My understanding of 33rd Pauri of Japji Sahib

Amarpal · #1 (**permalink**) 11-Oct-2004, 16:02 PM

Dear Members,

In this post, I share my understanding of the 33rd Pauri of Japji Sahib.

1. AwKix joru cupY nh joru ] aakhan jor chupai nah jor.

Have power to say, no power to keep silent.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is introducing me to myself; Guru Sahib is telling me what I am.

In this sentence Guru Sahib points it out to me that I can utter words and say things, but I am not able to achieve the silence (of mind and thoughts). In this way Guru Sahib in telling me that I am not in command.

2. joru n mMgix dyix n joru ] jor na mangan dayn na jor.

No power to seek, no power to give.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is telling me that I cannot seek any thing in this world and beyond it. This Guru Sahib has told me in the earlier Pauri also where Guru Sahib has said that I cannot bend ‘The Sat’ to do something specific for me. This means that I cannot make ‘The Sat’ to dance to my tunes i.e. my needs; I will only get what ‘The Sat’ gives to me.

Guru Sahib had made it clear to me that if some thing passes from me to some one else, I should not think that I am the giver; I am only the instrument of ‘The Sat’ who has made that item to reach some one through me. I have no intrinsic power within me to give.

3. joru n jIvix mrix nh joru ] jor na jeevan maran nah jor.

No power to live, no power to die.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is telling me that it is not me who is sustaining life in me. Even dieing is not within my power. Guru Sahib is introducing me to the reality of my physical being.

4. joru n rwij mwil min soru ] jor na raaj maal man sor.

No power to rule, wealth or mental capabilities.

My understanding:
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/828-my-understanding-33rd-pauri-japji-sahib.html

Guru Sahib is telling me that I have no power over any entity of importance in this material world. What I appear to have is not because of me.

5. joru n surqI igAwin vIcwir ] jor na surtee gi-aan veechaar.

No power to be in an evolved mental state, knowledge or thinking.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is telling me that even these capabilities of the brain that are in me are not because of me. I have no power to achieve them on my own.

6. joru n jugqI CutY sMswru ] jor na jugtee chhutai sansaar.

No power to arrive at a way to get librated from ‘Samsara’.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is telling me that on my own I cannot create any way to get released from this Samsara.

7. ijsu hiQ joru kir vyKY soie ] jis hath jor kar vaykhai so-ay.

One who has the power is the doer and looks after all.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is telling me that ‘The Sat’ who has the power dispenses all this to all its creation.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=828

8. nwnk auqmu nIcu n koie ]33] naanak utam neech na ko-ay. ||33||

O’Nanak, there is no one who is high or low.

My understanding:

Guru Sahib is asking me not to differentiate between different forms of life and individuals. As living entities all are in essence the same. The apparent differences are because of the one who has the power i.e. ‘The Sat’.

Summary of my understanding:

In this Pauri, Guru Sahib has given me the basis to get rid of my ‘I-ness’ i.e. my Ahamkara.

Guru Sahib has explained to me that there is no justification or any basis for me to think that ‘I’ am some entity on my own. What ever I am is the result of the grace of ‘The Sat’; it is ‘Gurparsadi’. I cannot take any credit for it. This realisation is a great help in my effort to dissolve my ‘Ahamkara’, which will make my natural innocence, intrinsic simplicity and innate goodness to express itself all attributed to ‘The Sat’.

This Guru Sahib has explained to me in all the aspects of worldly living and beyond there is no ‘I-ness’ all is ‘The Sat’. He has said so for each group of aspects in one sentence of this Pauri.

Finally in this Pauri, Guru Sahib has told me that there is no high or low. In essence all living entities are the same. What differences our senses perceive in them are the result of ‘Hukam’ of ‘The Sat’ who alone has the power.

With this I close.

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal