Tirath naavaa jay tis bhaavaa vin bhaanay ke naa-ay karee.
Jaytee sirath upaa-ee vaykhaa vin karmaa ke milai la-ee.
Mat vich ratan javaahar maanik jay ik gur kee sikh sunee.
Guraa ik dahi bujhaa-ee.
Sabhnaa jee-aa kaa ik daataa so mai visar na jaa-ee. ||6||
The true pilgrimage of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar (True Transcendent Lord, Creator of the Universe) is the pilgrimage of our inner self. A truly divine and spiritual pilgrimage is the pilgrimage of the Hirda (literally meaning heart, Hirda actually denotes the Anhat Chakra located near the heart, which is one of the seven Sat Sarovars, and thus is more a part of our spiritual being than of our physical body). Tirath (the place where one goes to perform the pilgrimage) is the place where Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar presents Himself and reveals Himself. The inner pilgrimage’s glory is eternal and boundless. Those who accomplish their inner pilgrimage have peirced their minds with Gyan (divine knowledge, wisdom), Dhyan (Simran of Naam – with deep concentration, and detachment from all-else. Simran means meditation upon the divine, Naam represents His Name inclusive of all His Creation), and Ishnan (inner bath with Amrit of Naam). The true bathing is bathing (Ishnan) in Amrit (our essence or the life-element, soul) while in Gyan, Dhyan which purifies our Hirdha. Those who carry out their inner pilgrimage lead their Hirdha’s into the state of Sachyar (Absolute Truth – as God Himself). Those who complete their inner pilgrimage have Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar manifest in their Hirdha’s. Those who perform their inner pilgrimage triumph over Maya (the worldly temptations) and become one with the Akal Purakh (the Timeless Being, the Immortal Being, God). Those who fulfil their inner pilgrimage have Param Jyot (the divine light, soul, God Himself) Puran Prakash (the supreme light, His aura, aura around the enlightened ones) manifest in their Hirda’s. Those who conduct their inner pilgrimage receive the boons of Samadhi (deep trance-like stage, where there is no thought, nothing except pure consciousness), Sehaj Samadhi (A state of continuous Samadhi – eyes open , day and night, sleeping or awake – it is all done in the state of Samadhi. The ones who reach that level in spirituality and achieve the Param Padvi and are called a Satgur, Puran Sant, Puran Brahamgiani or a Puran Khalsa. Then all of the senses and Karam Indrees come under the Puran Hukam of Akal Purakh and we go into a continuous Samadhi, which is also called Sehaj Samadhi. Then while in Sehaj Samadhi whatever they utter or say is in Puran Hukam and is called the world of God and that is Gur Mat in addition to GurBani. Whatever they say is nothing different from what GurBani says because whatever they say is the Puran Brahamgian – divine wisdom. That is why their words are called Sat Bachan and they come true to us when applied to our daily life. So ignoring the words should not be an option for us. Following the word will be a divine blessing) and Sunn Samadhi (A stage of complete trance – no thoughts -complete silence. No awareness of the self. When Nirgun and Sargun become one in a person moving on this divine path of Bandgi, then the mind, Hirda, soul and body is taken over by the Infinite Divine Power and that person goes into a state of complete silence. This is a state completely free of thoughts and is called Sunn Samadhi. This is the highest level of Simran because when this happens then the entire mind, Hirda, soul and body goes into Naam Simran and is absorbed in Amrit.
When we go into Sunn Samadhi then we are unable to tell how much time has passed. There remains no effect of time and space. In fact, we go beyond time and space during that period when our mind, Hirda, soul and body goes into complete silence. This stage of Bandgi has been called Maha Parmarath in GurBani)
Those who achieve their inner pilgrimage do Simran with each pore of their bodies. Those who attain their inner pilgrimage have their Bajjar Kapats (the divine doors – besides the Dasam Duaar – the tenth door, or the Crown Chakra, there are nine others at various places in the human body) opened. Those who realize their inner pilgrimage glimpse the Akal Purakh. Those who succeed in their inner pilgrimage receive true Braham Gyan (the divine wisdom). Those who do their inner pilgrimage receive the true Tatt Gyan (the divine knowledge, understanding of the divine ways). Those who finish their inner pilgrimage receive Atam Ras Amrit (the highest form or the essence of Amrit, eternal bliss). The inner pilgrimage is eternally infinitely grand and its grandeur indescribable. Its glory can be experienced, but can’t be expressed.
The Athsath Tirath (The mistaken belief that merely by going on pilgrimage to the 68 holy places of Hinduism the soul attains salvation. Now the phrase “Atsath Teerath” refers to any outer pilgrimage, even in Sikhism, as being useless in attaining salvation. Only the inner pilgrimage (Andherla Teerath) through the five Khands on the path of Bandgi gives salvation), or the physical visit to a Teerath place doesn’t cleanse one’s mind – Gurbani proclaims: “Athsath Teerath Jay Nahavee Utray Nahee Mayl” (“A pilgrimage to the 68 holy places fails to rid one of the grime”). An outer bath doesn’t wash away the inner dirt andgrime stuck with one’s mind and Hirda, accumulated over several life-times. Gurbani also says: “Janam Janam Ki Is Man Kao Mal Lagi Kalaa Hoyaa Siyah” (“The grime of several lifetimes has turned the mind black as ink”). Our soul has been carrying the burden of this grime of the mind for all our lifetimes. When Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar gave us birth as a human being for the first time, our mind was as clean as a piece of white cloth. Like this proverbial piece of white cloth, our mind was spotlessly clean. As we got more and more entangled in the cycle of life and death under the influence of Maya, our bad deeds caused this white cloth of our mind to collect spots and stains of our misdeeds. By our current lifetime this cloth of our mind has collected enough stains to turn it into dark black. Till this cloth of our mind is back to its pristine whiteness, spotless and stain-less, it cannot find entry into Dargah (the Divine Court). Till our mind and Hirdha is free of this grime, itcan not be accepted in Dargah. Accomplishing the inner pilgrimage is nothing but washing the grime off the cloth of our mind and Hirda, and turning it clean and pure. Getting rid of the inner grime of mind is deliverance. Truly pure and truly Sachyara (divinely truthful) Hirda turns into Param Jyot Puran Prakash and becomes a source of Pargateyo Jyot (a manifested divine light, a soul that becomes the pure divine light of God Himself) and a source of true Braham Gyan. Truly pure and truly Sachyara Hirda turns into a source of the true Tat Gyan and a source of Atam Ras Amrit.
It is divine command to a Jigyasoo (the curious, the seeker of divine truth) to understand this wholly true essential fact. The human mind and Hirda are like a vessel. The human body is like a vessel. This vessel is lying upside down right now. Just imagine if an upside down vessel will hold Amrit. Not only that this vessel of human body is upside down, it is also coated in mud and slime. This vessel is mired in filth. That goes to say that our soul is carrying the burden of the filth of our misdeeds in past lives. The next divinely true essential fact is that not only this vessel is upside down and covered in filth, it also has many holes. These holes in the vessel represent our many ruinous vices and perversions. Some of these disastrous vices and perversions are: lust, anger, greed, attachments, pride, desires, malice, slander, backbiting, kingdom, youth, wealth, riches, beauty, taste, fragrance, speech and touch. Just imagine if an upside down vessel, covered in muck, and full of holes will hold any Amrit. Therefore the first things to do are to straighten up the vessel, clean it of its filth, and fill its hole to make it capable of holding Amrit;. Straightening up this body form of vessel cleaning it of its filth, filling its holes to make it capable of holding Amrit and then filling it up to the brim with Amrit is the inner pilgrimage. To straighten up this vessel, we need to turn our daily deeds into truthful deeds. To straighten it up we need to start adopting our daily lives according to Gurmat (Guru’s guidance, or God’s guidance). To straighten it up we need to start changing our daily lives according to Gurbani (Guru’s words, or God’s words). To straighten this vessel up we need to lead our Birti (consciousness, tendencies) away from the Rajo (desires) and Tamo (lust, anger, greed, attachments, pride) attributes of Maya, and concentrate upon its Sato (piety, divinity, contentedness, patience) attribute. On doing this our deeds will start taking shape of the deeds of Sat, and our Birti will get busy in doing the deeds of piousness, spirituality, satisfaction and patience.
This realization will greatly influence our mind and consciousness and a day will come when this vessel of our body will be upright, and our good deeds will mount up to such an extent that Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar will be pleased with us and will grant us Gurprasad (the Eternal Bliss and the Eternal Grace). Our deeds will delight Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar and, with great pleasure and kindness upon us, He will grant us Gurprasad and get us started on the way to our inner pilgrimage. On receiving the Gurprasaad of Naam, Simran of Naam, practising the ways of Naam, true Bandagi (surrender before God) and the opportunity to serve; and by taking care of this Gurprasad the vessel of our body form of vessel will start getting cleaner; and by practising Naam the holes of the destructive vices will be filling up. On receiving this Gurprasad our Bandagi will be acknowledged in the Karam Khand (the stage of receiving divine benignity or grace) and we shall be anointed as the Suhagan (God’s bride – one who is accepted as a devotee in Dargah – the Divine Court) of the Akal Purakh. An account of our Bandagi shall be opened in the Dargah. Naam will become a permanent part of our Surat (mind) and mind and will take us to the divinely powerful state of Samadhi. Naam will enter Ajapa Jap (state where Simran carries on without effort on the part of the being) and will be slowly etched into the Hirda and the other parts of the body. All our Bajjar Kapats will get opened. The seven Sat Sarovars (the seven sources of Amrit, or of the spiritual energy inside the human body) will get illuminated and the Dasam Duaar (the tenth door – the Crown Chakra – once opened establishes a connection between the human being and the Akal Purakh) will be opened. We will be blessed with the Gurprasad of Panch Shabad Anhad Naad (incessant fall of Amrit at the Dasam Duaar, along with Anhad Naad, the divine music of five primal sounds). Naam will enter each pore of the body, and the Anhad Naad music will play continuously in the Dassam Duaar. The vessel of our body will be cleansed and will be pure as gold. The Hirdha will attain the state of Sachyar and Maya will surrender and kneel before it. The Five Dhoots (lust, anger, greed, attachments and pride) will be subjugated, the desires will be conquered and the Hirda will attain Sat Santokh (divine contentedness, state where there is humility and an absence of desires). One will glimpse the Akaal Purakh, and obtain the complete Braham Gyan, the complete Tat Gyan, and the Atam Ras Amrit. This is how we shall conclude our inner pilgrimage and receive deliverance. Therefore it is a humble prayer before the entire humanity not to seek Gurprasad with external pilgrimages and superficial observances. It is the Vidhan (laws) of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar that we need to convert our deeds to Sat Karams (the deeds of Sat) in order to achieve Gurprasad, and it is by serving and taking care of this Gurprasad that we accomplish our inner pilgrimage and become one with the Akal Purakh.
The formation, caretaking and the destruction of the Creation has been taking place, is taking place, and will continue to take place according to the divine Vidhan of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. All the living beings in the Creation take birth, live and die in accordance with the Vidhan of Karma (destiny) made by Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Therefore each human being lives his life as per this Vidhan of Karma and as determined by the deeds in his past lives. The pleasures and pains of a human being are a result of his past deeds. One writes one’s own destiny in line with this divinely powerful Vidhan of Karma. The cause of our pains is our Asat Karams (deeds that are not Sat, untruthful deeds). Asat Karams are occasioned by our tendencies under the influence of the Rajo (desires) and the Tamo (lust, anger, greed, attachments, pride) aspects of Maya. On the other hand our pleasures are the result of our Sat Karams. Sat Karams take place under the influence of the Sato (piety, divinity, contentedness, patience) tendencies of Maya. Those who are slaves to the Rajo and the Tamo tendencies fail to receive Gurprasad and remain trapped in the cycle of life and death. Those who acquire Sato tendencies are blessed, receive Gurprasad, accomplish their inner pilgrimage, make a success of their existence and receive deliverance.
The complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan cannot be acquired merely by studying Vedas, Shastras or religious texts etc. The complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan cannot be acquired by even reading Gurbaani repeatedly. The complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan cannot be acquired by burdensome studies. Satguru incarnate the blessed Nanak Patshah Ji has strongly refuted this misconception in Asa Di Var Gurbani (a collection of 24 Pauris written by Guru Nanak Ji): “Parr Parr Gaddee Ladheeahi Parr Parr Bhareeahi Sathh …………” (“You may read a cartload or a sack-full of books ……”). Study of religious tomes might make a man knowledgeable, but not a Braham Gyani. Just think to what school or academy did Satguru incarnate the blessed Nanak Patshah Ji go to study? Just look at the life-histories of all the Satguru Sahibs (the ten Satgurus) and you’ll learn this entirely true basic fact that none of them went to a university for studies. To which university did the blessed saint Kabir Patishah Ji, the blessed Baba Farid Ji, the blessed Bhagat Namdev Ji, and the other blessed saints and devotees go who attained the complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan but the Saloks of their Braham Gyan have been included in Gurbani? All these facts are proof of the truth that the outer acts are not the means to achieve the complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan. The spring of the complete Braham Gyan gushes from inside of a human being. The complete Tat Gyan emerges from inside of a human being. A human soul and brain are the real treasure-houses of the complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan. Inside a human soul (the Suksham Dehi – Suksham is part of the human souls that is the source of all energy running the senses and the physical functions of the body. This spiritual energy comes from the Sat Sarovars) the seven Sat Sarovars are the storehouses repleted with the divine treasures. All Amrit and other divine riches appear within these Sat Sarovars. All the riches of the divine supreme powers and virtues appear within these Sat Sarovars. Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar with infinite kindness has filled the human Suksham Dehi with these divine treasures. Thus in Gurbani the human soul (the “Atma”) is called as part of Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar Himself. Therefore in Gurbani the birth in human form is attributed with great significance, and is addressed as being extremely rare. This is what is implied by the words “Mat vich ratan javaahar maanik” (“Inside the mind are jewels, gems and pearls”). A common person employs only 6-9% of one’s mental capacity as one is unaware of these precious jewels, gems and pearls that Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has amassed one’s mind with. The rest of one’s mental capacity is inactive and remains unutilized. In today’s technology oriented age the greatest scientists (of the calibre of Einstein) actualize just about 9% of their mental capacity. The scientists with the greatest inventions to their name activate no more than 9% of their mental capacity. A common person therefore remains devoid of all these divine supreme powers because of one’s Sat Sarovars remaining un-awakened. But the mind of a true Baham Gyani is 80-100% active. This Gurprasad is attained after gaining complete Braham Gyan. Just think about what science has the capacity to make a human brain 100% active. This true divine essential knowledge has been benevolently provided to the entire humanity by the blessed Satguru incarnate Nanak Patishah Ji so easily in these supremely powerful words “jay ik gur kee sikh sunee” (“if you only listen to the advice of the Guru”).
The source of all the gems, jewels, rubies and pearls of the compete Braham Gyan is present inside a human being. All it takes is to light up this divinely powerful source of the compete Braham Gyan. All it takes is to reveal this divinely powerful source of the true Braham Gyan. In these divinely powerful words of “jay ik gur kee sikh sunee” (“if you listen to the advice of the Guru”) Satguru Patishah Ji has given away to the entire humanity the trick to reveal this source of the competeBraham Gyan. Just by putting “gur kee ik sikh” (“one word of advice from the Guru”) into practice all these supremely powerful divine treasure reveal themselves. That is, the practice of even a single ‘shabad’ (verse) of Gurbani is infinitely powerful to reveal these divine treasures in the Hirda of a human. The practice of a single word accomplishes the inner pilgrimage and makes Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar manifest Himself in ones Hirda. The practice of just a single shabad gives a man capability to awaken all the seven Sat Sarovars, attain the state of Sachyar in one’s Hirdha, and going into a stage where each pore of one’s body performs Simran. By practising just a single shabad one can defeat Maya, and merge with the Akal Purakh beyond the three attributes of Maya. A single shabad gets one absorbed in divinity. A single shabad gets one to the state of Samadhi. A single shabad can take one to the state of Sunn Samadhi. Therefore Gurbani confirms this truly divine elemental fact in the following words: “Ek Shabad Liv Laagee”(With one word one achieves complete focus”). Practising a single shabad is enough to get one the complete Braham Gyan, the complete Tat Gyan and the Atam Ras Amrit. Putting a single word to practice in one’s life gets one honour at Dargah. The practice of a single word in one’s life makes one a Sant Hirda (saintly-hearted). A single word’s practice makes one a complete Braham Gyani. A single word’s practice makes one a complete Khalsa (a pure soul that has obtained the Braham Gyan). The blessed Satguru incarnate Nanak Patishah Ji has described in the Mool Mantra (the Definition of the Origin) the grandeur of this divinely powerful single word and has benignly presented this truly powerful word to the entire mankind. This supremely power word is “Sat Naam” (“Truth is a manifestation of the Name of God”). The glory of this divinely powerful word is already described in the glory of Mool Mantra. Each word of Gurbani is the complete Braham Gyan in itself, and each word takes us into the depths of the Mansarovar (the eternal source of divine powers, the source of all life, Akal Purakh Himself). Putting a single word of Gurbani into practice is equivalent to committing whole of Gurbani into practice. The entire Gurbani is a form of single word only. It is praise of single word only. Each word of Gurbani is the praise of just a single word. Every word of Gurbani tells us the significance of Simran of Naam, and unites us with Naam. Being united with Naam is unification with Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar Himself. Simran of Naam accomplishes the inner pilgrimage. Simran of Naam obtains the Gurprasad for us. Practising Naam gets us the boon of the complete Bandagi. Putting Naam to practice in one’s life is the highest form of practice. Practice of Naam gets us the Gurprasad of Samadhi and Sunn Samadhi. Simran of Naam in the state of Samadhi or in Sunn Samadhi pierces our mind and victory over the mind ia achieved. Practice of Naam gets us Gyan, Dhyan and Tat Buddhi (the Tat Gyan). Simran of Naam awakens the Sat Sarovars. The practice of Naam effortlessly awakens the Kundalini Shakti (divine energy said to reside at the base of the spine, spreading into the entire body through the three energy-channels of Ida, Pingla and Sushmana, and making the corrections and purification throughout the body). Practising Simran of Naam gets one honur in the Dargah. Putting Simran of Naam into practice gets one triumph over Maya. Practice of Naam Simran cleanses one’s mind of the dirt of the lifetimes. Practising Naam Simran takes one’s Hirdha to the state of complete Sachyar where Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar reveals Himself. Practising Naam Simran obtains for us the complete Braham Gyan and the complete Tat Gyan. By putting Naam Simran into practice one reveals the gems, pearls and jewels kept in one’s mind. Practice of Naam Simran obtains us the Atam Ras Amrit. By practising Naam Simran we attain deliverance. Practising Naam Simran one merges with the eternal, infinite and becomes an eternal, infinite Hirdha in oneself. Practising Naam Simran one gets the divine boon of the opportunity to do benefactions and great benefactions for humanity. Therefore Naam Simran is the most powerful advice that the Guru has given us. Therefore it is a humble prayer to all humanity: submit yourself wholly to Naam Simran, and partake of all these divine treasures.
The blessed Satguru incarnate Nanak Patishah Ji by describing the grandeur of the true Braham Gyan tells the entire humanity how to easily attain the state of “so mai visar na jaa-ee” (“May I never forget Him”). Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar is the creator, caretaker and destroyer of the entire Creation. Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar has put all the divine and supremely powerful treasures inside the human body (Suksham). After giving us human life Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar placed these divine treasures at the seven Sat Sarovars inside our body (Suksham). He has placed all these proverbial gems, jewels and pearls in our mind. He has placed all the supreme powers inside our body(Suksham). Therefore the human life is called the finest creation of Akal Puakh. The trick to reveal all these divine treasures is to put a single word of Gur into practice. Those who perform this practice attain the state where Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar settles in each pores of the body, and is then never forgotten. Those who put this one advice of the Guru into practice are forever absorbed in the Mansarovar and become one with the Nirgun Saroop (the infinite divine power, that is beyond the three attributes of Maya) of the blessed Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar. Once such a state is attained, then Sat Par Brahm Pita Parmeshwar is not out of the mind of a human being even for a moment.