Gurmat Gems

[harsharan000]

TRUE DEVOTION

The whole world is absort in doing all types of poojas, paaths, jap, tap, yog and an endless list of outer practices, beleiving them to be bhakti, which will lead them to the Lord.....

But, Dhan Dhan Satgur Nanak Dev Maharaj, in His Bani in Raag Sorath, tells us what type of only devotion we must perform, in order to please Wahiguru Akal Purukh and merge in Him.

In a simple language, and few words,He summarizes us the essence of spirituality.

He tells us:

ਲਾਇ ਚਿਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਮੰਨਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਕੰਮੁ

Laae Chith Kar Chaakaree Mann Naam Kar Kanm

लाइ चितु करि चाकरी मंनि नामु करि कमु

Let your service be the focusing of your consciousness, and let your occupation be the placing of faith in the Naam.

He says, the devotion you must perform is, the one which allows you to focus your attention, your soul consciousness on Him, and that "chakree", that devotion, is the Simran of His Naam.

Other practices scatter our attention outside in the world, but the sacred practice of His Naam Simran, withdraws our attention from the mayavee world, and elevates it into the higher spiritual consciousness realms, and gradually from there on, with the aid of Shabad Guru, we are carried across all the stages of creation, till the end when we reach Sach Khand and Wahiguru Akal Purukh, gives us a huge embrace of Love, then only we merge in Him.

Such is the wadeeayee of Him and His Naam....

Sat Sree Akal.

[harsharan000]

Address details by Sree Guru Nanak, upon where to look and search for Wahiguru Akal Purukh.

ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਉਪਾਏ ਵੇਖੈ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ

घटि घटि गुपतु उपाए वेखै परगटु गुरमुखि संत जना

Ghatt Ghatt Gupath Oupaeae Vaekhai, Paragatt Guramukh Santh Jana

In each and every heart, the Lord is hidden; there He creates and watches over all.

But it is in the humble Saintly Gurmukhs where He reveals Himself.

Raag Basant, Bani Dhan Dhan Satguru Nanak Dev Maharaj.

Sat Sree Akal..

Edited February 21, 2015 by harsharan000

[harsharan000]

ON GOOD DESTINY...

ਬਿਨੁ ਭਾਗਾ ਸਤਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹਰੀ

बिनु भागा सतसंगु न पाईऐ करमि मिलै हरि नामु हरी

Bin Bhaga Sadh sang N Paeeai, Karam Milai Har Nam Haree

Without good destiny, the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is not obtained.

By the grace of one's good karma, there where the Lord's Name(jugtee, updesh) is received.

*Note: as Nam is already within each and everyone,irrespective of colour, caste, class or dharam,

or though, even one may not be consciouss about it.

Raag Basant, Bani Dhan Dhan Satguru Nanak Dev Maharaj.

Gurmukhs, Mahapurkhs, Sant Janas, Bhagat Janas, do not come to create any new religion, their only religion is Satnam, their abode is Satnam, their destiny is Satnam, they live by Satnam, they breathe Satnam....and it is there, where they invite us to go ....

Sat Sree Akal.

Edited February 21, 2015 by harsharan000

[harsharan000]

RAAG MALAR, BANI SREE GURU AMARDAS MAHARAJ

On Jeevan mukti for once and ever

ਸਾਚੀ ਗਤਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਏ

Saachee Gath Saachai Chith Laaeae

साची गति साचै चितु लाए

True deliverance comes by focusing one's consciousness on the True Lord.

In the line above, Sachay Patshah Amar Das Maharaj, is directly telling us, that true and permanent liberation, is got only by focussing one`s dhyan, one´s attention on te one Wahiguru Akal Purukh.

No chanting, no pilgrimages, no bathing in so called sacerd waters, no fasting, no jap, no tap, no pooja, no paath, no flowers or incense ........nothing of that sort outer methods will ever help us to get any liberation, rather these rituals and ceremonies, wil be the cause of our coming back into this mayavee creation.

It has to be so, if it can not take us there, naturally we shall fall here only ..... it is like an aeroplane warming its engine moving here and there, to reach its destiny, but without Nam Simran, it can never take off, do whatever it may .....

So, then we may ask, if all our outer practices are taken back away for being futile for our spiritual goal, what is there left for us to do?

Well, Sree Guru Amar Das Maharaj, gives us the perfect answer in the following line:

ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਣਾਏ

Gur Kee Baanee Sabadh Sunaaeae

गुर की बाणी सबदि सुणाए

Listen to the Shabad, and the Word of the Guru's Bani.

He says, do Simran as per His instructions or updesh, in order to listen to the Shabad within us. So we can see clearly, that it is by listening to the Shabad Dhun within us, that all our countless karmas, sanskaras, vikars are wiped away...and at the same time, it is the very means, of our merging in Him and becoming Him.

Such is the wadeeayee of His Naam.

Sat Sree Akal.

[harsharan000]

On Simran...

Many of us, think, that devotion to the Lord consists of several activities.

You see, Wahiguru is One without second. He is like the powerful magnet who attracts us towards Himself.

But then, how does He attracts us?

It is by His Simran alone.

That is why the Bani says: Prabh ka Simran, sabh te oochaa. There is nothing comparable to it. It is the highest devotion which one can offer it at His Lotus Feet..

All other activities, are mere shadows of mannmat, which lead us nowhere.

One may say, what is this ? Don´t you ever have anything else to say, apart from His Simran? You are constantly hammering on Simran alone, in terms of devotion....

Well, it is not me, nor my personal opinion.

It is the very Bani, which insists so much. It is only, that we do what we see others do or say.

No.

That is not correct. We should pay attention with our eyes wide open, to what the Bani says.

Following are the words of Dhan Dhan Satguru Sachay Patshah Arjun Dev Maharaj, where we can see by ourselves the supreme importance in doing the right type of bhakti.

He says:

ਆਠ ਪਹਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਜਪੁ ਜਾਪਿ

Ath Pehar Prabh Ka Japau Jaap

आठ पहर प्रभ का जपु जापि

Twenty-four hours a day, chant God's Chant.

He clearly says 24 hours .

You see, if the day had 25 or 26 hours, one could do 24 hours Simran, and the remaing time other karamkaands. But no, He says, do His Simran 24 hours.

Now we may ask, how to do 24 hours Simran?

The answer is : khaateh, peeteh, chalteh, phirteh, sovat, jaagat, visar na jaat ...premee sunoh prem kee baat.

Apart from this His constant Simran, we should try to sit for some time, and meditate on His Naam, so that our surtee soars up in the spiritual realms within, and savour the taste of Bliss, which cometh out of this His Simran.

Sat Sree Akal.

[harsharan000]

What pleases the Lord Wahiguru?

According to Sree Guru Ram Das Maharaj, if there is anything by which we can please Him, it is only His Simran.

Why?

Be cause, He knows that is the only devotion, which will bring His jeeva(soul), back to Him. Anything or other devotion apart from it, is considered "manmat".

Why so?

Because it may please us, our community, our religious leaders, politicians, historians...and we may think, or have a strong feeling of doing something which may please Him....but in the end, it is all agyanta, as it does not at all please our beloved Wahiguru, as seen in the following words of Guru Jee, Fourth Patshahee:

jan naanak, har hirdai sad Dhi-aavahu i-o, har parabh mayraa bheenay.

O servant Nanak, meditate forever on the Lord in your heart; this is what pleases my Lord God.

And as a consequence of pleasing Him, through His Simran/Dhyan, the chains which keep us binded in the cycles of births and deaths are broken, and we merge in Him, as seen in the words of Chauthvee Patshahee:

Har dargeh bhaaveh, fir janam na aavahi, Har Har har jot samaa-ee.

In the Court of the Lord, He shall be pleased with you, and you shall not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again; you shall merge in the Divine Light of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.

Sat Sree Akal.

Edited April 14, 2015 by harsharan000

[harsharan000]

Some inspiring words of wisdom of Bhai Gurdas.

Ik Oankar Satgur prasadi.  Pauree 1(Gur - Chela)

Pir muridi gakhari ko virla janai

Pira piru vakhaiai guru guran vakhanai

Gur chela chela guru choj vidanai

So Guru soi sikhu hai joti joti samanai

Ik Guru ik sikhu hai Guru sabadi sinanai

Mihar muhabati melu kari bhau bhau su bhanai

Meaning:

One Oankar, the primal energy realized through the grace of divine preceptor. Pauri  1 ( Guru - disciple)

Discipleship of the Guru, is such a difficult task, that a rare one can understand it. He who knows it, becomes guide of the spiritual guides and chief Guru of  gurus.

In this stage, the wonderful feat of becoming Guru by the discple and vice - versa,  is enacted.

Externally the sikh and the Guru remain as they were, but internally, the light of one permeates the other.

Becoming the sikh of the One  Guru, the disciple understands the word of the Guru(Naam/Shabad).

Grace(of the Guru), and love(of the disciple) meeting in the divine order, join each other, in form of Love of the Guru, and fear in the mind of the disciple(to create a balanced and handsome personality).

 

*Personal note: 

in my trip to India about six years back, I visted the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and in one of the libraries around, I bought some books on Sikhism which I found very important at least for my personal and spiritual maturity. 

One of them was, Varan Bhai Gurdas, by Dr Jodh Singh, from which I will be sharing  from time to time, some of the best selections with the sangat on this Sikhawareness  website.

Hope you too benefit from the priceless spiritual pearls of bhagat Bhai Gurdas.       

 

Sat Sree Akal.

Edited June 4, 2015 by harsharan000

[harsharan000]

The Aad Sach,Jugaad Sach, is achievable and realized by anyone who practices the jugtee of Nam Simran and goes within, irrespective of caste,  creed,  or class.

Saints say, this  Sach, this Shabad is always reverbating within us at all times.

A sufi mystic, named Maulana Rum says to the respect:

You do not hear the melodies with your ears.

The sensivity of your ears has been defiled by the sins.

 

Sat Sree Akal.

[harsharan000]

 

 True Guru, true disciple/sikh ...

To know who is a genuine Guru, a Gurmukh, a Brahmgyani, and who is a true sikh or disciple, for that purpose, let us see what  Dhan Dhan Satguru Amar Das Maharaj is telling us about it, in His pure paviter Bani of Raag Sorath:

ਸੋ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੋ ਸਿਖੁ ਹੈ ਭਾਈ ਜਿਸੁ ਜੋਤੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ

So Guroo So Sikh Hai Bhaaee Jis Jothee Joth Milaae

सो गुरू सो सिखु है भाई जिसु जोती जोति मिलाइ

He alone is the Guru, and he alone is a Sikh, O Siblings of Destiny, whose light merges in the Light.

Now some may wonder, how does light merge with Light ...

Pure light is not something material, it is our essence, it is our soul, it is our consciousness, which emerged from Wahiguru. 

And true devotion is the act or jugtee  of trying to merge in that Param Jot of Wahiguru, through His simran alone. There is no other way, anything apart from this, is nothing but inflating our ego, and being under the bharam of coming near to Him, which is far from reality. 

There is only one Truth, Satnam, Wahiguru, and He can only be realized, by His Grace with His Simran. This is the summary of Sikhee, or any true religion.

Ik Oankar, Satgur Parsad, jap.

Sat Sree Akal. 

Edited June 9, 2015 by harsharan000

[harsharan000]

Devotion

Each one of us tries to worship Him. And those who really want to worship Him, by meditating upon Him, usually get the dissapointment, by being helpless to knockout our opponent: the mind, who troubles us time after time, with a never ending list of excuses, some of them which we never even imagined.

Whenever one sits to do His bandagee, the mind with its waves, the thoughts,  assaults us, they drag us back into the outside creation.            

That is because His Name is pure, and we are full of faults and dirt.  But Wahiguru, knowing about our weak and poor condition, gives us a helping hand through the Bani.

And the Bani says to the respect: Har rus chaakhaa, man(mind) nirmal huaa. This is the only remedy to defeat the mind. Here, Guru Jee is giving us a weapon to fight and defeat the mind.

And what is that weapon, though it is quite clear in the line above?

Well, it is He Himself, offering us to catch hold of His  hand.

Har rus, is His active form, His Shabad swaroop.

You see, the Name, or Naam which the Bani so often mentions, is not only which can be read or written. It is something much much more, it can be seen and heard within us, that too, without having ears or eyes....

Just as Second Patshahee says: akhaa bajoh vekhna, bin kanna sun/naa ... It is the Anhad Shabad reverbating within us at all times, nonstop.

So, to listen this nameless(Dhunatmak) Naam within us, we have to first take the help of the the (Varnatak) Naam,  which can be written and read out through its Simran.

We have to purify ourselves to an extent with this jugtee of Simran, so that we reach a stage where we have made it  strong base within us.

Then only, as Third Patshahee says in Anand Sahib: Nam jinke man vaseeya, vaajeh Shabad ganere.

This means, when we have made this Varnatmak Naam firm within our being/mind, through its Simran as said above, then comes a second stage in our spiritual maturity, that, we start listening to that Sat Shabad or Anhad Shabad within us.

And it is this listening to the Shabad Dhun, which our Guru Sahibans and Bhagats or Gurmukhs, have called it also as having Amrit.

That is when in Jap Ji Sahib, First Patshahee Guru Nanak Dev Maharaj says: Sooniye, paap dukh sabh naas.

Means, listen to this Divine Melody within yourself, and all your sins/karmas shall be erased.

So you see, it is not by any rituals, jap, tap, poojas, paaths, pilgrimages, fastings,  bathing in so called spiritual waters, etc  etc.... that our subtle filth of karmas, vikaars, punj doots, maya, etc, can ever be washed away.

No matter whatsoever anyone may say, nobody is upper than the Bani. And our Guru Sahibans, Bhagats, all of them, have tirelssly tried to make us mugadhs, moorakh manmukhs make us understand, that He is the only everlasting Truth, and that through His Naam alone, is our true freedom secured, not otherwise.  So why waste away our precious lives after futile practices/activities? 

Nanak, Naam jahaaz hae.

Does not the Bani say:  Prabh ka Simran sabh tay oochaa.

So then, forget wisdom alone, but where is our basic common sense, for not following the Bani?

Sat Sree Akal.

Edited June 9, 2015 by harsharan000