SHABAD OF GURU TEG BAHADUR JI साधो कउन जुगति अब कीजै ॥

 SHABAD OF GURU TEG BAHADUR JI

साधो कउन जुगति अब कीजै ॥

जा ते दुरमति सगल बिनासै राम भगति मनु भीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

मनु माइआ महि उरझि रहिओ है बूझै नह कछु गिआना ॥

कउनु नामु जगु जा कै सिमरै पावै पदु निरबाना ॥१॥

भए दइआल क्रिपाल संत जन तब इह बात बताई ॥

सरब धरम मानो तिह कीए जिह प्रभ कीरति गाई ॥२॥

राम नामु नरु निसि बासुर महि निमख एक उरि धारै ॥

जम को त्रासु मिटै नानक तिह अपुनो जनमु सवारै ॥३॥२॥ {पन्ना 902}

 

The opening line of this Shabad, "साधो कउन जुगति अब कीजै", is expressed in a deeply subtle and compassionate spiritual language. Ordinarily, a sadhu is understood to be a sage, one who has disciplined the mind, brought the senses under control, and risen above the pull of worldly desires. However, Guru Sahib addresses even ordinary seekers as Sadhho, despite their weaknesses, shortcomings, and spiritual struggles. This reflects the immense compassion of the Guru, who sees not merely what we are at present, but what we have the potential to become. Rather than condemning the seeker for being trapped in maya, he elevates him by addressing him as a spiritual aspirant worthy of the highest realization.

The next important word is jugat, meaning the true method, way, or inner technique. Here, jugat does not merely refer to controlling the mind, cultivating virtues, or achieving temporary mental tranquillity. Rather, it points to the supreme spiritual way by which the soul may transcend the cycle of chaurasi, the endless rounds of birth and death, and attain liberation or MUKTI. Keeping this highest objective in view, Guru Sahib asks: what is that true jugat/technique/ तरीका  by which our mind (मन), entangled in maya, desires, ego, and worldly attachments, may be freed from its delusions and immersed in Ram Bhakti? This is not a theoretical question but the timeless cry of the soul seeking its return to its Divine Source. This question appears again and again in Gurbani. Guru Nanak Sahib opens Japji Sahib with a similar enquiry:

सोचै सोचि न होवई जे सोची लख वार ॥
चुपै चुप न होवई जे लाइ रहा लिव तार ॥
भुखिआ भुख न उतरी जे बन्ना पुरीआ भार ॥
सहस सिआणपा लख होहि त इक न चलै नालि ॥

God-realization cannot be attained merely through intellectual effort, external purity, silence, austerity, or mental discipline. The mind may attempt to purify itself, instruct itself, and elevate itself, yet it remains confined within its own limitations. By its own cleverness, it cannot transcend itself and reach the Divine.

The same truth is expressed by Guru Arjan Dev Ji:

पाठु पड़िओ अरु बेदु बीचारिओ निवलि भुअंगम साधे ॥
पंच जना सिउ संगु न छुटकिओ अधिक अहंबुधि बाधे ॥

Even after reading scriptures, reflecting on the Vedas, and practising yogic disciplines, the company of the five passions remains unbroken; rather, the subtle ego may become even stronger. Thus, Gurbani repeatedly teaches that the mind cannot be subdued merely through learning, ritual, or ascetic effort.

लख नेकीआ चंगिआईआ लख पुंना परवाणु ॥

लख तप उपरि तीरथां सहज जोग बेबाण 

 नानक मती मिथिआ करमु सचा नीसाणु ॥२॥ {पन्ना 467}

The mind imagines that God can be attained through accumulation: more virtues, more pilgrimages, more austerities, more religious achievements. The ego quietly hides behind even the noblest spiritual practices and begins to claim ownership:

"I have done this much charity."
"I have performed this many fasts."
"I have studied these scriptures."
"I have visited these sacred places."

Guru Nanak Sahib dismantles this entire structure.

 All human calculations, opinions, and self-conceived notions are ultimately inadequate; it is the True Divine Action (Grace) that bears the genuine mark of authenticity.

The phrase "मती मिथिआ" does not merely mean that human intelligence is false. Rather, it means that the mind's self-created strategies for reaching God are fundamentally limited. The finite mind cannot, by its own efforts, grasp the Infinite.

In the same metaphysical context, the Shabad of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji becomes highly relevant. It directly asks: what is the true jugat, the true inner way, by which the mind may be freed from its impurities and absorbed in Divine realization? The answer revealed within the Shabad is Ram Naam. Here, however, "Ram" should not be understood merely as the historical Ram of the Ramayana, the son of Dashrath or the husband of Sita. In this mystical context, Ram refers to the all-pervading Divine Reality, the Presence that vibrates, resounds, and dwells in every particle of creation. In simple Hindi, this may be expressed as: वह राम जो सारी काएनत में रमा हुआ है।

Kabir Sahib beautifully clarifies this distinction:

एक राम दशरथ का बेटा,
एक राम घट-घट में बैठा।
एक राम का सकल पसारा,
एक राम जो सब से न्यारा।

Through these lines, Kabir Sahib explains that the object of his devotion is not merely the historical Ram known through mythology. Still, the सर्वव्यापक राम, the all-pervading Divine Reality that resides within every being and yet transcends the entire creation. Thus, in this Shabad, Ram Naam signifies remembrance of that universal Divine Presence whose realization alone can cleanse the mind, dissolve ignorance, and fulfil the purpose of human birth.

 

THE SECOND VERSE EXPLAINS why this jugat is necessary:

मनु माइआ महि उरझि रहिओ है बूझै नह कछु गिआना ॥
कउनु नामु जगु जा कै सिमरै पावै पदु निरबाना ॥

The mind occupies a central place in the spiritual journey. It governs our thoughts, desires, emotions, and actions. It is the mind that can either lead consciousness downward into worldly entanglements or upward towards spiritual realization. Hazur Maharaj Ji often said that the mind can direct consciousness either downward or upward, depending on its tendencies and inclinations. The same mind that becomes attached to worldly pleasures, ego, desires, and possessions can also be turned towards devotion, meditation, and remembrance of the Lord.

When Guru Sahib says, "मनु माइआ महि उरझि रहिओ है", he is pointing towards the condition of the mind being deeply entangled in maya. Before discussing Maya, it is helpful to understand the nature of the mind itself.

In Sufi terminology, the lower aspect of the mind is often called the nafs. This is the faculty that sustains the ego-self, pursues desires, and remains occupied with worldly concerns. Sufi masters, however, also speak of a higher faculty of mind known as the qalb, the spiritual heart, that has nothing to do with the physical heart that pumps blood in the body. While the nafs pulls consciousness downward towards the world, the qalb turns it towards higher realities and Divine awareness. In Sant Mat, a similar concept is expressed through the Til, the Third Eye, or the inner eye of consciousness, located between the two eyebrows. It is the point at which the scattered attention of the soul is gathered and withdrawn from the senses. In the Sufi and Sant Mat traditions (qalb or Til), both serve as inner centres of spiritual awareness.

Therefore, it becomes essential that the mind be lovingly absorbed in the remembrance of the Lord. Unfortunately, the natural tendency of the mind is to move in the opposite direction. Rather than turning inward towards its Divine Source, it constantly runs outward towards worldly attractions and distractions. As long as consciousness remains outwardly directed, true self-knowledge and God-realization remain beyond reach.

It is in this context that Baba Bulleh Shah beautifully describes the habits of the mind:

पढ़ पढ़ आलम फाज़ल होइओं,

कदे अपने आप नूं पढ़आई नईं,

जा जा वड़दा मन्दिर मसीतीं,

कदे मन अपने चे वड़्याई नईं,

एवईं रोज़ शैतान नाल लड़नै,

कदे नफस अपने नाल लड़्याई नई,

बुल्ल्हे शाह अस्मानी उडदियां फड़नै,

जेहड़ा घर बैठा उह नूं फड़्याई नईं।

"You have become a great scholar through endless learning, yet you have never studied yourself. You have never entered into the depths of your own mind."

Baba Bulleh Shah reminds us that spiritual realization does not arise merely from intellectual learning or scriptural scholarship. The real journey begins when one turns inward and examines the workings of one's own mind. Through sincere introspection, the seeker gradually discovers deeper dimensions of consciousness. When attention rises above the lower tendencies of the nafs and becomes connected with the qalb, spirituality ceases to be a matter of belief. It becomes a matter of direct inner experience.

Having understood the role of the mind, we can now turn to the meaning of maya. Maya refers to everything subject to change, decay, and disappearance. Whatever appears today and vanishes tomorrow belongs to the realm of maya. It is like a bubble upon water: visible for a moment and then gone. Because it is constantly changing, it can never provide lasting fulfilment or permanent Reality.

The saints and mystics have described maya as an illusion, a dream, a mirage, a shadow, and a fleeting attachment. All these expressions point towards the same truth: that which appears permanent to the mind is, in fact, transient and perishable.

Guru Amar Das Ji beautifully describes the condition of humanity:

माया मोहि सभु जगु सोइआ ॥
(Ang 67)

"The entire world lies asleep in the fascination and attachment of maya."

 

Note—on pages 1428-1430 of Sri Granth, numerous quotes on the Maya and the delusion of the mind are given by Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib

This sleep is not physical sleep but spiritual forgetfulness. Just as a sleeping person remains unaware of the Reality around him, so too the soul, absorbed in worldly attractions, forgets its true nature and Divine origin. Wealth, status, possessions, ambitions, and the countless desires of the mind create a veil over spiritual awareness. Human beings remain occupied with temporary realities while remaining oblivious to the Eternal Reality within.

The soul has become so engrossed in this cycle that it has forgotten its Divine origin. Until this bondage is transcended, the individual soul cannot experience with the Supreme Soul, nor can it attain true awakening. It is therefore natural that the seeker asks:

कउनु नामु जगु जा कै सिमरै पावै पदु निरबाना ॥ page 902

What is that Naam whose remembrance can awaken the soul from the sleep of maya, free it from the bondage of mind and illusion, and lead it to the state of liberation? The next portion of the Shabad gradually reveals Guru Sahib's answer to this profound and timeless question.   When a seeker becomes entangled in the snares of the mind and the illusions of maya, a profound sense of helplessness begins to arise within. After exhausting the resources of intellect, reasoning, and personal effort, the soul gradually realizes that it cannot free itself through its own power alone. It is at this stage that the seeker's heart turns towards the Divine in humility and prayer, seeking guidance for the true path that leads back to its Source.

Throughout Gurbani, this attitude of surrender and supplication appears repeatedly. The seeker does not approach the Lord with claims of spiritual achievement but with humility, acknowledging his limitations and seeking Divine grace. Guru Arjan Dev Ji prays:

किरपा करो दीन के दाते, मेरा गुण अवगुण न विचारो ॥
(Ang 882)

"O Bestower upon the humble, shower Your grace upon me and do not judge me according to my merits and shortcomings."

Likewise, Guru Ram Das Ji expresses the same spirit of surrender:

हम मूरख मुगध सरणागती, करि किरपा मेलहु हर सोई ॥
(Ang 39)

"I am ignorant and spiritually immature; I have come to Your refuge. By Your grace, unite me with that Lord."

These prayers reveal a fundamental principle of the spiritual path: the soul advances not through pride in its own accomplishments but through humility, surrender, and receptivity to Divine grace. In Sufi terminology, this stage is often associated with Tariqat, the path on which the seeker consciously turns away from self-reliance and begins the inward journey under the guidance of a living realised master.

A beautiful illustration of this principle is found in the famous encounter between Baba Bulleh Shah and his spiritual guide, Shah Inayat. Having searched extensively for truth, Bulleh Shah approached Shah Inayat and asked how God might be found. Shah Inayat replied in simple yet profoundly mystical words:

बुल्लया, रब दा की पाणा,
इधरों पुटणा ते उधर लाणा।

"O Bulleh, what is there to attain from God? Merely uproot your attention from here and turn it there."

The instruction appears simple, yet it contains the essence of the entire spiritual path. इधरों "Here" refers to the world of ego, desires, attachments, and outward consciousness. उधर "There" refers to the Divine Reality within. The problem is not that God is distant; the problem is that the soul's attention is directed elsewhere. Spiritual realization therefore, consists not in acquiring something new, but in redirecting consciousness from the transient to the Eternal, from maya to the Divine Presence already dwelling within. 

भए दइआल क्रिपाल संत जन तब इह बात बताई ॥ सरब धरम मानो तिह कीए जिह प्रभ कीरति गाई ॥२॥

The line "भए दइआल क्रिपाल संत जन तब इह बात बताई ॥" can be understood as one of the most profound statements in the entire Shabad. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji has already shown the helpless condition of the seeker. The mind is entangled in maya; intellectual effort cannot reach the Divine, and the soul remains trapped in the cycle of birth and death. The natural question, therefore, arises: if the mind cannot free itself, then how does liberation become possible?

Guru Sahib answers that the decisive turning point in the spiritual journey comes not through the power of the individual mind but through Divine grace. When the Lord becomes compassionate and merciful, He does not merely bestow abstract knowledge; rather, He guides the seeker to the company of realized saints and to the shelter of the living Satguru or Murshid-e-Kamil.

This understanding finds a beautiful parallel in Guru Ram Das Ji's teaching:

सतिगुरु दाता हरि नाम का प्रभु आपि मिलावै सोइ ॥
सतिगुरु हरि प्रभु बुझिआ गुर जेवडु अवरु न कोइ ॥
हउ गुर सरणाई ढहि पवा करि दइआ मेलहु प्रभु सोइ ॥
मनहठि किनै न पाइओ करि उपाव थके सभु कोइ ॥
(Ang 39)

A simple meaning of these lines is that the True Guru is the giver of the Divine Name, and it is God Himself who causes the seeker to meet such a Guru. The Satguru has realised and comprehended the Divine Reality; therefore, there is no guide greater than the Guru for the seeker. The disciple longs to surrender completely at the Guru's feet because it is through the Guru's grace that union with the Lord becomes possible. Finally, Guru Ram Das Ji makes a crucial observation: no one has attained the Divine through the mind's stubbornness; all have grown weary of their own efforts and contrivances.

This teaching greatly expands the meaning of "भए दइआल क्रिपाल संत जन तब इह बात बताई ॥". The saints are not merely preachers or religious teachers. They are the living embodiment of the Shabad -----शबद गुरु सुरत धुन चेला. The Lord, out of compassion, guides the seeker चेला -- to such realized souls because the seeker cannot find the way through his own intellect. The Satguru does not merely speak about God; he is the living manifestation of the Divine Reality and is therefore capable of leading others towards the same realization.

As the seeker, disciple, or murid walks upon the path shown by the Satguru, a deeper spiritual understanding gradually unfolds. One begins to perceive the Reality that lies beyond outward differences and divisions. In Sufi language, this may be described as the "dawn" of partial realisation as Marfat, the slow "unfolding" of Divine Reality, or a sense of greater awareness.

The same understanding is beautifully echoed by Sultan Bahu, who also emphasizes that the Divine Name is not acquired through intellectual effort or self-will but is bestowed through the grace of Allah operating through the Murshid-e-Kamil. In one of his most celebrated verses, he says:

अलिफ अल्लाह चंबे दी बूटी, मुरशिद मन विच लाई हू।
नफ़ी इसबात दा पानी मिलिया, हर रग्गे हर जाई हू।
अंदर बूटी मुश्क मचाया, जान फुल्लां ते आई हू।
जीवे मुरशिद कामिल बाहू, जिन्नी एह बूटी लाई हू।

The imagery is profoundly beautiful. Sultan Bahu compares the Divine Name, the remembrance of Allah, to a fragrant jasmine plant planted within the seeker's heart. This sacred plant is not self-sown; the Murshid-e-Kamil plants it through Divine grace. Once planted, it is nourished by spiritual practice (Zikr) and remembrance(Fikr) until its fragrance permeates the seeker's entire being. The Murshid thus becomes the means through which the dormant seed of Divine awareness is awakened within the soul.

Hazrat Bahu is therefore endorsing the same spiritual principle expressed by Guru Sahib. The Murshid does not merely impart teachings or religious doctrines. Through the grace of Allah, he engraves the Divine Naam within the spiritual heart of the seeker and directs the disciple towards the path of inner realization. For this reason, Sultan Bahu expresses profound gratitude towards the Murshid-e-Kamil, acknowledging that it is through the Master's grace that the soul discovers its true Beloved.

Like wise Kabir Sahib –

अलह् अलख् न् जाई लखिआ गुर् गुर् दीना मीठा  ।

कह् कबीर् मेरी सन्का नासी सरब् निरन्जन् दीठा  ।

This interpretation beautifully complements Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji's declaration.

सरब धरम मानो तिह कीए जिह प्रभ कीरति गाई ॥

"One who sings the praise and glory of the Lord has, in essence, fulfilled all religious duties."

The Guru is not dismissing religion; rather, he is pointing towards its essence. All religions, spiritual disciplines, ethical teachings, and sacred traditions ultimately seek to connect the human soul with the Divine. Their true purpose is fulfilled when the seeker's heart becomes immersed in the remembrance, devotion, and worship of the Lord. The emphasis here is not upon caste, social status, external identity, ritual observances, or formal religious distinctions. The essence of spirituality lies in awakening love for the Divine within the spiritual heart. Unless the remembrance of the Lord arises from the depths of the heart, the journey of the seeker remains incomplete. Mere outward observance cannot substitute for inward transformation.

Conclusion

The final verse brings the entire Shabad to its culmination. The seeker first asks about the true jugat; then Guru Sahib explains the mind's entanglement in maya; and thereafter reveals that the secret is revealed through the grace of realised saints. Now, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji concludes by describing the fruit of walking upon that path:

राम नामु नरु निसि बासुर महि निमख एक उरि धारै ॥
जम को त्रासु मिटै नानक तिह अपुनो जनमु सवारै ॥

At first glance, Guru Sahib appears to be making a very simple statement: one who remembers the Name of the Lord, even for a moment, overcomes the fear of death and fulfils the purpose of human life. Yet beneath these words lies a profound spiritual teaching.

The expression "राम नामु" must be understood in the same sense in which it has been used throughout the Shabad. It does not merely refer to the repetition of a word or the remembrance of a historical figure. Rather, it refers to the living awareness of the all-pervading Divine Reality, the Lord who dwells within every being and sustains the entire creation. The saints teach that this Divine Presence is not distant from the soul; it is already present within the depths of consciousness. The purpose of spiritual practice is to awaken awareness of that ever-present Reality.

Guru Sahib says:

"निसि बासुर महि"
"Throughout night and day."

This does not necessarily imply continuous verbal repetition. Rather, it points towards an inner orientation of consciousness in which the seeker's attention repeatedly returns to the Divine. The heart gradually becomes attuned to the Beloved, just as a compass needle continually points towards the north.

The next phrase is particularly striking:

"निमख एक उरि धारै"
"Even if for a single moment one holds it within the heart."

Guru Sahib emphasises quality over quantity. A single moment of genuine inner remembrance, arising from the depths of the spiritual heart, possesses greater transformative power than countless mechanical repetitions performed absent-mindedly. Mystics from many traditions have taught that a single authentic moment of Divine awareness can alter the course of a person's life.

This idea resonates with Sufi spirituality as well. The saints often distinguish between remembrance upon the tongue and remembrance within the heart. When the Divine Name descends from the lips into the qalb, the spiritual heart, it becomes a living experience rather than a mere practice. It is this inner remembrance to which Guru Sahib points.

The result of such remembrance is expressed in the next line:

"जम को त्रासु मिटै"
"The fear of death is removed."

In the deeper spiritual sense, Jam does not merely represent physical death that is believed to be caused by Yama, the messengers of death. It signifies the entire realm of fear, impermanence, and bondage that governs worldly existence. The ordinary human being fears death because he identifies himself with the body, the mind, possessions, relationships, and the temporary structures of the world. But when the soul begins to experience its connection with the Eternal Reality, this fear gradually dissolves. One realizes that the true self is not the perishable body but the immortal consciousness that originates from the Divine.

This is why saints throughout history have faced death with serenity rather than terror. Having tasted something of the Eternal, they no longer see death as annihilation but as a transition within the Divine order.

Guru Sahib therefore concludes:

"नानक तिह अपुनो जनमु सवारै"
"O Nanak, such a person has fulfilled and beautified his human birth."

The phrase "जनमु सवारै" is extremely significant. According to Gurbani, the value of human birth lies not merely in worldly success, learning, wealth, social status, or religious observance. Human life attains its fulfilment when it becomes a vehicle for God-realization. A person may achieve great worldly accomplishments and yet miss the true purpose of existence. Conversely, one who awakens to the Divine Reality has accomplished the highest purpose for which human birth was granted.

Thus, the Shabad ends where it began. The seeker asked:

"साधो कउन जुगति अब कीजै?"

What is the true way?

Guru Sahib's answer unfolds progressively:

·       The mind is trapped in maya.

·       Intellectual effort alone cannot liberate it.

·       Divine grace reveals the path through realized living saints.

·       The essence of all religion is devotion to the Lord.

·       The seeker must hold the Divine Naam within the spiritual heart.

·       Through this remembrance, the fear of death is overcome.

·       And thus the soul fulfils the true purpose of human birth.

In this way, the Shabad presents a complete spiritual map: from the seeker's question, through the problems of mind and maya, to the grace of the Satguru, the practice of Naam, and, finally, the attainment of liberation and inner fulfilment.