Japji Sahib - Pauri 8, 9, 10, 11

Dear Members,



Here I share with you, my understanding of the 8th Pauri of Japji Sahib.



The translation published by SGPC translates the word suixAY as ‘By hearing’ another translation uses the word ‘Listening’. I have taken the word to mean ‘One hears about/that’, why so I explain in the paragraph ‘Discussion’ below.



I have taken the four Pauris together as, to me, all these four are part of the same teaching of Guru Sahib. I have given serial number to the sentences of these four Pauris for ease reference in this text.



A. Translation.



Guru Sahib says:



1. suixAY isD pIr suir nwQ ] suni-ai siDh peer sur naath.



One hears about Sidh (one who has perfect control over his faculties), sages, great worriers and yogis.



2. suixAY Driq Dvl Awkws ] suni-ai Dharat Dhaval aakaas.



One hears about the earth its mythological support – bull and the skies.



3. suixAY dIp loA pwqwl ] suni-ai deep lo-a paataal.



One hears about the oceans, other worlds and there place below the crust of the earth (paataal) the underworld.



4. suixAY poih n skY kwlu ] suni-ai pohi na sakai kaal.



One hears that death cannot touch the individual



5. nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] naanak bhagtaa sadaa vigaas.



Nanak tells himself that the ‘Bhagat’ is always in a state of bliss.



6. suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]8] suni-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||8||
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/jap-ji-sahib/491-japji-sahib-pauri-8-9-10-a.html



One hears that sorrow and sins are destroyed.



7. suixAY eIsru brmw ieMdu ] suni-ai eesar barmaa ind.



One hears about Shiva, Brahma, Indra.



8. suixAY muiK swlwhx mMdu ] suni-ai mukh saalaahan mand.



One hears that even the foul-mouthed people praising him.



9. suixAY jog jugiq qin Byd ] suni-ai jog jugat tan bhayd.



One hears about yoga, its methods and secrets.



10. suixAY swsq isimRiq vyd ] suni-ai saasat simrit vayd.



One hears about Shastras, Smritis and Vedas.



11. nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] naanak bhagtaa sadaa vigaas.



Nanak tells himself that the ‘Bhagat’ is always in a state of bliss.



12. suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]9] suni-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||9||



One hears that sorrow and sins are destroyed.


13. suixAY squ sMqoKu igAwnu ] suni-ai sat santokh gi-aan.



One hears about truth, contentment and knowledge.



14. suixAY ATsiT kw iesnwnu ] suni-ai athsath kaa isnaan.



One hears about bathing in the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage.



15. suixAY piV piV pwvih mwnu ] suni-ai parh parh paavahi maan.



One hears about the respect that is obtained by reading.



16. suixAY lwgY shij iDAwnu ] suni-ai laagai sahj Dhi-aan.



One hears about getting the essence of meditation.



17. nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] naanak bhagtaa sadaa vigaas.



Nanak tells himself that the ‘Bhagat’ is always in a state of bliss.



18. suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]10] suni-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||10||



One hears that sorrow and sins are destroyed.



19. suixAY srw guxw ky gwh ] suni-ai saraa gunaa kay gaah.



One hears about the deep ocean of virtues.



20. suixAY syK pIr pwiqswh ] suni-ai saykh peer paatisaah.



One hears about religious scholars, sages, and emperors.



21. suixAY AMDy pwvih rwhu ] suni-ai anDhay paavahi raahu.



One hears that blind people find the path.



22. suixAY hwQ hovY Asgwhu ] suni-ai haath hovai asgaahu.



One hears that unreachable can be grasped.



23. nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] naanak bhagtaa sadaa vigaas.



Nanak tells himself that the ‘Bhagat’ is always in a state of bliss.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=491



24. suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]11] suni-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||11||



One hears that sorrow and sins are destroyed.



B. Discussions.



When I look at the structure of these four Pauris, I find that there is some element of planning that has gone into their formation. I find that each of these Pauris have six sentences, the first four of them are about the prevailing concepts from mythology which naturally were in the mind of those who were in the audience when Guru Sahib preached.



The last two sentences appear to be disconnected from the first four sentences in each of these Pauris. In addition these two lines have been repeated in the end of each of the four Pauris. Repeating these two lines four times gives extra importance to the message that they contain.



The first four lines come from Hindu mythology. It has full of multiplicities viz. Shiva, Brahma, Indra. If I accept these mythological concepts, ideas and figures as part of Sikhism then I find my self in conflict with the basic foundation of my religion - the concept of <> the ‘Nirakaar Karta Purakh’. As a result I conclude that the first four lines of these Pauris as the message that Guru Sahib wanted to give nor does he wants me to incorporate the contents of these lines into my life. If what I have concluded is correct then the question still needs to be answered as to why Guru Sahib has stated all that. The answer that comes to my mind is that Guru Sahib did so for effective communication. Guru Sahib had to start where his audience was – deep in these mythological concepts ideas and figures. Guru Sahib is telling his audience what all one will hear from the other preachers of his time.



Note: this is the reason why I have translated the word suixAY as ‘One hears about/that’ which is close to the meaning given in various translations but not the same.



After having told about what is in the stock of other preachers, Guru Sahib then delivers his message in 5th and 6th sentence of each of the four Pauris, which is the message that is to be incorporated in our lives.



The message of Guru Sahib is that the ‘Bhagat is always in a state of bliss and one hears that sorrow and sins are destroyed’. We Sikhs can very well understand this.



When the dualities are dissolved then only one can concentrate on ‘The One’. Only if the individual is fully in this frame of mind and is for it, she/he can enter a state, which can keep her/him in a perpetual state of bliss. The individual who has attained this level of one-ness cannot feel sorrow or commit any sin because she/he is in a state of perpetual bliss where worldly desires cease to exist; these desires are the causes, which make us commit sins and bring sorrow in our lives. This is what Guru Sahib is telling us in the 5th and 6th sentences of these Pauris; Guru Sahib has repeated it four times to emphasis the importance of getting over the dualities. This is the real message in all of these four Pauris of Japji Sahib.



C. Conclusion.



In the first to fourth sentence of 8th, 9th , 10th and 11th Pauri of Japji Sahib, Guru Sahib has talked about what the individuals can possibly hear from other preachers. In 5th and 6th sentences of these Pauris Guru Sahib has given his message, which is the same for all the four Pauris.



In his message Guru Sahib is telling we Sikhs to dissolve the dualities from our mind and move towards ‘One-ness. This is my very personal understanding of these four Pauris.



With Love and Respect for all.



Amarpal.

 
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