Understanding Mool Mantar

Mool Mantra
Ik onkar, satnam, karta purakh, nirbhau,
Nir vair, aakaal murat, ajooni se bhang,
Gur parsaad. Jap. Aad sach jugaad sach,
Hai bhi sach naanak hosi bhi sach.

__________________
<siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ]

Œ Ç ‰Bhul Chuk MaufŒ Ç ‰

Ik Onkar –
A reflection : Is It a full word or derived / Altered from OM
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I am sharing the following with the readers.

Ik Onkar and some views and Bij Mantra[1]

Guru Nanak's concept and vision of the Supreme Being is embodied in terse terms in the Sikh Fundamental Creed, Mool Mantra, literally meaning the Root Formula. Because of its importance as a basic theological declaration around which revolves the whole Sikh philosophical thought, it is most appropriately placed in the very beginning of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. It affirms in unequivocal terms Guru Nanak's uncompromising belief in monotheism. In the original the text read as:
"Ek Onkar Satnam Karta Purush Nirbhau Virvair Akal Murat, Ajuni Saibhang Gurprasad(i)"

The English rendering would approximate to:

There is One and only One God who is transcendent as well as immanent. True and Eternal Name. Creator and Person. Without Fear and without Enmity. Timeless Form, Unborn, Self-existent. Realized by Divine Grace.

Bij Mantra and SGGS ji

Besides Mool Mantra there is another term Bij Mantra (Seed Formula) which is occurs in Guru Arjun's composition 'Sukhmani' (Pearl of Peace). The original text where it appears runs as:

Bij Manter sarab ko Gyan. Chahu Varona meh japey kou Naam."
It's English version is:
All can be enlightened with Bij Mantra. Anyone from four castes can meditate on it.
It may be noted that this is entirely in contrast to the traditions of the caste ridden Hindu society wherein the lower castes are not entitled to benefit from enlightenment of Mantras for meditation, etc.
The term Bij Mantra signifies any word or phrase out of which develops a prayer meant to be meditated upon or chanted to invoke Divine blessing.

Almost all the Sikh scholars and theologians are unanimous in recognizing Ek-Onkar as theBij Mantra out of which has emanated Guru Nanak's vision of the Supreme Being in the form of Mool Mantra. That is why it stands majestically at the head of the Mool Mantra and forms its integral part[2].

It is constituted of two components - Ek and Onkar. Ek means one, and is written as a numerical figure '1'. Onkar stands for the Primal mystical Divine Name of God referred to as Brahma in the Vedic literature. In order to grasp fully the underlying spiritual significance and meaning of Ek-Onkar each of its components needs to be studied in depth, beginning with Onkar.
Onkar contains ‘Om’ Hindus Most Powerful mantra[3].
The root of Onkar is traceable to the Hindu sacred syllable Om, also written as Aum. Historically, in the beginning, Om was used as a reply of approval or consent. It is equivalent to the English word 'Amen' uttered at the end of a Christian prayer, meaning 'so be it'.

At a later stage, with the evolution of Indian philosophic thought, the sages of Upanishads pronounced it as an adequate symbol of the Absolute Transcendent Reality, Brahma. It is considered as the unity of all sound to which all matters and energy are reduced in their primordial form, hence fit as a symbol for Atman (soul) or Brahma, the Supreme Being, which is the unity of all existence. These - and possibly some other - considerations led the Vedic sages to accord to Om the highest Divine reverence and worship. As a very sacred and powerful Mantra it forms part of daily worship and meditation by Hindu devotees. It is treated as the holiest symbol of Divinity calling it Nada Brahma or Shabda Brahma in the form of sound.
Its nearest equivalent in the West is Logos[4] or the 'Word'. St. John's Gospel expounds it thus:

"in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The Word was the true light that enlightens all men!
Written in original,it is composed of three letters of Sanskrit alphabet, corresponding to A U M of English alphabet. According to the polytheistic tradition of Hinduism it also represented the Hindu Trinity, each letter standing for one of the deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
This, is obviously, was not acceptable to Guru Nanak whose concept of God was based on unalloyed monotheism. His was One and Only One Supreme Being, an Indivisible Entity. This belief in the unity of God he has re-iterated in various ways in his other compositions as well. At one place he emphatically affirms,

Sahib mera Eko hai, Eko hai Bhai, eko hai.
In English:

'My Master is One, One only, Oh Brother, He is Sole.'

So Guru Nanak's revealed Scripture place numerical figure '1' before Onkar thus enhancing his firm conviction in the unity of God. Its main importance and underlying significance lies in the fact that one is not represented by 'one' in words, but by a numerical figure '1'; thus completely eliminating any possibility of words being given different meaning. It was Guru Nanak's own inspired vision that transformed AUM into Ek-Onkar[5] representing the Supreme Being, the Sole Absolute Eternal Reality which, while manifesting itself in multiplicity as Onkar, is still in its essence 'Sole and Absolute'; Transcendent as well as Immanent. Impersonal is also Personal in Ek-Onkar.

By the large, Sikhs worship 'Waheguru' as God's name for constant remembrance by repetition aloud or Sotto Voce. In Sikh parlance, this is known as 'Naam Simran'. There are, however, many a Sikh who also meditate upon and use Ek-Onkar for 'Naam Simran'. Like 'Waheguru' this is also considered to be a powerful Mantra for achieving spiritual progress and Divine Grace for final emancipation of the individual soul.
In conclusion, it can be said that Ek-Onkar is the true symbol of Sikhism given to us by Guru Nanak based on his spiritual experience and inspired vision at the very inception of the Sikh faith. [End Of the article.]
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My View about ‘Ik Onkar’


Our scripture do not contain the significance as to origin Of ‘Ik Onkar’ as no explanation is found in the SGGS ji or the commonly read sikh scriptures. Sikhism do have some coomon conepts like soul, Law Of Karma etc, that are also found in Hinduism but Sikhism rejects the Hinduism and is a separate religion in itself. Sikhism rejects even Gita. It is the most popular scriptural reference to Soul and Rebirths etc. I am reproducing extracts [relevant portion] Of Rehat Maryada[6].

Sikh Rehat Maryada :

Views About ‘Onkar’

As per ‘Rehat Maryada’, a sikh is not to accept Vedas and Upnishadas and smiritis. The Rehat Maryada is explicit and unambiguous in this regard.

In this case I beg to differ that ‘Onkar’ is really is derived [and is altered] from ‘Om’ that is stated to be one Of the most powerful Mantra Hindus. For them it is like the Mool Mantra and Guru-Mantra. I am reproducing the extracts of the Sikh Rehat Maryada, for the benefit of Reference purposes.

In My humble opinion it should be an independent word meaning the same as is meant to address the Almighty the Creator and should not be considered as any derivation/alteration /modification Of ‘Om’.

Article XVI
“A Sikh's living, earning livelihood, thinking and conduct should accord with the Guru's tenets. The Guru's tenets are:

a. Worship should be rendered only to the One Timeless Being and to no god or goddess.

b. Regarding the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and the ten Gurus' word alone as saviours and holy objects of veneration.

c. Regarding ten Gurus as the effulgence of one light and one single entity.

d. Not believing in caste or descent untouchabililty, Magic spells, incantation, omens, auspicious times, days and occasions, influence of stars, horoscopic dispositions, Shradh (ritual serving of food to priests for the salvation of ancestor on appointed days as per the lunar calendar), Ancestor worship, khiah (ritual serving of food to priests - Brahmins - on the lunar anniversaries of death of an ancestor) (Two words, shradh and khiah, occuring in this clause connote what appears to be the same thing - the ritual serving of food to the priests (Brahmins). The difference between the connotations of the two words is implicit in the dates on which the ritual is performed. The ritual of serving of food on the lunar anniversary of the death goes by the name khiah; whereas the ritual of serving food on the lunar date corresponding to the date of death during the period of the year designated shradhs is known as sharadh.) pind (offering of funeral barley cakes to the deceased's relatives), patal (ritual donating of food in the belief that that would satisfy the hunger of a departed soul), diva (the ceremony of keeping an oil lamp lit for 360 days after the death, in the belief that that lights the path of the deceased), ritual funeral acts. hom (lighting of ritual fire and pouring intermittently clarified butter, food grains etc. into it for propitiating gods for the fulfilment of a purpose), jag (religious ceremony involving presentation of oblations), tarpan (libation), sikha-sut (keeping a tuft of hair on the head and wearing thread), bhadan (shaving of head on the death of a parent), fasting on new or full moon or other days, wearing of frontal marks on forehead, wearing of thread, wearing of a necklace of the pieces of tulsi (A plant with medicinal properties, Bot, Ocimum sanctum.), stalk, veneration of any graves, of monuments erected to honour the memory of a deceased person or of cremation sites, idolatry and such like superstitious observances (Most, though not all, rituals and ritual or religious observances listed in this clause are hindu rituals and observances. The reason is that the old rituals and practices, continues to be observed by large numbers of Sikhs even after their conversion from their old to new faith and a large bulk of the Sikhs novices were Hindu converts. Another reason for this phenomenon was the strangle hold of the Brahmin priest on Hindus' secular and religious life which the Brahmin priests managed to maintain even on those leaving the Hindu religious fold, by the his astute mental dexterity and rare capacity for compromise. That the Sikh novitiates included a sizeable number of Muslims is shown by inclusion in this clause of the taboos as to the sanctity of graves, shirni etc.)

Not owning up or regarding as hallowed any place other than the Guru's place- such, for instance, as sacred sports or places of pilgrimage of other faiths.

”Not believing in or according any authority to Muslim seers, Brahmins' holiness, soothsayers, clairvoyants, oracles, promise of an offering on the fulfillment of a wish, offering of sweet loaves or rice pudding at graves on fulfillment of wishes, the Vedas, the Shastras, the Gayatri,(Hindu scriptural prayer unto the sun) the Gita, the Quaran, the Bible, etc. However, the study of the books of other faiths for general self-education is admissible.’”

[Emphasis added by the author]

e. The Khalsa[7] should maintain its distinctiveness among the professors of different religions of the world, but should not hurt the sentiments of any person professing another religion.

Issues to be addressed

Issues For which reconciliation Is sought for. I have stated them to be problems as these are problems for me and I am sure it shall not be for many of my learned friends.

Problem No. 1

If Sikhs are not to believe in these Holy books of other religions it makes no sense to me as to why ‘Onkar’ is supposed to comprise ‘Om’ [or its altered form] as one of its word in the Bij Mantra. I am forced to believe that ‘Onkar’ does not and should not contain the word ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ as is usually read and presented in some other posts of this forum. It should thought to have an independent meaning by way Of a full word and should be totally independent of ‘om’ or its altered form. Even if 1 is pre-fixed to Aum, its altered form would be reflective Of the acceptance of the word taken from the Aum/om and then changed, and it can hardly be the intention Of Guru Sahibaan.

Meaning Of Ik onkar by Dr. Sahib Singh ji,

1-ie`k[ E-EAM[ > -kwr[

‘E’ sMsik®q dw Sbd hY[ Amr koS Anuswr ies dy iqMn ArQ hn:-









iehnW ivcoN ikhVw ArQ ies Sbd dw ie`Qy ilAw jwxw hY-ies ƒ idRVH krn leI Sbd 'EN' dy pihlW '1' ilK id`qw hY[ ies dw Bwv ieh hY ik ie`Qy 'EN' dw ArQ hY 'auh hsqI jo iek hY, ijs vrgw hor koeI nhIN hY Aqy ijs ivc ieh swrw jgq smw jWdw hY['

Problem No. 2


The following lines also suggest that there is admission Of the fact that Vedas and Puraan etc, were created from the one ‘word’ of The Name of Almighty. Guru Sahibaan could not have rejected these as the creation Of any thing from the ‘word’ is supposedly be pious. I am not able to link the above two and hence would not be in a position to reconcile the conflicting self created arguments. Someone may kindly throw light.

byd purwn isMimRiq suDwK´r ] (262-11, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
The Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, the purest of utterances,
kIny rwm nwm iek AwK´r ] (262-11, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
were created from the One Word of the Name of the Lord.

Problem No. 3


The Sikh Rehat Maryada is formulated by SGPC as the religious cum administrative body. One is free to practice any ‘Nam’ and ‘Simran’ like ‘Mool Mantra’ which is recommended in SGGS ji .

As SGGS ji does not contain the reference of Guru Mantra ‘Waheguru’, it should not be mandatory although SGPC recommends it for meditation or allied purposes as it might have appeared in ‘Varan’. Further, there is a reference that a ‘Khalsa’ should remember ‘waheguru’ and a sikh should ‘Satnaam.’[ I do not have the source of the above citation , but a serious search can be made to locate the same and the same would be posted ,if required when available.]

Why such a difference has been made and what is the definition Of ‘Khalsa’ in this context. These are some of the stray queries that has cropped up while dealing with this and the other posts.

Problem 4

The following verses contain the reference to Bij Mantra. However, how to source out its origin is not clear to me. May be it appears in some scriptures other than SGGS ji.[ In nutshell how to make out that Ik Onkar is a bij Mantar]

bIj mMqRü srb ko igAwnu ] (274-16, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
The Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra, is spiritual wisdom for everyone.
chu vrnw mih jpY koaU nwmu ] (274-16, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
Anyone, from any class, may chant the Naam.


Problem 5

How do we arrive at the definition Of Khalsa? The term, as per my search, appears only in one line of Kabeer Sahib as follows:

khu kbIr jn Bey Kwlsy pRym Bgiq ijh jwnI ]4]3] (655-1, soriT, Bgq kbIr jI)
Says Kabeer, those humble people become pure - they become Khalsa - who know the Lord's loving devotional worship. ||4||3||

It should, as per my intellect, should appear in Dasam Granth ji. I shall be grateful if I am enlightened.


E & OE, I shall edit it if there are mistakes.

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[1]http://www.sikhs.org/art1.htm [Souce Document, Kindly refer for complete article]


[2] Bij Mantra has appeared in SGGS in Sukhmani Sahib.

[3] Title Added by the author.

[4] Not discussd by the author in the present post.

[5] Author::The meaning Of Onkar is not clearly given by many authors/interpreters/commentators.

[6] One can refer to the full text as is available on the various sites.

[7] What is the definition Of Khalsa as per scriptures.

__________________
<siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ]

Œ Ç ‰Bhul Chuk MaufŒ Ç ‰

Dear luv4u jeo, thanks for the reply. As far as I understand from Gurbani- Panch Sabad Dhun(Anhad) Sound that happens by itself without any instruments- actually this happens after all the five senses are absorbed in God instead of the mayaaavi Sansaar- the state of ultimate detachment carries the unstruck melody(panch sabad teh puran naad).

So how a person can know about something before experiencing it. Have you experienced it?

A Point Of View:
CONCEPT OF NAM (DIVINE NAME) (Understanding Mool Mantar)[1] and Mool Mantra
[ Note : I have added sub-headings and the notes only , I shall suggest that the full article may kindly be referred to @ the URl given at the note. The reader may kindly opine as to Nam is more important or Mool Mantra (Understanding Mool Mantar)[2]. Gurbani has a reference to Mool Mantra in SGGS ji.]
According to Gurmat, before the creation, God lived Absolutely by Himself, Formless. When He made Himself manifest, He first formed Himself into NAM (Divine Name) and then created Nature. After creating Nature, He did not go away from it, rather He sustained His creation with His Own presence into it, and felt delighted.
"Aapinai aap sajio aapinai rachio Nao
Dui kudrat sajiai kar asan ditho chao."
(Asa Mohalla 1- pauri 1, p-463)
"God created Himself and assumed Name
Second besides Himself He created Nature
Seated in Nature He watches with delight what He creates."
(Translation of the above)
Nam: Basic Concepts
1) NAM (Divine Name) and God are not two different entities. Nam is just another aspect of the Almighty, still Formless. Nam is the total expression of all that God is. Nam sustains everything:
"Nam sustains and controls all beings
Nam supports the universe and its regions."
(Gauri Sukhmani Mohalla 5, 16-5, p-284)
Nam : Is their a special name Of God
2)Nam is not expressed as mere noun and it does not mean (Understanding Mool Mantar)[3] that there is a special name of God (Understanding Mool Mantar)[4] and by enchanting of which, one will meet Him. He is Infinite and can be called with infinite names, but who can count His infinite names? The enlightened and the blessed ones remember Him through His Attributes:
"Tav sarb nam kathai kavan
Karm nam barnat sumat."
(Guru Gobind Singh- Jap Sahib)
God’s Name SAT
3) God may be called by countless names by the devotees, who create these names according to the attributes of their Godhead, but the first and the foremost name of God is clearly depicted as 'SAT' (Eternal Truth) which shows the ever-existence of God:
"Kirtam nam kathai terei jihba
Satnam tera pra purbla."
(Maru Mohalla 5, p-1083)
Nam: A mystic word
4) The word NAM is a mystic Word used in practical religious life and in discipline of meditation. God is remembered by His attributive names. There is another aspect of it called true Name which emanates from a prophet's personal experience. It emerges from a vision that the Prophet has of the Divine Being. Such a mystic Word in Sikh religion is called 'Waheguru (Understanding Mool Mantar)[5]' or Wonderful God or 'Thou art Wonderful'. True Name is not the word by which we describe an object, but the total power, quality and character of Reality. Through the word 'Waheguru' the prophet has tried to sum up mystic power and experience of His presence all around. Prophets have given us Divine Names of the nameless God, which reflect His presence in our consciousness. Contemplation or meditation on true Name (Waheguru) is called practicing the presence of God in one's conscious.
Gurbani Is a Nam
5) Gurbani (Divine Word) itself is NAM.
a) Gurbani itself is Nam:
"Gurmukh bani nam hai, nam ridai vasaie."
(Sarang ki Var-pauri, p-1239)
b) The term 'Nam Japo' means to remember God and to invoke His presence in one's conscious. All modes of meditation take the devotee into the presence of God, but according to Gurbani, Hari Kirtan, the musical recitation of Gurbani, is the super form of meditation. It invokes one's consciousness to the maximum level, into the presence of God:
"Har kirat utam Nam hai vich kaljug karni sar."
(Kanre ki Var Mohalla 4, p-1314)
c) The Gurmat explains that the recitation of the word 'Har Har..' is Nam Japna:
"Har har har har nam hai gurmukh pavai koei."
(Kanre ki Var Mohalla 4, p-1313)
d) Salvation cannot be attained without Nam. In other words anything that delivers salvation is Nam. Since Gurbani delivers salvation, therefore, Gurbani is Nam:
"Sachi bani mithi amritdhar
Jinh piti tis mokhdwar."
(Malar Mohalla 1, p-1275)
'The True Bani is sweet-nectar
Whosoever is devoted to it, attaineth salvation."
(Translation of the above)
"Sachi bani sion dhare piyar
Tako pavai mokhdwar."
(Dhanasari Mohalla 1, p-661)
'Whosoever devoted to Eternal Bani
Will get deliverance."
(Translation of the above)
It is therefore, very clear and evident that any form of recitation of Gurbani, may be simple reading with attention and devotion or meditation on any Sabad of Gurbani or Kirtan of Gurbani, is fully deemed as Nam Japna (meditation on Nam),that is to invoke the presence of God in one's conscious.

Gurmat And Naam
It may be mentioned here that there are small sects who mislead the innocent Sikhs on the subject of Gurbani and Nam. These sect leaders very emphatically say to the innocent Sikhs," Gurbani says that one must meditate on Nam, but Gurbani is not Nam. Come on, we will give you Nam." Then they whisper in their ears some broken sentence of Gurbani which they call Nam, and warn them not to tell any one; if ever they disclose this Nam to any one, some curse will fall on them. In this way they run their cults (shops). Thus, innocent Sikhs and others are lured and misled into their fold. The Sikhs should, therefore, be very careful from such sects. Those who try to say that Gurbani is not Nam, they are either misguided or are deceitful.
According to Gurmat (Guru's teaching), Gurbani is everything:
Gurbani is Nam: "Gurmukh bani Nam hai.."
(Sarang ki Var-pauri, p-1239)
Gurbani is Guru: "Bani Guru, Guru hai Bani..."
(Nat Mohalla 4, p-982)
Gurbani is Nirankar:"Wauh wauh bani nirankar hai Tis jiwad avar na koi."
(Slok Mohalla 3, p-515)
'Wauh wauh Bani is the Formless One
There is none as great as He."
(Translation of the above)
Gurbani is every Nad and Ved:
"Sabh nad beid gurbani Man rata sarang pani."
(Ramkli Mohalla 1, p-879)
Naam Leads To Eternal Bliss
Nam that ultimately leads a person to Eternal Bliss. For God consciousness, one must come in contact with Nam, but without Guru (Understanding Mool Mantar)[6] one cannot attain Nam and would wander away in the darkness.
"Were a hundred moons to appear
Were a thousand suns to arise
There would still be utter darkness
If there were no Guru."
(Asa di Var, Mohalla 2, p-463)
"Let no one in the world remain in doubt
That it could ever be possible to be saved without the Guru."
(Gaund Mohalla 5, p-864)
"In this age of falsehood, Nam lieth hidden
Though the Lord filleth all hearts,
The Jewel of Nam becomes manifest in the hearts of only those Who resort to the Guru's refuge."
(Parbhati Mohalla 3, p-1334)
"All repeat God's Name, yet He is not attained
But when through the Grace of the Guru
God comes to reside in the mind
It is only then one's life becomes fruitful."
(Gujri Mohalla 3, p-491)
CONCEPT OF GURU
A yogi asked Guru Nanak who his Guru was? He replied,"The Word is Guru." God anointed Guru Nanak with His Word, His Wisdom (Logos), and the Guru's whole personality was Word-personified. The Guru made it very clear that his human body was not the Guru, and the mere outward glimpse of the Guru, or the outward profession of faith in him, could not bring the disciple close to the Guru. The light of the Word within his heart was the real Guru and the disciple should approach him with a receptive mind to receive His Light.
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(Understanding Mool Mantar)[1][adopted from]
http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/introduction/fundamentals-of-sikhism.html [just click and or cut-- paste]

(Understanding Mool Mantar)[2] Author’s Note only.

(Understanding Mool Mantar)[3] Author is not sure Of this.aspect

(Understanding Mool Mantar)[4] There is a reference to Waheguru In the article as well.


[5] I do not have the reference for this. Readers may Like to post their opinions. It might have an entry in secondary scriptures/books Like Bhai Gurdas ji’s Vaaran.

(Understanding Mool Mantar)[6] It is the author’s presumption that Guru would mean SGGS ji as we do not have any concept Of Living Guru. Readers and other members may kindly post their comments as well. I want to make it clear that it is an article that I liked and hence sharing with you. I enjoyed this and hope that you will also.

__________________
<siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ]

Œ Ç ‰Bhul Chuk MaufŒ Ç ‰

Second View Of Mool Mantra.
Some interpretors believe that the Mool Mantra is upto the words 'Hosee bhee Sach'. Accordingly the mool mantrain that case would be as follows:

The Mool Mantar (literally, the root verse; the first hymn composed by Guru Nanak) sums up the basic belief of the Sikhs. Guru Granth Sahib begins with the Mool Mantar. Every Sikh is expected to recite it daily. The English translation is given below:
Ik Onkaar
Sat Naam
Karta Purkh
Nir Bhau
Nir Vair
Akaal Moorat
Ajooni
Saibhang
Gur Parsaad Jap
Aad Sach
Jugaad Sach Hai Bhee Sach
Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach

There is only one God
His Name is Truth
He is the Creator
He is without fear
He is without hate
He is beyond time (Immortal)
He is beyond birth and death
He is self-existent
He is realized by the Guru's grace.
Chant and meditate:
True in the primal beginning
True throughout the ages
True here and now
O Nanak
Forever and ever true

I wanted to put in a table form. However, I could not format. May be someone out there at the web can do the necessary formatting, if considerd fit.

__________________
<siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ]

Œ Ç ‰Bhul Chuk MaufŒ Ç ‰

(By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur - The Mystical Process of the Divine as described in the Mool Man)http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/interfaith-dialogues/14983-ek-ong-kaar-kaur-mystical-process.html

By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur - The Mystical Process of the Divine as described in the Mool Man

By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur - The Mystical Process of the Divine as described in the Mool Mantra.


When talking about Divinity, sometimes we look outside of ourselves to discuss and define God. The Creator becomes, through our own conversations, everything a human is NOT. All-powerful. All-knowing. All-seeing. All-loving. All-kindness. It is as if we humans have taken certain experiences that give us a sense of comfort, that give us a sense of security on the earth; and projected their most perfect and continual expression on a Divine Being who can do and be everything we would most like to be, but aren’t.

When Guru Nanak talks about Divinity, his language, his perception, his vision is so all encompassing that Divinity intermingles with and provides the foundation for everything in the Universe. It is the secret ingredient that gives rise to our human experience. Every single aspect of being human, whether we ourselves would judge it as “good” or “bad” is embraced as part of the Divine. It’s a union. A yoga – if you can forgive the word – between finite perception and Infinite expression. The duty we have in our human body, Guru Nanak tells us, is to simply allow ourselves to become aware of this truth, and to live in a state of gratitude for it. That’s all.

Guru Nanak gave the Mool Mantra as the essence of the Sikh teachings. Recently, while meditating on it, it dawned on me how inter-dependent the phrases of the Mool Mantra really are. For a long time the Mool Mantra seemed to me a group of adjectives describing the experience of Divinity. But like a seed that breaks open to create roots – what I saw was that the Mool Mantra is not just a description. It defines a process through which we can become aware of the reality of the Divine inside us. Each line describes a state of consciousness. And understanding that state becomes a pre-requisite to developing an understanding of the state of consciousness described in the next line.


Ek Ong Kaar

One Spirit Beyond
Moves within the Creation-
Coordinating
Consolidating
Continually
Creating

To keep the Creator separate from the Creation is not the way of Guru Nanak. To see them in a joyful play, intermingling, evolving, finding new expressions of Itself – that is his gift to us. “God” is not out there somewhere – pulling strings or watching in judgment. The Divine dwells inside every molecule as a Living Force, constantly expressing myriads of forms, though all forms are ultimately unified in the One.

Most people’s search for Spirit begins in an external way – and so Guru Nanak gives us at the beginning a compact definition of the Force that Runs the Entire Universe. It is One – Ek. Is has vibration, sound – Ong – and from sound, from vibration it express itself in form – Kaar. But the Oneness and the sound and the form are merged in every moment, in every thing – continually playing together. A current runs through the entire Creation. And like children playing with paints, Ek Ong Kaar never creates the same picture twice.


Sat Naam

And this Spirit
Within me
Is my True Identity.

If I can accept what Ek Ong Kaar means – then I must also accept the Presence of the Divine within myself. Perhaps –I do not always see or feel that Presence. But Guru Nanak tells us – it is that Divine Presence within us that is our real identity. Our real name. Our real existence. What I see myself as today, “a 38-year-old woman, Sikh, grew up in South Jersey, loves to read, likes chocolate, etc.” is a very temporary thing that will change as I age, or vanish as soon as my breath leaves my body. But beyond these definitions, these stored memories, opinions and tastes of a lifetime – there is a Presence, a Life, a Spirit that will keep going. This Presence is part and parcel of the play of Ek Ong Kaar. And that is my True Identity. Sat Naam.


Kartaa Purakh

It Does All
And Causes All
To be Done.

It Protects me
Through all incidents
Of Time and Space.

This line takes a bit of subtlety to understand. Because in the previous two phrases, Guru Nanak describes first the Power that runs the entire Universe. Second, he shows that this Force behind all of Creation lives inside of my own self, as well. And then what he would like us to understand is that this Power – which flows through all of Creation and flows through me – Does everything and Protects everything.

This line may be difficult because it is difficult to believe that the Divine is the Doer. Our mind tells us that, “I am the doer. I am the one who is acting. I am the creator. I am the manipulator. I am the one who can move things and create my life as I want to. I am.” The moment the mind hears that it is NOT the doer, it protests, creates doubts, arguments, becomes defensive and storms around. The mind can become competitive with Divinity, and try to prove that it IS the doer, it IS the protector – and nothing is greater than itself.

We call this ego – and there’s a purpose for it. Because the intricate truth is that the Divine dwells in you, as well as in everything, so you are part of that Creative Power, and part of that Protective energy. You are not the entirety of it. But in your Spirit, you are part of it.

The misunderstanding comes because of the mind. The purpose of the mind is to serve the soul. It is created to apply its intelligence to carry out the commands of Spirit. When a human being flows with the experience of her own Spirit and the mind serving that – then it is easy to understand Kartaa Purakh. Where the “I” is not experienced as the Doer at all. Where everything is arranged and taken care of by the hand of the One.

But when the mind does not know how to listen to or surrender to our own Inner Divinity, then it follows its own impulses and desires. And in that experience, nothing ever quite turns out the way it wants. That builds frustration, anger and fear. The balance of our lives as human beings rests on this point. If the mind can be trained to serve the Spirit, it can surrender its finite understanding of life and consciously enjoy the experience of the One in All. But if it is not trained to serve the Spirit, and it follows it own thoughts and desires – then that creates a life of passion, pain and death.


Nirbhau
Nirvair

When I have seen these truths of Ek Ong Kaar, Sat Naam, Kartaa Purakh – then how can I ever feel afraid again? How can I ever be angry? Fear and anger come from ego – from my limited perception needing to protect my own security and identity. But if the Divine has blessed me to understand this Force that runs through all, that runs through me and that Does everything – then whatever I experience is the Divine. So why would I react to what I see with fear or anger – if it is all part of the One?

Not that we shouldn’t set boundaries or fight injustice. Guru Gobind Singh was a master of seeing the Divine on the battlefield, of praying to every aspect of the Creator while wielding his sword. It’s more about the way in which one sees life. Anger and fear cannot coexist with love. To fight and see the Divine in the enemy – to know the duty and yet to keep compassion in one’s heart – this is the way of the Sikh. Where fear and anger are – the Guru’s words are not. Where the Guru’s words are, fear and anger have no ground in which to grow. This, to my own mind, is the reason why the Sikhs in history could face such terrible tortures and horrors and still shine - Because they had cracked this secret of the Mool Mantra. And the experience of Divinity within themselves and within the entire creation was so powerful and so great, that even in the worst circumstances, they could see the Divine in the other person. And so they could go through the challenge with love instead of fear and vengeance. <