Confession of love for the Lord and True Guru
For a Sikh, Guru and the Lord are more important than any thing else, this is what Sikh is infused with as a spiritual learner. Interestingly in the same way, being emotional about the Lord and the Guru, a respected SPN member asked me to elaborate a shabad to share with others. Let’s look at that Guru shabad which addresses this concept of love for the Guru and the Lord particularly
ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ ਸਤਗੁਰ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਇਆ ॥ ਹਮ ਚੇਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਲਗਹ ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਪੰਥੁ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Rāmkalī mėhlā 4. Saṯgur ḏa▫i▫ā karahu har melhu mere parīṯam parāṇ har rā▫i▫ā. Ham cẖerī ho▫e lagah gur cẖarṇī jin har parabẖ mārag panth ḏikẖā▫i▫ā. ||1||
Ramkali 4th Guru. My True Guru, mercifully unite me with the Lord. God, the King, is the friend of my life-breath (actual my beloved). Becoming a hand-maid, I repair to the feet of the Guru, who has shown to me the path and way to my God Lord. (Note. Translation has flaws, in essence it states “ Oh Lord have mercy so that I meet a true Guru, my beloved Lord you are support of my life. As a maid I will remain in Guru’s refuse in humbleness that has shown me the path to the Lord”)
A prayer is being done to the Lord to have a True Guru as it is the only Guru who can show the path to the Lord as per Dr Sahib Singh ji, interpretation, above translation shows the prayer is offered to True Guru to meet the Lord. Both ways, stress is on the devotee’s prayer to be with the Lord through the True Guru.
Here a longing for the Lord is expressed, a longing that is filled with love and humbleness. Some just in speculative state of mind try to attach Sikhism to Buddhism by giving the reasons actually lack the facts. There is no longing in Buddhism to be united with that energy Lord Buddha talks about; there is no stress on pervading Ordinance of the only Creator. Sree Guru Granth Sahib repeatedly stresses on these vital points. No wonder Guru ji moves on by mentioning only once about Buddha as one of the numerous the Lord created (Jap Ji.) otherwise no where else Lord Buddha’s wisdom is mentioned as of Vedas. Coming back to the longing for the Lord, now imagine, some one leads you to your goal, how the heart will be humble in gratitude. Guru ji expresses that gratitude in last Guru vaak. In other words, it is all about surrender to Guru, to stay only in his refuge to materialize the strong longing for the Lord.
ਰਾਮ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਇਆ ॥ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਬੇਲੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਸਖਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Rām mai har har nām man bẖā▫i▫ā. Mai har bin avar na ko▫ī belī merā piṯā māṯā har sakẖā▫i▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
My Master, the Lord-God's Name is pleasing to my mind. Without God, I have no other friend. The Lord alone is my father, mother and associate(friend). Pause.
Here is the longing described and stressed by weaving all relations around the Lord. Here talk is about the mind and its full attention on the Lord to be accepted. The mind has fallen for the Lord’s name. Often I state that Sikhi is all about living in Lord’s love. So, Guru States that his mind longs for Lord’s Name and it pleases him, there is no other one but the Lord who is capable of giving all care.
ਮੇਰੇ ਇਕੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਨ ਰਹਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਦੇਖੇ ਮਰਹਿ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਵਡ ਭਾਗ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣੀ ਆਏ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨॥
Mere ik kẖin parān na rahėh bin parīṯam bin ḏekẖe marėh merī mā▫i▫ā. Ḏẖan ḏẖan vad bẖāg gur sarṇī ā▫e har gur mil ḏarsan pā▫i▫ā. ||2||
Without my beloved, I can live not even for an instant. Sans seeing Him, I die, O my mother. Blessed, blessed is my great destiny, that I have sought, the Guru's protection and meeting with the Guru, have seen the Lord's sight.
Above first longing is expressed, then soul’s being in love with the Creator, is expressed in beautiful words. Mind just cannot imagine being all right without the Lord. It’s like imagining pains of separation by being separated from Him for a moment. Living become just impossible without the Lord in that state of mind, there remains none that can attract the mind with so much force. Next Guru ji praises and applauds those who take refuge in Guru and behold the Lord. Again, it starts with the need of Guru ,and through Guru the miracle of seeing the Lord occurs.
ਮੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਸੂਝੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਮਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੁ ਜਪਉ ਜਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਮਹੀਣ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਸੇ ਨਕਟੇ ਤਿਨ ਘਸਿ ਘਸਿ ਨਕ ਵਢਾਇਆ ॥੩॥
Mai avar na ko▫ī sūjẖai būjẖai man har jap japa▫o japā▫i▫ā. Nāmhīṇ firėh se nakte ṯin gẖas gẖas nak vaḏẖā▫i▫ā. ||3||
Within my mind, I can think not of any other, so, I utter and repeat the Lord's Name alone. The shameless ones, They wander about without the Name. Their noses are gratingly shorn off. (Actually it means they lose respect)
Here, one who is imbued with the Lord is completely absorbed in recitation of His name and there are those who are into Maya and their attention is not on the Lord but Maya. Such people, Guru ji says, depart from here without having any acceptance from the Lord. In other words, those who are not imbued with the Him, live shamelessly.
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਜੀਵਾਲਿ ਲੈ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਿਦ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਪੂਰਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥੪॥੫॥
Mo ka▫o jagjīvan jīvāl lai su▫āmī riḏ anṯar nām vasā▫i▫ā. Nānak gurū gurū hai pūrā mil saṯgur nām ḏẖi▫ā▫i▫ā. ||4||5||
O my Master, the Life of the World, re-animate Thou me, that I may enshrine Thy Name in my mind. O my Nanak, perfect is the great Guru. Meeting with the True Guru, contemplate I the Lord's Name.
Again, supplication is done before the life giver Lord to remain imbued with Him. To live in a state of being in love with the Lord has become so dear, to get out of it for a moment, is totally unbearable for the soul. So Lord is humbly being begged to be merciful to give energy to keep His love in the heart regardless any situation is faced with. Next Vaak is dedicated to Guru who caused this union with the Lord. He is the perfect Guru who unites with the Lord. In Gurbani , True Guru is defined ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਦਿਖਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥(425 SGGS)
Anṯar nām niḏẖān hai pūrai saṯgur ḏī▫ā ḏikẖā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The treasure of the Naam is within; the Perfect True Guru has shown this to me. ||1||Pause||
If true Guru is not met, Lord is not realized and meditation remains incomplete, so praise of only the perfect Guru is expressed. This also makes it more clear why in Sikhi, only the Lord is sought through true Guru otherwise so called Gurus are themselves in quagmire of Maya and would keep the followers too in to it
To be continued
For a Sikh, Guru and the Lord are more important than any thing else, this is what Sikh is infused with as a spiritual learner. Interestingly in the same way, being emotional about the Lord and the Guru, a respected SPN member asked me to elaborate a shabad to share with others. Let’s look at that Guru shabad which addresses this concept of love for the Guru and the Lord particularly
ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ ਸਤਗੁਰ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਇਆ ॥ ਹਮ ਚੇਰੀ ਹੋਇ ਲਗਹ ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਪੰਥੁ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Rāmkalī mėhlā 4. Saṯgur ḏa▫i▫ā karahu har melhu mere parīṯam parāṇ har rā▫i▫ā. Ham cẖerī ho▫e lagah gur cẖarṇī jin har parabẖ mārag panth ḏikẖā▫i▫ā. ||1||
Ramkali 4th Guru. My True Guru, mercifully unite me with the Lord. God, the King, is the friend of my life-breath (actual my beloved). Becoming a hand-maid, I repair to the feet of the Guru, who has shown to me the path and way to my God Lord. (Note. Translation has flaws, in essence it states “ Oh Lord have mercy so that I meet a true Guru, my beloved Lord you are support of my life. As a maid I will remain in Guru’s refuse in humbleness that has shown me the path to the Lord”)
A prayer is being done to the Lord to have a True Guru as it is the only Guru who can show the path to the Lord as per Dr Sahib Singh ji, interpretation, above translation shows the prayer is offered to True Guru to meet the Lord. Both ways, stress is on the devotee’s prayer to be with the Lord through the True Guru.
Here a longing for the Lord is expressed, a longing that is filled with love and humbleness. Some just in speculative state of mind try to attach Sikhism to Buddhism by giving the reasons actually lack the facts. There is no longing in Buddhism to be united with that energy Lord Buddha talks about; there is no stress on pervading Ordinance of the only Creator. Sree Guru Granth Sahib repeatedly stresses on these vital points. No wonder Guru ji moves on by mentioning only once about Buddha as one of the numerous the Lord created (Jap Ji.) otherwise no where else Lord Buddha’s wisdom is mentioned as of Vedas. Coming back to the longing for the Lord, now imagine, some one leads you to your goal, how the heart will be humble in gratitude. Guru ji expresses that gratitude in last Guru vaak. In other words, it is all about surrender to Guru, to stay only in his refuge to materialize the strong longing for the Lord.
ਰਾਮ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਇਆ ॥ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਬੇਲੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਸਖਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Rām mai har har nām man bẖā▫i▫ā. Mai har bin avar na ko▫ī belī merā piṯā māṯā har sakẖā▫i▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
My Master, the Lord-God's Name is pleasing to my mind. Without God, I have no other friend. The Lord alone is my father, mother and associate(friend). Pause.
Here is the longing described and stressed by weaving all relations around the Lord. Here talk is about the mind and its full attention on the Lord to be accepted. The mind has fallen for the Lord’s name. Often I state that Sikhi is all about living in Lord’s love. So, Guru States that his mind longs for Lord’s Name and it pleases him, there is no other one but the Lord who is capable of giving all care.
ਮੇਰੇ ਇਕੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਨ ਰਹਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਦੇਖੇ ਮਰਹਿ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਵਡ ਭਾਗ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣੀ ਆਏ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨॥
Mere ik kẖin parān na rahėh bin parīṯam bin ḏekẖe marėh merī mā▫i▫ā. Ḏẖan ḏẖan vad bẖāg gur sarṇī ā▫e har gur mil ḏarsan pā▫i▫ā. ||2||
Without my beloved, I can live not even for an instant. Sans seeing Him, I die, O my mother. Blessed, blessed is my great destiny, that I have sought, the Guru's protection and meeting with the Guru, have seen the Lord's sight.
Above first longing is expressed, then soul’s being in love with the Creator, is expressed in beautiful words. Mind just cannot imagine being all right without the Lord. It’s like imagining pains of separation by being separated from Him for a moment. Living become just impossible without the Lord in that state of mind, there remains none that can attract the mind with so much force. Next Guru ji praises and applauds those who take refuge in Guru and behold the Lord. Again, it starts with the need of Guru ,and through Guru the miracle of seeing the Lord occurs.
ਮੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਸੂਝੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਮਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੁ ਜਪਉ ਜਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਮਹੀਣ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਸੇ ਨਕਟੇ ਤਿਨ ਘਸਿ ਘਸਿ ਨਕ ਵਢਾਇਆ ॥੩॥
Mai avar na ko▫ī sūjẖai būjẖai man har jap japa▫o japā▫i▫ā. Nāmhīṇ firėh se nakte ṯin gẖas gẖas nak vaḏẖā▫i▫ā. ||3||
Within my mind, I can think not of any other, so, I utter and repeat the Lord's Name alone. The shameless ones, They wander about without the Name. Their noses are gratingly shorn off. (Actually it means they lose respect)
Here, one who is imbued with the Lord is completely absorbed in recitation of His name and there are those who are into Maya and their attention is not on the Lord but Maya. Such people, Guru ji says, depart from here without having any acceptance from the Lord. In other words, those who are not imbued with the Him, live shamelessly.
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਜੀਵਾਲਿ ਲੈ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਿਦ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਪੂਰਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥੪॥੫॥
Mo ka▫o jagjīvan jīvāl lai su▫āmī riḏ anṯar nām vasā▫i▫ā. Nānak gurū gurū hai pūrā mil saṯgur nām ḏẖi▫ā▫i▫ā. ||4||5||
O my Master, the Life of the World, re-animate Thou me, that I may enshrine Thy Name in my mind. O my Nanak, perfect is the great Guru. Meeting with the True Guru, contemplate I the Lord's Name.
Again, supplication is done before the life giver Lord to remain imbued with Him. To live in a state of being in love with the Lord has become so dear, to get out of it for a moment, is totally unbearable for the soul. So Lord is humbly being begged to be merciful to give energy to keep His love in the heart regardless any situation is faced with. Next Vaak is dedicated to Guru who caused this union with the Lord. He is the perfect Guru who unites with the Lord. In Gurbani , True Guru is defined ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਦਿਖਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥(425 SGGS)
Anṯar nām niḏẖān hai pūrai saṯgur ḏī▫ā ḏikẖā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The treasure of the Naam is within; the Perfect True Guru has shown this to me. ||1||Pause||
If true Guru is not met, Lord is not realized and meditation remains incomplete, so praise of only the perfect Guru is expressed. This also makes it more clear why in Sikhi, only the Lord is sought through true Guru otherwise so called Gurus are themselves in quagmire of Maya and would keep the followers too in to it
To be continued
