Shabad-naam-bani-gurbani: What Is It?

[Sikh80]

Therefore, in essence, the Shabad is of the Nature of God. As the Supreme Reality is Homogeneous Oneness, so is the Shabad. Just as the All-pervading Reality is woven in all His creation, so does His Shabad. Because of It's Eternal Nature, It has no beginning, middle, or end. To put it otherwise, It existed before the Creation, It exists now and It will exist in the future.
After reading this, a question may arise in the mind: If the Shabad existed before the creation, where was it?
As indicated in the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS), Before the creation comes into being, the Shabad resides within the Unmanifest Spirit in the form of "Profound Trance" (Sunn Samaadhi).

Since the Divine Substance and the Shabad are one and the same, the Shabad ever remains full of all Divine qualities and virtues.

 

[Sikh80]

• Roop na rekhiyaa jaati na hotee tayu akuleen rahtayu Shabad su saar: When there was no form or shape or social class, then the Shabad, in its essence, resided in the Unmanifest Being (sggs 945).
• Arbad narbad dhandookaaraa. Dharni na gagnaa hukmi apaaraa. Na din rain na chand na sooraj sonn samaadhi lagayidaa: For endless eons, there was only utter darkness. There was no earth or sky; there was only His infinite Command (Hukam). There was no day or night, no moon or sun; God sat in Primal, Profound Trance (sggs 1035).

Sikhism: Reflections On Gurbani

 

[Sikh80]

• Utpat parlayu Shabde hovai. Shabade Hee phir opat hovai: The creation and deluge occur through God's Shabad or Word (sggs 117).

During the "Sidh Gosati" (sggs 938), the Sidhas posed many questions to Baabaa Nanak. Three of these inquiries were: "Who is your Guru? How do you become a disciple? Where does this Shabad reside?" Baabaa Nanak responded as follows:

• Shabad Guru surti dhun chelaa: The Shabad is my Guru. By focusing consciousness on this celestial sound or Shabad, I become a desciple (sggs 943).
• Su Shabad nirantari nij ghar aashai, tribhavan joti su Shabad lahai: This Shabad permeates the nucleus of the Self, deep within, in its own Home; the Light of this Shabad pervades the three worlds (sggs 945).

Sikhism: Reflections On Gurbani

 

[Sikh80]

The Gurbani is a living Word of God. It's also called Gurmat — the Divine Teaching (Matt). It is Gian-Kalaa. It is given to the entire mankind to meditate upon it; to feast upon it; and to drink in it! The Aaatm-Giaan (Self-knowledge) is boxed in it as fragrance is boxed in the flower. Any devotion (Bhagti) without Self-knowledge is empty as a married life to an eunuch!

 

[Sikh80]

Hence the True Gurbani is the Word-Guru or God, and True Guru or God is the Gurbani. For that, the Gurbani is not an ordinary poem or song; it is the Divine Word, which has descended to the mankind from the Original Source. Therefore, the Gurbani contained in the SGGS is not few hundred years old, but it is Timeless as the Akaal Purakh (Timeless Being). It is as Eternal and Immortal as the Eternal Being; and it is as Divine as the Supreme Self. It is the Channel of God. It is the Essence of God.

• Dhur kee Bani aayee. Tin saglee chint mitaayee: The Bani of His Word emanated from the Primal Lord. It eradicates all anxiety (sggs 628).
• Hayu aapayu bol na jaandaa mai kahiyaa sabh hukamyu jeeyu: By myself, I do not even know how to speak; I speak all that the Lord commands (sggs 763).
• Santan kee sun saachee saakhee. So bolahi jo pekhahi aakhee: Listen to this Truth about Saints. They speak only of what they see with their own eyes (i.e., personal experience of the Truth) (sggs 894).
• Permesar ke duaarai ji hoyi biteetai su Nanak aakh sunavai: Nanak proclaims and announces what happens at the Door of Transcendent God (sggs 373).
• Hari kai dar vartiyaa so Nanak aakh sunaaya: Nanak tells and preaches, that, what has taken place in God's court (sggs 316).
• Jaisee mai aavai khasam kee Bani taisadaa karee giyaan ve Lalo: As the Word of the Forgiving Lord comes to me, so do I express it, O Lalo (sggs 722).
• Log jaanai ih geetu hai ih tayu Braham beechaar: People believe that this is just a song, but it is a meditation on God (sggs 335).

 

[Sikh80]

From the above verses of the Gurbani, it becomes clear that the Shabad, Guru, Satguru, God, Naam (Divine Name), Divine Light, Word, Anhad-Dhuni, Naad (Divine Sound), Hukam, Bani, etc., are virtually synonymous. It also becomes clear that the Shabad or Naam not only resides in the bosom of all beings, it also pervades the entire creation as butter in the milk, and as fire in the wood. It is the Unstruck Celestial Sound that vibrates, creates, guides, controls, directs, sustains, and animates every particle of the cosmos.

• Jetaa keetaa teta Nayu. Vin Naavai naahee ko thaayu: The created universe is the manifestation of God's Name. O God, without Your Name, there is no place at all (sggs 4).
• Shabad deepak vartai tih loyi: The Word of the Shabad is a lamp, illuminating the three worlds (sggs 664).
• Su Shabad kayu nirantar vaas alkham jah dekhaa tah soyee: That Shabad dwells deep within the nucleus of all beings. God is invisible; (also visible) wherever I look, there I see Him (sggs 944).

Sikhism: Reflections On Gurbani

 

[Sikh80]

Sikhism: Reflections On Gurbani