SABD GURU ON BEAUTY/ਰੂਪੁ
What is Beauty?
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder as the saying goes. It is of two types;
1. Physical beauty, which is temporary and false based on external appearance, because it is subjective and depends on senses. Self willed who care only for themselves have a skin-deep superficial beauty.
2. Spiritual/inner beauty is permanent and depends on the devotional love of the individual.
The beauty in Sikhism is spiritual in nature and not physical. Spiritual beauty is real beauty because it's in the heart and conscience of the person.
Question arises;
How do you attain this inner beauty?
It is attained by elevating one’s self above the physical and mental states in to an ecstatic state of wholeness (4rth State) as Guru willed (ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ) individual. Their inner beauty radiates an inner glow than merely someone who is just about physical beauty. It is obtained through devotional love of Akal Purkh and living under Its Will leading to inner mental peace, confidence, and happiness. Physical attractiveness is no longer a concern due to inner balance. They no longer are subjected to five vices as they are the ocean of virtues. They will eventually attract quality people into their life who love them with mind body and soul.
Questions arise;
1. Is it possible for someone to have both natural and spiritual beauty?
2. Is it also possible to be ugly, both inside and out?
3. Is it possible to be ugly and be spiritually beautiful?
The answer to all the questions is yes.
A woman can both be physically beautiful and be Gurmukh with spiritual beauty.
Self willed can both be ugly inside and out.
Ugly person can be spiritually beautiful.
Spiritual beauty is what matters most, and that depends on what you love! Guru Nanak in Raag Asa and Guru Arjan in Ragas Mali Gaurha and Tilang describe the profound beauty of Akal Purkh in three worlds;
ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਦੇਵਾ ਸਗਲ ਸਰੂਪੁ ॥
Ŧaribẖavaṇ ḏevā sagal sarūp.
Akal Purkh beholds the divine beauty in all the three worlds.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 414-1
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਿਸਟਿ ਸਾਜੀ ਸੋਈ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਅਪਾਰੋ ॥
Jin sisat sājī so▫ī har jāṇai ṯā kā rūp apāro.
The Akal Purkh Creator of the Universe alone knows Its incomparable beauty.-----Guru Ram Das, Raag Suhi, AGGS, Page, 736-2
ਅਗਮ ਰੂਪੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਕਾ ਅਨਿਕ ਨਾਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥
Agam rūp gobinḏ kā anik nām apār.
The beauty of the Creator of the Universe is profound and unfathomable; the Names of the Infinite Akal Purkh are innumerable. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Mali Gaurha, AGGS, Page, 986-12
ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਤੇਰਾ ਰੂਪੁ ॥ ਗੁਣ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਅਨੂਪ ॥
Jo ḏīsai so ṯerā rūp. Guṇ niḏẖān govinḏ anūp.
What ever is seen is your form (ਸਰਗੁਣ), O, treasure of virtue, Creator of the Universe, and of incomparable beauty. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Tilang, AGGS, Page, 724-2
While the physical beauty is false, temporary, cannot help the individual to obtain Akal Purkh, and has consequences;
ਰਾਜੁ ਰੂਪੁ ਝੂਠਾ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ॥
Rāj rūp jẖūṯẖā ḏin cẖār.
Power and physical beauty are false and last for only a few days.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 796-2
ਕਾਮਨਿ ਚਾਹੈ ਸੁੰਦਰਿ ਭੋਗੁ ॥
Kāman cẖāhai sunḏar bẖog.
The woman desires beauty and pleasure, which leads to spiritual malady. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Basant, AGGS, Page, 1187-12
ਰਾਜੰ ਰੰਗੰ ਰੂਪੰ ਮਾਲੰ ਜੋਬਨੁ ਤੇ ਜੂਆਰੀ ॥
Rājaʼn rangaʼn rūpaʼn mālaʼn joban ṯe jū▫ārī.
In power, pleasures, beauty, wealth and youth, one gambles his life away.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1015-18
ਰੂਪੀ ਭੁਖ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਜਾਂ ਦੇਖਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਭੁਖ ॥ ਜੇਤੇ ਰਸ ਸਰੀਰ ਕੇ ਤੇਤੇ ਲਗਹਿ ਦੁਖ ॥
Roopi Bhukh Na Utrai Jaan Dekhan Tan Bukh, Jetay Rus Sreer Kay Tetay Lageh Dukh.
Beauty does not satisfy hunger; when the man sees beauty, he hungers even more. Pleasures of the body are as numerous as the pains that afflict it.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Malar, AGGS, Page, 1287-14
Sex and beauty are inseparable, like life and consciousness says Nanak;
ਰੂਪੈ ਕਾਮੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੁਖੈ ਸਾਦੈ ਗੰਢੁ ॥
Roopai Kaamai Dosti Bhukhai Saadai Gandh.
Beauty and sexual desire are friends much as hunger and tasty food are tied together. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Malar, AGGS, Page, 1288-13
ਰਾਜ ਰੰਗ ਰੂਪ ਸਭਿ ਕੂਰ ॥
Rāj rang rūp sabẖ kūr.
Power, pleasures and beauty are all false.-----Guru Arjan, Raag, AGGS, Page, 888-13
ਰੂਪ ਰੰਗ ਖੁਸੀਆ ਮਨ ਭੋਗਣ ਤੇ ਤੇ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਵਿਕਾਰਾ ॥
Rūp rang kẖusī▫ā man bẖogaṇ ṯe ṯe cẖẖiḏar vikārā.
The mind's pleasures of love and beauty bring just as many blames and sins.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1003-11
Akal Purkh does not care about the physical beauty which is considered one of the five thieves;
ਰਾਜੁ ਮਾਲੁ ਰੂਪੁ ਜਾਤਿ ਜੋਬਨੁ ਪੰਜੇ ਠਗ ॥
Rāj māl rūp jāṯ joban panje ṯẖag.
Royal power, wealth, beauty, social status and youth are the five thieves.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Malar, AGGS, Page, 1288-14
ਨ ਭੀਜੈ ਮਾਲੀਂ ਰੂਪੀ ਰੰਗਿ
Na bẖījai rūpīʼn mālīʼn rang.
Akal Purkh is not won over by beauty, wealth and pleasures.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Sarang, AGGS, Page, 1237-13
ਨਹ ਦੇਖਿਓ ਰੂਪ ਰੰਗ ਸੀਗਾਰੋ ॥
Nah ḏekẖi▫o rūp rang sīʼngāro.
Akal Purkh does not look at my beauty, color or decorations.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 372-7
Guru Arjan questions that I have no merits or beauty than how can I meet my Akal Purkh husband.
ਸਭਿ ਅਵਗਣ ਮੈ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਕੰਤ ਮਿਲਾਵਾ ਹੋਈ? ਨਾ ਮੈ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਬੰਕੇ ਨੈਣਾ ॥ ਨਾ ਕੁਲ ਢੰਗੁ ਨ ਮੀਠੇ ਬੈਣਾ ॥ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੀਗਾਰ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਕਰਿ ਆਵੈ ॥ ਤਾ ਸੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਜਾ ਕੰਤੈ ਭਾਵੈ ॥
Sabẖ avgaṇ mai guṇ nahī ko▫ī. Ki▫o kar kanṯ milāvā ho▫ī. Nā mai rūp na banke naiṇā. Nā kul dẖang na mīṯẖe baiṇā. Sahj sīgār kāmaṇ kar āvai. Ŧā sohagaṇ jā kanṯai bẖāvai.
I am totally without virtue; I have no virtue at all. How can I meet my Husband Akal Purkh?
I have no beauty, no enticing eyes. I do not have a noble family, good manners or a sweet voice. The soul-bride adorns her self with peace and poise (4rth state). But she is a happy soul-bride, only if her Husband God is pleased with her. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Suhi, AGGS, Page, 750
Beauty is not considered as a merit to meet the Akal Purkh and those who are not beautiful can merge in to union with the Supreme says Nanak in Raag Parbhati;
ਜਾ ਕੈ ਰੂਪੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਾਤਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਨਾਹੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਮਾਸਾ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਹੈ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥
Jā kai rūp nāhī jāṯ nāhī nāhī mukẖ māsā. Saṯgur mile niranjan pā▫i▫ā ṯerai nām hai nivāsā.
One who has no beauty, no social status, no mouth, no flesh - meeting with the True Guru, he finds the Immaculate Akal Purkh, and dwells in Your Name.
-----Guru Nanak, Raag Parbhati, AGGS, Page, 1328-9
Conclusion;
When beauty is sought for pleasure and not from devotional love, it degrades the seeker. Spirituality exists wherever we struggle with the issue of how our lives fit into the greater cosmic scheme of things of Mother Nature (ਸਰਗੁਣ). These questions never give way to specific answers or give rise to specific practices to control the 5 vices and develop virtues. We debate spiritual issues every time we wonder where the universe comes from, why we are here, or what happens when we die/reincarnation etc. We also become spiritual when we become moved by values such as beauty, love, or creativity that seem to reveal a Higher Power beyond our visible world. The practice of a faith reveals our personal desire to establish a felt-relationship with the deepest meanings or powers governing life.
ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੈ ਮਨਿ ਅਨਦੁ ਹੋਤ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਨਿਮਖ ਦਿਖਾਈ ॥ ਨਿਜ ਭਗਤੀ ਸੀਲਵੰਤੀ ਨਾਰਿ ॥ ਰੂਪਿ ਅਨੂਪ ਪੂਰੀ ਆਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਈ ਕਿਨੈ ਵਿਰਲੈ ਜੰਤਾ ॥
Jan Nānak kai man anaḏ hoṯ hai har ḏarsan nimakẖ ḏikẖā▫ī. Nij bẖagṯī sīlvanṯī nār. Rūp anūp pūrī ācẖār. Jiṯ garihi vasai so garihu sobẖāvanṯā. Gurmukẖ pā▫ī kinai virlai janṯā.
Servant Nanak's mind is filled with bliss, when he beholds the Blessed Vision of the Akal Purkh, even for an instant. The bride shows such special devotion, and has such an agreeable disposition. Her beauty is incomparable, and her character is perfect. The house in which she dwells is such a praiseworthy house. But rare are those who, as Guru willed, who attain that state. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 370
Virinder S. Grewal
Williamston,MI
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