Everyday, we witness people dying of natural causes, or diseases, or in accidents, or as victims of homicide. We also know that regardless the age, people die everyday. Obviously whoever is born is bound to go. In the Sikhi, we are supposed neither to fear from death, nor to dip into sadness because of it; instead if a friend, a relative or an acquaintance dies, the Creator’s praise is highly recommended. Most of the people claim to be adhered to this or that religion; nonetheless, a few believers modify their way of living as per the scriptures they believe in; in this case the Sikhs are not exception, because most of them really don’t feel to restrict their lives by their scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Trust me what I say here; in this regard I just want to share with you one incident. Inspired by Fourth Nanak’s shabda on 366, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, I wrote an article by quoting the Guru’s shabda against living life controlled by a group-mentality, because it robs us of fairness. In response to that, a gentleman wrote to me, “ Why do you bring the Gurbani in every matter of life?” I responded, “It is very important for a Sikh to seek help from it on every matter and if you haven’t felt good about it, just ignore what I wrote; for me and other many Sikhs, without it, nothing is good”. Like that gentleman, there are many Sikhs, who are not committed truly to the Gurbani; some of them just read about it and move on with their lives without any change; there are others, who are controlled by some cult-like groups; nonetheless, there are other Sikhs who ponder over the Guru’s shabda and try to change their way of life through struggling with what comes in their way. The Sikhi is all about keeping up a personal struggle against vices and negativity for the entire life till the moment the Creator blesses the seeker with His grace. Those who do this can understand that living without the Gurbani-guidance is giving an invitation to numerous miseries and frustration. If the Sikhs commit to the Gurbani truly, with its guidance, they will shine through their lives as per the power infused in them by Tenth Nanak, who redesigned their psyche of fearlessness advocated by First Nanak.
I am sharing with you First Nanak’s two shabdas. In the first one, he advises the followers to remain aware of the Maya influences to get connected with The Creator. In the second one he guides them how to live and secure that path that leads to the Creator’s realization; first shabda is on 595, SGGS:
ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ॥
Soraṯẖ mėhlā 1 gẖar 1 cẖa-upḏe.
Raag Sorath, the bani of First Nanak, house first, Chaupade
ਸਭਨਾ ਮਰਣਾ ਆਇਆ ਵੇਛੋੜਾ ਸਭਨਾਹ ॥
ਪੁਛਹੁ ਜਾਇ ਸਿਆਣਿਆ ਆਗੈ ਮਿਲਣੁ ਕਿਨਾਹ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਵਡੜੀ ਵੇਦਨ ਤਿਨਾਹ ॥੧॥
Sabẖnā marṇā ā-i-ā vecẖẖoṛā sabẖnāh.
Pucẖẖahu jā-e si-āṇi-ā āgai milaṇ kināh.
Jin merā sāhib vīsrai vadṛī veḏan ṯināh. ||1||
In essence: All are subject to die and all suffer separation. Go and ask the wise men, “who are those ones, who have the union (ਮਿਲਣੁ /milan/union, used as a noun) with the Creator?” Those who forget my Master endure great agony.
First Nanak’s bani is very compact; many times, many meanings can be taken of his words. The best way is to study the entire shabda to figure out what really the Guru passes on to us by ignoring how other people interpret it. First, the Guru says that the certainty of death is to be faced by all, but to be with Him is a big question to be pondered over; second, he says that those people who have forgotten the Creator will suffer greatly.
“ਮਿਲਣੁ /milan” is used as a noun; the question arises: who, out of all those who depart from here, obtain the union with the Creator? Answering it indirectly, in the next verses, the Guru advises not to forget the Creator to avoid that great agony of separation from Him. The Guru’s advice is:
ਭੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਿਹੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bẖī sālāhihu sācẖā so-e. Jā kī naḏar saḏā sukẖ ho-e. Rahā-o.
Keep praising Akalpurakh with whose grace peace and comfort prevail always. Pause.
In the following, the Guru elaborates on “why to praise Him and how”:
ਵਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹਣਾ ਹੈ ਭੀ ਹੋਸੀ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਸਭਨਾ ਦਾਤਾ ਏਕੁ ਤੂ ਮਾਣਸ ਦਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਥੀਐ ਰੰਨ ਕਿ ਰੁੰਨੈ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Vadā kar salāhṇā hai bẖī hosī so-e.
Sabẖnā ḏāṯā ek ṯū māṇas ḏāṯ na ho-e.
Jo ṯis bẖāvai so thī-ai rann kė runnai ho-e. ||2||
Praise Akalpurakh by calling Him the greatest. He was there, He is now, and He will be there in the future. “Oh Akalpurakh! Only you are the beneficent of all. What a human being can give?” It occurs whatever pleases Akalpurakh; wailing like a woman (the Guru gives an example of a woman’s emotional side over a death) is useless.
The Guru states that praising the creator should never be stopped regardless in what situation we are in; we could be in a tragic situation. Nothing occurs beyond or against His Will. Instead of praising the human beings, the seeker should praise the Creator even if He calls back (death) someone close, because everything is in His power; in other words, the human beings or their images should never be elevated to His level as we see some humans are worshipped like God especially in India. Such people may be rich, powerful or at celebrity pitch, but there is history of such peoples’ coming to the worldly stage and vanishing; obviously they were not eternal and will not be either. In the next verses, the Guru talks about the so-called powerful human beings:
ਧਰਤੀ ਉਪਰਿ ਕੋਟ ਗੜ ਕੇਤੀ ਗਈ ਵਜਾਇ ॥
ਜੋ ਅਸਮਾਨਿ ਨ ਮਾਵਨੀ ਤਿਨ ਨਕਿ ਨਥਾ ਪਾਇ ॥
ਜੇ ਮਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਸੂਲੀਆ ਕਾਹੇ ਮਿਠਾ ਖਾਹਿ ॥੩॥
Ḏẖarṯī upar kot gaṛ keṯī ga-ī vajā-e.
Jo asmān na māvnī ṯin nak nathā pā-e.
Je man jāṇėh sūlī-ā kāhe miṯẖā kẖāhi. ||3||
On this earth, numerous people built fortresses and left it after beating the drums of their power. The Creator also controlled those ones, who had a great deal of self-conceit. (Reality is this) If one understands that the life, filled with power and pleasure, also becomes painful, then why one will indulge in pleasures by deeming them as sweet?
Never take the life as a joke; actions trigger reactions; consequently, the fruits of the reactions become a part of our destiny. Conceit, lust, anger, greed, pride and attachment exacerbate our miseries. Nothing can be continued forever, because if there is time of comfort, there could be a time when pains can surround us. In this kind of situation, embracing virtuous way of life by abandoning vices and ill intentions is what can help us as the Guru says:
ਨਾਨਕ ਅਉਗੁਣ ਜੇਤੜੇ ਤੇਤੇ ਗਲੀ ਜੰਜੀਰ ॥
ਜੇ ਗੁਣ ਹੋਨਿ ਤ ਕਟੀਅਨਿ ਸੇ ਭਾਈ ਸੇ ਵੀਰ ॥
ਅਗੈ ਗਏ ਨ ਮੰਨੀਅਨਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਢਹੁ ਵੇਪੀਰ ॥੪॥੧॥
Nānak a-oguṇ jeṯ-ṛe ṯeṯe galī janjīr.
Je guṇ hon ṯa katī-an se bẖā-ī se vīr.
Agai ga-e na mannī-an mār kadẖahu vepīr. ||4||1||
Oh Nanak! As many as demerits one has, so many bonds one obtains. If one has virtues, these bonds can be cut off, because the virtues are helpful like brothers (supporters). The demerits are not accepted hereafter (In His presence); therefore, eliminate them.
As life is shifted away from vices and negative intentions, peace starts dawning in. It is the same peace of mind that helps us through ups and downs of our lives. How then virtues can be obtained? What kind of life should we prefer to our selfish goals? Here is the second shabda on 595-596, SGGS, to guide us:
ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
ਮਨੁ ਹਾਲੀ ਕਿਰਸਾਣੀ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਰਮੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਤਨੁ ਖੇਤੁ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਬੀਜੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸੁਹਾਗਾ ਰਖੁ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਵੇਸੁ ॥
ਭਾਉ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਿ ਜੰਮਸੀ ਸੇ ਘਰ ਭਾਗਠ ਦੇਖੁ ॥੧॥
Soraṯẖ mėhlā 1 gẖar 1.
Man hālī kirsāṇī karṇī saram pāṇī ṯan kẖeṯ.
Nām bīj sanṯokẖ suhāgā rakẖ garībī ves.
Bẖā-o karam kar jammsī se gẖar bẖāgaṯẖ ḏekẖ. ||1||
Raag Sorath, the bani of First Nanak.
In essence: Use your mind like a farmer. Use its deeds as the farming (hard and honest work) and deem this body as a field. Sow Har’s name-seed (the base of virtues) in it and use your contentment to keep your mind clean from vices. This way, live very modestly. With Har’s grace, Har’s love will bloom within you, and you can become very fortunate and rich.
Here is advice about “self-cleaning”; it is to indulge in The Creator’s love in such a way that He should be in the heart all the time and also it is to live in utter contentment, which means no outer attraction should influence the mind. The only desire in the mind should be to saturate it with His love. This way, a state of mind in which seeing Him all over will develop. This can only be done if one starts believing that “Maya” is totally temporary though it has griped everyone.
ਬਾਬਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਇਨਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਗੁ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਵਿਰਲਾ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bābā mā-i-ā sāth na ho-e.
In mā-i-ā jag mohi-ā virlā būjẖai ko-e. Rahā-o.
Oh wise man! Maya doesn’t go with the mortal. This Maya has bewitched the entire world, but a rare person understands that. Pause.
ਹਾਣੁ ਹਟੁ ਕਰਿ ਆਰਜਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਵਥੁ ॥
ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸੋਚ ਕਰਿ ਭਾਂਡਸਾਲ ਤਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਤਿਸ ਨੋ ਰਖੁ ॥
ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਸਿਉ ਵਣਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਲੈ ਲਾਹਾ ਮਨ ਹਸੁ ॥੨॥
Hāṇ hat kar ārjā sacẖ nām kar vath.
Suraṯ socẖ kar bẖāʼndsāl ṯis vicẖ ṯis no rakẖ.
Vaṇjāri-ā si-o vaṇaj kar lai lāhā man has. ||2||
Make every moment of your life a useful opportunity to deal in Har’s name. Use your understanding as a utensil to keep Har’s name in it. In Har’s devotees’ company, deal in Har’s name -trade and profit from this; this way, your mind will be pleased.
What is dealing in His name? Literally it means to talk about Him with others, to think about Him always and to encourage others to love Him only. Every decision we take, or what we say should be enveloped in His memory. If we do it sincerely, the result will be phenomenal. It can be done only if one focuses one’s attention on Him. This way, one can let the virtuous intentions sprout naturally.
ਸੁਣਿ ਸਾਸਤ ਸਉਦਾਗਰੀ ਸਤੁ ਘੋੜੇ ਲੈ ਚਲੁ ॥
ਖਰਚੁ ਬੰਨੁ ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਮਤੁ ਮਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਕਲੁ ॥
ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਕੈ ਦੇਸਿ ਜਾਹਿ ਤਾ ਸੁਖਿ ਲਹਹਿ ਮਹਲੁ ॥੩॥
Suṇ sāsaṯ sa-uḏāgrī saṯ gẖoṛe lai cẖal.
Kẖaracẖ bann cẖang-ā-ī-ā maṯ man jāṇėh kal.
Nirankār kai ḏes jāhi ṯā sukẖ lahėh mahal. ||3||
Listen to the scriptures of Har’s praise; this will be the real trade of life. Make high morality your horse to carry on the virtues. Keep virtues with you and never ever put off this task to be done today till tomorrow. This way, go to the formless Creator and you will have peace.
With contentment and modesty, one should load one’s mind with merits and virtuous deeds; morality becomes a wall to keep ill intention away. One should not wait for a certain time to do it, because lifespan is elapsing moment by moment. Thus one should be ready to meet the Creator, who will definitely bless one with peace.
ਲਾਇ ਚਿਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਮੰਨਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਕੰਮੁ ॥
ਬੰਨੁ ਬਦੀਆ ਕਰਿ ਧਾਵਣੀ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਧੰਨੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਵੇਖੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਚੜੈ ਚਵਗਣ ਵੰਨੁ ॥੪॥੨॥
Lā-e cẖiṯ kar cẖākrī man nām kar kamm.
Bann baḏī-ā kar ḏẖāvṇī ṯā ko ākẖai ḏẖan.
Nānak vekẖai naḏar kar cẖaṛai cẖavgaṇ vann. ||4||2||
Be Akalpurakh’s servant heartily and get His name planted in your heart. The people will applaud you if you control your mind, which wanders around because of ill intentions. Oh Nanak! As Akalpurakh blesses you, you will be beautified in the color of His love greatly.
Once one becomes focused on Him, one’s wandering stops; one’s contentment stuns the people, who remain into wanting this or that; consequently, they will praise this kind of contentment and modesty. This success doesn’t end in one’s praise only; instead, Har graces one. The Guru has described a way of living by making Har’s name meditation and virtues as an essential part of life. This experience will end one’s need to become a slave of other’s power, money, spiritual claims and control, because one procures a special place in the Creator’s presence, which is all over. And one becomes fearless like the Creator. One gets elevated so high that one can attain the power of forgiving those, who appear to be unforgivable. This is the peak toward which the Guru guides us. Listening to him and living as per his advice is our choice. What we choose, we will get. Deeming the world as a fair and enjoying it, as a guest will redeem us from all bonds; therefore, do a favor to yourself by starting to live in His love to deal in His name before the fair-timing ends.
Wishes
G Singh
