GURU RAM DAS JI SHABD-- PAGE 882 --KIRPA KARO DEEN KE DAATA

KIRPA KARO DEEN KE DAATA—GURU RAM DAS JI—page 882 SGGS

ABOUT GURU RAM DAS JI –4^TH Guru

GURU RAM DAS Ji,(earlier known as Bhai Jettha) was born in 1534 AD, was son in law of third Guru Amar Das Ji (3^rd Guru) whose daughter Bibi Bhani ji was married to him.  Guru Ram Das Ji was the author of about 679 devotional hymns of Nam Bhakti defined by Guru Nanak Dev Ji—written in the name of Nanak---signifying continuity of the Divine Light of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.  He also contributed to building the city of “Ramdaspura”—now known as Amritsar—and initiated construction of a Sarovr—water pool—in the city as per the advice of Guru Amar Das Ji. He was blessed with Guru Gaddi in 1574 AD and remained in sewa till his death in 1581 AD, aged about 47. Guru Ram Das Ji spread santmat teachings through his own Satsangs and via “Masands”—the preachers, who started the system of “Manjis” or small gatherings for dissemination of the spiritual message. 

His son Guru Arjan Dev Ji was then anointed the Guru who completed the construction work of Golden Temple and also compiled Sri Guru Granth Sahib—earlier known as Adi Granth.

ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
One Universal Creator God is the Truth. By The Grace Of The True Guru can be realized.
किरपा करहु दीन के दाते मेरा गुणु अवगणु न बीचारहु कोई ॥
Have mercy on me, O Generous Giver, Lord of the meek; please do not consider my merits and demerits
माटी का किआ धोपै सुआमी माणस की गति एही ॥१॥
How can dust be washed? O my Lord and Master, such is the state of mankind. ||
मेरे मन सतिगुरु सेवि सुखु होई ॥
O my mind, serve the True Guru, and be at peace.

जो इछहु सोई फलु पावहु फिरि दूखु न विआपै कोई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Whatever you desire, you shall receive that reward, and you shall not be afflicted by pain any longer. ||1||Pause|
काचे भाडे साजि निवाजे अंतरि जोति समाई ॥
He creates and adorns the earthen vessels; He infuses His Light within them.
जैसा लिखतु लिखिआ धुरि करतै हम तैसी किरति कमाई
As is the destiny pre-ordained by the Creator, so are the deeds we do.
मनु तनु थापि कीआ सभु अपना एहो आवण जाणा ॥
He believes the mind and body are all his own; this is the cause of his coming and going.
जिनि दीआ सो चिति न आवै मोहि अंधु लपटाणा
He does not think of the One who gave him these; he is blind, entangled in emotional attachment.
जिनि कीआ सोई प्रभु जाणै हरि का महलु अपारा
One who knows that God created him, reaches the Incomparable Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
भगति करी हरि के गुण गावा नानक दासु तुमारा ॥४
Worshipping the Lord, I sing His Glorious Praises. Nanak is Your slave. ||4||1||

                                                                                                                                      (PAGE 882 SGGS)

EKO SATGURU PRASAD

THE special characteristic of Gurbani is that each shabd starts with “EKO SATGURU PARSAD.” Here in lies the very essence of spirituality and mysticism. When translated simply it means the ONE and the only ONE Lord—that is the Truth, can be experienced and realized with the Grace of the true Guru.

 It unequivocally states about the existence as One the only One, the Truth incarnated which is not subject to change. ALL is created by God; while God is not an entity and neither any entity is God.

The concept of duality and multiplicity is an illusion caused by limitation of our body, mind and consciousness. We see many objects and beings in this creation—but according to Gurbani they are all manifestation of Oneness. This multiplicity is the Will of the Lord. The ocean has infinite waves and vastness; yet these are all merged into that “One Ocean”. The sun likewise has infinite rays, which have no separate identity. Sun can exist without rays but rays cannot exist without sun. That is the simplest way of understanding the One and many.

 We wonder how the very elements of nature— akaash(ether**), air fire, water and earth are created. How the universe including various stars and planets are surviving? Why each body of each being has similar construction with diverse appearances and acts behaviourally in its own way?**(Ether is unseen intellect or intelligence or Buddhi emanating out of mind /Universal mind)

Is the creation perfect or imperfect, rational or irrational? Debate on this subject is inconclusive at human level. None can claim that this cosmic existence is a creation or discovery of any man or men. Thus we presume that there must be some imperceptible energy responsible for them. That energy is often described as God which is the Perfection. We may label Him imperfect or irrational or sometimes perfect depending upon our level of consciousness.

 God is not able to communicate with us, not because of any limitation on His part but because we are limited. Neither He describes where His abode is, nor he descripts his qualities or defines the manner to reach Him or worship Him.

Naturally there is a vacuum in understanding and realizing Him by ordinary human endeavour-- even though man is blessed with highest degree of Vivek or intelligence relative to other beings. We make a genuine assessment of His perfection and conclude his actions and creation somewhat imperfect. But what is the level of our perfection? Do we make right decisions in our life all the time? Can we Judge Him with our limited understanding?

But Saints, Gurus, Sufis, Murshids, Pir-Pagambers also known as Messengers, Sons of God who have been blessed by Divine experience have revealed His mysteries, attributes and methods of realizing Him. They have profoundly given His detailed narrative and of His laws and the manner of functioning of His cosmic creation.

1.      Kabir Sahib says—कह कबीर हम धुर के भेदी लाये हुकम हजूरी// 

2.      Guru Nanak Sahib also says—जेसी मे आवे खसम की बानी तेस्ड़ा करी ज्ञान वे लालो//page 722.

3.       Guru Ram Das—4^th Guru— हर की कथा कहानियां गुर मीत सुनईया// बलहारी गुर आपने गुर को बल जाईया. The Guru, my dearest Beloved, has given the narrative of the Lord and I sacrifice myself to that Guru. The Divine Law is that He can be realised by the Prasad —the spiritual grace of a Guru who can physically communicate to human beings.

4.      Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. 

5.       Quran says “Laa ilaaha illalaah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah”--There is absolutely no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Mohamed Sahib is the Messenger of Allah—through Him the Lord can be realized.

Thus Gurbani says EKO SATGUR PARSAD;

Guru Nanak Sahib Says—सचे शब्द सची पत होई, बिन नामे मुक्त न पाए कोई//बिन सतगुर कोई नाम न पावे प्रभ ऐसी बनत बनाई है //

Kabir Sahib mentions—बलहारी गुरु आपने, जिस गोबिंद दिए दिखाए// 

Baba Bulleh Shah says—बिन मुर्शिद कामिल बुलया तेरी ऐवें गई इबादत कीती // The invocation of Oneness and the blessings of the True Guru is the first and foremost message of all the Gurus—whose writings appear in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Tulsi Sahib –तुलसी बिना करम किसी मुर्शिद रसीदा के// राहे निज़ात दूर है उस पार देखना //

SHABD

Now in this shabd Guru Ram Das Ji is giving an expression of helplessness of the seeker in meditating and experiencing Him-- with attendant reasons--  

किरपा करहु दीन के दाते मेरा गुणु अवगणु न बीचारहु कोई//

माटी का किआ धोपै सुआमी माणस की गति एही//

FIRST LET US UNDERSTAND WHAT “KIRPA KARO” MEANS. An aspirant prays Kirpa karo-- means to have compassion on me. Is Lord not known as Kripalo or Dayalo—the merciful and generous being? Has not he been kind to us? Why then we need to pray for His Kirpa again? He has given us precious human body in working order, along with all facilities of five vital elements including fruits vegetables to consume, good weather conditions to survive, all modern day facilities of house, electricity, education and livelihood.  What type of Kirpa is lacking that we are pleading again for His Kirpa??

This renewed pleadings of Kripa is prayed when a person yearns to experience the Sukh—eternal bliss. He feels that he is stuck in the mire of Kal and Karm Janjal, Hoame or ego.   He wishes to end the pain of separation from His Divine abode. A Sufi says—

मुझे भी लम्हे हिजरत ने कर दिया तकसीम//निगाह घर की तरफ है कदम सफर की तरफ// (Divided I stand in the moment of feeling of separation with You. While I seek the eternal abode, my footsteps are chasing this mirage of creation).   

This feeling is a rare blessing of the Lord. It springs from the inner recesses of the heart. The objective being to get rid of fake feeling of happiness related to fulfilment of wishes and desires. The traditional cravings and pleasures derived from wealth, family, property, power and position provide more pain than gain and look insipid.  Says Mirdad—“a man is held by what he holds”. A man becomes prisoner of his own possessions.  All material and mental attachments transmute into misery. This is the anguish of frustration from the conventional understanding of purpose of life. Kabir Sahib says

तन धर सुखिया कोई न देखा,जो देखा सो दुखिया रे

आसा तृष्णा सब को वेआपे, कोई महल नहीं सूना रे //

कहे कबीर सकल जग दुखिया, संत सुखी मन जीती हो//

The meaning of this Doha is that “None is happy in this creation and unhappiness prevails all over (because this body (tann) grows and decays. Sometimes it is healthy or diseased.) Mann or Mind generates desires and sense of possessions which are the cause of sufferings. Until the power of the mind for enjoying ephemeral pleasures and cravings is set at rest, the real bliss is evasive. Saints who have conquered mann or mind are rewarded with everlasting happiness.”

 Pull  of mind and senses is in the outward and downward direction. Fascination of the worldly objects pleases senses.  This obsession comes and goes; cycle of short lived pleasure is followed by pain either due to lack in interest in them or fear of losing them or the illusory happiness brings sadness by the turn of events.

Mentally there is a sequence of Mnas, Chiit, Buddhi, Ahankar—observation, recall, discrimination and action. Mnas observes and remember the inner thoughts, outer objects and activities; Chitt recalls; Buddhi discriminates as positive or negative; Ahankar proceeds to possess or reject it. The fetish of possession fades with time or conditions, because of the inherent attribute of mind to change, seeking something different; rejection also becomes remorse due to the same reason.

Guru Amar Das Ji says(P364 SGGS) एह मन अन्धा बोला है किस आख सुनाईये // अंतर लोभ भरम अनल वायो//-- This mind is blind and deaf. Is there any benefit to speak and preach to blind and deaf? Deep within it is fire of greed and dust storm of doubt. Thus the seeker is requesting Lord to help him reverse the direction of mind from outward and downward to inward and upward.

We apportion blame to God for results or lack of results, due to limitation of higher understanding. We then deviate from the path of Bhana—living in His will with gratitude---which is the Dharma of Divine constitution and establishment.

WHAT IS MEANT BY DEEN KE DATTA?--Lord is also known as “Deen Dayal”—that He is merciful to the humble and meek. We generally recite the shabd of Kabir Sahib—दीन दयाल भरोसे तेरे, सब परवार चढ़या बेड़े –oh merciful Lord of the meek, I have placed full faith in you, and with my family come aboard Your Boat.

 Allah is also known as Rahman or Rahim—implying merciful. “Deen ke Datta” implies that He is the Giver to those who have moderated their ego self to the minimum. Only humility and love helps in living in His Will. A life of modesty pleases the Lord. In such a state of mind an aspirant pleads that the Lord should not make any assessment of his positive and negative virtues. He admits tacitly that he possesses no merits. And even if there are any merits, they are next to nothing, as compared to the sea of demerits one has. Guru Nanak Sahib mentions—

जेते सुमंद सागर नीर भरिया तेते औग्न हमारे

दया करो कीच महर उपवेह डुबदे  तारो //

The vastness of my sins is akin to water of an Ocean. I seek your mercy from saving this sinking stone to swim across the Ocean of Existence.

Guru Amar Das Ji pleads--

मेरे सत्गुरा तुध जेवड अवर न कोए//

हम मुर्ख मुग्ध सर्नाग्ती कर किरपा मेल हर सोये // (page 39 SGGS)

None equals thee of my Guru, we are foolish and ignorant, seek your sanctuary. Please be merciful and unite me with the Lord.   

माटी का किआ धोपै सुआमी माणस की गति एही  is a very poignant paradigm of inherent helplessness of  a man for experiencing Primal purity due to severity of limitations of human beings. Dust cannot be washed in the soil itself-- that is the state of mankind. If we apply soap and water to dust on the bare soiled ground, to clean it—the dust shall remain as it is.

Unless You, Oh Lord, “forgives” my acts of omission and commission, good or bad deeds—there is no possibility of Self-emancipation.

Below is the message of seeking forgiveness from the Lord. If Lord blesses forgiveness only then our affairs are perfectly resolved, while clever tricks of mind, maya and intellect are of no avail. Guru Nanak Sahib says—

अवर सिअनाप सगली पाज// जे बख्से ते पूरा काज//

 Divine Word or Nam or pull of Satguru has two aspects of grace "a centri­fugal flow and a centripetal flow. It radiates outward from God and it flows back towards God. Moving upon the current, all life and all power appear to flow outward to the uttermost bounds of creation, and again upon it all life appears to be returning to its source. It is the second aspect of the current with which the disciples of a Master have mostly to deal, for it is upon the current's return flow to God that they depend for their return for their return to the Original Home”.

 End of verse 1

-------------------------------------------------------------

मेरे मन सतिगुरु सेवि सुखु होई ॥

जो इछहु सोई फलु पावहु फिरि दूखु न विआपै कोई ॥१॥ रहाउ

 In these lines of Rahau (रहाउ), Guru Ram Das Ji is now defining the formula or the way forward for His grace (Kripa) to receive His forgiveness. The word Rahau (रहाउ),  is derived from Rahu (रहो) which literally means to Pause in hymns.For example --खड़े रहो!!  Why Pause? Because  the Rahau’s (रहाउ),   verse carries “essence” of the Shabad and deserves extensive elaboration.

The core and crux of this verse of “Rahau” is to do sewa of a True Guru or Satguru or Pir-O-Murshid, Who is living, blesses technique of Nam and to abide by His teachings with body and mind.

 WHAT IS MEANT BY “MERE MANN”OR MIND-- ITS BROAD DEFINATION  AND ATTRIBUTES-

Body is visible but mind and soul are invisible entities.  Mystics say that just as the soul is a drop in the ocean of Universal Soul or God- so too is the individual mind a drop in the universal mind. It is an agent of power of God whose role is to keep souls away from an understanding of their true home. The function of the mind is to keep souls tied to the realm of birth and death. It does this so well that most individuals are quite unconscious of the state they are in, and have no understanding of the part played by the mind in determining the course of their lives.  Guru Tegh Bhadur Ji, Ninth Guru says page 1428 —

मन माया नें रम रेहो निकसत नहीं नाहिन मीत //

नानक मूरित चित्र छाडत नाहिन भीत//

That mind is so mingled with Maya that an aspirant cannot get rid of it. This intimacy is allegorical to a painting done on a wall.

At the same time Guru Arjan Dev Ji in a typical sufi tone reminds us (P-1083 SGGS)

देह मसीत मन मौलाना कलम खुदाई पाक खरा—that for seeking primal purity , let your body be a mosque and mind as a priest for remembering the Kalma or Nam of the Lord.  

THE problem of sufferings in the cycle of ‘eighty four’ of the trilogy--- soul, mind and body-- in the three planes of consciousness (physical, astral, causal) has no simple solution.  Mind being a powerful intermediary between the soul and the body has to play the most important role in resolution of this formidable conflict. Soul has a natural affinity for the Supreme soul---the Lord. Mind acts as a barrier in keeping the soul lost in this creation and material entanglements. It poses as a friend of the body and senses—weaves a web of deceit and deception--- so that the heart and the soul continue to get contaminated by illusive aspects of life. The soul gets buried under the rubbish of attachments and desires of all variety that it forgets its true Abode, which is its Royal inheritance. If a gas balloon is tied to a heavy weight, it cannot rise and fly, though its natural inclination is to ascend to the sky. The weight of our wishes and craving etc. is so intense that by its downward pull mind and soul are entrapped in the physical plane.  Einstein in his famous quotes has underscored two prominent thoughts--- one, that the level of consciousness has to be constantly elevated to acquire higher degree of knowledge, realization and understanding of any phenomenon--- scientific or spiritual. The other or second aspect, which has specific relevance to mysticism, is that ‘effort’—enlightened effort----- is required to shift from the lower to the higher level of understanding. Since mind gets stuck and jammed in the physical world and loses its effort and ability of ascension like a balloon of gas, it implies that mind must shed the weights of material paraphernalia and be given a motivational push and direction to lift itself to that superior stage, that can come only from a Superior level of mind and Divine grace.

The Arabic and Persian term for mind is “aql”. The word “aql al-kulli” is the cosmic mind or universal intelligence. This “aql” is the cause is the primal cause of separation from the Allah or the drag-down power that casts its spell on soul and body.

The next word in the verse is SATGURU. It has to be dealt in two parts. FIRST, ABOUT THE NEED OF A MASTER OR SATGURU FOR A SEEKER OR A DISCIPLE AND SECOND WHO IS THE SATGURU.

NEED OF THE SATGURU

The obvious question that now needs to be dealt with why there is a need for ‘discipleship’ and a ‘Master’. Who is a ‘disciple ‘and who is the ‘Master’. Mind is the disciple and the Supreme Self is the Master.  But mind needs a ‘body’ to follow and understand. The Supreme Self too needs a ‘body’ to communicate. Man already has a soul, mind and body that wish to learn the mystery of the Supreme Self. When a man is ready to be a seeker, the Lord in his grace and compassion wears a ‘cover’ of a Master-Satguru  in a soul, mind and  body to reveal the path that may enable the seeker to access Him. The Lord’s human form is meant to give ‘guidance’ as man cannot acquire such instructions by his own endeavor. Mind, in a man, is lost in illusion and is ‘blind’ to the Reality, and a ‘blind’ cannot lead the ‘blind’.

Living in His will “happily” requires that we be blessed by His Love. Mirdad says God is Love. You love so that you can learn to live (in His Razaa). You live so that you may learn to Love (realize God). Love and loving is feasible with the help of a living body or form. One cannot love who is unseen. Master’s grace is essential for transmission of love –also called Ishq-Haqiqi, in contrast to the love between man and woman that is known as Ishq-Mizazi.

 WHO IS THE SATGURU CAPABLE OF BLESSING US AND HOW TO SERVE HIM? 

1)      Such a Guru cannot be found. It is through the grace of the God that He finds us. Fifth Guru Arjan Dev Ji says— 

भाग होया गुर संत मिलाया// प्रभ अब्नासी घर में पाया // page 97 (SGGS)

With great fortune one meets the True Master with whose grace I have found the immortal Lord within the home of my own self—that within my body.

सतगुरु दाता हर नाम का प्रभ आप मिलावे सोई //

सतगुर हर प्रभ भुजेया गुर जेवड अवर ना कोई//

हो गुर सारणी डेह पवा कर दया मेल प्रभ सोई//  page 39 (SGGS)

Then again—

जिस को पूरब लिख्या तिन सतगुर सरन गहे

Those with pre-ordained destiny are sheltered by the Satguru.

2)       A Satguru shows us the way within the human body. Even Guru Nanak Sahib says--- 

घर मह घर देखाई दे सो सतगुरु पुरख सुजान//

पांच शब्द धुन्कार धुन तह बाजे शब्द नीसान//

सुखमन के घर राग सुन सुन्न मंडल लिव लाये//  (page 1291 SGGS)

True or perfect living Master or Guru is He who makes you experience Divinity—the eternal abode-- within the temporary home of this human body-- where the celestial music of spheres of Five Shabd is resonating. Listen to that music of Sunn region--—that is beyond mind and maya or where mind and maya is numbed-- in the sushmana or shahrag of your body. Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, explains the same to a Hajji, named-- Sheikh Taki

क्यों भटकता फिर रहा तू ऐ तलाशे यार में//

रास्ता शाह रग में है दिलवर को जाने के लिए//

मुर्शिदे कामिल से मिल सिदक और सबूरी से तकी//

जो तुझे देगा फहम शाह रग के पाने के लिए//

3)      His teachings are of meditation or Simran- Dhayan which pertain to the words of remembrance of Lord सिमर सिमर सिमर नाम जीवां मेरा तन मन होये निहाला; how to focus attention at the eye centre and to hear the transcendental musical sound vibrations and experience the astral light or Noor of Allah within--- (पंचे शब्द अनहद बाजे संगे सारंगपानी , कबीर दास तेरी आरती कीनी निरंकार निरबानी//  If thine eye be single then your whole body will be full of light—Jesus—referring to the Third eye and seeing the light within).

The prescription includes daily meditation for two and half hours, adherence to a life style of lacto vegetarianism,(भांग माछली, सूरा पान जो जो प्राणी खाए, तीर्थ बरत और नेम किये सभी रसातल जांए//honest living (हक पराया नानका ओह सूर ओह गाय// गुरु पीर हामा ता भरे जे मुरदार न खाए//, serving others without any reward or expectations and a good moral character—in short a good human being.

सच ता फिर जानिए जे सिख सची ले , दया जाने जी की कुछ पुन दान करे

Serving the Master implies living a life of meditation—that covers all the above aspects. This is also termed as Rehni and Karni.

4)      The other vital attribute of a perfect Master is that He Himself is the Greatest Giver, lives by honest means, serves others freely physically, mentally and spiritually. Guru Nanak Sahib mentions in unequivocal terms—

गुर पीर सदाए मंगन जाये, ता के मूल न लगे पाए

घाल खाए किछ  हथों दे, नानक राह पछाने सो //

Don’t serve the one who begs for living. One who works honestly for his living and gives some of what he has—he knows the path.

गुरु नहीं बूखा तेरे धन का, उन पर धन है भक्ति नाम का //

पर तेरा उपकार कराएं भूखे प्यासे को दिलवायं//

उनकी मैहर तुम  मुफ्त में पायं//

SEWA AND SUKH

Then “SEV SUKH HOII” ---that is the way of experiencing eternal blissfulness---which is pointer to realization of the Supreme. Sewa, the ‘service’ to the Master is the basic requirements for all paths. This may not be confused with physical or monetary service to the Master. True service means to abide by His instructions in daily life and devote time to meditation as per his prescription for getting tuned with the ‘Divine word—the Shabd Dhun’. Meditation creates conviction, faith, practice and understanding of the divine mysteries and is the only way of naturally getting rid of all vices and temporal attachments of the mind so that the soul is capable of acceptance at the Divine court. Guru Nanak Sahib (page 662 SGGS) says—

ऐसी सेवक सेवा करे जिस का जीओ तिस आगे धरे

The Lord’s servant should perform such service that he dedicates his soul to the Lord, to whom it belongs.  

Here “Sukh” does not imply illusory happiness of fleeting nature derived through mind and senses via worldly objects or persons. Only when Mann or mind lives happily in His will only then it can cherish that SUKH. Third Guru, Amar Das Ji enlightens us—

मन मेरे सतगुर के भाने चल// निझ घर वसो अमृत पीव्हो ता सुख लहह महल // (page 37 SGGS)

Then again Gur Arjan Dev Ji so writes about absolute obedience to Satguru

इत् मार्ग भाईअड़े चलना गुरु कहे सो कार कमाई जीओ//

त्यागे मन की मतड़ी विसारे दूजा भाऊ जीओ//

(Walk on this path by abiding on the teachings of the Guru; abandon intellectual gymnastics and forget the love of duality)

A sincere intention of surrender of self to His Will “happily” is pre-requisite for realization of the Divinity. There is no doubt that we all have to live in His will. We have no option. But we do so unhappily. There is a clash of our so called free will with Omniwill. The seeker becomes aware that his mind is full of cravings, infatuations, obsessions, greed, lust, likes and dislikes of bodies and objects, of self-created sense of beauty and ugliness that often defies Omniwill.

Guru Nanak Sahib says—

भुखियाँ भुख न उत्तरी जे बंना पुरिया भार//

The hunger of this mind cannot be appeased by piling loads of worldly goods—even of three regions, namely Pind And & Brahmanda—physical, astral and casual planes. Briefly

माया की भूख माया से नहीं पूरी की जा सकती// because all entities of mind region are bound disappear with passage of time.

SEVA TO SETTLE THE GREAT HUMAN DEBT

 We may  be rich and famous but mega debtors we are. It is not a financial or a monetary liability but a very subtle debt that is debited the moment we are born. The arrears need to be squared off during this lifetime through seva performed as per Dharma, the principle of righteousness as recorded in all religious scriptures. Our scriptures mention four types of debts (karza or rinn in Hindi) that a man must settle in life through seva.

    Pitri rinn (debt to parents): As small children we are weaklings — need attention and support all time. We are reared by our parents/elders with love and affection. As we grow up and turn out to be stronger, parents age and become physically weak. We are therefore obliged to attend to their welfare at all times. Even if a person gives charities of millions of dollars, but neglects old parents/elders — Pitri debt is not paid off. Seva to the parents is the prime obligation.

    Dev rinn (debt to gods): The gods mean the five elements of Nature; the life sustaining forces — water, air, fire, earth, ether (intelligence) and all that is edible. They are the energies of life in this world and it becomes obligatory upon all men that they contribute to the welfare of this material plane, including one's family and society, by moral integrity and sense of discrimination. All the positive contribution that is made in this world by all of us means mitigation of debit of Dev rinn.

    Guru rinn (debt to master): Spiritual mentor who leads us to the path of spirituality or moksha. In this life riddled with maya and illusion, master leads us from spiritual darkness to enlightenment. We have to pay off this debt by bhakti seva — meditative concentration and living a life as instructed by him.

    Brham rinn (debt to lord): At birth, life is purity personified and full of innocence. After childhood — when we acquire worldly knowledge, power of reasoning and logic, manipulation of intellect and mind — we get debased from the spiritual point of view. The life of spotlessness gets spotted. Debt to lord is created. This can be reimbursed by being pure again. It is through the grace of guru that spiritual sheet can be made spotless. Arrears to lord can be repaid by bhakti or seva blessed by guru. Said Jesus, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”. Guru Nanak Sahib describes the essence of divine realisation in one word — ‘Gurprasad' — the one realised through grace (prasad) of guru.

Seva as defined by the Master is the “mantra” for His grace for squaring up the debits of parents, society, Guru and the Lord God for final redemption.

जो इछहु सोई फलु पावहु फिरि दूखु न विआपै कोई Mind is a generator of desires. All desires are bound to be fulfilled—but the time and space of such a gratification is not in our hands. We remain in the cycle of 84 which implies that process of pain and pleasure, birth and death will continue endlessly.

But if we have ONE OMNI DESIRE of Realizing Him, then all other desires will be automatically fulfilled—that is to say we are left with no cravings. Our love and attachment with the Lord is so intense that everything else is rendered redundant. Then there is no DUKH. The pain of separation of the soul transforms into blissfulness upon merging with the radiant form of the Master.

Describing that emotion of ecstasy of that bliss or Sukh—Guru Amar Das Ji recites—आनंद भया मेरी माये सतगुरु में पाया; सतगुर ता पाया सहज सेती, मन वजियाँ वधाईयां. (Page 917 sggs) The real happiness has dawned; I have realized the True Guru with intuitive ease and my mind is resonating with music of bliss.

Hazur Mahraj ji used to say that it is the attachment with the Shabd Master, that creates detachment from mind and maya. Attachment causes detachment. Detachment cannot provide attachment.

Soami ji also says गुर भक्ति द्रिड के करो,पीछे और उपाए//बिन गुर भक्ति मोह जग, कभी न कटा जाये//

End of RAHAU verse

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काचे भाडे साजि निवाजे अंतरि जोति समाई//.
जैसा लिखतु लिखिआ धुरि करतै हम तैसी किरति कमाई//

“Kache Bhande” means that our existence is not permanent and that it is bound to perish as per the will of the Lord or as destined according to our Karmic profile.

This body is made of five diverse elements that are of contrarian disposition to each other. Earth dissolves in water; air evaporates water; fire is quenched by water; air devours fire; and air in absorbed in aakash/ether. It is because of the light or power of soul that these five elements survive together as a human body. The moment the soul quits the body, it disintegrates and various elements merge back to their universal source. That is what implied by Kache Bhande.

That is why Kabir Sahib also states the same –

अवल अल्लाह नूर उपाया कुदरत के सभ बन्दे// एक नूर ते सब जग उपजय कौन भले कौन मंदे//

माट्टी एक अनेक भांत की साजी साजन हारे// न कुछ पोच माट्टी के भांडे न कुछ पोच कुम्हारे//

The lord has designed the creation of diversity in His own way and there is no imperfection or shortcoming in the bodies or beings or its objects and neither the Potter nor God has any flaws of any kind. By the very nature of its design it has limited existence and fickleness of mind. That the body gets born, grows and dies, passes through phases of pain and pleasures but that should not be deemed a flaw. All this happens as per His will or Hukam or Raza.  Gurbani says—

आपे साजे करे आप जाई भी रखे आप// तिस विच जंत उपाई के देखे थापे उथाप//

किस नू कहीये नानका सब कीच आपे आप//

None can question his wisdom or Hukam. If we know what His Hukam or will, then there is question of any hoame or ego. Guru Nanak Sahib says—

नानक हुक्मे जे बुझे ता होअमे कहे न कोई //

Of our own we can do nothing—so precise is His will that Jesus says –“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered”.

जैसा लिखतु लिखिआ धुरि करतै हम तैसी किरति कमाई refers to the immutable aspect of destiny—designed and executed by Divinity.

HERE CONCEPT OF DESTINY NEEDS TO BE ELABORATED.

Destiny can neither be changed nor known or predicted.  Freewill and destiny are self –contradictory. Then what is the role of choices that we make in life. An explanation---it is the game of playing cards. After randomly shuffling the pack, players are distributed a set of unknown cards. They win or lose by playing  those limited  cards, depending upon constraints of personal intelligence.

At human level, they appear to be making choices. At Divine level, availability of any particular card/cards is not in his hand; nor the intelligence of thought process that gets triggered by a set of cards.  At  human level choices do exist. At elevated domain of consciousness they do not. We do not take birth by our own will, neither appearances of our bodies are fashioned by us; we don’t choose our parents, society, relatives, religion, nation etc. We are not aware of length of our life and death. We grow, decay and disappear as per orders of a Power that we remain unaware of.

Sufism classifies mystics in two broad groups—the first who adhere to the Lord’s “raza” or “ahle-raza” or those who live in absolute surrender to his will, because Divine plan is immutable. The other who  seek mercy by “Dua” or “ahle-dua” category-   who pray for divine mercy with invocation if the “Lord so wishes” the desire be fulfilled, because the Lord knows the best for all of us.  Thus both groups endorse unqualified allegiance to Destiny. Even with common intelligence one can surmise that if each individual is to determine his/her destiny, the world would be chaotic.

Now the nemesis is that-- though preordained events of destiny will direct the course of life, irrespective of individual understands, acceptance or non-acceptance, yet all that transpires or is bound to transpire will change, because principle of change governs all planes of existence till one de-exists. Then why worry, because destined events will be automatically losing their force brought by the change.

END OF VERSE 2

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मनु तनु थापि कीआ सभु अपना एहो आवण जाणा 
जिनि दीआ सो चिति न आवै मोहि अंधु लपटाणा

MISCONCEPTION OF PERMANENCE IN MAYA:   We have fallen in love and are obsessed and possessed by the illusory or Maaevi aspect of creation which is bound to perish along with us or even before we quit this world.

Guru Nanak Sahib describes the multiplicity of pleasures that mind is fond of and questions where the Lord can rest in the heart.

रस सोय्ना रस रूपा कामन रस परमल की वास//

रस घोड़ा रस सेज मंदिर रस मीठा रस मास//
एते रस सरीर के क्या घट नाम निवास// ( page 15 SGGS)

The pleasures of gold and silver, women, fragrance of sandalwood,horses, soft bed in a palace, the  sweet treats and of food of flesh-- are so numerous; how can the Naam, the Name of the Lord, find its dwelling in the heart? ||

That which gets born, acquires multiple attributes and then dies” is the simplest definition of Maya or Illusion or Conventional Reality. Illusion appears a projection of certainty, while it is not. The litmus test of Maya is---it first provides pleasure but finally betrays the beneficiary, leading to sorrow, suffering and repentance.

 All forms of mind’s attachment with Maya — beauty, bodies, richness, power, pleasure, property, friends or families are initially pleasurable and then painful.  It can be reasoned that attachment with any object with passage of time, does not survive in the form when bonding was done by mind, because Nature has so contrived that all must change.

कुड़ राजा कुड़ प्रजा कुड़ सब संसार// कुड़ मंडप कुड़ माड़ी कुड़ बेस्न्हार //

कुड़ सोइना कुड़ रूपा कुड़ पेन्न्हार// कुड़  काया कुड़ कपड़ कुड़ रूप अपार//

कुड़ मियां कुड़ बीबी खप होए खार // किस नाल कीजे दोस्ती सब जग च्ल्न्हार //

कुड़ मिठा कुड़ माखियों कुड़ डोबे पूर// नानक व्खाने बेनती तुध बाझ कूड़ों कुड़//

Mind always projects an illusion of wisdom. It tends to believe and approve higher mind as its preceptor. Higher mind becomes the guru and lower mind a disciple. Therefore an individual might claim that he is pursuing the right path of  Divine realization and needs no Guru. This is how superior mind reins the lower mind. Mind ruling over the mind is another web of illusion-- that it casts on the one who intends to set itself free from cycle of transmigration. Ego-self and attachments of the world are prime cause of perpetual misery in the cycle of 84. You go where your heart is.  In Holy Bible, it is so written—“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Hafiz, a sufi says

कर  इकठा गंज इरफानी नाल तेरे जो जावे//

सोना चांदी जोड़ियाँ होईआं लोकां दे कम आवे

Guru Teg Bhadur ji –ninth guru has beautifully elaborated this transient truth

धनु दारा स्मपति सगल जिनि अपुनी करि मानि//
इन मै कछु संगी नही नानक साची जानि// page 1426
Your wealth, spouse, and all the possessions which you claim as your own none of these shall go along with you in the end. O Nanak, know this as true

जग रचना सब झूठ है जान ले रे मीत//

कह नानक थिर न रहे  जियों बालू की भीत// page 1429

The world and its affairs are totally false; know this well, my friend. The world and its affairs are totally false; know this well, my friend.

Guru Nanak says— नानक मत्ती मिथ्या  करम साचा निशान — all knowledge acquired through  intellect is a myth—while the Grace (of the guru) is the stamp of  Real Knowledge.  Intellect does the reasoning, but one set of reasons can be demolished by another set of arguments. There could be reasons behind reasons leading to futility. Thus the Understanding revealed through Divine Grace is the real remedy to rid the reasoning.

Since principle of change is immutable and suppression of desires can recoil as negative reaction, what could be the medication from cycle of pleasure, pain and remorse?  Mystics recommend that remedy lies in Mind’s firm connectivity with “One” that is beyond the realm of change. When  mind is attached to the “One that is Unchangeable”—the Axis, where all is at perpetual peace and bliss, then it (mind) stays detached from rotation, radial and peripheral commotion of worldly wheel.  This is defined as detached attachment by Mystics—living in His will happily with gratitude. This is the way to harmony in life riddled with forces of mind and Maya. There is a beautiful and popular Doha of Kabir Sahib-

चलती चाकी देख कर दिया कबीरा रोये//दो पाथर के बीच में सबत रहा न कोई

आसे पासे जो गिरा निकट पीसवा होई, कीले से लगा रहे बाल न बींका होए //

Those who surrender to the ONE are redeemed and emancipated.

END OF VERSE 3

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जिनि कीआ सोई प्रभु जाणै हरि का महलु अपारा//
भगति करी हरि के गुण गावा नानक दासु तुमारा//

Those who have followed the prescription and the path of Nam Bhakti or devotion of a Satguru of meditative way of life with love, humility and surrender can experience the presence of the Lord with His grace. This is the way that He has Himself devised. Of our own we can do nothing. As a servant, says the Guru Ram Das Ji, in the name of Guru Nanak Sahib that, I beseech You to let me be grateful to You always by appreciating abundance of Your grace.  

END OF VERSE 4

THE END OF SHABD.