Japji Sahib - Pauri 1

Originally Posted by Amarpal

Dear Members,

In this posting, I share with you my understanding of 1st Pauri of Japji Sahib.

Awid scu jugwid scu ] aad sach jugaad sach.
hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI scu ]1] hai bhee sach naanak hosee bhee sach. ||1||

Guru Sahib is telling us that the ‘Karta Purakh’ mentioned in the ‘Mool Mantra’ remained true irrespective of time. It is clear that ‘Karta Purakh’ is independent of time. It is so, we all can understand. What is time after all? It is an entity, which elapses between two events. For ‘Karta Purakh’ there is no event, naturally time is not an entity for ‘Karta Purakh’. Time has meaning only in world where things change; it has meaning for we mortals, not for ‘Karta Purakh’. Please keep in mind that the indent of the seeker is to realise ‘Karta Purakh’ and merge with it, which is ‘Sach’.

In the third sentence our Guru Sahib states:

socY soic n hoveI jy socI lK vwr ] sochai soch na hova-ee jay sochee lakh vaar.

The meaning is clear; no matter how much you think you cannot realise ‘Karta Purakh’. ‘Karta Purakh’ cannot be perceived through cognitive processes. What is said is a statement, why it is not possible Guru Sahib has not told, but he has told us that ‘Gyan Marg’ does not lead to the intended goal of the seeker.

In the forth sentence Guru sahib state:

cupY cup n hoveI jy lwie rhw ilv qwr ] chupai chup na hova-ee jay laa-ay rahaa liv taar.

Having said that through mental processes i.e. through cognitive processes one cannot realise ‘Karta Purakh’; Guru Sahib here swings to the other end of the spectrum where every thing in fully silenced, no matter how intense and loving this silence is. Still Guru Sahib has not told why it is so and he is aware that his readers will seek a justification behind these two statements; it is evident in his next sentence.

BuiKAw BuK n auqrI jy bMnw purIAw Bwr ] bhukhi-aa bhukh na utree jay bannaa puree-aa bhaar.

Guru Sahib has used a metaphor here. He has to explain the unexplainable using the tool we humans are conversant with i.e. words, language. In this sentence Guru Sahib tells that a gap remains between the seeker and the sought when one uses any of the two methods mentioned in the third and fourth sentence of this Pauri viz. socY soic ----- and cupY cup n ---. Why it is so is made clear in the fifth sentence BuiKAw BuK n ---. This sentence makes it clear that there is a gap between the hungry person and the load of food stuff with the individual; unless this gap is bridge the goal of the seeker cannot be realised. The food has to go into the hungry stomach then only the gap is bridged.

This metaphor Guru sahib has used to convey that there is a gap that remains to be bridges between the seeker and the sought when on uses the intense cognitive processes or goes into intense silence. The next sentence Guru Sahib makes the difficulty explicit.

shs isAwxpw lK hoih q iek n clY nwil ] sahas si-aanpaa lakh hohi ta ik na chalai naal.

Guru Sahib says, no matter how much wish and knowledgeable one is, it does not take his through. In other words he is saying that gap remain unabridged; the problem remains. Next Guru Sahib dwells on the question that will naturally come to the mind of the reader (please keep in mind that Guru Sahib had started this Pauri by stating about ‘sach’).

ikv sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY pwil ] kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.

Guru Sahib says, how can one belong to ‘Sach’, how the barrier can be over come so that the seeker meets the sought. Next sentence Guru Sahib gives the answer.

hukim rjweI clxw nwnk iliKAw nwil ]1] hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal. ||1||

Guru Sahib tells us that by merrily harmonising oneself with his Hukam is what will take the seeker through.

Please note that Guru Sahib has started this Pauri with ‘Sach’ and ended it by telling how to bridge the gap that remains between us and the ‘Sach or Sat’. In a way he has said that the normal human faculties have evolved to tackle the problems of life in this world of existence; they are inadequate to take we human beyond, into the Absolute.

This is what I understand from 1st Pauri of Japji Sahib.

With Love and Respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

Originally Posted by mahanbir singh

As per my understanding Guru Nanak is telling us that u cannot find union with God simply by doing the following thigs;-

1. Bathing or Ishnan-The word soche refers to such or pavitarta and not to thinking because in the following rituals it is the same theme.
2. By keeping fasts you can not attain union wi God.
3. By becoming silent u cannot achieve oneness wi Him because your mind is never silent.It is not calm.
4. By thousands of worldly wisdoms you cannot get united wi Akal Purakh.

Then how can we get united?Guru ji says by following His will.What is that will which is written in us when we are born? I think it is our inner voice which keeps guiding us what is good what is bad.This voice tells us to choose a right path. We do not listen to this voice, that is why we do not make any prgress in life.Our mind is culprit, it is filled wi Ego,our mind says "I know every thing".Unless we learn to break this wall of falsehood we cannot meet God.

May Waheguru ji give me wisdom to understand true meaning of Gurbani.I am quite an ignorant person, let some body correct my thinking. I shall be very grateful.

Your Humble Servant,

Mahanbir singh