Dear Khalsa Ji,
I share with you all, my understanding of the 6th 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 of the Pauri: Guru Sahib, in this Pauri has emphasized on truthful living, serving the cause of ‘The Sat’, acting as its instrument. In absence of such living birth in human for is useless. The being imbued with ‘The Sat’ (Naam) and actions according to the illumination that is received is what lead to truthful living.
1. ibrQI swkq kI Awrjw ] birthee saakat kee aarjaa.
The efforts of a Sakata is wasted
2. swc ibnw kh hovq sUcw ] saach binaa kah hovat soochaa.
In absence of truth what can be cleansed?
My understanding:
Shaktas are worshipper of ‘Shakti’ a Goddess, they perform rituals and other practices to achieve perfection i.e. ‘Siddhi’; they belong to Tantra branch of Hindu religion. The Shakta engages herself or himself in the prescribed practices of this religion for material benefits or for spiritual purpose. Guru Sahib mentions that when the inner self is not cleansed by installing truth in it. The rituals and other practice cannot be effective at all – they all become waste.
3. ibrQw nwm ibnw qnu AMD ] birthaa naam binaa tan anDh.
The body is a waste, if the being is not imbued with ‘Naam’, it lives in spiritual darkness,
4. muiK Awvq qw kY durgMD ] mukh aavat taa kai durganDh.
From his mouth, a foul smell issues forth.
My understanding:
As I understand we are born in human form to act as an instrument of ‘The Sat’. We have to act in ‘The Sat’ like manners to the extent our limited existence permits. This is only possible if our being is in a state harmonious with the task. The spiritual darkness that engulfs us when we live a worldly life, takes us away from the real task for which we are born in human form i.e. all-round blissful evolution of the Creation of ‘The Sat’ including its environment. When our being is resonating with ‘The Sat’ i.e. when all our thought, actions and speech naturally reflects the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib, we then can say that we are illuminate spiritually. In this state our action will justify our being born in human form – serving the cause of ‘The Sat’- and thus our body will not be a waste.
In the second line the word mouth, as I understand, is used as metaphor. It means foul speech, foul action and foul thoughts which are far remote from what is expected from the instrument of ‘The Sat’ i.e. Gurmukh.
5. ibnu ismrn idnu rYin ibRQw ibhwie ] bin simran din rain baritha bihaa-ay.
Without the remembrance of ‘The Sat’, day and night pass in vain,
6. myG ibnw ijau KyqI jwie ] maygh binaa ji-o khaytee jaa-ay.
Like the crop which withers without rain.
My understanding:
When we have something to do, and we do not remember about the task assigned, we are likely to go astray. We will not reach the goal; all our efforts will get wasted. As with rain the plants grow to their full yield same is the case with spiritual growth. The remembrance of ‘The Sat’ acts as a force multiplier and also as guide for the direction to be taken. As one becomes pure, this awareness starts coming from within based on the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
7. goibd Bjn ibnu ibRQy sB kwm ] gobid bhajan bin barithay sabh kaam.
Without meditation of ‘The Sat’, all works are in vain,
8. ijau ikrpn ky inrwrQ dwm ] ji-o kirpan kay niraarath daam.
Like the wealth of a miser, this lies useless.
My understanding:
When ever we do any work it should be within the Maryada of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib e.g. our work should not lead to exploitation of the helpless (avoid Gribmar), our earning should come from our hard honest work, the aim of the task in which we are engaged should be free from corruption of any sort etc. This sifting one can do only if one meditate on ‘The Sat’ and assess the task. Performing such task one becomes instrument of ‘The Sat’. The results of such work will be considered productive. You are contributing to the creation of ‘The Sat’. Unless the efforts of such quality are put in they are of no use the cause of the creation of ‘The Sat’. All efforts other than these will be as useless, similar to the wealth of the miser who hoards the money and do not put is to productive use where it can grow.
9. DMin DMin qy jn ijh Git bisE hir nwau ] Dhan Dhan tay jan jih ghat basi-o har naa-o.
Blessed are those, whose hearts are filled with the Name of ‘The Sat’.
10. nwnk qw kY bil bil jwau ]6] naanak taa kai bal bal jaa-o. ||6||
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them. ||6||
My understanding:
Guru Sahib expresses his reverence for those individuals whose being is imbued with “The Sat’ where all their acts are guided by the light of ‘The Sat’ that results from the level of consciousness they have achieved. Guru Sahib says that such persons are blessed.
With this I close the post
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
I share with you all, my understanding of the 6th 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 of the Pauri: Guru Sahib, in this Pauri has emphasized on truthful living, serving the cause of ‘The Sat’, acting as its instrument. In absence of such living birth in human for is useless. The being imbued with ‘The Sat’ (Naam) and actions according to the illumination that is received is what lead to truthful living.
1. ibrQI swkq kI Awrjw ] birthee saakat kee aarjaa.
The efforts of a Sakata is wasted
2. swc ibnw kh hovq sUcw ] saach binaa kah hovat soochaa.
In absence of truth what can be cleansed?
My understanding:
Shaktas are worshipper of ‘Shakti’ a Goddess, they perform rituals and other practices to achieve perfection i.e. ‘Siddhi’; they belong to Tantra branch of Hindu religion. The Shakta engages herself or himself in the prescribed practices of this religion for material benefits or for spiritual purpose. Guru Sahib mentions that when the inner self is not cleansed by installing truth in it. The rituals and other practice cannot be effective at all – they all become waste.
3. ibrQw nwm ibnw qnu AMD ] birthaa naam binaa tan anDh.
The body is a waste, if the being is not imbued with ‘Naam’, it lives in spiritual darkness,
4. muiK Awvq qw kY durgMD ] mukh aavat taa kai durganDh.
From his mouth, a foul smell issues forth.
My understanding:
As I understand we are born in human form to act as an instrument of ‘The Sat’. We have to act in ‘The Sat’ like manners to the extent our limited existence permits. This is only possible if our being is in a state harmonious with the task. The spiritual darkness that engulfs us when we live a worldly life, takes us away from the real task for which we are born in human form i.e. all-round blissful evolution of the Creation of ‘The Sat’ including its environment. When our being is resonating with ‘The Sat’ i.e. when all our thought, actions and speech naturally reflects the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib, we then can say that we are illuminate spiritually. In this state our action will justify our being born in human form – serving the cause of ‘The Sat’- and thus our body will not be a waste.
In the second line the word mouth, as I understand, is used as metaphor. It means foul speech, foul action and foul thoughts which are far remote from what is expected from the instrument of ‘The Sat’ i.e. Gurmukh.
5. ibnu ismrn idnu rYin ibRQw ibhwie ] bin simran din rain baritha bihaa-ay.
Without the remembrance of ‘The Sat’, day and night pass in vain,
6. myG ibnw ijau KyqI jwie ] maygh binaa ji-o khaytee jaa-ay.
Like the crop which withers without rain.
My understanding:
When we have something to do, and we do not remember about the task assigned, we are likely to go astray. We will not reach the goal; all our efforts will get wasted. As with rain the plants grow to their full yield same is the case with spiritual growth. The remembrance of ‘The Sat’ acts as a force multiplier and also as guide for the direction to be taken. As one becomes pure, this awareness starts coming from within based on the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
7. goibd Bjn ibnu ibRQy sB kwm ] gobid bhajan bin barithay sabh kaam.
Without meditation of ‘The Sat’, all works are in vain,
8. ijau ikrpn ky inrwrQ dwm ] ji-o kirpan kay niraarath daam.
Like the wealth of a miser, this lies useless.
My understanding:
When ever we do any work it should be within the Maryada of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib e.g. our work should not lead to exploitation of the helpless (avoid Gribmar), our earning should come from our hard honest work, the aim of the task in which we are engaged should be free from corruption of any sort etc. This sifting one can do only if one meditate on ‘The Sat’ and assess the task. Performing such task one becomes instrument of ‘The Sat’. The results of such work will be considered productive. You are contributing to the creation of ‘The Sat’. Unless the efforts of such quality are put in they are of no use the cause of the creation of ‘The Sat’. All efforts other than these will be as useless, similar to the wealth of the miser who hoards the money and do not put is to productive use where it can grow.
9. DMin DMin qy jn ijh Git bisE hir nwau ] Dhan Dhan tay jan jih ghat basi-o har naa-o.
Blessed are those, whose hearts are filled with the Name of ‘The Sat’.
10. nwnk qw kY bil bil jwau ]6] naanak taa kai bal bal jaa-o. ||6||
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them. ||6||
My understanding:
Guru Sahib expresses his reverence for those individuals whose being is imbued with “The Sat’ where all their acts are guided by the light of ‘The Sat’ that results from the level of consciousness they have achieved. Guru Sahib says that such persons are blessed.
With this I close the post
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
