Japji Pauri 3

Pauris 1 and 2 of Japji describe the need to obey Hukam or Divine commands which is the other name for the laws of nature. Hukam can be obeyed if we know what it is. It is not easy for an ordinary mortal to know this and hence needs guidance of the guru. Seeking this enlightenment is also the purpose of religious practices, like reading of scriptures and participation in Saadhsangat or holy congregation – some times called prayer.

A prayer is supplication made to a higher authority, the highest being the Almighty. It is human nature to link all prayer with personal ‘demands’. In other words religious practices are thought to be for seeking benedictions. People keep asking and the beneficent Master keeps giving until the recipient is no more. But this is not what religion is about. Religion is a way of life; it should teach a way such as to deserve love of the Divine. This is the subject of Pauris 3 and 4 and involves two stages. They are remembrance of almighty’s virtues for starters (Pauri 3) and contemplation looking for experience (Pauri 4).

Pauri 3 says that initially people think of the qlmighty according to the perception based on experience or contemplation. This is how:

ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਤਾਣੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਕਿਸੈ ਤਾਣੁ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਦਾਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥

Gāvai ko ṯāṇ hovai kisai ṯāṇ. Gāvai ko ḏāṯ jāṇai nīsāṇ.

(K0) someone (gaavai = sings) praises the Creator for IT’s (taan-u) powers – and someone (gaavai) prays (hovai) to have (taan-u = power) status, wealth and so on.

Some praise (jaanai = knowing) taking (daata-i) benedictions received as signs of the Almighty’s benevolence – and acknowledge it.

ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਗੁਣ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ਚਾਰ ॥

Gāvai ko guṇ vaḏi▫ā▫ī▫ā cẖār.

Some praise marveling at (chaar = beautiful) the awesome (gun) virtues and (vaddiaaeea) greatness of the Master.

ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵਿਖਮੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

Gāvai ko viḏi▫ā vikẖam vīcẖār.

Some (gaavai) pray to get enlightenment for (vidiaa = knowledge) understanding Divine virtues which are (vikham-u) difficult to understand through personal (veechaar-u) reflection/contemplation.

ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਸਾਜਿ ਕਰੇ ਤਨੁ ਖੇਹ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਜੀਅ ਲੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਦੇਹ ॥

Gāvai ko sāj kare ṯan kẖeh. Gāvai ko jī▫a lai fir ḏeh

(Ko) some (gavai) praise the Creator as one who (saaj-i) creates (tan-u = body) the creatures and then (kar-e kh-eh = make ash) destroys them – the phenomenon of births and deaths is awe-inspiring.

Some (gaavai = sing) are awed seeing IT’s powers to (lai) take (jee-a) life and (phir-i) then (d-eh = give) restore it. 

ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਜਾਪੈ ਦਿਸੈ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਵੇਖੈ ਹਾਦਰਾ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥

Gāvai ko jāpai ḏisai ḏūr. Gāvai ko vekẖai hāḏrā haḏūr.

(ko) someone – who is caught in attachments to wealth and family – (jaapai = seems, disai = is seen) perceives the Master (door-i) far away, and not watching – s/she acts by self will.

Someone who (gaavai) acknowledges the Master, (v-ekhai = seeing) perceiving IT right before him/her – s/he lives by Hukam or Divine commands.

ਕਥਨਾ ਕਥੀ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਤੋਟਿ ॥ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਕਥੀ ਕੋਟੀ ਕੋਟਿ ਕੋਟਿ ॥

Kathnā kathī na āvai ṯot. Kath kath kathī kotī kot kot.

There is no (tott-i) dearth of perceptions and (kathna) descriptions of the Master.

(kott-i = crore/ten million) countless people (kathi = say) give (kott-i ) countless (kath-i) descriptions (kott-i) of the countless virtues of the Almighty, i.e. it is not possible to comprehend the virtues and powers of the Almighty..

If benedictions are what they have in mind:

ਦੇਦਾ ਦੇ ਲੈਦੇ ਥਕਿ ਪਾਹਿ ॥ ਜੁਗਾ ਜੁਗੰਤਰਿ ਖਾਹੀ ਖਾਹਿ ॥

Ḏeḏā ḏe laiḏe thak pāhi. Jugā juganṯar kẖāhī kẖāhi.

The Almighty (d-edaa d-e) keeps giving even though the recipients (thak-i paah-i) get tired of receiving, i.e. the creatures die but the treasures of the Master never run out.

They (khaahi khaah-i = keep eating) benefit from the benedictions (juga jugantar-i) age after age, i.e. birth after birth.

Going beyond that, while the Master gives to the creatures, IT also expects them perform the roles for which they are created:

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਚਲਾਏ ਰਾਹੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ॥੩॥

Hukmī hukam cẖalā▫e rāhu. Nānak vigsai veparvāhu. ||3||

(Hukmi = one who gives commands) the Master passes (hukam-u) commands to every creature and (chalaa-e = drives) places him/her on (raah-u) path, i.e. lays down the roles for every soul.

IT (vigsai) is haapy to watch the creation but IT-self remains (v-eparvaahu) carefree – untouched by it. 3.                               

This is fascinating; the Creator makes each soul know that it is to obey Hukam but does not get involved in their execution although being present in the creation. The universe functions in a systematic manner – that is the power of the Almighty. Indeed no one is able to fully describe how IT does things.

The practice of Gaavai i.e. praising or acknowledging the Almighty Master has been elaborated in Pauri 27. It describes numerous entities in this regard. For example:

ਗਾਵਹਿ ਤੁਹਨੋ ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਗਾਵੈ ਰਾਜਾ ਧਰਮੁ ਦੁਆਰੇ ॥

The air, water, fire and Dharam Rai all do what they are meant to do.

(Dharam Rai is the metaphorical presenter in Divine court who reports the deeds of every one and the souls receive treatment accordingly.

This means doing one’s duties, or performing one’s role as expected, is the real remembrance of God. This emphasizes the age- old adage of “Work is worship” but there is a rider; the work must be to obey Hukam, not based on extraneous considerations. Accordingly, like the third Pauri the 27^th Pauri also ends with emphasizing living by Hukam, thus:

ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਕਰਸੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਰਣਾ ਜਾਈ ॥

ਸੋ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਸਾਹਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਹਣੁ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੨੭॥

The Master does as IT wills and does not receive orders from any where else;

IT is the King of Kings; IT’

s writ runs all over;

Man must live according to Its will, the laws of nature. 27.

This theme of knowing God through obedience to Hukam continues throughout SGGS. For example he fifth Guru says:

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਤਾ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਭੇਦੁ ਜਾਤਾ ॥੫॥੯॥  885

One, who understands Hukam, knows the mysteries of the Master – what IT expects from the creatures (M: 5, p 885).

The real understanding about God comes through living by Hukam, the laws of nature i.e. living naturally. Just reciting some mantras or resorting to performance of rituals like making offerings is only following the crowd. In order that Hukam can be followed one must understand it. This comes through contemplation on Naam i.e. the Divine virtues and laws of nature.

It helps demolish the wall of transitory pleasures and enables the soul to be like God again. This way the soul lovingly remembers God and is in turn blessed with Divine love to ultimately unite with God. This is the context of Pauri 4: