Through many channels, today’s Sikhs are offered polished tastes of scriptures of many other religions just to fish them to convert; the care takers of the Guru Bank have been looting it for a while; therefore, drums of such new kind of missionaries are sounding louder and louder day by day. Today, in the age of internet, I feel, I must share with them my understanding of Guru Nanak in this kind of circumstances with my brothers and sisters so that they can use the guidance given by our Guru to remain intact from such tactics used by these new missionaries. Let us together look at that advice before the drums of other scriptures make us deaf.
Almost in the beginning of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, there is a shabda from which we can learn a lot to negate the commotion of the drums of these missionaries. First of all, the Guru introduces to us the existence of various schools of various doctrines and then he advises us that behind them is also our Creator; therefore, we don’t need to indulge in slandering any of them; here it is on 12, 13, SGGS:
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਛਿਅ ਘਰ ਛਿਅ ਗੁਰ ਛਿਅ ਉਪਦੇਸ ॥ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸ ਅਨੇਕ ॥੧॥
Rāg āsā mėhlā 1.Cẖẖi▫a gẖar cẖẖi▫a gur cẖẖi▫a upḏes.
Gur gur eko ves anek. ||1||Raag Asa, Bani of first Nanak. In Essence: There are known six systems with six different doctrines offered by six teachers (saankh, niaaye, Vaishishik, yog, Mimansa, Vedaanta); however, behind them, the Guroo is only Akalpurakh; all is a manifestation of Akalpurakh in many vestures.
Kindly note it down, the Guru is not praising or criticizing these six schools or their teachers; he simply says that behind all of them, the Creator acts as a lead. Think about it, “is the Guru directing us to look at those doctrines for our stable peace, because the Creator is behind them?” There is no word used by the Guru in the above verses that indicates about these systems to be worthy of following though they were also inspired by the Ultimate Guroo, Akalpurakh. Why Akalpurakh has created all these if the Guru doesn’t advise us to follow them? We can find answer of the question in Gurbani. We have an answer on 6, SGGS:
ਸੋਈ ਸੋਈ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਚੀ ਨਾਈ ॥
soee soee sadhaa sach saahib saachaa saachee naaee ||
In Essence: Only Akalpurakh is eternal, so is His greatness (glory sung through praises)
The Guru talks about the concept of eternity of Akalpurakh; His Name is true and all the rest will come and go; then he repeats the meaning of first sloka before Japji “aad Sach juagaad sach”, but along with that he also says that Maya is also His creation:
ਹੈ ਭੀ ਹੋਸੀ ਜਾਇ ਨ ਜਾਸੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਰਚਾਈ ॥ ਰੰਗੀ ਰੰਗੀ ਭਾਤੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਿਨਸੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਉਪਾਈ ॥
hai bhee hosee jaae n jaasee rachanaa jin rachaaee || rangee rangee bhaathee kar kar jinasee maaeiaa jin oupaaee ||
He, who created His all creation, is present now and He will not vanish; He has created different kinds of lives and Maya
In the above verses, the act of Akalpurakh of fashioning the creation with Maya is expressed; in the creation, Maya exists; in other words, behind both is Akalpurakh.
ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸ ਦੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਕਰਸੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਰਣਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
kar kar vaekhai keethaa aapanaa jiv this dhee vaddiaaee || jo this bhaavai soee karasee hukam n karanaa jaaee ||
Akalpurakh watches over His creation and this is His greatness; it happens whatever He wishes and there is none who can order Him otherwise
In above verses, another thing is made clear by the Guru: many go and beg from the deities or other sources; however, whatever is done is done only as per His Will; whatever is obtained is because of His wish and no other mediator has the power to do that. Worship of any avatar or devta will not change the course of His Will and all credit should be given to Akalpurakh, why? Answer is in the following verse:
ਸੋ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਸਾਹਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਹਣੁ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੨੭॥
so paathisaahu saahaa paathisaahib naanak rehan rajaaee ||27||
HE is the king of all Kings (powerful in any sense), Nanak says, all others just remain subjects to His Will
The Guru says that all the rest are remained under His Ordinance and all so called spiritually and worldly powerful entities are subject to His Will; therefore, the real ruler is Akalpurakh.
Creation is a part of His greatness; He has created positivity and negativity together and we are advised to embrace positivity only, though the Creator is behind the both. Understanding that everything is subject to His Will, enables us to choose that path which can lead us to Him. Those six schools and their six doctrines of six Gurus are part of His show that He has staged. There are many things in His play, but we also ignore many of them; in the same way, we need to make a sublime decision, and our Guru helps us in his regard:
(ਹੇ ਭਾਈ!) ਛੇ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰ ਹਨ, ਛੇ ਹੀ (ਇਹਨਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ) ਚਲਾਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ, ਛੇ ਹੀ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਧਾਂਤ ਹਨ। ਪਰ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਸਾਰਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਮੂਲ-ਗੁਰੂ (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ) ਇੱਕ ਹੈ। (ਇਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤ) ਉਸ ਇੱਕ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਹੀ ਅਨੇਕਾਂ ਵੇਸ ਹਨ (ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਹਸਤੀ ਦੇ ਪਰਕਾਸ਼ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਹਨ)।੧।
In the following verse, the Guru advises us to follow only that school that teaches us to praise the Creator only:
ਬਾਬਾ ਜੈ ਘਰਿ ਕਰਤੇ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਸੋ ਘਰੁ ਰਾਖੁ ਵਡਾਈ ਤੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Bābā jai gẖar karṯe kīraṯ ho▫e.
So gẖar rākẖ vadā▫ī ṯo▫e. ||1|| rahā▫oOh Wise one! The house (system) in which the praise of Akalpurakh is done, hold on to that; your glory is in it. (Pause)
Earlier, the six houses have been referred to us to tell that those houses do not advise us to indulge only in the praise of the Creator; therefore, the best one for us is to be in the house where praise of Aalpurakh is done.
How should we take them as we disagree with them, the Guru gives an example of the Sun because of which the moments, the days, the months and the seasons are there; we are advised not to indulge in slandering all these because behind all is the Creator:
ਬਾਬਾ = ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਜੈ ਘਰਿ = ਜਿਸ (ਸਤਸੰਗ-) ਘਰ ਵਿਚ। ਕਰਤੇ ਕੀਰਤਿ = ਕਰਤਾਰ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ। ਹੋਇ = ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਰਾਖੁ = ਸੰਭਾਲ। ਤੋਇ = ਤੇਰੀ। ਵਡਾਈ = ਭਲਾਈ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।
ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਜਿਸ (ਸਤਸੰਗ-) ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਘਰ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਂਭ ਰੱਖ (ਉਸ ਸਤਸੰਗ ਦਾ ਆਸਰਾ ਲਈ ਰੱਖ। ਇਸੇ ਵਿਚ) ਤੇਰੀ ਭਲਾਈ ਹੈ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।
ਵਿਸੁਏ ਚਸਿਆ ਘੜੀਆ ਪਹਰਾ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰੀ ਮਾਹੁ ਹੋਆ ॥ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਏਕੋ ਰੁਤਿ ਅਨੇਕ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਵੇਸ ॥੨॥੨॥
visu▫e cẖasi▫ā gẖaṛī▫ā pahrā thiṯī vārī māhu ho▫ā.
Sūraj eko ruṯ anek.
Nānak karṯe ke keṯe ves. ||2||2||There are the seconds, the minutes, the hours, the quarters of a day,the lunar day, the week days, the months and many seasons; however, the Sun is only one (because of which this pyramid of time is made); Nanak says: the Creator has many appearances.
ਅੱਖ ਦੇ ੧੫ ਫੋਰ = ੧ ਵਿਸਾ।੧੫ ਵਿਸੁਏ = ੧ ਚਸਾ। ੩੦ ਚਸੇ = ੧ ਪਲ।੬੦ ਪਲ = ੧ ਘੜੀ। ਸਾਢੋ ੭ ਘੜੀਆਂ = ੧ ਪਹਰ।੮ ਪਹਰ = ੧ ਦਿਨ ਰਾਤ। ੧੫ ਥਿਤਾਂ; ੭ ਵਾਰ; ੧੨ ਮਹੀਨੇ, ਛੇ ਰੁੱਤਾਂ।੨।
ਜਿਵੇਂ ਵਿਸੁਏ, ਚਸੇ, ਘੜੀਆਂ, ਪਹਰ, ਥਿੱਤਾਂ, ਵਾਰ, ਮਹੀਨਾ (ਆਦਿਕ) ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਅਨੇਕਾਂ ਰੁੱਤਾਂ ਹਨ, ਪਰ ਸੂਰਜ ਇਕੋ ਹੀ ਹੈ (ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਇਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਵਖ ਵਖ ਰੂਪ ਹਨ), ਤਿਵੇਂ, ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਕਰਤਾਰ ਦੇ (ਇਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤ ਆਦਿਕ) ਅਨੇਕਾਂ ਸਰੂਪ ਹਨ।੨।੨।
The Guru is advising us that nothing is there in this world which is beyond His Will; there is nothing in which Akalpurakh doesn’t exist, on 922 SGGS, the Guru says:
: ਏਹੁ ਵਿਸੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਤੁਮ ਦੇਖਦੇ ਏਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਰੂਪੁ ਨਦਰੀ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਬੁਝਿਆ ਜਾ ਵੇਖਾ ਹਰਿ ਇਕੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥.
Ėhu vis sansār ṯum ḏekẖ▫ḏe ehu har kā rūp hai har rūp naḏrī ā▫i▫ā. Gur parsādī bujẖi▫ā jā vekẖā har ik hai har bin avar na ko▫ī.
In Essence: All the world you see is a form of Akalpurakh, in all He is seen. With the blessings of the Guru, I have understood this fact; I perceive nothing but One Hari.
All is Akalpurakh, behind everything is Akalpurakh, but we are advised to choose from all these only that, which is better for us. In contexts of the six schools, the Guru advises us to ignore them without slandering them to join the house in which Akalpurakh’s praise is done (and that house is “Guru Nanak’s house)”.
For the Sikhs, singing praises of the Creator and living in Akalpurakh’s love, is equal to doing pilgrimages, keeping fasts, performing religious rites and performing sacrificial feasts. This is our Guru's advice; with this miracle, the Guru saves us from on coming storms of Maya in many forms; Guru Nanak suggests about this miracle on 1410 SGGS
Jẖaṛ jẖakẖaṛ ohāṛ lahrī vahan lakẖesarī. Saṯgur si▫o ālā▫e beṛe dubaṇ nāhi bẖa▫o. ||4||
Sit alone, close your eyes and start uttering any name of the Creator like, Akalpurakh, Hari or Wahiguroo and imagine the Creator expanded through the universe in waves; very soon, you will start feeling a kind of peace coming to the mind along with a feeling of the presence of the Creator.
Regardless what these missionaries are saying, they are not for us; regardless how fascinating things they say about their scriptures, they are not for us, because for us only Sri Guru Granth Sahib is our Shabdu Guru. We respect all, but we are not for sale.
A Partial interpretation is by Dr Sahib Singh in Punjabi
Humbly
G Singh
