Understanding Before Practice Or Practicing At All

[Only five]

I just wanted to post a tuk of Gurbani that many take out of context. Here is the whole shabad that start on ang sun 32 and goes on to ang sung 33

SIREE RAAG, THIRD MEHL: The Lord of the Universe is the Treasure of Excellence; His limits cannot be found. He is not obtained by mouthing mere words, but by rooting out ego from within. Meeting the True Guru, one is permeated forever with the Fear of God, who Himself comes to dwell within the mind. || 1 || O Siblings of Destiny, one who becomes Gurmukh and understands this is very rare. To act without understanding is to lose the treasure of this human life. || 1 || Pause || Those who have tasted it, enjoy its flavor; without tasting it, they wander in doubt, lost and deceived. The True Name is the Ambrosial Nectar; no one can describe it. Drinking it in, one becomes honorable, absorbed in the Perfect Word of the Shabad. || 2 || He Himself gives, and then we receive. Nothing else can be done. The Gift is in the Hands of the Great Giver. At the Guru's Door, in the Gurdwara, it is received. Whatever He does, comes to pass. All act according to His Will. || 3 || The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure. Through perfect good fortune, the Naam comes to abide within the mind. Through the Shabad, we merge into Him. O Nanak, one who lives in intuitive peace and poise, imbued with the Lord's Love, obtains the Glorious Praises of the Lord. || 4 || 17 || 50 || ang sung 33

The key words of the shabad have been bolded as to what Satguru defines as understanding.

Satguru in the above is telling us to act according to Satguru's Hukam and calls this understanding. When we act in Satguru's Hukam then the ego has been defeated and we are concsious of what we do, which Satguru in the above calls the fear of God. Those who believe in the above Shabad that Satguru is referring to understanding in the context of, until i don't understand why to take Amrit or keep hair or to do naam simran I won't do it and its a waste of this human life. For this way of thinking Satguru has answered you in the same Shabad. Satguru say in the above his limits cannot be found. Meaning that you will never be able to understand why to take Amrit or keep hair uncut or why to do Naam Simran. All the reasoning, or logic you try to use, Satguru refers to as mere words and you will not obtain Sri Waheguru ji Maharaj. Understanding is submitting to Satguru. Hukam is the highest, understanding is bowing your head before the Hukam.

Dhan Dhan Dhan Sri Waheguru ji Maharaj

[Only five]

Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity-these, by themselves, bring only an iota of merit. Listening and believing with love and humility in your mind, cleanse yourself with the Name, at the sacred shrine deep within. All virtues are Yours, Lord, I have none at all. Without virtue, there is no devotional worship. I bow to the Lord of the World, to His Word, to Brahma the Creator. He is Beautiful, True and Eternally Joyful. ang sung 4

Here is more Gurbani, but from Sri Japji Sahib da Paat that is telling the same thing to us about understanding. Our beliefs may be to practice in a certain way and not to follow Satguru because to us it is immaterial (many excuses are used to refer to it as immaterial). Satguru in the above makes it very clear that we need to follow his Hukam (listening and most importantly believing). Two things are needed to follow his Hukam. Satguru says these two are love and humility. Once these two are the base of every action we do, then Satguru's Hukam is very sweet to the mind. Then Satguru tells us further how to attain love and humility. Satguru says the Naam is the medicine to get rid of your beliefs (in the above Gurbani describes our beliefs as (Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity).

Dhan Dhan Dhan Sri Vaheguru Ji Maharaj.