Bani Nirankaar Hai - How To Interpret

Sikh80 · #21 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:04 AM

Below here is again an extract of an article taken from another post.The idea is to make this thread a self contained post so that some one can refer to it afterwards.

Origin Of Bani

The Gurus did not subscribe to the incarnation theory "The tongue be burnt that says that the Lord ever takes birth" (GG, 1136), nor did they acknowledge the existence of angels or intermediaries between God and man. They were nevertheless conscious of their divine mission and described the knowledge and wisdom contained in their hymns as Godgiven. "As the Lord`s word comes to me, 0 Lalo, so do I deliver it," says Guru NANAK (GG, 722). Guru ARJAN: "I myself know not what to speak; all I speak is what the Lord commandeth" (GG, 763).

Bani : Revealation for the Sikhs

It is in this sense that Bani is revelation for the Sikhs. It is for them God`s Word mediated through the Gurus or Word on which the Gurus had put their seal. The Bani echoes the Divine Truth; it is the voice of God "the Lord`s own word," as said Guru Nanak; or the Formless Lord Himself, as said Guru Amar Das: vahu vahu bani nirankar hai tisujevadu avaru na koi (GG, 515) Hail. hail, the word of the Guru, Which is the Formless Lord Himself; There is none other, nothing else To be reckoned equal to it. Being Word Divine, Bani is sacred and the object of utmost veneration. That the Bani was reverenced by the Gurus themselves even before it was compiled into the Holy Book is attested by an anecdote in Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi. While returning from Goindval after the obsequies of his father, Guru Arjan took with him some pothis or books containing the Bani of the first four Gurus. The Sikhs carried the pothis, wrapped in a piece of cloth, in a palanquin on their shoulders. The Guru and other Sikhs walked along barefoot while the Guru`s horse trailed behind bareback. When the Sikhs suggested that the Guru ride as usual, he replied, "These [pothis] represent the four Gurus, their light. It would be disrespectful [on my part to ride in their presence]. It is but meet that I walk barefoot." "The Bani is Guru and the Guru is Bani...." sang Guru Ram Das (GG, 982).

Guru Nanak, the founder, had himself declared, "sabda, i.e. word or bani, is Guru, the unfathomable spiritual guide; crazed would be the world without the sabda" (GG, 635). "SabdaGuru enables one to swim across the ocean of existence and to perceive the One as present everywhere" (GG, 944). Thus it is that the Bani of the Guru commands a Sikh`s reverence.

Content Of Bani

The content of the Bani is God`s name, God`s praise and the clue to Godrealization. God is described both as immanent and transcendent. He is the creator of all things, yet He does not remain apart from His creation. He responds to the love of His creatures. HUKAM or the Divine Law is the fundamental principle of God`s activity. Man`s duty is to seek an understanding of His A ukam and to live his life wholly in accord with it. God is the source of grace (nadar) and it behoves man to make himself worthy of His grace. The Bani, which is Guru in essence, brings this enlightenment to men. It shows the way. Listening to, reciting and becoming absorbed in Bani engenders merit and helps one to overcome haumai, i.e. finite ego or selflove which hinders understanding and realization. In proclaiming the supreme holiness and majesty of God, the Bani has few parallels in literature. It contains one of the most intimate and magnificent expressions of faith in the Transcendent. It is an earnestly given testament about God`s existence and a sterling statement of a deeply experienced vision of Him.

Bani : A spritual key for Sikhs

The Bani is all in the spiritual key. It is poetry of pure devotion, love and compassion. It is lyrical rather than philosophical, moral rather than cerebral. It prescribes no social code, yet it is the basis of Sikh practice as well as of the Sikh belief. It is the source of authority, the ultimate guide to the spiritual and moral path pointed by the Gurus. The form of the Bani is as sublime as is its content. It is a superb body of verse in a variety of metre and rhythm, arranged under thirtyone different musical measures. Besides its ardent lyricism and abounding imagination, it displays a subtle aesthetic sensitivity. The aptness of its image and simile is especially noteworthy. Its musicality is engaging. The language is mainly PUNJABI in its simple spoken idiom. The downtoearth, sinewy presence of its vocabulary and the eloquence of its symbolism drawn from everyday life give it a virile tone. The Bani constitutes the springhead of Punjabi literary tradition and the creative energy the latter acquired from it informed its subsequent growth and continues to be a vital influence to this day[2].

1. Shackle, C., A Guru Nanak G/ossary. London, 1981
2. Kirpal Singh, JANAM SAKHI Prampara. PATIALA, 1969
3. Kahn Singh, Bhai, Gunnat Martand. AMRITSAR, 1983
Note: This is of contemporary interest.Hence it is posted here.
[1] The 5 Banis Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Anand Sahib, Benti Chaupai and Amrit Savaiye

[2] http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/c...k,view/id,341/
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Bhul chuk Mauf

Sikh80 · #22 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:19 AM

eyk ik®snµ srb dyvw dyv dyvw q Awqmw ] (469-15, Awsw, mÚ 2)
The One Lord Krishna is the Divine Lord of all; He is the Divinity of the individual soul.
Awqmw bwsudyvis´ jy ko jwxY Byau ] nwnku qw kw dwsu hY soeI inrMjn dyau ]4] (469-15, Awsw, mÚ 2)
Nanak is a slave to anyone who understands this mystery of the all-pervading Lord; he himself is the Immaculate Divine Lord. ||4||
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Kindly refer above.Here Lord Krishna is stated to be the Divine Lord.The reference cannot be rejected by giving out some logic that Krishna was the Avtaar of the God in some particular Yug. Bani is 'Nirankaar' would mean that every thing stated is truth. If one has to change the context or alter the words to arrive at the meaning that suits us the entire purpose is lost.

We shall have to explain as to what is that suits Sikhi and Sikhism. What is wrong if We accept Krishna as the Primal Lord as is stated in the above lines.It has been taken from ASA DI VAAR. I hope the translation is correct.

One may refer the post no.1 where in the purpose of the thread is very clearly stated. It has been over shadowed by the subsequent post that was irrelevant but was forced into due to the reasons known to the author.

In any case I do not find any reason to reject Krishna as the Primal lord because somewhere else it has not been written so or Bhai Gurdas ji explains better. Gurdas ji was just a scribe of the Guru sahib and His words cannot replace the words of Guru sahibaan.
Bani Nirankaar hey! has its own scope and area of coverage. it cannot be applied to everything and anything entered in the Granth sahib. It shall reduce the value of the Bani if we keep on altering the meaning of the bani as it suits us.

Who shall decide this.?It should be answered by theone who has knowledge of Gurmukhi else let it go. We can discuss it some other time when you have acquired the knowledge.Posting the translations in english is an additional burden. Some of the times the translations are not correct.

Bhul Chuk Mauf