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My Understanding:1st Pauri:5th Ashtapadee: Sukhmani Sahib

Amarpal

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Jun 11, 2004
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Dear Khalsa Ji,
I share with you all, my understanding of the 1st Pauri of 5th Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib. Please note that the English sentence after the Transliteration is not the exact literal translation of the sentence, it is the meaning of the tuk as understood by me.
First the summary:
In this Ashtapadee, Guru Sahib conveys to us, our self-centered way of thinking and lack of gratitude for what we have received from ‘The Sat’. The ego of such a person becomes so excessive that when the person does not get what she or he wants, it forsakes ‘The Sat’. In other words the ego driven person expects ‘The Sat’ to obey its dictates. Guru Sahib tells us that the “Will if The Sat’ cannot be bent, its Hukam is absolute.
1. ds bsqU ly pwCY pwvY ] das bastoo lay paachhai paavai.
The ten items that the person had received he puts behind him.

My understanding:
Guru Sahib explains that the person receives number of items due to the blessing and grace of ‘The Sat’ which she or he thinks that they naturally are her or his. Little the person realizes that there is a significant element of the help and blessing in what the person has achieved – tangible and intangible entities. But for this participation of ‘The Sat’ the person would not have got what is in its possession. The ego in the person makes the person to take full credit from the success. The person also tends to consider that acquisition to be natural consequence of her or his efforts alone.
2. eyk bsqu kwrin ibKoit gvwvY ] ayk basat kaaran bikhot gavaavai.
For the sake of one thing withheld, he loses his faith.

My understanding:
Here Guru Sahib conveys the frame of mind of the person whose ego has become so strong that the person starts expecting obedience from ‘The Sat’. What the person demands from ‘The Sat’ in prayers, she or he expect ‘The Sat’ to fulfill it. If this does not happen the person starts saying that there is no God – the person looses his faith in ‘The Sat. Here the person thinks ‘The Sat’ to be an accessory that should do as asked. The person in her or his arrogance, under the influence of Ahamkara, fails to perceive ‘The Sat’ as the source of all what she or he has acquired; such a person and considers ‘The Sat’ as a resource to be tapped at will.
3. eyk BI n dyie ds BI ihir lyie ] ayk bhee na day-ay das bhee hir lay-ay.
if that one thing (that was not given) is not given, and the ten (that were given) were taken away?

4 qau mUVw khu khw kryie ] ta-o moorhaa kaho kahaa karay-i.
Then, what could the fool say or do?

My understanding:
In the above two Tuks, Guru Sahib conveys to us how much we are dependent on the Kirpa of ‘The Sat’. Guru Sahib tells us that we keep lamenting on what has not reach us thought we have been seeking. Guru Sahib wants us to imagine if all that ‘The Sat’ has given us is taken back what will be our position. This Guru Sahib has conveyed to us the importance of ‘Contentment’ (Santosh) with what we have and a deep sense of ‘Gratitude’(Aabhar) towards who has given what we have – ‘The Sat’.
5. ijsu Twkur isau nwhI cwrw ] jis thaakur si-o naahee chaaraa.
The ‘Supreme Doer’ without whom nothing is possible.

6. qw kau kIjY sd nmskwrw ] taa ka-o keejai sad namaskaaraa.
To this ‘Supreme doer always bow with deep sense of reverence.

My understanding:
Guru Sahib asks his disciples to live their life in a wakeful state and with full mental alertness. Guru Sahib wants us to see, understand and realize that what we are, is all because of ‘The Sat’, what comes to us as a result of our efforts is because of ‘The Sat’. With so much that we have received and are likely to received, it should be our nature to feel grateful and bow in reverence to this ‘Karta Purakh’.
7. jw kY min lwgw pRBu mITw ] jaa kai man laagaa parabh meethaa.
That person, in who’s mind the love and reverence for ‘The Sat’ arises.

8. srb sUK qwhU min vUTw ] sarab sookh taahoo man voothaa.
all joys fill the mind of such person.

My understanding:
Guru Sahib is speaking here about the person who has become a Gurmukh. Gurmukh is a person whose being resonates with the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. The thinking, speech and actions of such persons reflect what is said in Siri Guru Granth Sahib; such person becomes a living embodiment of the Shabad. This is a Satvika person, who lives in this world without getting attached to any entity. This person has shed his ego centric life. Such person lives in this world fully. Such a person has no craving for any pleasure, she or he does not move around looking for them. Living in this world on self earned income through honest labour (Kirt), the person enjoys the entities that come his way; pleasures are not forbidden for him. Such a person does not run after the objects of sense gratification, nor do such person lives on memory of past enjoyment. This person is like a mirror, which reflects what come is in front of it, and does not keep any impression of what has past. Such person is fully contended person, living in blissful ascendancy in complete harmony with him and the surroundings.
Such person knows all that is in her or his life is the blessing of ‘The Sat’; the person owns nothing, naturally is filled with the gratitude and reverence. For a person living her or his life fully, in absence of any sorrow or want what is left in mind is only joy and joy only. That is why Guru Sahib has said that the mind of such a person is filled with joy.
9. ijsu jn Apnw hukmu mnwieAw ] jis jan apnaa hukam manaa-i-aa.
One who abides by the Lord's Will,

10. srb Qok nwnk iqin pwieAw ]1] sarab thok naanak tin paa-i-aa. ||1||
O Nanak, obtains all .||1||

My understanding:
As I understand, the person who has reached this high level of spirituality acquires the strength of brain (will) to give full and complete effect to her or his thoughts. This is because such a person is able to harness all the power that nature has packed into brain. The conscious and the subconscious (deeper layers of brain, which in my understanding have direct link with forces on nature) work in harmony to realize the intent of the thought. Further more the person at this level will not be seeking any thing for himself, she or he in instrument of ‘The Sat’ working for the common good of all without even having any thought of violating the ways of ‘The Sat’ i.e. (Living within Hukam). This person can realize whatever its thoughts intend. This is what Guru Sahib has said in these two sentences.
With this I close my post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
 

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