Life is a force when applied to the right course will lead to satisfactory results. But if life does not take a right course, conflict arises. The conflict gives birth to ego that divides everything. It divides family, divides religion and divides the countries. This process continues and never allows one to think and surrender because to surrender is to leave the entanglement of the world.It means to surrender one's ego, greed and power etc.
How essential is it for man to understand the things in their proper prospective? It is absolutely essential to control one's ego that enables the mind to instantly glimpse the presence of the Self - the pure consciousness that prevails the universe. This understanding is one's wisdom, insight and infact one's strength. However, mind rarely allows man to acquire this wisdom.
It is worth to understand that man works during the course of his life under the spell of egoistic trends that has caused havoc through wars and wars. The history of mankind is mostly the history of wars. In the mental haze man tries to deceit through fraud and brute force. Consequently, man is burning inside and suffers endless miseries in the form of bodily diseases and in social relations. Subsequently, he is becoming barbaric in all sphere of life. Man is such a complicated phenomenon that each one is different than the other. His nature ranges from ordinary animal instinct to the most dreaded human beast. This egoistic trait has created the negativity in his mind.
Due to man's own actions, he is repeatedly born and dies and be born again. The ignorance of man blocks his vision to realize the supreme power who has created him. So this is the plight of the man.
What is solution to man's predicament? The answer simply lies in the teachings of Gurbani. In the first verse of morning prayer "Japji Sahib" Guru Nanak said:
Not by thought alone
Can He be known,
Tho' one think a hundred thousand times.
Not in solemn silence,
Not in deep meditation.
Though fasting yields an abundance of virtue,
It cannot appease the hunger for truth.
Not! By none of these
Nor by a hundred thousand other devices
Can God be reached.
How then shall truth be known?
How the veil of false illusion torn?
O Nanak: thus runneth the writ divine,
The righteous path let it be thine.
Sikhism offers man a way to reverse the process of negativity into a renewed hope, opportunity and peace through good actions. In Sikhism the service of humanity is the way to realize God because when we truly serve others the ego is banished away. The mind is illumined when it comes in contact with Eternity. Then the whole truth is revealed to the man. He begins to practice truth in his daily life and engages in Sewa - selfless sharing and serving others regardless of their colour, creed or faith. In doing so, man achieves peace and happiness within himself and strives for peace, justice and prosperity for all.
In their daily prayer, the Sikhs seek guidance and blessings from Almighty "WAHEGURU JI" for all mankind, when they say : " Nanak Naam Charhdi Kala Tere Bhane Sarbat Da Bhala." Let us all join together to spread the awareness of "Divine Naam" to promote peace and prosperity in this troubled world.
Let us all be healthy
Let us all be happy
Let us all be prosperous
None should suffer
Kuldip Neelam