Pray for Truth and Say Satsriakaal
Dear All and Sardar Jee,
I was expecting an answer like yes or no for the first question :
Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate
Is this the gurdwara we go to to listen to kirtan and have langgar ?
The Second question is :
What is the True Word of His Bani ?
Definition.
If you're going to give me more gurbani verses, you'll be confusing me because all I would do is read and read without understanding it.
Suneai manneai mann keeta bhaou.......
I need to hear from someone who's got real experience. No need to be shy about it. God won't penalise you for trying to explain your experiences.
There are many who have experienced and explained in their own words their findings about what gurbani explains in poetic form.
THE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE ASPECTS OF NAAM
This Principle has two aspects, the one objective and the other subjective. The objective refers to the various qualities pertaining to His manifestations. It has its own use which will be dealt with later under the heading of Simran. The subjective is the "quintessential reality" which is at the core of all religious books. Without it there can be no creation, no spiritual advancement. Without it, nothing whatsoever can come into existence. This can be understood by a simple example, say that of water. The word "water" is the name, and not the thing itself which it represents. Just the same, Naam or Word, has its two aspects: one the name and the second the "conscious spirit" it represents--working at the back of all creation. It is very difficult to describe this in words.
The Naam, or the subjective Reality or Word, had been there from the very beginning, and was there before the creation. It was a "Nameless-Something" which was God, from whose Conscious Manifestation a wish projected, accompanied by vibration which expressed itself in Sound and Light Principles. As the conscious current flowed down, it formed spiritual planes. With its further descent, it became the source of creation of the spiritual-material and the material planes. This Current-Consciousness emanated from God and is the Creator and Sustainer of all the universe with various planes and sub-planes. The term Shabd or Word as used by Nanak, signifies that Spiritual Current which expresses itself in Light Principle and resounds in fullness in its subtle spiritual planes. This Naam or Word helps in the elevation and edification of spirit, which being essentially of the same substance as Naam, is attracted by the latter, for "Spirit is the Breath of God"-(Bible). "It is the soul of God" -(Quran). All the saints of the world who came either before or after Guru Nanak, have sung the praises of this creative Life Principle or Word. A few quotations will enable the reader to be convinced of this basic Truth as given in all the religious books.
EVIDENCES FROM THE VARIOUS RELIGIONS
Christianity: Saint John has stated in his Gospel:
- In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. --St. John I: 1-3 By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made.
Again:
- He spoke and it was done. --Psalm 33: 6, 9
Upholding all things by the Word of His Power.--Hebrews 1:3
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth but the Word of God shall stand forever.--Isaiah 40:8
Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.--Psalm 119:89 St. Paul said: For the Word of God is quick (living) and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and interests of heart. --Hebrews 4:12
Hinduism: According to the Hindu theological books, the whole creation was made through Nad. They also refer to It as Akash Bani (voice coming down from the Heavens). We have references to It even in the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of the world. We read of It in the Upanishads, as for instance, the Nad Bind Upanishads, which deal with the matter in a very lucid manner. The Hatha Toga Pradipaka also speaks of this Sound Principle.
- He has taken the support of the Word, the melodious Tune.
-- Chandogya Upanishad
Let Yogi sit on Sidh Asan and while practising the Vaisnavi mudra,
he should hear the Sound through his right ear.
--Nad Bind Upanishad
By communion with the Word he will become deaf to the external sounds,
and will attain the Turiya Pad or a state of equipoise within a fortnight.
--Nad Bind Upanishad First the murmuring sounds resembling those of the waves of oceans,
the fall of rain and the running rivulets and then Bheri will be heard
intermingled with the sounds of bell and conch, etc.
Madame Blavatsky, the founder of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, in her book "Voice of the Silence," states that several sounds are heard when holding communion. "The first is like the nightingale's sweet voice, chanting a parting song to its mate. The next, resembles the sound of silver cymbals of the Dhyanis, awakening the twinkling stars. It is followed by plain melodies of the ocean's spirit, imprisoned in the conch shell, which in turn gives place to the chant of Vina. The melodious flute-like symphony is then heard. It changes into a trumpet-blast, vibrating like the dull rumbling of a thunder cloud. The seventh swallows all other sounds. They die and then are heard no more."
Mohammedanism: Among the Muslim Sufis, it is known as Sultan-ul-Azkar, (the king of prayers). Another order of Sufis calls it Saut-i-Sarmadi, (the Divine Song). They also call it Nida-i-Asmani, (the sound coming down from the (Heavens), Kalam-i-Qadim (the ancient sound) and the Kalma or Word. The fourteen regions were made by the Kalma--the Word.
Khawaja Hafiz, a great divine, says:
- From the turret of the Heaven a call bids thee Home.
But fallen into the snares thou listeneth not.
No one knows where the Mansion of the Beloved lies,
But sure enough the chiming of the bells proceeds therefrom.
Again:
- Take the stop-{censored} from thy ears, and hear thou the voice of emancipation,
coming to thee.
Attach not to the material world.
The Elixir of life is showering from above.
The beat of love while sounding in the Heavens,
Sounds blessings to the souls of the devotees."
Maulana Rumi, in his Masnavi says:
- Grow not skeptical, but attune thyself to the Sound coming down
from the Heavens.
Thy soul shall have revelations from afar.
What are these but glimpses of the Unrevealed:
Were I to speak of these sweet melodies
Even the dead shall rise from their graves.
Again:
- Rise above the horizon, O brave soul, and hear the melodious song
coming from the highest heaven.
Prophet Mohammed says:
- The Voice of God comes unto my ears as any other sounds.
Shah Niaz, another Muslim devotee, says:
Soul is the Will and the Secret of God. Its meditation is carried without the help of tongue and palate. Alas! thou art stuck fast in the physical bondage and do not hear the Holy Sound of God. My Beloved is speaking to thee all the while, but woe to thee for thou heareth not the Voice.
The whole universe is resounding with the Sound, and thou hast only to open the door of thine ear.
For opening the ear, it is sufficient to stop hearing the outer sounds. If you do this, you will hear the perpetual and unending Sound. It is infinite and has no beginning nor end, and on account of that, it it called Anhad (without any limits). Without this Word--the Eternal Sound- an infinite expression of the Infinite, the world could not have come into existence. Hold communion with the Melodious Sound and lose yourself in it, O wise man.
Kabir Sahib says:
Without the Word, Sound or Eternal Song, the soul sees not. Where could she go? As she cannot fathom the mystery of the 'Word,' she is wandering from place to place. --Kabir
Mind hankereth after evils; through the Word, the Master restraineth it.
--Guru Teg Bahadur
Through the medium of Word, soul doth cross the endless ocean of matter. Lowly Nanak, therefore, glorifies His Naam (the Word). --Ram Kali M.1
The Word is both earth and ether. TheSe had their being through the Word. This Word expressed itself in other aspects as well. The whole creation sprang up after the Word. O Nanak, that endless Word is reverberating in each heart.
The all-pervading Word has attracted all my mind. What else have I to think of? Communion of the soul with the Word creates everlasting Bliss. At-one-ment with the Lord procures the Essence of Joy and Peace. --Shri Rag M.1
I am emancipated. The God-Man has un-fettered me. Through the communion of soul with the Word, I have gained the resplendent seat of honour: O Nanak, the all-pervading Naam or the Word dwelleth in the hearts of all. The company of the Gurmukhs procures communion with It. --Malar M.1
Far off, on the other shore, is my Beloved. The God-man's Word, alone, carries the soul across. In the company of saints, man is in clover and never repents.
--Tukhari M.1
How can the ignorant get to the principle of union of soul with the Word ? Without communion with the Word, soul comes and goes. O Nanak, the Gurmukh who is himself emancipated, meets by the merciful Writ of the Lord. --Maru M.1
The creation and the ultimate dissolution of the universe is caused through the Word. Again, through Word, it takes its existence anew. --Magh M.3
By good luck, the Lord consort has become ours. The Endless Song (the Word), resounding everywhere, gives a clue to His Court. --Bilawal M.5
The Word made all the earthly systems. --Gauri M.5
Tulsi Das says:
He is the true saint, who talks about the secret of the Divine Word (the Eternal Song). Having scrutinised the Unknowable and the Unthinkable. He has realised the Bani (the Eternal Song).
