The Peacock in Guru Granth Sahib
Harsimrat Kaur Khalsa
President
Guru Granth Parchar Mission of USA, Inc.
(510) 432-5827
harsimiritkaur@khalsa.com http://gurugranthparcharmissionusa.blogspot.com
God has blessed creation with one of His most beautiful masterpieces of art. The male peacock is very exquisite and majestic. Its rear feathers stretch out more than three feet, displaying its rainbow colors of Paradise. What relevance does this bird have to the Gurmukh? Why did Guru Ji use the peacock motif in the Shabads? Upon examining Gurbani usage of the peacock, we pull great learning and inspiration.
The peacock is a highly intelligent, clever, and skillful bird that has been a significant religious symbol denoting fertility, royalty, poise, and beauty in India for thousands of years. Other ancient civilizations, such as Babylonia, Egypt, Persia, China, and Israel proudly display this decorative feathery creature in art and ceremony. It is symbolic also as in holiness, healing, immortality, guidance, protection, awakening, and much more.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th...acock_feathers
The peacock Tawsi Melek (Peacock King or Angel) is one of the most sacred images of one of the oldest religions on earth.
http://www.yeziditruth.org/home
ਮਨੁ ਮੋਰੁ ਕੁਹੁਕਿਅੜਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ (173, Raajh, Guru Ram Das
man mor kuhukiarraa sabadh mukh paaeiaa ||
The peacock of the mind chirps, and receives the Word of the Shabad, in its mouth;
The intricate chirping voice (kuhukiarha) ਕੁਹੁਕਿਅੜਾ informs outsiders of environmental changes, its territory, and activities. In the case of this verse – good commodities and opportunity are nearby. Our mouths speak what is in our minds. As we partake of Shabad Guru’s wisdom, our mouth will spontaneously speak intricate positive affirmations of our surroundings, rather than negativisms that cause depression and dissention. People listen, people think, people react, then speak, then others listen, react, speak to others; and the chain of communication of mouth to mind, and mind to mouth affects the whole of society. The mouth is the instrument of sharing what is in the mind. One’s behavior signals to others what is in his mind. Others react according to one’s words and behavior. Guru’s wisdom enhances healthy words and actions that empowers self, family, and community.
ਹਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਵੁਠੜਾ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਇਆ ਜੀਉ ॥
har anmrith vutharraa miliaa har raaeiaa jeeo ||
the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord rains down, and the Sovereign Lord King is met.
How wise the peacock is to recognize quickly what he needs. Second to the physical resources to survive, all human needs depend on education, skill, cooperation, and love. Without Guru Ji’s education, no one can survive merely by having the resources and not know how to operate. Guru Granth Sahib Ji teaches us how to follow hukam, the natural laws of the universe, the embrace of God’s infinite love to all people that sustains infinity. Once we see this, like the peacock, then we meet our Lord King.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/33213-peacock-mor-in-guru-granth-sahib.html
ਮੋਰੀ ਰੁਣ ਝੁਣ ਲਾਇਆ ਭੈਣੇ ਸਾਵਣੁ ਆਇਆ ॥ (557, Vadhans, Guru Nanak Dev)
moree run jhun laaeiaa bhainae saavan aaeiaa ||
The peacocks are singing so sweetly, O sister; the rainy season of Saawan has come.
Everyone knows that the coming of Spring, the rainy season bids the time of planting seeds. Our bodies are constantly being hydrated, yet we tend to ignore that all the time is the time of agriculture of the mind to sow the seeds of Guru gian wisdom. The dry season of the mind especially requires hydration of Guru’s Amrit. Our behavior, feelings, and words produce the fruit, according to how and with what we are nurtured, according to the environment, we grow and inhabit.
ਤੇਰੇ ਮੁੰਧ ਕਟਾਰੇ ਜੇਵਡਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਲੋਭੀ ਲੋਭ ਲੁਭਾਇਆ ॥
thaerae mundhh kattaarae jaevaddaa thin lobhee lobh lubhaaeiaa ||
Your beauteous eyes are like a string of charms, fascinating and enticing the soul-bride.
The eye of the peacock and the Gurmukh are also beautiful. The eye of God is the most exquisite. When we gaze upon Guru ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਹੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥੨॥ sehaj subhaae maeraa sahu mIlaI dharasan roop apaar ||2||“I would still meet my Lord and Master, with intuitive ease; the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of His Form, is incomparably beautiful. ||2||”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33213
Not only do we begin to appreciate the Creator, we also recognize the beauty of His handiwork. ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਪੋਚ ਮਾਟੀ ਕੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਪੋਚ ਕੁੰਭਾਰੈ ॥੨॥ naa kashh poch maattee kae bhaanddae naa kashh poch kunbhaarai ||2||” The manmukh sees the world as ugly and unfair, but the Gurmukh adapts to the challenges of life, just as the peacock adapts to the environment, looking for and claiming every opportunity to improve his life. The Gurmukh takes every opportunity, as well to hold onto the Blessed Vision of Guru Ji, rather than the vision of maya greed materialism.
ਜਉ ਤੁਮ ਗਿਰਿਵਰ ਤਉ ਹਮ ਮੋਰਾ ॥ 658, Soraath, Ravidas ji)
jo thum girivar tho ham moraa ||
If You are the mountain, Lord, then I am the peacock.
The peacock prefers roaming the mountain full of vegetation, rather than the barren flatlands.” How foolish we are to delve in areas of life that cause destruction to the soul and body. The manmukh is lured into the false promises of the desires of the 5 vices. The peacock has a tiny brain, but uses every part of his tiny brain and has more common sense than humans to know it must focus on the fertile mountain. We are blessed to have a more sophisticated mind that we unfortunately waste away, focusing away from His Darshan. Many of us see Guru Granth Sahib daily, yet we do not learn Guru ji’s example of the peacock that runs immediately to what it needs. The Gurmukh takes the first opportunity available to absorb the Amrit of Guru’s wisdom.
ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਮਨਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਲਗਾਈ ਜਿਉ ਦੇਖੈ ਸਸਿ ਕਮਲੇ ॥ (975, Nat Narain, Guru Ram Das)
har kae santh man preeth lagaaee jio dhaekhai sas kamalae ||
“The Lord's Saint loves the Lord in his mind, like the lotus flower gazing at the moon.”
ਉਨਵੈ ਘਨੁ ਘਨ ਘਨਿਹਰੁ ਗਰਜੈ ਮਨਿ ਬਿਗਸੈ ਮੋਰ ਮੁਰਲੇ ॥੩॥
ounavai ghan ghan ghanihar garajai man bigasai mor muralae ||3||
“The clouds hang low, the clouds tremble with thunder, and the mind dances joyfully like the peacock. ||3||”
The peacock is not intimidated by the crashing thunder or howling winds. The Gurmukh is not intimidated by the challenges of difficult life or any uninviting environment. The peacock considers thunder as signal of the coming rain, and thus prepares for the blessing by claiming its right to territory and boldly acquiring what is available to him and what it needs.
ਮੇਰ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਮੋਰੁ ਬਹੁ ਨਾਚੈ ਜਬ ਉਨਵੈ ਘਨ ਘਨਹਾਰੇ ॥੪॥ (983 Nat Narain, Guru Ram Das)
maer sumaer mor bahu naachai jab ounavai ghan ghanehaarae ||4||
The peacock dances on the mountain, when the clouds hang low and heavy. ||4||
Instead of crying and mourning over his past hurts and losses, the peacock celebrates the cycles of God’s hukam, having complete trust in the provisions of nature. The Gurmukh never has a doubt in the power of nature and continues to act proactively for his self and others.
ਬਰਸੈ ਨਿਸਿ ਕਾਲੀ ਕਿਉ ਸੁਖੁ ਬਾਲੀ ਦਾਦਰ ਮੋਰ ਲਵੰਤੇ ॥ (1108, Tukaari, Guru Nanak Dev)
barasai nis kaalee kio sukh baalee dhaadhar mor lavanthae ||
“In the dark of night it rains; how can the young bride find peace? The frogs and peacocks send out their noisy calls.”
The nightfall comes, and the peacock stands and waits upon nature to provide on the next day. It does not worry about tomorrow, but lives day to day, trusting in the coming rains. The Gurmukh will wait on the Lord in times of hardship, knowing that he is not forgotten, but is a precious part of God’s garden of Paradise. The Gurmukh’s noisy call like the frogs and peacocks corresponds to his daily recitations of Gurbani, in mind and mouth, reinforcing his faith.
ਮੇਘ ਸਮੈ ਮੋਰ ਨਿਰਤਿਕਾਰ ॥ (1180, Raag Basaant, Guru Nanak Dev)
maegh samai mor nirathikaar ||
“When the clouds and the rain come, the peacocks dance.”
Without clouds, how can there be rain. Without tribulations, how can there be deliverance? The peacocks dance, not to entertain, but they react with a positive spirit of appreciation and faith in nature. The Gurmukh dances in the mind and his body behaves accordingly, signaling to others that no one can take away the legacy that God have given him, that is beautifully revealed in the Guru Granth Sahib.
ਦਰਸਨੁ ਦੇਖਤ ਹੀ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਜਲ ਰਸਿ ਕਮਲ ਬਿਗਾਸੀ ॥੧॥ (1197, Sarang, Guru Nanak Dev)
dharasan dhaekhath hee man maaniaa jal ras kamal bigaasee ||1||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my mind is pleased and appeased. The lotus blossoms forth in the water. ||1||
ਊਨਵਿ ਘਨਹਰੁ ਗਰਜੈ ਬਰਸੈ ਕੋਕਿਲ ਮੋਰ ਬੈਰਾਗੈ ॥
oonav ghanehar garajai barasai kokil mor bairaagai ||
“The low-hanging clouds crack with thunder and burst. The cuckoos and the peacocks are filled with passion,”
The peacocks do not react to the negativism of the cloudy sky and thunder hurting their ears. Their mind is pleased and appeased. The lotus blossoms in the water, so who cares about the dark, noisy field? The Gurmukh is filled with the passion of the quality of life, a fulfilling life provided by a complex universe beyond comprehension.
ਘਨਘੋਰ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮੋਰ ॥(1272, Malar, Guru Arjan Dev)
ghanaghor preeth mor ||
The peacock loves the thunder of the rain clouds.
ਚਿਤੁ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਓਰ ॥
chith chaathrik boondh our ||
The rainbird's mind is drawn to the rain-drop
ਐਸੋ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗੇ ਮਨ ਮੋਹ ॥
aiso har sangae man moh ||
- so is my mind enticed by the Lord.
The peacock sees the thunder as a blessing. Its mind looks for the drops of water which the terrible thunder precedes. The Gurmukh focuses on the promises of Guru, no matter what current situation one suffers in. There is beauty in everything, so there is no need to be in doubt when we are uncomfortable with the seasons of each day.
ਪੀਤ ਬਸਨ ਕੁੰਦ ਦਸਨ ਪ੍ਰਿਆ ਸਹਿਤ ਕੰਠ ਮਾਲ ਮੁਕਟੁ ਸੀਸਿ ਮੋਰ ਪੰਖ ਚਾਹਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ (1402, Savaiye, Bhatt Gayand in praise of Guru Ram Das)
peeth basan kundh dhasan pria sehith kanth maal mukatt sees mor pankh chaahi jeeo ||
“As Krishna, You wear yellow robes, with teeth like jasmine flowers; You dwell with Your lovers, with Your mala around Your neck, and You joyfully adorn Your head with the crow of peacock feathers.”
The Gurmukh sees his Guru adorned with the royal peacock feathers. Guru Ji has absorbed the lifestyle of the peacock and applied it to his life. We gaze at Guru Ji and learn from his teaching and habits to be adorned as well, with the glory of God.ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥ jinee naam dhhiaaeiaa geae masakath ghaal || ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥ naanak thae mukh oujalae kaethee shhuttee naal ||1|| (Japji Sahib). “Those who have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and departed after having worked by the sweat of their brows -O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and many are saved along with them! ||1||” We are pleased and attracted to the glorious beauty of the peacock and the beauty of Guru Ji, so are we beautiful to God. He sees our potential and has given us the Guru Granth Sahib wisdom to adorn our minds with sbd sINgwr Shabad Shingar so that others will be attracted to the Gurmukhs who lovingly share this beautiful wisdom of Guru to help them
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