Japji Sahib - 20th Pauri

Dear Members,



In this post, I share with you my understanding of the 20th Pauri of Japji Sahib.



I have given serial numbers to the sentences of this Pauri for easy reference.



1. BrIAY hQu pYru qnu dyh ] bharee-ai hath pair tan dayh.



When one covers the hands, feet, and body by dirt.



2. pwxI DoqY auqrsu Kyh ] paanee Dhotai utras khayh.



With water one can wash it away.



3. mUq plIqI kpVu hoie ] moot paleetee kaparh ho-ay.



When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine.



4. dy swbUxu leIAY Ehu Doie ] day saaboon la-ee-ai oh Dho-ay.



Soap can wash them clean.



5. BrIAY miq pwpw kY sMig ] bharee-ai mat paapaa kai sang.



When we occupy our brain with sins.



6. Ehu DopY nwvY kY rMig ] oh Dhopai naavai kai rang.



That can only be washed by becoming imbued with the thought of ‘The Sat’ i.e. ‘Naam’.



7. puMnI pwpI AwKxu nwih ] punnee paapee aakhan naahi.


Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/jap-ji-sahib/589-japji-sahib-20th-pauri.html

Any statement does not create the individual who are pure and those who are sinners.



8. kir kir krxw iliK lY jwhu ] kar kar karnaa likh lai jaahu.



By repeating the act it becomes engraved (it becomes a habit).



9. Awpy bIij Awpy hI Kwhu ] aapay beej aapay hee khaahu.



The individual reaps what she/he sows.



10. nwnk hukmI Awvhu jwhu ]20] naanak hukmee aavhu jaahu. ||20||



O’ Nanak, we come and go in accordance with order (Hukam).



My understanding of this Pauri:



Guru Sahib is telling me that all the filth that is external to the thought process can be removed very easily. The sinful thinking cannot be erased easily; for this to happen one may have to change the thinking, which can occur by ‘Simran’. The vices are formed by the repeatedly acting in immoral way. What ever we sow the same we reap as Karmas are the input for the design of ‘Hukam’ by ‘Karta Purakh’. Guru Sahib tells us that what we are or what we will be is all due to our Karmas; that is why we come and go.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589



It is very important to master our thinking process, so that, we go where we want to be and not to the domain where our vices take us.



Discussion:



Here I am diverging a little, but in support of Gurbani and in the interest of those who read it.



What Guru Sahib said some 500 years ago is now being said by science also? It says:



‘We are what we think’: why it is said is explained below.



What we repeatedly think, one day we act it out. What we repeatedly do, becomes our habit (engraved). A set of habits gives us a character. Character leads to destiny.

This brings out the cause and effect relationship.



How repeated thinking and acting gets engraved and becomes part of our being is very well explained in the book ‘Mechanics of Mind’ written by ‘Edward de Bono. I am of that opinion that each one of us should read this book and apply the learning to one self and use the knowledge in bringing up the children.



With love and respect for all.



Amarpal

 
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‘We are what we think’: why it is said is explained below.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589
Also said is, "We are what we eat"

Why do we differ about this then? One post comes up regarding one type of eating, then next person poses a counter post quoting Gurubani tukks! IMHO, our filled-upto-brim mind doesnt allow us to think and grasp new things.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589

Oh yes, Even I liked reading Dr. Bono's articles, esp 'Six Thinking Hats'

Thanks.

ThinkingOne Ji, I would love to read those articles by Dr. Bono... Please provide the source or submit them in one of the sections in this forum... humble request...
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589

Regards

Dear Maderator Sahib (ThinkingOne Jee),

I do not advocate vegetarian or non-vegeterial meals.

I consider thinking to be the primary means of making you what you are. This is because the thinking creates the brain formatting and also organises all the resources. When you turely belive or are fully convinced about what you think, the brain creates the environment within the individual where she/he has greater possiblity of achieving the intent of the thinking, all the resouces are made available by the mind. It is direct.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589

You are what you eat is also true, but the impact is very little as compare to what you think. When you eat meat some of the hormones in it find way into your body and create similar reaction that they create in the animal. The growth hormones fed to the animal to increase the flesh weight will do the same in the humans also. These hormones may affect many parts of human systems. Yet they donot affect the individual in the same intensity as thinking.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589

The 'Mechanics of Mind by Edward de Bono is a book.

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal.

Dear Amarpal ji,
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589

Thank you for the reply Sir. Your addressing me as 'Maderator Sahib' was little awkward to me. Please consider me just another humble learner. Thanks.

Mr. Neutral, please look at http://www.edwdebono.com
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589
I guess, the articles couldnt be posted here as-it-is due to copyright issues. But one can just visit this site, to gain an insight to his ideology.

Best Regards.

mY UNDERSTANDING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM AMARPAL JI. I'll share my understanding of 20th pauri

PAURI 20th(JAPJI SAHEB)


ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ll ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੇ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ll
ਮੂਤ ਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ll ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ll
ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ll ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੇ ਰੰਗਿ ll
ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪਾਪੀ ਆਖਣੁ ਨਾਹਿ ll ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ll
ਆਪੈ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੈ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ll ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ll

Sat Sri Akaal everyone .I’ll discuss with all of you, my understanding of the twentieth pauri.
ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ll ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੇ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ll
(BHARIYAE HATH PAER TAN DEH ll PAANI DHOTAE URAS KHEHll)
ਮੂਤ ਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ll ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ll
(MOOT PALITI KAPARH HOEll DE SAABUN LAIYAE OH DHOE)
ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ll ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੇ ਰੰਗਿ ll
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589
(BHARIYAE MAT PAAPAN KAE SANGll OH DHOPAE NAAVAE KE RANG)
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=589
the first line
ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ll ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੇ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ll
In The first three lines of the pauri guru sahib tells us that when our hands , feet or body gets dirty or are filled with dirt , then this dirt or grime can be washed off with water.
Similarly the second line says
ਮੂਤ ਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ll ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ll
This line means that when your clothes are streakes with dirt or sludge or slime then you can wash your clothes with soap and water.
But I third line of the pauri guru sahib says-
ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ll ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੇ ਰੰਗਿ ll
ਮਤਿ means intellect or the power to think or we can say wisdom
Guru sahib says when your intellect is filled with sins , then there is only one way to clear or wash away those sins and that is only through “naam”
ਰੰਗਿmust mean to merge
Humans knowingly or unknowingly are bound to commit sins . Everyone in this world is busy trying to sanctify themselves. Some go to “teeraths” some take holy baths , some bath in sarovars but guru sahib says the only way to sanctify or purify urself is to merge yourself in the naam or the almighty.
BUT HOW CAN YOU MERGE WITH NAAM???? HOW CAN SINS BE WASHED OFF WITH NAAM???


ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪਾਪੀ ਆਖਣੁ ਨਾਹਿ ll ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ll
PUNNI PAAPI AAKHAN NAHI ll KAR KAR KARNA LIKH LAI JAHU
This could mean that it is difficult to understand the concept of “paap and pun” or “good and bad” but we are monitored and a record is kept of whatever we do.
ਆਖਣੁmeans to describe or to say so the first part of the above line means that its not easy to describe the concept of good or bad but one thing is sure , and that is
ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ll
This means that whatever we do is recorded . ਕਰਣਾmust have been used for the entity who keeps a record of whatever we do, whether its good or bad and whatever we do comes back to us. This is bolstered by guru sahib in the last line of the pauri.


ਆਪੈ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੈ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ll ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ll
(AAPAE BEEJ AAPAE HE KHAHUll NANAK HUKMI AAVHU JAHUll)
This is very important in the context of our life. Guru sahib says that if we do something , either bad or good it is our ownself which should be ready to face the repercussions or results. Whatever we do we do for our ownself, we cannot do anything for our children in spiritual context. “aapae”. GURU SAHIB used “aapae” ਆਪੈ.
ਆਪੈ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੈ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁis a metaphor which means “As you sow, so shall you reap”.
Whatever problems we are facing in this life is a result of the deeds of our past life. If we did good deeds in past life we enjoy good results in this life and if we did bad deeds in past life we suffer in this life.

Now someone can say that there is no past life or anything like that but guru sahib himself used “ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ” and “aavho jahu “ means birth and death. One thing is clear from here that doing good deeds or karma is not going to help you get out of the cycle of birth and death. But the only thing that’ll help you out from this cycle is naam or shabd.