After having somewhat described the indescribable Creator’s virtues, the creation and the relationship between them Japji now brings us near the ultimate in spirituality – to be one with the Creator even though the latter is formless. Union with the Creator is the opportunity provided to the human birth and should be availed of.

However before actually taking us on that ascent Guru Nanak mentions a group of people whose group name suggests they have achieved that union. They are the Yogis. The term is derived from Yoga which means union.. They are the devotees of Shiva who keeps his body covered with ash as a sign of humility and purity.

All those in pursuit of spirituality realize that succumbing to temptations is a major impediment in that path. Temptations are experienced by the senses and the resultant desires are also sought to be satisfied by them.

The Yogis use symbolism to show how they overcome desires and advance spiritually. Such practices have been referred to in Gurbani and commented upon.

Guru Nanak taught a practical approach to life. He refers to the Yogis’ practices, takes them as metaphors, advises to transcend rituals and symbolism and adopt a realistic approach. This is covered in Pauris (stanzas) 28 to 31 of Japji.

As has been done earlier in Japji there is a common ending for these Pauris which emphasizes the eternal nature of God. The Yogis believe in the multiplicity of Hindu gods and Rishis or sages. As a salutation for them the Yogis use the word Aades which may be taken as obeisance. Guru Nanak says we should worship and pay obeisance to only one God. The lines common to the four Pauris are:

ਆਦੇਸੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੨੮॥

My salutation and obeisance is to One,

Who is (aad-i) the beginning of all but IT-self (anaad-i) without a beginning (aneel)

unstained i.e. free from worldly attachments, (anaahat-i) indestructible and (eko = one, v-es = garb/state) unchanging through the ages.

In the verse above the word ‘Aneel’ is a derived from ‘Neel’ meaning blue. Aneel would then mean ‘which is not blue’. However in general terms it may be taken as one not colored by any worldly attachments like us mortals.

All the Pauris therefore keep the unity of God in focus when discussing the practices of the Yogis.

The Yogis are taught that to be one with the Divine one has to kill desires and give up attachment to material things. They use physical symbols to exhibit what they mean. For example they pierce their ears and wear rings on them to show they have pierced desires. They do not work to earn saying they have broken with the material world and beg going from place to place. They wear garments made from rags and rub ashes on their bodies to show they have given up ego. A Yogi carries a staff as a sign of yogic powers or Siddhis. These practices are addressed in the first two lines of Pauri 28. There are more practices covered in this and the succeeding three Pauris as we shall see.

Pauri 28 says:

ਮੁੰਦਾ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸਰਮੁ ਪਤੁ ਝੋਲੀ ਧਿਆਨ ਕੀ ਕਰਹਿ ਬਿਭੂਤਿ ॥

ਖਿੰਥਾ ਕਾਲੁ ਕੁਆਰੀ ਕਾਇਆ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਡੰਡਾ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ॥

Instead of (munda = ear-rings) piercing your ears, cultivate contentment;

(Saram = toil) work hard to earn rather than carry (pat-u) a begging bowl or (jholi) bag for begging;

One should (Dhian) contemplate on Divine virtues rather than smear your body with (bibhoot) ash;

Be conscious of (kaal-u) death rather than wear (khintha) a garment made of rags;

(Kuaari = unmarried/un-attached, kaaiaa = body) Replace the rituals by not letting the body do any thing evil;

Be (parteet) conscious of Divine powers instead of carrying (ddandda) a staff to show your powers.

There are twelve tribes of Yogis one of them being Aaee Panth which has no conflict with any other. This helps in keeping the Yogi’s mind away from ego which is difficult when in conflict. Pauri 28 says that the principle of togetherness should be adopted in respect of all people not only the Yogis. That requires controlling the mind and that one who can control the mind can conquer the world.

ਆਈ ਪੰਥੀ ਸਗਲ ਜਮਾਤੀ ਮਨਿ ਜੀਤੈ ਜਗੁ ਜੀਤੁ ॥

O Yogi following the Aaee Panth example be one with (sagal jamaati = all classes) all people;

Thus (jeetai = conquering) controlling the mind from ego one can conquer (jag-u) the world.

ਆਦੇਸੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੨੮॥

My salutation and obeisance is to One,

Who is (aad-i) the beginning of all but IT-self (anaad-i) without a beginning (aneel)

unstained i.e. free from worldly attachments, (anaahat-i) indestructible and (eko = one, v-es = garb/state) unchanging through the ages. 28.

The yogis call their food ਭੁਗਤਿ – Bhugati and the one who distributes food is called ਭੰਡਾਰਣਿ – Bhandaaran. They also play a musical instrument and call the sound as Naad which means sound as a metaphor for celestial sounds. Their head is Gorakh Nath, Nath meaning Master. They exhibit occult powers by way of miracles. Meeting or getting together is called Sanjog – union and parting as Vijog or Viyog – separation. Guru Nanak expresses his views on these thus in Pauri 29:

ਭੁਗਤਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਦਇਆ ਭੰਡਾਰਣਿ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਵਾਜਹਿ ਨਾਦ ॥

ਆਪਿ ਨਾਥੁ ਨਾਥੀ ਸਭ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਰਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਅਵਰਾ ਸਾਦ ॥

ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ਵਿਜੋਗੁ ਦੁਇ ਕਾਰ ਚਲਾਵਹਿ ਲੇਖੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਭਾਗ ॥

Let (giaan) awareness of Divine virtues be your (bhugat-i = food) sustenance for the soul, i.e. guide in life, and let it be given with (daiaa) compassion;

Identify (naad) the celestial sound as life (ghatt-i ghatt-i) in every being;

The Creator alone is the Master – not Gorakh Nath – who has every one (naathi ) leash on the nose; (every happening is under IT’s control);

Exhibition of (ridh-i saidh-i) occult powers (avra saad = other taste) leads one away from the Creator;

(Sanjog) Union with the Divine or (vijog) separation is decided by IT and is based on (bhaag) earned grace;

ਆਦੇਸੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੨੯॥

Explained earlier.

According to Hindu mythology three gods manage all creation with Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the sustainer and Mahesh/Shiv who delivers justice. Pauri 30 refers to this as illusion and explains:

ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥

ਇਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਲਾਏ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥

ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਚਲਾਵੈ ਜਿਵ ਹੋਵੈ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ॥

ਓਹੁ ਵੇਖੈ ਓਨਾ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਬਹੁਤਾ ਏਹੁ ਵਿਡਾਣੁ ॥

The literal translation of these lines would be:

One mother by some method delivered and three disciples are accepted;

One creates, the second is the holder of stocks of materials and the third holds court;

But it is the Almighty  Creator who (chalaavai) makes things happen as IT (bhaavai) pleases and (hovai phurmaan) orders.

IT sees the creation but they (nadar na aavai) cannot see; that is (viddaan) the difference.

It is interesting that the mother is not shown to have delivered offsprings but disciples. That is to say Maaia or illusion drives this concept. However as seen from later lines every thing happens as the Creator pleases. Seen in perspective we could understand the above lines thus:

The concept of the three gods in Hindu mythology is an illusion,

They are three disciples or servants who represent Divine functions of creation, maintenance and justice;

Every thing happens as the Divine likes and commands;

The difference is that whereas the Divine sees what happens they cannot.

ਆਦੇਸੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੩੦॥

Explained above.

Where is the abode of the Divine and where are the resources stocked and how are they replenished? Pauri 31 answers:

ਆਸਣੁ ਲੋਇ ਲੋਇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥
ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਸੁ ਏਕਾ ਵਾਰ ॥

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਸਿਰਜਣਹਾਰੁ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੇ ਕੀ ਸਾਚੀ ਕਾਰ ॥

The Creator is present every where and so are (bhandaar = stocks) the resources;

Every thing has been provided (eka vaar) once for all;

The Creator (kar-i) creates and (v-ekhai0) watches,

This is the eternal Master’s eternal virtue.

The last two lines may be compared with a similar line in Pauri 27:

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸ ਦੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥

It created and having created, watches the creation; this is Its virtue;

ਆਦੇਸੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੩੧॥

Explained above.

These four Pauris tell us that one does not get rid of the temptations in life by wearing symbols. The Creator is pleased by deeds and not symbolism. We read in Sukhmani Sahib

ਰਹਤ ਅਵਰ ਕਛੁ ਅਵਰ ਕਮਾਵਤ ॥ ਮਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਗੰਢ ਲਾਵਤ ॥
ਜਾਨਨਹਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭੇਖ ਨ ਕਾਹੂ ਭੀਨ ॥

Some people pretend some thing but practice differently;

They do not love God from their hearts but try to impress people by mere talk;

But omniscient Master knows it all;

It is not impressed by pretense (M: 5, p 269).

There should be no gap between profession and practice. The subsequent Pauris of Japji lead us on that path.