Monday, 22 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 17I...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 17I...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 17 In the concluding stanzas and verses on page 474 and 475 Guru Angad ji’s bani ha...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 17
In the concluding stanzas and verses
on page 474 and 475 Guru Angad ji’s bani has been recorded that gives us
glimpses of preaching on new impulses that were needed to bring reforms in the
society and everything was done practically also. For example Guru Angad ji
continued the tradition of Langar at Khadoor Sahib and that was to consolidate
the tenet of human equality and boost confidence in the downtrodden to stand up
on their feet. There must have been very deep discussions on how to go further
with the missionary work because Guru Nanak ji sent back Guru Angad ji to
Khadoor Sahib Region of Majha which had become extremely superstitious by
constant efforts of grave worshippers (Sarwarias) who pushed people to believe
in superstitions to make their living. These sarwarias were Islamic people and
converting people to Islam by holding complete sway on the psyche of the
people. Hinduism was losing its strength and a new culture of grave worshippers
was swaying people. Illiteracy was one of the reasons that people didn’t differentiate
between good and bad. Guru Angadji developed the Gurmukhi script to teach
people in common man’s language. This was one of the greatest blow to Brahman
and other high caste people who didn’t let common man educate. Apart from that
Guru ji believed in healthy mind and healthy body so a regular pehalwani
(wrestling) was promoted to have healthy youth in the area. Guruji says; if a
servant walks along the Master’s will, his honour is magnified but if he pleads
equality then he earns displeasure because if we are eating what he gives us we
cannot say well done to him. Same way we cannot command the Lord we can only
implore. Guru ji say the wonderful gift is only that comes without asking (praying
to Lord for boons is worthless, He gives when He is pleased). No one has ever
known the boundary of Lord. He creates and He destroys. He makes the vessels
(our bodies) and fills them (with individual qualities). In some He pours milk
(good qualities) and some He puts in oven. Some lie down and sleep on waded
covers and He watches over them and bedecks them with His gracious glance. The
Lord Himself Creates and He destroy by fashioning this world He keeps it in
place. Having created Beings therein He beholds their birth and death. Whom shall
we address when He is all in all? We cannot give His description because He is
the Creator, He is Omnipotent, He is Bounteous and He gives sustenance to all
beings. The mortal does the work that He has destined him to do from the beginning.
Nanak says except the One Lord there is no other abiding place. The Master does
that whatever He Wills.
(With this write up of today my understanding
of Asa di waar I have concluded and hope you liked it. My next write ups on
Gurbani will start after three weeks and hope you all will miss my efforts).
The mission of Sikhism shall continue so try to provide education to as many as
possible. With education the understanding of Gurbani becomes clearer.
Thursday, 18 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 15Atr...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 15Atr...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 15 Atrocities and sub human position of the downtrodden humanity called achhut was no...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 15
Atrocities and sub human position of
the downtrodden humanity called achhut was not only the disturbing condition of
the Hindu society that Guru Nanak took to task. He found the position of women
also very humiliating. Many Hindu scriptures mostly written by Brahmans and his
likes degraded the position of women and pushed them to the rank of shudras and
animals. Anything coming from the religious scriptures becomes a belief and
members of the society merge it into unwritten rules that are passed from
generation to generation. Same way the position of women in Hindu society was
degraded and made into an object of trading. Birth of a boy was celebrated
because he came with a price tag that could be traded according to the status
and social standing in the society. Birth of a girl was seen as a curse because
her marriage was a costly affair and always dreaded as burden on families. In
many homes they were treated badly and exploited for household jobs. Always discrimination was practiced in food,
education, clothing and other expenditure where the girl was in a home along
with boys. In pre-Aryan societies girls were considered as assets because in an
agrarian society they were great helping hand. To marry and bring a girl as
bride was an expensive affair for men since they had to barter domestic animals
and other assets for her. Aryans brought urbanization with them and for
survival they were depended on others and since they were fair skinned they
hated the aboriginal Indians so the integration was not affected. The early
Aryans were nature worshippers and believed in God that sits somewhere in the
sky so fire was worshipped because its fumes could take the offerings put in
holy fire to heaven. Slowly this tradition of offerings became commercialized and
gave birth to Brahmanism. To retain the higher position and earning the
offerings lots of unwritten rules were followed. Brahman also negotiated
marriages and made alliances and the dowry was introduced for unlikely alliances.
Sometimes for bettering their social positions alliances were traded. This
trend percolated to all economic levels of the society. This weakened the
position of woman in family and in society because for this trade she was the
object and expected to obey. The onslaught of Islam in India further weakened
the position of woman because she was not only abducted but taken away to the
markets of Kabul and Saudi Arabia for auctioning. Purdah system was introduced
to save women from such humiliations and she was also confined to homes.
Education, freedom and status were denied to women and her condition was
deteriorated further by people and writers of religious books and epics who
sanctified the wrong doings.
On this deteriorating condition of
woman Guru Nanak has tried to sensitize society, He says; within a woman a man
is conceived and from a woman he is born. With a woman he is betrothed and
married. With a woman man contracts friendship and with a woman the process of
propagation keeps on going. If a wife dies another is sought because with a
woman man restrains his passions. Why call her bad from whom are born Kings?
From a woman, a woman is born. Without woman there can be none. Nanak only the
true Lord is without a woman.
To continue……
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 14On p...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 14On p...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 14 On page 473 of Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has touched the subject of untouchability in s...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 14
On page 473 of Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has touched the subject of untouchability in short but very effectively. Long before Guru Nanak’s birth the Hindu society had started degenerating because of Brahmanism and caste system. The whole system created many social evils and one of them was untouchability. In the vertical division of the society Brahman’s position was on the highest pedestal then came kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras. There was a vast majority of the society that was kept out of this caste system and they were called untouchables or achhut. These people were forced to live sub human life outside the villages and were allowed to come inside village only on particular timings for cleaning jobs and for collecting the human waste. They were not to wear footwear in the presence of high caste, not to look into the eyes of the high caste, they were never allowed to enter temple or even draw water from the wells of the villages. There is a long list of things with which total discrimination was practiced and a section of the humanity was out casted. The rituals for their birth, naming, weddings were performed by low ranking Brahmans (All those who committed some kind of sins) because the untouchable were not allowed to do any religious rites. Brahman was considered great even if he committed many social sins like extra marital relationships, rape or practicing the Dev- dasi system where virgin girls were asked as offerings to please Gods and then these girls were sexually exploited by the priests and their cronies.
Guru Nanak says in a stanza; the greatness of the Lord is by Praising Him and looking at all the greatnesses. When he wants to caste His grace then all the evil is extracted from human mind. In the verse he talks of Brahman who cleanses himself before coming to perform the rites and sits in an enclosure that has been purified. (He takes food in his client’s home with many conditions and one of them is that the cooked food should be fried in cow’s ghee and purified thus). Guru Nanak says; pure food that no one has touched is placed before him, he purifies himself by reading some verses before partaking it. The half eaten food is then thrown at a filthy place. Whose fault is that? The corn is good so are water and fire on which it is cooked and the salt that makes it tasty and for sanctifying it Ghee (clarified butter) is added then this food becomes pure. If the Brahman comes in contact with the impure or untouchable he says; ’thuu-thuu (spat) go away’. Guru Nanak says that mouth that eats all the delicacies but doesn't utter the Name of the Almighty is the one that has to be spatted.
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 14
On page 473 of Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has touched the subject of untouchability in short but very effectively. Long before Guru Nanak’s birth the Hindu society had started degenerating because of Brahmanism and caste system. The whole system created many social evils and one of them was untouchability. In the vertical division of the society Brahman’s position was on the highest pedestal then came kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras. There was a vast majority of the society that was kept out of this caste system and they were called untouchables or achhut. These people were forced to live sub human life outside the villages and were allowed to come inside village only on particular timings for cleaning jobs and for collecting the human waste. They were not to wear footwear in the presence of high caste, not to look into the eyes of the high caste, they were never allowed to enter temple or even draw water from the wells of the villages. There is a long list of things with which total discrimination was practiced and a section of the humanity was out casted. The rituals for their birth, naming, weddings were performed by low ranking Brahmans (All those who committed some kind of sins) because the untouchable were not allowed to do any religious rites. Brahman was considered great even if he committed many social sins like extra marital relationships, rape or practicing the Dev- dasi system where virgin girls were asked as offerings to please Gods and then these girls were sexually exploited by the priests and their cronies.
Guru Nanak says in a stanza; the greatness of the Lord is by Praising Him and looking at all the greatnesses. When he wants to caste His grace then all the evil is extracted from human mind. In the verse he talks of Brahman who cleanses himself before coming to perform the rites and sits in an enclosure that has been purified. (He takes food in his client’s home with many conditions and one of them is that the cooked food should be fried in cow’s ghee and purified thus). Guru Nanak says; pure food that no one has touched is placed before him, he purifies himself by reading some verses before partaking it. The half eaten food is then thrown at a filthy place. Whose fault is that? The corn is good so are water and fire on which it is cooked and the salt that makes it tasty and for sanctifying it Ghee (clarified butter) is added then this food becomes pure. If the Brahman comes in contact with the impure or untouchable he says; ’thuu-thuu (spat) go away’. Guru Nanak says that mouth that eats all the delicacies but doesn't utter the Name of the Almighty is the one that has to be spatted.
Monday, 15 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 13...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 13...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 13 On page 472 Guru Nanak has commented on a ritual called Sutak. This actually me...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 13
On page 472 Guru Nanak has commented
on a ritual called Sutak. This actually means a state where a household is
considered ritually impure. This happens at the time of birth or death in a
family. People are asked to make offerings to ward off this ritual impurity.
Guru Nanak says this is all falsehood. This is an inevitable fact that a woman
goes through her monthly cycle and this cannot be changed same way a person in
whose mouth falsehood dwells cannot be changed and he goes back to his
falsehood. Pure are only those O Nanak in who’s mind you abide. Guru Nanak describes
these people as follows; they ride horses swift like wind and look at all types
adorned women and fix their gaze on them. They dwell in houses, pavilions and multi-storied mansion and show off. They do all things that their mind desires but forget God
and that in that is their defeat. They order the desired food to show their
authority and seeing their mansions they forget death. When the old age comes
youth gets defeated.
If one likes to believe in the
concept of Sutak then Sutak is everywhere: in cow dung and wood there are
worms, every grain has life in it and in the first place there is life in water
by which all are made green. How can Sutak be warded off if it has fallen on
your kitchen. Nanak Sutak is not warded off like this it is washed away with
divine knowledge. The Sutak of the mind is greed and that of tongue is
falsehood. The Sutak of eyes is to behold, someone’s wife, wealth and beauty.
The Sutak of the eye is hear someone’s defamation or slandering. Nanak the body
of the mortals goes bound to the city of death. All that concept of Sutak is a
doubt to create ambiguity. Birth and death are according to His Will. Eating and
drinking are pure any time because God has provided for the sustenance of the
mortals. Nanak says all those who become God oriented don’t get any impurity
stuck to them.
To continue……
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth SahibAsa di waar 12...
Looking forward...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth SahibAsa di waar 12...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 12 The Brahman who twists sacred threads and put on somebody to earn money by takin...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 12
The Brahman who twists sacred threads
and put on somebody to earn money by taking charges even for solemnizing the
weddings, he negotiate such weddings by spreading his calendar is actually
blind in his mind but likes to be called wise. He sometimes charges a cow as
his fees and promises heaven to his customers but even the cow-dung will not
save him from his sins because he has sold his self respect. Inside his house
hideously he does all these rites but outside he serves Muslim rulers, behaves
like them and eats the food provided by them. (When Moguls, Pathans and Turks
took over the reign of India they took Brahman and other high castes as
administrators to run the state affairs as they were educated in comparison to
the people who came to India with them and secondly they understood the revenue
collection much better than the foreigners. They were very good book keepers as
well. They worked under the rulers and showed loyalty to them to maintain their
jobs. They became partners in crime when the foreign rulers committed
atrocities on locals because they knew the wrong doings and along with
Kshatriyas didn’t raise their voice against injustice. That kind of socio
political condition was that disturbed Guru Nanak the most hence this direct
reprimand for the high caste people and awakening to the weaker section). Guru Nanak
tries to make people aware that The Lord’s grace is obtained by anyone who
praises Him, by obeying His Will or command one can get place in His Mansion
and the place of honour as well. He takes on Vaishyas another high caste and
calls them man eaters because they wield the scalpel but wear the sacred thread
as I understand the vaishyas are money lenders who fleece people with heavy
interests on loans and make their living with this falsehood but their behaviour
is like a world butcher ever ready with their scalpel. Their trade is false and
all their wealth is false and they are filled with falsehood. In their homes
Brahman goes with frontal mark, spreads his loin cloth (Dhoti) clears the place
to make sacred place to perform rites. Guru Nanak urges the Brahman to leave
this hypocrisy and start meditating on the Lord’s Name so that he can ferry Him
across ocean. Guru Nanak further says that he wears the blue robes of Muslims
to get himself acceptable and taking his provisions from them reads Puranas in
his house. He eats the goat meat that is slaughtered by reading kalmia by
Muslims but inside his house he makes his kitchen to be a sacred place and do
not let others (low castes) touch anything because with their touch food will
get polluted. With their polluted body and impure mind they commit evil deeds
and gargle their mouth to show purity. O man! Nanak says; meditate on Lords
Name if your body and mind are unpolluted then alone you will be accepted by
the True One. All are under His vision because He alone makes everyone do
deeds. With His one angry glance he can make a King a pauper like a dry grass
blade and so much that no one will give charity to them even when they had to
go begging. If a thief plunders a house and give this plunder as offerings for
his ancestors that also will be making his ancestors party to theft. All those
agents who make their living from negotiations to get jobs done will see
justice in the next world when their hands are shored. Nanak says you get only
that what you give in this world so do your duty and hard work and share your
earning with the needy.
To continue………..
Friday, 12 September 2014
Looking forward...: Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth Sah...
Looking forward...: Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth Sah...: Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 10Gu... : Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 10 Guru Na...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 11
The reprimands to the Brahman and
exposure of his Hippocratic rites and rituals that has divided society into
classes and castes and created a sense of subjugation in a large section of
society are best explained by criticizing the rights of sacred thread (Janeyu)
reserved for high caste Hindus only. By reading the following verses it becomes
clear why Guru Nanak wrote these bani in a Waar or bir- ras. It also suggests
why Asa di waar has become a Nit nem bani because it reminds us constantly on
daily basis that we have to follow the Will of Almighty and look upon humanity
as equals. Such human values if not ingrained on the daily basis they lose the
strength of their value with several distractions and distracters who come into
this world for making their own standing and status like the deras, ashrams and
grave worshippers. It is very sad though that in spite of singing asa di waar
from all Gurudwras with loudspeakers early morning people are not taking their
daily lesson and still go to the graves for offerings and holding fairs and
asking for boons and follow deras and do service (sewa) there. Due to their
free service the dera chiefs make millions and enjoy luxurious life styles,
expensive cars and foreign trips. Sad though it is but we have failed Guru
Nanak ji and his invaluable teachings. In his time when the falsehood and
ignorance reigned and fate of low birth, bearing tyranny of the mighty, living
the life under deprivation in society Guru Nanak stood alone and raised his voice
against the tyrant, the Brahman and mighty rulers and gave wonderful gifts of
his words to infuse courage and strength in us. Asa di waar is that wonderful
poetry that teaches us to fight for our rights to equality and attain salvation
by recognizing our own strength and His presence within us.
He says (Page 471-472); one must realize the
difference between good and bad and not follow blindly because when man departs
he has to follow the narrow path hereafter. He has to depart naked from this
world and he may look really fearsome and he regrets the sins he committed. To
Brahman he reprimands and says: make compassion the cotton, contentment the
thread, abstention as knot and truth the twist to make the sacred thread. This
is the sacred thread of the soul and this is the thread you adorn me with. This
thread of soul doesn't break, do not get soiled, do not burn and cannot get
lost. O Brahman you buy a thread that cost you four shells and make sacred
enclosure for putting this on me, you whisper some mantras in my ear and become
the preceptor of religion but at death your sacred thread will not go with me.
Man makes lacs of thefts, he speaks lacs of lies, he is fraudulent and villainous
to his fellow beings but the Brahman comes, twists his sacred thread then he
puts on such men and religious sanctions are given and sacrificial goats are
cooked and celebrated. Says Nanak that such threads when old are broken and new
ones are twisted, where is the strength that it promises? By believing in the
name of the Lord and by singing His praises the honour is produced and that is
the real sacrificial thread O Nanak. Such a thread goes with to God’s court
because it doesn't break.
To continue……
Wednesday, 10 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 10Gu...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 10Gu...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 10 Guru Nanak ji is contemplating on the four ages of time period that according to ...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 10
Guru Nanak ji is contemplating on the
four ages of time period that according to Hindu belief is established
according to the prevalent social conditions and the behavior of people of that
particular time period. These time periods are known as satyug, treta, duapar
and kalyug. Guru Nanak says: there is but only one cart and that is prime human
body and its driver is the Almighty. The knowledgeable know this that the
changes take place and in every age we see some human characteristics. In
golden age or satyug the contentment is the cart and piety or righteousness is
the cart puller. In the silver age or treta yug self restrain is the carriage
and the power is the cart puller. In the brass age or duapar the penance is the
carriage and the truth is the cart puller. In the Iron Age or kalyug fire is
the carriage and the falsehood is the cart puller.
Guru Nanak says with references from
Vedas: according to Sam Vedas the God is white robed and in this golden age
everyone desired truth, dwelt in truth and was absorbed in truth. Rig Vedas say
that in the silver age God’s hold was everywhere and he was the Supreme One
amongst all Gods and Godesses. By meditating on His Name the sins departed and
O Nanak man obtained salvation. In the time of Yujur Veda or the duapar age
Kanhaiya Krishan of Yadava tribe seduced Chandravali by force and he brought
the paarjat tree ( one of the five trees that were obtained from churning the
ocean to get elixir for Hindu Gods and goddesses to make them immortal) and
indulged in merry-making with the milk-maids of Brindaban. In the darkage or Iron
Age the Atharva Veda became prominent and the God was being called Allah. Turks
and Pathan started ruling and Hindus started obeying by wearing blue robes. By
reading and studying the four Vedas what you learn are four doctrines but if
you only cherish the love of One God and meditate on the Name of One God and
become humble O Nanak, you will find salvation.
Guru Nanak says: I sacrifice myself
to you O lord who has remembered me and given me all the experiences of this
world, given the spiritual knowledge, given the kajal of Your wisdom that
through these eyes I could see the realities of the world. All those dealers
who abandon the Lord and look for someone else will get drowned. The True Guru
is a ship and all those who realize get ferried across the ocean because of His
benediction. Don’t be like a Simmal tree that stands erect like an arrow with
thick foliage. But all the birds that home for it get disappointed because its
fruits are without flavor; flowers are nauseating and leave are useless. Sweetness
and humility O Nanak are like essence of merits and virtue. Everyone bows for
himself none will bow for others.
Remember the weighing balance that side lowers
that has weight in it. The sinner lowers twice like a deer hunter. Bowing will
not help if the mind is full of filth. You read the evening prayers from books,
you argue, you worship stones and sit in trance like a crane (bagula). With your
mouth you utter falsehood and recite the mantras three times a day. Your wear a
rosary around your neck and frontal mark (Tilak) on your forehead and carry two
sets of loin cloth (Dhoti). If you know the nature of the True Lord then you
should know that all these rites and rituals are in vain. Nanak says meditate
on the Lord without Him no one can show you the way. All your adornments and
beauty will stay back when it is time to depart. This was Guru Nanak’s
sarcastic commentary on the rituals propagated by Brahman to misguiding people
into superficial ceremonies that lead to superstitions.
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 9The s...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 9The s...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 9 The socio-political conditions, the degradation in the society are so well described by Gur...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 9
The socio-political conditions, the degradation in the society are so well described by Guru Nanak on page 469 and 470 of Guru Granth Sahib that it becomes easy to understand why he wanted change in the existing environment of his time and how his revolutionary ideas brought change and Sikhism came into being. His revolution is unique in the world history because the changes in the socio-political set up usually ask for blood from others whereas in Sikhism the own blood was sacrificed to upkeep the humanity and justice to the weak and downtrodden. Guru Nanak says: The subjects have become blind and without wisdom they are satisfying the greed of bribe (murdar- carrion). There are those who decorate themselves, make disguises and dance around with all kinds of music instruments. They shout aloud and sing the tales of heroic deeds from epics (Ramayan and Mahabharat). The fools who call themselves scholars (Pandit) but go to any mean means to amass wealth. There are those who are virtuous but lose all the merits by begging for salvation. There are those who leave the worldly affections and call themselves content but don’t actually know the beauty of life. There are those who don’t like to be called imperfect because they deem themselves perfect. The certificate of honour will be weighed one day says Nanak then all the weight will be accounted. The wickedness has become known O Nanak but the True Lord sees everything. People have shown all kinds of efforts by jumping around but the Creator has to decide in the end. In the next world caste, power and position has no account and mortals will have to deal with new people. All those who have retained their self respect will only be called good. Guru Nanak says he can sacrifice himself to The One who abides in His Creation and there is no end of His Vastness.
Guru Angad Devji’s verse has been added to show the division of society clearly. Guru ji says; the ways of union with the Lord is through divine knowledge but the Brahmin insists the way through the Vedas. Brahmin says the ways of khatri (kshatriya) is through his bravery and the ways of Shudra is in service to others. The Immaculate Lord who is Lord of all Gods and goddesses is The One for all. If anyone knows the mystery of soul and the Omnipresent Lord Nanak is his slave because he is the Pure One. Guru Nanak says; the water remains confined in the water pot and takes its shape but the pot can be shaped only with the help of water so the amassing divine knowledge but not knowing the true meaning of it is same. Guru’s help is needed to know the exact meaning of divine.
If an educated is a sinner then an uneducated saint shall not be punished. Play not such games in this world that may bring defeat to you in your next world. Educated or uneducated everyone’s account will be checked.
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 9
The socio-political conditions, the degradation in the society are so well described by Guru Nanak on page 469 and 470 of Guru Granth Sahib that it becomes easy to understand why he wanted change in the existing environment of his time and how his revolutionary ideas brought change and Sikhism came into being. His revolution is unique in the world history because the changes in the socio-political set up usually ask for blood from others whereas in Sikhism the own blood was sacrificed to upkeep the humanity and justice to the weak and downtrodden. Guru Nanak says: The subjects have become blind and without wisdom they are satisfying the greed of bribe (murdar- carrion). There are those who decorate themselves, make disguises and dance around with all kinds of music instruments. They shout aloud and sing the tales of heroic deeds from epics (Ramayan and Mahabharat). The fools who call themselves scholars (Pandit) but go to any mean means to amass wealth. There are those who are virtuous but lose all the merits by begging for salvation. There are those who leave the worldly affections and call themselves content but don’t actually know the beauty of life. There are those who don’t like to be called imperfect because they deem themselves perfect. The certificate of honour will be weighed one day says Nanak then all the weight will be accounted. The wickedness has become known O Nanak but the True Lord sees everything. People have shown all kinds of efforts by jumping around but the Creator has to decide in the end. In the next world caste, power and position has no account and mortals will have to deal with new people. All those who have retained their self respect will only be called good. Guru Nanak says he can sacrifice himself to The One who abides in His Creation and there is no end of His Vastness.
Guru Angad Devji’s verse has been added to show the division of society clearly. Guru ji says; the ways of union with the Lord is through divine knowledge but the Brahmin insists the way through the Vedas. Brahmin says the ways of khatri (kshatriya) is through his bravery and the ways of Shudra is in service to others. The Immaculate Lord who is Lord of all Gods and goddesses is The One for all. If anyone knows the mystery of soul and the Omnipresent Lord Nanak is his slave because he is the Pure One. Guru Nanak says; the water remains confined in the water pot and takes its shape but the pot can be shaped only with the help of water so the amassing divine knowledge but not knowing the true meaning of it is same. Guru’s help is needed to know the exact meaning of divine.
If an educated is a sinner then an uneducated saint shall not be punished. Play not such games in this world that may bring defeat to you in your next world. Educated or uneducated everyone’s account will be checked.
Sunday, 7 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth SahibAsa di waar 8On p...
Looking forward...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth SahibAsa di waar 8On p...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 8 On page 468 of Guru Granth Sahib ji Guru Nanak has given us details of the social conditio...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 8
On page 468 of Guru Granth Sahib ji Guru Nanak has given us details of the social conditions of his time that prevailed and falsehood (Kur) had become part of the life. To come out of this he has shown the path to recognize the truth and become truthful. His awakening call is even more relevant for the contemporary period because the human nature has the tendency to fall back in convenience zone where truth may not have place and sanctions by the Almighty. Guru Nanak says: false is the King, false the subjects and false is entire world (because the world allows something wrong happening and keeps mum). False are mansions, the scrapers the dweller of these. The gold, the silver and those who wear them are false, false are husband and wife who separate and become miserable, all this attachment to falsehood makes you forget the Creator and O Nanak with whom shall I make friends when the whole world has become superficial. Even the sweetness of honey has become false and the boatload of falsehood is drowning me. O Nanak prays, except You O Lord everything seems deeply false.
He further contemplates and asks a question; how will I know the truth? And answers himself: Truth can be known if the truth abides in the heart, the filth of falsehood is washed away and body becomes clean then only one can know that the Truth (God) abides in your heart. Once the body becomes enraptured with the presence of His Name the door to salvation becomes clear and then only one can know the true ways of life. Preparing the body like a farmer prepares earth to sow seeds so you sow the seed of the Creator’s presence and you can know the truth by receiving His (Lords’) instructions. The Truth can be known once you make your heart as the pilgrimage place and act according to His (instructions) or Will or Hukam. Truth is the medicines for all sins, with truth they get washed away. Nanak prays all those who have their laps full of Truth. For me O Nanak the gift is the truth, of dust of His feet that I desire to apply on my forehead. For the sake of Truth abandon the falsehood and greed and single mindedly meditate on His Name. May be due to the deeds of your previous birth you get the benefits of applying dust of His feet to your forehead.
The meagre intellect makes us under value the benefits of service because there is famine of truth everywhere and darkness of the age has taken over and men have become demons. The seeds of truthfulness have departed along with the true people and we are left with broken seeds (battered humanity that is victim of the rulers’, the tyrants and the religious heads). How can these broken seeds sprout? If we had good season (social conditions), the whole seeds (saintly people who will guide the right path) then only they can germinate. Nanak says; without the colour fastener a blank cloth cannot be dyed same way if the fastener of modesty is applied the sins may get washed away and falsehood depart. Nanak says if man gets drenched with His (God’s) True colour the falsehood will not be there even in the least.
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 8
On page 468 of Guru Granth Sahib ji Guru Nanak has given us details of the social conditions of his time that prevailed and falsehood (Kur) had become part of the life. To come out of this he has shown the path to recognize the truth and become truthful. His awakening call is even more relevant for the contemporary period because the human nature has the tendency to fall back in convenience zone where truth may not have place and sanctions by the Almighty. Guru Nanak says: false is the King, false the subjects and false is entire world (because the world allows something wrong happening and keeps mum). False are mansions, the scrapers the dweller of these. The gold, the silver and those who wear them are false, false are husband and wife who separate and become miserable, all this attachment to falsehood makes you forget the Creator and O Nanak with whom shall I make friends when the whole world has become superficial. Even the sweetness of honey has become false and the boatload of falsehood is drowning me. O Nanak prays, except You O Lord everything seems deeply false.
He further contemplates and asks a question; how will I know the truth? And answers himself: Truth can be known if the truth abides in the heart, the filth of falsehood is washed away and body becomes clean then only one can know that the Truth (God) abides in your heart. Once the body becomes enraptured with the presence of His Name the door to salvation becomes clear and then only one can know the true ways of life. Preparing the body like a farmer prepares earth to sow seeds so you sow the seed of the Creator’s presence and you can know the truth by receiving His (Lords’) instructions. The Truth can be known once you make your heart as the pilgrimage place and act according to His (instructions) or Will or Hukam. Truth is the medicines for all sins, with truth they get washed away. Nanak prays all those who have their laps full of Truth. For me O Nanak the gift is the truth, of dust of His feet that I desire to apply on my forehead. For the sake of Truth abandon the falsehood and greed and single mindedly meditate on His Name. May be due to the deeds of your previous birth you get the benefits of applying dust of His feet to your forehead.
The meagre intellect makes us under value the benefits of service because there is famine of truth everywhere and darkness of the age has taken over and men have become demons. The seeds of truthfulness have departed along with the true people and we are left with broken seeds (battered humanity that is victim of the rulers’, the tyrants and the religious heads). How can these broken seeds sprout? If we had good season (social conditions), the whole seeds (saintly people who will guide the right path) then only they can germinate. Nanak says; without the colour fastener a blank cloth cannot be dyed same way if the fastener of modesty is applied the sins may get washed away and falsehood depart. Nanak says if man gets drenched with His (God’s) True colour the falsehood will not be there even in the least.
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 7On p...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 7On p...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 7 On page 467 of Guru Granth Sahib ji two aspects of God’s concept have been explaine...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 7
On page 467 of Guru Granth Sahib ji
two aspects of God’s concept have been explained, namely; He is bountiful (Prasad)
and He is the Truth (Satnaam). Guru Nanak says; men, trees (vegetation), holy
places, banks of sacred rivers, clouds, fields, islands, spheres, universes,
continents, and solar systems, the sources of creation like egg born, womb
born, earth born, sweat born, oceans, mountains and all those have life are
created by Him and He knows their condition and O Nanak having created them ‘He
takes care of them’. The Creator who has created the world He takes care of it
as well. He feels the anxiety for His Creation. To Him I pay my obeisance and
my salution because His Court (Darbar) is imperishable. Without the True Name
what avail is frontal mark (Tilak) and what avail is sacred thread (Janeyu).
Lakhs of virtues and good actions,
lakhs of penances at holy places, lakhs of practices in the wilderness to
attain the Lord, lakhs of valour in the battlefield and breathing your last
fighting, lakhs of divine comprehensions and concentrations, lakhs of reading
and learning, recitation of Puranas and Vedas are all false and truth is only
that what God has written of coming and going in this world. This coming to
world and departing from here is His bounty.
O Lord You are the Absolute Truth who
has spread this Truth. Whoever receives this truth from you only he can
practice it. You can be attained by meeting those in whom the truth abides. The
fools cannot know the truth being self willed (manmukh) they lose the wisdom of
knowing the Truth. Why such people come to the world?
Man may read the cartload of books,
the entire multitude of the books, he may read and sail them in boat, he may
read and fill pits with them, he may read years and months on, he may read all
his life and till his last breath and all this is of no account unless he
learns the only account that is the God’s Name. Guru Nanak gives an account of
all those who believe in the religious symbolism and try to show that they have
achieved Him. He says one who reads and writes, who wanders to the pilgrimages
and talks more, who takes to religious garbs that may cause discomfort (like
people sitting on their head or on bed of nails), falling prey to the so called
godly people and suffering hardships, wearing no clothes ( nanga sadhus) even
though there are calamities, keeping silence (Mauni babas) and ruining
themselves. How can their dormant, sleeping souls be awakened? By pouring ashes
on his body and hair he loses his honour, all those who live in the burial
grounds, dwell in the wilderness knows not the Lord because they become blind
with their own concepts of God.
He who meets the true Guru attains
the peace. By implanting Lords Name within your mind you can attain His Grace.
From hope and fear he becomes free and his ego is burned by meditating on His
true Name.
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 6The...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 6The...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 6 The negative propensity like pride and ego has been discussed on page 466 of Guru ...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 6
The negative propensity like pride
and ego has been discussed on page 466 of Guru Granth Sahib. A verse of Guru
Angad ji on ego has been added to this discussion. Guru Nanak says; in pride
man comes and in pride he departs. In pride he is born and in pride he dies.
Everything happens in life in pride until you realize that it is negative value
for a mortal that keeps you away from knowing the Lord and His Benevolence. All
the give and take, earning and losses, becoming true or false, reflection on virtue
or vice, falling in hell or heaven, laughs and sadness, getting soiled and
washed, his standing in the caste and loosing the status, becoming ignorant or
wise, not knowing the worth of salvation and emancipation, in pride the man
sees and shadowed by illusions, the beings being created. Without the knowledge
of the Divine and His existence man keeps boasting of all that he has and gets
his destiny recorded in Lord’s House. God sees the mortals as they see
themselves. Only if the ego is stilled the gate to God’s house is seen.
Guru Angad ji add to this discussion
saying; the nature of the ego is this, that man goes around doing his business
in pride. As a result he gets bounded to the cycle of rebirth. He questions why
is ego born? And how it can be removed? This is Lords Will that man wanders in
the cycle of rebirth if one cannot take care of his acts and deeds. He says ego
is a chronic disease and a cure in itself. If the Lord bestows His Grace and
man acts according to the Guru’s instructions (the cure for ego is attained).
Says Nanak, listen O people in this way the trouble departs.
Those who learn to be satisfied and
meditate on His Name, who do not fall prey to sins and act to do good deeds,
those who learn to survive on paltry corn and water on such He bestows His
grace because He is a Great Bestower and keeps giving His gifts all the time.
By His Grace, man attains Him.
To continue……..
Monday, 1 September 2014
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 5I...
Looking forward...: Gems of GurbaniGuru Granth SahibAsa di waar 5I...: Gems of Gurbani Guru Granth Sahib Asa di waar 5 In the following page 465- 466 of Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has taken the top...
Gems of Gurbani
Guru Granth Sahib
Asa di waar 5
In the following page 465- 466 of
Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak has taken the topic of magnificence of God and how
the contemporary society was looking at Him. He analyses the prevailing
practices of beliefs and shows his way of looking at God. He says;
The Muslim praise the Islamic law and they
read and reflect upon it. According to them God’s servants are only they who
fall in the captivity of shariyat (of orthodoxy of Islamic law) to see His (God’s)
sight.
The Hindus praise the Praiseworthy God
only in many a beautiful forms. They bathe at holy place offer flowers and
spread the fragrances of incense before idols.
The yogis meditate on His Absolute
Name and name creator as Unseen. But to the Lord of the minute (Formless) and
the Immaculate One they give the form of a body.
In the mind of the generous
contentment is filled and he thinks of charity. They give but ask in turn a
thousand times hereafter and wish the world to honour them.
The thieves, adulterers, perjurers (liars),
evil-doers, and sinners all of these eat and pass time here. Have they thus done
any good deeds?
There are beings (life) in water, on
earth, in the world and universe and while in the form of germs and microbes.
What they say; You know of them and cares for them.
There are saints who hunger to praise
your Name O Nanak and your Name is the Mainstay. The Eternal beauty of your
Name they search is in the dust of feet of the virtuous.
The clay of a Muslim (in the grave
after death) falls into the potter’s clod. He forms to make pots and burns and
burns and it cries out as it burns. The poor clay weeps and cries as it burns
and the coals separate from the burning pots. O Nanak’ the God alone knows
whether it good to burn or bury.
Without True Guru none has obtained
the Lord. In the true Guru Lord has placed Himself and I openly declare and
proclaim it. Salvation is obtained by those who have abandoned the worldly
attachments from within. This is a good theme to obtain Him by attaching one’s
mind to the True Lord.
This way one obtains the Beneficent
Lord, life spender to the world.
To continue……
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