God Being Nirgun and Sargun
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ਆਪੇ ਪੇਡੁ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੀ ਸਾਖ ॥ਅਪਨੀ ਖੇਤੀ ਆਪੇ ਰਾਖ ॥੧॥ਜਤ ਕਤ ਪੇਖਉ ਏਕੈ ਓਹੀ ॥ਘਟ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ਆਪੇ ਸੂਰੁ ਕਿਰਣਿ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥ਸੋਈ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਸੋਈ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥੨॥ਸਰਗੁਣ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਥਾਪੈ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਦੁਹ ਮਿਲਿ ਏਕੈ ਕੀਨੋ ਠਾਉ ॥੩॥ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਿ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਭਉ ਖੋਇਆ ॥ਅਨਦ ਰੂਪੁ ਸਭੁ ਨੈਨ ਅਲੋਇਆ ॥੪॥੧੭॥੬੮॥
Āpe ped bisthārī sākẖ. Apnī kẖeṯī āpe rākẖ. ||1|| Jaṯ kaṯ pekẖa▫o ekai ohī. Gẖat gẖat anṯar āpe so▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o. Āpe sūr kiraṇ bisthār. So▫ī gupaṯ so▫ī ākār. ||2|| Sarguṇ nirguṇ thāpai nā▫o. Ḏuh mil ekai kīno ṯẖā▫o. ||3|| Kaho Nānak gur bẖaram bẖa▫o kẖo▫i▫ā. Anaḏ rūp sabẖ nain alo▫i▫ā. ||4||17||68||
Akal Purkh Itself is the tree, and the branches extending out, and preserves Its own crop. ||1|| wherever I look, I see that One Akal Purkh alone. Deep within each and every heart, It Itself is contained. ||1||Pause|| It Itself is the sun, and the rays emanating from it. It is concealed and revealed too. ||2|| It is said to be of the highest attributes, and without attributes. Both converge onto Its single point. ||3|| Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt and fear. With my eyes, I perceive the Akal Purkh, the embodiment of bliss, to be everywhere. ||4||17||68||------Guru Arjan, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 387-18
ਰਾਜਜੋਬਨਪ੍ਰਭਤੂੰਧਨੀ॥ ਤੂੰ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਤੂੰਸਰਗੁਨੀ ॥
Rāj joban parabẖṯūʼn ḏẖanī. Ŧūʼn nirgun ṯūʼn sargunī.
You are present in many physical forms in the Mother Nature and before the creation, Lord was Nirgun (unseen or formless/Nirankar) after creation, God is perceived in physical form in Nature.
-----Guru Arjan, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page 211-7
ਬਾਰਨੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰਨੈ ਲਖ ਬਰੀਆ ॥ਨਾਮੋ ਹੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਅਧਰੀਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਤੁਹੀ ਏਕ ॥ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਕੀ ਤੁਹੀ ਟੇਕ ॥੧॥ਰਾਜ ਜੋਬਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੂੰ ਧਨੀ ॥ਤੂੰ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਤੂੰ ਸਰਗੁਨੀ ॥੨॥ਈਹਾ ਊਹਾ ਤੁਮ ਰਖੇ ॥ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਕੋ ਲਖੇ ॥੩॥ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸੁਜਾਨੁ ॥ਨਾਨਕ ਤਕੀਆ ਤੁਹੀ ਤਾਣੁ ॥੪॥੫॥੧੪੩॥
Bārnai balihārnai lakẖ barī▫ā. Nāmo ho nām sāhib ko parān aḏẖrī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o. Karan
karāvan ṯuhī ek. Jī▫a janṯ kī ṯuhī tek. ||1|| Rāj joban parabẖṯūʼn ḏẖanī. Ŧūʼn nirgun ṯūʼn
sargunī. ||2|| Īhā ūhā ṯum rakẖe. Gur kirpā ṯe ko lakẖe. ||3|| Anṯarjāmī parabẖ sujān.
Nānak ṯakī▫ā ṯuhī ṯāṇ. ||4||5||143||
I am a sacrifice, dedicated hundreds of thousands of times, to my Akal Purkh and Master.
Its Name alone, is the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||You alone are the Doer, the Cause of causes.You are the Support of all beings and creatures. ||1|| O God, You are my power, authority and youth.You are absolute, without attributes, and also related, with the most sublime attributes. ||2|| Here and hereafter, You are my Savior and Protector. By Guru's Grace, some understand You. ||3|| God is All-knowing, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.You are Nanak's strength and support. ||4||5||143|| -----Guru Arjan, Gauri Sukhmani, AGGS, Page, 287-11
ਨਿਰਗੁਣੁਸਰਗੁਣੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੇਰਾ ਕੋਈ ਹੈ ਜੀਉ ਆਣਿ ਮਿਲਾਵੈ ਜੀਉ॥
Nirguṇ sarguṇ har har mėrā ko­ī hai jī­o āṇ milāvai jī­o.
My Eternal Akal Purkh, is absolute and related, unmanifest and manifest; is there anyone who can come and unite me with Him? -----Guru Arjan, Raag Majh, AGGS, Page, 98-2
Q. ਕਹਾ ਤੇ ਆਵੈ ਕਹਾ ਇਹੁ ਜਾਵੈ ਕਹਾ ਇਹੁ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਈ ॥ ਏਸੁ ਸਬਦ ਕਉ ਜੋ ਅਰਥਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਗੁਰ ਤਿਲੁ ਨ ਤਮਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਉ ਤਤੈ ਅਵਿਗਤੈ ਪਾਵੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਗੈ ਪਿਆਰੋ ॥
Kahā ṯe āvai kahā ih jāvai kahā ih rahai samā▫ī. Ės sabaḏ ka▫o jo arthāvai ṯis gur ṯil na ṯamā▫ī. Ki▫o ṯaṯai avigaṯai pāvai gurmukẖ lagai pi▫āro.
Where did we come from? Where are we going? Where will we be absorbed? One who reveals the meaning of this Sabd is the Guru, who has no greed at all. How can one find the essence of the unmanifest reality? How does one become Guru willed, and enshrine love for the Akal Purkh?
A. ਆਪੇ ਸੁਰਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਬੀਚਾਰੋ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਆਵੈ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਜਾਵੈ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਈ ॥ ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਸਾਚੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਗਤਿ ਮਿਤਿ ਸਬਦੇ ਪਾਈ ॥੨੨॥
Āpe surṯā āpe karṯā kaho Nānak bīcẖāro. Hukme āvai hukme jāvai hukme rahai samā▫ī. Pūre gur ṯe sācẖ kamāvai gaṯ miṯ sabḏe pā▫ī. ||22||
Akal Purkh Itself is consciousness, the Creator; share with us, Nanak, your wisdom. By Its Command we come, and by Its Command we go and we merge in absorption. Through the Perfect Guru, live the Truth; through the Word of the Sabd, the state of dignity is attained. ||22||
ਆਦਿ ਕਉ ਬਿਸਮਾਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਕਥੀਅਲੇ ਸੁੰਨ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਵਾਸੁ ਲੀਆ ॥ ਅਕਲਪਤ ਮੁਦ੍ਰਾ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੀਅਲੇ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਅਵਿਗਤਿ ਸਮਾਈਐ ਤਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਸਹਜਿ ਲਹੈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੂਜੀ ਕਾਰ ਨ ਕਰਣੀ ਸੇਵੈ ਸਿਖੁ ਸੁ ਖੋਜਿ ਲਹੈ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਬਿਸਮਾਦੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਜੀਅ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਸਚੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਮੇਟਿ ਨਿਰਾਲਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਾਚੁ ਜੋਗੀ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਈ ॥੨੩॥
Āḏ ka▫o bismāḏ bīcẖār kathī▫ale sunn niranṯar vās lī▫ā. Akalpaṯ muḏrā gur gi▫ān bīcẖārī▫ale gẖat gẖat sācẖā sarab jī▫ā. Gur bacẖnī avigaṯ samā▫ī▫ai ṯaṯ niranjan sahj lahai. Nānak ḏūjī kār na karṇī sevai sikẖ so kẖoj lahai. Hukam bismāḏ hukam pacẖẖāṇai jī▫a jugaṯ sacẖ jāṇai so▫ī. Āp met nirālam hovai anṯar sācẖ jogī kahī▫ai so▫ī. ||23||
We can only express a sense of wonder about the beginning. The absolute abided endlessly deep within It self then. Consider freedom from desire to be the ear-rings of the Guru's spiritual wisdom. The True God, the Soul of all, dwells within each and every heart. Through the Guru's Word, one merges in the absolute, and intuitively receives the immaculate essence. O Nanak, that Sikh who seeks and finds the Way does not serve any other. Wonderful and amazing is Its Command; He alone realizes Its Command and knows the true way of life of Its creatures. One who eradicates his self-conceit becomes free of desire; he alone is a Yogi, who enshrines the True God deep within. ||23||
ਅਵਿਗਤੋ ਨਿਰਮਾਇਲੁ ਉਪਜੇ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਤੇਸਰਗੁਣੁ ਥੀਆ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਰਚੈ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਾਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਮਾਇ ਲੀਆ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਰਚੈ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਾਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਮਾਇ ਲੀਆ ॥ ਏਕੇ ਕਉ ਸਚੁ ਏਕਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੂਜਾ ਦੂਰਿ ਕੀਆ ॥ ਸੋ ਜੋਗੀ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੁ ਥੀਆ ॥ ਸੋ ਜੋਗੀ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੁ ਥੀਆ ॥ ਜੀਵਤੁ ਮਰੈ ਤਾ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੂਝੈ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਸਰਬ ਦਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਾਈ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ॥੨੪॥
Avigaṯo nirmā­il upjė nirguṇṯė sarguṇ thī­ā. Saṯgur parcẖai param paḏ pā▫ī▫ai sācẖai sabaḏ samā▫e lī▫ā. Ėke ka▫o sacẖ ekā jāṇai ha▫umai ḏūjā ḏūr kī▫ā. So jogī gur sabaḏ pacẖẖāṇai anṯar kamal pargās thī▫ā. Jīvaṯ marai ṯā sabẖ kicẖẖ sūjẖai anṯar jāṇai sarab ḏa▫i▫ā. Nānak ṯā ka▫o milai vadā▫ī āp pacẖẖāṇai sarab jī▫ā. ||24||
From Its state of absolute existence, God assumed the immaculate form; from formless, It assumed the supreme form. By pleasing the True Guru, the supreme status is obtained, and one is absorbed in the True Word of the Sabd. He knows the True Akal Purkh as the One and only; he sends his egotism and duality far away. He alone is a Yogi, who realizes the Word of the Guru's Sabd; the lotus of the heart blossoms forth within. If one remains dead while yet alive, then he understands everything; he knows the Akal Purkh deep within himself, who is kind and compassionate to all. O Nanak, he is blessed with glorious greatness; he realizes himself in all beings. ||24|| -----Guru Nanak, Raag Ramkali Sidh Gost, AGGS, Page, 940-14
It explains the situations clearly that an individual does not have to live in a land of fantasy. Moral life cannot be lived in aloofness. Tranquility that comes through understanding and intellectual grasp of Truth is mental. God as such is indefinable but the best way it could be described is in the Mool Manter of Sikh Japji by Guru Nanak.
ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਕਰਤਾਸਰਗੁਨ ਕਰਤਾ ॥
Nirgun karṯā sargun karṯā.
The Creator is absolute and without qualities; the Creator is related, with the most excellent qualities. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Gond, AGGS, Page, 862-6
ਈਘੈ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਊਘੈਸਰਗੁਨ ਕੇਲ ਕਰਤ ਬਿਚਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਮੇਰਾ ॥
Īgẖai nirgun ūgẖai sargun kėl karaṯ bicẖ su­āmī mėrā.
In this world, You are the absolute, formless Akal Purkh; in the world hereafter, You are the related of form of Akal Purkh. You play it both ways, O my God and Master.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 827-16
ਅਨਿਕ ਰੰਗਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਇਕ ਰੰਗਾ ॥
Anik rang nirgun ik rangā.
It manifests in many forms, while still unmanifest and absolute, and yet It has One Form.-----Guru Arjan, Raag Bilawal, AGGS, Page, 803-12
ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਹਰੀਆਸਰਗੁਨ ਧਰੀਆ ਅਨਿਕ ਕੋਠਰੀਆ ਭਿੰਨ ਭਿੰਨ ਭਿੰਨ ਭਿਨ ਕਰੀਆ॥
Nirgun harī­ā sargun ḏẖarī­ā anik kẖoṯẖrī­ā bẖinn bẖinn bẖinn bẖin karī­ā.
The Akal Purkh is absolute and unmanifest; It has assumed the most sublime manifestation. It has fashioned countless body chambers of many, varied, different, myriad forms. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Suhi, AGGS, Page, 746-4
ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ॥
Jab nirgun parabẖ sahj subẖā­ė.
When God was without attributes and in absolute poise. -----Guru Arjasn, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 291-3
ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਆਕਾਰ ਆਪਿਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਸਰਗੁਨ ਏਕ ॥
Nirankār ākār āp nirgun sargun ėk.
It Itself is formless, and also formed; the One Akal Purkh is without attributes, and also with attributes.
ਭਿੰਨ ਭਿੰਨ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੰ ॥ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਤੇ ਸਰਗੁਨ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਾਰੰ ॥
Bẖinn bẖinn ṯarai guṇ bisthāraʼn. Nirgun ṯė sargun ḏaristāraʼn.
God created the diverse expanse of the three qualities. From formless, It appeared in form. -----Guru Arjan, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 250-11&13
ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥
Sargun nirgun nirankār sunn samāḏẖī āp.
It possesses all qualities; It transcends all qualities; It is the Formless God and is in Primal Trance.-----Guru Arjan, Gauri Sukhmani, AGGS, Page, 290-16
ਤੇਰੀਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਕਥਾ ਕਾਇ ਸਿਉ ਕਹੀਐ ਐਸਾ ਕੋਇ ਬਿਬੇਕੀ॥
Ŧėrī nirgun kathā kā­ė si­o kahī­ai aisā ko­ė bibėkī.
Unto whom should I speak Your speech, O God; it is beyond the three qualities. Is there anyone with such discerning wisdom?-----Bhagat Kabir, Raag Gauri Bairagan, AGGS, Page, 333-6
ਸੋਈ ਬਸਿ ਰਸਿ ਮਨ ਮਿਲੇ ਗੁਨਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਏਕ ਬਿਚਾਰ ॥
So­ī bas ras man milė gun nirgun ėk bicẖār.
The mind is restrained, and one attains joy, contemplating the One God, who is both with and without qualities.-----Bhagat Ravidas, Raag Gauri Bairagan, AGGS, Page, 346-17
Sikhs strictly believe that there is One God, who is Nirgun (transcendent) and Sargun (immanent). It also pervades Its creation and is omnipresent, but can never be incarnate. The principal Sikh belief puts stress upon one's actions rather than people's religious labels or outward signs. While being absolute and beyond human comprehension, God can be realised and experienced through contemplation, deliberation, reflection, and service. The object of a Sikh’s life is to develop God consciousness and ultimately to receive God’s grace. Life presents the opportunity to do so through truthful living and selfless service in the context of a family life.
Virinder
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