- Jan 3, 2010
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Sidh Gosht Questions and Answers in brief
Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal
IntroductionDr Dalvinder Singh Grewal
Siddhas are in assembly in Yogic postures. As Guru Nanak reaches them, they ask him to salute them. Guru Nanak offers salutation; not to those bodily forms but to the True Infinite Beautiful God. He is ready to offer his head body and mind to Him. Siddhas start asking questions and Guru Nanak goes on answering; comparing Siddhas’ thought process with his own, step by step, systematically, logically and appropriately; in the language of the Siddhas (Sadhukdi or Sadh Bhakha).
Questions about Guru Nanak’s background
Q1. “Who are you?
Ans 1: I am ever an obeyer of God’s order.
Q2What is your name?”
Ans 2.I am Nanak
Q3. Where is your sect?
Ans 3:I walk in the True Guru’s will and this is my sect.
Q4: What is the aim of your life?
Ans4:: My aim of life is to understand and attain God.
Q5. Where is your seat. (dera)
Ans5: My seat is in God’s home.
Q6: Where is your abode?
Ans 6: My abode is in God.
Q7. Where did you come from?
Ans 7: I came from God.
Q8: Where are you going?
Ans 8: I shall go where God orders me to go according to His Will..
Q 9. What is your way? What is your path?” What is your goal?
Ans 9. I walk in harmony with the Will of God. I remain forever under the command of His Will. I sit in the posture of the eternal, imperishable Lord. These are the Teachings I have received from the Guru. As Gurmukh, I have come to understand and realize myself; I merge in the Truest of the True.
Questions about salvation
Q10. “The world-ocean is treacherous and impassable; how can one cross over?
Ans10: The lotus flower floats untouched upon the surface of the water, and the duck swims through the stream; with one’s consciousness focused on the Word of the Shabad, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. Chanting God’s Name, enshring the One Lord in my mind, remaining unaffected by desires in the midst of desires, seeing and inspiring others to see the inaccessible, unfathomable Lord, reach Him.
Q11. What is the use of wandering around?
Ans 11. I am in search of truth. Purity comes only when one gets and lives the Truth. Without the True Word of the Shabad, no one finds liberation.
Q12. How can we find the God’s Door?”
Ans 12: Through the support of God’s Name, this mercurial mind sits in its true home and enshrines love for the True Lord and then The Creator Himself unites us in Union, and inspires us to love the Truth.
Yogis explain their way of Yoga/meditation:
Yogis: “Away from world market and highways, we live in the woods, among plants and trees. For food, we take fruits and roots. This is the spiritual wisdom spoken by the renunciates. We bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and obtain the fruits of peace; not even an iota of filth sticks to us. Luhaareepaa, the disciple of Gorakh says, this is the Way of Yoga.”
Guru Nanak explains his way of Yoga/meditation:
Guru Nanak: In the world market and on the highways, do not sleep; do not let your consciousness covet anyone else’s home. Without the Name, the mind has no firm support; O Nanak, this hunger never departs. The Guru has revealed the stores and the city within the home of my own heart, where I intuitively carry on the true trade. Sleep little, and eat little; O Nanak, this is the essence of wisdom.
Yogis explain benefits of their way of Yoga/meditation
Yogis: “Wear the robes of the sect of Yogis who follow Gorakh; put on the ear-rings, begging wallet and patched coat. Among the twelve schools of Yoga, ours is the highest; among the six schools of philosophy, ours is the best path. This is the way to instruct the mind, so you will never suffer beatings again.”
Guru Nanak explains the ways of True Yoga/meditation adopted by a Gurmukh
Guru Nanak: The Gurmukh understands; this is the way that Yoga is attained. Let constant absorption in the Word of the Shabad deep within be your ear-rings; eradicate egotism and attachment. Discard sexual desire, anger and egotism, and through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, attain true understanding. For your patched coat and begging bowl, see the Lord God pervading and permeating everywhere; The One Lord will carry you across. True is our Lord and Master, and True is His Name. Analyze it, and you shall find the Word of the Guru to be True. || 10 || Let your mind turn away in detachment from the world, and let this be your begging bowl. Let the lessons of the five elements be your cap. Let the body be your meditation mat, and the mind your loin cloth. Let truth, contentment and self-discipline be your companions. The Gurmukh dwells on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Sidhhas question about God, liberation/salvation and Guru Nanak replies to these.
Q 13. “Who is hidden/unmanifest?
Ans 13: God is hidden/unmanifest within each and every heart.
Q 14. Who is liberated/emancipated?
Ans 14: The Guru ward (Gurmukh) is liberated/emancipated.
Q15. Who is united, within and without; inwardly and outwardly?
Ans 15.The Guruward is united with the God’s Name. from within and without; inwardly and outwardly.
Q16. Who is he that comes and goes?
Ans 16: The self-willed ego centred, mind ward Manmukh perishes, and comes and goes.
Q17. Who is permeating and pervading the three worlds?”
Ans 17. The Gurmukh knows and merges in Truth. When the world and the sky did not even exist, the Light of the Formless Lord filled the three worlds. God’s Name permeates the nucleus of the self, deep within, in its own home; the Light of this God’s Word pervades the three worlds:
Q18. “How is one placed in bondage, and eaten by the serpent of Maya; the god of mammon?
Ans 18. Man is bound by evil-mindedness, and eaten by Maya, the serpent; the god of mammon.
Q19. How does one lose?
Ans 19: The self willed, mind ward (manmukh) loses.
Q20. Who gains?
Ans 20: The Guru ward gains.
Q 21. How does one become immaculate and pure?
Ans21. Through the concentration on God’s word, ego is eradicated and the body and mind become immaculate and one merges in the Lord.
Q 22. How is the darkness of ignorance removed?
Ans 23 Meeting the True Guru, darkness is dispelled.
Q23. Who is true Guru?
Ans 23: One who understands this essence of Truth is our Guru. Through the Guru’s Word, one merges in the absolute, and intuitively receives the immaculate essence
Explaining his way of meditation he says:
Focused deep within, in perfect absorption, the soul-swan does not fly away, and the body-wall does not collapse. Then, one knows that his true home is in the cave of intuitive poise. The True Lord loves those who are truthful.
Questions on his being a wanderer
Q24. “Why have you left your home and become a wandering Udaasee?
Q 24. I became a wandering Udaasee, searching for the saints; the Gurmukhs.
Q 25. Why have you adopted this costume?
Q25. I have adopted this costume seeking the Blessed Vision of the Lord’s Darshan
Q 26. What merchandise do you trade?
Q 26. I trade in the merchandise of Truth.
Q 27.How will you carry your followers across with you?”
Ans.27.Through God’s Grace, I shall carry my followers across
Q 28. “How have you changed the course of your life?
Ans 28.Born into the True Guru’s home, I have changed my course of life and my wandering in reincarnations is ended.
Q29. With what have you attached your mind?
Ans.29: My mind is attached and attuned to the celestial strain; the unstruck sound current.
Q 30.How have you subdued your hopes and desires?
Ans. 30 Through the recitiation of God’s Name, my hopes and desires have been burnt away.
Q 31. How have you found the Light deep within?
Ans 31. By Guru’s Grace, I found the Light deep within my nucleus.
Q 32. Without teeth, how can you eat iron (meaning making the impossible, possible?
Ans.32.Eradicating the three qualities (ego, duality and corruption), one eats iron i.e. makes the impossible, possible and the Emancipator emancipates the mortal. Through the God’s Name, ego and corruption are conquered, and one comes to dwell within (realize one’s self and God). One who realizes the God’s Name has conquered one’s self. One who suffers from the disease of duality, forgets the Naam, the source of nectar. He alone understands whom the Lord inspires to understand. Through the God’s Name, one is liberated. The Emancipator emancipates the mortal, one who drives out ego and duality.
Q 33: “What can you tell us about the beginning?
Ans33: We can only express a sense of wonder about the beginning. He Himself is consciousness; He Himself is the Creator;
Q 34:.In what home did the absolute dwell then?
Ans 34: The absolute Lord’s abode was permanently deep within.
Q 35: What are the ear-rings of Guru’s spiritual wisdom/knowledge about God?
Ans 35: Freedom from desire is considered as the ear-rings of the Guru’s spiritual wisdom.
Q 36: Who dwells in each and every heart?
Ans 36. The True Lord, the Soul of all, dwells within each and every heart.
Q 37: How can one avoid the attack of death?
Ans 37: If one realizes the God’s Name (shabad); the Creator of entire universe, the death becomes his slave rather than attacking him.
Summary:
Through the Guru’s Word, one merges in the absolute, and intuitively receives the immaculate essence. The Sikh who seeks and finds the Way does not serve any one else. Wonderful and amazing is His Command; He alone realizes His Command and knows the true way of life of His creation. One who eradicates his self-conceit becomes free of desire; he alone is a Yogi, who enshrines the True Lord deep within. From His state of absolute existence, God assumed the immaculate form; from formless, He assumed the supreme form. By pleasing the True Lord, the supreme status is obtained, and one is absorbed in the True Word of the Shabad. He knows the True Lord as the One and only one; he sends his ego and duality far away
Q38.How can one enter the home of fearlessness?
Ans 38: If man knows the God, the seat of bliss and contentment; and through Guru’s word effaces his ego and sin, he, then, abides in his own home of fearlessness.
Q39. How can one know the posture of intuition and contentment, and overcome one’s adversaries?”
Ans. 39: The follower who follows the Guru and does not serve anyone else, he finds the posture of intuition and contentment and slays his adversaries.
Q 40. “Where did the man come from?
Ans 40: The man originated from the Word of His Command.
Q 41. Where is he going?
Ans 41. Man goes wherever He Orders him to go.
Q 42. Where will he be absorbed?
Ans 42: Man remains absorbed in Lord’s Will/order. One who reveals the meaning of this Shabad is the Guru: he has no greed at all.
Q 43: How can one find the essence of the Formless/Unmanifest Reality?
Ans 43: By means of Gurbani, man easily obtains and merges in the Pure Formless Reality. Without the True Name, no one can become pure; This is the Unspoken Speech through the Perfect Guru, live the Truth; through the Word of the Shabad, the state of dignity is attained.
Q 44: How does one become Guruward (Gurmukh) and enshrine love for the Lord?
Ans 44. By practicing truth and realizing the Lord’s dignity and worth, he is blessed, he is blessed with Lord’s love by the Perfect Guru.
Explaining the qualities of Manmukh (Who follows the mind and not the Guru)
(a) The self-willed manmukhs are deluded, under the shadow of death.
(b) They look into the homes of others, and lose.
(c) The manmukhs are confused by doubt, wandering in the wilderness.
(d) Having lost their way, they are plundered; they chant their mantras at cremation grounds.
(e) They do not think of the Shabad; instead, they utter obscenities.
Guru Nanak explains the characteristics of Guru ward (Gurmukh)
(a) The Gurmukh obtains the jewel (place of concentration on God), lovingly focused on the Lord.
(b) He intuitively recognizes the value of this jewel.
(c) He practices Truth in action.
(d) The mind of the Gurmukh is pleased with the True Lord.
(e) He sees the unseen God, when it pleases the Lord.
(f) He does not have to endure punishment of coming and going.
(g) He is blessed with the Name, charity and purification.
(h) He is attuned to the Truth and know peace
(j) He centers his meditation on the celestial Lord.
(k) He obtains honor in the Court of the Lord.
(l) He obtains the Supreme Lord, the Destroyer of fear.
(m) He does good deeds, and inspires others to do so.
(n) He unites in the Lord’s Union.
(o) He gets the knowledge about attaining God from scriptures; and knows the
secrets of each and every heart.
(p) He eliminates hate and envy.
(q) He erases all accounting of mistakes and sins
(r) He is imbued with love for the Lord’s Name.
(s) He realizes his Lord and Master.
(t) The Gurmukh is never defeated.
(u) In the store of the body, this mind is the merchant; it deals intuitively in Truth. The Gurmukh is the bridge, built by the Architect of Destiny. The demons of passion which plundered Sri Lanka — the body — have been conquered. Ram Chand — the mind — has slaughtered Raawan — pride; the Gurmukh understands the secret revealed by Babheekhan. The Gurmukh carries even stones across the ocean. The Gurmukh saves millions of people.
(v) The comings and goings in reincarnation are ended for the Gurmukh.
(w) The Gurmukh is honored in the Court of the Lord.
(x) The Gurmukh distinguishes the true from the false.
(y) The Gurmukh focuses his meditation on the celestial Lord. In the Court of the Lord, the Gurmukh is absorbed in His Praises.
(z) The Gurmukh is not bound by bonds.
(aa) The Gurmukh obtains the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
(ab) Through the Shabad, the Gurmukh burns away his ego.
(ac) The Gurmukh sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
(ad) The Gurmukh remains absorbed in the True Lord.
(ae) Through the True Name, the Gurmukh is honored and exalted.
(af) The Gurmukh understands all the worlds.
Those do not adopt and follow Guru have the Problems as stated below:
(a) One wanders, coming and going in reincarnation.
(b) One’s deeds are of no worth.
(c) The mind is totally unsteady.
(d) One remains unsatisfied, and eats poison of selfishness.
(e) Maya, the worldly attachment stings him like a poisonous snake and he dies worthlessly.
(f) This all achievements if any are lost without the Guru
Benefits of having a true Guru
(a) One who meets the Guru is carried across thw world ocean.
(b) The residues of his sins and mistakes are erased, and he is emancipated through virtue.
(c) The supreme peace of liberation is attained, contemplating the Word of the Guru’s Shabad under Guru’s guidance.
Q37. “What is the root, the source of all?
Q38. What teachings hold for these times?
Q39. Who is your guru? Whose disciple are you?
Q40. What is that speech, by which you remain unattached?
Q “With teeth of wax, how can one chew iron?
Eradicating egotism and individualism from within, and erasing duality, the mortal becomes one with God. The world is difficult for the foolish, self-willed manmukh; practicing the Shabad, one chews iron.
Q What is that food, which takes away pride?
Q. How can one live in the palace, the home of snow, wearing robes of fire?
Q Where is that cave, within which one may remain unshaken?
Q. Who should we know to be pervading here and there?
Q. What is that meditation, which leads the mind to be absorbed in itself?”
Q. “The moon of the mind is cool and dark; how is it enlightened?
Ans: Giving voice to the Shabad, the moon of the mind is illuminated with infinity
Q. How does the sun blaze so brilliantly?
Ans: When the sun dwells in the house of the moon, the darkness is dispelled.
Q. How can the constant watchful gaze of Death be turned away?
Ans: Pleasure and pain are just the same, when one takes the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. He Himself saves, and carries us across. With faith in the Guru, the mind merges in Truth, and then, prays Nanak, one is not consumed by Death.
Q. By what understanding is the honor of the Gurmukh preserved?
Q. Who is the warrior, who conquers Death?
Q. Give us your thoughtful reply, O Nanak.”
The essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is known to be the most exalted and excellent of all.
Without the Name, one is afflicted by pain and death.
When one’s essence merges into the essence, the mind is satisfied and fulfilled.
Duality is gone, and one enters into the home of the One Lord.
The breath blows across the sky of the Tenth Gate and vibrates.
O Nanak, the mortal then intuitively meets the eternal, unchanging Lord.
What is the occupation of the Siddha?”
Without the Shabad, the essence does not come, O hermit, and the thirst of egotism does not depart. Imbued with the Shabad, one finds the ambrosial essence, and remains fulfilled with the True Name.
Q “What is that wisdom, by which one remains steady and stable?
Q What food brings satisfaction?”
Q “Where does this mind-elephant live?
Ans: When the Lord blesses one with His Glance of Grace, he leads him to the True Guru. Then, this mind dwells in its own home within.
Q Where does the breath reside?
Q Where should the Shabad reside, so that the wanderings of the mind may cease?”
Ans: When the individual consumes his egotism, he becomes immaculate, and his wandering mind is restrained.
Q “How can the root, the source of all be realized?
Ans: When the mind becomes steady and stable, it abides in the heart, and then the Gurmukh realizes the root, the source of all.
Q How can the soul know itself?
Ans: The breath is seated in the home of the navel; the Gurmukh searches, and finds the essence of reality. This Shabad permeates the nucleus of the self, deep within, in its own home; the Light of this Shabad pervades the three worlds. Hunger for the True Lord shall consume your pain, and through the True Lord, you shall be satisfied. The Gurmukh knows the unstruck sound current of the Bani; how rare are those who understand. Says Nanak, one who speaks the Truth is dyed in the color of Truth, which will never fade away.
Q How can the sun enter into the house of the moon?”
Ans: The Gurmukh eliminates egotism from within; then, O Nanak, the sun naturally enters into the home of the moon.
Q “When this heart and body did not exist, where did the mind reside?
Ans:When the heart and the body did not exist, then the mind resided in the absolute, detached Lord.
Q When there was no support of the navel lotus, then in which home did the breath reside?
When there was no support of the lotus of the navel, the breath remained in its own home, attuned to the Lord’s Love.
Q When there was no form or shape, then how could anyone lovingly focus on the Shabad?
Ans: When there was no form or shape or social class, then the Shabad, in its essence, resided in the unmanifest Lord.
Q When there was no dungeon formed from egg and sperm, who could measure the Lord’s value and extent?
Q. When color, dress and form could not be seen, how could the True Lord be known?”
Color, dress and form were contained in the One Lord; the Shabad was contained in the One, Wondrous Lord. This Shabad permeates the nucleus of the self, deep within, in its own home; the Light of this Shabad pervades the three worlds:
Q. “How, in what way, was the world formed, And what disaster will end it?”
Ans: In egotism, the world was formed; forgetting the Naam, it suffers and dies.
True Guru: Without serving the True Guru, Yoga is not attained; without meeting the True Guru, no one is liberated. Without meeting the True Guru, the Naam cannot be found. Without meeting the True Guru, one suffers in terrible pain. Without meeting the True Guru, there is only the deep darkness of egotistical pride.Without the True Guru, one dies, having lost the opportunity of this life.
Gurmukh: One who becomes Gurmukh contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom; through the Shabad, he burns away his egotism. His body and mind become immaculate, through the Immaculate Bani of the Word. He remains absorbed in Truth. Through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he remains detached; he enshrines the True Name in his heart. Without the Name, Yoga is never attained; reflect upon this in your heart, and see. The Gurmukh is one who reflects upon the True Word of the Shabad. The True Bani is revealed to the Gurmukh. The mind of the Gurmukh is drenched with the Lord’s Love, but how rare are those who understand this. The Gurmukh dwells in the home of the self, deep within. The Gurmukh realizes the Way of Yoga. The Gurmukh knows the One Lord alone. The Gurmukh conquers his mind by subduing his ego. The Gurmukh enshrines Truth in his heart. The Gurmukh conquers the world; he knocks down the Messenger of Death, and kills it. The Gurmukh does not lose in the Court of the Lord. The Gurmukh is united in God’s Union; he alone knows. The Gurmukh realizes the Word of the Shabad. This is the essence of the Shabad — This hermits and Yogis must listen.
Name: Without the Name, there is no Yoga. Those who are attuned to the Name, remain intoxicated night and day; through the Name, they find peace. Through the Name, everything is revealed; through the Name, understanding is obtained. Without the Name, people wear all sorts of religious robes; the True Lord Himself has confused them. The Name is obtained only from the True Guru and then, the Way of Yoga is found. Without the Name, there is no liberation. Only God knows His state and extent, Lord; No one else can state about it. God himself is hidden, and He Himself reveals Himself. He Himself enjoys all pleasures. The seekers, the Siddhas, the many gurus and disciples wander around searching for Hi, according to His Will. Seekers beg for His Name, and He blesses them with this charity. Guru Nanak offered his self to God on attaining the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. The eternal imperishable Lord God has staged this play; the Gurmukh understands it. He extends Himself throughout the ages; there is no other than Him. || 73 || 1 ||
