As per the Gurbani, the Creator is spread like the waves all over; in other words, His energy form is permeating every life and thing; Fifth Guru verifies it on 275, SGGS:
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਠਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਤੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਰਾਖੈ ਤੈਸਾ ਤਿਨ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਜੋਗੁ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਫੁਨਿ ਹੋਗੁ ॥
ਪਸਰਿਓ ਆਪਿ ਹੋਇ ਅਨਤ ਤਰੰਗ ॥
ਲਖੇ ਨ ਜਾਹਿ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੇ ਰੰਗ ॥
ਜੈਸੀ ਮਤਿ ਦੇਇ ਤੈਸਾ ਪਰਗਾਸ ॥
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਅਬਿਨਾਸ ॥
ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਦਇਆਲ ॥
ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਏ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥੮॥੯॥
Paarbarahm kay saglay thaa-o.
Jit jit ghar raakhai taisaa tin naa-o.
Aapay karan karaavan jog.
Parabh bhaavai so-ee fun hog.
Pasri-o aap ho-ay anat tarang.
Lakhay na jaahi paarbarahm kay rang.
Jaisee mat day-ay taisaa pargaas.
Paarbarahm kartaa abinaas.
Sadaa sadaa sadaa da-i-aal.
Simar simar naanak bha-ay nihaal. ||8||9||
In essence: All places belong to Akalpurakh. The mortal acquires the name of that profession in which Akalpurakh places him. Akalpurakh is the only one, who is capable to do anything and He causes others to act, as He wants. It occurs whatever pleases Him eventually. He pervades all over like waves. His plays cannot be expressed. As per His given intellect, the mortals acquire the understanding of the world and Him. Akalpurakh is the imperishable Creator and He is merciful to all forever. Oh Nanak! Remembering Him has enraptured me.
His presence becomes clear by feeling Him within in a form of energy that also is permeating all over as universal energy. With His presence within, His Will or Ordinance also is embedded within. To realize that, the Guru advises us to get over the duality that makes us see everyone and everything separate from us. Once that is done, a feeling of oneness with the Creator blooms within us, and it elevates us above our selfishness thoughts and plans. Then our thinking gets directly patched with His universal energy-existence. Under its influence, whatever we think and intend to do is to honor His Will/Ordinance; however, if we remain separated from His presence we have within, we walk openly on a selfish agenda, and the Guru warns us in Japji about the Creator’s power beyond expression: it is on 7, SGGS, stanza 33:
ਆਖਣਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਚੁਪੈ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
Ākẖaṇ jor cẖupai nah jor.
Neither we have power to speak, nor do we have power to be silent.
ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਮੰਗਣਿ ਦੇਣਿ ਨ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
Jor na mangaṇ ḏeṇ na jor.
We have no power to ask/beg or to give away (anything).
ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੀਵਣਿ ਮਰਣਿ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ ॥
Jor na jīvaṇ maraṇ nah jor.
We have no power to live, or power to die.
ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਰਾਜਿ ਮਾਲਿ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਰੁ ॥
Jor na rāj māl man sor.
It is not in our power to obtain power to rule or to have wealth that creates commotion in the mind.
ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਸੁਰਤੀ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥
Jor na surṯī gi-ān vīcẖār.
We have no power to understand the divine knowledge, or to meditate.
ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੁਗਤੀ ਛੁਟੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥
Jor na jugṯī cẖẖutai sansār.
We have no power, which can liberate us from this world. (Then who has all this power? The Guru answers in the next verse):
ਜਿਸੁ ਹਥਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
Jis hath jor kar vekẖai so-e.
Ekankar, who has all this power, creates and watches His creation.
Thus there is only one, who has this mighty power, and it is the Master of the universe, who after fashioning the creation exercises His power to watch it.
ਨਾਨਕ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੩੩॥
Nānak uṯam nīcẖ na ko-e. ||33||
Oh Nanak! There is no one high or low (in His consideration).
It is we who have habit of seeing people as low or high. The Guru, while addressing Ekankar’s mighty power and our being powerless, hints also at manmade races or castes or the concept of chosen ones and tells that for Ekankar, there is no such thing like caste or race or His special favor to special kind of people. Only stress the Guru gives is on His praise, which the Creator appreciates. In the following, he advises us to remain aware of our very limited power we boast about:
ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਲੇਖੈ ਬੋਲਣੁ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਲੇਖੈ ਖਾਣਾ ਖਾਉ ॥
ਲੇਖੈ ਵਾਟ ਚਲਾਈਆ ਲੇਖੈ ਸੁਣਿ ਵੇਖਾਉ ॥
ਲੇਖੈ ਸਾਹ ਲਵਾਈਅਹਿ ਪੜੇ ਕਿ ਪੁਛਣ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥
Sirīrāg mėhlā 1.
Lekẖai bolaṇ bolṇā lekẖai kẖāṇā kẖā-o.
Lekẖai vāt cẖalā-ī-ā lekẖai suṇ vekẖā-o.
Lekẖai sāh lavā-ī-ahi paṛe kė pucẖẖaṇ jā-o. ||1||
Raag Sree Raag, the bani of first Nanak.
In essence: Our speaking and eating are limited. The path of our lives is for limited time and so is our listening and seeing. In limits, we breathe. I do not need to ask this fact from the educated ones (because it is so simple).
So what goes wrong? We get enveloped in the love of Maya that keeps pushing us toward our selfish agenda, which goes against the inspiration, which is being given to us within continuously by the Creator, but we, brainwashed by our environments, fail miserably to comprehend that; consequently, we distance ourselves from our Creator. We fail to realize that the Maya we love so dearly actual becomes a cause of our brutal destiny that fails us to obtain ever-lasting bliss and His envision we are truly need of.
ਬਾਬਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਰਚਨਾ ਧੋਹੁ ॥
ਅੰਧੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਨਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਏਹ ਨ ਓਹੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bābā mā-i-ā racẖnā ḏẖohu.
Anḏẖai nām visāri-ā nā ṯis eh na oh. ||1|| Rahā-o.
Oh wise person! The Maya creation is deceitful. Blinded by it, the mortal forgets Akalpurakh’s name; consequently, neither this Maya is obtained forever, nor His name. Pause.
Why? The Guru answers:
ਜੀਵਣ ਮਰਣਾ ਜਾਇ ਕੈ ਏਥੈ ਖਾਜੈ ਕਾਲਿ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਬਹਿ ਸਮਝਾਈਐ ਤਿਥੈ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਚਲਿਓ ਨਾਲਿ ॥
ਰੋਵਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਜੇਤੜੇ ਸਭਿ ਬੰਨਹਿ ਪੰਡ ਪਰਾਲਿ ॥੨॥
Jīvaṇ marṇā jā-e kai ethai kẖājai kāl.
Jithai bahi samjā-ī-ai ṯithai ko-e na cẖali-o nāl.
Rovaṇ vāle jeṯ-ṛe sabẖ banėh pand parāl. ||2||
From birth till death, the people remain involved in collecting things (wealth and relationships) here; however, where the mortal is explained about these things, no one other goes there with him/her. All those who cry for others (the dead) are just gathering bundles of straw (useless.)
ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਘਟਿ ਨ ਆਖੈ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਕੀਮਤਿ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ਕਹਣਿ ਨ ਵਡਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਹਬੁ ਏਕੁ ਤੂ ਹੋਰਿ ਜੀਆ ਕੇਤੇ ਲੋਅ ॥੩॥
Sabẖ ko ākẖai bahuṯ bahuṯ gẖat na ākẖai ko-e.
Kīmaṯ kinai na pā-ī-ā kahaṇ na vadā ho-e.
Sācẖā sāhab ek ṯū hor jī-ā keṯe lo-a. ||3||
Oh my eternal Master! All people call you the greatest of the great; no one says that you are less. However, no one can appraise you, because by merely saying that you are great, you don’t become great. There are numerous worlds of beings (which are perishable), but only you are eternal.
The only way out is to realize the Creator’s presence we have within by connecting to it and then reconnecting to His universal force, which can also be called the universal energy that is the cause and source of our lives:
ਨੀਚਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨੀਚ ਜਾਤਿ ਨੀਚੀ ਹੂ ਅਤਿ ਨੀਚੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਾਥਿ ਵਡਿਆ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਰੀਸ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਨੀਚ ਸਮਾਲੀਅਨਿ ਤਿਥੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ॥੪॥੩॥
Nīcẖā anḏar nīcẖ jāṯ nīcẖī hū aṯ nīcẖ.
Nānak ṯin kai sang sāth vadi-ā si-o ki-ā rīs.
Jithai nīcẖ samālī-an ṯithai naḏar ṯerī bakẖsīs. ||4||3||
Nanak says: Oh Ekankar! I seek the company of those persons, who are the lowest of the lows, nay, utterly the lowest. I don’t want to belong to any lofty caste or status. I know that where the lowest are looked after, you bestow grace there.
In the last verses of the above shabda, the Guru repudiates our dividing mentality. He reminds us to remain in love with the Creator to comprehend Him and His expansion in entirety in individual forms and energy. Most of the time, the organized religions infuse dividing mentality in the followers that becomes their big hindrance to realize Him; by following such dogmas, one starts walking away from the Creator. Falling in love with the Creator is a miracle; once one falls in love with Him, miracle start occurring in one’s life. This way, once we succeed, we also understand what the Guru meant when he says on 1, SGGS:
ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥
Kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.
In essence: How can one be truthful and how can the veil of falsehood be torn away?
If by purifying one’s body, getting in deep meditation and going in a pursuit of satisfaction, Akalpurakh cannot be realized, then what is the way out to realize Him? How is it possible to be truthful in His consideration? Answer comes in the following verse:
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
Hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal. ||1||
Oh Nanak! We should obey the preordained ordinance.
To be truthful is to remain in harmony with Ekankar’s ordinance. It means to understand His ordinance and to remain aligned to His creation; by doing so, one becomes able to bear with the outcome of circumstances. In other words, take everything as it comes without any complain. There is no need of doing rituals and playing intellectual games but to live in His ordinance; this is the essence to tear down the wall of illusions of falsehood. The concept of His “Hukam/ordinance/will” is very wide. A journey from a seed to a plant and its final decaying and mixing with the earth eventually is a part of His ordinance. The law of gravity and other natural laws are also parts of His ordinance. In the next Stanza of the Japji, the Guru has defined Ekankar’s ordinance so that first it could be understood, and that is said in the above quotes.
In this context, please remember how Fifth Nanak interprets the same idea on 387, SGGS:
ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਪੇਡੁ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੀ ਸਾਖ ॥
ਅਪਨੀ ਖੇਤੀ ਆਪੇ ਰਾਖ ॥੧॥
Āsā mėhlā 5.
Āpe ped bisthārī sākẖ.
Apnī kẖeṯī āpe rākẖ. ||1||
Raag Asa, the Bani of Fifth Nanak.
In essence: Akalpurakh is like a tree with extended branches. He Himself protects His crop (creation).
ਜਤ ਕਤ ਪੇਖਉ ਏਕੈ ਓਹੀ ॥
ਘਟ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jaṯ kaṯ pekẖa-o ekai ohī.
Gẖat gẖat anṯar āpe so-ī. ||1|| rahā-o.
Wherever I look, I see only Akalpurakh, and He Himself permeates all the beings. Pause.
ਆਪੇ ਸੂਰੁ ਕਿਰਣਿ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥
ਸੋਈ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਸੋਈ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥੨॥
Āpe sūr kiraṇ bisthār.
So-ī gupaṯ so-ī ākār. ||2||
Akalpurakh is the Sun and its rays that emanate from it. He is invisible but He is visible in forms as well.
ਸਰਗੁਣ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਥਾਪੈ ਨਾਉ ॥
ਦੁਹ ਮਿਲਿ ਏਕੈ ਕੀਨੋ ਠਾਉ ॥੩॥
Sarguṇ nirguṇ thāpai nā-o.
Ḏuh mil ekai kīno ṯẖā-o. ||3||
Akalpurakh’s two names are established: His being without attributes (Nirgun) and with attributes (Sargun); however, in both He exists (no difference between the both).
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਿ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਭਉ ਖੋਇਆ ॥
ਅਨਦ ਰੂਪੁ ਸਭੁ ਨੈਨ ਅਲੋਇਆ ॥੪॥੧੭॥੬੮॥
Kaho Nānak gur bẖaram bẖa-o kẖo-i-ā.
Anaḏ rūp sabẖ nain alo-i-ā. ||4||17||68||
Oh Nanak! Say this: A person whose doubt is expelled by the Guru sees only Akalpurakh, the embodiment of bliss, everywhere.
The Guru’s shabda leads to the Will of the Creator that inspires us to understand His ordinance, which is embedded within us as stated by First Nanak in Japji, but even after realizing how powerful is His ordinance, we remain selfish to create our own agenda and fail in realizing Him day and night. Through our will, a cycle of miseries starts circling us and we end up enveloping in it till our last breath. Shouldn’t we prefer His Will to ours? If we do that, we will see the world differently. His Will should be seen through His inspiration He gives us within; to recognize it, we should realize its nature; in other words, His embedded Will/His inspiration expands our intentions and love for the well being of all the lives, and if it is not of that nature, obviously, it is our own will that is drenched in selfishness and conceit. As we succeed in differentiating between His Will and our will, we can see ourselves as a part of His life energy that pervades continuously and eternally everywhere.
Wishes
Gurdeep Singh
