Dear Khalsa Ji,

Now we have reached the 24th Pauri of Anand Sahib. What I understand from it, here through this post, I share with you all.

1. siqgurU ibnw hor kcI hY bwxI ] satguroo binaa hor kachee hai banee.

Without the Satguru, the Banee is not ripe (not fit for assimilation).

My understanding:

In this sentence Guru Sahib conveys a lot to me.

Guru is the one who teaches a person. During the lifetime of our Gurus, Guru Sahibs themselves were the Gurus. In my context, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is my Guru. What the term Satguru means in my context, I have to understand.

My mental deliberations on this issue tell me that the essence of the teachings of my Guru - Sri Guru Granth Sahib - is the Satguru for me. When I fully realise the entire essence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, then only the Satguru is realised. When the essence has been realised, the Guru leaves and ‘The Sat’ remains.

With this understanding, I approach to learn the meaning of sentence under study.

It is clear. Guru Sahib tells me that the Banee is not ripe for assimilation unless it’s essence, the truth, the learning is fully understood and realised in one’s own being. Till I reach that stage, the Banee is Kachee.

Just see the sentence, it is a combination of word, which has a literal meaning. That is how it will look to any new comer. When we live with it and look for the meaning contained in it, a different picture starts emerging. The sentence ceases to be just a text; it becomes a realisable learning. When I reach this stage of true understanding, the Banee becomes Pakky for me.

Here you see the way Guru Sahib has conveyed his message. Guru Sahib has used an analogy.

The Banee was, is and will always remain the same, but transformation is taking place in me. From the literal meaning, I am going beyond, I am realising the deeper meaning. In fact, maturity is dawning on me, the Banee was always there as it is and so it will be. Changes are taking place in me, in my understanding of it, and not in the Banee. Guru Sahib who knew the relative nature of this world has used this element to convey the message to me.

Till I remain spiritually immature the same Banee remains Kachee (not ripe) for me. When I become spiritually mature, the same Banee becomes Pakky (ripe) for me. This maturity brings with it a new way of looking at the Banee. This is the stage at which the essence, the truth, the element of learning contained in Banee can be realised.

Banee remains as it is. It is my spiritual evolution, my maturity, my understanding of it, that makes it Kachee or otherwise.

Wah-e-Guru

2. bwxI q kcI siqgurU bwJhu hor kcI bwxI ] banee ta kachee satguroo baajhahu hor kachee banee.

With kachee (not ripe, not fit for assimilation) banee, Satguru is missed, and more kachee banee is created.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib cautions me here. Guru Sahib tells me that if my understanding is deficient, then I will miss the essence, the truth, the learning, and the element of ‘Sat’ that is in Banee. This less than complete understanding of the Banee will make me further inadequate to truly understand the Banee.

In other words, Guru Sahib tells me that I should not ignore the feedbacks that result from every incremental learning. If the feedback is in positive direction resulting from correct understanding, I will evolve; if it is negative direction resulting from inadequate understanding I will degenerate.

This way Guru Sahib tells me that I should never think that I have realised the Banee. There is always deeper meaning to it. Fresh learning should lead me to review my past spiritual base. This base should be always kept refreshed. This way I should keep renewing myself till the ultimate is realised. After all this is what is meant by spiritual evolution.

The question that comes to my mind is how do I check if my understanding is correct? How do I evaluate my learning from the Banee?

The answer comes from my past understanding, which gives me the criterion with respect to which I can validate what I have learnt.

All the creation has come from the ‘Ek’ (One) i.e. ‘The Sat’. All the dualities that exist in this world are manifestation of this ‘Ek’. I have to move in the direction of this ‘Ek’ i.e. ‘The Sat’. If my learning, which I incorporate into my being is leading me in the direction of this ‘Ek’, i.e. leading me to dissolve the dualities, then they are likely to be correct. If it is creating dualities, it is definitely wrong.

The logic behind this criterion is clear. The spiritual aim of the birth in human form is to merge with ‘The Sat’. As the dualities dissolve for me, my being tends to move towards ‘Ek’ i.e. ‘The Sat’. When the ‘Sat’ of my Guru, which is the essence of my Guru i.e. the teachings of my Guru (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) are fully realised in my being, in a way, it means that ‘Satguru’ is in me. At this stage all the worldly dualities will stand dissolved and, then the ultimate limit comes. The last remaining duality is dissolved i.e. my being gets dissolved into ‘The Sat’. This is where the ultimate is realised. This is ‘Samadhi’.

This way Guru Sahib tells me that I have to evolve a lot. At no stage my Ahamkara should appear and have control over me. After all, Gyan Vilas (being proud of one’s knowledge, showing it off and enjoying doing so) is an element of Ahamkara. Humility should be natural to me; it should originate from the depths of my heart and soul.

Wah-e-Guru.

3. khdy kcy suxdy kcy kcˆØI AwiK vKwxI ] kahday kachay sunday kachay kacheeN aakh vakhaanee.


They speak, listen, do and lecture the false understanding.


My understanding:

Guru Sahib tells me what happens when the individuals understanding of the Banee is inadequate. The inadequate understanding and its propagation create falsehood and results in differences and dualities.

I can make out Guru Sahib has in mind. He knows what has been the condition of the major religion of our land? How the spirituality has evaporated from the society he lived in? Base on partial understanding of what is taught by the religion, the society has split into castes, sub castes and sub-sub-caste and so on. The religion, which was supposed to be one, has split into different beliefs (mat), Sampradayas, sects and Varnas.

Guru Sahib is not leaving things to chance. Guru Sahib is making it explicit for me to understand this fact of social dynamics.

4. hir hir inq krih rsnw kihAw kCU n jwxI ] har har nit karahi rasnaa kahi-aa kachhoo na jaanee.

The individual recite ‘Har’ ‘Har’ (the appellation for the God) every day, speaks about the joy of it, but does not understand it.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib instructs me on the futility of ritualistic Jaap. Guru Sahib tells me that praising ‘The Sat’ and mechanically doing Jaap every day is meaning less unless one has understood the spiritual meaning in it.

Guru Sahib this way cautions be about the pitfall.

5. icqu ijn kw ihir lieAw mwieAw bolin pey rvwxI ] chit jin kaa hir la-i-aa maa-i-aa bolan pa-ay ravaanee.


The person, whose consciousness is seduced by Maya, is the one who speaks of the ritualistic practices as the way.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib in a very forthright way tells me that rituals are not the way for spiritual evolution. People who are under the spell of Maya and cannot see the truth suggest this way. During the lifetime of our Guru Sahibs, a large section of the population of this land followed the ritualistic way for spiritual ends.

This again is a very prudent caution from my Guru Sahib to protect me from any pitfall.

6. khY nwnku siqgurU bwJhu hor kcI bwxI ]24] kahai naanak satguroo baajhahu hor kachee banee. ||24||

Says Nanak, without Satguru any Banee is Kachee (not ripe i.e. not fit for assimilation).

My understanding:

Guru Sahib says that without true understanding the Banee becomes false and ceases to be fit for assimilation in one’s being.

Wah-e-Guru.

With this I close my post on 24th Pauri of Anand Sahib. Please keep in mind my understanding is in my own context where the Guru for me is Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

With love and respect for all.



Amarpal Singh

Dear Archived_member2 Ji,

Thank you very much for asking the question.



The line in English, which follows the Gurmukhi text in my post, is not the literal translation, but it is the meaning as understood by me.



I have not missed the word ‘hor’ in my mental deliberations to understand what Guru Sahib is telling me. It is taken into account in what I have written in 'My understanding' that followed the sentence from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Though it is not explicit there.



My mental deliberations on it i.e. the word 'hor', I share with you here.



The word 'hor' literally means more, additional, it also means other.



First I take the word 'hor' to mean 'other’ and discuss it here.



As I understand my Guru Sahibs, they were positive thinkers. They explained to us what 'The Sat' meant to them. They did not indulge in criticising what others have said. Where something was deep rooted among the masses, which was not desirable, they explained it to the masses and persuaded them to move away from those practices or concepts. They recognised pluralities of ways.



With this perception in me about my Guru Sahibs, it was not possible for me to accept that my Guru Sahib will any time say that 'other Banee are Kachee. That too in such a sweeping way.



This is the reason why I did not take this meaning (other) for the word 'hor'.



I accepted the word 'hor' to mean additional or more.



With this meaning for the word hor, the first sentence of this Pauri conveys that without learning the essence of the teachings of the Banee (Satguru), acquiring more of it, the banee will remain kachee. The same meaning is conveyed in what I had posted. To me this meaning apples to first banee i.e. starting from zero or the additional (hor) Banee. As a result I did not feel the need to elaborate on this word ‘hor’.



In other words I am saying that whether I elaborate or not on the word ‘hor’ used in the first sentence of the Banee, my understanding remains the same.


However, in case I write a book in future, I will include the elaboration of the word 'hor' in it.

Once again I thank you for your post.


With love and respect for all.



Amarpal Singh

Dear Archived_member2 Ji,



Answering your post takes long time and I get logged out from the site again and again. At least this time I will answer to the questions you have raised and ask you some for me to learn.



i) Guru Ji sang Anand Sahib in ecstasy.



I have no way to find out in what state my Guru Sahib was. I can only say from his words that Guru Sahib was in an elated state.



Here I wish to learn from you what does the word ‘ecstasy’ means in the context of spirituality. How can one know that she or he is in that stage? I admit I have not reached that state.


ii) I am surprised to read your arguments and this statement "As a result I did not feel the need to elaborate on this word 'hor'."



Yes it is so. I am not doing things mechanically. If a word does not change my understanding I do not spend time on it. There is nothing to be surprised about. That is my way.

iii) Firstly our Gurus never tried to explain others what 'The Sat' meant to them.
They just lived it and sang it.



I hold the opinion that in the ‘Mool Mantra’ this explanation is given.



iv) May I ask what is that all what they sang about Manmukh, Maya, Duality etc.?



I have not come across the word Manmukh in any other scripture of the land except Gurbani. Other terms by themselves do not mean criticism. Explaining the process (Maya) and the falseness (Dualities) that they lead one into is not a criticism, this is the way positive thinkers, which our Guru Sahibs were do. I do not take them to be criticism. This is my opinion.



v) Secondly they realized Truth in all.


I think there is an element of learning for me in the statement you have made. What does it mean?

vi) Where something was deep rooted among the masses, which was not desirable, they explained it to the masses and persuaded them to move away from those practices or concepts.



Yes, through proper explanation they persuaded other to give up those practices or concept. They never asked them to leave their faith. They only asked them to get rid of any falsehood that might have crept in.



vii) They recognised pluralities of ways



Yes, this is evident from the fact that they never asked any one to change her or his religion.



With this I close.



With love and respect for all.



Amarpal Singh

** Off-Topic **

Please accept my humble apologies, Amarpal Ji. We are in the process of introducing a new facility for memebrs, which will allow you to periodically save your precious work as "work in process draft", and then you will be able to save your work from time to time until your think the draft is ready for posting. Hopefully, this facility should up today itself. I will keep you updated. Thanks for the feedback.

Best Regards

Dear Aman Ji,

Thank you very much. You as taking care of us so well. May God bless you and keep you in 'Chardian Kalan'.

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru ji Ki Fateh,

Amarpal Singh ji, So what you are saying is for a beginner ,like myself for e.g., all guru ki bani is kachee.

So how and what should I do to fully assimilate it.?

Is one of the method to "JAAP" (ie to contemplate and meditate) on gurbani everyday as stated after Mool mantar?

Dear Khalsa Ji,

I hold the opinion that one should do 'Jaap' in reflective frame of mind. Rest is Gurparsadi, 'The Sat' takes one forward.

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh