• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Japji Sahib - Pauri 5

japjisahib04

Mentor
SPNer
Jan 22, 2005
822
1,294
kuwait
Here is my understanding of 5th pauri.

Thapiya na jaaye keeta na hoeye, aapeh aap niranjan soey
God can neither be installed like an idol nor constituted or created; the pure one is self-existent reality.

Jin seviya tin pa-eyah maan, nanak gaveyee-hey guni nidhan
Those who served and have accomplish honor realize His Existence, Nanak, sing His praises He is a treasure of excellence

Gaavei hey suniyeh man rakhee hey bhaau, dukh par har sukh ghar ley jaae
Those who sing His glory and with mind full of love ingrain, their sorrows shall run and they will take home happiness full of wagon

Gurmukh na-dhang ghur mukh veydhang gurmukh rey ha samayee
O Gursikh, to walk on the teachings of Guru is Naad for you (Mystic Sound), to walk on the teaching of Guru is the knowledge of Ved for you and by walking on the teaching of Guru, is God pervading all over for you.
Gur eesar gur gorakh barma gur parbati mayee
This Spiritual Knowledge is Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma for you; the Spiritual Knowledge is Parbati (compassionate) goddess, Lakshmi (wealth) and Sarswati for you.

Jey haau jaana aakha nahi kahna kathan na jayee
Even if I know God, I won’t describe; He is so vast that no account of Him from my tongue to describe.

Guraa iek dey bhujayee
Sabhna jeeya ka iek daata so mey visar na jaeye
Hey Guru! Bless my mind, this to imbibe, “He alone (and not Devi devtas or Avtvar), the Bestower of beings of all kind, that never at all, He should slip from of my mind

Each Word of Nanak is wonderfully unique. Second and last couplet of this stanza, when together, would show Guru Nanak at the top of his Spiritual height. What to talk of his critical times (1469-1539 A.D.). We find the world religiously divided even today. He is the only Savior, prophet, who brings the whole universe at equal level in the Spiritual plain. Guru Nanak stanza by stanza is clearing the misconception floated by the clergies of Hindus and Muslims.
Firstly, Guru Nanak wants to make it very clear that Ek-Ong-kar or God is by Himself and is formless. We are all His creations. So nobody could claim to have franchise of Him. With this understanding, he says God can neither be established nor installed as idol or stored in a Temple or neither can we designate Him to any particular direction thus he rejects the very possibility of worshipping deities, Avtar images or icons. He further cautioned Idol, icons worship couldn’t help achieving union with God. In the Sikh view, therefore, any icons, idols or representations of God or any Guru are by definition is misleading and false. The worship of them is not only useless, they are even hindrance toward God’s path. Gurbani questions, “The ignorant fools pick up stones and worship them. But when those stones themselves sink, how can they make other swim across.” - Guru Granth ang.556.10. Kabir Ji declares that if one can meet God with the worshipping of stone, he would love to worship a mountain. Since He is infinite and everywhere as Creative energy thus we cannot present Him in any one particular form. Therefore, in this stanza he is denouncing as well as enlightening us with regard to futility of symbols, statues, idols and images. He was the only Prophet who was called consistently by followers of Hindus and Muslim philosophy as, “Nanak Shah Fakir Hindu Ka Guru Musalman ka Pir.” during his life time. Unlike others after his death he was probably the only savior, enlightened soul, whose body was claimed to be cremated and or buried by both communities. This demonstrate was the Body of Christ, Mohammad or Ram only for followers of Christians, Muslim or Hindus respectively? Guru Nanak tells since He is all over there is nothing to be labeled “Finding God”. He is here all the time: everywhere. Lost are we ourselves. In other words Guru Nanak tells us that ‘the Almighty’ does not need any sustenance or support or any other input from outside (if we look deeper there is no outside for God every entity is within ‘The Absolute’) as God is comprehensive. Firmly he declares that we should never forget that the Bestower (Data) or Father of all beings is One God (Ek-Ong-kar), which is a direct departure from the earlier faith of worshipping multiple deities (Any body-Hindu-Muslim-Christian-Sikh, Chinese, African, man or woman, whosoever worships Him (Ek-Ong-kar) shall obtain honor here and hereafter. The honor after death is more significant. Because this honor is in His spiritual domain. Those who are honored in His spiritual world are saved from the suffering of birth and death forever. This belief that the Father of all the Beings is One God would bind the humanity in universal brotherhood.
Thirdly the mode of worship or meditation is not complicated. Just remembrance of God, like the innocent child, by the devotee is enough. Fourthly now the question arises, how shall a Sikh tap that light of knowledge and get rid of suffering? It is by suggesting ‘gavieh sunieh ..“O, devotee; you just sing or hear praise of God with intuitive ease and love from the core of your heart by singing His glorious virtues. Thereafter entire burden of your sufferings are not only taken care automatically but you take home wagon full of happiness.” Thus the process that gives effect to what Guru Nanak has said, is that when the individual is imbued with the greatness of ‘the Truth’’, the dualities of ‘sukh’ and ‘dukh’ will disappear from the thinking of the individual and only life as it comes will remain which is within the ‘Hukam’ of ‘the Absolute’. This absence of conflict among the dualities will give peace. Here again in this sentence there is no discrimination of caste, country, creed, color or sex. In order to keep the misfortune away, Guru Nanak has further elaborated the theory of hearing and chanting His glorious virtue ‘Waheguru’ and called it “the Maha Mantraa, great mantraa.” - (Guru Granth ang.814.10). As by singing we create collective energy and hence make the emotional connection with IK ONG KAAR. By listening to Guru Shabad we become aware of our goals and are limitations. And by love or contemplating on Guru Shabad we find the tools to be free so that we can fight injustice hence creating the rational connection with Ik-Ong-Kaar. Fifthly the object of worship is God. But again as stated earlier Guru Nanak had to start from where his audience was. The mythological concepts (Naad etc) and figures (Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Krishna etc) were all well ingrained in the mind of those who were seeking spiritual guidance from him. Guru Nanak had scientifically approach, this was essential for effective communication. So in above two sentences he conveys the message that all of them are from One and His manifestation. But at the same time, use of these concept and name of the figure by Guru Nanak in explaining does not mean that those concepts and figures are true or Guru Nanak is endorsing the mythology to which they belong. He says Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Sarswati and Lakshmi, gods and goddesses, can be object of veneration, but not object of human worship. The Guru teaches all gods and goddess who have come here were within their limitations. To worship the one of limitations, will serve no purpose. The prejudices and evil remain. He says God alone is the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of all beings including gods and goddesses, avtars, son of God and prophet. In order to settle the matter once for all, Guru Gobind Singh Ji clearly declared “jo ham ko parmesar uchar hai tai sabh narak kundh mai pai hai- whosoever addresses me as God will be thrown out in hell.” - Akal Ustat.
Sixthly, he say “God is self-existent.” - Guru Granth ang.463.4. He is beyond the allurement of Maya (Niranjan) and is treasure of virtues and excellences. He says NAAD (Divine Word or mystic sound), Vedas or Spiritual Knowledge, eloquence, wealth and Shakti, all emanate from God only. Seventhly I should say Guru Nanak was humility personified. He never declared himself to be avtar, paighambar He says “seer nanak loka paav hai - I place my head at the feet of all the devotee (who know Him by different names). I am a sacrifice to Your Names, as many as there are, O God.”- Guru Granth ang.1168.14. He says God is like sugar spilled in the sand. An elephant cannot pick it up. Renounce thy lineage, caste and false honor and be an ant to pick and eat the sugar" - Guru Granth ang.972.11. In this Stanza, he narrates several attributes of Almighty and sketch how God is. Still he expresses his inability to describe God aptly. Guru Nanak did not seek to contain or set up descriptions that will contain the uncontainable, but only gave us an indication or pointer in the right direction - that is the purpose of religions and Gurus. Finally he said, the enlightened knowledge has revealed most significant thing to me that He alone is the bestower (and not Devi or devtas) of all and I should never forget Him. And whosoever remembers Him with love and devotion will merge back into Him.
This stanza has given so much importance to Guru, which has raised a question - difference between a Prophet and Guru. The word “Guru” connotes to every audience as a human teacher or an expert. But in Sikh usage, the word “Guru” carries a special set of meanings and used the term ‘Guru’ clearly in three senses. The Guru is God; the Guru is the Voice of God; and the Guru is the Word, the Truth of God. These three senses (God, Guru and Guru's Word) are ultimately inseparable. Thus it refers to Akal Purakh, Light, Baani (the divine word) Sabd, Spiritual Knowledge, which is eternal or unpeckable (Jugo Jug Atal). It says, “sahib mera sada hai deesai sabd kamai - My Master is eternal who can be distinguished by practicing the Word of the Sabd.” - Guru Granth ang.509.4. And not only this “gurmukh baani brahm hai sabd milawa hoey - O Gursikh, the inner tutor/word is God Himself, and through the Sabd (Light and Power of God) with melody only, we merge in Him.” - Guru Granth ang.39.5.
Guru Nanak advises, “O Gursikh, to walk on the teachings of Sabd is Naad for you (Mystic Sound), to walk on the teachings of Divine Knowledge is the knowledge of Ved for you and by walking on the teaching of Guru one comes to know that God is all pervading. This Spiritual Knowledge is Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma for you; the Spiritual Knowledge is Parbati (compassionate) goddess, Lakshmi (wealth) and Sarswati for you. The Guru is Omnipotent and the Guru is infinite. It is further declared in Gurbani that to walk on the teaching of baani is the place of pilgrimage, the Elysian Tree, and Guru the fulfiller of desire. Further “the accredited personality of the Guru, is the embodiment of that God.” - Guru Granth ang.1152.16. Whereas Prophet, Seers (Pirs), Avtar, son of God or Paighamber and deities are not all over, are not infinite and are not God. Gurbani reaffirms, “guru jaisa nahi ko dev- there is no deity equal to the Guru.” - Guru Granth ang.1142.4. As per Gurbani, many of them were not even able to merge back into God or ended up saying ‘neti-neti’. Though they meditated on God but were not able to complete their mission to merge back with God due to lack of grace. Their soul may not be in the cycle of reincarnation but is struggling and longing to take human form so that they get a chance to pray and get His grace to unite with God. Guru Nanak further says God Himself churns the ocean of Sabd. He Himself churns it, churning by contemplating up to the essence; Further Spiritual Knowledge is related with soul and not with the body.
Thus whom we address Avtar, Prabhu, Bhagwan and Paigambar are not the incarnation of God but came into being as per His Will. Whereas the Guru is the Merciful Master; the Guru is the True Creator God. Prophet only brings the message of God and delivers it to the people whereas source of Divine Knowledge (Guru) is the one, on whom not only the baani descends, but even request and prays to save the honor of his Sikhs like, “sukhi basai moro parvara - chopee - let all my sikhs live happily, O Almighty.” – Chopeyei. It even work as a doctor, “rogi ka prabh khando rog, dukfiyio ka prabh soge - O God, cure all the disease of patient both of their body and mind. And take away the sorrows of the suffering.” - Guru Granth ang.1146.4. My Guru is my physician who gives me the medicine of reciting your name.
Let me have the privilege that since without ‘Satguru’ there is no chance to break the cycle of death and rebirth and we being Sikh have the privilege for ‘Satguru’ or being landed by birth in the top university. Now we have to get enrolled so that our presence is recorded by taking Khandeh Ki Pahul. Saabat Soorat appearance is a must to become a Sikh, but one cannot become a Sikh just by having a Saabat Soorat appearance. We must follow the philosophy of SGGS in our life to be a Sikh. For this a syllabus is given to us for reciting alongwith Khandeh Ki Pahul to start our mission. We know if people in uniform do something against the law, then they are punished and warned over here only. But those who are not enrolled how will they be checked, punished and rewarded inspite of best efforts. If we are not enrolled how will we get number and degree. After all what matter most in spiritual world, is marks and degree. Sikhism is a package deal not a buffet deal where you pick and choose what you want and what you don't want. Either one embraces the religion with love and enthusiasm or we reject it, the ultimate choice is really our own. It's a matter of choice. Further looking like a Sikh but not acting likes a Sikh is a useless waste of time. It is nothing more than a walking contradiction to the very founding principles of Sikhism. Born in Sikh family, is like truth being with us we are entitled to knock the door of God direct. It is our chance to avail it. Rather than associated with deities, prophets, it is different honor to be associated with the Boss. It is a completely different environment. Protection through Satguru's auspicious feet leads towards desirelessness. And the adherents do not lead themselves to revere any other deities. We are so fortunate that the most powerful mantar waheguru ‘Maha Mantar’ has also been bestowed upon us. In order to launch and deliver its effectiveness, what we have to do is to tame our mind accordingly. It needs devotion, truthful living, singing His glorious virtues, contemplation and complete faith on our Guru.
I would welcome any critical comments.
Regards Sahni Mohinder
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

Top