Japji Pauris 32 to 33

All the preceding Paurris of Japji preceding Paurri 32 may be taken as conditioning the mind to make efforts to be one with the Creator. Pauris 32 and 33 now provide guidance for the preparation for that union.
A common perception about God is IT’s being somewhere up beyond human reach. To be able to meet God therefore one has to rise to heights like climbing a mountain or stairs.
But God does not have a physical form and the seeker is not likely to find it on a high point physically. IT is Spirit – not like a ghost – and is within us. Japji however uses the metaphor of climbing up the steps to be with God but the steps refer to spiritual progress. The steps represent trying to understand and emulate virtues as far as humanly possible.
The process may be described thus: A person praises God’s virtues again and again. As he or she does that, understanding of the virtues develops progressively. The seeker then starts loving the One being praised and then tries to be like the latter. Guru Arjun asks a question and answers thus:
 
ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਨ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੇ ਕਿਨੇਹਿਆ ॥ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਹੁ ਮੂਲਿ ਸਾਂਈ ਜੇਹਿਆ  ੫ ੩੯੭
What type are the people who never forget God?
Have no doubt at all; they are like the Master Itself (M: 5, p 397).
 
Some faiths prescribe rituals like making offerings or reciting mantras as a means to be with God. Guru Nanak says:
 
ਤੁਧਨੋ ਨਿਵਣੁ ਮੰਨਣੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਸਾਚੁ ਭੇਟ ਬੈਸਣ ਕਉ ਥਾਉ 
ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ॥ ਤਾ ਸੁਣਿ ਸਦਿ ਬਹਾਲੇ ਪਾਸਿ  ੧ ੮੭੮
Believing in Your virtues is paying obeisance to You;
Making an offering of truthful living enables one to obtain a place in Your presence;
When a person offers prayer truthfully and in contentment without expectation;
You call such a person to be seated with You (M: 1, p 878).
We had seen in Pauri 4:
Question:
ਫੇਰਿ ਕਿ ਅਗੈ ਰਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਦਿਸੈ ਦਰਬਾਰੁ 
ਮੁਹੌ ਕਿ ਬੋਲਣੁ ਬੋਲੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਧਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੁ 
What offering do we need to make to have a vision of God’s court?
What prayer should we say hearing which we receive Divine love?
Answer:
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਵੇਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਉ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ 
Contemplate on Divine virtues in the ambrosial hours of the morning.
 
Now Pauri 32 says:
ਇਕ ਦੂ ਜੀਭੌ ਲਖ ਹੋਹਿ ਲਖ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਲਖ ਵੀਸ 
ਲਖੁ ਲਖੁ ਗੇੜਾ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ 
ਏਤੁ ਰਾਹਿ ਪਤਿ ਪਵੜੀਆ ਚੜੀਐ ਹੋਇ ਇਕੀਸ 
If instead of one tongue a person has a million and that is multiplied twenty times;
With each of them says the virtues of God a million times;
This way one climbs the steps to be with God.
 
ਸੁਣਿ ਗਲਾ ਆਕਾਸ ਕੀ ਕੀਟਾ ਆਈ ਰੀਸ 
The literal meaning of this would be:
Hearing the stories of what happens up there even the worms try to immitate.
What this means is that those who have been engaged in pursuit of lower values adopt pretense to show thay have achieved the exalted spiritual state of seeing the Almighty within. But this cannot come by deceit and one has to deserve it. This comes as grace which must be deserved by deeds. 
 
We may compare this with what Pauri 9 says:
ਸੁਣਿਐ ਮੁਖਿ ਸਾਲਾਹਣ ਮੰਦੁ 
By listening –
Even those caught in evil are motivated to praise God;
Continuing with Pauri 32:
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਕੂੜੀ ਕੂੜੈ ਠੀਸ ੩੨
Union with God is obtained by grace otherwise it is false self praise. 32.
This had earlier been stated in Pauri 6 thus:
ਜੇਤੀ ਸਿਰਠਿ ਉਪਾਈ ਵੇਖਾ ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਲਈ 
In the whole universe, let us see if any one can achieve any thing without Divine grace based on deeds;
That means whatever we do is enabled by the Divine. All deeds, good or bad are controlled by God. Even the sense to ask for something as well as the ability to give is granted through Divine grace. This also applies to life, death, authority or obtaining knowledge. 

All these apply universally, no one should therefore think he or she is any better or worse than others, there is none high or low. This is elaborated in Pauri 33:


ਆਖਣਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਚੁਪੈ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ

Speaking or keeping quiet is beyond human power;

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਮੰਗਣਿ ਦੇਣਿ ਨ ਜੋਰੁ

We can neither ask nor give on our own;

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੀਵਣਿ ਮਰਣਿ ਨਹ ਜੋਰੁ


Continuing to live or to die is not in our power;

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਰਾਜਿ ਮਾਲਿ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਰੁ

We cannot achieve authority or wealth on our own; thinking that is only making the mind restless;

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਸੁਰਤੀ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ

We have no power on our consciousness, learning or contemplation;

ਜੋਰੁ ਨ ਜੁਗਤੀ ਛੁਟੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ

The humans cannot achieve freedom from life and death on their own;

ਜਿਸੁ ਹਥਿ ਜੋਰੁ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਸੋਇ

The One who has the powers makes all these happen and then watches;

ਨਾਨਕ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ੩੩

No one is high or low, all the above apply to all. 33.

These ideas are stated thus by Guru Nanak also in Rag Gauri:

ਆਪਣ ਲੀਆ ਜੇ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਾ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਭਾਗਠੁ ਹੋਇ

ਕਰਮਾ ਉਪਰਿ ਨਿਬੜੈ ਜੇ ਲੋਚੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਣਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਆ ਸੋਈ ਸਾਰ ਕਰੇਇ

ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੀ ਖਸਮ ਕਾ ਕਿਸੈ ਵਡਾਈ ਦੇਇ ੧੮ ੧ ੧੫੬-੧੫੭

If any one can get what one wants then all would be fortunate to receive grace;

Every one may wish but it is decided based on deeds;

The Master who created also looks after all;

But we do not know of Its decisions as to whom grace will be bestowed. (M: 1, p 156-57)

Similarly Guru Arjun says in Sukhmani Sahib:

ਇਸ ਕੈ ਹਾਥਿ ਹੋਇ ਤਾ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਲੇਇ ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਕਰੇਇ ੫ ੨੭੭

If it is in the power of a human being he (or she) will take every thing he likes;

But the Divine does at It pleases (M: 5, p 277).

The balance of Japji describes how one can receive grace through good deeds and get to the Creator’s abode. Pauris 34 to 37 the five khands or realms of spiritual advancement, followed by Pauri 38 that sums it all and finally the Slok or epilogue.


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