Japji Sahib - Pauri 19th

Dear Members,



Through this post, I share my understanding of the 19th Pauri of Japji Sahib with you.



As I proceed with this work, I give serial numbers to the sentences of this Pauri to facilitate subsequent reference.



1. AsMK nwv AsMK Qwv ] asaNkh naav asaNkh thaav.



Countless names, countless places.



My learning from this sentence:



Here Guru Sahib is telling me that countless names are given to ‘The Sat’ and is then it is related to countless places.



2. AgMm AgMm AsMK loA ] agamm agamm asaNkh lo-a.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/jap-ji-sahib/584-japji-sahib-pauri-19th.html



Inaccessible, unapproachable realms are.



My learning from this sentence:



Guru Sahib is telling me that realms are conceived which are inaccessible and unapproachable for we humans. In a way Guru Sahib is questioning their existence.



3. AsMK khih isir Bwru hoie ] asaNkh kehahi sir bhaar ho-ay.



Even to mention these countless entities is a load on the mind.



My learning from this sentence:



Here Guru Sahib is conveying the enormity of the concepts that we human have created that they over load mental abilities, which is not necessary.



4. AKrI nwmu AKrI swlwh ] akhree naam akhree saalaah.



Indestructible is Naam; the praises are for the Indestructible.



Discussion:



(i) In the ‘Mool Mantar’ Guru Sahib has mentioned the word ‘Satnaam’; this word, as I understand, I first share with you.



‘Sat’ is what remains when every other thing disappears. It is the essence of every entity. It is the fountain from which every other entity comes and it is the repository into which every entity ultimately merges.



No one can give any name to this entity ‘The Sat’. As we know language is utilitarian; its history is no more than 60,000 years. We humans have created words for our ease of communication. Naturally words can have meaning only when they are in common experience. The commoner does not know what ‘The Sat’ is. Those who have experienced it have no words to express. Each word has some content resulting form it’s meaning. How any limitless be contained in a word. The moment someone give some name to ‘The Sat’, it gets limited by the meaning of the word. This difficulty our Guru Sahib also must have realised and did a wise thing; Guru Sahib did not give any name to ‘The Sat’ and left it as ‘Naam’. This word ‘Naam’ does not confine ‘The Sat’ in any way; it does not confer any attribute to ‘The Sat’; ‘The Sat’ remains unpolluted by referring to it as ‘Naam’. This was a great intellectual feat of our Guru Sahib.



(ii) The word ‘Akhree’ in the published literature on Siri Guru Granth Sahib is translated as word and on few occasions as letters. When I use this widely accepted meaning I have difficulty in understanding the spiritual meaning of the sentences of this Pauri where the word ‘Akar’ has been used.



I get another doubt. The words we human have created for our own convenience in our worldly life. How can our creation be vehicle to spirituality? How can ‘word’ be given so much importance?



I know, Gurbani cannot be wrong my understanding can be. With this frame of mind I try to look for alternatives for the meaning that is suggested for Akhar in the published literature.



My search tells me that Akhar in Gurmukhi means alphabet, which in Hindi means ‘Akshar’. Akshar in Hindi also means the one that cannot be destroyed. When I use this meaning – Indestructible- in these sentences the spiritual meaning starts dawning on me. This is why in the translation; I have used Indestructible for Akar. It means ‘The Sat’.



My learning from this sentence:



In this sentence Guru Sahib has removes all the dualities. Guru Sahib have brought my focus back from dualities that existed in the minds of his audience and focused their attention to the unity; ‘Ek Onkaar’; to ‘The One’; to ‘The Sat’; to ‘The Indestructible’ that finally remains.



5. AKrI igAwnu gIq gux gwh ] akhree gi-aan geet gun gaah.



‘The Indestructible’ is the repository of knowledge, the lyrics, songs (meaning fine arts) the virtues.



6. AKrI ilKxu bolxu bwix ] akhree likhan bolan baan.



It is about ‘The Indestructible’ that the written and spoken Bani is.



7. AKrw isir sMjogu vKwix ] akhraa sir sanjog vakhaan.



‘The Indestructible’ is the source of all happenings and their elaborations.



8. ijin eyih ilKy iqsu isir nwih ] jin ayhi likhay tis sir naahi.



‘The One’ who has created all this has no source for itself.



My learning from this sentence:



Guru Sahib has elaborated in this sentence what he meant when he said ‘saibhan’ in the ‘Mool Mantar’. ‘The Sat’; ‘The Indestructible’ does not need any sustenance from anywhere; it is on it’s own.



9. ijv Purmwey iqv iqv pwih ] jiv furmaa-ay tiv tiv paahi.



As ‘Karta Purakh’ ordains that is what the respective individual gets.



10. jyqw kIqw qyqw nwau ] jaytaa keetaa taytaa naa-o.



As are ones deeds so is the name.



My learning from this sentence:



Guru Sahib is telling me that my Karmas will decide my proximity to ‘The Naam’, in a way to the ‘The Sat’.



11. ivxu nwvY nwhI ko Qwau ] vin naavai naahee ko thaa-o.



With out ‘The Naam’ there is no place.



My learning from this sentence:



Guru Sahib is telling me that without realising the intent of ‘Naam’ there is no place for me in the spiritual world.



12. kudriq kvx khw vIcwru ] kudrat kavan kahaa veechaar.



How can the nature be stated or thought off?



13. vwirAw n jwvw eyk vwr ] vaari-aa na jaavaa ayk vaar.



I cannot be sacrificed once.



14. jo quDu BwvY sweI BlI kwr ] jo tuDh bhaavai saa-ee bhalee kaar.



What you like is the right work.



15. qU sdw slwmiq inrMkwr ]19] too sadaa salaamat nirankaar. ||19||



You Ever present Formless.



My learning from this Pauri:



Guru Sahib in this Pauri have mentioned the futility of the multiple conceptualisation of ‘The One’ i.e. ‘Ek Onkar’. Guru Sahib has emphasised that all emerge from a common source and that this source is on its own; it does not need any support, sustenance or any input from any quarter; it is ‘Saibhan’ as stated in the ‘Mool Mantar’.



In other words Guru Sahib has elaborated all this in detail to instill in us the truth that there is ‘Ek Onkar’ only.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=584



With Love and Respect for all.



Amarpal

 
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Sat Kartar sir ,
Are there more elaborations on other pauris of shri japji sahib.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=584

Sat Shri Akal

Hemant

Dear Hemant Ji,

My understanding of entire Japuji Sahib Puriwise is available on this net.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=584

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

Hemant ji,

In order to locate the vichaar and translation of Japji Sahib pauree by pauree by Amarpal, here is what you do.

Click on Amarpal Singh ji's name, where you see it in bold blue letters above his post below. You will see a pull down menu which includes View Public Profile. Select that option - View Public Profile. Next you will see Amarpal's profile. Select the Statistics tab. Next select View all Posts by Amarpal. A page of all the vichaars by Amarpal wil be displayed and you will be able to find the Japji vichaar by respected forum member Amarpal ji.

Amarpal ji, You have always enriched us with your contributions regarding Sri Guru Granth Sahib. You do it once again.

Yes Ji,
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=584

I will share all that I have understood.

With Love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh

Your essays are always gems and we miss them when there are long pauses in between.

After posting in the Sukhmani sahib 4.8, now that I read this post, the understanding of 'The Sat' gained better grounds.


And the 'Akhree' -> indestructible is so new and fresh perspective.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=584

With Regards,
Arvind.

I beg to differ with your interpretation of pauri 19 of Japji Sahib. I've just read the meaning of 19th pauri on gurbani researcher & Prof. Sahib Singh's Darpan-- I guess you must have gone through these.I don't see any reason to doubt the meanings given there--please don't mind,but you seem to be over-interpreting here.I may be wrong!

Bhul Chuk Maaf,

Jagmeet

jagmeet Ji

I agree with you, when one doesn't pursue the concept in totality, blunders occur like here
10. jyqw kIqw qyqw nwau ] jaytaa keetaa taytaa naa-o.



As are ones deeds so is the name.



My learning from this sentence:



Guru Sahib is telling me that my Karmas will decide my proximity to ‘The Naam’, in a way to the ‘The Sat’.

Here Guru ji doesn't talk about karma but His expansion and His importance for us.( that is why, rest are addressed as " asankh")
I am sorry, this interpretation is not acceptable if whole idea that prevails in this pouri is kept in mind.
Efforts are appreciated though