We, Sikhs, were guided by Guru Nanak to remain free of any bonds created by worldly Maya or religions that reduce us to a primitive state of ignorance; the Guru literally awakened us from a long slumber in which we were engrossed in worshiping the sun, the rivers, the birds and the animals; the Guru asked us to turn toward only the one, the Creator, to worship nothing but Him, and to revere those ones who became one with Him; the Guru also inspired us to continue passing this freedom to new our generations; however, somewhere, we got scared by those who remained nostalgic to ritualism and mythological rhetoric fears and their generations never gave up their mission unlike us.
Today, we have turned our backs to our Guru; now we learn little from the Guru but more from self claimed Sadhu and saints. If some sadhus say that Mool Maantra is up to “aad sach jugaad sach” we become ready to accept that without challenging them that our Guru uses it in Sri Guru Granth Sahib only up to “ Gur parsaad.” If someone tells us to have “continuous reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib” at Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, we go there and book it believing that we are doing a good job as Sikhs; shouldn’t we think that such practices were started by Brahmins who corrupted Vedic thought of One All Pervading Creator. Believe me, we are led to the same destiny by these people of Brahmin- mentality. Eventually we will be left with nothing but rituals and rites. We should only do path to sit together and listen together to evolve with the help of those who are involved in Gurbani.
Giving in to Badal mentality or to those who are deep into a quagmire of superstitions, we have done a great deal of damage to our Sikhi. We, as Sikhs know very well, how our Guru’s Golak has been misused for decades, but for greed or a tiny bait, we have been empowering the corrupt individuals in the name of “Panth”. Religiously we have buried ourselves with the loads of that garbage to which once our Guru declared poison. We have been failing to oust the corrupt representatives of Guru Golak for a long time. The Guru Golak must be used only for the Guru cause. If we don’t stop this ongoing loot, idols will be installed very soon in the Gurdawaras. Time has come to ignore “fascinating trade in continuous reading of Sr Guru Granth Sahib: (Akhand path) which gets lost in the air without touching the ears of the Sikhs. We will be better off if we do “Sehaj Path (slow reading) or make a part of our home “a Gurdawara” where we can connect to Prabh through Gurbani and remain free of the power of these self claimed saints, sadhus and “Akhand path – opportunists”.
How we were defeated? Other people who were not happy with the Guru’s revolution, not only they opposed the Guru’s revolution but their generations also kept influencing us negatively. It is sad that we are just Sikhs for the name’s sake today; otherwise, we live like those ignorant who were buried under the fog of ignorance when the Guru came to awaken them. I am going to introduce Gurbani that bears the title of “Naam and Guroo” so that by learning from it together we return to our Guru.
On1182, SGGS, in Raag Basant M-5
ਬਸੰਤੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਤਿਸੁ ਤੂ ਸੇਵਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਤੂ ਕੀਆ ॥ ਤਿਸੁ ਅਰਾਧਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਜੀਉ ਦੀਆ ॥
ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਚਾਕਰੁ ਹੋਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਡਾਨੁ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ॥ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਕਰਿ ਪੋਤਦਾਰੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ॥੧॥
Basanṯ mėhlā 5.
Ŧis ṯū sev jin ṯū kī▫ā. Ŧis arāḏẖ jin jī▫o ḏī▫ā.
Ŧis kā cẖākar hohi fir dān na lāgai. Ŧis kī kar poṯḏārī fir ḏūkẖ na lāgai. ||1||
In Essence: Perform devotional service to the one who has created you oh mortal! Contemplate Him who has given you the life. If you become His servant, there will be no punishment again; if you act only as a treasurer of the owner of the treasures, there will be no sorrow again (It means do not try to be the owner, here hint is at eliminating self conceit and attachment/possessiveness).
If we have that in our mind, who can bribe us?
As our Guru says above, Sikhs must be driven to the Creator instead of any other entity. The Gurus and the Bhagatas have used various names for Akalpurakh who pervades all over in waves (Tarang: 275, SGGS). Because of those names, no Sikh ever should start worshiping any entity attached to those Names referred in Gurbani. As today’s “Prabh Singh” cannot become Prabh by just by bearing His name Prabh; by the same token, Shiva and Brahma and others couldn’t become Him because they were their creations, and they too went through Maya influences and failed to remain one with the Creator. As Gurbani says, those who realize Him become like Him by acquiring virtues; literally, His true devotees become one with Him. The Guru Messages stresses to meditate on His Name. We are also advised to contemplate the Guru because the Guru is attached to Akalpurakh and helps the followers to bring His memory in the hearts to keep in touch with His reality; contemplating the Guru means to live as per the guidance of the Guru. The Guru is His medium. Remember also the Guru is not limited to body because Prabh is the one who is the true Guroo and whom we praise by saying,” Wahiguru;” today, our Guru is Shabadu Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib; Bani is Naam (1239, SGGS).
To all people, Akalpurakh has been showing right way of living through His messengers/mediums throughout all ages. His medium, the Guru, makes sure that his followers are led to the Creator only and are enabled to envision Him within. If He is in all, no one is low. It is the deeds that should decide lowness not the birth.
There are two ideas which are stressed by Guru Nanak. First step is to seek a true Guru; then, to feel gratitude toward the creator and remember Him in His love. The Guru helps the followers to tread on the journey that leads to the Creator. One should make sure that his or her attention shouldn’t be diverted at any time toward Maya temptations or others who claim to liberate the soul (fake, sadhu and saints). Those who themselves cannot come out of Maya bonds, how can they help us? Look around, and think that those who interpret Gurbani and make money out of that are not liberated ones? It should be a free service, anyone who makes money on Gurbani elaboration has nothing to give to us; Gurbani condemns such effort. There are only two contributors in this successful Journey of the soul, The True Guru and Akalpurakh Himself. Any third party will definitely spoil the whole show if it has its own agenda.
ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਘਰੁ ਜੋ ਦੇਖਿ ਦਿਖਾਵੈ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਮਹਲੀ ਸੋ ਮਹਲਿ ਬੁਲਾਵੈ ॥
ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਮਨੂਆ ਚਿਤ ਮਹਿ ਚੀਤਾ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਲੋਗ ਅਤੀਤਾ ॥੫॥
Gẖar mėh gẖar jo ḏekẖ ḏikẖāvai. Gur mahlī so mahal bulāvai.
Man mėh manū▫ā cẖiṯ mėh cẖīṯā. Aise har ke log aṯīṯā. ||5||
In Essence: The one who sees and shows others the Almighty housed within, his that high state of Guru –mind can take the soul in His presence. Such persons (who have this experience) remain stable, their minds get stilled, and they become immaculate and detached servants of God.
When the Guru shows the Creator within to his followers, they rise above the influence of Maya. They become able to understand the purpose of coming here because Akalpurakh’s Name remains imprinted in their minds.
ਹਰਖ ਸੋਗ ਤੇ ਰਹਹਿ ਨਿਰਾਸਾ ॥ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਚਾਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥
ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਰਹੈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗਾ ॥ ਜਨਮੁ ਜੀਤਿ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਭਾਗਾ ॥੬॥
Harakẖ sog ṯe rahėh nirāsā. Amriṯ cẖākẖ har nām nivāsā.
Āp pacẖẖāṇ rahai liv lāgā. Janam jīṯ gurmaṯ ḏukẖ bẖāgā. ||6||
In Essence: Such persons remain above happiness and sorrow as they enjoy the immortalizing Hari Naam who dwells in them. Such people understand themselves and get imbued with Him. They win the battle of life and their pains disappear through the Guru – guidance.
ਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਸਚੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪੀਵਉ ॥ ਸਹਜਿ ਮਰਉ ਜੀਵਤ ਹੀ ਜੀਵਉ ॥
ਅਪਣੋ ਕਰਿ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ ਤੁਮਰੋ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਤੁਝਹਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੭॥
Gur ḏī▫ā sacẖ amriṯ pīva▫o. Sahj mara▫o jīvaṯ hī jīva▫o.
Apṇo kar rākẖo gur bẖāvai. Ŧumro ho▫e so ṯujẖėh samāvai. ||7||
In Essence: I drink Guru-given eternal Naam nectar; because of this, naturally I remain detached while living (here) because my mind is stilled and it doesn’t go toward vice. I pray, “Oh Prabh! Save me as your own so that I become pleasing to the Guru (one becomes pleasing to the Guru by remembering Prabh) because those who become yours merge with you!”
The Guru – teachings are centered at Akalpurakh, Fourth Nanak in a nutshell expresses it in Sarang Ki Vaar on 1239 SGGS Stanza 4
ਪਉੜੀ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਉਚਰਾਂ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਂਈ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਵਸਾਈ ॥
ਮਤਿ ਪੰਖੇਰੂ ਵਸਿ ਹੋਇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ .ਧਿਆਈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਿ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਾਮੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ ॥੪॥
Pa▫oṛī. Har kā nām niḏẖān hai sevi▫ai sukẖ pā▫ī.
Nām niranjan ucẖrāʼn paṯ si▫o gẖar jāʼn▫ī.
Gurmukẖ baṇī nām hai nām riḏai vasā▫ī.
Maṯ pankẖerū vas ho▫e saṯgurū ḏẖi▫ā▫īʼn.
Nānak āp ḏa▫i▫āl ho▫e nāme liv lā▫ī. ||4||
In Essence: Oh Brother! Utter Hari Naam, you will obtain the treasure of comfort and peace. If I utter the Naam of the immaculate Akalpurakh, I shall go to Him with honor. The Bani of Guru is Naam and Naam I have enshrined in my heart (please note it down that there is no difference between His praise, Naam and Him). One who contemplates on the true Guru (remembers his teachings), mind-bird comes under control. Nanak says if Akalpurakh shows mercy, one gets imbued with Prabh.
There is no ritual that can save us from the powerful Maya influences, there is no rite that can lift us up and there is no religious deed that accomplish our affairs; the Guru says that the most useful and sublime deed is to remember Akalpurakh with heart; if we love Him, we will learn to love all; if we love Him, we will become embodiment of love, and then slandering others, haughty behavior and thirst for possessiveness will become futile in our minds and spiritually we will feel elevated. We will feel that we are in a different world; the moment we fall for the rituals, we fall into a deep ditch again. We, as Sikhs, were freed by the Guru; let us restore the lost freedom.
Humbly,
G Singh
