Confusion over Listening and Reading

I'm not sure if this is the right section to post this, but I have a question that I have been confused about for some time, hopefully someone will be able to help me out. I was wondering is listening to an audio track the same as reading from the gutka? Or is there a major difference.
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charanjyot ji welcome to spn and your first post.

The most important aspect is understanding in any such effort. What one may find is after years of reading by habit that one suddenly comes to realize the deeper meanings of what Gurbani is conveying.

It is almost impossible to understand the Gurbani through listening alone. The dependency being on the person reading and their phonetics true-ness to the audio they are generating. So once in a while if one takes the time to understand the words and then reads or listens I believe either may not be much different. But the greatest goodness arises when one puts in the effort to understand.

If you have not already done so, I highly recommend you study the Gurbani may be one stanza at a time. There is a great resource in the following website where you can read and understand online with say English as well as Professor Sahib Singh ji's teeka,

http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?S=y

Perhaps the following video clarifies the difference between audio, visual and reading,



Sat Sri Akal.

Our Gurus Instructions:

ਮਃ ੪ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਜੋ ਸਿਖੁ ਅਖਾਏ ਸੁ ਭਲਕੇ ਉਠਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵੈ ॥ ਉਦਮੁ ਕਰੇ ਭਲਕੇ ਪਰਭਾਤੀ ਇਸਨਾਨੁ ਕਰੇ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਰਿ ਨਾਵੈ ॥ ਉਪਦੇਸਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੁ ਜਾਪੈ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਪਾਪ ਦੋਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵੈ ॥ ਫਿਰਿ ਚੜੈ ਦਿਵਸੁ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਗਾਵੈ ਬਹਦਿਆ ਉਠਦਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵੈ ॥ ਜੋ ਸਾਸਿ ਗਿਰਾਸਿ ਧਿਆਏ ਮੇਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਸੋ ਗੁਰਸਿਖੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 305}
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/jap-ji-sahib/36923-confusion-over-listening-and-reading.html

FOURTH MEHL: One who calls himself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food - that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36923

Sikh Reht Maryada states:
CHAPTER III

A Sikh's Personal Life
Article III

A Sikh's personal life should comprehend:-

i. Meditation on Nam (Divine Substance, also translated as the God's attributed self) and the scriptures,
ii. Leading life according to the Guru's teachings and
iii. Altruistic voluntary service.

Meditating on Nam (Divine Substance) and Scriptures
Article IV

1. A Sikh should wake up in the ambrosial hours (three hours before the dawn), take bath and, concentrating his/her thoughts on One Immortal Being, repeat the name Waheguru (Wondrous Destroyer of darkness).
2. He/she should recite the following scriptural compositions every day : .............................

FROM PERSONAL PROSPECTIVE BRIEFLY : ONLY by reciting Gurbani and "understanding / living it" on regular basis, with limitless patience, total faith, love & dedication to Guru Ji ; will one eventually experience the Spiritual vibrations ( energy ) > to connect / merge our ATMA with PARMATMA / WAHEGURU - our SOURCE ! They key is to arise above "religion" into spirituality where there is no caste, colour, creed, nationality or religion > thus seeing GOD / WAHEGURU in one & all ! ( The spiritual journey is more important than the destination. Everyone has his/her OWN life-path to WALK! )

THE SIKH WAY = regular SEVA ( selfless service ) + SIMRAN ( prayer / meditation ) + SANGAT ( holy fellowship )!

Japji Sahib gives great importance to listening in the first stage. There are four pauries just for 'Suniye'. And then comes the acceptance... 'Manniye'. Keeping my post short, I prefer reciting it and listening through my ears. This starts our body mechanism to participate more and more.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36923
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36923

With Regards.

READING is for personal study..contemplation...LISTENING is for the purpose....of well .."listening"....meaning OBEYING....as in "listen to your teacher...listen to your daddy...listen to your mummy....95% of the time in SCHOOL/College/UNI/Meetings of importance..... is spent LISTENING ( even IF "reading materials" are provided...those are to be taken HOME and READ in private at your own leisure...and YES in Japji Sahib we do really have FOUR FULL paurrees of SUNNEYEAH...IF we dont "LISTEN"....then we are not obeying...we are not following..we are not practising...its even said.."LISTEN to your conscience..!!!

2. My dad ji used to say..even when "reading" Gurbani..read it ALOUD..so the two EARS also LISTEN ( even if theres no one else there) GAVEEAH...SUNNEAH...these two go together....that is why GURBANI is in POETRY !!!! RAAGS...to give us PLEASURE while reading/listening....and to enable us to MOULD our Daily LIVES...into "LIFE as a POEM"...Its not said ildy..Poetry springs from the deepest sections of the heart..poets are always very deep and profound and emotional people....full of dya compassion, love etc....poetry has that effect on most people..thats why we have poetry reading sessions..never "ESSAY reading sesions !! Essays mostly PREACH...not poetry....poetry INSPIRES !! and poetry is best served..via the EARS !!...our GURUS KNEW this vital fact about Human Spirit...thats why we have VAARS..ballads..epics..ghorriahn..allahnniah..chha nds..slokas..evry single type of POETRY is in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and related Sikh literature..even the Sikh History books are in POETRY...