Raatee rutee thitee vaar.
Pavan paanee agnee paataal.
Tis vich dhartee thaap rakhee dharam saal.
Tis vich jee-a jugat kay rang.
Tin kay naam anayk anant.
Karmee karmee ho-ay veechaar.
Sachaa aap sachaa darbaar.
Tithai sohan panch parvaan.
Nadree karam pavai neesaan.
Kach pakaa-ee othai paa-ay.
Naanak ga-i-aa jaapai jaa-ay. ||34||
The blessed Satguru (Truth Guru) incarnate Nanak Patshah Ji (Guru Nanak Ji) in this Pauri (verse) endows all humanity with the Puran Braham Gyan (entire divine wisdom) about the basis behind the origin of Karam Kaand (deeds determining one’s destiny in this as well as in coming births). The Karam Kaand forms the basis of the birth, the life and the death of a human being. The Karam Kand of a human being is founded upon Kaal (Time). Kaal is the foundation upon which the Vidhans (constitutions; sets of laws) of the origin, the caretaking and the destruction of the Creation are built. It is only to make all the divine Vidhans and to run the affairs of the Creation in accordance with these Vidhans that Kaal has been created. The supreme-most of all divine Vidhans is the Vidhan of Karma (destiny determined by one’s good and bad deeds). Because, the birth, the life and the death of a human being are determined only in accordance with this divine Vidhan of Karma; and the birth, the life and the death of a human being have direct relationship with Kaal. From the time a human being is born, the entire life, the account of each and every moment of the life and the eventual death – all take place in accordance with Kaal. For example, take the birth of a human being; the first act of a human being is taking birth; the birth of a human being is reckoned on the basis of Kaal – a human birth is closely related with time; the time, date, month and year of the birth form an everlasting association with the human being.
Once born, all the deeds of a human being take place in accordance to Kaal. Feeding of the child, change of the diet with time, sleeping of the child, waking up, crying, laughing, sitting, beginning to crawl, then standing erect and using one’s legs for the movement, running – all take place only in their due course of time. Therefore beginning to talk, having conversations, getting ready to go to school, studying, attaining adulthood, working at a job, doing business, becoming independent, becoming self-reliant, getting married, getting a family, taking care of the domestic affairs, taking care of one’s children, getting old, coming into grandchildren and taking their care, and eventually meeting one’s end – all this Karam Kaand takes place following only the cycle of Kaal. Thinking further and looking at the daily activities of the human being: sleeping, waking up, eating, drinking, and leaving for work and all the activities of the day and the night are associated with the time. Therefore Kaal is a dominant factor in the Karam Kaand of a human being. Therefore even the divine Vidhan of Karma, from the birth and the life till the death of the human being, makes everything take place in accordance with Kaal. The entire Karam Kaand of a human being takes place according to Kaal. The time of every deed of the human being is pre-determined in accordance to the Vidhan of Karma.
Therefore in order to put the Vidhan of Karma for the birth, the life and the death into effect, Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar (Truth, the Transcendent Lord and Creator of the Universe) created Kaal. The second, the minute, the hour, the Ghari (a period of time equal to 22.5 minutes), Pehar (a 3-hour period), the day, the night, the date, the day of the week, the month, the year, the season – are all units of Kaal. All the affairs of the whole world or of human life run only according to these units of Kaal. In order to run these affairs of the entire world, Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar created Kaal. The human beings are an important part of the world. Therefore the Karam Kaand of the human beings is linked to the whole world through this cycle of Kaal. The whole world is driven by the acts of all human beings and creatures in the world; and the cumulative effect of the Karam Kand of the creatures in the whole world gives effect to all the affairs of the world. Therefore without Kaal neither the human life, nor the world, nor any affair of the world is possible.
Just as without Kaal neither the foundation of the human Karam Kaand can be built nor the process of running the world can take place; in exactly the same way without the air, water, fire and Pataal’s (different layers of the earth) the Karam Kaand of the human beings cannot be put into effect. Without these four elements even the human life is not possible; then how can the existence of the human beings be possible without these elements? The human body is created by the harmonious combination of the Akaash (space; sky; the heavens) with these four elements. This supremely essential truth is revealed in Gurbani (Gur’s words or God’s words; the verses in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji) by the blessed Satguru incarnate Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji:
“Paanch Tatt Ko Tan Racheyo Jaanaho Chatour Sujaan.
Jih Te Upjeyp Naankaa Leen Taahe Meh Maan. ||11||”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1427)
The whole Creation couldn’t have come into existence without these five elements (air, water, fire, earth and the sky); this is why Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar created these five elements so that the human being and entire universe could be created. Neither can the human life exist without these five elements. The air provides life to the human beings. Without the Guru (teacher and mentor; the status given to the air in Gurbani) of air a human being can stay alive only for a few minutes. Without the water a human being can survive for a few days. Even without fire, a human being cannot sustain oneself. The earth provides everything that a human being needs to lead one’s life. From food-grains to all other objects that the human beings need to live their lives grow from within the earth. It is mother earth that provides the human beings with everything from all vegetation to every mineral. Therefore without these five elements the human life cannot exist; neither can the world come into being. The human life and the world are the Karam Bhumi (workplace; place of action) of the human beings. Without these five elements the Karam Bhumi of the human beings cannot come into existence. Therefore these five elements play a supremely important role in the human life. Even to the extent that, if there is an imbalance of these five elements, the human body might find itself in poor health and may even come to perish. If there is an imbalance among these five elements in the universe, the world may be destroyed. Once the human body is destroyed, these five elements are assimilated back in themselves; by which the balance among these five elements in the world is maintained. Therefore Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar, by creating these five elements, has built the human Karam Bhumi and has brought the Vidhan of Karma into effect.
A human being takes birth only upon this earth. From the birth and until the death, all the Karam Kaand of a human being takes place only upon the earth. This is why the earth is termed as the Karam Bhumi of the human beings. In all the births, a human takes birth, lives and dies only upon the earth. Even all the deeds of a human being in all one’s births take place only upon the earth. This is why the earth is the Karam Bhumi of a human being. Birth after birth a human being commits all one’s good and bad deeds only upon the earth; and also reaps the fruits of all one’s deeds birth after birth only upon this earth. Therefore the Karam Kaand of a human being is inseparable from the mother earth. It was only to give effect to the Karam Kaand of the human beings that Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar created the mother earth; and established the earth as Dharamsal (a place of Dharam; a place for worship) in the cosmos. By Dharamsal is meant a place where one devotes oneself to Dharam (righteousness; commonly interpreted as religion or seeking union with the divine). By Dharam is meant becoming one with Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar, assimilating in Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Thus Dharamsal came into being in the form of the Karam Bhumi as a place where a human being, living and abiding in Bandagi (submission before God) and leading a delightful life, could find union with Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar.
When Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar first created the human being, he instructed the human being to lead one’s life in accordance with the Vidhan of Karma. The human being was apprised of the good and the bad deeds and how these deeds will cast their impact on the human life, and sent into the world. The human being was instructed that if one commits bad deeds, one shall face its painful consequences; and if the human being performs good deeds, he or she will have a pleasant life. If the deeds of the human beings are Asat Karams (untruthful deeds; deeds against Sat), one will wander in the cycle of births & deaths; and if one’s deeds are Sat Karams (the deeds of Sat; truthful deeds) and one’s Hirdha (literally meaning heart, Hirdha or Hirdha Kamal is one of the seven Sat Sarovars and part of one’s spiritual being) stays in its pure and pious state, then one will not have a rebirth. It means that a human being is created for the sole purpose of performing Sat Karams; so that with Sat Karams one’s Hirdha, like a fresh white cloth, stays pure white and stain-free as it was at the time of the birth; and so that when the human being leaves the physical body, he or she finds the opportunity to assimilate back in the Nirgun Saroop (the infinite divine power that is beyond the three attributes of Maya) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. This is why the Karam Bhumi of the human beings, the mother earth, is called as Dharamsaal. It implies that one should perform only Sat Karams while upon this earth. Those human beings who found their lives upon the deeds of Sat (Eternal Truth; God Himself) are following these Sat Bachans (words of Truth; divine words) and their presence pleases the mother earth; and the mother earth engages itself in the service of the human beings in Bandagi. Because, such great beings do not make themselves a burden upon the mother earth; but instead they help in reducing the burden of the sinful deeds taking place upon the earth. Those human beings, whose deeds are of Asat (against Sat), become a burden upon earth. Their sinful deeds pollute the atmosphere on earth. Such sinful human beings cause pains in the life of the rest of the humanity. Therefore paying due respects to the mother earth, and observing the words of the Guru (teacher and mentor; a Guru is one who has accomplished Bandagi and attained Jeevan Mukti, and is divinely ordained to lead others on the path of Bandagi and Mukti), we should focus our attention only upon carrying out Sat Karams.
Subsequently upon Dharamsal, this earth, Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar created the arrangements for the birth, the life and the death of innumerable other kinds of creatures. In order to conclude the task of the origin of the Creation, Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar made arrangements for the birth, the living and the death of all these creatures in the form of four Khani’s (the sources of birth; the four Khanis are: Andaj – the egg, Jeraj – the womb, Setaj – the sweat, and Ootatbhuj – the earth). Gurbani reveals this supremely elemental truth in many Saloks (verses):
“Andaj Jeraj Outbhujaan Khaanee Setajaanh.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 467)
“ Andaj Jeraj Outbhuj Setaj Tere Keete Jantaa.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 596)
“Dus Athaa Athsathe Chaare Khaanee Ehai Vartan Hai Sagal Sansaare.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 694)
“Chaar Baedh Chaare Khaanee.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1003)
All the creatures upon the earth take birth; live out their lives; and abiding in their acts and deeds meet their ends only in these four Khanis. Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has made provision for the birth of the creatures in all these categories upon this earth. Just the way Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has made provisions for the human birth within the human being itself. The birth of a human being takes place by the coming together of the blood of the mother and the sperm of the father. This technique of the human birth manifests itself within the human being. In this way the craft of the creation of the universe manifests itself within a human being when a human being is born from the womb of the mother by the combination of the sperm of the father and the blood of the mother. In exactly similar way, all the creatures that fall in the category of the Jeraj Khani are born by this technique, which manifests within all these creatures. Similarly the creatures in the Andaj Khani are born from the egg produced by the union of the mother and the father. All the birds are born under this category. All plant-life falls under the Ootabhuj category. All vegetation grows by itself upon the earth. When the seed of a flora is introduced into the earth then the seedling sprouts from within the seed, and the plant is born. Thus every seed carries the potential to give birth to an entire plant. As if there is an organism inside every seed. In exactly this way every grain of food carries a living organism within itself. This supreme and essential truth is revealed in Gurbani:
“Jete Daane Ann Ke Jeeaa Baajh Na Koe.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 472)
Similarly those creatures in the Setaj category that are born out of sweat; the technique of their birth presents itself in the sweat. The creatures in this category are very small in size. As a human being sweats, one’s sweat carries micro-organisms that take the form of these creatures. In this fashion all the creatures and the beings having consciousness are born in the form of these four Khanis, as per their respective technique endowed to them by Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. According to Gurbani, Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has created 8.4 million species:
“Lakh Chouraaseeh Mednee Ghatai Na Vadhai Utaahe.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 936)
“Lakh Chouraaseeh Mednee Sabh Aavai Jaasee.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1100)
“Lakh Chouraaseeh Mednee Tujh Hee Te Hoee.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1283)
“Lakh Chouraaseeh Mednee Tisnaa Jalatee Karae Pukaar.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1416)
The arrangements for the births, the living and the deaths of the 8.4 million Juni’s (species) has been made by Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar upon this earth itself. All of these 8.4 million species take birth, lead their lives and come to their ends upon this earth and in the waters (the water is given the status of father in Gurbani) upon this earth. Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has made provision for the birth, the life and the death of all these creatures upon the earth. All these creatures differ immensely from each other in their build, shape, colour, form, name, actions, deeds, lifestyle, culture, eating, drinking, sleeping, awakening, walking, roaming, standing, sitting, diet, strengths, capabilities, interaction with the rest of the nature, sounds, communication, their contribution towards the affairs of the rest of the world etc and all this is infinite. It is beyond the human capacity to learn the entire information about all these creatures. This is why this entire Creation is called as being innumerable and endless. All these creatures have the mother earth as their Karam Bhumi. Their births, lives and deaths come to pass only in accordance with their deeds.
The 8.4 million species is an amazing act of creation. It is an absolute truth that every creature of the 8.4 million species carries within itself the Jyot (the divine light; soul) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar, which is the element of the consciousness. This element of the consciousness itself is the Sat Tat (the essence of Sat). This Sat Tat is what makes the life appear in all creatures and in all vegetation. As long as there is Jyot within the creature, there is life in the creature. When the Jyot leaves the creature, the creature dies. It is this dominant power of Sat that forms the basis of life in all living beings. This Sat Tat alone is called as the soul. This supremely elemental truth is displayed in Gurbani:
“Naam Ke Dhaare Sagle Jant.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 284)
“Aape Jant Oupaaeian Aape Aadhaar.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 556)
“Ketae Tere Jee Jant Sifat Kareh Din Raat.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 18)
“Sabh Tujhai Dhiaaveh Jee Jant Har Saarag Paanaa.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 84)
The supreme power of Sat alone is the basis of all living beings. Therefore all the living creatures in the entire Creation are day and night engaged in the Sifat Salah (praise; paying tributes to God) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. All the living creatures meditate upon Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar alone and by doing so all these creatures are liberated from the Juni’s and are then endowed with birth as a human being. This is why all the creatures in the whole universe are day and night occupied in Sifat Salah and in praying and worshipping Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar, so that they are liberated from the Juni’s and rewarded with birth as a human being. This is the reason why Gurbani calls the human birth as scarce. This is the reason that the human birth is termed the best amongst all Juni’s. Because it is only in a human birth that one can find liberation from the cycle of birth & death.
The Sat Tat present within every creature maintains the account of one’s deeds in accordance with the Vidhan of Karma. This Sat Tat alone present within each creature carries forward the account of one’s deeds into the next birth; or in the case of the creatures roaming in the Juni’s, into their next Juni. This Sat Tat, also called as the soul, carries the burden of one’s deeds until the creature is liberated from the bonds of life & death. This Sat Tat alone deliberates upon the deeds of a creature and, based on the deeds, determines the next birth and the destiny of the creature. After a creature has passed through the Juni’s, it is awarded with the birth as a human being for its liberation from the cycle of life & death. Only the human life contains the provision of Jeevan Mukti (deliverance from the cycle of life & death; salvation). The account of the deeds committed during a human life is maintained in Dargah (Divine Court); or to put it another way, the account of the deeds of a human being is kept in accordance with the divine Vidhan of Karma.
Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar Himself is Sat; and His Court is Sat. Therefore Sat is the basis of all Creation. Sat is the basis of every living being. This is the reason that Sat Karams have a greatly powerful significance in a human birth. Sat Karams alone lay the foundation of the Mukti (liberation of soul from the slavery of Maya) of a human being. Those human beings who abide in Sat Karams are blessed with divine grace, and carrying on with their Sat Karams they come upon time when Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar is pleased with their Sat Karams. By the grace of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar a human being finds the Sangat (congregation; following) of a Puran Sant (perfect saint). Abiding in the Sangat of a Puran Sant, when the human being dedicates oneself completely before the Puran Sant, the Satguru, he or she is blessed with Gurprasad (Eternal Bliss and the Eternal Grace). Having obtained Gurprasad, those human beings who care and look after it attain Naam Simran (meditation upon Naam – the Name representing God and all His Creation). Naam casts its illumination upon their inner selves. Their Bajjar Kapats (divine doors that, once opened, channel Amrit into the body and establish connection between human being and Akal Purakh) are opened. Their Sat Sarovars (the seven sources of Amrit, or of the spiritual energy inside the human body) are illuminated; and with Naam Simran in every cell of their bodies, by triumphing over Maya (the worldly temptations; all physical perceptions are nothing but illusions created by Maya) and by transcending beyond Trigun Maya (Maya of the three attributes: Sato – the goodness, Rajo – the desires and Tamo – the vices), they become one with Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Such great human beings have been called as Panch’s; they whose mind is transformed into the Jyot; they who have subjugated the Panj Dhoots (the five thieves – lust, anger, greed, attachments and pride) under their hold; they who have their all five sensory organs and all five action organs abide under Puran Hukam (Absolute Divine Will). Only such great beings, who have turned Sat Roop (Sat in a human form), find approval, honour and admiration in the court of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar.
One finds approval, honour and admiration in the court of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar only by the Nadar (kind gaze; divine grace and blessings) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Those who are showered with the Karam (Gurprasad) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar; meaning those who are showered with the kindness, affection, compassion and Gurprasad of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar, are the ones who acquire Jee-a Daan (bestowal of Puran Bandagi and Seva) and only such fortunate human beings abide in Bandagi. Only a human being who dedicates one’s entire self before Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar and before Satguru is the one who is showered with the grace, kindness, affection and compassion by Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar and by Satguru; and such a human being is the one who acquires Gurprasad. The human being who dedicates one’s entire self at the feet of Satguru has the Gurprasad of Sat Naam (Truth, as a manifestation of the Name of God) abide in one’s Surat (consciousness). Such a human being has the seed of Sat Naam sowed within him or her. He or she attains Ajapa Jaap (state where Simran carries on without effort on the part of the being). He or she attains Samadhi (deep trance-like state, where there is no thought, nothing except pure consciousness). He or she achieves Bandagi. He or she is showered with the grace, kindness, affection and compassion of Satguru and receives the gift of Amrit (our essence or the life-element; the divine energy; pure soul). This is the only secret to acquiring Gurprasad. Thus by receiving Nadar of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar such a human being has Sat Naam mark its presence within oneself; meaning thereby that, Sat Naam casts its illumination within oneself. All one’s Bajjar Kapats are opened. All Sat Sarovars are illuminated. One attains Samadhi and Sunn Samadhi (silent, deep meditation; a state free of thoughts, even free from the effects of time and space). By practising abiding for long durations in Sunn Samadhi, the human being triumphs over Maya. The Hirdha of the human being attains Puran Sachyari Rehat (complete compliance with Absolute Truth). All five sensory organs and all five action organs are subjugated under Puran Hukam and the human being acquires acclaim in Dargah.
The human deeds are weighed on the scales of Sat and adjudged in accordance with the divine Vidhan of Karma. Perfect and imperfect deeds are accounted for by weighing them on the scales of Sat. That is to say, the settlement of Sat Karams and the Asat Karams is carried out by weighing them on the scales of Sat as per the divine Vidhan of Karma. A human being is powerless before the divine Vidhan. The genuine and the counterfeit are discerned only by the criteria of Sat. Those human beings who prove genuine on the criteria of Sat are blessed with Gurprasad and included by Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar among the divine treasures. That is to say, they are blessed with Suhag (acceptance in the Divine Court as a devotee) andSada Suhag (eternal Suhag, denoting the attainment of Puran Braham Gyan, Puran Tat Gyan and Param Padvi) and are forever assimilated inSat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Gurbani reveals this supremely essential truth in many Saloks:
“Aape Parkhe Paarkhoo Pavai Khajaanai Raas. ||4||”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 61)
“Khare Parakh Khajaanai Paaeih Khote Bharam Bhulaavaneaa. ||6||”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 119)
“Eko Ek Su Apar Parampar Parakh Khajaanai Paaedaa. ||12||”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1034)
“Khare Parakh Khajaanai Paaeean Khoteaa Naahee Thaao.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1092)
“Aise Jan Virle Jag Andar Parakh Khajaanai Paaeaa.”
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1345)
It implies that those human beings who receive Gurprasad and abide in Bandagi; attain Samadhi and Sunn Samadhi; and, abiding in Simran in these states, attain lofty spiritual states; even they need to pass through several trials in order to triumph over Maya. Those human beings who succeed in triumphing over Maya are the only ones who reach the peaks of their divine passion, prove true at the criteria of Sat and receive honour in Dargah. The triumph over Maya is the summit of the criteria of Sat. The criteria of Sat is nothing but vanquishing of the Panj Doots and vanquishing of Trishna (desires). The perfect and the imperfect are judged only by this criteria of Sat. A great number of human beings acquire Gurprasad, but only a rare person amongst them succeeds in triumphing over Maya and attains Puran Awastha (state of spiritual perfection). Therefore those respected men and women who acquire Gurprasad should dedicate their entire selves before Satguru. Satguru is Puran (perfect) and capable; by whose grace alone a human being can triumph over Maya. This is the only secret to Puran Bandagi; and the only secret to proving true at the criteria of Sat and winning the approval of Dargah.