harsimiritkaur
SPNer
Jaidev Pada
By Bibi Harsimirat Kaur Khalsa
Guru Granth Parchar Mission of USA
510-432-5827 harsimiritkaur@khalsa.com
Jaidev’s birth name was Pardharmrik who lived in the 12th century, born in the southern part of Bengal, in Bir Bhumi on the River Ajay. Others say he was born in Kindu Bilvã which may now be Kenduli, in the Birbhüm district of West Bengal, and, others say he was born in Kendüli-Sasan, on Prachi river, near Jagannath Puri in Orissã. His mother’s name was Rama Devi (Bani Devi), and his father's name was Bhojdev. He became an orphan at a young age, and Narninjan, a family friend, fraudulently took possession of his family’s wealth and property. Jaidev then started to compose and sing sad songs in grief of his parent’s death, but the wickedness of Narninjan caused him to separate himself more from society and worship Krishna deeply. He would avoid sitting under the shade of a tree to take the hot sun during his meditations. His life changed when a Brahman forced him to marry his daughter. She was a wonderful wife who sang Jaidev’s compositions. He then came to the realization of only one supreme God. He started composing hymns, singing to the one God and became a wandering preacher. Thus, three volumes of his compositions are known as 1. Darshan Raghav, 2. Geet Govinde, a lyrical poem in which the love of Rãdhã (soul or devotee) for Govinda (the Supreme Being), and 3. Chandia-Lok. Bhagat Jaidev became a famous court poet for Lachman Sain. Some believe that when Jaidev retired in his mother land, he was too old and weak to go bathe in the Ganges River. One day the river was over flooded, causing a mild change its course, close by for him bathe. Bhãi Gurdas in his Vàrañ, X. 10, pays tribute to Jaidev’s loving devotion, saying that he attained the spiritual state where no distinction remains between “the devotee and the infinite.” Jaidev taught that whatever a person is, it is only because of God's grace. Jaidev's love, reverence and devotion towards God became more intense and immense. Guru Arjan Dev Ji, in his hymn recorded on Ang 1192 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, tells us of Jaidev’s humbleness because he got rid of his egoist tendency: jYdyv iqAwigE AhMmyv ] (1192, bsMqu, mhlw 5) “Jai Dayv gave up his egotism.”
gUjrI sRI jYdyv jIau kw pdw Gru 4 (526) Goojaree, Padas of Jaidev Jee, Fourth House:
¡ siqgur pRswid ] One Universal Creator God. by the Grace of the True Guru:
prmwid purKmnoipmM siq Awid Bwv rqM ]
“In the very beginning, was the Primal Lord, unrivalled, the Lover of Truth and other virtues.”
Bhagat Jaidev lived over 1,000 years ago, and his deep knowledge of Sanskrit Grammar is demonstrated here. This shabad is the most difficult to pronounce in the entire Guru Granth Sahib, as it is one of the shudh paath tests given by Sri Akal Takht for potentional paathees in Harmandar Sahib.. Bhagat Jaidev here explores the phenomena of infinity. How can there be a beginning of existence? How do we define existence which is beyond our comprehension? If you study the straight line in geometry and physics, you learn that there is no beginning and no end. That the line is made of points that are infinitely fitting in between any two points. This demonstrates the science of infinity, stability, and truth. There are worlds upon words that have their own perspectives of the dimensions of their environments which we will never be able to conceive. The entire universe is an infinite library and documentary of information waiting to be studied. But we will never even begin to scratch the surface. One thing is sure; that there is a correct way and an incorrect way to learn truth. The incorrect way of learning truth would be to deny the very reality one lives in. If we deny the existence of God, then we are denying that anything exists at all. We end up with a clouded view and ill mind enslaved by our five vices. God is the unrivalled lover of truth and other virtues, because no falsehood can stand up to Him. Falsehood means the lack of truth, emptiness. Awid scu jugwid scu ] “True In The Primal Beginning. True throughout the ages.” hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI scu ]1] “True here and now. O Nanak, forever and ever true. ||1||” soeI soeI sdw scu swihbu swcw swcI nweI ] “That True Lord is True, Forever True, and True is His Name.” hY BI hosI jwie n jwsI rcnw ijin rcweI ] “He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe which He has created departs. “ rMgI rMgI BwqI kir kir ijnsI mwieAw ijin aupweI ] “He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya.” kir kir vyKY kIqw Awpxw ijv iqs dI vifAweI ] “Having created the creation, He watches over it Himself by His Greatness.” jo iqsu BwvY soeI krsI hukmu n krxw jweI ] “He does whatever He pleases. No order can be issued to Him.”
I remember in elementary school, I started learning the multiplication table. I was stubborn and did not want to memorize the simple times table. When I advance to higher learning, then to adulthood and independence, I realized that the need for memorizing the multiplication table is essential for all aspects of life, buying, cooking, measuring, and selling. I struggled in Algebra class, too. If I had mastered the fundamental subjects, I would have adapted easier to the demanding world of knowledge. But when it comes to learning the Guru Granth Sahib, most people have no interest or no time at all, due to working two jobs and taking care of the household. Guru Granth Sahib does not require studying hours every week. We can examine one shabad per week and explore its beauty, then experience it in our daily lives. If we neglect learning from Gur Gian, then we will struggle with the many serious challenges in live. The purpose of learning is to be successful. Guru Nanak devoted his life to education of truth for all people, because he knew that if we do not use our brains in truthfulness, they will rot in falsehood, infecting our bodies and souls and causing anguish to others.
prmdBuqM prik®iq prM jidicMiq srb gqM ]1
“He is absolutely wonderful, transcending creation; remembering Him, all are emancipated. ||1||”
When we notice the beauty of creation and the immense infinity of the natural laws of God’s hukam, we are awe struck. If you don’t know how to see the beauty of God manifested in His creation, then start learning the meanings of the Guru Granth Sahib. When we keep the awareness of the beauty and glory of God in our minds, then we are free from the control of our five vices.
kyvl rwm nwm mnormM ] bid AMimRq qq mieAM ]
“Dwell only upon the beauteous Name of the Lord, the embodiment of ambrosial nectar and reality.”
We need only to focus on truthfulness, divine reality. Since there is only one reality, then there can not be other gods. When we learn of truthfulness, then we begin to see the beauty of God. The scales that cover our eyes start to flake off as we become devoted Sikhs students of Guru Granth Sahib’s perfect teachings. The benefits of the fullness of the essence God is the relish of the Amrit bani. Truth is the most valuable thing in the world. Everything that exists is supported by truthfulness. When we realize this, then we become humble, we can then win the battle against our stupidity, blindless, and five vices. We begin to truly enjoy life and creation. We become wise, fulfilled, complete, at peace, full of joy and courage. If we lack any of these traits, then we will not be able to battle our ego. We will not even be willing to make a progressive change in our lives. We may even not even be aware of our faults and illnesses.
n dnoiq jsmrxyn jnm jrwiD mrx BieAM ]1] rhwau ]
“Remembering Him in meditation, the fear of birth, old age and death will not trouble you. ||1||Pause||”
Simran means to take the understanding of Guru J’s teaching and remember it, even if you have to repeat the lesson over and over again in your mind. By merely repeating God’s name over and over again will accomplish very little. But staying focused on Guru‘s wisdom empowers us to function in the complex challenges of life, no matter how difficult the situations may be. When we contemplate on Guru Gian, then we automatically behold the beauty of God and His hukam. We begin to realize that birth, old age, and death are not tragedies in life, but natural events that are part of God’s hukam. Every citizen of a kingdom knows that as long as he obeys the rules of the king, then he will be successful, better protected, and never punished. Sometimes obeying the rules of a king require lots of self-sacrificing, like in high taxes. God does not require slavery from us. He is already super busy maintaining the entire universe to sustain us. God demands nothing from us, because He is self sufficient. We need not be slaves to God, but we do need to obey the rules of His hukam in order to be complete. We need to meet God personally. If we study Guru Granth Sahib, then we get a jump start on what to learn and how to learn, and how to put our learning into practice. When we taste the Amrit of Bani, then we automatically want to be true devotees of God. We become fascinated with beautiful reality. Our lives become transformed. We no longer fear age, illness, and death. We learn to face our challenges rather that run away or ignore them for later. We learn how to plan our future. We learn how to control ourselves by staying in the protective Sanctuary of God which is done by learning, understanding, accepting, and doing all that Guru Granth Sahib teaches.
ieCis jmwid prwBXM jsu sÍsiq suik®q ik®qM ]
“If you desire to escape the fear of the Messenger of Death, then praise the Lord joyfully, and do good deeds.”
Nobody can escape death, but we all can avoid the fear of death. What is the fear of death? The fear of death is the pain of not knowing what will happen after we die. There is total disorientation and doubt that God may not be there to provide and protect for us as faithfully as He does in this life. But Gurbani teaches us that we should trust the power of nature governed by His hukam. Bhagat Kabir teaches us that God provides in this life and the next. Praising God means to consider His righteousness and beauty, as this builds up joy in us. When we experience this, then we automatically do good deeds. We begin to live in truthfulness, heart, word, and deed – the kirtan of the symphony and dance of God.
Bv BUq Bwv smib´AM prmM pRsMnimdM ]2]
“In the past, present and future, He is always the same; He is the embodiment of supreme bliss. ||2||”
Things constantly change their molecular state, but God is always the same. So what is the meaning of “same”? It means same in identity, or unchanged in character or nature. It’s a wonder that things in nature change, but the laws of nature never change. The laws of nature are the supreme, infinite commands of God, called hukam. God plays the game, and we must move our pieces if we want to succeed. We need to know the object of the game. Nobody can play a game if he does not know how to play and how to win. The difference with God’s game and other games is that God does not play to compete with anyone. He has no reason to because as Mool Mantar says, He is inrBau inrvYru “fearless and non-contesting”. He has no enemies, for if He did, then He would have weakness or limits. People make themselves His enemies, but He considers no one His enemy. Having an enemy means having a threat; and God is complete and self sufficient sYBM. If we do not know how to move our pieces, then we would only be competing against ourselves. You see, God wants us to play with Him, not compete with Him. He made the rules the way they are to the best of our interests. If we move our pieces the wrong way, we suffer the consequences. But God does not want us to move blindly. He has included in His game the instructions which are very easy to learn and remember. No matter where we are in His game, His rules never change, and we must accept that. God plays His game with us with His infinite love and care. Why does God play a game? So what is the object of playing God’s game? How does one win? What is the meaning of winning a game? Why do people want to win so much? The definition of game is single play of a sport or other contest; or a contest with rules to determine a winner; or an amusement or pastime. I don’t think God’s game is one of competition with Him; His game is one of showing off His pleasure to Himself by being gracious to His creation. God needs no game to play, but His nature is to play the game of His hukam, regardless who wants to follow the rules. The definition of win is to achieve victory or be the first in competition. People want to win a game because they want to be and feel complete. Some people know how good they perform, but they want to show off or prove it to others. Playing a game in itself is not evil. Some games are good for stimulating the mind in certain physical or intellectual skills. Other games are only for selfish profit when the players go out of control and risk everything they have. And some games are just for enjoyment, sharing the fun time with ones family or friends. So I believe this type of game is the game that God plays He is sharing His fun time with us. So remember, He wants us all to win. In His game, the competition is us against our five vices, the game of walking in truthfulness. Many people play the game of chess sæqrMj and want to know the best move to make. Guru Granth Sahib teaches us clearly what moves to avoid and what moves to make. Don’t move your pieces blindly or carelessly. In Chess, the opponent entices you to attack his pawn, when in reality he has a catastrophic plan to put your king in checkmate. If you take his pawn, he will come back and destroy you. Your king piece represent your mind and sanity, your peace and contentment. When you lose your king, like your mind, life is over, you lose. But God is not playing against you, but playing with you to help you win.
loBwid idRsit pr igRhM jidibiD AwcrxM ] “If you seek the path of good conduct, forsake greed, and do not look upon other men's wife.”
This is one of the many complex rules of God’s game. If everyone would follow just this simple rule alone, then there would be more peace in society, less crimes, and divorces. When people live in harmony with nature, maintaining self respect while respecting others, then they will be able to lead to a successful life towards a successful society.
qij skl duhik®q durmqI Bju ck®Dr srxM ]3] “Renounce all evil actions and evil inclinations, and hurry to the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||3||”
When you play the game of God, on God’s side, then you should not be engaged with acting contrary to His hukam. A team player who struggles against his own team mates should never face the competition, because he would only be looking at defeat. In God’s game there is no room for evil word or evil deeds. Evil is the engagement in self destruction, for it is the embodiment of the lack of anything good. Evil is the total opposite of good and contrary to the natural laws of the universe. Evil and hukam never meet. In order to be a player on God’s team, one must acknowledge the impurities of his mind and wicked deeds that he must give up and then he must thirst for righteousness. Playing against God always results in failure; however, cooperating with God will always make you the victor.
hir Bgq inj inhkyvlw ird krmxw bcsw ]
“Worship the immaculate Lord, in thought, word and deed.”
When a competition is over, the winner is praised. Usually there is a super hero (anchor man) on the winning team that played a major role in scoring the crucial winning points. If a weak, conceited athlete thinks he is the only one that brings the team to victory, he would be a fool. When we reach victory over our five vices, we realize that the hero team player is the maker of the game Himself, Almighty God, who is so faithful, helping us along the way. When we focus on the greatness of God in thought, then this causes us to speak it, as well, and then it leads to practicing it in deed.
jogyn ikM jgyn ikM dwnyn ikM qpsw ]4]
“What is the good of practicing Yoga, giving feasts and charity, and practicing penance? ||4||”
Why practicing Yoga? Today the main reason is for better health, and spiritual achievements. The power of Yoga enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by over attachments to worldly things. Yoga was practiced in Bhagat Jaidev’s days by disciplining the body to tolerate uncomfortable positions, punishing the body while getting into a trance. One Yoga method was by feeding into the ego to boast, “I am spiritual because I achieved the status of Swami God buy not letting physical things disturb me. sBhU ko rsu hir ho ]1] rhwau ] kwhU jog kwhU Bog kwhU igAwn kwhU iDAwn ] kwhU ho fMf Dir ho ]1] gauVI mhlw 5 ] (213) “God’s essence is for all 1 ||1||Pause|| Some do Yoga, some indulge; Some seek wisdom, others meditate. Some self inflict with the rod. ||1||. People go to extremes to reach success, but in Sikhism, there is no need for extremism. We must balance our health, physique, diet, mind, and spirit by take the knowledge of Guru Granth Sahib’s wisdom. The only extremism we need is to remind ourselves to stay in touch with reality. Many people do not practice Yoga, but they are engaged in some sort of disciplining the body for improvement. Many people visit doctors, psychiatrists, physical therapists, and homoeopathists that offer great, expensive services. Some people visit psychics for guidance. Hundreds of dollars are spent for these professional services, and only a few get there money’s worth. Why do people take the long path to salvation, when there is a shortcut that is free of charge. If you want to truly benefit from Yoga, then why not practice Shabad Yoga. jog sbdM igAwn sbdM byd sbdM q bRwhmxh ] “The Shabad is Yoga, the Shabad is spiritual wisdom; the Shabad is the Vedas for the Brahmin.” (Shlok Seheskritee M 1) 1353 Just as Yoga teaches about the body, so does Gurbani, Guru’s Shabad teach about the secrets of life. Just as Vedas is valuable to the Brahmin, so is Gurbani vital for mankind. You make the choice: temporary, inferior deceptions or stable truths.
goibMd goibMdyiq jip nr skl isiD pdM ] “Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Supreme Lord, O man; He is the source of all the spiritual powers of the Siddhas.”
What does it mean to meditate on God? It means to take the wisdom of Guru Ji and learn it, then remember it, then live it, then blossom into the super human Siddhas, to be a wonder worker full of the power of God. The power of God is already in us from birth. If we lack the awareness of this and the “know how”, then we can never improve ourselves and be an asset to society. We will remain a nuisance, a bothersome burden on others, infecting society with our person impurities like one bad apple in the basket that spoils the rest. What is the power of God within us? It is simply the power of God’s hukam that is also in the universe. What God has given to us is sacred, and we use this power only because of His grace. It is the power of self control, the victory over our five vices, power to self heal physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is the power of spreading this good news to others to benefit, too. It is the strength in Saadh Sangat, the congregation of many with the realization and submission to Shabad Yoga.
jYdyv Awieau qs sPutM Bv BUq srb gqM ]5]1]
“Jaidev has openly come to Him; He is the salvation of all, in the past, present and future. ||5||1|”
What does it mean to come to God as Bhagat Jaidev has? I am sure that Bhagat Jaidev has seriously studied the science of Yoga and thus developed his own theory of what true Yoga is. It is not the practice of trying to please God with self inflicting, false piety, but the method of attaining perfection by living truthful. Shabad Yoga is the practice of disciplining ourselves to live in truthfulness and putting it into practice. Bhagat Jaidev’s understanding and awareness of the presence of God in which His hukam rules has caused him to attain salvation. To have and to know is not enough; we must also be doers of Shabad. Just as Yoga is practiced, one does not master it by merely only understanding. One must strive faithfully. So it is with Shabad Yoga. So let’s learn Shabad Yoga properly by commiting ourselves to learn Guru Granth Sahib as much as we can, so that we can start discipline ourselves. Let’s graduate from manmuk to Gurmukh, from ignorance to wise, from defeated to victorious, from dead to alive. The cost is free.
