A few slok of Second Nanak on 954, SGGS, tell us that those who do not realize the importance of our universal Creator are blind metaphorically, because they fail to realize Him. They further say that the most important is to praise Him which sets one’s mind free from all worries and fears. The Guru gives examples of a blind person who cannot see and cannot guide; however, it is not his/her fault as he/she has no eyesight. And the Guru considers those who lack third eye to realize the Creator blind people because they are soaked in the Maya influences. Let us ponder of those verses:
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ 2 ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਕੈ ਰਾਹਿ ਦਸਿਐ ਅੰਧਾ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਹੋਇ ਸੁਜਾਖਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਉਝੜਿ ਪਾਇ ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਏਹਿ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਨਿ ਜਿਨ ਮੁਖਿ ਲੋਇਣ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਸੇਈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਖਸਮਹੁ ਘੁਥੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥1॥
Salok mėhlā 2.
Anḏẖe kai rāhi ḏasi-ai anḏẖā ho-e so jā-e.
Ho-e sujākẖā nānkā so ki-o ujẖaṛ pā-e.
Anḏẖe ehi na ākẖī-an jin mukẖ lo-iṇ nāhi.
Anḏẖe se-ī nānkā kẖasmahu gẖuthe jāhi. ||1||
Slok of Second Nanak
In essence: Oh Nanak! If one is blind, one may follow the path shown by another blind one, but if one can see, why should one go astray? Do not call blind those people who don’t have eyes. Oh Nanak! Those are blind persons who have strayed away from Akalpurakh.
Now the Guru explains why the Maya lovers fail to see Him all over; according to the Guru, one acts as per his or given consciousness provided by the Creator:
ਮਃ 2 ॥
ਸਾਹਿਬਿ ਅੰਧਾ ਜੋ ਕੀਆ ਕਰੇ ਸੁਜਾਖਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜੇਹਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਤੇਹੋ ਵਰਤੈ ਜੇ ਸਉ ਆਖੈ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਸੁ ਵਸਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਪਈ ਆਪੇ ਵਰਤਉ ਜਾਣਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਗਾਹਕੁ ਕਿਉ ਲਏ ਸਕੈ ਨ ਵਸਤੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ॥2॥
Mėhlā 2.
Sāhib anḏẖā jo kī-ā kare sujākẖā ho-e.
Jehā jāṇai ṯeho varṯai je sa-o ākẖai ko-e.
Jithai so vasaṯ na jāp-ī āpe varṯa-o jāṇ.
Nānak gāhak ki-o la-e sakai na vasaṯ pacẖẖāṇ. ||2||
Second Nanak.
In essence: If Prabh has blinded a person, then he/she can see only if Prabh makes him/her see; otherwise, that person acts as per his/her intellect regardless someone’s given good advice. That person in whose mind Prabh’s name doesn’t exist remains dominated by his/her self-conceit. Oh Nanak! How one can buy a thing if one doesn’t know about the thing.
In other words, one’s conceit blinds one from realizing the Divine awareness. So if one lacks eyesight, we should not deem him or her as blind, because this is what he or she is as per His Ordinance but those persons are indeed blind who fail to comprehend His Ordinance:
ਮਃ 2 ॥
ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਅੰਧਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿ ਹੁਕਮਹੁ ਅੰਧਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਬੁਝਈ ਅੰਧਾ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਇ ॥3॥
Mėhlā 2.
So ki-o anḏẖā ākẖī-ai jė hukmahu anḏẖā ho-e.
Nānak hukam na bujẖ-ī anḏẖā kahī-ai so-e. ||3||
The bani of Second Nanak
In essence: Do not call blind that person, who is blind (who has no eyes) as per His Will. Oh Nanak! A person who doesn’t understand Ekankar’s Will is really a blind person.
A blind man if goes to check gems how can he do that? As he cannot do that, instead appraising the gem, he would display his limitations.
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ 2 ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਧਾ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਰਤਨਾ ਪਰਖਣ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਰਤਨਾ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਈ ਆਵੈ ਆਪੁ ਲਖਾਇ ॥1॥
Salok mėhlā 2.
Nānak anḏẖā ho-e kai raṯnā parkẖaṇ jā-e.
Raṯnā sār na jāṇ-ī āvai āp lakẖā-e. ||1||
Sloka of Second Nanak
In essence: Oh Nanak! If a blind man goes to appraise jewels, he cannot know the worth of the jewels; instead he will exhibit his limitations.
Obviously the real experts of jewels do the right thing and in the same way the real Guru followers realize Naam, as per the Guru’s guidance and value the importance of The Creator:
ਮਃ 2 ॥
ਰਤਨਾ ਕੇਰੀ ਗੁਥਲੀ ਰਤਨੀ ਖੋਲੀ ਆਇ ॥
ਵਖਰ ਤੈ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਦੁਹਾ ਰਹੀ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਗੁਣੁ ਪਲੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਮਾਣਕ ਵਣਜਹਿ ਸੇਇ ॥
ਰਤਨਾ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਅੰਧੇ ਵਤਹਿ ਲੋਇ ॥2॥
Mėhlā 2.
Raṯnā kerī guthlī raṯnī kẖolī ā-e.
Vakẖar ṯai vaṇjāri-ā ḏuhā rahī samā-e.
Jin guṇ palai nānkā māṇak vaṇjahi se-e.
Raṯnā sār na jāṇnī anḏẖe vaṯėh lo-e. ||2||
Second Nanak
In essence: If the right appraiser opens a bag of jewels, the jewels’ value stands intact in the minds of the jewel-seller and the buyer. Oh Nanak! One who has virtues of praising Ekankar’s name can obtain the name jewel; otherwise, those who do not realize His name live in this world like blind people
The Guru says that Ekankar’s name is precious and everyone cannot realize it; therefore, those, who talk merely without realizing it, make fool of themselves; however, the Satiguru who has realized His name makes his followers understand the worth of His name.
Wishes
G Singh
www.gursoch.com
