9 Continents

[singhcity]

what are the nine continents Guru ji is refering to in Japji Sahib?

thank. waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh

[simran345]

what are the nine continents Guru ji is refering to in Japji Sahib?

thank. waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh

Waheguru

[TheFancyBanana]

Guru Ji is not literally saying there are 9 continents. This was a common belief at the time, held by the people who he was talking to. He simply uses 9 continents as a metaphor for the whole world. Even if people across the world followed you and you had all the wealth, then what would you do?

Without Naam, this is all worthless.

Bani uses many metaphors, it is all poetry. The Gurus were speaking to many different types of people, so they used different ideas and concepts to teach people about Sikhi.

[singhbj singh]

what are the nine continents Guru ji is refering to in Japji Sahib?

thank. waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh

The English translation in all the on-line versions describe it as " 9 continents" which is wrong as Khanda in Sanskrit is part of a country.

ਭਾਰਤ ੧ ਕਿੰਪੁਰਖ ੨ ਹਰਿਵਰਖ ੩ ਭਦ੍ਰਾਸ ੪ ਕੇਤੁਮਾਲ ੫ ਇਲਬ੍ਰਤ ੬ ਰਮਣਕ ੭ ਹਿਰਣਮਯ ੮ ਕੁਰੂ ੯ ਇਨਮੈ ਇਤਨਾ ਜਾਨਨਾ ਜੋ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਕੇ ਦਖਨ ਕੀ ਤਰਫ ਤੀਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਹੈਂ ਹਿਮਾਲਯ ਔਰ ਹੇਮਕੂੰਟ ਤਥਾ ਨਿਖਧ ਇਨ ਤੀਨੋ ਮੈ ਦਖਨ ਸਮੁੰਦ੍ਰ ਔਰ ਹਿਮਾਲਯ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਹਮਾਰੇ ਰਹਨੇ ਕਾ ਅਸਥਾਨੁ ਭਾਰਤ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ ਅਰ ਹਿਮਾਲਯ ਤਥਾ ਹੇਮਕੂੰਟ ਪਰਬਤ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਕਿੰਪੁਰਖ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ ਔਰ ਹੇਮਕੂੰਟ ਤਥਾ ਨਿਖਧ ਪਰਬਤ ਕੇ ਮਧਯ ਹਰਿਵਰਖ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ ਇਸੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਕੇ ਪੁਰਬ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ ਕੀ ਤਰਫ ਏਕ ਮਾਲ੍ਯਵਾਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਹੈ ਤਿਸ ਮਾਲ੍ਯਵਾਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਕੇ ਔਰ ਲਵਣ ਸਮੁੰਦ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਭਦ੍ਰਾਸ ਖੰਡ ਹੈ ਔਰ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਕੇ ਪਸਚਿਮਕੀ ਤਰਫ ਗੰਧਮਾਦਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਹੈ ਤਿਸ ਪਰਬਤੁ ਤਥਾ ਪਸਚਿਮ ਕੇ ਲਵਣ ਸਮੁੰਦ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਕੇਤੁਮਾਲ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ ਇਸੀ ਤਰਾਂ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਕੇ ਉਤਰ ਭੀ ਤੀਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਹੈਂ ਨੀਲ ਪਰਬਤੁ ਅਰ ਸ੍ਵ੍ਹੇਤ ਪਰਬਤੁ ਤਥਾ ਸ੍ਰਿੰਗਵਾਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਨੀਲ ਅਰ ਸ੍ਵੇਤ ਪਰਬਤ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਮੈ ਰਮਣਕ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ ਅਰ ਸ੍ਵੇਤ ਤਥਾ ਸ੍ਰਿੰਗਵਾਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਮੈ ਹਿਰਣਮ੍ਯ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ। ਅਰ ਉਤਰ ਕਾ ਖਾਰਾ ਸਮੁੰਦ੍ਰ, ਤਥਾ ਸ੍ਰਿੰਗਵਾਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਇਨ ਦੋਨੋ ਕੇ ਮਧ੍ਯ ਉਤਰ ਕੁਰੂ ਖੰਡ ਹੈ ਅਰ ਚਾਰੋਂ ਦਿਸਾ ਕੇ ਚਾਰ ਪਰਬਤ ਅਰ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਪਰਬਤ ਬੀਚ ਕਾ ਕੀਲੇ ਕੇ ਤੁਲ ਤਿਸ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਕੇ ਚਾਰੋਂ ਤਰਫ ਬਿਲਾਬ੍ਰਤ ਖੰਡੁ ਹੈ॥

Source - http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=2&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=2&p=0&fb=0&k=2

[simran345]

Hanji fancybanana Paji , and Singhbj paji its khanda.

Sant ji explains at 5.47 onwards:

[singhbj singh]

Hanji fancybanana Paji , and Singhbj paji its khanda.

Sant ji explains

Thanks Bheinji

[Akalifauj]

Guru Ji is not literally saying there are 9 continents. This was a common belief at the time, held by the people who he was talking to. He simply uses 9 continents as a metaphor for the whole world. Even if people across the world followed you and you had all the wealth, then what would you do?

Without Naam, this is all worthless.

Bani uses many metaphors, it is all poetry. The Gurus were speaking to many different types of people, so they used different ideas and concepts to teach people about Sikhi.

Gurbani is beyond time. Meaning the lessons and writings tell the truth of the timeless and what is bound in time. Today you are saying the 9 Khands (not continents) are a metaphor. What is stopping another from saying IK ONKAR is a metaphor tomorrow? It is your perception against another. Whatever does not fit into a person's intellect as truth or justifiable, is passed off as metaphor or poetry. What does this say about the person making these judgments on Gurbani? They are unwilling to learn and drop their views on what is and what is not. I learned long time ago, everything in Gurbani is the truth. We need to change to understand this truth. I don't need to call certain lines poetry or metaphors. When Gurbani says even stones will float. It means the stones will float. Does it also mean the stone hearted individuals will be blessed with mercy and be saved? Yes!! My God/Har/Allah is not limited and nor going to write Gurbani teaches the truth and a second later says.....I was just joking about the truth part......I was using metaphors...essentially lying in some spots.....even I can't make stones floats...damn yogis were smoking some really strong stuff that day...don't even ask me how man khands there are....I don't know...... I mixed these metaphors with poetry. Had to make sure the cool cats in the 1970s will have rhymes to bust too.....I sent 10 Gurus to write Gurbani...........can you guess what is only poetry and is the truth.......where's Waldo....peace...God signing out......

Let's not make a mockery of God. Hes a smart guy and even might have more brains than the poetry and metaphor claiming people. Just saying you never know.

[luckysingh99]

Gurbani is beyond time. Meaning the lessons and writings tell the truth of the timeless and what is bound in time. Today you are saying the 9 Khands (not continents) are a metaphor. What is stopping another from saying IK ONKAR is a metaphor tomorrow? It is your perception against another. Whatever does not fit into a person's intellect as truth or justifiable, is passed off as metaphor or poetry. What does this say about the person making these judgments on Gurbani? They are unwilling to learn and drop their views on what is and what is not. I learned long time ago, everything in Gurbani is the truth. We need to change to understand this truth. I don't need to call certain lines poetry or metaphors. When Gurbani says even stones will float. It means the stones will float. Does it also mean the stone hearted individuals will be blessed with mercy and be saved? Yes!! My God/Har/Allah is not limited and nor going to write Gurbani teaches the truth and a second later says.....I was just joking about the truth part......I was using metaphors...essentially lying in some spots.....even I can't make stones floats...damn yogis were smoking some really strong stuff that day...don't even ask me how man khands there are....I don't know...... I mixed these metaphors with poetry. Had to make sure the cool cats in the 1970s will have rhymes to bust too.....I sent 10 Gurus to write Gurbani...........can you guess what is only poetry and is the truth.......where's Waldo....peace...God signing out......

Let's not make a mockery of God. Hes a smart guy and even might have more brains than the poetry and metaphor claiming people. Just saying you never know.

Excellent point...(making some very mature and inspiring posts lately!)

I find that those calling gurbani poetry are not doing any justice to Guru's word.

Ones like the missionaries that are boxed away from true understanding, usually come up with explanations as it's all poetry anway......

They make it sound as if Guruji just put in certain words and phrases just get the poetic rhyming complete. :nono:

[TheFancyBanana]

Gurbani is beyond time. Meaning the lessons and writings tell the truth of the timeless and what is bound in time. Today you are saying the 9 Khands (not continents) are a metaphor. What is stopping another from saying IK ONKAR is a metaphor tomorrow? It is your perception against another. Whatever does not fit into a person's intellect as truth or justifiable, is passed off as metaphor or poetry. What does this say about the person making these judgments on Gurbani? They are unwilling to learn and drop their views on what is and what is not. I learned long time ago, everything in Gurbani is the truth. We need to change to understand this truth. I don't need to call certain lines poetry or metaphors. When Gurbani says even stones will float. It means the stones will float. Does it also mean the stone hearted individuals will be blessed with mercy and be saved? Yes!! My God/Har/Allah is not limited and nor going to write Gurbani teaches the truth and a second later says.....I was just joking about the truth part......I was using metaphors...essentially lying in some spots.....even I can't make stones floats...damn yogis were smoking some really strong stuff that day...don't even ask me how man khands there are....I don't know...... I mixed these metaphors with poetry. Had to make sure the cool cats in the 1970s will have rhymes to bust too.....I sent 10 Gurus to write Gurbani...........can you guess what is only poetry and is the truth.......where's Waldo....peace...God signing out......

Let's not make a mockery of God. Hes a smart guy and even might have more brains than the poetry and metaphor claiming people. Just saying you never know.

Do you know what a metaphor is? Have you ever written poetry? Do you know how poetry works?

Yes call me an athiest or missionary or whatever.

I really don't care.

Gurbani is different for all of us. We all have different experiences in life, we all come from different places. Bani is supposed to make you think, you are supposed to vichaar it.

Read the Mundavani shabad. "Within this plate, there are three things, sat (truth), santokh (contentment) and vichaaro (contemplation).

What is the plate? Well, its a metaphor! A metaphor for the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru is not literally a thaal, it isn't a plate.

Within Guru Granth Sahib you can find those three things. You will find truth, that will give you santokh. But there is also contemplation, to meditate upon the message of bani. The bani in Guru Granth Sahib is not merely something you parrot.

You think about it, you contemplate its message, you apply it to your life.

When Guru Granth Sahib talks about stones floating, it is using a metaphor. An image is created in your mind of even stones, with all that weight, floating and crossing over. People often think that if they do bad things and they have never gone to the Guru, that they will only sink. But that image is showing you that even stones will be saved by this bani.

True, Waheguru can also make stones float if that is the hukam. But it is using a metaphor to convey a message to the reader.

I'm sure you listen to katha. The person doing the katha gives their own interpretation! Go read the teekas of Guru Granth Sahib, read the different translations. Prof. Sahib Singh, the fareedkot teeka, all of them have different interpretations! This is all good, these people have their own interpreations. But the only way you can ever know Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is to go meet him yourself. To read that bani, to contemplate it within your mind. Gurbani means something different to different people. We are on our own unique journey to the Guru.

My interpreation or understanding will never be perfect! But thats fine, this is a lifelong journey, a relationship you build up. Why do we read nitnem everyday? Because there is a new lesson we can learn from bani everyday. I am not a perfect person and I am not a perfect Sikh, so of course my interpreations can't do justice to bani.

Waheguru will give you the interpretation you are suposed to recieve. Some people will read bani literally and gain nothing, some people will see metaphors and understand the treasure of bani. This is all down to who Waheguru does kirpa on. If Waheguru wants to save that stinking stone, Waheguru will save that sinking stone.

[Akalifauj]

Gurbani is different for all of us. We all have different experiences in life, we all come from different places. Bani is supposed to make you think, you are supposed to vichaar it.

essentially you are admitting 1+1=2 for one person and for another it equals 11 and for another it equals 112. Gurbani is not dependent on people like math is not dependent on humans. Both have absolute answers and are born in the absolute. Nor does Gurbani change from person to person. Each person comes to terms with math; 1+1=2. In the same way each person has to let go of their own frame of reference to understand Gurbani. Which clearly you are refusing to do.

Read the Mundavani shabad. "Within this plate, there are three things, sat (truth), santokh (contentment) and vichaaro (contemplation).

What is the plate? Well, its a metaphor! A metaphor for the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru is not literally a thaal, it isn't a plate.

When Guru Granth Sahib talks about stones floating, it is using a metaphor. An image is created in your mind of even stones, with all that weight, floating and crossing over. People often think that if they do bad things and they have never gone to the Guru, that they will only sink. But that image is showing you that even stones will be saved by this bani.

True, Waheguru can also make stones float if that is the hukam. But it is using a metaphor to convey a message to the reader.

My little brother, you picked the perfect line to show your contempt toward Gurbani. Why do you continue to force your opinion on Gurbani? The key word in this tuk is contentment. Meaning a person needs to be satisfied with the reality of, all of Gurbani is the truth. You are not satisfied with this because you continue to say a certain portion of Gurbani contains falsehood like in this line; the first word Thaal. In the previous example you misinterpreted Khands to mean continents and said it was a metaphor. Therefore I asked you what is stopping another from saying IK ONKAR is a metaphor, which you give no reply too. This tuk starts off with saying Gurbani is the truth. First please realize this simple fact and then we can continue to do the veechar (contemplate) over the following tuk.

I am perfectly satisfied for not know what the Thaal is in this tuk. My mind is content with it because I know I am reading the truth and when Guru Sahib is will to tell me what the Thaal is in this tuk, I will listen to him and bow with humility. What I have noticed thus far from others who are studying Gurbani is the need to make sense of everything according to their intellect and previous teachings. Anything that does not fit into their intellect is either a metaphor or some abstract idea that does not exist or can't be done in real life. If you believe in a all powerful and knowing God, then why the need to doubt his ability or writing? He is perfect and his writing (Gurbani) is perfect as him; there is no difference from Gurbani and Akal Purakh. Ram Rai was excommunicated out of Sikhi because he changed one word from Gurbani. Those who rattle off certain words in Gurbani as ONLY metaphors are doing the same as Ram Rai. Ram Rai did it to please the mind of the Muslims and you are doing it to please your own mind and/or those who consider you as preachers.

Leave Gurbani as is and don't change it to your thinking. Guru Sahib through Gurbani teaches us to come and sing his Gurbani as a new born child, who knows and understands nothing. Guru Sahib says let Gurbani fill your heart with love and contentment.

Waheguru will give you the interpretation you are suposed to recieve. Some people will read bani literally and gain nothing, some people will see metaphors and understand the treasure of bani. This is all down to who Waheguru does kirpa on. If Waheguru wants to save that stinking stone, Waheguru will save that sinking stone.

The difference between you and me is that I see Gurbani as written and see the examples given. Yet you refuse to see Gurbani as written and only want to see the metaphors that please your mind. The kirpa happens on those who don't change Gurbani to please their mind.