Guru Pancham Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji has very kindly continued to elaborate on the Mahima of Naam in this Astpadi. However, the Mahima of Naam is unlimited. It is Beant like Akal Purakh Himself. Saying that Akal Purakh and Naam are Beant means that they are:-
· beyond all of the boundaries we can think of,
· beyond the three aspects of Maya
· indescribable,
· beyond any description and
· priceless.
Naam’s price cannot be quoted. Nobody knows its value and price, but even so, Guru Arjun Dev Ji has been very kind on us by giving us a glimpse of the Mahima of Naam through these divine words.
Salok.
Baho saastar baho simritee paykhay sarabh dhadhol.
Poojas naahee har haray nanak naam amol. 1.
There are a number of religious books which are known as Shasters and Simritees. They are part of the Hindu religion. In addition to these Dharam Granths there are a number of other books which are known as Vedas, Puraans and Upanishads. All of these religious books are full of the descriptions of the rituals and Manters regarding how to live a comfortable human life. They describe the religious rituals and so on which help in leading a good and truthful life. These books also contain stories of the olden time Rishis and Munis as well and how they lived and what they did and what they achieved. These books also describe the Dharam Karams and so on.
The basic foundation of these books is also the GurParsaad of Naam, “Naam key dharey simrant bayd puran.” However, Guru Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji is telling us that He has searched all of these religious books and found that just by reading these religious books the GurParsaad is not achieved. God is not worshipped just by reading these or any religious books. Only by receiving the GurParsaad is Bandgi done. The Gurparsaad of Naam, Naam Simran, Naam Ki Kamai is the Bandgi which is not achieved just by reading these books or even by just reading Gurbani. Bandgi is only achieved by doing what these books and Gurbani tells us to do.
There is only one thing that takes us to the Ultimate and helps us to merge into the Nirgun Saroop of Akal Purakh. This priceless diamond is Naam – GurParsaad of Naam – the “Ik Oankaar Sat Naam” (One God Named “Truth”) as described in the Mool Manter.
The bottom line is that only the GurParsaad of Naam can take us back to the Almighty. No matter what else we do to realize Akal Purakh, we will be unable to reach and merge into Him unless we get the GurParsaad of Naam and then meditate upon it. Then this GurParsaad will help us clean up from inside making our Hirda a Puran Sachyara Hirda. This results in our Suksham Dehi (astral body) becoming as pure as gold and getting filled with all of the divine qualities of a Sada Suhaagan. It becomes a place where the Sachyaar (True One) – Akal Purakh can come and reside forever.
Astpadi.
jaap taap gi-aan sabh dhi-aan.
khat saastar simrit vakhi-aan.
jog abhi-aas karam dharam kiri-aa.
sagal ti-aag ban madhay firi-aa.
anik parkaar kee-ay baho jatnaa.
punn daan homay baho ratnaa.
sareer kataa-ay homai kar raatee.
varat naym karai baho bhaatee.
nahee tul raam naam beechaar.
nanak gurmukh naam japee-ai ik baar. 1.
We will still not be able to achieve the Almighty even if we:-
· practice the wisdom in our daily life as described in the six Shasters and six Simritees,
· perform all of the rituals and meditate on the Manters given in these religious books,
· concentrate on these Manters daily,
· live our life according to the rules written in these religious books,
· perform all of the Yoga Asans (postures) as described in these holy scriptures,
· perform all of the Dharam Karams,
· leave our family and house,
· sacrifice everything we have and go into the forests and stay there and absorb ourselves in the practice of these rituals as described and explained in these religious scriptures,
· torture our physical body,
· donate everything we can or we have at our disposal,
· perform all kinds of Havans (Hindu ritual that is performed by reciting the Manters sitting around a fire and feeding the fire with the clarified butter – Desi Ghee),
· cut our body into pieces and offer it for burning in these Havans. Meaning if we torture ourselves to death in order to realize our spiritual dreams of meeting the Paar Braham Parmeshwar, and
· starve our body by fasting and perform such rituals endlessly.
None of these methods bring salvation. This means that whatever is written in these six Shasters and Simritees, even when performed with full faith and trust, will not bring us salvation. Only the GurParsaad of Naam brings us salvation. There is nothing like the GurParsaad of Naam and by doing Naam Simran we can achieve salvation in just one life – this life. If we dedicate ourselves to Naam Simran in this life then we will succeed in realizing our spiritual dreams. Such souls are Gurmukh souls. They have surrendered everything they have to the Gur and Guru – mind, body and wealth. Such Gurmukh souls get the GurParsaad of Naam, Bandgi and Seva and merge into the Nirgun Saroop of Akal Purakh.
Even by sacrificing everything we have – our family our physical belongings, our body, mind and soul, we still cannot pay for the GurParsaad of Naam, because there is no price for this diamond. The GurParsaad of Naam is a priceless jewel which the Gurmukh souls carve into their Hirda. They bring salvation to 21 past generations of their family. This does not mean that as soon as they become Gurmukh that 21 past generations are also instantly saved without making any effort. No, it means that the souls of these past family generations that have taken human birth again will now come to the Gurmukh for salvation. Every Gurmukh’s Sangat is actually their past family who are now coming to them for GurParsaad of Naam. That is how 21 past generations are saved along with the Gurmukh.
We don’t have to engage ourselves in the difficult and torturous ways as defined and explained in these Shasters and Simritees. We don’t need to and we don’t have to sacrifice our family life and runaway from our worldly responsibilities either. We can live life in a normal way, but dedicate ourselves to Naam and do Naam Ki Kamai . Naam Ki Kamai will bring us salvation because there is nothing like Naam and doing Naam Ki Kamai. This is the highest service of Akal Purakh. It is the easiest way to realize our spiritual dreams, because Naam is the highest eternal treasure. Naam eradicates all of our mental sicknesses and desires and fills our Hirda with all of the divine qualities. Naam makes us Nirbhao and Nirvair and merges us back into the Origin – Akal Purakh.
Na-o khand parithmee firai chir jeevai.
Mahaa udaas tapeesar theevai.
Agan maahi homat paraan.
Kanik asav haivar bhoom daan.
Ni-ulee karam karai baho aasan.
Jain maarag sanjam at sadhan.
Nimakh nimakh kar sareer kataavai.
Ta-o bhee ha-umai mail na jaavai.
Har kay naam samsar kachh naahi.
Nanak gurmukh naam japat Gat paahi. 2.
Some people who practice Yoga and these Manters and rituals as described in these religious books achieve some supernatural powers. These are called Ridhis and Sidhis in GurBani. One of these supernatural powers is when such people (Sidhs) enhance their life span through the practice of Yoga. These Sidhs were the masters of spiritual powers and had been living on the Himalayas for a long time by increasing their life spans. They were living on the mountains through the practice of these supernatural powers. The famous Bani called Sidh Gosht (Baba Nanak Ji’s conversation with the Sidhs, SGGS 938), explains a real divine story in which Guru Nanak Patshah very kindly gave the Sidhs the divine wisdom on how to achieve salvation purely through the GurParsaad of Naam.
In GurMat (divine wisdom), these supernatural powers come at a very early stage of Bandgi. If indulged, they halt further spiritual progress. They are considered a major roadblock in the passage to Sach Khand. These supernatural powers are used by Akal Purakh for His administration of the universe and the use of such powers by individuals is considered a violation of the Hukam of Akal Purakh. However, when the Bhagat’s Bandgi reaches its heights and the Bhagat and Bhagwan become one, then all of these powers and all of the eternal treasures are at the disposal of the Bhagat for the benefit of others. Then sometimes miracles happen by themselves under the Puran Hukam of Akal Purakh to:-
· enhance the Mahima of a Bhagat,
· help the Sangat understand Divinity and follow the divine laws,
· help the Sangat develop their trust and faith in the Bhagat as their spiritual mentor.
Salvation is not attained by achieving long lives and being able to live all over the Earth. There are nine parts or continents of the Earth as defined in GurBani. Practicing these rituals over long lifetimes and all over these continents as defined in these religious books will not bring us salvation. The Sidhs that were blessed with divine wisdom about the GurParsaadi Naam by Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Patshah, had been living for hundreds of years by practicing their powers, but were unable to reach salvation.
Salvation is not attained even if we burn our self in fire, meaning torturing our self to death through the practice of these rituals. Nor is salvation attained just by donating gold, horses and land. Baba Farid Ji tortured himself for almost two decades, but could not reach salvation. Even though He achieved the Ridhis and Sidhis He still could not meet Parmeshwar. Ultimately He had to go to a SatGur – Murshad, whom He accepted as a Guru and received the GurParsaadi Naam from. Only then could Baba Farid Ji achieve salvation.
Neoli Karam, which means swallowing a strip of cloth which is then used to clean the intestine, is a very difficult Yog Asan (yogic practice). There are a large number of other Yog Asans which are performed by the Yogis. These Yog Asans are thought to maintain good physical health, but just by doing these difficult Yog Asans we cannot achieve salvation either.
In the Jain religion similar rituals are also followed. In fact, Jains are even more strict in their conduct. They leave the house and family and live a very hard life. They travel barefoot, pluck each hair from their head, follow an extremely strict vegetarian diet, sleep on the ground and so on. But, even by performing these acts to the extreme of torturing their body to death they still do not get salvation. Why? Because, the dirt of Haumai doesn’t leave.
By living in isolation, we aren’t relieved of the mental sickness of Haumai. Unless Haumai is eradicated completely salvation doesn’t come. In fact, people who become Yogis and perform these rituals as defined in these religious books become more isolated. Then after working so hard for so many years and failing to get what they wanted, they become angry. Anger complements Haumai. Anger comes because of Haumai, and Haumai is shown in our anger. It is the worst enemy of a person. That is why many of the stories about Yogis, Rishis and Munis tell that they became angry and then cursed the people. This means that their ego still had not left them.
Jivan Mukti is the death of Haumai. Jivan Mukti is the Mukti (liberation) from Maya. So if the influence of Maya on the mind is still present, then what good is the performance of these rituals, Manters and living a very hard life? If the influence of Maya on the mind is still present, then what use is it to run away into the jungles and leave our family and worldly things and still not reach where we wanted to?
Guru Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji is telling us that none of these acts and deeds recommended by the Shasters and Simritees bring us salvation. Only the GurParsaad of Naam can bring us salvation. Naam is so powerful that it will kill our Haumai. Not only that, but Naam will free us from all of the Panj Doots and desires and we will be able to win our mind and merge with the Almighty. There is nothing like Naam and Naam Ki Kamai. The ones who do Naam Ki Kamai with full and complete dedication, commitment, belief, trust, faith, love and devotion become a Gurmukh Hirda filled with all of the divine qualities and achieve salvation.
Man kaamnaa Teerath dayh chhutai.
Garab gumaan na man tay hutai.
Soch karai dinas ar raat.
Man kee mail na tunn tay jaat.
Is dayhee ka-o baho sadhnaa karai.
Man tay kabhoo na bikhi-aa tarai.
Jal dhovai baho dayh aneet.
Sudh kahaa ho-ay kaachee bheet.
Man har kay naam kee mahimaa ooch.
Nanak naam udhray patit baho mooch. 3.
Many perform the outer pilgrimage (Teerath). Meaning they visit temples and places of religious importance with the hope that by doing so they will be able to achieve salvation. Some people even desire that they should die whilst visiting such places. Because they believe that dying at a place of religious importance such as the ancient temples of Devi-Devtas (gods and goddesses), Hardwar, Har Ki Pauri and so on, their soul will be freed, but this is not true. The real pilgrimage is the inner pilgrimage, the outer Teerath is the Atsath Teerath (pilgrimage to 68 holy places of Hinduism which is believed to give salvation) and will not be able to wash the dirt of Haumai and the dirt of millions and millions of sins from our soul, which have been clinging to our soul for ages. The outer pilgrimage to any religious place will not be able to wash the inside of our Hirda and win over Maya – Panj Doots and desires. Only the inner Teerath – inside pilgrimage will be able to help us clean our Hirda and fill it with Naam and all of the divine qualities. Only then are we able to achieve salvation.
The performance of these outer rituals in the name of religion and the observance of outer compliance to the religion (e.g. merely wearing religious dress and symbols) is of no spiritual value at all. Only the internal compliance by winning the mind over, and by winning Maya over and bringing the Panj Doots and desires under our control will be able to bring salvation.
Keeping our physical body clean will not wash our soul and mind of all of the sins and karmic dirt of Haumai. Whatever we do to our body physically to keep it clean will not free our mind and soul of the Panj Doots and desires. The internal pilgrimage, internal Teerath, can only commence when our soul becomes blessed with GurParsaad. Then we go into Samadhi, Sunn Samadhi and do Naam Ki Kamai. This washes off all of our internal dirt and sins that have been clinging to our soul and mind for ages. When this happens then all of our divine doors open including the Trikuti (third eye) and Dassam Duaar and Naam goes into our Surat and Hirda. All of the seven centers of spiritual energy become activated and a continuous flow of Amrit starts flowing from our body. Our soul becomes absolutely clean and pure. It becomes a Khalsa soul and Naam goes into our Rom Rom bringing us Jivan Mukti.
The poison of Maya is only washed away by the Amrit of Naam and not by performing and adhering to any external compliance. Internal compliance is:-
· how we gain salvation,
· winning over Panj Doots,
· winning over desires,
· winning over Maya,
· a continuous flow of Amrit through our entire body,
· how we enter Rom Rom Simran,
· the path to becoming a Sant Hirda filled with all of the divine qualities,
· how we become a Sada Suhaagan, Nirbhao (without fear) and Nirvair (without hate), Ik Drisht and a Puran Braham Gyani.
The physical body is like a mud wall. It is perishable so washing it is not going to diminish the effect of all of the sins and misdeeds. The real thing is the Atma (individual soul) which is not diminishable. It is part of the Param Atma (Supreme Soul). The Atma has to become a Param Atma in order to be liberated from the shackles of Maya. So just washing the physical body by taking sacred dips at pilgrimage centres is just an act of Maya.
The real washing is the washing of the soul and mind with Naam Amrit. That is the real Ishnaan (holy bath) with Gyan (divine knowledge) and Dhyaan (complete surrender). The Ishnaan with Naam Amrit is going to eat all of our poison of Maya. Naam Amrit is going to relieve us of all of the sins and misdeeds and make our inside like a clean piece of cloth without anymore dirt clinging to it. Naam Amrit makes us completely truthful and pure – Khalas and will create a Puran Jyot Parkash (Perfect Divine Light) inside our Hirda and make it a Khalsa by converting our Atma into Param Atma. Just by practicing the external compliance we will not straighten our inside and make it a Sadh (Saint) Hirda. Only internal compliance which can be earned by the GurParsaad of Naam Ki Kamai will help us.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Patshah has very kindly shown us the path of Naam, Bandgi and Seva done with devotion, love, faith and trust. This GurParsaad has liberated many souls from the shackles of Maya and uplifted them so much so, that they have become honorable in the Dargah of Akal Purakh. Only the GurParsaad of Naam, Naam Ki Kamai and internal compliance brings us liberation and salvation. There is no other way.
Bahut si-aanap jam ka bha-o bi-aapai.
Anik jatan kar tarisan naa dharaapai.
Bhaykh anayk agan nahee bujhai.
Kot upaav dargeh nahee sijhai.
Chhootas naahee oobh pa-i-aal.
Mohi bi-aapahi maa-i-aa jaal.
Avar kartoot saglee jam daanai.
Govind bhajan bin til nahee maanai.
Har ka naam japat dukh jaa-ay.
Nanak bolai sehaj subhaa-ay. 4.
To become Nirbhao is a mandatory divine quality. Unless we are completely fearless we will not be able to serve the Truth. Being Nirbhao is one of the most important divine attribute of Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmeshwar. Unless we become totally fearless we will not be able to speak the complete Truth. We will not be able to deliver and serve the Truth. We will not be able to become Sat Saroop (embodiment of Truth).
What is the greatest fear? The fear of death. This fear always clings on to us no matter what we do unless we become completely fearless. The divine quality of fearlessness can only be achieved by serving Divinity – by serving Akal Purakh. The greatest service of Akal Purakh is Naam Ki Kamai.
There are four kinds of wisdom:-
1. MunnMat (self wisdom). This is acquired as a result of our own intelligence, education and learning;
2. Sansarik Mat (worldly wisdom). This pertains to the customs, rules and regulations or the norms that are followed by the society in which we live;
3. DurMat (bad wisdom) such as abuse, Nindya, Chugli, Bakhili; and
4. the most important GurMat (divine wisdom). This is the word of Akal Purakh, the word of the Guru and includes GurBani.
The practice of self wisdom, worldly wisdom and bad wisdom will never be able to make us fearless and relieve us from the fear of death, because these promote Haumai, anger, hatred, discrimination and take us away from the Almighty. Whereas the practice of GurMat brings Naam inside our Hirda and replaces all of the mental sicknesses and desires with all of the divine qualities. This makes us fearless and relieves us of the fear of death forever.
Trishna is the desire to amass wealth and worldly comforts and material goods. It is one of the three parts of Maya. It is called the Rajo aspect of Maya. It constantly provokes us to engage our self in the acts of collecting worldly material things, money and worldly comforts to make our living more and more comfortable. One desire leads to another desire and so on and this chain never breaks. With this our Karam Kand (accumulation of actions that result in being reborn) keeps on expanding.
The next important thing to say is, that most of the time, we engage ourselves in meeting our desires by foul means. This makes our future life more and more painful. In this way we keep ourselves always burning in the fire of desires which never extinguishes. No matter what we do, this fire of desires never stops. What can really extinguish this fire of desires? The answer is very simple – contentment can stop this fire of desires. Sat Santokh can stop this ever-burning fire of desires. However, contentment is a divine quality and can only be achieved by Naam Ki Kamai.
External compliance will not be able to extinguish this fire of desires. Wearing all kinds of outside robes and religious looking dresses will not be able to take us to the Dargah of Akal Purakh. Only internal compliance by way of practicing divine wisdom and doing Naam Kamai will be able to make us honorable in the court of the Almighty.
Moh means attachment to the family and worldly possessions. This is one of the most poisonous weapons of Maya which diverts us from the Almighty. Moh is known to be the basic reason behind all of the sorrows. It is a selfish attachment. This means that we only want to do things that help our family and close relations and we ignore the rest of the world. This makes us selfish. Selfishness is the opposite of unconditional or devotional love, therefore, attachment takes us away from Akal Purakh.
Unconditional devotional love for each and every creation of the Creator is a mandatory divine quality. God is love and compassion for others. Parupkaar and Maha Parupkaar are the divine qualities that make us help others unconditionally, selflessly and without expectation of any returns. That is the real service to humanity and only that is counted as true Seva. Attachment draws us towards our own close ones. That is selfishness and against the divine rules. Moh is a serious mental sickness. However, to beat it doesn’t mean that we have to leave our family members. No, just treat everyone as we treat our own family. Love all elders as we love our parents. Love all children as we love our own children. In this way we take out the selfish aspect and transform Moh into divine love.
In addition to loving others as we love our own family, we can also treat our own family members as a Sangat. Serve them as if we are serving the Sangat. Help them as if we are helping the Sangat. Respect them as if we are respecting the Sangat. This will make us humble from inside and will inculcate in us the habit of treating everyone as a Sangat. By doing so we will be treating everyone we come across equally.
Becoming Ik Drisht – single vision and Nirvair is a mandatory divine quality for achieving salvation. But, Moh is a major roadblock in the way of developing this divine quality inside our Hirda. Internal detachment and conversion of attachment into unconditional selfless devotional love and compassion for everyone will make us Ik Drisht. This means we have no animosity, see all as equal, lovable and respectable. Each and every one has Akal Purakh Ki Jyot (Divine Light) and the Jyot should be respected and loved equally in each and every human being.
As long as we are operating under the influence of Maya – Panj Doots and desires, we cannot make it to the realms of the Eternal Truth. We cannot reach Sach Khand and cannot achieve salvation. No matter what we do, no mater whatever Dharam Karams and Punn Daan (charitable donations) we engage our self in, no matter whatever Atsath Teerath we do, no matter whatever religious places we go and take a bath. Nothing else will not take us beyond the three aspects of Maya, because God lives beyond the three aspects of Maya so we have be able to go beyond them to have His Darshan.
Only the GurParsaad of Naam, Bandgi and Seva can take us beyond Maya. Only Naam Ki Kamai will eliminate all of these mental sicknesses of Panj Doots and Trishna. Only then will we be able to reach salvation stage. When we win over Maya then we go beyond Maya and this is the Sehaj Awastha (sublime state of mind absorbed in God’s Love). Guru Nanak Patshah was a Puran Braham Gyani (Perfect Knower of God) Nirankaar Roop (Form of the Formless One) and always stayed in Sehaj Awastha. So Sehaj Awastha is a very high spiritual stage, it is reached only after bringing Maya under our control.
Maya served Guru Nanak Patshah. When we win over our mind and Maya, then Maya becomes our servant, Panj Doots and desires operate under our command. These things become our slaves and we rule over them. This is what Sehaj Awastha is. Since Guru Nanak Patshah was always in Sehaj Awastha whatever He spoke was and still is an absolute pure and pious Eternal Truth. When a person goes into Sehaj Awastha then His words are carved in stone, they are the words of Almighty that is why it is Dhur Ki Bani (Primal Word). Whoever listens, believes and performs according to the Bani of such souls who reach the Sehaj Awastha become Dhan Dhan and they meet the objective of their human life – salvation.
Chaar padaarath jay ko maagai.
Sadh junnaa kee sayvaa laagai.
Jay ko aapunaa dookh mitaavai.
Har har naam ridai sad gaavai.
Jay ko apunee sobhaa lorai.
Sadhsang ih ha-umai chhorai.
Jay ko janam maran tay darai.
Sadh junnaa kee sarnee parai.
Jis junn ka-o prabh daras pi-aasaa.
Nanak taa kai bal bal jaasaa. 5.
Guru Nanak Patshah has been very kind upon us all. He has given us a wonderful way to live our life which is whilst enjoying a family environment we can meet the real objective of our human life – salvation. So for living a happy and comfortable life and reaching salvation what are the necessities? The four essential elements needed are called Chaar Padarath, they are:-
1. Dharam (following divine wisdom). We need Dharam to be able to live a truthful life. To become a Puran Sachyara. To be able to see, speak, hear, serve and deliver the Truth. To listen to, accept, learn and practice the divine laws. This makes our life eternally happy and allows us to operate beyond the three aspects of Maya. We win over our mind and Maya completely. We earn the GurParsaad of Naam Simran; engage ourselves in Bandgi and Seva, Parupkaar and Maha Parupkaar. This is the gift of Dharam.
2. Arath (money). We need money to meet our physical needs. Money for shelter, food, clothes and all of the amenities for living a comfortable life. However, always keep in mind that money is only good so long as it is earned by fair and truthful means. And then is also used for a good purpose and truthfully. Money becomes a deadly weapon if misused or earned by unfair means.
3. Kaam. Kaam here refers to Kamna which means – fullfillment of desires, fullfillment of all of our needs, provide us all of the worldly pleasures and comforts including our family. We need Kaam to live a happy and comfortable married life. Kaam for procreation is a very powerful tool which Akal Purakh has created to continue reproduction of the generations after generations to keep the universe going forever. Without this evolution was not possible. If it is used according to the divine laws it brings in happiness and evolution of the universe. But, if misused, Kaam as lust becomes a serious crime and ruins our life. In fact, it ruins our character and murders our human values. It completely destroys our human life. So it should be controlled used only between us and our spouse and should not go beyond that relationship. If Kaam goes beyond our spousal relationship it is a curse. If it stays within our marriage it is a boon. So don’t let Kaam become a curse, that is when Kaam is named as one of the five thieves. But, Kaam within marriage can be enjoyed as a boon.
4. Mokh (Salvation). This is Jivan Mukti, meaning merger into Akal Purakh whilst alive. Then at the time of death when leaving the physical body, the soul permanently merges to live in the real home – Sach Khand – Dargah of Akal Purakh.
Guru Pancham Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji has very kindly given us this divine wisdom and guided us as to where we can find these four essential elements to make our life sublime. These Chaar Padarath can only be found at the Charans of a Puran Sant, a Puran Sadh, a Puran Braham Gyani, because these souls are the custodians of these treasures and all of the eternal treasures. Maya is their servant and lives under the Charans of these Sants. That is why Guru Patshah has very kindly advised us to go to the Sharan (shelter) of such a Puran Sadh, a Puran Braham Gyani for getting blessed with these four essential elements of living a happy and prosperous human life and at the same time achieve salvation.
The stage of salvation is reached when Naam goes into our Hirda. When we become a Jivan Mukt then all of our sorrows and mental sicknesses will disappear. In fact, as our Bandgi progresses all of our sorrows and Panj Doots start to disappear and eventually we reach the Sehaj Awastha or the Atal Awastha where nothing can distract us or bother us.
Haumai has been defined as a very deep mental sickness and the worst one to be controlled in order to win over Maya and mind. Only Naam and Naam Ki Kamai can help us control this very serious mental sickness. The GurParsaad of Naam can only be obtained from a Puran Sant. The GurParsaad of Bandgi and Seva can only be achieved and earned in the Sangat of a Puran Braham Gyani. When we do so and go through the complete Bandgi cycle then our soul reaches Sach Khand and we receive the highest level of respect and honor in the Dargah of Akal Purakh. We are respected and honored everywhere. The cycle of birth and death has been defined as the deepest sorrow one has to go through time and again. Only the Sangat of a Puran Sant can help us to get out of the cycle of birth and death.
Bandgi can only be blessed to us and done by us under the blessings of a Puran Sant and salvation can only be achieved by the blessings of a Puran Sant. Those who have realized the objective of their human life are very honorable and respectable in the Dargah and are honored by the Guru and Akal Purakh. They have worked through Maya to realize their spiritual dreams and are engaged in Naam Ki Kamai, Seva, Parupkaar and Maha Parupkaar. The Guru and Akal Purakh become a sacrifice to such souls. The Guru and Akal Purakh then serve such souls. There remains no difference between Bhagwan and His Bhagat at the stage of salvation.
Sagal purakh meh purakh pardhaan.
Sadhsang jaa ka mitai abhimaan.
Aapas ka-o jo jaanai neechaa.
So-oo ganee-ai sabh tay oochaa.
Jaa ka man ho-ay sagal kee reenaa.
Har har naam tin ghat ghat cheenaa.
Man apunay tay buraa mitaanaa.
Paykhai sagal sarisat saajnaa.
Sookh dookh junn sam daristaytaa.
Nanak paap punn nahee laypaa. 6.
Humbleness is a mandatory divine quality. Gareebi Ves Hirda is the utmost humbleness in the Hirda and is a very important and mandatory internal compliance divine law. Without achieving utmost humbleness we cannot reach the Almighty. Humbleness (Nimrata) is the only way to kill our ego. This is a deep mental sickness and lives in our head and is the most difficult to kill. In fact, all of the Panj Doots live in our body:-
· Kaam (lust) lives in the middle part of the body around our organs;
· Krodh (anger) lives in our abdomen area;
· Lobh (greed) and Moh (family attachment) live in the chest area, and
· Ahankaar / Haumai lives in the head.
These are called the Panj Doots or Panj Chors (five thieves) in GurBani because they steal our inner Amrit and drain us of spiritual energy. They always urge us to perform under their influence. These Doots are very important weapons of Maya and lead to our spiritual destruction by robbing us of our spiritual progress continuously. So Guru Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji is talking about killing our ego and earning the utmost humbleness. Humbleness is a mandatory divine quality. It is a GurParsaad and is available from a Puran Sant only. Only with GurParsaad can we reach that stage of utmost humbleness which makes us a Purakh Pardhaan (wise person). This means utmost humbleness will make us a very wise person. GurBani goes deeper into our Hirda. Naam goes deeper inside our soul, mind and body. Naam goes into our Rom Rom and we become a Puran Braham Gyani – Purakh Pardhaan and this can happen only with the Sangat of a Puran Sant Puran Braham Gyani.
The person who becomes the lowest of the low is honored and respected in the Dargah of Akal Purakh and also respected and honored everywhere in this universe. Such a person is the slave of God’s slaves and Charan Dhool (foot dust) of the entire creation. A person who really becomes very humble and whose Hirda gets filled with this divine quality of utmost humbleness gets absorbed in Naam and becomes one with the Almighty. Akal Purakh and His Naam live only in such a Hirda. A continuous flow of the Amrit is given to the one who:-
· becomes Sagal Ki Reena (dust of all creatures) of the entire creation,
· becomes Single Vision – Ik Drisht and sees the entire creation with the same level of love and compassion,
· sees all as equal,
· sees all as friends and sees no enemy,
· doesn’t have animosity with anybody and loves everyone the same way,
· sees all of humanity as Sangat and never thinks or does any harm to anybody at al,
· only does good to all,
· sees no difference between happiness and sorrow, meaning there is no effect of sorrow or happiness upon them,
· remains stable and in Sehaj Awastha under all circumstances,
· is beyond the Punn and Paap Karams and not effected by Paap and Punn Karams, and
· becomes a Purakh Pardhaan.
When a person reaches the stage of Puran Bandgi and becomes a Puran Sant Puran Braham Gyani then all of His deeds are true deeds. He goes beyond the three aspects of Maya and becomes a Nirankaar Roop (a human form of the Formless Lord), so sorrow and happiness, Paap and Punn Karams don’t mean anything. There is no effect of these things on such a soul. Sand and gold is the same for him. Utmost humbleness takes us to the heights of the spiritual world and transforms our soul into the soul of a Purakh Pardhaan.
Nirdhann ka-o dhann tayro naa-o.
Nithaavay ka-o naa-o tayraa thaa-o.
Nimaanay ka-o prabh tayro maan.
Sagal ghataa ka-o dayvhu daan.
Karan karaavanhaar su-aamee.
Sagal ghataa kay antarjaamee.
Apnee Gat mit jaanhu aapay.
Aapan sang aap prabh raatay.
Tumhree ustat tum tay ho-ay.
Nanak avar na jaanas ko-ay. 7.
In these divine words, Guru Pancham Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji is continuing to give us the divine wisdom about humbleness. Nirdhann (the ones without wealth) doesn’t mean that God lives in those hearts who are financially poor. Rather, it means the Nirdhannta of Hirda (attitude of gratitude). It means Gareebi (poverty) in Hirda (humbleness of heart). The poverty of Hirda is the utmost humbleness – Nimrata in the Hirda. Wherever there is Nirdhannta of Hirda, then Naam lives in that Hirda. It means that only down to Earth humbleness can bring Puran Jyot Parkash in our Hirda. It means where there is no Haumai there is God. Where there is no Ahankaar, Akal Purakh lives in that Hirda.
Nithawan (homeless) doesn’t mean the person who doesn’t have a place to live. Nithawan means the person who has given back everything to the Giver – Akal Purakh. The one who has surrendered everything to Akal Purakh and has accepted that everything belongs to Akal Purakh and nothing belongs to him. A complete sacrifice and detachment from the worldly things, that is the Hirda where Almighty makes His permanent home and lives and forever.
Nimana (without respect) means the one who has no Maan, meaning the who doesn’t care about respect from the society He is living in. Nimana is the one who has completely eradicated ego from His head, for whom there is no difference between Maan and Apmaan – respect or abuse. Respect or abuse doesn’t effect Him at all and He is in a state of complete control over these things. Such is a soul who is in Atal Awastha – Param Padvi and is respected and honored in the court of Akal Purakh.
The ones who realize His Kirpa and become detached from the world of Maya and make a place for Him in their Hirda, the Almighty is infinite and unlimited and gives them everything they need to live a happy and prosperous life. Now imagine when you do the same and God comes and lives in your Hirda then what else would you want? When the Creator and Doer Himself has given us Himself then what more do we want? This is what happens when our Hirda becomes filled with Nirdhannta.
Akal Purakh is the only Doer and He knows everything that is in our Hirda and nothing can be kept hidden from Him. He will know the moment our Hirda is filled with Nirdhannta – utmost humbleness. He will come in right there and then. The emphasis here is on the inside and outside behavior of a person. If our outside looks different, meaning our outside behavior doesn’t reflect what we think, then there is a difference in the Karni and thinking which is not good. We should look, think and do the same. The people who are engaged in the practice of “Mukh Hore Munn Hore” – saying some thing and doing something else, should know that they are under the constant watch of Akal Purakh. All of our deeds are being recorded and these deeds form the basis of our future. Our behavior should reflect our thinking and by doing so we will be performing truthfully and our deeds will be more truthful.
Always keep in mind that nothing can be hidden from Akal Purakh since He is Anter Jaami (Inner Knower). This quality of reading the mind comes in as a divine gift to the people those who dedicate themselves to Naam Ki Kamai and reach the Karam Khand and Sach Khand stage. At the same time we cannot understand His Mahima completely. We only know whatever we experience and see, but His Mahima is beyond description and cannot be described by anybody, whomsoever He may be.
Only He knows what His Mahima is, what His powers are and what He is capable of doing. He can do anything in the blink of an eye. His capacity and capabilities are beyond doubt and unquestionable. The most important part to learn here is that we can meet Him or reach Him or experience Him only with His own GurKirpa with His own GurParsaad with His own Nadar (look of grace). Guru Patshah Ji is telling us that nobody is even capable of praising Him or singing His Mahima or singing about His grace, but only with His own Kirpa and GurParsaad is His Praise and Mahima possible.
Sarabh dharam meh saraysat dharam.
Har ko naam jap nirmal karam.
Sagal kir-aa meh ootam kiri-aa.
Sadhsang dur mat mal hiri-aa.
Sagal udam meh udam bhalaa.
Har ka naam japahu jee-a sada.
Sagal baanee meh amrit baanee.
Har ko jas sun rasan bakhaanee.
Sagal thaan tay oh ootam thaan.
Nanak jih ghat vasai har naam. 8.3.
Guru Pancham Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji has very beautifully explained to us in the above divine words the Mahima of Naam and Naam Ki Kamai. Most people merely read Sukhmani, but there is only one in tens of millions who practices what he reads and actually becomes Sukhmani. That is what Guru Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji was – a walking encyclopaedia of the Braham Gyan. Braham Gyan only comes into us by putting into practice what we read and not just by reading.
All of the Guru Patshahs were Puran Braham Gyanis and so where all of the Sants and Bhagats who contributed their Bani to Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. All of these entities became GurBani by themselves. Meaning, whatever GurBani said they became so. GurBani came true for these souls. Even now there are Puran Braham Gyanis on the face of this Earth. In fact, the world runs on the shoulders of such souls who reach the heights of the spiritual world.
Shri Guru Arjun Dev Sahib Ji has very kindly made some divine conclusions in this piece of divine wisdom. Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and people from various ethnic groups and so called religions keep on fighting with each other endlessly. Guru Patshah Guru Arjun Dev Ji has very kindly told us to follow the real religion which is Naam Japna, Naam Ki Kamai and Nirmal Karam (pure deeds). Sat Karams are the deeds which are performed under the Sato Birti of Maya (goodness aspect of Maya). The highest religion in the entire universe is to do Naam Simran and perform all of our actions and reactions according to the Sato Birti.
What is our behavior and our conduct? Only with the Sangat of a Sadhu can we clean up our Hirda. Only with the Sangat of a Sadhu can we wash all of our sins and the negative effects of Asat Karams conducted in all of our previous lives.
DurMat is the bad wisdom which prompts us to perform Asat Karams – like Nindya, Chugli, Bakhili – negative criticism; stealing, abusing, extortion, bribery, dishonesty, telling lies, hurting others, killing, beating and so on. Washing all of our sins is possible only by doing Sat Sangat. What is Sat Sangat? It is where there is presence of Sat – Param Jyot Puran Parkash. This happens only in the Hirda of a Puran Sadh, Puran Sant Puran Braham Gyani.
The highest and the purest task is to do Naam Simran, collect Naam Dhann and do Naam Ki Kamai. This will eventually lead us to the GurParsaad of salvation. The highest and purest divine words are those which are used in singing the Mahima of Akal Purakh. The most pious and pure place is the place where God lives and that is the Hirda of a Puran Sant Puran Braham Gyani.
In other words, once we are blessed by a Puran Sant, Puran Braham Gyani with the GurParsaad of Naam, Bandgi and Seva then we are able to dedicate our self with Tunn, Munn and Dhann (body, mind and wealth) with complete surrender to the Gur and Guru. Then we can do Naam Ki Kamai. Eventually, our Hirda becomes a place where Naam Amolak Rattan (Naam the priceless jewel) is carved. Our Hirda becomes filled with all of the divine qualities, we reach salvation and fulfill the objective of our human life.