Dear Khalsa Ji,
With the grace of ‘The Sat’, today I share my understanding of 5th Pauri of 7th Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib with you.
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:
As done in the previous Pauri of this Ashtapadee, Guru Sahib is conveying to his disciples the effect that the company of pure and spiritually evolved people will have on their being. This is the positive factor of such association.
This can also be used as the criteria to determine the persons who will qualify for Saadh-Sangat. If in the company of a person, whom one presume to be a pure and evolved, these positive changes in do not start manifesting in your being, than there are good chances that the person is not a pure and spiritually evolved person. This way Guru Sahib is protecting us from possible deception.
1. swD kY sMig sB kul auDwrY ] saaDh kai sang sabh kul uDhaarai.
In the company of pure, spiritually evolved people, the entire clan gets elevated.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells his disciples that in the company of pure, spiritually evolved people, the mental level of the entire clan gets elevated.
This is bound to happen. When even one of the members of the clan is under the environment pf pure, spiritually evolved people and becomes elevated, as she or he moves between this company and the family it carries the same frame of mind. In the family, because of this person’s deep conviction towards pure and truthful living, the impact of its presence becomes disproportionally high. The environment in the family and that of the clan gets the hue of this person. Gradually, over a period of time, the this hue gets intensified specially among the young. Finally it results in elevation in the frame of mind of all the members of the clan. (In English, I have used the word clan for the word ‘Kul’ used in the above sentence; this because family, in Hindi means ‘Pariwar’, and ‘Kul’ is much larger than family; you can also take Kul to be extended family because I do not see clans much in our society these days).
2. swDsMig swjn mIq kutMb insqwrY ] saaDhsang saajan meet kutamb nistaarai.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the dear, the friends, and the entire extended family get redeemed.
My understanding:
What Guru Sahib has said in this sentence is extension of the process that started in the sentence above it. Here, Guru Sahib says that as the spiritual evolution of the entire clan commences, it continues and reaches a stage where the dust and dirt of worldly living gets erased; the natural self (illuminated by ‘The Sat’) of the spiritual person then start guiding the thoughts, speech and action of such persons and thus they all get evolved to new heights where they can perceive the purpose of being born in human form and realize the intent of it – this is what I understand from the term ‘Nistarai’ i.e. getting redeemed.
3. swDU kY sMig so Dnu pwvY ] saaDhoo kai sang so Dhan paavai.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person gets what is considered wealth by them.
My understanding:
Here one needs to think a little as to what is considered wealth by the spiritually evolved pure people.
As I understand, the wealth of the spiritually evolved pure people is - purity in the basis of function of brain, love (giving, giving and giving only without and trace of even a faintest sense of any expectation in return) selflessness, kindness, compassion, mercy, humility, magnanimity, caring and sharing nature (Wand Chhakna), industry and enterprise (Kirt), honesty, truthfulness, mental alertness, total awareness, knowledge, purity in the functioning of Gyanendriyas and Karmendriyas, contentment, and remembrance of ‘The Sat’ (Naam Japana).
Once the contentment dawns on the person, the poverty gets totally dissolved. After all what is poverty? – It is a state of living when the needs are more than the income. The way, to defeat the scourge of poverty, is to lower the one’s needs less than the income. The contended man is not greedy she or he does not loose its morality or honesty to earn a living, such person’s industry and enterprise keep providing her or his daily needs. Such person lives and honest life. One must keep in mind the ‘industry is the right hand and frugality is the left hand of fortune. The spiritually evolved pure people are always fortunate – ‘The sat’ is always with them. This is the wealth of spiritually evolved pure people, as I understand.
4. ijsu Dn qy sBu ko vrswvY ] jis Dhan tay sabh ko varsaavai.
The wealth that rains on all and thus benefits all
5. swDsMig Drm rwie kry syvw ] saaDhsang Dharam raa-ay karay sayvaa.
Through the Dharma of the company of spiritually evolved pure people, this service is done.
My understanding:
Just study the attributes referred in point 3 above, ponder over them, and you will realize the truth of the Statement of Guru Sahib.
The wealth of the spiritually evolved pure people is such that it harms no one, it benefits all. It is Godly in nature and it is the basic nature of those who have become instrument of ‘The Sat’. They work for protection, preservation and further evolution in the creation of ‘The Sat’.
This wealth rains on all who get purified in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. This service of helping people to evolve spiritually, ‘The Sat’ gets it done through the environment created in the company of spiritually evolved pure people.
This is what Guru Sahib is conveying to us.
6. swD kY sMig soBw surdyvw ] saaDh kai sang sobhaa surdayvaa.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the grace, dignity and glow similar to those said to be on the person of the celestial entities (gods of heaven) comes.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib has used the terms common and understood by his audience Devas, and Suras. These entities from the Mythology of this land are the divines living in Heaven. They have their source in Rig Veda. These are Indra, Varun, Chitragupta and Surya etc each responsible for a certain aspect of the nature e.g. Indira is the god of rain. These celestial entities being divine have a very special glow, dignity and grace built into their personality that is natural to them. This glow Guru Sahib says come to the person of the individual who lives in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. In other words Guru Sahib tells us that in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person gets elevated to a spiritual level of the divines.
7. swDU kY sMig pwp plwien ] saaDhoo kai sang paap palaa-in.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the past deeds and sins leave the person.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib reminds us of the natural consequence of spiritual elevation that takes place in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. As the person evolves in spirituality in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person’s ‘I-ness’ gets dissolved; this persons past Karmas become like roasted seed which cannot give rise to a new plant (Karmic cycle).
For my own understanding as how it happens, I share with you.
All the thoughts associated with our past Karmas remain hanging in air. {In my past posts on Sukhmani Sahib, I have explained why I consider the thoughts to be a form of energy}. As we all know the energy cannot be destroyed that means the though once generated will remain in the air all the time. The thought associated with our past Karma – ours and those of the individuals impacted by our Karmas, coalesce and are able to locate us or remain linked to us through our ‘I-ness’ – ‘I-ness’ is the address for the Karmic process to deliver the consequence of the past Karma when they mature and ready to impact on the person. It is my considered opinion that as we need a hook on the wall to hang our bag or clothes, Karmic process needs our address to reach us and that is provided by our ‘I-ness’. It is also my conviction based on certain rational that the Karmic Process seeks to correct the person and never tries to destroy her or him. When the person has become Satvika and Puneet, the Karmic Process with respect to such a person becomes defunct.
When the person looses her or his ‘I-ness’ the Karmic Process loose the linkage with this person; such person becomes an instrument of ‘The Sat’; she or he has spiritually risen above the level below which the Karmic Processes operate. Naturally, the past karmas for such a person get erased.
This is what I understand from this sentence of Guru Sahib.
8. swDsMig AMimRq gun gwien ] saaDhsang amrit gun gaa-in.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the being of the person resonates with the feeling of immortality.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib now tells us, that when the person himself evolves spiritually and becomes pure, she or he senses the real in itself. The person realizes that the body is just an outer cover to enable her or him perform the tasks on behalf of ‘The Sat’ and the real inside is immortal. Her or his being then resonates (sings) with the feeling reflecting this new discovery – a realization that she or he and ‘The Sat’ are one.
9. swD kY sMig sRb Qwn gMim ] saaDh kai sang sarab thaan gamm.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people all places become within reach.
My understanding:
As I understand there is nothing supernatural in what Guru Sahib has said. When the person, in the company of spiritually evolved pure people becomes ‘Puneet’ she or he is accepted by one and all. Such person’s presence if felt like a divine gift by the people around. Such person with Godly attributes hurts no one every where the person is welcomed and accepted from the depth of heart and soul.
10. nwnk swD kY sMig sPl jnµm ]5] naanak saaDh kai sang safal jannam. ||5||
O Nanak, in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the intent of being born in human form gets fulfilled.
My understanding:
Much elaboration is not needed here for the above Tuk of Guru Sahib.
We are born here, in this world, to act as an instrument of ‘The Sat’ and make it the paradise of ‘The Sat’. In the company of the spiritually evolved pure people, the person evolves to a level where she or he can fulfill this intent, and in doing so the person becomes one with ‘The Sat’. This happening in full measure is what Guru Sahib regard as the success of this birth.
With this I close the post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
With the grace of ‘The Sat’, today I share my understanding of 5th Pauri of 7th Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib with you.
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:
As done in the previous Pauri of this Ashtapadee, Guru Sahib is conveying to his disciples the effect that the company of pure and spiritually evolved people will have on their being. This is the positive factor of such association.
This can also be used as the criteria to determine the persons who will qualify for Saadh-Sangat. If in the company of a person, whom one presume to be a pure and evolved, these positive changes in do not start manifesting in your being, than there are good chances that the person is not a pure and spiritually evolved person. This way Guru Sahib is protecting us from possible deception.
1. swD kY sMig sB kul auDwrY ] saaDh kai sang sabh kul uDhaarai.
In the company of pure, spiritually evolved people, the entire clan gets elevated.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells his disciples that in the company of pure, spiritually evolved people, the mental level of the entire clan gets elevated.
This is bound to happen. When even one of the members of the clan is under the environment pf pure, spiritually evolved people and becomes elevated, as she or he moves between this company and the family it carries the same frame of mind. In the family, because of this person’s deep conviction towards pure and truthful living, the impact of its presence becomes disproportionally high. The environment in the family and that of the clan gets the hue of this person. Gradually, over a period of time, the this hue gets intensified specially among the young. Finally it results in elevation in the frame of mind of all the members of the clan. (In English, I have used the word clan for the word ‘Kul’ used in the above sentence; this because family, in Hindi means ‘Pariwar’, and ‘Kul’ is much larger than family; you can also take Kul to be extended family because I do not see clans much in our society these days).
2. swDsMig swjn mIq kutMb insqwrY ] saaDhsang saajan meet kutamb nistaarai.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the dear, the friends, and the entire extended family get redeemed.
My understanding:
What Guru Sahib has said in this sentence is extension of the process that started in the sentence above it. Here, Guru Sahib says that as the spiritual evolution of the entire clan commences, it continues and reaches a stage where the dust and dirt of worldly living gets erased; the natural self (illuminated by ‘The Sat’) of the spiritual person then start guiding the thoughts, speech and action of such persons and thus they all get evolved to new heights where they can perceive the purpose of being born in human form and realize the intent of it – this is what I understand from the term ‘Nistarai’ i.e. getting redeemed.
3. swDU kY sMig so Dnu pwvY ] saaDhoo kai sang so Dhan paavai.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person gets what is considered wealth by them.
My understanding:
Here one needs to think a little as to what is considered wealth by the spiritually evolved pure people.
As I understand, the wealth of the spiritually evolved pure people is - purity in the basis of function of brain, love (giving, giving and giving only without and trace of even a faintest sense of any expectation in return) selflessness, kindness, compassion, mercy, humility, magnanimity, caring and sharing nature (Wand Chhakna), industry and enterprise (Kirt), honesty, truthfulness, mental alertness, total awareness, knowledge, purity in the functioning of Gyanendriyas and Karmendriyas, contentment, and remembrance of ‘The Sat’ (Naam Japana).
Once the contentment dawns on the person, the poverty gets totally dissolved. After all what is poverty? – It is a state of living when the needs are more than the income. The way, to defeat the scourge of poverty, is to lower the one’s needs less than the income. The contended man is not greedy she or he does not loose its morality or honesty to earn a living, such person’s industry and enterprise keep providing her or his daily needs. Such person lives and honest life. One must keep in mind the ‘industry is the right hand and frugality is the left hand of fortune. The spiritually evolved pure people are always fortunate – ‘The sat’ is always with them. This is the wealth of spiritually evolved pure people, as I understand.
4. ijsu Dn qy sBu ko vrswvY ] jis Dhan tay sabh ko varsaavai.
The wealth that rains on all and thus benefits all
5. swDsMig Drm rwie kry syvw ] saaDhsang Dharam raa-ay karay sayvaa.
Through the Dharma of the company of spiritually evolved pure people, this service is done.
My understanding:
Just study the attributes referred in point 3 above, ponder over them, and you will realize the truth of the Statement of Guru Sahib.
The wealth of the spiritually evolved pure people is such that it harms no one, it benefits all. It is Godly in nature and it is the basic nature of those who have become instrument of ‘The Sat’. They work for protection, preservation and further evolution in the creation of ‘The Sat’.
This wealth rains on all who get purified in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. This service of helping people to evolve spiritually, ‘The Sat’ gets it done through the environment created in the company of spiritually evolved pure people.
This is what Guru Sahib is conveying to us.
6. swD kY sMig soBw surdyvw ] saaDh kai sang sobhaa surdayvaa.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the grace, dignity and glow similar to those said to be on the person of the celestial entities (gods of heaven) comes.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib has used the terms common and understood by his audience Devas, and Suras. These entities from the Mythology of this land are the divines living in Heaven. They have their source in Rig Veda. These are Indra, Varun, Chitragupta and Surya etc each responsible for a certain aspect of the nature e.g. Indira is the god of rain. These celestial entities being divine have a very special glow, dignity and grace built into their personality that is natural to them. This glow Guru Sahib says come to the person of the individual who lives in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. In other words Guru Sahib tells us that in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person gets elevated to a spiritual level of the divines.
7. swDU kY sMig pwp plwien ] saaDhoo kai sang paap palaa-in.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the past deeds and sins leave the person.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib reminds us of the natural consequence of spiritual elevation that takes place in the company of spiritually evolved pure people. As the person evolves in spirituality in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the person’s ‘I-ness’ gets dissolved; this persons past Karmas become like roasted seed which cannot give rise to a new plant (Karmic cycle).
For my own understanding as how it happens, I share with you.
All the thoughts associated with our past Karmas remain hanging in air. {In my past posts on Sukhmani Sahib, I have explained why I consider the thoughts to be a form of energy}. As we all know the energy cannot be destroyed that means the though once generated will remain in the air all the time. The thought associated with our past Karma – ours and those of the individuals impacted by our Karmas, coalesce and are able to locate us or remain linked to us through our ‘I-ness’ – ‘I-ness’ is the address for the Karmic process to deliver the consequence of the past Karma when they mature and ready to impact on the person. It is my considered opinion that as we need a hook on the wall to hang our bag or clothes, Karmic process needs our address to reach us and that is provided by our ‘I-ness’. It is also my conviction based on certain rational that the Karmic Process seeks to correct the person and never tries to destroy her or him. When the person has become Satvika and Puneet, the Karmic Process with respect to such a person becomes defunct.
When the person looses her or his ‘I-ness’ the Karmic Process loose the linkage with this person; such person becomes an instrument of ‘The Sat’; she or he has spiritually risen above the level below which the Karmic Processes operate. Naturally, the past karmas for such a person get erased.
This is what I understand from this sentence of Guru Sahib.
8. swDsMig AMimRq gun gwien ] saaDhsang amrit gun gaa-in.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the being of the person resonates with the feeling of immortality.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib now tells us, that when the person himself evolves spiritually and becomes pure, she or he senses the real in itself. The person realizes that the body is just an outer cover to enable her or him perform the tasks on behalf of ‘The Sat’ and the real inside is immortal. Her or his being then resonates (sings) with the feeling reflecting this new discovery – a realization that she or he and ‘The Sat’ are one.
9. swD kY sMig sRb Qwn gMim ] saaDh kai sang sarab thaan gamm.
In the company of spiritually evolved pure people all places become within reach.
My understanding:
As I understand there is nothing supernatural in what Guru Sahib has said. When the person, in the company of spiritually evolved pure people becomes ‘Puneet’ she or he is accepted by one and all. Such person’s presence if felt like a divine gift by the people around. Such person with Godly attributes hurts no one every where the person is welcomed and accepted from the depth of heart and soul.
10. nwnk swD kY sMig sPl jnµm ]5] naanak saaDh kai sang safal jannam. ||5||
O Nanak, in the company of spiritually evolved pure people, the intent of being born in human form gets fulfilled.
My understanding:
Much elaboration is not needed here for the above Tuk of Guru Sahib.
We are born here, in this world, to act as an instrument of ‘The Sat’ and make it the paradise of ‘The Sat’. In the company of the spiritually evolved pure people, the person evolves to a level where she or he can fulfill this intent, and in doing so the person becomes one with ‘The Sat’. This happening in full measure is what Guru Sahib regard as the success of this birth.
With this I close the post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
