8th Pauri: 3rd Ashtapadee: Sukhmani Sahib: My Understanding

Dear Khalsa Ji,
We have reached the last Pauri of 3rd Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib i.e. the 8th Pauri. What I understand from it, I share with you.
1. srb Drm mih sRyst Drmu ] sarab Dharam meh saraysat Dharam.
Of all the religions, the best and foremost religion,
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sukhmani-sahib/8912-8th-pauri-3rd-ashtapadee-sukhmani-sahib.html
2. hir ko nwmu jip inrml krmu ] har ko naam jap nirmal karam.
Repeat the ‘Naam’ of ‘The Sat’ and live a pious, pure, honest, straight forward and simple life.
My Understanding:
Guru Sahib has founded Sikh religion, which is based on simplicity and direct link with ‘The Sat’. He has removed all the intermediaries, which could distort the path. He has given us Siri Guru Granth Sahib and asked us to read and learn the way to spirituality, he has removed the priesthood from Sikh religion, as in this class in past has distorted the divine message to maximize social and individual life in their favor.
Sikh religion is simple. It has only two aspects (i) Sikh has to live a normal and pure life (Nirmal) i.e. simple life of a householder, which is honest, pure, pious free from discrimination and free from satisfying selfish desires at the expense of others and (ii) Repeat ‘Naam’ with full mental involvement.
This is the religion, which is simplest, hence the best of we humans to follow to achieve spiritual and material heights.
This is what Guru Sahib has explained in these two lines.
3. sgl ik®Aw mih aUqm ikirAw ] sagal kir-aa meh ootam kiri-aa.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=8912
Among all the procedure, the highest,
4. swDsMig durmiq mlu ihirAw ] saaDhsang durmat mal hiri-aa.
It is the company of pure individuals that dissolve the filth and dirt from the mind?
My Understanding:
Here Guru Sahib explains the way to achieve the purity (Nirmal) in life. We all know that company influences our behavior and values in life. Guru Sahib asks Sikhs to live in the company of pure individuals. The environment created by such people progressively dissolves the filth and dirt that the mind has acquired. This Guru Sahib him self has sought the company of pure people; Guru Sahib is telling from his own experience, naturally it cannot be any thing else but true.
Here we see the simplicity of the way guru Sahib shows to his Sikhs to achieve great heights both in spiritual and material world. Wah-e-Guru.
5. sgl audm mih audmu Blw ] sagal udam meh udam bhalaa.
Among all the efforts, the best effort is.
6. hir kw nwmu jphu jIA sdw ] har kaa naam japahu jee-a sadaa.
All the time repeat the ‘Naam’ of ‘The Sat’ in the mind.
My Understanding:
Guru Sahib has done the first thing first. In the previous two lines he has explained how to become pure in mind. This purity of mind increases the effectiveness of Jaap and Simran Having explained the way to live a pure life in thought action and speech, Guru Sahib has asked his Sikhs to engage in Jaap and Simran. This is an effort, which Guru Sahib has termed highest.
7. sgl bwnI mih AMimRq bwnI ] sagal baanee meh amrit baanee.
Among all the scripture, the ambrosial scripture
8. hir ko jsu suin rsn bKwnI ] har ko jas sun rasan bakhaanee.
Is the one where one listens to the praise of ‘The Sat’ and describes the essence.
My Understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us that the best scripture is the one which illuminates the mind of the devotee through the praises of the ‘The Sat’.
Here I want to share my understanding of what is meant by praises of ‘The Sat’.
I have not experienced ‘The Sat’; I do not know what ‘The Sat’ is. I have read about what others have written about what ‘The Sat’ is. I can keep repeating what I have read. Still this cannot be my heart felt praise of ‘The Sat’ because it is bookish. I know Guru Sahib could do it as he has experienced ‘The Sat’, learning from Guru Sahib, I reduce my mental resistance to what Guru Sahib has said and let what Guru Sahib has said to sink into the deeper layer of my mind and recollect it again and again and again ……. with reverence. In addition I praise ‘The Sat’ for giving me human form, helping me in my life, guiding me during difficult period, never leaving me alone no matter what my mental or physical condition was. This praise of ‘The Sat’ comes from the depth of my heart and soul as it is my personal experience. This way I praise ‘The Sat’. I work on the path Guru Sahib has shown, wait and hope that one day I will be able to experience ‘The Sat’ my self and I will be able to praise ‘The Sat’ as I have experienced ‘The Sat’. At present I have to live with my limitations, but on the path guru Sahib has shown us.

9. sgl Qwn qy Ehu aUqm Qwnu ] sagal thaan tay oh ootam thaan.
Of all the places the best place is
10. nwnk ijh Git vsY hir nwmu ]8]3] naanak jih ghat vasai har naam. ||8||3||
Where in every entity ‘Naam’ resides.
My Understanding:
Guru Sahib tells his Sikhs that the best place to be present at is the one which is resonating with ‘Naam’. One listens speaks and think of ‘Naam’. This is the place for purification of mind as it is imbued with ‘Naam’. This is the place for spiritual elevation.
With this I close the post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh

 
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Dear Amarpal ji,

Your writings are a great effort towards learning, thanks for involving us at SPN too in this mutual learning. To me, it appears that "Sukhmani Sahib" is the most commonly readable/understandable bani as this contains the simplest of Punjabi.

The ashtpadi you shared your understanding reminds of
Bhayee prapat manukh dehuriya
gobind milan ki eh teri bariya
Avar kaaj tere kitey na kaam
Mil saadh sangat bhaj keval naam...
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=8912

Sincerely, Arvind.

Dear Arvind Ji,

I agree with you that Sukhmani is simple.

What I am trying to do is to create an interface so that they can incorporate it into thier lives.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=8912

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal Singh