t give in to this or that fear. And pray only this:
ਰਾਤਿ ਦਿਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਉ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈਐ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ਜੇ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਈਐ ॥ ੮॥੨॥੪॥
Rāṯ ḏihai har nā-o man vasā-ī-ai. Nānak mel milā-e je ṯuḏẖ bẖā-ī-ai. ||8||2||4|| (752, SGGS)
Oh Nanak pray this: Oh Har! If it pleases you, unite me with the company in which your name (you) is enshrined in my heart all the time.
The complexity of His way of existing sometimes confuses us, because we want to see Him in a form, but feeling Him the way we feel the air makes us easier to see Him beyond a form. Must remember that for us to feel for someone requires our sincere love. Feeling and believing that only His energy or power is in control will liberate us from all fears and put us close to Him. Then we will be in a miracle and unique state of mind, because in it all the dust and fog created by the Maya centered world will disappear. Certainly we will understand the following verses completely then: 43, SGGS
ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ਦੂਜਾ ੨ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਰਸੀਆ ਆਪਿ ਰਸੁ ਆਪੇ ਰਾਵਣਹਾਰੁ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਚੋਲੜਾ ਆਪੇ ਸੇਜ ਭਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥
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.
ਰੰਗਿ ਰਤਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Rang raṯā merā sāhib rav rahi-ā bẖarpūr. ||1|| Rahā-o.
My Master, being filled with love, pervades everywhere. Pause.
Wishes
G Singh
