[random] Gurbani Vichaar

lowest of the low singhni · April 11, 2007

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

(This was written for Essay Marathon #7.)

We have a wealth of Gurbani which tells us how to love each other and how to live every day of our lives implementing the ultimate Truth. There are so many small thing which we can do on the path to True Love, but usually we choose to do the big, spontaneous things because those are the ones which don’t require commitment and dedication.

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੨ ॥

salok mehlaa 2.

Shalok, Second Mehl:

ਏਹ ਕਿਨੇਹੀ ਆਸਕੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਲਗੈ ਜਾਇ ॥

ayh kinayhee aaskee doojai lagai jaa-ay.

What sort of love is this, which clings to duality?

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਸਕੁ ਕਾਂਢੀਐ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥

naanak aasak kaaNdhee-ai sad hee rahai samaa-ay.

O Nanak, he/she alone is called a lover, who remains forever immersed in absorption.

ਚੰਗੈ ਚੰਗਾ ਕਰਿ ਮੰਨੇ ਮੰਦੈ ਮੰਦਾ ਹੋਇ ॥

changai changa kar mannay mandai mandaa ho-ay.

But one who feels good only when good is done for them, and feels bad when things go badly -

ਆਸਕੁ ਏਹੁ ਨ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿ ਲੇਖੈ ਵਰਤੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥

aasak ayhu na aakhee-ai je laykhai vartai so-ay. ||1||

do not call them a lover. he/she trades only for their own account.

Degha Singh has been posting this shahbad in different places for a few days now, and it ties in nicely with this whole ‘love’ theme in the Essay Marathon. In this shabad Guru Angad Dev Ji Maharaj really makes us think about what life would be like if we didn’t have Sikhi to follow. For the majority of world love is the bond and connection humans feel towards their friends and family – the people close to them. But we have to ask ourselves what this love is based on.

I once read a book which explained love in terms of our human blindness. More often than not, when someone says “I love you” they are actually implying that they get pleasure out of you, or “My pain is reduced by interacting with you”. However if one person becomes a source of pain for the other, then the interaction wouldn’t work. “If I got more pain than pleasure from interacting with you, I would hate to be in your association.” If anyone in a relationship becomes a source of pain, the relationship is weakened. As soon as one of the two parties feels their interests are not being met, conflict begins. This leads to arguments resulting in pain, worry, stress. This is exactly what Dhan Guru Angad Dev Ji is saying.

ਚੰਗੈ ਚੰਗਾ ਕਰਿ ਮੰਨੇ ਮੰਦੈ ਮੰਦਾ ਹੋਇ ॥

changai changa kar mannay mandai mandaa ho-ay.

But one who feels good only when good is done for them, and feels bad when things go badly -

ਆਸਕੁ ਏਹੁ ਨ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿ ਲੇਖੈ ਵਰਤੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥

aasak ayhu na aakhee-ai je laykhai vartai so-ay.

do not call them a lover. he/she trades only for their own account.

We use the holy word ‘love’ so often, but for every person this word means something different. Self-love lies at the foundation of all human love. In our society today people go on dates. Usually this is determined by the way people look, whether they are attractive or not. People believe in love at first sight – but this is at first sight. It isn’t love at first conversation, or love at first INSIGHT – there is no knowledge of the other person’s character or moral values.

ਏਹ ਕਿਨੇਹੀ ਆਸਕੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਲਗੈ ਜਾਇ ॥

ayh kinayhee aaskee doojai lagai jaa-ay.

What sort of love is this, which clings to duality?

We’re all humans, and most of us have a pool of ego in our minds. Our world revolves around this – our world revolves around ‘us’. Our ego extends outwards into the things we come in contact with – we begin to label things as ours. My religion, my mother, my spouse, my body. This gives us a feeling of identification with the objects and people around us. We connect with things. If our friend feels sad, we feel sad. If someone criticizes our clothes or our home or anything else we deem to be ours, we feel upset – even though these things should theoretically be completely distinct from ‘us’. The whole shebang begins to sound like a complicated web of Maya – yet we all think it is ‘normal’ to feel this way, and because we’re ‘only human’ it is justified. This identification results in attachment. And we mistake this attachment for love. Or maybe for some people attachment IS love. It depends on the individual and their state of mind.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, the Blanket of the World, makes us realize the nature of human love on Ang 536:

ਤਨ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਹੋਤ ਜਬ ਨਿਆਰੇ ਟੇਰਤ ਪ੍ਰੇਤਿ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ॥

tan tay paraan hot jab ni-aaray tayrat parayt pukaar.

When the soul is separated from the body, then they will cry out, calling you a ghost.

ਆਧ ਘਰੀ ਕੋਊ ਨਹਿ ਰਾਖੈ ਘਰ ਤੇ ਦੇਤ ਨਿਕਾਰਿ ॥੧॥

aaDh gharee ko-oo neh raakhai ghar tay dayt nikaar.

No one will let you stay, for even half an hour; they drive you out of the house.

So then we come to ask what true love really is. But we don’t even need to ask, because Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj has given us the answer Himself on Ang 257.

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

pa-orhee.

Pauree:

ਥਥਾ ਥਿਰੁ ਕੋਊ ਨਹੀ ਕਾਇ ਪਸਾਰਹੁ ਪਾਵ ॥

thathaa thir ko-oo nahee kaa-ay pasaarahu paav.

T'HAT'HA: Nothing is permanent - why do you stretch out your feet?

ਅਨਿਕ ਬੰਚ ਬਲ ਛਲ ਕਰਹੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਏਕ ਉਪਾਵ ॥

anik banch bal chhal karahu maa-i-aa ayk upaav.

You commit so many fraudulent and deceitful actions as you chase after Maya.

ਥੈਲੀ ਸੰਚਹੁ ਸ੍ਰਮੁ ਕਰਹੁ ਥਾਕਿ ਪਰਹੁ ਗਾਵਾਰ ॥

thailee sanchahu saram karahu thaak parahu gaavaar.

You work to fill up your bag, you fool, and then you fall down exhausted.

ਮਨ ਕੈ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਅੰਤੇ ਅਉਸਰ ਬਾਰ ॥

man kai kaam na aavee antay a-osar baar.

But this shall be of no use to you at all at that very last instant.

ਥਿਤਿ ਪਾਵਹੁ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਭਜਹੁ ਸੰਤਹ ਕੀ ਸਿਖ ਲੇਹੁ ॥

thit paavhu gobid bhajahu santeh kee sikh layho.

You shall find stability only by vibrating upon the Lord of the Universe, and accepting the Teachings of the Saints.

ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਸਦ ਏਕ ਸਿਉ ਇਆ ਸਾਚਾ ਅਸਨੇਹੁ ॥

pareet karahu sad ayk si-o i-aa saachaa asnayhu.

Embrace love for the One Lord forever - this is true love!

ਕਾਰਨ ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨੋ ਸਭ ਬਿਧਿ ਏਕੈ ਹਾਥ ॥

kaaran karan karaavano sabh biDh aikai haath.

He is the Doer, the Cause of causes. All ways and means are in His Hands alone.

ਜਿਤੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਲਾਵਹੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਲਗਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੰਤ ਅਨਾਥ ॥੩੩॥

jit jit laavhu <admin-profanity filter activated> <admin-profanity filter activated> lageh naanak jant anaath.

Whatever You attach me to, to that I am attached; O Nanak, I am just a helpless creature.

Akaal Purakh will reveal Himself in the hearts of the Gurmukhs who love Him. They surrender to His Hukam, they have no other need, no other love, no other demand. They don’t identify with other bodies, not even with their own. There is no difference between truly loving Akaal Purakh and truly loving ‘other’ because in essence everything IS God. As a result, those beloved Gurmukhs develop love for all beings because Akaal Purakh’s eternal Jyot resides in everything in this creation.

How to love Akaal Purakh: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=24110

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh