Interpretation of Paudi-16 Essence Of paudi-16 Verses 12 to 15 emphasize the importance of faith and total acceptance, of the Guru's message and of Divine Will. This is the process of confirmation and conviction in the Guru's teaching. Through reflection on the Holy Word, people establish also preference for the inner peace and joy that it brings. Verse 16 deals with the stage of spiritual uplift, namely Dhian or Nidhayasan or concentrated contemplation, through which the disciple may discern or learn the true significance of things and find inner enlightenment. He may begin to understand the basis of God's creation; to comprehend the laws of social harmony that are based on every one doing his duty and not interfering with the work of others. A good social order brings righteousness supplemented by compassion. How 'Enlightened persons,' are able to express God's powers!
The Paudi 16 with English Translations ਪੰਚ ਪਰਵਾਣ ਪੰਚ ਪਰਧਾਨੁ ॥ The chosen ones, the self-elect, are accepted and approved. ਪੰਚੇ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਦਰਗਹਿ ਮਾਨੁ ॥ The chosen ones are honored in the Court of the Lord. ਪੰਚੇ ਸੋਹਹਿ ਦਰਿ ਰਾਜਾਨੁ ॥ The chosen ones look beautiful in the courts of kings. ਪੰਚਾ ਕਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥ The chosen ones meditate single-mindedly on the Guru. ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਕਰੈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ No matter how much anyone tries to explain and describe them, ਕਰਤੇ ਕੈ ਕਰਣੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥ the actions of the Creator cannot be counted. ਧੌਲੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦਇਆ ਕਾ ਪੂਤੁ ॥ The mythical bull is Dharma, the son of compassion; ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਥਾਪਿ ਰਖਿਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਸੂਤਿ ॥ this is what patiently holds the earth in its place. ਜੇ ਕੋ ਬੁਝੈ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥ One who understands this becomes truthful. ਧਵਲੈ ਉਪਰਿ ਕੇਤਾ ਭਾਰੁ ॥ What a great load there is on the bull! ਧਰਤੀ ਹੋਰੁ ਪਰੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਹੋਰੁ ॥ So many worlds beyond this world-so very many! ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਭਾਰੁ ਤਲੈ ਕਵਣੁ ਜੋਰੁ ॥ What power holds them, and supports their weight? ਜੀਅ ਜਾਤਿ ਰੰਗਾ ਕੇ ਨਾਵ ॥ The names and the colors of the assorted species of beings ਸਭਨਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਵੁੜੀ ਕਲਾਮ ॥ were all inscribed by the Ever-flowing Pen of God. ਏਹੁ ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ Who knows how to write this account? ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਕੇਤਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ Just imagine what a huge scroll it would take! ਕੇਤਾ ਤਾਣੁ ਸੁਆਲਿਹੁ ਰੂਪੁ ॥ What power! What fascinating beauty! ਕੇਤੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੌਣੁ ਕੂਤੁ ॥ And what gifts! Who can know their extent? ਕੀਤਾ ਪਸਾਉ ਏਕੋ ਕਵਾਉ ॥ You created the vast expanse of the Universe with One Word! ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਲਖ ਦਰੀਆਉ ॥ Hundreds of thousands of rivers began to flow. ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਵਣ ਕਹਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ How can Your Creative Potency be described? ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥ I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You. ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥ Whatever pleases You is the only good done, ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੬॥ You, Eternal and Formless One! ||16|| XVI
The elect[3] are acceptable, the elect are distinguished
The elect obtain honour in God's court;
The elect shed lustre[4] on the courts of kings.
The attention of the elect is bestowed on the one Guru.[5]
If any one say he can form an idea of God,
he way say so,
[1.
Magun. This word is understood to be for
magan. Those who read
magu na translate--
(
a) By obeying Him man proceedeth not by the path of destruction.
(
b) Man proceedeth by the broad, not the narrow way.
2. This is explained to mean--does not wander in transmigration.
3.
Panch, literally five. The number conveys the idea of selection. There is a Hindustâni proverb,
Pânehon men Parameshwar hai, Where live are assembled, God is in the midst of them. Others say that
panch refers to the live classes of persons previously mentioned-- those who walk according, to God's will, who know Him to be true, who praise Him, who hear His name, and who obey Him.
4. This is the interpretation of
sohahi given by Bhâi Chanda Singh in his commentary on the Granth Sâhib.
5. The elect have one God as their Guru or spiritual guide, and meditate on Him.]
{p. 203}
But the Creator's works cannot be numbered.
The bull
that is spoken of is righteousness, the offspring of mercy,
Which supported by patience maintaineth the order of nature.[1]
Whoever understandeth this is a true man.
What a load there is upon the bull![2]
Beyond this earth there are more worlds, more and more.
What power can support their weight?
The names of living things, their species, and colours
Have all been written with a flowing pen.
Doth any one know how to write an account of them?
If the account were written, how great it would be
What power and beautiful form are Thine, O God!
Who hath power[3] to know how great Thy gifts are?
By one word[4] Thou didst effect the expansion
of the world,
Whereby hundreds of thousands of rivers were produced.
What power have I to describe Thee?
So powerless am I, that I cannot even once be a sacrifice unto Thee.
Whatever pleaseth Thee is good.
Thou, O Formless One, art ever secure.
[Source: Sacredtexts]Meaning Of Panch[Five]:
The word ‘Panch/Panjh’ in Punjabi stands for five. It also represents those five who are elected by the people in ‘Panchayat’ system of electing the five persons for managing small villages as the five elderly heads those who also command respect from the common public. I look upon this word as the five lucky ones who are elected/selected by the people. In colloquialism it is also known as the group of five and are also ‘Panjh Parmeshwar’ as well. It however, does not mean that those Five are Lord in literal sense. It is a way of stating that the group of five persons will act in righteous manner and hence command respect.
Like wise those people who are acceptable to the God are called as the persons who have fortune of getting the glance of HIS grace and are blessed with Nam and Simran. The earlier Paudi 12-15 dealt with the significance of listening [Suniaye] of Nam . Those are thus fortunate that that they have accepted the Lord’s Hukum and live as per His will and do not get disturbed by the sorrows and also do not feel the excessive joy when the things are as per their wishes and expectations. In a sense the persons get or tend to get equipoised who accept HIS will/Hukum as their guiding path irrespective of whether things are as per one’s wishes or not. Those who contemplate on ’sabad’, the ‘word’, get this wisdom and contentment in life.
The concept of equipoise is very important in
Sikh philosophy. This is the insignia of the devotees. The term has been explained in the entire Granth sahib at very many places and would tend to mean a person “who enshrines the Lord's Will within his mind and HIS will is always pleasing to him.”[480-2]
The first line would in essence mean that the persons with this kind of faith become acceptable to the Lord. They also get a place in the Lord’s court[ literal meaning of Dargah as per line –2] One with steadfast mind can treasure faith in the universal, immutable reality can realize the same.
Their conscious is constantly attached to Guru including his teachings and ‘sabad’. Their single focus is on Guru’s word as it takes us closer to the Lord and the world of matter exists and there is duality if we are even in the least isolated from God. It is imperfect knowledge that induces in us the hunger for enlightenment to understand the spiritual wisdom without which, as per Granth sahib, there is no Salvation.
Deriving the term Equipose God or ‘waheguru’ is the mine of compassion and the sage/saint/devotee attains to the same state after fulfillment. But during the period up to accomplishment, so long as the he is not one with the God and when the uncongenial impulses are alive and strong and he is prone to be besieged by delusion and if the seeker feels compassion at this stage, he may suffer great pangs due to this separation and may keep him in the fetters of incarnations.
“Those look upon pleasure and pain alike; shall not forsake the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The Lord Himself forgives me, and blends with Himself.”[416-3] Likewise we find this kind of treatment is appreciated ;”
One who recognizes bad and good as one and the same - in this way he is absorbed into the Lord and Master.”[432]. Thus the one who remains unaffected by both fortune and misfortune, and he recognizes the Creator Lord.[498] The term has been explained at many other places. Thus these qualities are obtained by accepting the will Of Lord.
In the same way even the definition of devotee includes a person as one, who looks alike upon pleasure and pain; he is imbued with the Name of the Lord. These also referred to as Jeevan Mukt. Thus by accepting His will and order is the quality that is developed by listening to Naam and its continued simran.
In Essence :
ਮਤਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਰਤਨ ਜਵਾਹਰ ਮਾਣਿਕ ਜੇ ਇਕ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸਿਖ ਸੁਣੀ ॥
Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies, if one listens to the Guru's teachings. Guru’s teachings help us recognize the Hukum of the Lord. One who remains in HIS ‘Bhana’ is not likely to have a tormented mind. The feeling of pain and pleasure and happiness and sadness disappears. One comes to understand these things through Guru’ teachings and Guru Shabad.
5. ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਕਰੈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ 6. ਕਰਤੇ ਕੈ ਕਰਣੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ
Even if one is attuned to Lord or the ‘word’ it does not mean that one can find the limits of the Lord. Lord is unfathomable and unseen and His limits cannot be found. This concept has been already explained in the earlier paudi’s. It is impossible to find the limits of Lord or His creative potency. To this effect there are many vaaks/statements in the entire Granth sahib ji. He is Allah, the Unknowable, the Inaccessible, All-powerful and Merciful Creator.[64-9] The Creator who created this creation-only He Himself knows.[4-19] The limits of the created universe cannot be perceived.
If one cannot estimate His works how can one bound HIM by stating HIS ‘limits’ as it is impossible thus it is even difficult to express HIM even through our praise as our praises will be limited by our limited intellect and HIS limits cannot be known. Many struggle to know His limits, but His limits cannot be found. Only He Himself is that Great. He Himself knows Himself. He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe that He has created departs. He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya. Having created the creation, He watches over it Himself, by His Greatness. He does whatever He pleases. No order can be issued to Him. He is the King, the King of kings, the Supreme Lord and Master of kings. Sikhs do believe that He is all pervading and pervasive; ”In the places and interspaces, the Supreme Lord God, the Great Giver, is pervading.” [541-14] The general term employed by Sikhs to represent the ever existent and self- created is ‘Sat’. The term has a specific meaning to reflect the continuity and immortality of the Entity called as Lord.
For Gurus He is present everywhere and HIS existence is not a myth but a reality.
“Wherever I look, the Lord and Master is there. The Supreme Lord God is everywhere”.[542-13]
It has been beautifully summed up as follows:
”The Glory of the Beloved, Merciful Lord of the Universe is beautiful; He is infinite and without limit [542-15]” .
”As per
Sikh philosophy we have emrged from Him and we shall all get merged with HIM[542-10]
”He Himself spread out the expanse of His Maya, and He Himself beholds it. He assumes so many forms, and plays so many games, and yet, He remains detached from it all. He is Incalculable, infinite, incomprehensible and immaculate and it is He who leads / misleads the entire world [537-12]. At many other places it is stated that Man is just a poor creature and only HIS grace can lead one to the right path. The following line represents the reverence that Sikhs have for the Lord that they also call HIM as true Guru at many places.
“Even one can become a devotee if it is pleasing to God.”[541-9]
The Sikhs psyche about the God is reflected in the following as well. This reflects supreme love for the divine.
“
All beings are Yours - You permeate them all. O my Lord God, You know what they do in their hearts. The Lord is with them, inwardly and outwardly, O my soul; He sees everything, but the mortal denies the Lord in his mind.[541-6]
The concept that HE is without any limits has been stated in various forms. The following is one of them.
·“His limits cannot be found, O my soul; He is the Perfect Architect of Destiny.
·He cherishes all beings, O my soul, as the mother and father cherish their child.
·By thousands of clever tricks, He cannot be obtained, O my soul; servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, has come to know the Lord.” [541-16]
·You alone know Your limits; You are contained in all.[542-2]
·He has no form or outline, and He is not made of the five elements; our Lord and Master is imperishable. [816-10]
·The intellect can understand the world of the three modes, but You, O Primal Lord, are totally astounding.[422-18]
Mythological Bull and Righteousness
T he bull of righteousness that is stated to have supported the earth is the son of compassion and mercy.[literal meaning]In essence Lord has made the rule that entire creation shall get support from righteousness. It is the Hukum. This righteousness leads to contentment. One who is able to make this out is the one who becomes truthful. In the paudi-1 the same question is posed : ikv sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY pwil ] (1-6, jpu, mÚ 1) Thus one who has attained this kind of understanding that it is the righteousness that is supporting the entire creation becomes truthful and one understands HIS Hukum and will and becomes contended and at peace with oneself .
In this Paudi and in the last three lines of the above ,Guru Nanak dev ji is asking from Sidhas as to what is the support of the earth and if the earth is supported by any mythological bull then what is the support to the Bull. Guru ji explains that the logic of Sidhas is not worth sustaing and shall not stand to logic if it is stated that the bull is supported by another earth. In this way there will be anomaly that there shall be many earths supporting one another. However, the message conveyed is that entire creation is supported by the righteousness only and it is this that leads to contentment.[ Kindly refer Sidh Gosht for detailed explanation]
13.ਜੀਅ ਜਾਤਿ ਰੰਗਾ ਕੇ ਨਾਵ ॥
14.
ਸਭਨਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਵੁੜੀ ਕਲਾਮ ॥
15.
ਏਹੁ ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥
16.
ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਕੇਤਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
17.
ਕੇਤਾ ਤਾਣੁ ਸੁਆਲਿਹੁ ਰੂਪੁ ॥
18.
ਕੇਤੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੌਣੁ ਕੂਤੁ ॥
19.
ਕੀਤਾ ਪਸਾਉ ਏਕੋ ਕਵਾਉ ॥
20.
ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਲਖ ਦਰੀਆਉ ॥ There are many tyes and forms/colors of the living beings and Lord has authored their destiny with a single pen. No one can do this and know this as to how the destiny has been authored. In essence one cannot find the Limits of the Lord. Even if some one does it one cannot estimate as to how it would end and how long and large it would be. He is all powerful. He is immaculate and beautiful. He is full of bounty of gifts to the creation as he sustains and nourishes it Himself. His Gifts are also be yond description.
Keta Pasao eko Kavao.: Meaning there of HE has created the entire creation with ‘one word’. [ Eko: means , by oneself]
T he term ‘one word’ , as used above, does not appear to be correct as per the Mohan Kosh’s Translation of ‘Kavao’ is concerned. It, as per the Mohan Kosh, stands for Hukum. The meaning of “Pasao’ are very many however, in the context it would be appropriate is to assign the meaning of ‘expand’. The literal translation would amount that the entire creation was created under His single Hukum. In essence it would stand that He willed and the entire creation came into being. We get reference of the creation of the universe in the other parts of the Granth sahib ji. It is from His hukum that many rivers came into being. However, Dr Sahib singh ji states that these million of rivers stands for the creations of ‘jeevas/beings’ in various forms. Regarding the concept of His greatness we get at many places the following kind of references.
·You Yourself created all; You Yourself delegate the tasks.
·You Yourself are pleased, beholding Your Own Glorious Greatness.[83-11]
I n the Granth sahib one finds that the ‘body’ has been stated to be ‘Ghar’, ‘Pind’, ‘khet’ and ‘village’ besides other. The human body is a field for combat. When there is abundance of divinity in the realm of the heart, the body is transmuted into a higher realms of spirituality but when it is infested with demoniacal powers [ kam, krodh,lodh ,Moh ,Ahankar] it degenerates into lower realms only and the soul is set into the cycle of birth and death time and again till the supreme is found and it merges with HIM and one is not liberated. One Driven by the three properties[1]born out of prakriti (nature) man is compelled to act; without action he cannot even live for a moment.” These properties virtue, ignorance, and passion, compel him to act. The three properties bind men, from the level of gods to that of the lowest creatures such as worms.[Keeta Ander Keet Kar Dosi Dos Dharay]. There is allusion to ten dispositions in Granth sahib ji that would stand for ten preceptors;the objective and the subjective mind, the ego, the five elements,[2]and the three properties. The final goal of everyone is to try to subdue matter and in perceiving, as well as becoming one with, the Supreme Spirit that transcends it. This is the only conquest and the sole purpose of life as stated by Gurus at some places in Granth Sahib. This is salvation, liberation, Mukti and Nirvaan after which there are no shackles of birth and death.
I n nut- shell the lines would mean that the entire creation is as per His Hukum only. One does not get the purpose of creation except that it has been stated that it is His play only and we have got this precious life as an opportunity to realize Him in our selves and that HE does not reside anywhere else. He has place in the body itself. To realize HIM one has to be in ‘Turia state’ of spirituality i.e. above the three modes of disposition. “He blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body, and revealed the nine doors; but He kept the Tenth Door hidden.
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, some are blessed with loving faith, and the Tenth Door is revealed to them.[922-18] “The Lord has fashioned this beautiful arena, O my Dear Beloved, where all come and go”.[541-19]
He causes them to come and go.[542-1]
As per
Sikhism, the world is bound by its attachments to the many desires.
Through the Guru's Teachings, some become free of desire.[412-4]
It is by Stilling the desires of the mind, the mortal truly crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.[419-7]
As per Fared “You can meet the Lord today, if you restrain your bird-like desires which keep your mind in turmoil.[488-12]
As per Sant Kabir: “Since desire is the maker of birth and illusion, and it is desire that creates the material world, he who abandons desire is the one who cannot be conquered.’’ That which is free from delusion is eternal and unmanifest. Desire is illusion and progenitor of the world. Futher “Emotional attachment is false, desire is filthy, and longing is corrupt”.[508-9] Building up its hopes, the world dies, but its hopes do not die or depart. Hopes are fulfilled only by attaching one's consciousness to the True Lord.[517-9]
I n Kabir’s view, “the Self which achieves freedom from desire is united with the fathomless, eternal, boundless reality. One who is free from desire dwells within the Self and never falls from grace, for he has his being in the Supreme Spirit.[3]”
F or the sake of interest, As per Bible;” When God began creating the heavens and the earth, the earth was at first a shapeless, chaotic mass, with the spirit Of God over the dark vapors.” Then the God said, “ Let there be light.” And light appeared.[4]
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Note: This is not a verbatim Interpretation or translation.
