॥ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਜੂਨੀ ਆਇਓ ਤਿਹ ਤਿਹ ਉਰਝਾਇਓ ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਸੰਜੋਗਿ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Whoever is born into the world, is entangled in it; human birth is obtained only by good destiny.
~ Guru Arjan Sahib : SGGS 686
October 1, 2013: Sometimes, because of not having read Gurbani, lack of understanding and wisdom, we repeatedly engage in deeds that are contrary to the nature of GOD. Sikh Dharam has fallen prey to these wrong deeds – where Gurudwaras have turned into money-making institutions – and instead of putting to use the money collected for worthy causes like empowering the panth in form of parchaar or informing the world of the sacrifices of the Sikhs, we have merely stopped at just collection of more and more money and relegating Sikhi to just brick-laying.
If we approach Gurbani’s message, Guru Sahib makes it clear that we are here in this world on a pilgrimage – from the time we were born, to aging and how it is progressing with the passage of day and night, month by month and year by year. In this pilgrimage, we have ended up forgetting the one who sent us forth into it – as life was never meant to be permanent and we were to return to him on conclusion with the intention of gifting us the happiness that is worth countless years and freeing us from the cycle of endless births and deaths. Instead, we came into the world on a journey, lived and died there without having realised our purpose of the human life. Even today, for example, we go the Gurudwara devoid of devotional longing of the need to listen to Gurbani, Katha, sit in Simran, affix our consciousness to truth or even find some way to search God within – all to help make sense of what we have been given as a human body. We turn up at the Gurudwara just before conclusion of the diwan – and forfeiting the hukams of the Guru – only to fill our bellies with free food which does nothing more than ruin our minds (mind will not let the soul listen to Gurbani), rot our bones (makes us lazy to awaken early at amritvela) and destroy effort (even in the basics of Sikhi).
Pilgrimages at Sikh shrines like at Darbar Sahib or at Hazur Sahib are all futile, especially when we pay no heed to life-changing Gurbani, Gurmat and Rehat – not dedicating our life to Sikhi – which is an endeavour of many decades and even of an entire lifetime. Gurbani is replete with wisdom on how our outer expressions of pilgrimage are of no use especially when we do not focus our consciousness and living in Sikhi, especially so because we simply have no faith in the Guru. We purport to believe in him, but refuse to follow his teachings and instead jump at a second’s chance to spend money in his name. it’s all akin to embracing the pot but not drinking the water contained in it. But all this loss of opportunity to make our life worthy as a Sikh will be questioned ahead by the messengers of death and the state they will make of our hapless souls – having gambled away both worlds, the physical and the spiritual. If we really have the hedonistic approach to life, then we might as well go on with it as we have already lost our spiritual union with GOD at the end of this mortal existence. Alas, we have never been told or realised that our true peace and happiness rests in the afterlife, after death. If only we realised even now that we are on a pilgrimage and correct our journey and leave.
॥ ਅਨਿਕ ਜਨਮ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਥਿਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਈ ॥
I wandered through countless incarnations, but I did not find stability anywhere.
In all the 8.4 million lifeforms in which we are transmigrating, little wonder why there is no rest for this wandering soul. As we keep changing life-forms, the messengers of death offer no rest as we have no way to stop our souls being thrust into the pits of hell where the souls are subjected to relentless forms of self-invited punishments – and that is why Guru Sahib advices us to seek a way out of these unfortunate fates.
॥ ਕਰਉ ਸੇਵਾ ਗੁਰ ਲਾਗਉ ਚਰਨ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਦੇਹੁ ਜੀ ਬਤਾਈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
I serve the Guru, and I fall at His feet, praying, O Dear Lord of the Universe, please, show me the way. Pause.
After having wandered in countless reincarnations, we finally ended up with the one of the human body in which there is hope to dedicate our souls to GOD by becoming Amritdhari, living in Rehat, humbly accept divine instructions and desist from sinful deeds by immersing the self in Naam, seva, humility, study of Gurbani and implore the LORD to show our souls the way back to lasting rest in HIM, else the births and deaths will never end. It is only the human form in which we can be inspired to remember and reconnect to our CREATOR because the rest of the life forms have no power in them to do the same and are merely the punishments for having gambled away the graced human opportunity. As Sikhs, we have been led to the abode of the Living Guru – Guru Granth Sahib Jee – to help our souls be put out of their misery by becoming one with the DIVINE LIGHT for once and for all. The human soul now has the unique chance to seek the gift of Amrit, else it will again be thrust back into the endless cycle of reincarnations – and there is simply no rest in the coming and goings.
॥ ਅਨਿਕ ਉਪਾਵ ਕਰਉ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਉ ਬਚਿਤਿ ਧਰਉ ਮੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਰਤ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਵਿਹਾਵੈ ॥
I have tried so many things to acquire the wealth of Maya, and to cherish it in my mind; I have passed my life constantly crying out, Mine, mine!
The phyical mortal body is attracted to Maya because it is itself in one of its myriad forms – whenever the mortal body will speak, it will speak in the language of maya – and ignoring the inner soul which thirsts for naam simran and Gurbani. In this egoistic, blinded pursuit for materialism, our life wastes away.
॥ ਕੋਈ ਐਸੋ ਰੇ ਭੇਟੈ ਸੰਤੁ ਮੇਰੀ ਲਾਹੈ ਸਗਲ ਚਿੰਤ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਸਿਉ ਮੇਰਾ ਰੰਗੁ ਲਾਵੈ ॥
Is there any such Saint, who would meet with me, take away my anxiety, and lead me to enshrine love for my Lord and Master.
Now the soul seeks the company of such a Gurmukh who can save it from its endless predicaments and become totally freed of them through befriending the CREATOR. All this leads to the realisation of that the human birth is gifted through grace and mercy and it is not to be wasted, contemplate only on what connects us to WAHEGURU – all of which will happen only from within through enjoining the consciousness to simran. We are to realise now that the next form of existence is what is permanent as the one we are in is of a false nature which could end at any time and in the beyond, there is no birth and death. Our pilgrimage approaches its end and without a Sikhi life, we will have lost this golden opportunity to put an end to the pains of reincarnations.
ਪੜੇ ਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬੇਦ ਨਹ ਚੂਕੈ ਮਨ ਭੇਦ ਇਕੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਨ ਧੀਰਹਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਘਰ ਕੇ ਪੰਚਾ ॥
I have read all the Vedas, and yet the sense of separation in my mind still has not been removed; the five thieves of my house are not quieted, even for an instant.
The soul now cries out that despite having read the scriptures, the distance from the LORD is still not cut away – and failed to experience any divine LIGHT, sorrow of separation, friendship with the LORD, inner simran, change in character, meeting with the LORD – and is still high and dry as ever. Guru Sahib states that this very idea to meet HIM is wrong and flawed.
ਕੋਈ ਐਸੋ ਰੇ ਭਗਤੁ ਜੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਤੇ ਰਹਤੁ ਇਕੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੇਰੈ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਿੰਚਾ ॥
Is there any devotee, who is unattached to Maya, who may irrigate my mind with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the One Lord?
If only we could find one who is free of material existence, demands none of it, unattached to the self and drips in Amritras as he had earned himself the highest state at Dasam Duar – so that we could also achieve the same level of being. It is only in Amritras that one can be free of material existence and attachments and to finally leave this world. We can only experience this state of bliss when we give up the lower pleasures like kaam, kroadh, lobh, moh and ahankaar. When the higher state is achieved is when we would realise how the body was no play at all but a pure farce with the ALMIGHTY. In this state of Amritras, the conscious mind can finally atuned with the inner being for hours on end.
॥ ਜੇਤੇ ਰੇ ਤੀਰਥ ਨਾਏ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਲਾਏ ਘਰ ਕੋ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਇਕੁ ਤਿਲੁ ਨ ਮਾਨੈ ॥
Inspite of the many places of pilgrimage for people to bathe in, their minds are still stained by their stubborn ego; the Lord Master is not pleased by this at all.
Bathing at sites of pilgrimage is against Sikhi but falsely justify so with Gurbani as no one understands Gurbani’s deeper essence of meaning. Throughout Gurbani, not a single mention is made of bathing in waters and make it clear that such acts of piety are of no avail but only ends up filling us in ego and pride. What is the point of such vain acts when the inner self still remained the same, without experiencing even an iota of inner bliss, failed to meet GOD and the mind is as unsteady as ever? No one ever intentionally teaches the mode of the inner journey out of their own selfish ends.
॥ ਕਦਿ ਪਾਵਉ ਸਾਧਸੰਗੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਸਦਾ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨਿ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਇਸਨਾਨੈ ॥
When will I find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy? There, I shall be always in the ecstasy of the Lord, Har, Har, and my mind shall take its cleansing bath in the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom.
Guru Granth Sahib Jee itself is WAHEGURU – and that is why we need to befriend Gyan (wisdom) as enshrined in it with which the filth of the mind can be washed off, and not through ritualistic bathing. No matter how many rituals one may engage in, that mind will never change unless we pay heed to
ਕਹਤਉ ਪੜਤਉ ਸੁਣਤਉ ਏਕ ॥ ਧੀਰਜ ਧਰਮੁ ਧਰਣੀਧਰ ਟੇਕ ॥ ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਏ ॥ ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਕਉ ਜੇ ਮਨੁ ਪਤੀਆਏ ॥
Speak, read and hear of the One Lord. The Support of the earth shall bless you with courage, righteousness and protection. Chastity, purity and self-restraint are infused into the heart, when one centers his mind in the fourth state. (SGGS 686).
॥ ਸਗਲ ਅਸ੍ਰਮ ਕੀਨੇ ਮਨੂਆ ਨਹ ਪਤੀਨੇ ਬਿਬੇਕਹੀਨ ਦੇਹੀ ਧੋਏ ॥
I have followed the four stages of life, but my mind is not satisfied; I wash my body, but it is totally lacking in understanding
ਕੋਈ ਪਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਬਿਧਾਤਾ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਾਤਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਲੁ ਖੋਏ ॥
If only I could meet some devotee of the Supreme Lord God, imbued with the Lord’s Love, who could eradicate the filthy evil-mindedness from my mind.
Guru Sahib states that foolish and insane are those that bathe at shrines of pilgrimage when the whole purpose of the human birth was to take the mind to its inner pilgrimage to the soul where WAHEGURU resides. In a world filled with knowledge, we have been left bereft of wisdom where we no longer see God in each other, then how will we even see GOD himself? If only we could find one like HIMSELF in this world – one who is totally and continually imbued with pure love for the LORD so that the collected filth of my mind could be washed away.
॥ ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਜੁਗਤਾ ਨਿਮਖ ਨ ਹੇਤੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਗਰਬਿ ਗਰਬਿ ਪੜੈ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਲੇਖੈ ॥
One who is attached to religious rituals, does not love the Lord, even for an instant; he is filled with pride, and he is of no account.
ਜਿਸੁ ਭੇਟੀਐ ਸਫਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਕਰੈ ਸਦਾ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਕੋਊ ਨੇਤ੍ਰਹੁ ਪੇਖੈ ॥
One who meets with the rewarding personality of the Guru, continually sings the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises. By Guru’s Grace, such a rare one beholds the Lord with his eyes.
ਮਨਹਠਿ ਜੋ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਤਿਲੁ ਨ ਲੇਖੈ ਪਾਵੈ ਬਗੁਲ ਜਿਉ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਲਾਵੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਰੇ ਧਾਰੀ ॥
One who acts through stubbornness is of no account at all; like a crane, he pretends to meditate, but he is still stuck in Maya.
ਕੋਈ ਐਸੋ ਰੇ ਸੁਖਹ ਦਾਈ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਨਾਈ ਤਿਸੁ ਭੇਟੇ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥
Is there any such Giver of peace, who can recite to me the sermon of God? Meeting him, I would be emancipated.
Because of being misled by the outer shows of devotion which only lead to ego and pride, and not for once even tasting the inner search of the LORD, we waste away our precious breaths of life. All this happens because of our being aloof from Gurbani, Gurmat and Rehat which teach us how to connect with GOD. In this very search of HIM, Gurbani is the very intermediary that is necessary to connect us with the primal soul for once and for all. And only rare ones will be able to experience GOD in HIS truest being and form for it takes Grace and blessing of the Guru to achieve such a union.
॥ ਸੁਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਰਾਇ ਕਾਟੈ ਰੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਮਾਇ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ॥
When the Lord, my King, is totally pleased with me, He will break the bonds of Maya for me; my mind is imbued with the Word of the Guru’s Shabad.
ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਭੇਟਿਓ ਨਿਰਭੈ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਸੁਖ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਾਧੇ ਹਰਿ ਚਰਨ ਪਰਾਤਾ ॥
I am in ecstasy, forever and ever, meeting the Fearless Lord, the Lord of the Universe. Falling at the Lord’s Feet, Nanak has found peace.
ਸਫਲ ਸਫਲ ਭਈ ਸਫਲ ਜਾਤ੍ਰਾ ॥
My Yatra, my life pilgrimage, has become fruitful, fruitful, fruitful.
॥ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣ ਰਹੇ ਮਿਲੇ ਸਾਧਾ ॥
My comings and goings have ended, since I met the Holy Saint.
Through Gurbani, make the inner journey and help end your own pains of endless births and deaths. Trust in the Guru and in his way of life for you and make your pilgrimage of life will have found its final destination – merging into the Source of all life –
our CREATOR LORD WAHEGURU.
Transcripted from a Gurmat-Vichaar by Bhai Amarjit Singh Ludhiana Wale (video)
NOTE: For word meanings from Mahan Kosh Encyclopedia, Gurbani Dictionaries and Punjabi/English Dictionaries of any of the SGGS quoted words please click the respective link.