[naamnet] 2.2 - The Ultimate Goal And 2.3 - Heaven And Hell

[Akaali]

Two in one...ENJOY!

2.2 The Ultimate Goal

A man was travelling on his path he was determined to reach his ultimate goal. Along the way he started feeling hungry. He now had a new goal : To eat, he also felt thirsty so he left his original path and started walking towards the river. Reaching the river he thought it's best to wash my hands before eating or drinking - yet another goal. So he bent down. The river was still he could see a golden bracelet deep down. All of a sudden he forgot his hunger and thirst, he forgot about washing his hands and thought only of possessing the golden bracelet. He jumped into the water but couldnt find it, a passer by saw him jumping in and out of the river and asked why. The passer by said 'O Friend, the bracelet is not in the river it's high up on the branches of the tree, you are chasing the reflection!' The man now had yet another goal to climb the tree . . . and so on.

Morale: Guru Sahib has said othe purpose of our life is spiritual - to become enlightened. Sikhi is the path our ultimate goal is Waheguru ji. Like the man in the story we set off on the path but get distracted by one thing after another and waste our precious time.

Guru Arjun Dev ji says 'Gobind milan kee eh teree baria,' 'it's your turn to meet the World Protector'

2.3 Heaven and Hell

Guru Arjun Dev ji sung

Amrit priya bachan tuhare.

Raj na chaho, Mukat na chao

Man preet charan kamalareh.

Your words are nectar,

I don't desire Kingdom (Raaj) and I don't want Liberation (Muktee)

my mind (only wants) the love of your lotus feet'.

People think Muktee is the thing to get, i.e salvation or liberation or freedom from the bonds of the world. People want heaven where they meet all there relatives and have the house and garden they always dreamed about. But Guru Arjun Dev ji is light years ahead of that stage and sings:

Man preet charan kamalareh

my mind (only wants) the love of your lotus feet.

But isn't having the love of Guru ji's lotus feet the same as heaven or mukti?

No, a giani jee gave the following example : it's like a little boy who's lost in a shopping mall. At first he loved spending hours in the toy shop, then he really wanted to go to the sweet shop and eat all the chocolates. In the end he started crying because he wanted his mummy. He ran past the sweet shop, he ran past the toy shop, the only important thing was finding his mummy and she'd pick him up and hug him to the chest.

Sikhi is not about going to heaven or hell (the shops), but about going back to sit in Gurdev-Pita Guru Nanak Ji's fatherly laps, it's about being absorbed in the lovelight of Guru jis Lotus feet. And being absorbed in the love of God's Lotus Feet is to do naam simran with humility and love.