To tread on a path,
we need very clear instructions. If someone says: this world is a projection of
your mind and you see what your mind projects; otherwise, it doesn't exist;
will we realize that? We may never comprehend it actually, because we don't only feel this world, but we also touch it and verify its existence. We have
developed adherence to its existence. We
need to bring a change in ourselves in the same way we have been programmed in
our environments. The Guru doesn't take us to such kind of ambiguous and
intricate routes; instead, he advises us to overcome our self-conceit that
hinders every spiritual phenomenon we seek to experience; the second, he asks
us to become detached. Now this is very hard to understand if we are not guided
to understand how to do it. The Guru addresses that issue by asking us to live
here as a guest, who lives at another’s place without getting attached to
anything. After getting over our self-conceit and attachment, the Guru asks us
to concentrate on our Creator, who is defined as a permeating power all over in
and out.Thus, the path is crystal clear, and to realize it, we must follow what
the Guru says. Let us start understanding how our Guru guides us: Third Nanak
first puts a few questions then answers them, which are very helpful for our
spiritual journey; please read on 1048:
ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥
Maaroo mehlaa 3.
ਕਿਸੁ ਸੇਵੀ ਤੈ ਕਿਸੁ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ॥
Kis sayvee tai
kis saalaahee.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵੀ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ॥
Satgur sayvee
sabad saalaahee.
ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਦਾ ਮਤਿ ਊਤਮ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੀ ਹੇ ॥੩॥
Sachai sabad sadaa
mat ootam antar kamal pargaasee hay. ||3||
Raag Maroo, the bani of Third Nanak
In essence: (Questions)To
whom should I serve and to whom should I praise?(Answers) Serve (follow) the Satiguru and through his shabda, praise Akalpurakh. One’s intellect becomes sublime and one’s lotus-mind
blossoms through praising Him (Akalpurakh).
And again stress is
given on the same idea:
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਚੇਤਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਪੂਜਾ ॥
Har naam chaytaa
avar na poojaa.
ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥
Ayko sayvee avar na doojaa.
ਪੂਰੈ ਗੁਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਸਚੁ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ਸਚੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਹੇ ॥੭॥
Poorai gur sabh
sach dikhaa-i-aa sachai naam nivaasee hay. ||7||
In essence: I
remember Prabh’s Naam and I do not
worship anyone one other.I serve none but only Prabh, the perfect Guru
has shown me Prabh and I abide in His
Naam.
Abiding in His Naam is not simple; to reach to
that state, the Guru guides us. Following the Guru and worshipping the Creator
is actually a journey to realize the Creator within. In this context, the Guru also says on 1028:
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਹੁ ਚੀਨਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਸਾਈ ॥
Satgur milhu
cheenahu bidh saa-ee.
ਜਿਤੁ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪਾਵਹੁ ਗਣਤ ਨ ਕਾਈ ॥
Jit parabh
paavhu ganat na kaa-ee.
ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਿ ਭੀਨਾ ਹੇ ॥੧੭॥੨॥੮॥
Ha-umai maar karahu gur
sayvaa jan naanak har rang bheenaa hay. ||17||2||8||
In essence: Brother!
You meet the Satiguru and ask the way
out to meet Har. When you obtain Har, there will be no account of your deeds.
By eliminating your self-conceit, serve the Guru
(follow the Guru’s advice strictly in
utter humility). Oh Nanak! This way,
one gets drenched in Har’s love.
The following Slok of
Fifth Nanak states that merely talking doesn't help; please read on 1100
ਮਃ ੫ ॥
Mehlaa 5.
ਸਜਣ ਸਚੁ ਪਰਖਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਅਲਾਵਣੁ ਥੋਥਰਾ ॥
Sajan sach parakh
mukh alaavan thothraa.
ਮੰਨ ਮਝਾਹੂ ਲਖਿ ਤੁਧਹੁ ਦੂਰਿ ਨ ਸੁ ਪਿਰੀ ॥੩॥
Man majhaahoo lakh
tudhhu door na so piree. ||3||
In essence: Oh friend! Realize Prabh’s Naam in your heart, because
merely talking about it is useless.Look Him within; your beloved Spouse is not
far away.
The Guru is not saying that “don’t utter His
Naam”, but instead he is saying that
His Naam should be uttered heartily;
making “His Naam uttering” a ritual
is criticized in the Gurbani. Without
sincerity, all efforts done in context of realizing Him are literally useless.
Look at the following
verses on 1030, SGGS; you will see more clarity about searching Him within:
ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
Maaroo mehlaa 1.
ਘਰਿ ਰਹੁ ਰੇ ਮਨ ਮੁਗਧ ਇਆਨੇ ॥
Ghar rahu ray man mugadh i-aanay.
ਰਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਅੰਤਰਗਤਿ ਧਿਆਨੇ ॥
Raam japahu antargat
Dhi-aanay.
ਲਾਲਚ ਛੋਡਿ ਰਚਹੁ ਅਪਰੰਪਰਿ ਇਉ ਪਾਵਹੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਹੇ ॥੧॥
Laalach chhod
rachahu aprampar i-o paavhu mukat du-aaraa hay. ||1||
Raag Maroo,
the bani of First Nanak
In
essence: Oh silly and childish mind! Be stilled
within and utter Prabh’s name
internally. Give up all greed and get drenched in the love of Prabh, who is infinite; this way, the
salvation is achieved.
To
do that, we need some personal advice of the Guru; in other words, we need to
know how to get ready to become an apt follower of the Guru? Answer is on 1041.
SGGS:
ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
Maaroo mehlaa 1.
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਪਰਹਰੁ ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ॥
Kaam krodh
parhar par nindaa.
ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਤਜਿ ਹੋਹੁ ਨਿਚਿੰਦਾ ॥
Lab lobh taj
hohu nichindaa.
ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾ ਸੰਗਲੁ ਤੋੜਿ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ਹਰਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Bharam kaa sangal torh niraalaa har antar
har ras paa-i-aa. ||1||
Raag Maroo, the bani of First Nanak
In essence: Give up your lust,
anger and slandering of others; abandon your greed and possessiveness to become
worry free. One, who breaks the chains of doubt, becomes detached and finds Har’s Naam-essence within.
Once, we complete our
self analysis and reform ourselves, we are right on a track; we are heading
toward the ultimate freedom by shattering our each and every bond, but always
bear in mind that we are supposed to live here as guests not owners, please see
on 1188 to 1189:
ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਸਮਝਿ ਰਹੈ ਮਿਹਮਾਣੁ ॥
Gur tay samajh
rahai mihmaan.
ਹਰਿ ਰਸਿ ਰਾਤਾ ਜਨੁ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥੭॥
Har ras raataa
jan parvaan. ||7||
In essence: A person,
who understands Prabh and lives here
like a guest as per the Guru’s advice, remains drenched in His love and becomes acceptable to Him.
Now let us go to Bhagat Namdev to know how to practice our
concentration on our Creator; he gives many examples in this context; here is
his shabda on 972, SGGS
ਆਨੀਲੇ ਕਾਗਦੁ ਕਾਟੀਲੇ ਗੂਡੀ ਆਕਾਸ ਮਧੇ ਭਰਮੀਅਲੇ ॥
Aaneelay kaagad
kaateelay goodee aakaas madhay bharmee-alay.
ਪੰਚ ਜਨਾ ਸਿਉ ਬਾਤ ਬਤਊਆ ਚੀਤੁ ਸੁ ਡੋਰੀ ਰਾਖੀਅਲੇ ॥੧॥
Panch janaa si-o baat
bata-oo-aa cheet so doree raakhee-alay. ||1||
In essence: Look!
A boy brings paper, cuts it and makes a kite; then he flies it in the sky: he
keeps talking with his companions, but his mind remains fixed on the string of
the kite;
ਮਨੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਾ ਬੇਧੀਅਲੇ ॥
Man raam naamaa baydhee-alay.
ਜੈਸੇ ਕਨਿਕ ਕਲਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਮਾਂਡੀਅਲੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jaisay kanik kalaa chit
maandee-alay. ||1|| rahaa-o.
Namdev’s
mind is pierced with Akalpurakh’s name
as the goldsmith keeps his attention on gold-crafting while talking with
others. Pause.
ਆਨੀਲੇ ਕੁੰਭੁ ਭਰਾਈਲੇ ਊਦਕ ਰਾਜ ਕੁਆਰਿ ਪੁਰੰਦਰੀਏ ॥
Aaneelay kumbh bharaa-eelay
oodak raaj ku-aar purandree-ay.
ਹਸਤ ਬਿਨੋਦ ਬੀਚਾਰ ਕਰਤੀ ਹੈ ਚੀਤੁ ਸੁ ਗਾਗਰਿ ਰਾਖੀਅਲੇ ॥੨॥
Hasat binod
beechaar kartee hai cheet so gaagar raakhee-alay. ||2||
The young girls go outside
the city and fill their pitchers with water; they laugh and talk and make
merry, but they keep their minds in their pitchers (Namdev remembers His Prabh
in the same way).
ਮੰਦਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਦੁਆਰ ਦਸ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਗਊ ਚਰਾਵਨ ਛਾਡੀਅਲੇ ॥
Mandar ayk du-aar
das jaa kay ga-oo charaavan chhaadee-alay.
ਪਾਂਚ ਕੋਸ ਪਰ ਗਊ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਚੀਤੁ ਸੁ ਬਛਰਾ ਰਾਖੀਅਲੇ ॥੩॥
Paanch kos
par ga-oo charaavat cheet so bachhraa raakhee-alay.
||3||
Here is a house with ten
gates; a man let loose the cows to graze. The Cows graze five miles away, but
they keep their hearts fixed on their calves (in the same way Namdev remembers Him).
ਕਹਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਤਿਲੋਚਨ ਬਾਲਕੁ ਪਾਲਨ ਪਉਢੀਅਲੇ ॥
Kahat naamday-o
sunhu tilochan baalak paalan pa-udhee-alay.
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਕਾਜ ਬਿਰੂਧੀ ਚੀਤੁ ਸੁ ਬਾਰਿਕ ਰਾਖੀਅਲੇ ॥੪॥੧॥
Antar baahar
kaaj biroodhee cheet so baarik raakhee-alay. ||4||1||
Namdev says
: listen oh Tirlochan! The mother
lays the child in the cradle and she remains busy working in and outside the
house, but she keeps her thoughts in her child (in the same way, Namdev remembers Him).
Once our minds start
concentrating on Akalpurakh’s memory,
we will never be disturbed by any desire or worldly attractions, because we
will learn how to live with Him while living in this world, which is highly
dominated by the Maya influences. We will not feel separate from Him ever;
therefore, no duality will exist in us. No need to put marks on the forehead or
chanting special mantras, because living in His Naam will become our necessary mantra; then we don’t need to look
for auspicious days or time either. As His world runs, we will align with His all
pervading ordinance perfectly. It eventually leads us to that state of void in
which no difference is seen between our Creator and us. We will be living
desire free while performing our assigned jobs. We will eat, share, laugh but
deep in our minds, a settled thought of resistance to incessant desiring will
glow all the time. The world is perfect. When our duality sets in, it becomes
calamitous. If we keep mixing our thoughts or keep applying our self-made
tricks in this regard, we may please some people, but our spiritual experience
will doom at its inception.Our attention fixed on our Creator unfolds our freedom, which we unknowingly wrapped in bonds. Our
minds fixed on Him become stilled, though the wind of worldly affairs keeps
blowing.
Wishes
Regards
G Singh
