SIDH GOSHT VERSE
72 PAGE 946
सबदे का निबेड़ा सुन तू औधू बिन नावे जोग न होई //
नाम रते अनदिन माते नामे ते सुख होई //
नाम रते अनदिन माते नामे ते सुख होई //
नामे ही ते सब परगट होवे नामे सोझी पाई //
बिन नावे बेख करेह बहुतेरे सचे आप खुआई//
सतगुर ते नाम पाया अउधू जोग जुगत ता होई //
कर बीचार मन देखे नानक बिन नावे मुक्त न होई //
page 946
सबदे का निबेड़ा सुन तू औधू
बिन नावे जोग न होई //
(निबेड़ा=conclusion
औधू=yogi जोग= unification)
The conclusion, core and crux of
Nam is now revealed to you-- oh yogis--- that-- without the practice the path
of Shabad or Nam, “Jog”—Oneness with the Lord cannot be accomplished.
This verse is in response to detailed
questioning at length by the assembly of Yogis (Sidh yogis) to Guru Nanak Sahib
on the path, technique and lifestyle for experiencing the Lord.
Gurbani in general proclaims the prominence of
Nam-Bhakti. Unless a seeker treads the
path of Shabd Bhakti or Nam Bhakti –for unification with God—there is no other
recourse. (The word “निबेड़ा” in colloquial Panjabi
implies final resolution of any controversial or disputed issues—intellectual,
scientific, personal, political, social etc.)
We generally say “there is no way out”—‘take it
or leave it’—or- ‘this way or the highway’. Nam is the “निबेड़ा”-- for
emancipation of the soul from the cycle of 84. नानक नाम
निरंजन जानो कीनी भगत प्रेम
लिव लाई// Page 1406—Guru Nanak realized that Nam is the only immaculate Reality to
which he was attuned with loving devotion.
This commandment is conveyed to the yogis
based on understanding blessed to Guru Nanak Sahib by the Lord. जैसे में आवे खसम की बानी तेस्ड़ा करूँ
ज्ञान वे लालो –Guru sahib addressing
his follower Lalo utters in humility—that what is revealed to me by the Word
(bani or Nam) of my Master-God, so do I express. Says Kabir Sahib-- कह कबीर हम धुर के भेदी
लाये हुकम हजूरी// These saints utter what is Revealed to them by Lord
and not by an intellectual or experimental exposition or through logic, that
may be the case with a philosopher or a scientist.
It matters little whether the seeker is a yogi
or householder or ascetic or Fakir, irrespective of caste, color and religious
beliefs. Nam and Shabads are synonymous (see attachment on Shabad and Nam) in
Gurbani and also refer to Anhad, Bani, Dhun, Word, Logos, Kun and so on. Even Kabir Sahib
says “सुनता नहीं धुन की खबर अनहद का बाजा बाजता”.
In Gurbani Page
346, there is a verse of Saint Ravi Das ji
सतजुग सत तेता जगी दुआपर पूजाचार// तिनोऊ जुग तीनो दिरेडए कल केवल नाम आधार
सतजुग सत तेता जगी दुआपर पूजाचार// तिनोऊ जुग तीनो दिरेडए कल केवल नाम आधार
The conventional
understanding of this verse is taken as –that—“in this Iron Age (Kalyug),
except Nam Bhakti there is no redemption, while other means were adopted in
earlier three Yugas for Moksha”. This needs to be clarified. Nam has been the
perpetual formula in all ages including of Satyug,
Treta, Dwapar for Mokti or Moksha or Fnaa-fi- Allah--- but the grace of
Nam bhakti (through the Gurus, Murshids) was rare to the seekers of previous
three ages. In Kalyug—an aspirant is easily blessed by the technique of Nam
without going through the arduous process of first shedding the perversions of
mind (cleaning the mind) and trials for evidencing faith in the Master.
Saint Ravidas
is referring to "traditional Hindu belief" of Vedas and Puranas---
that in the age of Satyug, the truth--Sat ( intensive cleaning of mind) was the
driving force for God realisation while in Treta ( Silver age) Jagya or
sacrifices of animals was workable, and in the Dwapar (Copper age) devotion
towards deities—Devi-Devtas, avatars like Rama and Krishna was deemed relevant
for experiencing spirituality; but in the iron age ( Kalyug) only and only the
Nam Bhakti can redeem human being.
Thus there is no
conflict in the supremacy of Nam-Bhakti for Mukti for all human beings in all
ages. Even Third Guru Amar Das Ji—
सचे शब्द
सची पत होई//बिन नावे मुक्त न पावे कोई //
बिन सतगुर
कोई नाम न पावे प्रभ ऐसी बनत बनाई है //
“The Lord from
the very first day of manifestation of creation, ordained that without the
intermediation of Nam Bhakti, blessed by the Satguru, Oneness with Divinity is
not feasible. (The panacea of Nam prescribed by the Almighty renders mind’s
craving for the world dormant or insipid and duality disappears for
experiencing the Realization of Self.)
The target audience
of Guru Nanak Sahib was Sidh Yogis. They were troubled by the question of the
technique that is acceptable to the Lord for His
devotion. Guru Sahib minced no words in being direct and forthright to the
yogis. The message is loud and clear to all of us with no room of doubt for the
sincere seekers of mysticism.
It simultaneously sends a negative message to
others who seek inspiration from self- conceived delusive means of worshipping
external objects (कर्म काण्ड) or even devotion of inner
dimension that might confer miraculous powers --riddis and siddis etc--while
Divine realization proves to be evasive. Certain individuals are over obsessed with ritualism
of repeated readings of scriptures/ mantras, praying to fire, sacrificial
offerings, noble deeds, philanthropy, revering deities of the lower regions, pranayama (प्राणायाम) , the neoli (नीओली क्रिया) feats
and enforcement of physical discipline to rein craving of senses These are mind games to which Saint Ravi Das
has referred above
–that were widely prevalent in earlier ages. They are a cobweb of mental ignorance leading
to karmic retribution in the cycle of 84. Sincere devotees are duped in this conundrum.
No individual, however exalted, can attain consciousness of eternal home (Sach-khand, the region of Muqaame -Haq,—the abode of Ultimate
Reality also called the fourth stage ) without meditation on the Nam, Shabad,
Word under the guidance of a perfect master.
Guru
Nanak Sahib mentions in his other famous treatise in Gurbani “जिन्नी नाम दिह्या गये मुश्कात घाल,
नानक ते मुख उजले कीती छुट्टी नाल.
PG8—those who are devoted to Nam through meditative concentration, their efforts
are blessed; their Karmic account is erased and they get eternal freedom or
perpetual redemption from wheel of cyclic life and death.
Nam
has been put at the loftiest pedestal in understanding and recognising the
ultimate Reality when Guru utters (stanza 33 of Sidh Gosht—page 941)
नाम
रते सिद्ध गोष्ट होए , नाम रते सदा तप होए //नाम रते सच करनी सार , नाम रते गुण
ज्ञान बिचार //
बिन
नावे बोले सब वेकार, नानक नाम रते तिन को जैकार //
नाम रते अनदिन माते नामे ते
सुख होई //
रते=imbued; अनदिन=everyday; माते= intoxicated.
Those who remain imbued with Nam,
or intoxicated by the bliss of Nam everyday—they attain the perpetual peace,
comfort, ecstasy or परम आनंद//
Here the concept of Sukh and Dukh is elaborated
to the Yogis. Sukh and Dukh referred here is of the soul and mind—rather than
that of physical body though such afflictions also get transmitted to body. We
feel happy and comfortable in the surroundings of our home
rather than at odd places of wanderings. Likewise the soul and mind feel lonely
in this phenomenal habitat of physical, astral and causal world. That is why
there is a pull or inclination or feeling of loneliness to seek refuge in their Origins
where they can experience Sukh—the bliss or परम आनंद. Mind,
when merged in the Universal Mind ब्रह्माण्ड and the soul when it loses its fake identity
by being with परमात्मा या परम आत्मा, are the states of
elimination of Hoame or duality.
The entire creation is Dukhi—unhappy because of
feeling of separation from the Lord as the spirit is tagged with mind and mind
is intertwined with Karmic conundrum. Kabir Sahib says—तन धर सुखिया कोई न देखा, जो देखा सो दुखिया हो// उदय अस्त की बात कहत है
सब का किया बिबेका हो// जोगी दुखिया जन्गमी दुखिया तपसी को दुःख दूना हो//आसा
तृष्णा सब को व्यापे कोई महल नहीं सूना हो //कहें कबीर सकल जग दुखिया, संत सुखी मन
जीती हो //
The diktat for
the recipe of Sukh is that mind must taste the nectar of Nam (नाम रते अनदिन माते) so that its downwards tendencies of five perversions
are nixed; it sheds its pull for the
phenomenal creation and let the soul be automatically attracted to the Majestic
Magnetism of Mystic Reality. Guru Sahib mentions in Sidh Gosht stanza
8 earlier, page 939-- हाटी बाटी नींद न
आवे पर घर चित न डोलाई // बिन नावे मन टेक न टिकाई नानक बूख न जाई// “Be alert (do not
sleep) while living in this creation—lest you be infatuated by mind and maya;
Without the support of Lord’s Nam, mind cannot be reined from its fickleness of
appetite of worldly cravings”.
Man is a treasure trove of Divinity in a state
of unawareness. Realization of Sublime Delight
comes when man’s consciousness experiences Oneness with Him, in the silence of
mind.
नामे ही ते सब परगट होवे
नामे सोझी पाई //
बिन नावे बेख करेह बहुतेरे
सचे आप खुआई//
Two pertinent words in this first verse are – परगट and सोझी. परगट
implies the manifestation—a visible representation of something abstract or
enigmatic or unknown. सोझी is the totality of
understanding without any tinge or trace of illusion or Maya.
Let us consider what is not परगट
or revealed. Some of these issues are--What
was before creation? What is the causative factor of this creation? What is the
dimensional aspect of the created and uncreated Universe? What is the
difference between God and Nam? Is God Perfect or imperfect? This creation is
not perfect!! Can perfection be attained? Why these questions arise in mind? Who can
enlighten us? Such a macro-understanding is completely missing. These thoughts
occur because of our gross ignorance and the mental effort to get enlightened.
Then in our daily life we encounter many
predicaments. Why Life exists? What is the difference between living and
non-living? Why I am sick? Why there is painful situation in life? Why we are
born and why death demolishes our existence? These are also imponderables of
human life.
What we claim to know or understand is limited
by the frame of physical body, senses, intellect, environment and lineage. Answers
to these questions may be there but they are mentally incomprehensible. There
has been extensive research on this issue since time immemorial. That is why
Socrates gave the call of “Know Thyself” or Self Realization before God
Realization.
Scientists may mention that the primal cause of
this Universe is Big-Bang from nothingness. Others may opine that there was
eternal energy in un-manifested form and it suddenly decided to take a form of
this Creation. Energy is all that exists-- that can neither be created nor
destroyed.
Mystics, Murshids, Satgurus and Messengers of
God have given their own versions of Existence before it existed or after it
was projected. The creation of five elements appears and disappears
silently and simultaneously. There is finally Grand Destruction (प्रलय) or Great Grand Destruction (महाप्रलय) .
Guru Nanak Sahib referring to pre-existence
state of Creation says—page 1035
अरबद नरबद धुन्दुकारा, धरन न गगना
हुक्म अपारा//न दिन रेन न चंद सूरज सुन्न समाध लगायीदा //
ता का अंत न जाने कोई // पुरे गुर
ते सोझी होई //
There
was utter darkness for endless eons; neither earth or sky existed; His hukam or
Nam) (commandment) or Will (Hukam) prevailed. (There is no difference in Hukam
and Nam). There was no day or night,
neither the moon nor the sun; the Creator was in (sunn = numb) a still state in
deep (Samadhi ) contemplation – planning creation.
Even
Jesus has said “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.
From Nam or Shabad or the Word or Kun or Noor, सब परगट होवे—everything else materialised in the form and
nature as Willed. Kabir Sahib अवल अल्लाह नूर उपाया कुदरत के सब बन्दे Then at page
(284) Guru Sahib says that all
that is created through is the power of Nam—नाम
के धारे सगले जंत // नाम के धारे खंड ब्रह्माण्ड //
Apparently there is difference between the
mystical and scientific understanding at our level of mental capabilities.
Neither the scientific community nor the seekers have experienced the power of
Nam. There cannot be any emphatic denial or acceptance of various concepts and
theories. All this can be comprehensible when the bliss of Nam is experienced
by a devotee or Yogi or Sidh -- नामे
सोझी पाई. The reference here is
to the power or the primal vibrations of Nam (sound and light) rather than any
written or spoken word. The Lord dwells at all places but can be felt only
where Nam or Shabad manifests. Though Nam is the very basis of life and
existence, man remains unconscious of its presence. Real understanding (सोझी)
dawns with conscious experience of Nam or Shabad.
-------------------------------
The next line mentions बिन नावे बेख करेह बहुतेरे सचे आप खुआई. The pertinent reference here is split in two
parts—a) बिन नावे बेख करेह बहुतेरे b) सचे आप
खुआई.
Those who are not devoted to Nam-Bhakti are
propelled by the force of mind and get engrossed
in multiplicity of Maya. As a
philosophic category in the Indian tradition, maya is interpreted variously as a
veil or curtain concealing reality; the phenomenal world as it appears over
against things-in-themselves; the grand illusion or the cosmic principle of
illusion. Maya or
illusion is also an attachment with transitory events or items that are bound
to create distress or Dukh/pain/misery. Transitory is –आये जाये गुण धरे यह माया का रूप – which appears
and changes form/attributes and then disappears is called Maya. Buddhism also endorses that our attachment to
the “fleeting reality” is the causative factor of pain. Guru Nanak Sahib has
also termed the entire understanding of this material world through mind and
senses as KUD—कूड़--a garbage of illusion. Guru Nanak Sahib
further elaborates- कूड़ मिठा कूड़ माखिओं कूड़
डोबे पूर// नानक विखाने बेनती तुध बाझों कूड़ो कूड़—“that
man loves this garbage more than sweetness of honey, while कूड़ sinks him deep into the trench of misery.
Hazrat sultan Bahu—
दुनिया ढूंढ्न वाले कुत्ते दर डर
फिरे हेरानी हु// हड्डी दी होड तिन्हं दी लड़दयां उमर विहानी हु//
अक्ल दे कुताह समझ न जानन ,पीवन
लोड़न पानी हु//बाझों ज़िक्र रब दे बाहू कुड़ी राम कहानी हु //
Says Kabir
Sahib- रज
गुण तम गुण सत गुण कहिये एह सब तेरी माया (page
1123), that “all the characteristics of Rajo/Tamo/Sato gunn are part of your
veil of illusion”. Fifth Guru mentions—तीन
गुणा इक सकत उपाया, महा माया ता कि छाया
(868) means “through
the process of the three Attributes was created a power
Mahamaya that has cast its shadow”. Therefore all
the positive and negative traits or the noble qualities and perversions of mind
are within domain of Maya.
There is a well- known saying—जहां
काम, वहां नहीं नाम // जहां नाम,
वहां नहीं काम//-- where ever there is a desire, lust,
infatuation and attachment to any temporal objects or flesh in any form—Nam
will be evasive. Such temptations will vanish once the bliss of nam is
relished. 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)
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? ||
But this game of
Nam and Kam is created by the Lord Himself (सचे आप खुआई). He alone can decide
or mark the soul for salvation or for serving the purpose of creation. In Jap
Ji (pauri of असंख) Guru Sahib mentions the individuals who work for the
God and the others who remain bound to the transitory flux of creation as जो तुध भावे सोई भली कार – whatever your
will that is the only good action. For example –असंख
जोग मन रहे उदास // there are countless Yogis who remain detached from
this world. Then असंख मूर्ख अंध घोर –there are countless blinded by ignorance of (mind and
maya).
सतगुर ते नाम पाया अउधू जोग
जुगत ता होई //
कर बीचार मन देखे नानक बिन
नावे मुक्त न होई //
The pertinent
reference here in first line is to “Satguru”, Nam and “Jog
Jugat”.
Satguru is to be
understood as “Word made flesh”. Baba Jaimal Singh Ji’s letter 49 (परमार्थी पत्र) to Bade Maharaj
(Sawan Singh) Ji mentions—सतगुरु शब्द सरूप है रहे अर्श मंझार //तू
भी सुरत सरूप है सुन्न गगन पुकार// or शब्द गुरु
सुरत धुन चेला. Nam/ Shabad as
discussed above are Creative Powers, Vibrations and Nirgun aspect of the
Divine.
जोग जुगत is the
technique by which परमात्मा के साथ जुड़ा जा सकता है और सतगुर ही उस
नाम के द्वारा अनुभव प्राप्त करने की जुगती दे सकते हैं कियोंकि एह मन
चलताऊ सच घर बैसे नानक नाम अधारू (6th
stanza of Sidh Gosht) -- Nam Bhakti is the
sole means of harnessing the fickleness of mind and then the soul “bonded” in this
creation, can find its
abode of the Truth.
Mind is the only
means of communication both within the mind itself and in the outer Creation.
However a mind filled with darkness of ignorance will grope erroneously in wilderness;
suffer through pain and pleasures, while an enlightened mind will merge in
Universal Mind and let the soul merge with the Universal Soul or God for
perpetual Happiness or Bliss. There is humungous religious and spiritual
literature, in the form of Holy Scriptures and narrative of past Saints on mind,
but unless their essence is rightly internalized with the grace of a True
Living Guru through meditation—the efforts of a seeker would be found lacking.
The Sidhs have followed the process of external
and internal cleaning by shying away from the world and living in lonely
places, eating frugally, smeared forehead with ashes, pinned their ears with
rings, disciplining their bodies, complete celibacy (Brhamacharya) and wearing
attire of a Sadhu or a Sufi, applied methods of Pranayam (breath control) or
Kundlani (reversing the flow of Pranic power or spiritual energy coiled at the
base of spine through Ingla, Pingla and Sushmana nerve), visiting pilgrimages
and cemeteries to control infinite perversions of mind—either through their own
wisdom or through Gurus whose objective is to provide peace of mind or magical
powers over elements of Nature or aspiring longevity of life. But the very objective of human life for
Realization Ultimate Reality and Mukti is not attained. Guru Nanak has very
politely refuted the yogic practices by endorsing (जोग जुगत),
the technique of attaining oneness of the Lord while deprecating other
mind-centric actions and attainments.
Some of the questions in this context raised by Sidhs in Sidh Gosht are—
1. Q (कवन सा गुप्ता
कवन सो मुक्ता 12) Who is
hidden and who is liberated
2. Q (क्यों कर बाधा
सर्पण खाधा 14) Why
beings are in bondage and why Maya as a serpent devours all
3. Q (किस कारण गृह
ताजियों उदासी 17) For whom
have You (Guru Sahib) left home and become a wandering Udaasi (medicant)
4. Q (किध पुरखा जन्म
वटाया 19) How have You (Guru Sahib) transformed your life
5. Q (कहा ते आवे कहा
एह जावे कहा एह रहे समाई 22) From where the life sprouts and whither it goes
and where it merges.
6. Q (मैन के दांत क्यों खाईये
सार 45) How with teeth of wax one can chew iron (with what
food Hoame or Ego be eliminated)---
7. Q (सो सब्द का कहा वास
कथील्ये जित तरिये भवजल संसारो 58) Where is the abode of Shabad with which cosmic ocean
of existence is crossed over
8. Q(त्र सत अंगुल
कहीये तिस कहो कवन आधारों 58) What is the basis of the exhaled breath that
goes up to ten finger length from nostrils
Briefly the
answers are given as follows –
Lord Himself is
hidden-unseen, while Satguru is free from bondage of seen and unseen; the cause
of bondage is Hoame and Maya; the purpose of life is to get blessed by Satguru
whom I have found; that has transformed my life (for attaining merger with
Shabad); life is a Sargun or manifestation of the Lord, it comes,goes and
merges back to Him; with nutritional feed of Shabad, duality can be
decimated; Shabad comes from the fourth stage
of Sunn—while the Sunn (in its inimitable manner exists unseen in all
realms of the creations—physical, astral, causal. The basis of the breath too
is Shabad emanating from the highest region of Sunn. अंतर
सुन्न बाहर सुन्न त्रिभुवन सुन्न सुन्न मस्सुन// चौथे सुन्ने जो न्र जाने ता काओ
पाप न पुन्न (Lord is within and
without, He has filled Himself inextricably in all three realms; but the one
who experiences Him in the fourth state, he is said to be free from duality or
from the concept of virtue or vice.)
The questions
and answers above are not comprehensive but representative and are raised
randomly by sidhs, while Guru Nanak Sahib narrated His views with extra
detailing.
The next verse कर बीचार मन देखे नानक बिन
नावे मुक्त न होई—
Oh
seeker the net effect all religious and spiritual wisdom is that without
Nam-Bhakti blessed by the True Living Satguru, Lord’s grace for salvation
cannot be gifted even if all forms of Yogas—Hatha, Kriya, Gyan, Dhayan, Karm, Sahaj-
and other noble actions are practiced. Guru Nanak Sahib says (p 467) that even performing
good, nay sublime actions, under the influence of one’s best of wisdom are of
no avail.
लख नेकिया चंगियाना लख पुन
परवान //लख तप उपर तीर्थान सहज जोग बेबान ---
जिन करते करना कीया लिख्या
आवन जान// नानक मत्ती मिथ्या करम सचा नीसान //
(Meaning – millions
of honest actions/dealings done with sense of righteousness; noble deeds that
are gratefully acknowledged by others; meditating at the pilgrimages and doing
“Sahaj yoga” (relating to awakening of kundlani) in the lonely jungles
ultimately result in coming and going as per the will of the Lord. All efforts
conceived with mind are myth. Only the grace of the Lord ---through the Satguru
is the real stamp of registration or the visa for experiencing the Lord.)
This is in no way to be
misunderstood that good deeds are not to be done. First we need to know what
good deeds are!! According to Sant mat, living life style advised by the
satguru are the only good deeds.
Gurbani says Page 1429(Guru
Arjan Dev Ji-5th Guru).
तरस पया मिहरमत होई सतगुर
सज्जन मिल्या //
नानक नाम मिले तं जीवंआ तन
मन थीवे हरया //
(Meaning-The Lord first
took pity on me. Then His Grace came. Grace is the gift that is given even if
one does not deserve. How that Grace was blessed? Through a living Satguru—the
Truth incarnated-- who met me as friend. I did not have to find Him. The Guru
then taught me the technique of Nam Bhakti. That is when I made the efforts for
attaining the life eternal. The purpose of
coming of human birth was then fulfilled.)
Elsewhere Guru Nanak Sahib
(page 1291) says” घर में घर देख्याई दे सो
सतगुर पुरख सुजान // पञ्च शब्द धुन्कार धुन तह
बाजे शब्द नीसान” //
Then again in another place “गुर
मिल खसम पह्छ्नीये कुह नानक मोख दुआर””//
Gurbani, in short, means Guru and
Bani—Surrender to Living Satguru and Nam-Bhakti or devotion to the Lord with
Bha(love) and Kti (Kriti or karna) for Moksha.
Concluding Supplication.
अब्नासी प्रभ खेल रचाएया
गुरमुख सोझी होई // नानक सब जुग आपे वरते दूजा अवर न कोई //
The imperishable
Lord created this world play of births and deaths and this awareness is
obtained with Guru’s guidance. The Almighty pervades in all ages and there is
none else.
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