Dear Members,
In this post, I share with you all, my understanding of 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th Pauri of Japji Sahib.
I have taken these four Pauris together because all of these basically talk about mMny or mMnY
The sentences of these Pauris are given serial number of easy reference, if needed.
Guru Sahib says:
1. mMny kI giq khI n jwie ] mannay kee gat kahee na jaa-ay.
The state of those who are intrinsically spiritual cannot be described.
Discussion:
I had problem in understanding what Guru Sahib meant by this sentence. The problem came from the word mMny or mMnY.
The English words that are used for these two words of Gurmukhi in the published literature on Siri Guru Granth Sahib are: faithful, obeyer, believer, and true believer. All these words apply to the individual who belong to this world. Their state i.e. giq can be described; the physical, mental, psychological, behavioral, DNA, medical and bio-chemical attributes can be described. As a result, the question that comes to my mind, why have Guru Sahib have said that the state of this mMny or mMnY cannot be described. Guru Sahib cannot be wrong, my understanding can be wrong. After pondering over this issue, I realised that only if we do not have words to describe the state, then only this difficulty, which Guru Sahib has pointed out, can arise. Such a situation can arise only if the individual does not belong to the world for which we have all the words. We have words for the material world; we do not have words for the world beyond. This clue tells me that mMny or mMnY is probably refers to the individual who physically live in this world but really has crossed it and belongs to the ‘spiritual world’. The actions of mMny or mMnY are not stemming from any desire or emotion. Her/his actions are coming from the spirituality within her/him. This individual mMny or mMnY is intrinsically spiritual, her/ his spirituality does not come from any external source it is all from within.
Such an individual has realise the ‘Sat’, but has no words to convey to the world what that realisation is. To me, this is what Guru Sahib meant when he said that the state of mMny couldn’t be described.
This understanding forms my basis to use the term ‘intrinsically spiritual’ to mean mMny or mMnY in the English translation.
2. jy ko khY ipCY pCuqwie ] jay ko kahai pichhai pachhutaa-ay.
The individual who tries to describe this state shall regret the attempt.
Discussion:
As evident from the discussion on Sentence # 1, we do not have words to describe the state of intrinsically spiritual person. After all, the words exist for items in common knowledge and those, which constitute common experience of a perception, feeling etc. The experience of ‘Sat’ falls in none of these two classes. So if some one tries to explain this experience she/he will have to depend on words, whatever will be described will be very approximate, as words cannot exactly reflect what the individual wants to convey. In addition the same word has different meaning to different individuals, what is said by one can mean something different to different individuals; this can lead to further distortion in what the individual describing the experience meant. Naturally, the individual who has attempted to describe will regret when she/he finds a wide gap in what she/he wanted to convey and what do different individuals have understood.
This is what is my understanding of what Guru Sahib wanted to convey through this sentence.
3. kwgid klm n ilKxhwru ] kaagad kalam na likhanhaar.
There is no paper, no pen, and no scribe to describe.
4. mMny kw bih krin vIcwru ] mannay kaa bahi karan veechaar.
The record of the state of individual who are intrinsically spiritual can only be a subject of thinking.
5. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is. (Please note I have used the word Sat for Naam).
Discussion:
Guru Sahib has used the word ‘Satnaam’ in the Mool Mantra. It is understood to mean that the ‘One’ is true, or truth is ‘One’ name or something similar. My understanding is different, which I elaborate below.
‘Sat’ means the ultimate, which remains when every thing disappear; it is the source and repository of all. What this ‘Sat’ really is only those who had realised know it; it is not in common knowledge.
There is no specific name that can be given to this entity. Any attempt to do so will restrict it to the confines that the word implies. Any name given will confer its attributes to this ‘Sat’, which tends to pollute it. The limitless cannot be confined in the meaning of any word.
To me it appears, it is for this above mentioned reason Guru Sahib has not given any specific name to this ‘Sat’; he has left his name to be known as ‘Naam’ only; this word does not confine or give any attribute to ‘Sat’.
When I use the word ‘Naam,’ to me it implies ‘Sat’. For me ‘Sat’ is ‘Naam’ and ‘Naam’ implies ‘Sat’. For this reason, I have used the word ‘Sat’ in the English translation for the word nwmu i.e. Naam.
6. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]12] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||12||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual (who have realised ‘Sat’) alone can know it.
7. mMnY suriq hovY min buiD ] mannai surat hovai man buDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have an awareness of the enlightened.
8. mMnY sgl Bvx kI suiD ] mannai sagal bhavan kee suDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have the alertness for all that is around.
9. mMnY muih cotw nw Kwie ] mannai muhi chotaa naa khaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual will not be struck on the face.
Discussion:
The conduct of the intrinsically spiritual person will be such that no one will ever try to hurt this individual. Even if some one tries, it will not mean any thing to the intrinsically spiritual person.
10. mMnY jm kY swiQ n jwie ] mannai jam kai saath na jaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not go with Yama the messenger of death.
Discussion:
If the literal translation is to taken as true, then those individuals should be living with us now; we see none from the past. It means our understanding has to be corrected.
To learn what Guru Sahib meant, we have to concentrate on two words: (i) Death and (ii) Yama.
Every time we sleep, during the period of sleep, in a way, we are dead. Yet we do not fear sleep because we know that in all probability we will get up again. Death is one-way event. We have attachments in this world we fear the loss, we do not want to die. Though death is a certain event, it was known the moment some one is born; yet no one prepares for it. It is the fear associate with this even that makes it so dreadful.
Yama is a mythological entity. To me it is just an artistic depiction of the fear of death; the figure is not real.
To me, it appears, that Guru Sahib is telling us that the intrinsically spiritual figure is prepared for her/his death; this individual has no fear of death. As there is no fear, there cannot be Yama. It is for this reason Guru Sahib has said that mMnY jm kY swiQ n jwie ]
11. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
12. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]13] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||13||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual alone can know it.
13. mMnY mwrig Twk n pwie ] mannai maarag thaak na paa-ay.
The path of those who are intrinsically spiritual shall never be blocked.
14. mMnY piq isau prgtu jwie ] mannai pat si-o pargat jaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have totally transparent lives. (Meaning that they have nothing to hide).
15. mMnY mgu n clY pMQu ] mannai mag na chalai panth.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not follow rituals.
Discussion:
As ‘Karta Purakh’ is nirakaar, rituals have no meaning to it. The intrinsically spiritual persons, who has realised the ‘Sat’ knows it and hence does not practice the rituals. Such individual has elevated herself/himself much above the worldly acts, including religious rituals.
16. mMnY Drm syqI snbMDu ] mannai Dharam saytee san-banDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual follow their Dharma.
17. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
18. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]14] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||14||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual alone can know it.
19. mMnY pwvih moKu duAwru ] mannai paavahi mokh du-aar.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual qualify for the ultimate liberation.
20. mMnY prvwrY swDwru ] mannai parvaarai saaDhaar.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual influence the people around them and which elevates them too.
21. mMnY qrY qwry guru isK ] mannai tarai taaray gur sikh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual help others to put them on the path of spiritual evolution.
22. mMnY nwnk Bvih n iBK ] mannai naanak bhavahi na bhikh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not go round seeking support from others for their own sustenance.
Discussion:
Begging by religious people was a practice in some religions. Guru Sahib is saying that those who are intrinsically spiritual do not depend on others.
23. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
24. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]15] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||15||
Those who are intrinsically spiritual qualify for the ultimate liberation.
With this I close this posting. Please help me to deepen my understanding.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal
In this post, I share with you all, my understanding of 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th Pauri of Japji Sahib.
I have taken these four Pauris together because all of these basically talk about mMny or mMnY
The sentences of these Pauris are given serial number of easy reference, if needed.
Guru Sahib says:
1. mMny kI giq khI n jwie ] mannay kee gat kahee na jaa-ay.
The state of those who are intrinsically spiritual cannot be described.
Discussion:
I had problem in understanding what Guru Sahib meant by this sentence. The problem came from the word mMny or mMnY.
The English words that are used for these two words of Gurmukhi in the published literature on Siri Guru Granth Sahib are: faithful, obeyer, believer, and true believer. All these words apply to the individual who belong to this world. Their state i.e. giq can be described; the physical, mental, psychological, behavioral, DNA, medical and bio-chemical attributes can be described. As a result, the question that comes to my mind, why have Guru Sahib have said that the state of this mMny or mMnY cannot be described. Guru Sahib cannot be wrong, my understanding can be wrong. After pondering over this issue, I realised that only if we do not have words to describe the state, then only this difficulty, which Guru Sahib has pointed out, can arise. Such a situation can arise only if the individual does not belong to the world for which we have all the words. We have words for the material world; we do not have words for the world beyond. This clue tells me that mMny or mMnY is probably refers to the individual who physically live in this world but really has crossed it and belongs to the ‘spiritual world’. The actions of mMny or mMnY are not stemming from any desire or emotion. Her/his actions are coming from the spirituality within her/him. This individual mMny or mMnY is intrinsically spiritual, her/ his spirituality does not come from any external source it is all from within.
Such an individual has realise the ‘Sat’, but has no words to convey to the world what that realisation is. To me, this is what Guru Sahib meant when he said that the state of mMny couldn’t be described.
This understanding forms my basis to use the term ‘intrinsically spiritual’ to mean mMny or mMnY in the English translation.
2. jy ko khY ipCY pCuqwie ] jay ko kahai pichhai pachhutaa-ay.
The individual who tries to describe this state shall regret the attempt.
Discussion:
As evident from the discussion on Sentence # 1, we do not have words to describe the state of intrinsically spiritual person. After all, the words exist for items in common knowledge and those, which constitute common experience of a perception, feeling etc. The experience of ‘Sat’ falls in none of these two classes. So if some one tries to explain this experience she/he will have to depend on words, whatever will be described will be very approximate, as words cannot exactly reflect what the individual wants to convey. In addition the same word has different meaning to different individuals, what is said by one can mean something different to different individuals; this can lead to further distortion in what the individual describing the experience meant. Naturally, the individual who has attempted to describe will regret when she/he finds a wide gap in what she/he wanted to convey and what do different individuals have understood.
This is what is my understanding of what Guru Sahib wanted to convey through this sentence.
3. kwgid klm n ilKxhwru ] kaagad kalam na likhanhaar.
There is no paper, no pen, and no scribe to describe.
4. mMny kw bih krin vIcwru ] mannay kaa bahi karan veechaar.
The record of the state of individual who are intrinsically spiritual can only be a subject of thinking.
5. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is. (Please note I have used the word Sat for Naam).
Discussion:
Guru Sahib has used the word ‘Satnaam’ in the Mool Mantra. It is understood to mean that the ‘One’ is true, or truth is ‘One’ name or something similar. My understanding is different, which I elaborate below.
‘Sat’ means the ultimate, which remains when every thing disappear; it is the source and repository of all. What this ‘Sat’ really is only those who had realised know it; it is not in common knowledge.
There is no specific name that can be given to this entity. Any attempt to do so will restrict it to the confines that the word implies. Any name given will confer its attributes to this ‘Sat’, which tends to pollute it. The limitless cannot be confined in the meaning of any word.
To me it appears, it is for this above mentioned reason Guru Sahib has not given any specific name to this ‘Sat’; he has left his name to be known as ‘Naam’ only; this word does not confine or give any attribute to ‘Sat’.
When I use the word ‘Naam,’ to me it implies ‘Sat’. For me ‘Sat’ is ‘Naam’ and ‘Naam’ implies ‘Sat’. For this reason, I have used the word ‘Sat’ in the English translation for the word nwmu i.e. Naam.
6. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]12] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||12||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual (who have realised ‘Sat’) alone can know it.
7. mMnY suriq hovY min buiD ] mannai surat hovai man buDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have an awareness of the enlightened.
8. mMnY sgl Bvx kI suiD ] mannai sagal bhavan kee suDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have the alertness for all that is around.
9. mMnY muih cotw nw Kwie ] mannai muhi chotaa naa khaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual will not be struck on the face.
Discussion:
The conduct of the intrinsically spiritual person will be such that no one will ever try to hurt this individual. Even if some one tries, it will not mean any thing to the intrinsically spiritual person.
10. mMnY jm kY swiQ n jwie ] mannai jam kai saath na jaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not go with Yama the messenger of death.
Discussion:
If the literal translation is to taken as true, then those individuals should be living with us now; we see none from the past. It means our understanding has to be corrected.
To learn what Guru Sahib meant, we have to concentrate on two words: (i) Death and (ii) Yama.
Every time we sleep, during the period of sleep, in a way, we are dead. Yet we do not fear sleep because we know that in all probability we will get up again. Death is one-way event. We have attachments in this world we fear the loss, we do not want to die. Though death is a certain event, it was known the moment some one is born; yet no one prepares for it. It is the fear associate with this even that makes it so dreadful.
Yama is a mythological entity. To me it is just an artistic depiction of the fear of death; the figure is not real.
To me, it appears, that Guru Sahib is telling us that the intrinsically spiritual figure is prepared for her/his death; this individual has no fear of death. As there is no fear, there cannot be Yama. It is for this reason Guru Sahib has said that mMnY jm kY swiQ n jwie ]
11. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
12. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]13] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||13||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual alone can know it.
13. mMnY mwrig Twk n pwie ] mannai maarag thaak na paa-ay.
The path of those who are intrinsically spiritual shall never be blocked.
14. mMnY piq isau prgtu jwie ] mannai pat si-o pargat jaa-ay.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual have totally transparent lives. (Meaning that they have nothing to hide).
15. mMnY mgu n clY pMQu ] mannai mag na chalai panth.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not follow rituals.
Discussion:
As ‘Karta Purakh’ is nirakaar, rituals have no meaning to it. The intrinsically spiritual persons, who has realised the ‘Sat’ knows it and hence does not practice the rituals. Such individual has elevated herself/himself much above the worldly acts, including religious rituals.
16. mMnY Drm syqI snbMDu ] mannai Dharam saytee san-banDh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual follow their Dharma.
17. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
18. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]14] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||14||
Only those who are intrinsically spiritual alone can know it.
19. mMnY pwvih moKu duAwru ] mannai paavahi mokh du-aar.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual qualify for the ultimate liberation.
20. mMnY prvwrY swDwru ] mannai parvaarai saaDhaar.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual influence the people around them and which elevates them too.
21. mMnY qrY qwry guru isK ] mannai tarai taaray gur sikh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual help others to put them on the path of spiritual evolution.
22. mMnY nwnk Bvih n iBK ] mannai naanak bhavahi na bhikh.
Those who are intrinsically spiritual do not go round seeking support from others for their own sustenance.
Discussion:
Begging by religious people was a practice in some religions. Guru Sahib is saying that those who are intrinsically spiritual do not depend on others.
23. AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] aisaa naam niranjan ho-ay.
So immaculate the ‘Sat’ is.
24. jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]15] jay ko man jaanai man ko-ay. ||15||
Those who are intrinsically spiritual qualify for the ultimate liberation.
With this I close this posting. Please help me to deepen my understanding.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal
