The “Amrit-Dharee” (Mind in which God , the Amrit, is present) spiritual stage comes with the Gurparsadi Gurkirpa (God and Guru’s eternal blessings and grace) and after a lot of Bhagti Kamai (earning the devotional worship) and for reaching this stage and become a Amrit-Dharee a normal soul has to go through the sequence as follows:-
1. Jaap (Repetition of the Name) with the tongue.
My tongue chants Your Name, Your Name.
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This happens in Dharam Khand (Realm of Religion). This is a stage when one gets to know what the purpose of life is. And that one has to do something to achieve this purpose. This is when one realizes that he has to achieve Jivan Multi (liberated while alive) in this life. For most Sikhs this is when they receive “Khandey Ki Pahul” (Initiation of The Sword) from the “Panj Pyare”. This is when one gets onto the first step towards the journey to Sach Khand.
The reading and listening of Gurbani brings more enlightenment inside the soul and one starts to realize the divine wisdom of the Gurbani. The key here is to bring the Gurbani into the daily life, whatever little we understand we should bring the same divine wisdom inside us by practicing in our daily life. If we do so then we will keep on getting more and more enlightenment inside us and we will understand more and more Gurbani. Then we continue to practice more and more Gurbani. This stage in spitiual progression is called Gyan Khand – Realm of Divine Knowledge.
When we are familiar with what divine knowledge of gurbani is telling us to do then as a result we become ready to commit ourselves to a concerted effort to meet our objective. This is when we start putting more and more effort into our spirtual side. This stage is called Saram Khand – Realm of Effort. We start to work very hard in our Bhagtee.
2. Jaap with Breathing (Swaas).
With each and every breath,
meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe.
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The next stage in Bhagtee is when Jaap (repitition of the Name) goes into the breathing and one does the Jaap along with the breathing– this happens in Saram Khand. A lot of the people get stuck here and can’t move to the next higher stage. The reason behind this road block is due to if it is their great good fortune “Purbley Janam Key Ankur”. This means that at this point onwards the progress on the spiritual path is a Gurparsadi Game (requires Eternal Blessings and Grace of God through the Guru). With out the eternal blessings of Dhan Dhan Gur – Akal Purakh it is not possible to move further, so most people get stuck over here. This divine wisdom has been very clearly presented in Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, some examples are as under:
If we meet the Perfect SatGuru, we obtain the Treasure of the Shabad.
Please grant Your Grace, God, that we may meditate on Your Amrit Naam.
The pains of birth and death are taken away;
we are intuitively centered on His Meditation (sehaj dhian). ||1||
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Waaho! Waaho! is the Amrit of the Naam obtained by the Gurmukh.
Waaho! Waaho! This is realized by His Grace, as He Himself grants His Grace.
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The Amrit Naam is within the SatGuru.
Following the Guru’s Teachings,
one meditates on the Immaculate Naam,
the Pure and Holy Naam.
The Amrit Bani (Word) is the true essence.
It comes to abide in the mind of the Gurmukh.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and one’s light merges in the Light.
O Nanak, they alone meet with the SatGuru,
who have such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon their foreheads. ||25||
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The next stage of spirituality comes only after Gurparsadi Gurkirpa as described in above verses of divine wisdom. There is something more to know about the Amrit over here; the highest Amrit is Atam Ras, which is enjoyed by a Puran Braham Gyani only
The God-conscious being enjoys the spiritual bliss (rus) of the soul (atam).
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the second highest Amrit is Naam Amrit – Gurparsadi Naam – Ek Oankaar Satnaam; the next Amrit is Ek Boond Amrit –
The Guru has blessed me with the one drop of Amrit (Ek Boond Amrit),
and so I have become stable, unmoving and immortal – I shall not die.
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3. Simran in Surat (mind / consciousness).
O mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord
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This happens when with Gurparsadi Gurkirpa based on our deeds from the previous lives as presented in the above verses of divine wisdom, Gurparsadi Naam – Satnaam is blessed by a Puran Sant Satguru, at this time the Gurparsadi Naam – Satnaam is instituted in the Surat and sometimes directly in Hirda by a Puran Sant Satguru. This is the stage when Jaap becomes Simran – this is a very high spiritual state – this happens when the soul is instituted in Karam Khand – at this stage the soul goes into Smadhee and then Sun Smadhee. The word Karam signifies Gurparsadi Gurkirpa, which is an essential and mandatory element of advancement in Bhagtee. This is the stage when a Bhagtee Account is opened in the Dargah of Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmesar.
4. Simran in Hirda:
The lotus blossoms deep within the heart, and filled with Amrit, one is satisfied.
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The next stage is when Simran goes into Hirda – this one is even much higher stage when Naam goes into Hirda – this is where it goes on an automatic mode, which is also known as Ajapa Jaap, this is where the Bhagtee goes higher. This continues in Smadhee and Sun Smadhee– Karam Khand. When we do Bhagtee with Naam Simran in Hirda, and eventually the Anmolak Rattan Hira – Gurparsadi Naam – Satnaam in carved in our Hirda.
No one has found the worth of the ruby of the heart;
its value cannot be estimated. ||1||
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These are the stages of spirituality in Karam Khand when a soul becomes a AMRIT-DHAREE, and does the Puran Bhagtee and eventually becomes ÄMRIT KA DATA” after reaching Sach Khand Atmik Awastha as described in the following text.
5. Nabhi Kamal:
The next stage is when Simran travels to the Nabhi, when Nabhi Kamal blossoms – Karam Khand.
The breath is seated in the home of the navel;
the Gurmukh searches, and finds the essence of reality.
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6. Kundalini:
The next Stage is when Simran goes into Kundlini – Mooladhaar Chakkar and spine – Karam Khand.
The chakras of the coiled Kundalini energy have been opened.
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The Kundalini rises in the Sat Sangat, the Congregation of Truth;
through the Word of the Guru, they enjoy the Lord of Supreme Bliss.
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7. Gyan Nettar – Trikuti and Dassam Duaar:
The next stage is when Simran travels through the spine to the brain, and back to Surat where it completes the cycle, thereby blossoming all the Seven Seas – Sat Sarovar – seven chakras – 7 energy centres of the spiritual body. This is what the real Mala of Naam is.
Take your bath in the seven seas,
O my mind, and become pure.
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The seven seas are overflowing with the Ambrosial Water;
the Gurmukhs are not stained with filth. ||2||
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When this happens then the Gyan Netter (divine inner third eye) and Dassam Duaar (tenth door) opens and you form a permanent connection with Akal Purakh, you start to get divine knowledge – Braham Gyan. This happens in Sach Khand.
Control of the breath and positioning of the tongue,
focusing at the third eye and wearing malas of tulsi beads,
are all obtained through Guru’s Grace.
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There are nine doors (openings in the body),
but the taste of these nine doors is bland and insipid.
The Essence of Amrit trickles down through the Tenth Door.
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The hard and heavy spiritual doors are closed and locked.
Through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, they are thrown open. ||2||
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Enjoyment – Anand in Smadhee and Sun Smadhee is beyond description. That is why the Maha Purakhs go into very deep meditation some time for days together. You experience a lot of things during your Smadhee and Sun Smadhee, see a lot of things, meet a lot of Sants, Gurus, see Param Jyot, conversation with the Sants and Akal Purakh and what not, it is beyond description what happens and through what you go when you go into deep meditation.
8. Simran in Rom Rom (Every Hair and cell):
The Simran in Smadhee and Sun Smadhee continues until NIRGUN AND SARGUN becomes one, at this point Simran goes into rom-rom – every bit of your body does Naam Simran, your Suksham Dehi becomes as pure as gold, your entire body is filled with Naam Amrit all the time. You become Braham Leen, and Atal Awastha. These stages are beyond description.
When my Beloved came to live in my house, I began to sing the songs of bliss.
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The Gurmukh meditates on the Lord with every hair (every bit) of his body.
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He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities;
He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Sunn Samadee .
Through His Creation, O Nanak, He meditates on Himself (ajapa jaap). ||1||
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One lives in Puran Parkash all the time and listens to Ilahi Kirtan – Anhad Naad Dhunis all the time. It is just incredible experience. This is when one becomes Sat Ram Dass and is directed by the Almighty to serve the Sangat. And this is what your target should be when you have been prompted to move on the Bhagti Marg.
The above description is Gurparsadi and is based on the actual physical spiritual experiences of this kookar of the Gur, Guru and Gursangat.
Let us take a few minutes to make a self evaluation of our own self in light of above divine wisdom – Braham Gyan, and compare a commonly used perception of the word AMRIT-DHARI with the divine description of this highly elevated state of a eternally blessed soul, who is either completely absorbed in the Almighty, or very near to be so soon. We are sure to find a way to become a divinely eternally blessed AMRIT-DHARI, then do Puran Bhagtee and become one with the Almighty and eventually become AMRIT-KA-DATA (Giver of Amrit).
Dassan Das