MOOL MANTRA OF “JAP JI” --GURU NANAK SAHIB

 THOUGHTS ON MOOL MANTRA OF JAP JI

MOOL MANTRA OF “JAP JI”   

Jap Ji, composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is transcribed at the beginning of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS). Jap Ji begins with a Mool Mantra and is followed by 38 pauris (stanzas) and finishes with a final Salok at the end of this composition. Prime feature of Guru Nanak Sahib’s Mool Mantra is—“what is the nature of God' and “how that spiritual wisdom can be understood”.

The Mool Mantra is--

इकओ सतिनामु करता पुरखु निरभउ निरवैरु

अकाल मूरति अजूनी सैभं गुर प्रसादि।। जप //

NECCESSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF MOOL MANTRA

A “Mool (fundamental) Mantra” (chanting) or (Mul Mantra) defines concept of God as experienced by a mystic of the highest order. God is not an entity and neither any entity is God. Since God is not able to communicate with man or any other being directly, it creates many doubts and queries about the power or energy that be or that is felt by any entity, especially the humans, as to the where about and origin of that force.

What was before God? Where He lives? What is His profession? (see box below also) What is the source of that energy and how long will it exist? Whether life and death of any object represents the beginning and the end of that energy? If that energy is named God –is He perfect or imperfect? If perfect, why the creation that is supposed to be created by that power, is not perfect? Why we see so much imperfection around us? What is the definition of perfection or imperfection? Since there are so many disparities in the creation –are they designed that way or are they incomprehensible at our level?  

Many scholars and philosophers have raised these questions from time immemorial but man is as confused today as ever. Since God remains an unknown entity through common perception, these questions are relevant.

God has never stated that He is One or many; nor has God ever claimed to be a treasure of virtues or lacks them; neither God has desired any kind worship or devotion or love from any one or even claimed that He is responsible for the working of this creation. What is God’s state of being is also not stated by Him. God has thus never communicated with us. We do not know God at all, except a belief nurtured by the ego-self and the information conveyed to us by the society ruled by the Sharia or clergy. 

 It will also be difficult to prove that God has revealed Himself through select human beings of His choice to transmit the concept or reality of His existence and also of the Creation manifested by Him. But to those whom the Divine revelation has been blessed, they have expressed about actuality of Divinity in words that can be easily understood by the yearners of mysticism.

Says Kabir sahib—कह कबीर ह्म धुर के भेदी लाये हुकम ह्ज़ूरी// (“I have brought secrets of the Highest Region and commandments of the ALMIGHTY") Likewise Guru Nanak Sahib states—P722 SGGS जैसी में आवे खसम की बानी तेस्डा करी ज्ञान वे लालो –“As the Word of the Lord comes to me, so do I express it –oh Lalo (Lalo is a disciple)”

Mystics who were or are blessed a communion with Him have passed on their experience to serious seekers and also given them the technique of experiencing the Lord. Thus disciples of such mystics have authenticated the experience of their Master Mystic and that has again been re-verified by their followers.

It is through such Saints, Gurus, Messengers of God, Prophets, Pir-o-Murshid, Perfect Masters that we have been informed about the powers and attributes of God. That is why there is Salok in SGGS P262 by the Fifth Guru Arjan dev Ji-- आद गुरु नमह// जुगाद गुरु नमह// सतगुरु नमह //श्री गुरुद्वाये नमह // “I bow to the primal guru, I bow to guru of all ages, I bow to the True Guru—the guru of my Guru, I bow to the greatest my Guru”.  That is why Kabir Sahib has defined the sublime supremacy of the Living Guru—“गुरु गोबिंद दोनों खड़े किस के लागों पाओं, बलहारी गुरु आपने जिस गोबिंद दिया दिखलाये”—“If I (Kabir) has the option of choosing amongst the Lord and the Guru, then I will elect to undertake self-annihilation for the Guru with whose grace I have been able to experience the Lord”.

Kabir sahib explains P1350 SGGS—अल्लाह अलख न जाये लखेया, गुर गुड़ दीना मीठा //केह कबीर मेरी संका नासी सरब निरंजन डीठा// “The Lord Allah is unseen; the guru blessed me with sugary molasses. Says Kabir my doubts are dispelled; I see the immaculate Lord everywhere”.

Briefly—Kabir sahib emphasizes that through my mystic master, I have removed my doubts and imbibed myself the method of experiencing the Lord.

Q&A  between Guru Nanak Sahib(GURU) and Pir-Dastagir (PIR) , Baghdad –Iraq

Questions—

First, what existed before One God?

Second, where He lives?

Third, what is His profession?

------------------------------The Pir-Dastagir (PIR)  was seated on a high decorated throne, preaching to his followers when Guru Nanak Sahib(GURU)    arrived.  The Guru sat humbly on the ground. After a while Pir asks “Oh you Guru, who claim to be a God’s man, answer three questions?  First, if there is only one God, then who comes before Him. Second, where He lives? Third, what is His profession?

For discussions about esteemed Lord, the Guru mentioned, he needs precious and pure stuff like four rubies and a cup of milk. After the needful was done, the Pir is asked to count rubies”.  Pir—“One—two –three—four”. Kindly count again, Guru insisted. Again, response was —one, two, three and four. “What comes before the One?” queried Guru. Pir -- “nothing” comes before the One. And so announced the Guru, even spiritually there is “nothing” and “nothingness” before One. Everything emerges from the One only.

Then Guru asked –“What do you see in milk?” White milk only, was the natural answer. Guru asked, “Do you see butter in milk?” No—but Pir admitted that milk contains butter always. Guru clarified--like butter, God lives and exists, intermingled invisibly in the Creation.

For third enquiry, Guru suggested that Pir may descend from the elevated podium so that sacred profession of Supreme Divinity is proclaimed by him from the high throne.  Pir descended, sat on the floor and Guru moved up. Guru’s response was—“Lord brings down the one on throne and takes lowly one to higher pedestal—just as all of you witnessed now”. He makes kings as beggars and vice versa; fools into pundits; days into nights—He makes the creation move up and down in a circle at His axis- while remaining unaffected.

THE MOOL MANTRA OF GURU NANAK SAHIB gives definition of the Lord and the methodology to understand Him. This mool mantra is an inner experience of God in a highly compressed manner yet expressed in words, but interpreted by other mystics and scholars as per their understanding.

EKO

1              THE FIRST WORD THAT THE GURU MENTIONED WAS EKO—THE ONE (ੴ—IN GURMUKHI). There is only one and only one power. Any concept of duality or “Duja” is wrong and misleading. All that exists is Him and the Him alone. The diversity is an illusion. When the Guru spoke about the One –it means absence of two, three, four, and five and so on. “1” or One is not a numerical representation of God. Numbers are relative to each other, the One is absolute without a second.

This “1” or One is symbolic that God is beyond limitations of measurements and evaluation. Another example—in our day to day living we apply mathematical logic say for addition of 4+4=8. But in mystical understanding, that defies logic and we will have to presume 4+4=1. Because each of four things is born out of the action of one that is infinite- अनन्त.  

In an equation the expression would be of “infinite”+ “infinite”= “infinite” and “infinite-infinite”= “infinite”. . Infinity added with anything, or anything subtracted from infinity is still infinity because none of them can still be counted and there is no theoretical end to infinity. Nothing can be added or subtracted from the One that is infinite. It is absolute Oneness of the Divine with no religion, race or gender.  

Endorsing the notion of EKO—Kabir Sahib says—एक कहे तो है नहीं दो कहों तो गार ,जेसे को तेसा कहे, कहे कबीर विचार // Kabir says he is at loss to count Him. He is what he is.

Even Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) also states –“La illah il Allah”. There is no god but God alone. That also evidences Universal Oneness or the unity in diversity. Sufi Hazrat Sultan Bahu—अलिफ़ –अल्लाह चम्बे दी बूटी, मुर्शिद मन मेरे विच लाई हू// “(Alif means-- the One and the only One) Allah’s Kalma of fragrance has been planted in me by my Master”.   

 Likewise Moses stated “You shall have no other gods before me”—signifying the Oneness of the Lord. And Jesus also said-- the Lord our God is one Lord”.

Billions of people, creatures, vegetation, hills and oceans—all that is seen and unseen is a projection of the One. The illusion of many is also an experience projected by the One. For example, if an object is seen in a mirror, it replicates itself as an image. If thousands of mirrors are kept in a room, then one will get reflected as thousands of such images. Thus a single object is transformed into thousands of image. This is just an analogy how one can be many at the same time. Five elements of nature— ether, air, fire, water earth—are made by the One, the EKO. All other things have their origin in them.

On page 736 of SGGS Guru Ram Das Ji elaborates पंच तत कर तुध सृष्टि सब साजी कोई छेवा करियो जे कुछ किता होए – “you created the entire universe out of five elements. Can anyone ever create the sixth”?

 (Note—from mystical perspective “ether”--- the intelligence came first, then air, thereafter fire, followed by water and earth.  This is how the Creation is said to have evolved. At the time of dissolution of this creation—the process is reversed. Earth gets dissolved in water, water is dried by fire and fire is taken away by the air to the sky/ether.)

To illustrate the oneness various mystics have given other examples—there is no difference between the ocean, drops and waves; sun and rays are together all the time yet they appear different.  Says Saint Chatur Das Ji—आपे खेल ते आप खिलाड़ी दूजा कोई तमाशा ना// बूँद बूँद सागर है पानी है एह ज्ञान विनाशा ना //पाक ज़ात ते रूह दे अंदर समझ फर्क इक माशा ना /

“He Himself is the play and He the player—there is no other game that is going on. The drop itself is an ocean {could mean that God (ocean) can be found in each human being- a drop} while this cannot be understood through conventional wisdom. Know that there is no difference between the soul and the Lord”. 

Eko or ੴ is also pronounced as Ek Omkar or Onkar— AUM or OM – as the pervading power and suffix kar or kara is added to mean “sound of”.  Omkar implies “sound of OM’. According to certain spiritual beliefs, AUM or OM is the creative sound emanating from the Braham which is the origin of deities Shiva, Vishnu or Brahma—according to Vedas and Upanishads.  If Eko or ੴ is mentioned as Ek Omkar, then it negates the essence of Oneness and refers to the trinity of powers that regulate the affairs of this world under the command of God. To avoid such cross-reference or misinterpretation many mystics have uttered ੴas Eko—the one that is beyond all such gods and deities. However it matters little if EK-OMKAR represents the ONE and the only ONE.

SATNAM

2              THE SECOND WORD IN MOOL MANTRA IS SATNAM. 

Many Indian mystics have named the Lord as Satnam, though He is nameless. A name implies a distinction between the named and the other person who uses that name thus starting a relationship with the Lord. The name is also symbolic of an identity through which a soul or the seeker can develop a personal relationship.

Satnam in the Indian mystical tradition is therefore the starting point of manifestation of the Lord from the un-manifested state. Guru Nanak, Kabir sahib, Ravidas Ji, Soami Ji and many others have used this name.

Kabir Sahib—सतनाम को सुमरिते उधेरये पतित अनेक, कह कबीर न छोडिये सतनाम की टेक—“by remembrance of Satnam, many down trodden have got redemption. Says Kabir-- never forget the support of Satnam”.

Ravidas p. 694 SGGS-- “कह रविदास नाम तेरो की आरती सतनाम है हर भोग तुहारे // “your name is my Aarti, my lamp lit worship service. The True Name, Satnam is the food which I offer You.

Soami Ji says—सतनाम सत्पुरुष का, सतलोक में पूर//सुरत चढ़यो शब्द में दर्शन हाल हुज़ूर // (page 266 Sarbachan). “The name of the God is Satnam which can be realized in the region of the Truth. Merge your attention in Shabd and witness Lord”.  

Satnam is a combination of Sat and Nam, intended to capture the attributes of thing so named.

a)      Sat means perpetual existence without any change called Satya or the Truth. Understanding of Sat is difficult because it is different from truth and untruth as a pair of opposites in our conventional wisdom, because they divide the event or thought as good and bad. The Guru however speaks of that Sat which is self- luminous and self- sufficient. Both truth and untruth do not exist there. It is that Sat which sustains both the Truth and the Untruth, as understood by us.

At our level, mystic Mirdad says that Man is a God in swaddling bands—man’s consciousness (soul) is wrapped in layer of bands of cotton wool that has diminished our understanding. These bands are of time, space, mind and flesh. Says Mirdad of man—“hence his consciousness ever in flux (change/unrest); his understanding is in fog (confused); his life out of balance (up and down). It is confusion thrice confounded (page 43 chapter 4).  

How can a narrow and limited consciousness judge totality of consciousness or the Truth. All of us are limited in time and space. For example—we see the earth not as round but straight. We feel we are stationary when sitting, but actually rotating with earth all the time—both because of rotation of earth around its axis and its motion around the sun. We are unable to infer many forms of light that is beyond our visual power—like infra-red or ultraviolet rays or X rays. Many audio frequencies cannot be heard by us.

Our bodies too are inherently limited. We can eat when hungry and what is digestible. Likewise we can drink liquids in limitations. We fall sick for unknown reasons and then get cured. We don’t know where we come from and where we go after death; events of our own life cannot be rightly deciphered; have no knowledge of past and future; cannot discriminate between good and bad. An imperfect entity cannot sit on judgement of others. Only the perfect one can understand the perfection.

We are thus incompetent to be judgemental about the perfection or imperfection of God. To acquire an understanding about Him, we have to raise our level of understanding. Guru Nanak Sahib says in Japji Pauri 24 एवड ऊचा होवे कोई// तिस उचे कउ जाने सोई – only the one in exalted state of greatness as He, can know His lofty state.

From the highest perspective all that is happening or not happening is the Truth. What we see or do not see is the Truth or Sat. From the lowest level we tend to describe events either confused and controversial or as right or wrong, depending upon our state of mind. We live in world of thoughts and actions to the extent of our knowledge. When we say that we know something then we are describing part of what we understand as per our limited intellect and part of our ignorance.  

Thus the question whether God is perfect or imperfect and whether His creation is good or bad can be answered by those mystics who have realized that state of totality of consciousness. When Guru Nanak had an inner vision of Reality he found that the Lord is perfect—the Truth-- in all respects and thus whatever He is doing is also perfection.

b)      “Nam” is the God’s creative power also referred as the Word, the sound current; also called the shabd; the divine unstruck music or power of God that resounds within every human being.   The Sat’s mode of transmission of power to Nature and access back to Him is via Nam.

Nam represents the first creative division that sets out the multiplicity of the creation with the God being the primal factor of Oneness. इस दुनिया के  कण कण में परमात्मा है पर उस परमात्मा को नाम की माला के धागे में प्रयो हुआ है //  Thus beads and the thread are complimentary. This understanding can come by direct mystical experience alone. Guru Nanak Sahib says—आपीन्ये आप साज्यो आपीन्ये रचिओ नाओ// दुई कुदरत साजीयो कर आसन डिठओ चायो // He himself created His own self and the He also produced the power of Nam, with which He fashioned the Nature and with great pleasure He is relishing His own play.

Speaking of parallelism of Nam and True Guru, one can infer when chanting of ---Satnam-Waheguru, Satnam-Waheguru---- is made in some religious places repeatedly. Though chanting of Satnam-Waheguru is sung externally, the crucial relevance is to the inner understanding to mean that there is no difference between the True Nam and the True Guru. Jesus has also referred that True Guru is the “Word made flesh”.

Nam acts through the power of Sat which carries full and final wisdom of the Lord. Nam is Love, truth, consciousness and bliss that can be experienced by human beings within themselves in the form of sound and light.

Nam is the unique principle of existence, the sole means of salvation and the one essence of all. It is the shabd of the Gurus, the Logos of ancient Greeks, the Word, Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost and the Comforter of the New Testament of Christians; Anhad bani of Sikhs, Kalam, Kun, Bang-I-Asmani, Nida-I-Sultani and so forth of Sufis.; the Nad, Nam, Ram Nam, Ram Dhun and so forth of Hindus. Nam creates and sustains all things. Nam is vibrating in all beings all the time. Taking the form of True Guru, Nam makes “Jivas” (souls incarnated in human bodies) “conscious” of their connectivity to “Itself” through them and blesses experience of oneness with God. Third Guru Amar Das Ji says page 763- SGGS

नामे ही ते सब कुछ होया, बिन सतगुर नाम न जापे// गुर का शब्द महा रस मीठा बिन चखे साद न जापे //

“Everything is ordained by Nam or comes from Nam, the name of the Lord; without true Guru, Nam is not experienced. Guru’s shabd is the sublime and sweet in essence, but without tasting it, its flavor cannot be experienced.”

Kabir sahib says-

कोट नाम संसार में ता ते मुक्त न होय / आद नाम जो गुप्त जप भूजे बिरला कोई //

There are millions of names of God in this world, but not one leads to salvation. Few are aware of primal name (adi Nam) for it is a secret repetition; known only to a rare one—(means the satguru).

Then Kabir Sahib mentions the supremacy of Nam-

नाम जप्त कोड़ी भला, चोए चोए पड़े जिस चाम / कंचन देह किस काम की जो मुख नाहीं नाम//

Even a leper who is attuned to Nam is better than, the one who has a body of gold (meaning full of worldly possessions)

KARTA PURAKH

3)            THE THIRD WORD IN THE MOOL MANTRA IS KARTA PURAKH

Karta means the DOER. PURAKH means the power of doing by any person or entity what we call Pursharth (पुरषार्थ). The second Guru –Arjan Dev Ji on his role as the Karta says (page 475 SGGS)--आपे साजे करे आप जाई भी रखे आप// तिस विच जंत उपाए के देखे थापे उथाप// किस नू कहिये नानका सब कुछ आपे आप // “He himself fashions (designs) and creates the world and keeps it in order. Having created beings within it, he oversees their birth and death. None can speak or question Him—He is the doer of all”. Third Guru also mentions (P 39 SGGS) –हम कीया हम करहगे हम मूर्ख गावार// करने वाला विसरया दूजे भाए प्यार – (I have done this and I will do that—I am an idiotic fool for saying this. I have forgotten the DOER of all because I am caught in the Love of duality).

For doing any work force/power/energy is needed. In elementary physics, the work done equals to force multiplied by distance or W (work) =F (force) x D (distance). If force applied does not translate into a distance/movement, then work done is nil. However, the Lord as the Doer has the strength for performance of any “work”-- both seen and unseen. The Creation is the work done by Him.  There is one major difference –He himself is “the Doer and the Done”—Omnipotent and Omnipresent also.

The term “Doer and the Done” needs to be explained. For example, in a movie there is a script writer, director, actor, actress, villain, many others supporting actors, camera, light, sound etc.—as many doers while the movie is the end product or work done. But in Lord’s film He is the One who plays all roles and the Movie is His own projection; He himself is the audience that enjoys the movie’s projection in Cosmic Hall. It matters little whether He is awarded any Oscar award or not. Yet He is blissful in His own way. Elaborating this concept of His doing third Guru Amar Das Ji says (P1043 SGGS)--हुकमी सहजे सृष्टी उपाई //कर कर वेखे अपनी वडयाई// (By the command of His Hukam/Nam He effortlessly (सहजे) created the universe. Creating the creation, He gazes upon His own greatness.)

Since He has enormous power, unimaginable at the level of our intellect, He is an “effortless Doer”.

To illustrate the point of “effortless Doer” we may consider the paradigm of energy. Energy and matter are convertible scientifically. Assuming  that God is an energy which is not apparently visible in any matter, then such energy can be converted into mass or matter under certain conditions and vice versa. Hazur often explained that if know the method of scratching wood with another wood or rubbing a stone with another, it gives sparks of fire. This is simple proof of matter embedded with energy. When we eat food, calories or energy is produced within the body. Energy too can be converted into matter under special circumstances and technique. At the time of dissolution of this creation, all matter is converted into energy of light and sound.

The energy generated equivalent to one atom bomb called “Little Boy” dropped in Hiroshima in 1945 was (64x10¹⁶ Joules). Thus about 0.70 kg of mass of matter (uranium in this case), is required to carry out explosive destruction which is said to come out of 15500 tons of TNT (tri nitro toluene—an explosive). This illustrates how much energy is stored in the matter, if converted atomically. 

It is therefore mind boggling that how much power is made available by the Lord for sustaining this creation. Lord is Omnipotent in all respects. He has done all that is to be done. He need not act in phases or parts because He is always empowered for doing and the done. That is why He is an effortless doer. The movie is already made and we are watching it in the conundrum of time and space.  

(Even if theoretically Einstein equation  of e=mc² is applied for the energy (e) generated where (m) is the mass say of 1 kg and (c) is the speed of light of 300,000,000 m/sec (300 million meter per second)  then energy generated is 90,000,000,000,000,000(90x10¹⁶⁾) Joules/second, or 90000 trillion joules /second or  90000 lakh crore Joules/second. Since 1 Joule/second= one watt, it equals 90000 trillion watts or 90000 lakh crores watts.) For greater simplified understanding a 100 watt electric lamp can stay lighted for 28.5 million years—though the process of converting mass into energy with 100% efficiency is not that simple—but it gives an idea of energy packed by the Creator in one kg. of matter. Conversely a lot of energy is required to produce a small amount of matter m= e/c²)  

The term Karta Purakh is a potent and polite reminder to men to shed self-conceited ideas of ego of their doing or applying any effort. He has (and is) provided infinite energy in running this cosmos. The very breath, the body and its shape and environment around us is fashioned by the Lord.  

God is also named as KARTAR (करतार) by seekers and devotees for the same reason as the Doer (कर) and the Redeemer (तार -तारने वाला).

NIRBHAO

4)            THE FOURTH WORD IN MOOL MANTRA IS “NIRBHAO”—FEARLESS, IMPLYING THAT GOD IS FEARLESS.

“The lord alone is fearless because he is Eko (ੴ). Guru Nanak Sahib says-Page 464 SGGS—सगलिया भाऊ लिखिया सिरि लेख//नानक निरभाओ निरंकार सच एक // “God has inscribed or written the writ of fear on heads of all. The true formless Lord alone is fearless.”

First let us understand “why and what” of fear.

Human beings are born with an instinct of fear both in a state of awareness and unawareness. In awareness we are conscious of the thought or action or shortcoming of such a fear, and, when unaware we too react, as unexpected event occurs externally or within our mind. The fear of death of self and with whom we are attached, or the fear of unknown or the fear of loss of what we have or collective combination of such ideas, troubles us.

Thus, the very thought of future being worse than the present time and our helplessness to manage the imagined or coming situations are the factors generating fear. The quantum, momentum and duration of such dread depends on faith, belief and trust in some superior power who can anchor our grief. If we get the support of the power or an instrument that can share or resolve our problems, then the anxiety and distress diminishes or vanishes.

All such ideas arise when we feel and believe that we are separate from Him—the Lord. Our sense of duality (दूजा भाव) creates a false sense of ego of tackling inner and outer problems. Since we are limited in thought, action, mind, body, space and time as compared to the Omnipotent God, we are stuck in the conundrum of confusion. More over our karmic profile is made of good and bad karmas too drive us randomly into state of happiness and misery from time to time. The crux of above narrative is our inherent limitation in all respects—even with Vivek—that is superior to all other beings, we still cannot control the events of life. 

The One who has all the wisdom, all the power, none equal to Him; devoid of all perversions of mind and the mind itself, the Only (unchangeable) Truth; with no likes and dislikes; Ocean of Love and  blissfulness; has no competition or competitor; effortless doer; beyond time and space; Nature at His command; perfect in all respects—is therefore Fearless.

Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh writes in Philosophy of Masters 4-- “That One is without fear because He is the most powerful being and creator of all. Everything else has been created by Him. They are not His equals, so He has no fear. No god or goddess or incarnation can be His equal----by contemplating on Him, the devotees also become fearless”.

NIRVAIR

5)             THE FIFTH WORLD OF MOOL MANTRA IS NIRVAIR –God is “foe-less” and has no enemy or enmity with any one.

Logically when He is the One and the Only One; the only Doer; capable of doing as per His will; with no questions asked from any one; has full knowledge and everything is contained within Him. From His point of view, the creation is nothing but waves of His love.  By establishing a loving relationship with Him, then we can also rid of feeling of enmity or jealousy towards others.

 Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh writes in Philosophy of Masters 4—“He could have feelings of enmity only if He had others like Him. But He Himself is the warp and woof of the universe, then against whom He can He feel enmity. Those who praise that one become devoid of enmity and hatred.”

Thus two attributes “always loving and none other exists” make Him un-inimical or Nirvair.

Note—generally the prime factor of man’s misery is the Hoame—Ego, which gives us a feeling of separation or duality or division from the Lord. One can be fearless (Nirbhao) and without enmity (Nirvair) only in the absence of Hoame. God exists without any EGO—because He himself is the cause of injecting element of ego in His creation so that all beings acquire an experience of being an individual entity. God is neither an entity nor any entity is God. Guru Nanak Sahib later on says P 1009, SGGS—होअमे बिख पाया जगत उपाया सब्द वसे बिख जाये – “Injecting the poison of egotism, the world was created; with the shabd enshrined within, this poison is eliminated”.

AKAL MOORAT

6)            THE SIXTH WORD OF MOOL MANTRA IS AKAL MOORT – BEYOND CHANGE, LIFE AND DEATH BUT HAVING EXISTENCE.

Kal means time and space. Akal means beyond time space, life and death. Moorat means existence. Moorat is also said to convey the idea of Mahoorat (महूरत)—an auspicious, date time and space. Akal Moorat implies eternal existence devoid of date, time and space. This is natural corollary of "Sat”.   God is thus not bound by limitations of law of Karma or "action and result" theory.  But the Lord is responsible for creation of time and space for this universe through the instrumentality of mind.  Guru Arjan, Fifth Guru says P 1076 SGGS-- खंड पताल दीप सब लोआ// सब काले वस् आप प्रभ कीया //निहचल एक आप अबनासी, सो निहचल जो तिसहे धियांदा // “All continents, nether world, islands and worlds (all beings therein), God has handed over to Kal—the power, that controls time, space, change, production and destruction.  The One Lord alone is imperishable, unmoving and unchanging. Meditating upon Him, one becomes unchanging.”

Where do you exist —even Guru Nanak Sahib wonders—सो दर केहा सो घर केहा जित बह सरब समाले //--“Where is that gate, where is the dwelling, in which you sit and take care of all?”

Even if we are unaware of His whereabouts, Mirdad says – “God’s Word is time untimed and space unspaced. Was there a time when you were not with God?  Is there a place when you were not in God?” Man’s core and crux is God “unlimited” while we experience limitations of time and space—which is an illusion like a dream.

What is time and space? Generally mystics relate to timelessness and absence of space where the very thought ceases to exist. In a deep sleep, mind is dormant. We lose awareness of thoughts and existence of time but the eternal life force remains connected. Upon awaking, we are back in the zone of time and space. It can be inferred that both time and space are derivatives of mind.

When we see a movie in a hall, time and space are forgotten, because we have fallen in love with story projected on the screen. We hardly realize that three hours have passed in the darkness of a concrete structure.  “Love is the law of God”, says Mirdad. Time and space vanish in Love.

Thus thoughts of past, present and future create time; recollection of the objects/ideas-- far and near refers to the space. Forgetfulness of ego self and falling in Love eliminates time and space.

Soami Ji says that so long as we live in realm of thoughts we cannot know the Truth. Swami Ji says— जहाँ मिलोनी तहां विचार, हमारा  देश  इक  सतनाम , वहां  विचार  का  कुछो  ना  काम. “ In the amalgamated region of mind matter, time and space thoughts  exist. Our home is region of Satnam where thoughts cease”.

Sat or God or Akal Moorat exists beyond the region of mind, time and space. That is the abode of the Lord.

AJOONI SAIBHANG

7              THE SEVENTH WORD IN MOOL MANTAR IS AJOONI SAIBHANG (अजूनी सैभंग)—THAT WHICH IS UNBORN AND SELF-SUSTAINED.

Guru Nanak Sahib P 1036 SGGS sums up--ता का अंत न जाने कोई // पूरे गुर ते सोझी होई// “No one knows His limits. This understanding comes from the Perfect Guru”.

Ajooni is Punjabi format of “ayoni” in Sanskrit which means without beginning, without source and without any cause. Lord remains unaffected by such phenomenal events because He is eternal. 

All living beings and non-living entities of this universe remain within the cycle of come and go; birth, death, change and then rebirth followed by decay. This is the mandated circle. Depending upon the level of consciousness such beings experience pain, pleasure, emotions, bliss and remorse in the circle of time. But the Creator is absolutely insulated from this phenomenon. Living creatures are subdivided into four prime categories—a) “andj” (अंडज) —those born out of eggs like hen and birds; b) “jeraj” (जेरज)-those born out of covering of membrane or from a womb, like men and animals; c)“setaj” (सेतज)—those created by change in seasons, temperature, moisture etc.—mosquitos, flies etc. d) “utbhuj”(उतभुज)—such as vegetation like vegetables, fruits, grass etc. produced out of ground or hills or sea.  Similarly a large numbers of non-living items like earth, rivers, stones, oceans and planets also come into existence, are exposed to change and finally, either, get destroyed or altered by nature and man.

The question is if living and non-living beings are perishable or when the inner being or soul quits bodies, then how God, which is dynamic power responsible for them, survives. The answer is-- It is the body that disappears while the soul and God remain insulated from birth and death. An anecdotal illustration is given—“Assuming there are many or say a million earthen pitchers filled with water, kept in a desert; sky is clear and sun is shining.  Sun will be reflected in each pitcher. If sun is deemed God and the reflection of rays in the pitcher as the soul, then God and soul are experienced simultaneously. If any of the pitchers breaks, water spills on the ground and the reflection of the sun disappears. The act of disappearance of image or ray is akin to the soul having quit the body which is a pitcher. Thus God as the sun and soul as the ray is eternal. Rays of sun are the souls that are intertwined with its prime source. Guru Nanak sahib himself endorses this fact page 1153, SGGS आत्म में राम राम में आत्म चीनस गुर विचारा// “The Lord is in the soul and the soul is in the Lord. This can be realized through by meditating as per Guru’s teachings” There is no difference between the soul (s) and God. The production and destruction is of the body (pitcher) of five elements which merge into their elemental forces.  As “Karta Purakh” He fashions this creation as per His Will and Wisdom, but He is not exposed to any cycle of Come and Go and has attributes of Ajooni.

SAIBHNG सैभंग is derived from the word “swaym bhu”-- स्वयं भू – that which is self- illuminated and self- existence has no dependency of any kind. It is very difficult to imagine as something that has no source of energy. But this is the cosmic Truth. Even mystics have lost words in the land scape of description.

GUR PARSAD JAP

8)            THE EIGHTH WORD OF MOOL MANTRA IS “GUR PARSAD JAP’’. IT MEANS --THAT TO EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE DIVINE CONCEPT AS DEFINED IN MOOL MANTRA- GRACE OF GURU IS A PRE-REQUISITE FOLLOWED BY PRESCRIBED MEDITATION.

“Gur” means Guru--a person incarnated as “Word made flesh” Who can rid us from the darkness and ignorance of illusion and then lead us to the path of Light –the enlightenment or God realization. “Gu” refers to darkness and “Ru” means light. The Shanti Mantra-- तमसो मा जोय्तिर गम्या refers to the same idea of leading from darkness to light.

 An identical message is given by the Fifth Guru, Arjan Dev Ji P 293 SGGS “ज्ञान अंजन गुरु दिया अज्ञान अंधेर बिनास, हर किरपा ते संत भेटया नानक मन परगास”. The Guru has given the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom, and dispelled darkness of ignorance. By Lord’s Grace, I have met the Saint; O Nanak, my mind is enlightened.

Baba Bulle Shah says—बिन मुर्शिद कामिल बुलया तेरी ऐवें गई इबादत कीती // “Without a perfect master, all forms of worship for Divine realization is not helpful”.

Hazrat Sultan Bahu—अलफ़ अल्ला चम्बे दी बूटी मुर्शिद मन मेरे विच लाई हू// नफी अस्बात दा पानी मिल्या शाह रगे हर जाई हू// “My Master, Murshid, has planted Allah’s fragrant shrub of jasmine—true Nam-- in my heart. It is watered by self-negation resulting into presence of Allah all around which is felt by me within my shah rag (Sushmna vein at the eye centre)”.  

The fourth Guru also enumerates at P1324 SGGS-- मेरा ठाकुर वडा वडा है सोअमी हम किओ कर मिलह मिलीज्ये // नानक मेल मिलाये गुर पूरा जन कोयो पूर्ण दीजये //--- “My Lord and Master is glorious and great!! How can I experience Oneness with Him? Oh, Nanak the Perfect Guru bestows realization of Oneness to his humble servant and blesses perfection”.

Guru Nanak Sahib also Says—सचे शब्द सची पत होई, बिन नामे मुक्त न पाए कोई//बिन सतगुर कोई नाम न पावे प्रभ ऐसी बनत बनाई है // “Truth can be realized through the true Shabad, which is Nam. That is the way of redemption from the cycle of 84. Without a True Master none can access the technique of Nam, because that is the Divine Ordinance”.

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 ‘living body’ to follow and understand. The Supreme Self too needs a ‘living 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’.

                    

                                WHO IS THE SATGURU CAPABLE OF BLESSING US?

a)      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.

b)       A Satguru shows us the way within the human body. 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//)      

c)            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

ü  Lacto vegetarianism and avoiding drugs and intoxicants, (कबीर भांग माछली, सूरा पान जो जो प्राणी खाए, तीर्थ बरत और नेम किये सभी रसातल जांए/ P1377 SGGS “Kabir, those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine/intoxicants---no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will go to hell.

ü  Honest living (हक पराया नानका ओह सूर ओह गाय// गुरु पीर हामा ता भरे जे मुरदार न खाए// to take what is rightfully belongs to another is like a Muslim eating pork and a Hindu eating beef; our spiritual mentor stands by us only if we do not eat dead animals i.e. their carcasses.   

ü  Disciples should have a good moral character; serve others with humility without any reward or expectation-----having a good moral character.  In short to be a good human being. सच ता फिर जानिए जे सिख सची ले , दया जाने जी की कुछ पुन दान करे, “One knows the truth only when He receives true instructions , showing mercies to others, he makes donations to charities.”

ü  This above is also termed as Karni and Rehni of a disciple.

d)    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//

“Parsad” implies Grace –Guru’s mercy or रहमत, which is His Will and blessing of Nam.  Blessing or initiation into Nam Bhakti is not a matter of right but compassion of the Lord transmitted through the Guru. In all prayers of SGGS, the opening words are –EKO SATGUR PARSAD. These three words are the quintessence of spirituality and mysticism.  That One can be realized by the grace of Satguru.

Tulsi Sahib –तुलसी बिना करम किसी मुर्शिद रसीदा के// राहे निज़ात दूर है उस पार देखना // “Without the grace or Parsad of perfect master, the path of redemption is far off and inaccessible”.   

 JAP---“जप”-- The very name of Guru Nanak Sahib combined recitation of Mool Mantra, 38 stanzas and the Salok is called JAP JI. Jap means remembrance in contrast to Chanting. “JI” stands for the being or “जीय” or “oh man”. Remember the Lord, Oh, Man.

Another aspect is that God represents all that is true, pure, noble, good, loving, compassionate, forgiving, fearless, foe less. Hazur would remark that by doing His simran or being in His remembrance all noble qualities emerge just like cream floats on the surface of the milk. The adage that you become what you think fits very appropriately. When God becomes man’s mental companion, man’s thought and conduct receive the same noble vibrations that emanate from the Supreme Lord.

At a higher level “Jap”, is the meditative concentration of the Nam to understand the spiritual wisdom contained in the Mool Mantra. Gurbani elaborates—“ऐसा ज्ञान जपो मन मेरे, होवे चाकर साचे केरे // “Meditate on such spiritual wisdom, oh my mind and be a slave of the True Lord”.

Some individuals may consider “slave” word objectionable as if Lord wants us to serve Him. In our daily life we are enslaved by our senses and mind for the worldly goods and relationship. The intent of such slavery is to shift attention towards the Lord and to defocus from the prioritization of world. Infact the Lord is serving us all the time for our existence and we need to be grateful for His grace.

Jap may start from the simran(Zikr) or remembrance with love, with a tongue, then with the mind and then the soul-- that are respectively defined by Sufis as Zikr-e- Zuban, Zikr-e-Kalb, Zikr-e-Ruh.  A mystic’s meditation (Jap) is not limited to a few hours. Hazur would say that real meditation is to live by a “meditative way of life”. This includes adherence to the principles of daily life and keeping “Fikr” (fear of God/Master), Tasuver (Dhyan), and Riyazat (constant practice without missing it for a moment).

Though God is fearless, the seeker must have Bhae (भय) or fear of God, so as not to act in any manner that is contrary to the path defined by His Master, even though God or the Guru is not visible to the naked ideas. The idea is to feel His presence all the time.

The next step in Jap is to have Dhyan or focusing on the form of the Guru, who has blessed a seeker with the technique of “Jap”. At the end of Guru Nanak Sahib Bani of Jap Ji sahib, there is a sloke that reads “जिनी नाम धयेआ गये मसकत घाल // नानक ते मुख उजले कीती छुटी नाल // “Those who have meditated on the name of the Lord-- that is focused on the form of “word made flesh” (Guru), their efforts are fruitful; they have effaced the burden of karmic bondage from the surface of soul and experienced Oneness with the Lord; also helped others in Divine realization”.

The constancy in Jap is called Riayzat—the daily practice. Both the Master and seeker do His remembrance daily, without fail as per the teachings of their Guru/Murshid.   

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