The Mental Stages Pertaining To The Contemplation Of Naam

[kaur-1]

Came across this article which is a good read. It refers to some of the topics in discussion recently too.

By sevatothemax Team
The Mental Stages Pertaining to the Contemplation of Naam - Part 1 of 2


WaeguruJeeKaaKhalsa WaheguruJeeKeeFateh!!

Dear Sangat Jee,

The sevadaars in the 'Tothemax' teams have decided to translate Punjabi articles and chapters that we have read. All these Articles are specially chosen for their Gurmat persuasion. We have through our research tried uncover Gems which can ONLY be found in books written in Punjabi. We hope Sangat Jee reads the translations and forgives any transgressions made in the translations.

The first article is from the Book 'Sikh Sidanth' by Baba Iqbal Singh (Gurdwara Baroo Sahib). It is entitled 'The mental stages pertaining to the contemplation of Naam' and is in 2 parts. The next Part will be uploaded on Friday. As the Translations are Seva, we have no ownership and will allow others to use the Articles for GURMAT PARCHAR ONLY. Please pass on E-groups and Forums if you feel the articles will help others.

Bhul Chuk Marf Karna
WaheguruJeeKaaKhalsa WaheguruJeeKeeFateh!!

The mental stages pertaining to the contemplation of Naam​

Prem / Love

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It is stated that the meaning of prem or love is a ‘beholding of the soul' experience; beyond ‘me' or moving away from egotism and cultivating closeness and rendering service to those on the spiritual path. Love is essentially used to express closeness or oneness with the Primal Being Waheguru. The seeker moves away from his I-am-ness or egotism and establishes a love filled relationship with gursikhs, with the pure ones, with the Guru-orientated ones and with evolved souls filled with soul-experience, so that in their company with instruction from them he can walk the spiritual path with faith filled love and motivation.

He sees the light of the Primal Being Waheguru in the rest of mankind and life-forms and serves them selflessly without seeking anything in return. Apart from this, whatever relationship man has with anyone, that is attachment. It doesn't matter whether it is with ones family namely mother-father, husband-wife, off springs, relations or with any otherworldly person because (this relationship) is based on worldly chores, desires or for some self-serving purpose. The attraction to whatever that is visible or the taste and relish in worldly comforts of materialism is indeed deep attachment.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj (the great king) has stated in very clear terms that love is one true-pure path towards establishing a union or oneness with the Primal Being Waheguru.

Sach kahon sun leho sabai jin prem kio tin hee prabh paio.
All should listen to this truth that only those who love God can realise Him. (9)

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Guru Ji says, "I'm not telling a lie. It's the truth." These words from the holy mouth of the Guru should be ingrained in our hearts with conviction because there is no reason for Guru Maharaj Ji to say (or stress the fact) that he speaks the truth. He used these strong words to make fools like us understand.

Vairaag / Detachment

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A feeling of indifference towards worldly things and comforts and experiencing a pull towards the Primal Being Waheguru brings about a state called Vairaag. This is that stage where a seeker gets an understanding that worldly things are only capable of providing physical comforts and they do not allow spiritual progress to take place because they are part of maya or materialism. For this reason the seeker detaches himself from these worldly ways. He continues to perform his worldly business as a spiritual responsibility while his mind is engrossed in the pull of union with the Primal Being Waheguru.
Bhagat Kabir Ji says that without vairaag, detachment from maya is not possible.

bin bairaag n shhoottas maaeiaa ||1||
Without renunciation, I cannot escape Maya. ||1||​

man bairaag bhaeiaa dharasan dhaekhanai kaa chaao ||
My mind has become detached from the world; it longs to see the Vision of God's Darshan.​

There are three types of Vairaag:

Spontaneous Vairaag -

In this type of vairaag, man, from a very young age experiences a very sharp pull towards union with the Primal Being Waheguru because he has the earnings (spiritual deposits) of the cultivation of Naam Simran from his previous life forms. The Gurus too as did other sants-devotees like Sant Attar Singh and many other highly evolved souls, experienced this sharp pull towards union with the Primal Being Waheguru at a very young age.


Sangtee (congregational) Vairaag -

In this category man experiences vairaag from the company of the Primal Being Waheguru's beloveds and begins to make an effort to tread the spiritual path. Baba Budhaa Ji, Bhai Bhageerth Ji, Bhai Mansukh Ji and Dunee Chandh etc experienced vairaag when they beheld the sight of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, cultivated his instruction and became Gursikh beholders of their soul.
Bhai (Sant) Teja Singh Ji (Ma, LLb) in his writings says, "Under the influence to western education I became an apostate but when I attained the company of Sant Attar Singh Ji Maharaj, I experienced the sharp viraag, a yearning for union with the Primal Being Waheguru." Cultivating the teachings of Gurmat he contemplated upon Naam -Banee and became a beholder of the soul.


Causative Vairaag -

For this vairaag to arise there must be some kind of cause or process in which the mind experiences a knock, - for example death of relations, facing deceit in world of business or love etc. Raja Bhartharee renounced his kingdom and became a very renowned divine.
Bhai Lachman Dhaas Rajpoot hunted down a female deer and when he cut open its stomach he witnessed with his very eyes two unborn baby deers who tossed, turned and wriggled in pain as they died. This (pain) caused him to leave his home- family and become a vairaagee (a renunciate). Being in the company of one sadhu earned him the name Madho Dhas Vairagee. But when he met Guru Gobind Singh Ji, he took amrit and from Madho Dhass Vairagee he became Baba Gurbaksh Singh or Baba Bandhaa Singh Bahadhar.


To be continued…..

 

[kaur-1]

The Mental Stages pertaining to the Contemplation of Naam!! - Part 2 of 2

Birhaa - Pain of Separation

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When a seeker experiences intense viraag (yearning for Waheguru), then in his sub-conscious mind, the pain of separation from the Primal Being Waheguru, creates in him an even greater desire and love to meet Him. In this stage many a time tears too begin to flow from the eyes.

Ho rehi n sakaa bin dhaekhae preethamaa mai neer vehae vehi chalai jeeo ||3||
I cannot survive without seeing my Beloved. My eyes are welling up with tears. ||3||

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These tears cleanse him of his dirt accumulated over numerous births. This stage is called birho(n), the pang of separation. It is generally accepted that separation is very painful because in it there is very great love-filled pang to meet up with ones beloved.
"O birho(n)!, the pang of separation, you are the emperor. It is because of you that I can meet my Beloved." A body in which birho (or love and pang for Waheguru) does not arise, regard that body as a funeral pyre because its heart is burnt out with sins and evil deeds. Inside it there is not even a suggestion of pull or love for union with the Primal Being Waheguru.

Birehaa birehaa aakheeai birehaa thoo sulathaan ||
Many talk of the pain and suffering of separation; O pain, you are the ruler of all.​

Fareedhaa jith than birahu n oopajai so than jaan masaan ||36||
Fareed, that body, within which love of the Lord does not well up - look upon that body as a cremation ground. ||36||

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Vivayk - Discernment

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When birho, the pang of separation arises with intensity in the seeker's consciousness and he experiences an extreme pull in his heart to link up with the Primal Being Waheguru, then vivayk (discernment) springs forth. In this state his consciousness moves ahead with a pull of great intensity to merge with Shabad-Guru because of the simran or contemplation of Naam and Bani. He attains the knowledge of righteous and unrighteous deeds.

Achar charai bibaek budhh paaeae purakhai purakh milaae ||4||
He eats the uneatable, and is blessed with a discriminating intellect; he meets the Supreme Person, the Primal Lord God. ||4||

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Budh - Wisdom

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When man, while treading the path of Gurmat, begins to climb the stairs of Atam Darshee, the witnessing of the soul, he rises above ridheeaan-sidheeaan (miraculous powers). In this way he arrives at the state of wisdom where, with the Primal Being Waheguru's vibration of love, he is freed from the doubt fallacy of materialism and with renewed vigour he keeps walking towards the homeland of the Formless One.

jo har budhh ridhh sidhh chaahath guroo guroo gur kar man maerae ||5||9||
If you long for wisdom, wealth, spiritual perfection and properity, O my mind, dwell upon the Guru, the Guru, the Guru. ||5||9||​

Dhuramath maett budhh paragaasee jan naanak guramukh thaaree ||4||1||2||
The Lord has eliminated my evil-mindedness, and enlightened my intellect; O servant Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved. ||4||1||2||

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Sahij Awastaa - State of Equipoise

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When a seeker overcomes his ego by doing Naam Simran, the contemplation or meditation of the Naam, he reaches a state of equipoise or spontaneity of the homeland of the Formless Waheguru

 

[Astroboy]

Thank you for this posts, Kaur-1 Ji.

 

[spnadmin]

Kaur-1 bhenji

There is a lot to think about in these postings. I found myself reading them over and over. They make a good focal point for reading Gurbani with the purpose of learning the meaning of Gurbani in relation to spiritual growth.