Dear Khalsa Ji,
I share with you all, my understanding of the 3rd 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:
Guru Sahib brings to our notice the nature of Maya once again. He explains what Maya is and asks us not to be under its spell.
1. Aink Bwiq mwieAw ky hyq ] srpr hovq jwnu Anyq ] anik bhaat maa-i-aa kay hayt. sarpar hovat jaan anayt.
There are many types of Maya, they all cast transitory spell. Eventually they pass over.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us in this Tuk that Maya appears in our life in many forms. By very nature Maya is impermanent it tries to cast its spell and then disappear. I have already explained, in one of my past post as to why and how I consider colour is nature as Maya. In this Tuk, I will share with you why I consider our sense of smell as Maya.
The molecule of any compound vibrates. This vibration is sensed by the neurons located in the nose. These sensed vibrations are then coded into electrical signals and transmitted to the brain for further processing. Brain processes the signal and creates a sensation which we call smell. This way the smell is creation of the brain and not of the world of materials. It is our make shift arrangement to make sense of what is around us. Smell may not be the natural attributes of the molecule, vibration is. This way what we experience (smell) is not true and what is true we cannot sense; this is Maya. With this rational I say that our sense of smell is Maya as it is not true nature of matter.
(Now scientific understanding has reached a level where by knowing the structure of the molecule and its size, it is possible to say how they will smell. This knowledge is now being used to create molecules that and not part of present day’s natural world and will become part of the cosmetic industry).
When Guru Sahib says that these are many forms of Maya, he is saying so with deep knowledge about the creation which science is now discovering.
2. ibrK kI CwieAw isau rMgu lwvY ] birakh kee chhaa-i-aa si-o rang laavai.
People get attached to the shade of the tree,
3. Eh ibnsY auhu min pCuqwvY ] oh binsai uho man pachhutaavai.
Its absence they regret.
My understanding:
The communicator par excellence as our Guru Sahibs were, they have used the example of shade of the tree to explain the fact to their simple audience.
While resting in shade under a tree in otherwise harsh sunny environment, we have to keep change our place as the shade of the tree moves with the position of the sun; this signifies the transitory nature of the comfort; to avail it one has to dance to its tune, keep running after it. The shade of the tree gives us comfort. We get used to it and when ever we are unable to find proper shady tree we feel very uncomfortable; this is attachment – an attachment to what is essentially Maya.
4. jo dIsY so cwlnhwru ] jo deesai so chaalanhaar.
All that is visible will keep changing.
5. lpit rihE qh AMD AMDwru ] lapat rahi-o tah anDh anDhaar.
Yet people cling to it, even the lowest of the lowly perceivers.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells that every thing, every aspect in this world is dynamic; it keeps changing. Yet this Maya entices each and every one, even those who are barely able to have a glimpse of it.
As I understand the memory does the trick. The pleasure that the past experience that the Maya gave keeps the person in perpetual desire to experience it again and again and again i.e. the person clings to it and thus remains attached to it.
6. btwaU isau jo lwvY nyh ] bataa-oo si-o jo laavai nayh.
One gets attached to a passing phenomenon
7. qw kau hwiQ n AwvY kyh ] taa ka-o haath na aavai kayh.
Nothing shall come into her hands of the person.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib again explain using commonly understandable facts that if the person gets attached to a passing traveler, nothing will be gain from it because the traveler will stay there for a while and then leave for ever. The person who gets attached will then only suffer the pangs of separation.
In this way Guru Sahib conveys to us that nothing is permanent in this world; never get attached to worldly entities – material or sensual.
8. mn hir ky nwm kI pRIiq suKdweI ] man har kay naam kee pareet sukh-daa-ee.
O my-self, the love for ‘The Sat’ is joyful.
9. kir ikrpw nwnk Awip ley lweI ]3] kar kirpaa naanak aap la-ay laa-ee. ||3||
May the blessing be there and Nanak resonates with ‘The Sat’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib concludes that the love for ‘The Sat’ is joyful as it is permanent; there is no feeling of alienation or separation; there is no sorrow any where. ‘The Sat’ never changes it was and is and will remain the same for ever. Once the person gets wedded to ‘Naam’, its being becomes such that the worldly entities which the person lives with do not leave any impression on her or him. The person becomes like a mirror, as tong as the entity remains in its front it reflects the image, the moment the entity moves away the mirror becomes blank with no remembrances of past to haunt. In the same way the divines in this world live and consume to sustain life, what we called worldly, that come their way, yet none of them leave any impression on them the memories of which can haunt them. They never run after or seek any of these worldly entities. That is why they are compare with mirror.
Guru Sahib seeks this blessing from ‘The Sat’ for all of us.
With this I close the post
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
I share with you all, my understanding of the 3rd 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:
Guru Sahib brings to our notice the nature of Maya once again. He explains what Maya is and asks us not to be under its spell.
1. Aink Bwiq mwieAw ky hyq ] srpr hovq jwnu Anyq ] anik bhaat maa-i-aa kay hayt. sarpar hovat jaan anayt.
There are many types of Maya, they all cast transitory spell. Eventually they pass over.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us in this Tuk that Maya appears in our life in many forms. By very nature Maya is impermanent it tries to cast its spell and then disappear. I have already explained, in one of my past post as to why and how I consider colour is nature as Maya. In this Tuk, I will share with you why I consider our sense of smell as Maya.
The molecule of any compound vibrates. This vibration is sensed by the neurons located in the nose. These sensed vibrations are then coded into electrical signals and transmitted to the brain for further processing. Brain processes the signal and creates a sensation which we call smell. This way the smell is creation of the brain and not of the world of materials. It is our make shift arrangement to make sense of what is around us. Smell may not be the natural attributes of the molecule, vibration is. This way what we experience (smell) is not true and what is true we cannot sense; this is Maya. With this rational I say that our sense of smell is Maya as it is not true nature of matter.
(Now scientific understanding has reached a level where by knowing the structure of the molecule and its size, it is possible to say how they will smell. This knowledge is now being used to create molecules that and not part of present day’s natural world and will become part of the cosmetic industry).
When Guru Sahib says that these are many forms of Maya, he is saying so with deep knowledge about the creation which science is now discovering.
2. ibrK kI CwieAw isau rMgu lwvY ] birakh kee chhaa-i-aa si-o rang laavai.
People get attached to the shade of the tree,
3. Eh ibnsY auhu min pCuqwvY ] oh binsai uho man pachhutaavai.
Its absence they regret.
My understanding:
The communicator par excellence as our Guru Sahibs were, they have used the example of shade of the tree to explain the fact to their simple audience.
While resting in shade under a tree in otherwise harsh sunny environment, we have to keep change our place as the shade of the tree moves with the position of the sun; this signifies the transitory nature of the comfort; to avail it one has to dance to its tune, keep running after it. The shade of the tree gives us comfort. We get used to it and when ever we are unable to find proper shady tree we feel very uncomfortable; this is attachment – an attachment to what is essentially Maya.
4. jo dIsY so cwlnhwru ] jo deesai so chaalanhaar.
All that is visible will keep changing.
5. lpit rihE qh AMD AMDwru ] lapat rahi-o tah anDh anDhaar.
Yet people cling to it, even the lowest of the lowly perceivers.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells that every thing, every aspect in this world is dynamic; it keeps changing. Yet this Maya entices each and every one, even those who are barely able to have a glimpse of it.
As I understand the memory does the trick. The pleasure that the past experience that the Maya gave keeps the person in perpetual desire to experience it again and again and again i.e. the person clings to it and thus remains attached to it.
6. btwaU isau jo lwvY nyh ] bataa-oo si-o jo laavai nayh.
One gets attached to a passing phenomenon
7. qw kau hwiQ n AwvY kyh ] taa ka-o haath na aavai kayh.
Nothing shall come into her hands of the person.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib again explain using commonly understandable facts that if the person gets attached to a passing traveler, nothing will be gain from it because the traveler will stay there for a while and then leave for ever. The person who gets attached will then only suffer the pangs of separation.
In this way Guru Sahib conveys to us that nothing is permanent in this world; never get attached to worldly entities – material or sensual.
8. mn hir ky nwm kI pRIiq suKdweI ] man har kay naam kee pareet sukh-daa-ee.
O my-self, the love for ‘The Sat’ is joyful.
9. kir ikrpw nwnk Awip ley lweI ]3] kar kirpaa naanak aap la-ay laa-ee. ||3||
May the blessing be there and Nanak resonates with ‘The Sat’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib concludes that the love for ‘The Sat’ is joyful as it is permanent; there is no feeling of alienation or separation; there is no sorrow any where. ‘The Sat’ never changes it was and is and will remain the same for ever. Once the person gets wedded to ‘Naam’, its being becomes such that the worldly entities which the person lives with do not leave any impression on her or him. The person becomes like a mirror, as tong as the entity remains in its front it reflects the image, the moment the entity moves away the mirror becomes blank with no remembrances of past to haunt. In the same way the divines in this world live and consume to sustain life, what we called worldly, that come their way, yet none of them leave any impression on them the memories of which can haunt them. They never run after or seek any of these worldly entities. That is why they are compare with mirror.
Guru Sahib seeks this blessing from ‘The Sat’ for all of us.
With this I close the post
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
