In India, the fanatic Hindus have been campaigning for centuries to take away the uniqueness of Sikhi that rejects at its conception their entire religious principles established in India; it also rejects religious principles of Islam as well. Their efforts have been not only to create confusion among the believers, but also to germinate bitterness among them that hits the harmony of a society, which it needs for its long survival.

          The Sikhs cannot accept the Hindu scriptures or Muslim Scriptures as their guide, because they are guided by their own Guru, who says that the Sikhs cannot do what the Hindus or the Muslims do in a context of religious faith or general treatment of all human beings regardless of their faith or race or caste; the Guru is not criticizing the religions but separating the Sikh beliefs from the rest of the others. In this context, let us look at the following shabda in which the Guru stresses on this point that “ the Sikhs are different from the Hindus or the Muslims in their beliefs”; it is on 1136, SGGS and it was composed in context of Bhagat Kabir’s shabda:

ਭੈਰਉ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਵਰਤ ਨ ਰਹਉ ਨ ਮਹ ਰਮਦਾਨਾ ॥  ਤਿਸੁ ਸੇਵੀ ਜੋ ਰਖੈ ਨਿਦਾਨਾ ॥੧॥

Bẖairo mėhlā 5.

Varaṯ na raha-o na mah ramḏānā.  Ŧis sevī jo rakẖai niḏānā. ||1||

Raag Bhairo, the bani of Fifth Nanak.

In essence: Neither I observe fasting, nor I believe in the month of Ramzan (Muslim fasting time). I serve only Akalpurakh, who protects in the end.

          Clearly, the Guru rejects the concept of fasting embraced by the both, the Hindus and the Muslims. Fasting is actually discouraged in the Gurbani; please read on 467 and 468, SGGS by Mehla 1, please just read it:

ਮ; ੧ ॥
ਲਿਖਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਪੜਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤਾ ਕੜਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁ ਤੀਰਥ ਭਵਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤੋ ਲਵਿਆ ॥
ਬਹੁ ਭੇਖ ਕੀਆ ਦੇਹੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਸਹੁ ਵੇ ਜੀਆ ਅਪਣਾ ਕੀਆ ॥ ਅੰਨੁ ਨ ਖਾਇਆ ਸਾਦੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
ਬਹੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਇਆ ॥ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਨ ਪਹਿਰੈ ॥ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਕਹਰੈ ॥ ਮੋਨਿ ਵਿਗੂਤਾ ॥
ਕਿਉ ਜਾਗੈ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਸੂਤਾ ॥ ਪਗ ਉਪੇਤਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਪਣਾ ਕੀਆ ਕਮਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਲੁ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਈ ਸਿਰਿ ਛਾਈ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਮੂਰਖਿ ਅੰਧੈ ਪਤਿ ਗਵਾਈ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਕਿਛੁ ਥਾਇ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਰਹੈ ਬੇਬਾਣੀ ਮੜੀ ਮਸਾਣੀ ॥
ਅੰਧੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਪਛੁਤਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੇ ਸੋ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਏ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਏ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੋ ਪਾਏ ॥ ਆਸ ਅੰਦੇਸੇ ਤੇ ਨਿਹਕੇਵਲੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਜਲਾਏ ॥੨॥

Mėhlā 1.

Likẖ likẖ paṛi-ā. Ŧeṯā kaṛi-ā. Baho ṯirath bẖavi-ā. Ŧeṯo lavi-ā.

Baho bẖekẖ kī-ā ḏehī ḏukẖ ḏī-ā. Saho ve jī-ā apṇā kī-ā. Ann na kẖā-i-ā sāḏ gavā-i-ā.

Baho ḏukẖ pā-i-ā ḏūjā bẖā-i-ā. Basṯar na pahirai. Ahinis kahrai. Mon vigūṯā.

Ki-o jāgai gur bin sūṯā. Pag upeṯāṇā. Apṇā kī-ā kamāṇā. Al mal kẖā-ī sir cẖẖā-ī pā-ī.

Mūrakẖ anḏẖai paṯ gavā-ī. Viṇ nāvai kicẖẖ thā-e na pā-ī. Rahai bebāṇī maṛī masāṇī.

Anḏẖ na jāṇai fir pacẖẖuṯāṇī. Saṯgur bẖete so sukẖ pā-e. Har kā nām man vasā-e.

Nānak naḏar kare so pā-e. Ās anḏese ṯe nihkeval ha-umai sabaḏ jalā-e. ||2||

First Nanak.

In essence: The more one reads and writes, the more one gets haughty. The more one visits pilgrimaging places, the more one talks futile (about that). By adopting various religious grabs, one puts one’s body in pain. Oh being! You bear what you do. A person who doesn’t eat misses the relish.  Being in love with others (than Har), people suffer a lot. If one doesn’t wear clothes, one endures calamity always. By becoming silent, one strays. How can one remain awake without the Guru (in the Maya influences)? By remaining bear-footed, one faces the result of it. One eats the fruits of one’s acts. One who eats filth gets disrespect. (This way) the fool loses the honor. Without Har’s name, nothing is acceptable. One who lives in jungles and graveyards repents afterwards. One who meets the Satiguru (follows the Guru’s guidance) obtains peace by keeping Har’s name permanently in one’s mind. Oh Nanak! One upon whom Har bestows grace obtains the Satiguru, and through the Guru’s shabda, one rises above hope and fear and gets eliminated one’s self-conceit.

Back to the shabda:

ਏਕੁ ਗੁਸਾਈ ਅਲਹੁ ਮੇਰਾ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਦੁਹਾਂ ਨੇਬੇਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ėk gusā-ī alhu merā. Hinḏū ṯurak ḏuhāʼn neberā. ||1|| Rahā-o.

I believe in one Creator, to whom the Hindus call Gosaeen and the Muslims Allah. I am done with what the Hindus and the Muslims  do. Pause.

               This statement clearly states that a Sikh can only be a Sikh.

           In the following verses of the shabda, an another statement is made about the Creator whom other religious people try to claim as their own only and also claim that He can be pleased only according to their set up rules; the Guru says that the Creator of all is the same though they call Him with different names; He is beyond, birth and death and animosity; therefore, the believers should believe only in Him and abandon other set up requirement to please Him:

ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥

Haj kābai jā-o na ṯirath pūjā. Ėko sevī avar na ḏūjā. ||2||

I neither go to Mecca, nor worship at holy pilgrimaging places; I serve none but only Akalpurakh.

          In the Sikhi, visiting a special religious place to be redeemed is neither encouraged, nor accepted; the stress is given on worshiping the one and only one Creator, who is the creator of all and who pervades all over not at a particular place.

ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥ ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥੩॥

Pūjā kara-o na nivāj gujāra-o. Ėk nirankār le riḏai namaskāra-o. ||3||

I neither perform worship nor offer Niwaz (Muslim prayer). Only to the Formless Creator, I bow in my heart.

           The Sikhs differ in remembering and worshipping the Divine one with other believers; they have no special instructions to bow regularly for five times or worship Him on a special place; instead keeping Him in the mind is encouraged so that His light can remain a guiding force always.

ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥ ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥

Nā ham hinḏū na musalmān. Alah rām ke pind parān. ||4||

I am neither a Hindu, nor a Muslim; my body and life belong to the Creator, also called Ram or Allah.

          A point to be noted down is this that the word “Ram” is also used for “Allah” in the above verses, obviously, the Guru refers to that “Ram” who is beyond birth and death unlike the son of Dasrath, Ram Chandra”. Thus the Guru declares that the Sikhs should neither be called “Hindus” or “Muslims”, because they differ in their religious approach with others. Obviously forcing them to be close to this or that community in religious beliefs is a folly.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥

Kaho Kabīr ih kī-ā vakẖānā. Gur pīr mil kẖuḏ kẖasam pacẖẖānā. ||5||3||

Oh Kabir! I have expressed this that by meeting my Guru, my Peer, I have realized the Master.

Please read on 1158 and 1159, SGGS:

ਉਲਟਿ ਜਾਤਿ ਕੁਲ ਦੋਊ ਬਿਸਾਰੀ ॥ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਹਜ ਮਹਿ ਬੁਨਤ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥੧॥

Ulat jāṯ kul ḏo-ū bisārī. Sunn sahj mėh bunaṯ hamārī. ||1||

In essence: By turning toward Akalpurakh, I have forgotten about the caste and lineage; I am in a trance of void.

ਹਮਰਾ ਝਗਰਾ ਰਹਾ ਨ ਕੋਊ ॥ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਛਾਡੇ ਦੋਊ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Hamrā jẖagrā rahā na ko-ū. Pandiṯ mulāʼn cẖẖāde ḏo-ū. ||1|| Rahā-o.

I have nothing to do with any worldly thing/ritual/thought; therefore, I have forsaken both, the Mullah and the Brahmin.

ਬੁਨਿ ਬੁਨਿ ਆਪ ਆਪੁ ਪਹਿਰਾਵਉ ॥ ਜਹ ਨਹੀ ਆਪੁ ਤਹਾ ਹੋਇ ਗਾਵਉ ॥੨॥

Bun bun āp āp pahirāva-o. Jah nahī āp ṯahā ho-e gāva-o. ||2||

I am weaving my thoughts together to concentrate on Akalpurakh and I am enjoying that; this way, I have reached to a state of mind where my awareness of selfishness doesn’t exist.

ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਜੋ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੇ ਹਮ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਲੀਆ ॥੩॥

Pandiṯ mulāʼn jo likẖ ḏī-ā. Cẖẖād cẖale ham kacẖẖū na lī-ā. ||3||

Whatever the Pundit and the Mullas have written, I have forsaken that without accepting anything of their ideas.

ਰਿਦੈ ਇਖਲਾਸੁ ਨਿਰਖਿ ਲੇ ਮੀਰਾ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਖੋਜਿ ਖੋਜਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਕਬੀਰਾ ॥੪॥੭॥੧੧੫੯

Riḏai ikẖlās nirakẖ le mīrā. Āp kẖoj kẖoj mile kabīrā. ||4||7||

Through having Ekankar’s love in the heart, He can be envisioned. Oh Kabir! Those persons who have searched their “inner-self” have met Ekankar. 

          The Sikhi departs away from any organized religion; its roots are deep in one belief: there is only one Creator, who is all pervading, who is beyond birth or death and who is beyond animosity and fear; how it can be ignored; the Sikhs Tenth Guru added to it a lore of self defense after observing injustice being done by those, who were in power as we witness today how people related to powerful people in the ruling class try to suppress, exploit and loot the unprivileged common public; the warriors who stood against such tyrannical acts were named “Khalsa” because of that the Hindu fanatics couldn’t swallow the Sikhi psyche  even after their relentless but deceptive war against the Sikhi for centuries.

             The Sikhs take guidance from their Guru, who has explained that there is only one Creator, who is present all over, but people divide the society in His name, which is not true. The true Guru cleans the mind of a strayed seeker; without the true Guru, one fails in realizing the Creator, 466, SGGS:

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਪੁ ਰਖਿਓਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਆਖਿ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਸਦਾ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥
ਉਤਮੁ ਏਹੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਚੇ ਸਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੬॥

Pa-oṛī.

Bin saṯgur kinai na pā-i-o bin saṯgur kinai na pā-i-ā.

Saṯgur vicẖ āp rakẖi-on kar pargat ākẖ suṇā-i-ā.

Saṯgur mili-ai saḏā mukaṯ hai jin vicẖahu moh cẖukā-i-ā.

Uṯam ehu bīcẖār hai jin sacẖe si-o cẖiṯ lā-i-ā. Jagjīvan ḏāṯā pā-i-ā. ||6||

Stanza.

In essence: Without the Satiguru, none has realized Akalpurakh. It is Akalpurakh, who has placed Himself in the Satiguru; thus He becomes manifest in the Guru. I tell this to all openly. One who meets such a Satiguru by getting over one’s worldly attachment remains liberated. This is the essence of the theme that one who (truly) has attached to the beneficent Akalpurakh has obtained Him, who is the giver of the world.

            Living in His love and taking guidance from the Guru (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) is what the Sikhs of today believe unlike others, who are bound to various scriptures giving contradictory stories. The Sikhs should ignore those, who keep bringing other thoughts to debate on the Gurbani. The Sikhs are advised to respect people of all religions, because they are there under the Creator’s Will and His Will must be obeyed and honored. Thus it is the Guru, who sows the universal thoughts in the Sikhs instead of boxing them in very small concepts.

          According to the Guru, only the one who has experienced the Creator’s presence and ordinance in effect can guide others; otherwise, the seekers can be exploited, because the true Guru neither embraces conceit nor let the seeker have it since in it, the spiritual realm remains empty. Outside show of rituals of cleanliness to be done at religious places doesn’t help to clean the mind:

ਜਲਿ ਮਲਿ ਕਾਇਆ ਮਾਜੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਭੀ ਮੈਲਾ ਤਨੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਗਿਆਨਿ ਮਹਾ ਰਸਿ ਨਾਈਐ ਭਾਈ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੫॥

Jal mal kā-i-ā mājī-ai bẖā-ī bẖī mailā ṯan ho-e.

Gi-ān mahā ras nā-ī-ai bẖā-ī man ṯan nirmal ho-e. ||5||

In essence: If the body is cleaned with water by scrubbing, it still gathers filth, but the body and mind become pure through cleaning with the divine essence (Ekankar’s name).

          The Guru also rejects another misleading concept, which encourages the people to ignore the Creator and please the idols of Devi or Devta to get from favors:

ਦੇਵੀ ਦੇਵਾ ਪੂਜੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਗਉ ਕਿਆ ਦੇਹਿ ॥
ਪਾਹਣੁ ਨੀਰਿ ਪਖਾਲੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਬੂਡਹਿ ਤੇਹਿ ॥੬॥

Ḏevī ḏevā pūjī-ai bẖā-ī ki-ā māga-o ki-ā ḏėh.

Pāhaṇ nīr pakẖālī-ai bẖā-ī jal mėh būḏẖėh ṯehi. ||6||

What is the use of worshiping the Devis and the Devtas (goddesses and gods)? What can we ask from them and what can they give? (There is no use of worshiping them, because they cannot give anything). They, the stone gods, are washed with water, but they sink in the water (how can they save the worshipers?).

          The Guru doesn’t criticize any religion or its believers; instead he questions the hypocrisy in the Hindu sects in on 140, SGGS:

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਇਕਿ ਕੰਦ ਮੂਲੁ ਚੁਣਿ ਖਾਹਿ ਵਣ ਖੰਡਿ ਵਾਸਾ ॥ ਇਕਿ ਭਗਵਾ ਵੇਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਜੋਗੀ ਸੰਨਿਆਸਾ ॥
ਅੰਦਰਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਛਾਦਨ ਭੋਜਨ ਕੀ ਆਸਾ ॥ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇ ਨ ਗਿਰਹੀ ਨ ਉਦਾਸਾ ॥
ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ਸਿਰਹੁ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਮਨਸਾ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਕਾਲੁ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨੇੜੈ ਜਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਦਾਸਨਿ ਦਾਸਾ ॥
ਸਚਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੁ ਮਨਿ ਘਰ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ਉਦਾਸਾ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਨਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਆਸਾ ਤੇ ਨਿਰਾਸਾ ॥੫॥

Pa-oṛī.

Ik kanḏ mūl cẖuṇ kẖāhi vaṇ kẖand vāsā. Ik bẖagvā ves kar firėh jogī saniāsā.

Anḏar ṯarisnā bahuṯ cẖẖāḏan bẖojan kī āsā. Birthā janam gavā-e na girhī na uḏāsā.

Jamkāl sirahu na uṯrai ṯaribaḏẖ mansā. Gurmaṯī kāl na āvai neṛai jā hovai ḏāsan ḏāsā.

Sacẖā sabaḏ sacẖ man gẖar hī māhi uḏāsā.

Nānak saṯgur sevan āpṇā se āsā ṯe nirāsā. ||5||

Stanza.

In essence: There are some people, who eat fruits, roots and dwell in forests. Some people wander around in the robes of yogis and solitarians; however, within them, the greed for food and other desires remain in high gear. Such people just waste their lives. Neither they are householder, nor renouncers; because of the fear of death, their desires still haunt them. If through the Guru’s guidance, one becomes servant to Har’s devotees, then the fear of death doesn’t bother one. When the Guru’s Shabda, the praise of the eternal Creator, is kept in mind, one remains immaculate while living a life of a householder. Oh Nanak! Those ones who follow the Satiguru remain indifferent to desires.

                  On 466, SGGS, the Guru talks about the hypocrites who claim to be the guides of the Muslims and the Hindus:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮ; ੧ ॥
ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨਾ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਰੀਅਤਿ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਬੰਦੇ ਸੇ ਜਿ ਪਵਹਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਬੰਦੀ ਵੇਖਣ ਕਉ ਦੀਦਾਰੁ ॥
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਨਿ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਵਹਿ ਅਰਚਾ ਪੂਜਾ ਅਗਰ ਵਾਸੁ ਬਹਕਾਰੁ ॥
ਜੋਗੀ ਸੁੰਨਿ ਧਿਆਵਨ੍ਹਿਹ ਜੇਤੇ ਅਲਖ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥ ਸੂਖਮ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਕਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥
ਸਤੀਆ ਮਨਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਦੇਣੈ ਕੈ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਦੇ ਦੇ ਮੰਗਹਿ ਸਹਸਾ ਗੂਣਾ ਸੋਭ ਕਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥
ਚੋਰਾ ਜਾਰਾ ਤੈ ਕੂੜਿਆਰਾ ਖਾਰਾਬਾ ਵੇਕਾਰ ॥ ਇਕਿ ਹੋਦਾ ਖਾਇ ਚਲਹਿ ਐਥਾਊ ਤਿਨਾ ਭਿ ਕਾਈ ਕਾਰ ॥
ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਜੀਆ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਲੋਆ ਆਕਾਰਾ ਆਕਾਰ ॥ ਓਇ ਜਿ ਆਖਹਿ ਸੁ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਤਿਨਾ ਭਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਾਰ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਭਗਤਾ ਭੁਖ ਸਾਲਾਹਣੁ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥ ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੁਣਵੰਤਿਆ ਪਾ ਛਾਰੁ ॥੧॥

Salok mėhlā 1.

Musalmānā sifaṯ sarī-aṯ paṛ paṛ karahi bīcẖār. Banḏe se jė pavėh vicẖ banḏī vekẖaṇ ka-o ḏīḏār.

Hinḏū sālāhī sālāhan ḏarsan rūp apār. Ŧirath nāvėh arcẖā pūjā agar vās bėhkār.

Jogī sunn ḏẖi-āvniĥ jeṯe alakẖ nām karṯār. Sūkẖam mūraṯ nām niranjan kā-i-ā kā ākār.

Saṯī-ā man sanṯokẖ upjai ḏeṇai kai vīcẖār. Ḏe ḏe mangėh sahsā gūṇā sobẖ kare sansār.

Cẖorā jārā ṯai kūṛi-ārā kẖārābā vekār. Ik hoḏā kẖā-e cẖalėh aithā-ū ṯinā bẖė kā-ī kār.

Jal thal jī-ā purī-ā lo-ā ākārā ākār. O-e jė ākẖahi so ṯūʼnhai jāṇėh ṯinā bẖė ṯerī sār.

Nānak bẖagṯā bẖukẖ sālāhaṇ sacẖ nām āḏẖār.

Saḏā anand rahėh ḏin rāṯī guṇvanṯi-ā pā cẖẖār. ||1||

Sloka of First Nanak.

In essence: For the Muslims, the Islamic law is important and they reflect on it; as per their views, those persons who live according to the Islamic law are real servants of the Creator and they see Him. The Hindus praise the Creator, but they see Him in many beauteous forms. They bathe at holy places; they make flower offering and give incense and sandalwood incense to their Idols. The yogis meditate on the absolute Creator and utter His name by saying “Alakh/the invisible Creator”, and they say that all, which is seen, is His body and He is immaculate. By giving away (Charity), the generous persons get pleased, but they demand thousand times more and seek recognition from the world. There are others like thieves, adulterous, evildoers and liars, who are into such acts and they eat and depart from here; this is the way they are made to act. There are the lives in water, on the earth, in the world and in the universe. Oh Akalpurakh! What they say, you understand and you are their support. (What really the Guru believes in) Oh Nanak! Akalpurakh’s devotees desire to do His praise, because that is their internal hunger, and His eternal name is their support. They remain in bliss by praising Him and by being humblest to the virtuous ones.

          Obviously, the Sikhs are advised to be truthful to the core of their hearts; wherever the Guru questions the hypocrisy of the Hindu or the Muslim religious leaders, he certainly questions those, who claim to be his followers as well, because it is not the religion but the people who betray it and turn against humanity. Thus the Sikhs’ becoming hypocrites make them deceptive to the Guru and they have no right to call themselves to be Sikhs; nonetheless, the true Sikhs are worthy of being different from any religion on this planet because of the ideology of the Guru that sees the light of the Creator in all and says that no one is superior to anyone; there is no place for class or caste or race in the Sikhi. What people believe and practice is deemed as His Will; therefore, the Sikhs don’t question others’ faith or the nonbelievers?  Only wearing a garb of the Sikhi doesn’t make a person a Sikh, because it is all about practicing the Guru’s teachings. No game and no show off, but a very normal life in a society, which harbors people of various faiths. Making a living through earning honestly is the core principle of the Sikhi. A Sikh needs to remain fearless and a loving person, who stands against tyranny, bigotry, suppression, corruption and exploitation and other crimes against humanity.  If he or she supports any idea in favor  these negative and corrupt concepts, or other crimes against humanity, for sure he or she ceases to be a Sikh.

Wishes

Gurdeep Singh

           Whenever you want to confuse people while talking to them, simply start weaving a net of words about an idea to remain successful in your mission; in this process, you must keep hitting the idea about which you want to confuse the people like a ball. If you master this technique, in an hour of your lecture, they won’t get what you don’t want them to know without letting them feel benighted. It is subtle technique through which many smart leaders or self-claimed spiritual seers have succeeded in grinding their axe. This kind of game is being played in the Gurbani related discourses by many people as well. I will not name anyone of the players, but I must share with you how the word “ਨਾਮ /  Naam” used in the Gurbani is sculptured in one special meaning though Sri Guru Nanak ji , his descendent Gurus and Bhagatas have  expressed that it has different meanings in different contexts and they have made it clear in a very simple way. Remember, unlike the clever people, they had clear motive to help the people at large. Let us look at the word “ਨਾਮ /Naam” in detail.

           Many forms of ਨਾਮ / Naam are used in the Gurbani. Let us first look at what Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha says in his “Mahankosh” about “ਨਾਮ / Naam”:

ਨਾਮ nāma – नाम

ਸੰ. नामन्. ਫ਼ਾ. [نام] ਦੇਖੋ, ਅੰ. name. ਸੰਗ੍ਯਾ- ਨਾਉਂ. ਸੰਗ੍ਯਾ. ਕਿਸੇ ਵਸਤੂ ਦਾ ਬੋਧ ਕਰਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਸ਼ਬਦ. ਜਿਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਅਰਥ ਜਾਣਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ, ਸੌ ਨਾਮ ਹੈ. ਨਾਮ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਭੇਦ ਦੋ ਹਨ- ਇੱਕ ਵਸਤੂਵਾਚਕ, ਜੈਸੇ- ਮਨੁੱਖ ਬੈਲ ਪਹਾੜ ਆਦਿ. ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਵ ਵਾਚਕ, ਜੈਸੇ- ਸੁੰਦਰਤਾ, ਕਠੋਰਤਾ ਆਦਿ. “ਨਾਮ ਕਾਮ ਬਿਹੀਨ ਪੇਖਤ ਧਾਮ ਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਜਾਹਿ.” (ਜਾਪੁ) ੨. ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਵਿੱਚ “ਨਾਮ” ਕਰਤਾਰ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਹੁਕਮ ਬੋਧਕ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਭੀ ਹੈ,¹ ਯਥਾ- “ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ। ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ.” (ਸੁਖਮਨੀ) ੩. ਸੰ. ਨਾਮ. ਵ੍ਯ- ਅੰਗੀਕਾਰ। ੪. ਸਮਰਣ. ਚੇਤਾ। ੫. ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧੀ. ਮਸ਼ਹੂਰੀ

           Translation: Naam, name, noun, the word used to introduce something is Naam. “Naam” has two main kinds; one is material name like man, oxen, Mountain etc.; the second one is abstract like beauty, stone-hearted. “ਨਾਮ ਕਾਮ ਬਿਹੀਨ ਪੇਖਤ ਧਾਮ ਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਜਾਹਿ.” (ਜਾਪੁ) ੨ Meaning: The Creator has no one name; He is beyond desire; He has no one place, and  He is not seen. In the Gurbani, Naam is also used for  Akalpurakh and His ordinance like “ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ। ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ.”: Akalpurakh (ਨਾਮ) has established the lives. Akalpurakh has established the earth and the solar systems; Sukhmani; 3.(on a side) side 4, remembering, 5 fame.

           Obviously Bhai Kahn Singh has made it clear that ਨਾਮ /  Naam means name, but it also conveys different meanings in different contexts; therefore, saying that “Naam” means only His Hukam/ordinance not “name” is a folly or a deliberated distorting effort. Let us look at another word “Naam Abhias”, which is condemned by the advocates of that group that considers that “ਨਾਮ / Naam” means only the Creator’s “Hukam/ordinance”; Bhai Sahib Kahn Singh described “Naam Abhias”, as he learned from others; obviously its concept existed before him.

ਨਾਮ ਅਭਿਆਸ – nām abhiāsa – नाम अभिआस

           ਨਾਮੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੇ ਤਾਤਪਰਯ ਨੂੰ ਚਿੰਤਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਚਿੱਤਵ੍ਰਿੱਤਿ ਨੂੰ ਬਾਰ ਬਾਰ ਜੋੜਨ ਦਾ ਅਭ੍ਯਾਸ ਕਰਨਾ. ਇਸ ਅਭ੍ਯਾਸ ਦੀ ਪਰਿਪੱਕ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਗੁਰਮਤ ਵਿੱਚ- “ਲਿਵ” ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੋਏ ਆਨੰਦ ਨੂੰ “ਨਾਮਰਸ” ਲਿਖਿਆ ਹੈ.

           Translation in essence: To be in love with His name to practice an ability to concentrate one’s mind on His name essence; in Gurmat, the name of a perfect state of being fixed on Him is called “”ਲਿਵ/being imbued with His name” and the blissful state obtained from such a practice is called “”ਨਾਮਰਸ/ Naam-bliss”

           Those who concentrate on any of His name, or abbreviated entity like ੴ  are doing “NaamAbias/  ਨਾਮ ਅਭਿਆਸ”. They are right, and those who criticize them are wrong. It is a solemn practice; it doesn’t mean to repeat His name while the mind wavers constantly.   One needs full concentration of the mind to utter His name and after succeeding in it, one attains a goal of becoming detached to Maya and attached to the Creator; later on no need is remained even to utter His name as the mind gets saturated in His love. To focus the mind on Him, one can use His name or abbreviated term like ੴ ; actually it becomes a kind of anchor to hold the mind. With this practice, outer attractions or internal negative inclinations like conceit, anger, greed, lust, and attachment become ineffective..

           Now see, on 246, SGGS, ਨਾਮ / Naam is used for Akalpurakh and His name as well:

ਨਾਮੇ ਉਪਜੈ ਨਾਮੇ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਨਾਮੇ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਏ ॥

Nāme upjai nāme binsai nāme sacẖ samā-e. {SGGS–246}

In essence: From “Ekankar” we emanate; we will perish into “Ekankar”; through ਨਾਮ /His name, we get absorbed in Ekankar.

           Besides it, “ਨਾਮ / Naam”, or “ਨਾਉ / naaon” or “ਨਾਵੈ /naavain” is also used in the same manner; examples on 19, SGGS:

ਤਨ ਸੂਚਾ ਸੋ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥

Ŧan sūcẖā so ākẖī-ai jis mėh sācẖā nā-o.  {SGGS–19}

In essence: Pure is that person (body) in whom dwells the name of the eternal Creator.

 And on 27, SGGS:

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਗੁਣ ਤੈ ਬਾਹਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਮਰਦੇ ਝੂਰਿ ॥੨॥

Manmukẖ guṇ ṯai bāhre bin nāvai marḏe jẖūr. ||2|| {SGGS–27}

In essence: The mind-slaves die in frustration without His name and virtues.

           To understand why stress is given on His name, we should know why “name” becomes important when it is associated with an entity. It is the name that recognizes the entity with an identity; when many names were used for the same one Creator to identify Him, then in the Gurbani, it became common to use ਨਾਮ /  Naam for Akalpurakh, who needs to be kept in the mind to remain on a virtuous path. In some contexts, First Nanak uses ਨਾਉ / Naon or ਨਾਇ /   Naen instead of ਨਾਮ / Naam only; obviously it becomes clear that there is no difference between / Naam or ਨਾਇ / Naen or ਨਾਉ / Naon or ਨਾਵੈ / Naven; look at the usages of these words in the following shabdas through which First Nanak clears all doubts about the word, “ਨਾਮ” on 1327-1328

ਰਾਗੁ ਪਰਭਾਤੀ ਬਿਭਾਸ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥

Rāg parbẖāṯī bibẖās mėhlā 1 cẖa-upḏe gẖar 1.

Raag Parbhati, Bibhaas, the bani of First Nanak, Chaupde, House first.

ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਤਰਣਾ ਨਾਇ ਪਤਿ ਪੂਜ ॥ ਨਾਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਗਹਣਾ ਮਤਿ ਮਕਸੂਦੁ ॥ 

ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਉ ਮੰਨੇ ਸਭ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਪਤਿ ਕਬਹੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥

Nā-e ṯerai ṯarṇā nā-e paṯ pūj. Nā-o ṯerā gahṇā maṯ maksūḏ.

Nā-e ṯerai nā-o manne sabẖ ko-e. Viṇ nāvai paṯ kabahu na ho-e. ||1||

In essence: Oh Akalpurakh! Through your name, one can ferry across the Maya ocean and through your name, one gets glory and adoration. Your name is my ornament and aim of life. By attaching to your name, all are considered honorable. Without your name, one cannot have honor ever, because

ਅਵਰ ਸਿਆਣਪ ਸਗਲੀ ਪਾਜੁ ॥ ਜੈ ਬਖਸੇ ਤੈ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਾਜੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Avar si-āṇap saglī pāj. Jai bakẖse ṯai pūrā kāj. ||1|| Rahā-o.

other cleverness is a false show. The affairs of that person to whom Akalpurakh blesses (with His name) are accomplished completely. Pause.

ਨਾਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਤਾਣੁ ਨਾਉ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥ ਨਾਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਲਸਕਰੁ ਨਾਉ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ॥ 

ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਮਾਣੁ ਮਹਤ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ ਤੇਰੀ ਨਦਰੀ ਕਰਮਿ ਪਵੈ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥੨॥

Nā-o ṯerāṯāṇ nā-o ḏībāṇ. Nā-o ṯerā laskar nā-o sulṯān.

Nā-e ṯerai māṇ mahaṯ parvāṇ.   Ŧerī naḏrī karam pavai nīsāṇ. ||2||

Your name is the real power and your name is the support (of the beings). It is your name that is my army, and to have your name is like having kingdom. Through your name, respect is attained and through your name, the mortal becomes distinguished. With your grace, your acceptance is obtained.

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||

Through your name, equipoise is attained and your praise is obtained (you are praised with your name also). 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.

ਨਾਰੀ ਬੇਰੀ ਘਰ ਦਰ ਦੇਸ ॥ ਮਨ ਕੀਆ ਖੁਸੀਆ ਕੀਚਹਿ ਵੇਸ ॥ 

ਜਾਂ ਸਦੇ ਤਾਂ ਢਿਲ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੂੜੁ ਕੂੜੋ ਹੋਇ ਜਾਇ ॥੪॥੧॥

Nārī berī gẖar ḏar ḏes.   Man kī-ā kẖusī-ā kīcẖėh ves.

Jāʼn saḏe ṯāʼn dẖil na pā-e.   Nānak kūṛ kūṛo ho-e jā-e. ||4||1||

One’s wife, house, and dominion are all one’s bonds; just to please one’s mind, one indulges in pleasures and fun. Oh Nanak! When Akalpurakh calls, no delay can occur, and all this false things prove to be false.

           We have seen that in the above shabda, the Guru uses only two forms of name, “ਨਾਉ    and ਨਾਵੈ”, but in the following shabda, he uses “ਨਾਮੁ” as His name; in it, it is described how His name actually enlightens the seeker;

ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥

ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਕਰਮੁ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਤਿਥੈ ਲੋਇ ॥ 

ਅੰਧੇਰੁ ਅੰਧੀ ਵਾਪਰੈ ਸਗਲ ਲੀਜੈ ਖੋਇ ॥੧॥

Parbẖāṯī mėhlā 1.

Ŧerā nām raṯan karam cẖānaṇ suraṯṯithai lo-e.

Anḏẖer anḏẖī vāprai sagal lījai kẖo-e. ||1||

Raag Parbhati, the bani of First Nanak.

In essence: Oh Ekankar! A person who has your name jewel and your illuminating grace is enlightened. With the darkness of the ignorance, the world is losing the capital of virtues.

ਇਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਸਗਲ ਬਿਕਾਰੁ ॥ 

ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਅਵਰੁ ਨਾਸਤਿ ਕਰਣਹਾਰੁ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ih sansār sagal bikār.

Ŧerā nām ḏārū avar nāsaṯ karanhār apār. ||1|| Rahā-o.

Thus, the entire world is into vices. Oh infinite Creator! It is only your name that can cure its disease; there is nothing else that can do this. Pause.

On 1328, SGGS:

ਦੂਖਾ ਤੇ ਸੁਖ ਊਪਜਹਿ ਸੂਖੀ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਦੂਖ ॥ 

ਜਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਤੂ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਅਹਿ ਤਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਕੈਸੀ ਭੂਖ ॥੩॥

Ḏūkẖāṯe sukẖūpjahi sūkẖī hovėh ḏūkẖ.

Jiṯ mukẖṯū salāhī-ah ṯiṯ mukẖ kaisī bẖūkẖ. ||3||

Through pains, comforts come, and through comforts, pains also come. Oh Akalpurakh! A person who praises you doesn’t desire anything.

           How we can praise Him? Don’t we need a name to praise Him? To praise Him we definitely need a name or a pronoun that replaces a noun, period.

ਨਾਨਕ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਏਕੁ ਤੂ ਅਵਰੁ ਭਲਾ ਸੈਸਾਰੁ ॥ 

ਜਿਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਸੇ ਤਨ ਹੋਹਿ ਖੁਆਰ ॥੪॥੨॥

Nānak mūrakẖ ek ṯū avar bẖalā saisār.

Jiṯṯan nām na ūpjai se ṯan hohi kẖu-ār. ||4||2||

Oh Nanak! Without having His name, only you are unwise; therefore, deem the rest of the world as good (Humility and its need is expressed), because a person who has no love for His name becomes miserable.

           The Guru promotes concentrating on the Creator and advises to get connected to Him with any of His name, because focus is on Him not on a word. In the following verses, the Guru warns those who don’t remember Him with His name:

ਅਗਨਿ ਬਿੰਬ ਪਵਣੈ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਤੀਨਿ ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਦਾਸਾ ॥ 

ਤੇ ਤਸਕਰ ਜੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਲੇਵਹਿ ਵਾਸਹਿ ਕੋਟ ਪੰਚਾਸਾ ॥੨॥

Agan bimb pavṇai kī baṇīṯīn nām ke ḏāsā.

Ŧe ṯaskar jo nām na levėh vāsėh kot pancẖāsā. ||2||

The world is made of fire, water, and air and these three are under the control of Akalpurakh (Naam). Those persons who do not praise Akalpurakh’s name (ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਲੇਵਹਿ) are His thieves and they are living in dangerous environments (the five negative passions create danger for them: living in lion’s hidings).

           In the following shabda on 1342, SGGS, Naam is used again for His name and there is no way that we can take its meaning has His Hukam/ordinance:

ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਬਉਰੀ ਮਨੁ ਬਉਰਾਇਆ ॥ ਝੂਠੈ ਲਾਲਚਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥ 

ਲਪਟਿ ਰਹੀ ਫੁਨਿ ਬੰਧੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ॥੧॥

Ḏubiḏẖā ba-urī man ba-urā-i-ā.   Jẖūṯẖai lālacẖ janam gavā-i-ā.

Lapat rahī fun banḏẖ na pā-i-ā. Saṯgur rākẖe nām driṛ-ā-i-ā. ||1||

In essence: Because of one’s duality, one’s intellect turns crazy and mind becomes crazy as well. This way, in false greed, the life is wasted. The duality of the mind remains dominating it, and it goes beyond control. The Satiguru saves the followers from it by implanting Ekankar’s (ਨਾਮੁ) name in them.

ਮਾਇਆ ਸੰਚਿ ਰਾਜੇ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੀ ॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥ 

ਮਾਇਆ ਮਮਤਾ ਹੈ ਬਹੁ ਰੰਗੀ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਸੰਗੀ ॥੨॥

Mā-i-ā sancẖ rāje ahaʼnkārī.   Mā-i-ā sāth na cẖalai pi-ārī.

Mā-i-ā mamṯā hai baho rangī. Bin nāvai ko sāth na sangī. ||2||

By gathering Maya, the kings become proud, but their dear Maya doesn’t go with them. The attachment of Maya is of many colors (kinds). Without Akalpurakh’s name (ਨਾਵ), there is no companion.

In the verse number two, the Guru uses  ਨਾਵੈ for ਨਾਮ ; obviously it is for His name.

And:

ਰਾਗਿ ਨਾਦਿ ਮਨੁ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਕਪਟੁ ਮਹਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇ ॥ 

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੈ ਸੋਝੀ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਸਚੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਰਹੈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੪॥

Rāg nāḏ man ḏūjai bẖā-e. Anṯar kapat mahāḏukẖ pā-e.

Saṯgur bẖetai sojẖī pā-e.   Sacẖai nām rahai liv lā-e. ||4||

In the worldly musical melodies, the mind gets attached to duality, and because of internal deception, it endures a lot of pain. If one meets the Satiguru, only then one obtains Akalpurakh’s understanding and gets meditated on His name (ਸਚੈ ਨਾਮਿ).

           How will you concentrate on His ordinance; many natural laws are known as His ordinance, on which we should focus? Basically the Guru wants us to remain focused on Him through His name, because:

ਇਸੁ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਰਣੀ ਹੈ ਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥ 

ਸਬਦੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਖੈ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰਿ ॥ ਸਬਦੇ ਗਤਿ ਮਤਿ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥੭॥

Is jag mėh sabaḏ karṇī hai sār.   Bin sabḏai hor moh gubār.

Sabḏe nām rakẖai ur ḏẖār. Sabḏe gaṯ maṯ mokẖḏu-ār. ||7||

In this world, praising Ekankar through the Guru’s shabda is a sublime act. Without the shabda all attachment and love are darkness. As a person through the Guru’s shabda implants Ekankar’s name in his/her heart obtains a sublime status and salvation.

ਅਵਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖਣਹਾਰੋ ॥ ਸਾਚਾ ਆਪਿ ਅਨੂਪੁ ਅਪਾਰੋ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਊਤਮ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਖੋਜਿ ਲਹੈ ਜਨੁ ਕੋਈ ॥੮॥੧॥

Rām nām ūṯam gaṯ ho-ī.   Nānak kẖoj lahai jan ko-ī. ||8||1||

Avar nāhī kar ḏekẖaṇhāro.   Sācẖāāp anūp apāro.

Akalpurakh, who has created the world, takes care of it and there is none other, who can do that. He is uniquely beauteous and infinite. Through All Pervading Akalpurakh’s name (ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ), one obtains a sublime status. Oh Nanak! A rare person obtains Akalpurakh by becoming His devotee.

           There are many posts seen on social media in which it is stated that ਨਾਮ /Naam doesn’t mean name instead it is used in the Gurbani as “Hukam”, but we have seen that besides its usage for His ordinance, it is also used for the creator’s name and For Him as well. Please look at the following example to see if ਨਾਮ /Naam is used for “His Hukam/ordinance”?

155

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਾ ਉਚਰੁ ਮਨਾ ॥ ਆਗੈ ਜਮ ਦਲੁ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਘਨਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Sarī rām nāmā ucẖar manā. Āgai jam ḏal bikẖam gẖanā. ||1||Rahā-o.

In essence: Oh my mind! Utter the name of Akalpurakh! There is a heavy army of death to be faced with. Pause.

           How we can utter/ ਉਚਰੁ His ordinance? 

           Very clearly, the Guru advises his followers to utter ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ  repeatedly, for an example see on 670, SGGS:

ਜਪਿ ਮਨ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ॥

Jap man saṯ nām saḏā saṯ nām. {SGGS–670}

In essence: Oh mind! Utter Satnaam always repeatedly. 

See on 722, SGGS; how the Guru applauds those who remember Him by His name:

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 your name (ਲੈਨਿ ਜੋ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ; yes, I sacrifice to those, who utter your name. Pause.

           Obviously, out there, some people have started a new trend to give brand new meanings to some of the words used in the Gurbani to mold its meaning to their convenient or to get attention. They have no support from the Gurbani for their claims; if a person presents to them so many verses that go against their new “ made up-search”, they turn personal and use very low class language to trash him or her; that proves that they are far away from the concept of “Naam Marg” expressed in the Gurbani that advocates concentrating on the name of the Creator by being in love with Him; while being in love with Him, we stop holding grudges or getting angry in disagreement.

           Their mind games are shallow; their new created contexts are not found in the entire bani of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They have found a platform of beating their drums. Some of them are coming from comrade-clubs and some are hit hard by pseudo-science.  The real Sikhs should practice “ਨਾਮ ਅਭਿਆਸ / Naam Abhias” by singing the Creator’s praises through the shabdas without caring what others are saying. Remember it is you only who is responsible before the Guru. Many so-called progressive preachers are just confusing you, as in the past, some Sikh preachers, being nostalgic to the Vedas, did their best to go back to the Vedas when the Guru has mitigated their importance for a Sikh. The new progressiveness approach is not based on spiritual path that the Guru promotes; obviously, it sounds new coined philosophy. If you don’t believe me, try to debate with them; they will be the first to get personal with you and trash you. Just remember one thing, preaching the Gurbani takes one to nowhere unless one practices its essence. The Gurbani is not about games but a path leading to attain liberation from Maya while being alive. Once we stop making a group and shielding it, or becoming biased with opponents and trashing others, we will feel strongly that we are very closer to realize His “Naam”.

Wishes

Gurdeep Singh

          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