I want to share with the Gurbani lovers a few things about the Gurbani : The Gurbani is not a poetic
fantasy but an actual expression of spiritual experience expressed through
beautiful metaphors and analogies. We all are trying to interpret it through
our intellectual efforts, but we don’t have the experience the Gurbani came from; therefore, we keep guessing. Out
there, some people are slandering Dr
Sahib Singh and Dr Bhai Veer Singh,
who put so much efforts to make us understand all the words used in the Gurbani and who also loudly declared that they had no
claim of accuracy; criticizing their efforts is nothing but a low level
tendency, which has nothing to offer. A gentleman writes in an email sent to me
to the fact,” Bhai Veer Singh has no
clue about the Gurbani and Dr
Sahib Singh has betrayed.” Later on when I rejected his thoughts outright,
he called me “a foolish pundit.” Reading his judgmental mentality, I simply
thanked him and discontinued any further correspondence with him. I just
wonder: after all, what have such critics understood about the experience
expressed in the Gurbani ? What have
we understood? Have they or we reached to that state of mind out of which such
divine knowledge is expressed? The answer is no; then what right anyone has to
criticize such devoted scholars like Bhai Veer Singh and Dr Sahib Singh? When we fall on a littered place, we get dirty
certainly.
I am going to share with the Gurbani
lovers a few stanzas of the bani “Anµdu Anand/bliss” on 917, SGGS, through which the Guru talks about his divine experience. One thing important is that
Third Nanak didn’t have such divine experience till the age of 60; obviously
how he had it is extraordinarily important for us to get a few clues about the
divine experience. Let us look and reflect on what the Guru says:
rwmklI mhlw 3 Anµdu
Raamkalee mehlaa 3 anand
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik-onkaar
satgur parsaad.
There
is only one all pervading Akalpurakh, who is known with the blessings of
the
Satiguru.
ਅਨੰਦੁ ਭਇਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਏ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਮੈ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਤ ਪਾਇਆ ਸਹਜ ਸੇਤੀ ਮਨਿ ਵਜੀਆ ਵਾਧਾਈਆ ॥
ਰਾਗ ਰਤਨ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਪਰੀਆ ਸਬਦ ਗਾਵਣ ਆਈਆ ॥
ਸਬਦੋ ਤ ਗਾਵਹੁ ਹਰੀ ਕੇਰਾ ਮਨਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਮੈ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Anand bha-i-aa mayree maa-ay satguroo
mai paa-i-aa.
Satgur ta paa-i-aa sahj saytee
man vajee-aa vaadhaa-ee-aa.
Raag ratan parvaar paree-aa sabad
gaavan aa-ee-aa.
Sabdo ta gaavhu haree kayraa man
jinee vasaa-i-aa.
Kahai naanak anand ho-aa satguroo mai
paa-i-aa. ||1||
In essence: Oh my mother! I am in joy,
because I have found my Satiguru.
Intuitively, I have found the Satiguru
and I am being overwhelmed within. The gems of Raagas along with their family have come to sing Har’s praise. Those, who have enshrined
the Guru’s shabda in their minds,
sing Har’s praise. Nanak says: I am in joy, because I have
found the Satiguru.
What is really means “ Anµdu/Anand” in English? The dictionary defines
it: supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment;
wedded bliss.
Whenever we experience happiness, it doesn’t last much. Third Nanak is not talking about such bliss;
actually the Guru just doesn’t take
any temporary joy as “Anand/bliss”,
because he expresses that it is obtained through the guidance of the Guru, who helps in experiencing the
divine union. Also to obtain the Satiguru,
one must ignore one’s own set of mind and all other influences one has already embraced.
If one is guided by one’s own thinking and other influences, one never obtains
the Satiguru. In stanza number 4 of
this bani, the Guru gives hints about this bliss:
ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਆਧਾਰੋ ॥
ਸਾਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਧਾਰੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਭੁਖਾ ਸਭਿ ਗਵਾਈਆ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਸੁਖ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ਵਸਿਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਇਛਾ ਸਭਿ ਪੁਜਾਈਆ ॥
Saachaa naam mayraa aadhaaro.
Saach naam adhaar mayraa jin bhukhaa
sabh gavaa-ee-aa.
kar saaNt sukh man aa-ay vasi-aa jin ichhaa sabh pujaa-ee-aa.
In essence: Har’s name has become my support; because of
the support of Har’s name, I am
totally satisfied. His name is manifested in me; it has brought peace to my
mind and my all desires are fulfilled.
If all
bothering desires depart and the memory of Akalpurakh
is imprinted within, the mind goes in such bliss that never ends for a moment.
The Guru starts the bani by saying that as the Satiguru is obtained (not with efforts
but intuitively by giving heart to his teachings), real bliss of realizing the
Creator is attained. Then in His memory, the mind gets stilled and it becomes
free of all kinds of worries and anxieties. The enlightened one’s life passes
through joys, and if any kind of sorrow hits him, he/she remains affectless;
his or her mind already believes that it is also a part of the given life;
therefore, why the sorrows should bother and affect the attained bliss
negatively? After reaching to the state of being in everlasting bliss, one
becomes completely immaculate. Then what is that in which the mind of an
enlightened one remains busy? Answer: It lives praising the Creator, Har:
ਸਬਦੋ ਤ ਗਾਵਹੁ ਹਰੀ ਕੇਰਾ ਮਨਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥
Sabdo ta gaavhu haree kayraa man
jinee vasaa-i-aa.
Those who
have enshrined the Guru’s shabda in
their minds, sing Har’s praise.
What have we
learnt from the first stanza? Let me also tell that to be with the Satiguru doesn’t mean to be with the Satiguru physically; instead it means
understanding the Satiguru’s given
instructions and practice them in life. Physical aspect is not important;
important is the light passed on by the Creator to the Guru. And, that light was passed on from First Nanak to Second
Nanak and so on. If a physical visit ends without having the effect of the
divine light of the Satiguru, the
seeker gains nothing; therefore, going to Sri
Guru Granth Sahib is only fruitful if the divine knowledge enshrined within
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is taken to
overhaul one’s life. Millions bow everyday to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, but a rare one gets attached to the light of
the Guru to guide his or her mind in
everyday life. Those ones, who are stuck to the physical aspect of the Guru, are not going anywhere else. Trust
me, the Sikhi is not about worshiping,
or offering flowers and money; it is about changing according to the Guru.
Once a
gentleman wrote to me,” why do you bring the
Gurbani to everything we (Sikhs) do”.
He hit me hard and made me wonder for what purpose such gentlemen read or
contemplate the Gurbani ? Is it for
just chanting like the mantras in the
morning and evening only? What kind of sincerity that could be? Do we read the Gurbani like mantras for liberation after death? Who
knows about liberation after death if the entire life is spent in the Maya
bonds? Reluctantly I replied to that gentleman to the fact: I respect your
views, but the Gurbani is everything for me.
Coming back
to the next stanza; the Guru now guides
the followers how to obtain that everlasting bliss mentioned in the first
stanza.
ਏ ਮਨ ਮੇਰਿਆ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲਿ ਰਹੁ ਤੂ ਮੰਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਦੂਖ ਸਭਿ ਵਿਸਾਰਣਾ ॥
ਅੰਗੀਕਾਰੁ ਓਹੁ ਕਰੇ ਤੇਰਾ ਕਾਰਜ ਸਭਿ ਸਵਾਰਣਾ ॥
ਸਭਨਾ ਗਲਾ ਸਮਰਥੁ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮਨਹੁ ਵਿਸਾਰੇ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮੰਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥੨॥
Ay man mayri-aa too sadaa rahu
har naalay.
Har naal rahu too man mayray dookh
sabh visaarnaa.
Angeekaar oh karay tayraa kaaraj sabh
savaarnaa.
Sabhnaa galaa samrath su-aamee so ki-o
manhu visaaray.
Kahai naanak man mayray sadaa rahu har
naalay. ||2||
In essence: Oh my mind! Remain with Akalpurakh always; by doing so, you will
forget all sufferings. He will settle your affairs right way. Akalpurakh is potent to do everything;
why to forget Him then? Nanak says:
Oh my mind! Always you remain with Akalpurakh.
The stanza
appears very simple, but in it a subtle idea is expressed that takes the
follower back to the first stanza in which obtaining the Satiguru is elaborated
(ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਤ ਪਾਇਆ ਸਹਜ ਸੇਤੀ).
The
Guru says:
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮੰਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥੨॥
Kahai
naanak man mayray sadaa rahu har naalay.
Nanak says: Oh my mind! Always you remain
with Akalpurakh.
Living always
with Akalpurakh is the key that opens
the door of the bliss the Guru is
talking about. In the Gurbani , it is
recommended to utter or say or remember Akalpurakh’s
name; it doesn’t matter what name one picks for Him; literally it means to
live in the memory of Akalpurakh.
It can be done only if one’s mind accepts what the Guru says and practices that; if one worries how one can make a
living by being detached, one should just do what one thinks right. It is very
important to live in Akalpurakh’s memory
to have the bliss according to the Guru.
The Guru also verifies that Ekankaar indeed helps if one seeks Him
in utter sincerity; if one plays games in this pursuit, one is doomed.
Yes, the
first step is to enshrine the Guru’s
advice in the heart; in other words, one should make a living by making the Guru’s advice a guiding force. Then the
following stanza number 7 is understood:
ਆਨੰਦੁ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇ ਜਾਣਿਆ ॥
ਜਾਣਿਆ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਕਟੇ ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਸਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਅੰਦਰਹੁ ਜਿਨ ਕਾ ਮੋਹੁ ਤੁਟਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੈ ਸਵਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਏਹੁ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਜਾਣਿਆ ॥੭॥
Aanand aanand sabh ko
kahai aanand guroo tay jaani-aa.
Jaani-aa aanand sadaa gur tay
kirpaa karay pi-aari-aa.
Kar kirpaa kilvikh katay gi-aan anjan
saari-aa.
Andrahu jin kaa moh tutaa tin
kaa sabad sachai savaari-aa.
Kahai naanak ayhu anand hai aanand gur tay
jaani-aa. ||7||
In essence: All people talk about the
bliss, but it is known through the Guru. Yes, all talk about the real bless, but one can know about the bliss from the
Guru, only if the beloved Akalpurakh
bestows His grace. With His grace, one’s sins are removed as the divine
knowledge is bestowed upon (by the Guru). Akalpurakh embellishes the speech of
those ones, who get rid of their deep attachment of the worldly love. Nanak says: it is the way through which
the real bliss is experienced, and it is known through the Guru
First, he Guru stresses on getting rid of
cleverish ways through which the mortals make money and seek spiritual
experience as well. Second, the Guru
advises us not to fall in love with the perishable entity or thing. The Guru doesn’t ask us to give up supporting
our families; instead he says: in the attachment of your family, don’t forget your
Guru and the Creator. Work hard and
keep supporting your families but only being with the Guru’s light and the Creator. Here is what the Guru says about brainy tricks:
ਏ ਮਨ ਚੰਚਲਾ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਿਨੈ ਤੂ ਸੁਣਿ ਮੰਨ ਮੇਰਿਆ ॥
ਏਹ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਏਤੁ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ॥
ਮਾਇਆ ਤ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਤਿਨੈ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਠਗਉਲੀ ਪਾਈਆ ॥
ਕੁਰਬਾਣੁ ਕੀਤਾ ਤਿਸੈ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਮੋਹੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਲਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਚੰਚਲ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੦॥
Ay man chanchlaa chaturaa-ee kinai na
paa-i-aa.
Chaturaa-ee na paa-i-aa kinai too
sun man mayri-aa.
Ayh maa-i-aa mohnee jin ayt bharam
bhulaa-i-aa.
Maa-i-aa ta mohnee tinai
keetee jin thag-ulee paa-ee-aa.
Kurbaan keetaa tisai
vitahu jin moh meethaa laa-i-aa.
Kahai naanak man chanchal chaturaa-ee
kinai na paa-i-aa. ||10||
In essence: Akalpurakh is
not obtained through cleverness. Oh mercurial mind! Listen to me. Akalpurakh is not obtained with
cleverness. It is this fascinating Maya, which
has deluded you. And, this fascinating Maya
is created by Akalpurakh, who has
attached the mortals to it deeply. (But still) You sacrifice to Akalpurakh, who has infused the sweet
love for Maya (Turn toward Him
instead). Nanak says: no one has
obtained Akalpurakh through
cleverness.
ਹੇ ਚੰਚਲ ਮਨ! ਚਲਾਕੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੇ ਭੀ (ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ) ਹਾਸਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ । ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ! ਤੂੰ (ਧਿਆਨ ਨਾਲ) ਸੁਣ ਲੈ ਕਿ ਕਿਸੇ ਜੀਵ ਨੇ ਭੀ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਨਾਲ (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੇ ਮਿਲਾਪ ਦਾ ਆਨੰਦ) ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ, (ਅੰਦਰੋਂ ਸੋਹਣੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਵਿਚ ਭੀ ਫਸਿਆ ਰਹੇ, ਤੇ, ਬਾਹਰੋਂ ਨਿਰੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ ਚਾਹੇ, ਇਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ) ।ਇਹ ਮਾਇਆ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਮੋਹ ਵਿਚ ਫਸਾਣ ਲਈ ਬੜੀ ਡਾਢੀ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਭੁਲੇਖੇ ਵਿਚ ਪਾਇਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਮੋਹ ਮਿੱਠੀ ਚੀਜ਼ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੁਰਾਹੇ ਪਾਈ ਰੱਖਦੀ ਹੈ ।(ਪਰ ਜੀਵ ਦੇ ਭੀ ਕੀਹ ਵੱਸ?) ਜਿਸ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਦੇ ਮੋਹ ਦੀ ਠਗਬੂਟੀ (ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ) ਚੰਬੋੜੀ ਹੈ ਉਸੇ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਪੈਦਾ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ ।(ਸੋ, ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ! ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਇਆ ਤੋਂ ਸਦਕੇ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਥਾਂ) ਉਸ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਸਦਕੇ ਕਰੋ ਜਿਸ ਨੇ ਮਿੱਠਾ ਮੋਹ ਲਾਇਆ ਹੈ (ਤਦੋਂ ਹੀ ਇਹ ਮਿੱਠਾ ਮੋਹ ਮੁੱਕਦਾ ਹੈ) ।ਨਾਨਕ ਆਖਦਾ ਹੈ—ਹੇ (ਮੇਰੇ) ਚੰਚਲ ਮਨ! ਚਤੁਰਾਈਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੇ (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੇ ਮਿਲਾਪ ਦਾ ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ) ਨਹੀਂ ਲੱਭਾ
Now the Guru advises the followers how to become one with Ekankaar after abandoning their
cleverish ways. The following stanza number 11, takes us back to stanza
number 2:
ਏ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥
ਏਹੁ ਕੁਟੰਬੁ ਤੂ ਜਿ ਦੇਖਦਾ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਸਾਥਿ ਤੇਰੈ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਨਾਲਿ ਕਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਈਐ ॥
ਐਸਾ ਕੰਮੁ ਮੂਲੇ ਨ ਕੀਚੈ ਜਿਤੁ ਅੰਤਿ ਪਛੋਤਾਈਐ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਕਾ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਤੂ ਹੋਵੈ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥੧੧॥
Ay man pi-aari-aa too sadaa sach
samaalay.
Ayhu kutamb too je daykh-daa
chalai naahee tayrai naalay.
Saath tayrai chalai naahee tis
naal ki-o chit laa-ee-ai.
Aisaa kamm moolay na keechai jit ant
pachhotaa-ee-ai.
Satguroo kaa updays sun too
hovai tayrai naalay.
Kahai naanak man pi-aaray too sadaa
sach samaalay. ||11||
In essence: Oh my mind! Always contemplate the
eternal Almighty. This family you behold will not go with you (as you will
depart, no one is going to die with you). When it will not depart along with
you, then why to get attached to it (it is about the deep attachment that leads
one to do evil-deeds for one’s relations)? Never do a deed upon which you have
to repent eventually. Listen to the Satiguru’s
instruction; it shall be with you. Nanak
says: oh my dear mind! Always contemplate the eternal Almighty.
ਹੇ ਭਾਈ!) ਇਸ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਦੇ ਮੋਹ ਵਿਚ ਕਿਉਂ ਫਸਦਾ ਹੈਂ? ਇਸ ਨੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਤੋੜ ਸਦਾ ਦਾ ਸਾਥ ਨਹੀਂ ਨਿਬਾਹ ਸਕਣਾ । ਜਿਸ ਕੰਮ ਦੇ ਕੀਤਿਆਂ ਆਖ਼ਰ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣੇ ਪੈਣ, ਉਹ ਕੰਮ ਕਦੇ ਭੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ।
Once we empty our minds from
our own thoughts and seek our Guru’s
advice, we only become able to learn something from the Guru; we will then reject rites, rituals and garbs totally; on this
path, our ability will infuse in us the Guru’s
light that dissolves our unending desires and flaws leading to vices. We
will become able to entreat forgiveness even if we innocently use harsh words.
We will then see the path right in front of us; it could appear mountainous,
but our ability will strengthen it. Our Guru’s
light will help us in a big way.
I pray for
everyone including myself to obtain the Guru
to walk toward the ultimate bliss.
Partially
interpretation in Punjabi is done by Dr Sahib Singh
Humbly
G
singh
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