Quote:
Originally Posted by namjap  Let us consider the next stanzas of the above Sloka:
srvru hMis1 n jwixAw kwg kupMKI2 sMig ]
swkq3 isau AYsI pRIiq hY bUJhu igAwnI4 rMig5 ]
Comments
hMis (hans) has been literally translated as ‘swan’ and similarly, kwg kupMKI (kag kupankhi) as dirty crow by all the above scholars in their traditional interpretations.
Scientific and Logical Interpretation
hMis : Hans (It can be either swan or flamingo), being a white bird, has been used as metaphor for a clean (untainted) person in Gurbani. and kwg kupMKI (kag kupankhi) as metaphor for unclean (tainted) persons. Therefore, the above stanzas are interpreted scientifically and logically as follows:
Some clean (untainted) persons1 do not understand that the company of sinful persons2 and love for the atheists3 is not good; it is only understood through the company5 of wise persons4.
In continuation of the above Sloka finally Guru Nanak explains his philosophy to become a clean person as follows:
sMq1 sBw2 jYkwru3 kir gurmuiK4 krm5 kmwau ]
inrmlu6 n@wvxu7 nwnkw guru qIrQu8 drIAwau9 ]10]
Nanak says:
Say victory3 to the company2 of the clean persons1, who conduct good4 deeds5.
Cleansing of mind by practicing sacred8 principles of Guru’s philosophy 9 is called the real cleansing6 bath7.
To understand the above phrase, guru qIrQu8 drIAwau9, in its real perspective, let us study the following stanzas of Guru Nanak:
guru1 pauVI, byVI gurU, guru qulhw hir nwau2 ]
guru sru swgru boihQo3 guru qIrQu dirAwau ]
jy iqsu BwvY4 aUjlI5 sqsir6 nwvx7 jwau ]3]
Aggs, m 1, p-17.
Here in this stanza Guru Nanak is explaining metphoriclly that Guru’s1 philosophy2 is the ladder, the boat, the balance.
Sacred pool, sea, and sacred river are the metaphors for Guru’s philosophy, and this philosophy acts as a boat3 to cross the sea of life.
If you like4 this clean5 philosophy6 then go to cleanse7 your sinful mind by following this philosophy 5, 6.
AGGS, M 1, p 17.
Note: qIrQu dirAwau = Tirth Daryao means philosophy of Guru Nanak as follows: |
namjap ji
While reading this post, I felt Guru himself spoke to me through these Guru Waak along with the interpretation because metaphors and symbols were beutifully used and interpretted as well. Levels of Sikhi, as some quote frequently on this site, has nothing to do with understanding Gurbani. In Gurbani words are very forceful to convey the intended message. If some one new is asking directions and is told to follow different kinds of directions, where the person will go. As you have started in the beginning about the turmoil times,the Sikhs were not only attacked by fundamentalist Muslims and Hindus physically but also mohants and others (who could not swallow the total revolutions started by Satguru Nanak )fabricated some stories in a way that some Sikhs accepted them as true till those were proved incorrect. Good example is "Sikhan Dee Bhagat Mala"falsely attributed to Shaheed Mani Singh ji.. So
Sikhism was a revolt against caste system and incarnation of God philosopy and ritualism. It was a big threat to fundamentalist Hindus. Arya smaji Dayanand almost lost his senses after reading Satguru Nanak and called hima atheist.(in Satyarth Parkash)
Any interpretation by any one if it goes against Guru Nanak's principles, should not be accepted.
Your post explicitly shows why a
Sikh shouldnt stuck with one word. As in your post you have pointed out, some scholars translate Gurbani without defining the words in special context as cleaning of mind and the prevailing rituals. It is a a joke to declare that people will understand as they grow in Sikhi ! In this context I must give here one short encounter with a
Sikh who worships
Guru Granth Sahib as a God. I put him a question" we revere our Gurus to the highest esteem because if they were not here, we would have been worshipping snakes, rats and monkeys. You are worshipping
Guru Granth Sahib as a God, isnt it against Satguru Nanak's teachings?" His answer totally shocked me. He said" I dont know God, I know
Guru Granth Sahib Ji" People will end up here in context of worshipping. They just cannot accept the fact that Sikhs are guided by Guru to worship the creator only. Those nirmlas and mahantas were from high caste. Only they had education in those bad times(for Sikhs). The effect they left on
Sikh psyche can be felt in a high strength today too.
Guru Nanak leads Sikhs to Him, in this context Second Nanak says clearly that who is taught by Guru Nanak, what other thing can be taught to hih/her? means he or she doesnt need any other teaching, the perfect teaching is to praise HIM.
ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੨ ॥ ਦੀਖਿਆ ਆਖਿ ਬੁਝਾਇਆ ਸਿਫਤੀ ਸਚਿ ਸਮੇਉ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਕਉ ਕਿਆ ਉਪਦੇਸੀਐ ਜਿਨ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਉ ॥੧॥
{ਪੰਨਾ 150} I have loved every line of your post