Sikhi is Pristine Spirituality – I

>>> Bertrand Russell was a great philosopher and free thinker; He said “that if some lucky men survive the onslaught of the third world war of atomic and hydrogen bombs, then the Sikh religion will be the only means of guiding them.” Russell was asked that he was talking about the third world war, but isn’t this religion capable of guiding mankind before the third world war? In reply, Russell said, “Yes, it has this capability, but the Sikhs have not brought out in the broad daylight, the splendid doctrines of this religion which has come into existence for the benefit of the entire mankind. This is their greatest sin and the Sikhs cannot be freed of it.<<< From the internet.

Sangat Ji,

Vahiguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Vahiguru Ji Ki Fateh

Yes indeed, we are guilty of the acts of omission. We have failed to make the Divine Light shine on the world. We listen to what other people say about spirituality and follow, ignoring what Gurbani says.

Gurbani is Agaadh Bodh, a bottomless ocean of knowledge. We should read, understand and spread the word. I am initiating a humble attempt. I request everyone to join in or point out errors or shortcomings. Let us do our bit for being Sikhs.

The basic of Sikhi is Truthful living as brought out in Japji Paurri 1, “Kiv sachiaara hoeeai, kiv koorrai tuttai paal. Hukam rajaaee chalna Nanak likhiaa naal”.

Gurbani is totally revealed, in the context of what existed in the pre-guru period followed by the message. It is not copy or imitation of others. It asks to follow what the gurus and Bhagats perceived as having come from God and rejects ideas introduced by the human ego that cause disharmony. It asks to respect all religions and says, “We are not good and none is bad”. It asks to condemn no one because the One Creator has created everyone. However, at the same time, it says beware of evil company, but harbor no enmity.

We shall hopefully evolve on the path shown by Gurbani.

Let us commence with the concept of revealed message. There are two major compositions in Gurbani on what was the situation when the Creator alone was present and the world had not come into being. Nothing that causes conflicts existed at that stage. These came with creation of the creatures. They also give the solution.

First is the Shabad “Arbad narbad dhundhookaara” by guru Nanak starting on SGGS pages 1035-36. The second is Asttpadee 21 of Sukhmani Sahib on pages 291-93.

The former has sixteen stanzas as follows, with translation in essence.

ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਅਰਬਦ ਨਰਬਦ ਧੁੰਧੂਕਾਰਾ ॥ ਧਰਣਿ ਨ ਗਗਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥ ਨਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਨ ਚੰਦੁ ਨ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਇਦਾ॥੧॥

Initially the Creator alone existed with darkness all round and made Hukam/cosmic laws. There was no earth, sky, sun or moon. The Creator was in still state, i.e. no movement.

ਖਾਣੀ ਨ ਬਾਣੀ ਪਉਣ ਨ ਪਾਣੀ ॥ ਓਪਤਿ ਖਪਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣੀ ॥ ਖੰਡ ਪਤਾਲ ਸਪਤ ਨਹੀ ਸਾਗਰ ਨਦੀ ਨ ਨੀਰੁ ਵਹਾਇਦਾ ॥੨॥

There were no life forms, air or water, no births and deaths, no celestial bodies. No water flowed in rivers to any ocean.

ਨਾ ਤਦਿ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਮਛੁ ਪਇਆਲਾ ॥ ਦੋਜਕੁ ਭਿਸਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਖੈ ਕਾਲਾ ॥ ਨਰਕੁ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਨਹੀ ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਇਦਾ ॥੩॥

No sky, space or land. No thought of Hindu or Muslim concept of hell or heaven and no births or deaths. 3.

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੀਸੈ ਏਕੋ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਰਿ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਜਨਮਾ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਦਾ ॥੪॥

There were no gods, none except the Creator existed. No women, men, castes or classes. No one to have comfort or discomfort

ਨਾ ਤਦਿ ਜਤੀ ਸਤੀ ਬਨਵਾਸੀ ॥ ਨਾ ਤਦਿ ਸਿਧ ਸਾਧਿਕ ਸੁਖਵਾਸੀ ॥ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੰਗਮ ਭੇਖੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਨਾਥੁ ਕਹਾਇਦਾ ॥੫॥

There were on celibates, donors or ascetics living in jungles. No seekers or saints living in peace. No Yogis or their leader. 5.

ਜਪ ਤਪ ਸੰਜਮ ਨਾ ਬ੍ਰਤ ਪੂਜਾ ॥ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੈ ਦੂਜਾ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਉਪਾਇ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਆਪੇ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਇਦਾ ॥੬॥

There was no chanting, austerities, fasts or idol worship. None else existed to describe the Creator who happily existed alone and knew IT’s worth/powers.

 ਨਾ ਸੁਚਿ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਤੁਲਸੀ ਮਾਲਾ ॥ ਗੋਪੀ ਕਾਨੁ ਨ ਗਊ ਗ+ਆਲਾ ॥ ਤੰਤੁ ਮੰਤੁ ਪਾਖੰਡੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਵੰਸੁ ਵਜਾਇਦਾ ॥੭॥

There were no ceremonial baths, control of senses or rosaries. There were no plays like between the milkmaids and Krishna the cowherd. No tantra, mantra or any symbolism; no blowing of conches in temples.

ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਨਹੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਖੀ ॥ ਜਾਤਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਨਹੀ ਦੀਸੈ ਆਖੀ ॥ ਮਮਤਾ ਜਾਲੁ ਕਾਲੁ ਨਹੀ ਮਾਥੈ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਕਿਸੈ ਧਿਆਇਦਾ ॥੮॥

No rituals or temptations to lure. No lineages, no attachments or entanglements messengers of death. No one worshipped anyone. 8.

ਨਿੰਦੁ ਬਿੰਦੁ ਨਹੀ ਜੀਉ ਨ ਜਿੰਦੋ ॥ ਨਾ ਤਦਿ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਨਾ ਮਾਛਿੰਦੋ ॥ ਨਾ ਤਦਿ  ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਕੁਲ ਓਪਤਿ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਗਣਤ ਗਣਾਇਦਾ ॥੯॥

No slander, father’s semen or life. No yogis. No scriptures to read or contemplate. There were no lineages created and no one claimed any status. 9.

ਵਰਨ ਭੇਖ ਨਹੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣ ਖਤ੍ਰੀ ॥ ਦੇਉ ਨ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਗਊ ਗਾਇਤ੍ਰੀ ॥ ਹੋਮ ਜਗ ਨਹੀ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਵਣੁ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਪੂਜਾ ਲਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੦॥

No castes, no garbs, and no mantras. No fire sacrifices, pilgrimages or worships of the Hindu system. 10.

ਨਾ ਕੋ ਮੁਲਾ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਕਾਜੀ ॥ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਸੇਖੁ ਮਸਾਇਕੁ ਹਾਜੀ ॥ ਰਈਅਤਿ ਰਾਉ ਨ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਕਹਣੁ ਕਹਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੧॥

No Muslim clergy or Sharia judge, no Sheikh and no Haaji. No kings or subjects no one claimed to any status. 11.

ਭਾਉ ਨ ਭਗਤੀ ਨਾ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤੀ ॥ ਸਾਜਨੁ ਮੀਤੁ ਬਿੰਦੁ ਨਹੀ ਰਕਤੀ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਸਾਹੁ ਆਪੇ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ ਸਾਚੇ ਏਹੋ ਭਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੨॥

No devotion or concept of Divine and temporal. No friends or blood relations. The Creator was alone the source of everything as IT willed. 12.

ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਨ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸਾਸਤ ॥ ਪਾਠ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਉਦੈ ਨਹੀ ਆਸਤ ॥ ਕਹਤਾ ਬਕਤਾ ਆਪਿ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਆਪੇ ਅਲਖੁ ਲਖਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੩॥

No Eastern or Semitic scriptures to read. No rise and setting of the sun. The Almighty alone spoke and saw IT-self. 13.

Note: As may be seen, nothing that could cause ego or resultant controversies between religions existed. The next final three stanzas describe the creation.

ਜਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਣਾ ਤਾ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਬਾਝੁ ਕਲਾ ਆਡਾਣੁ ਰਹਾਇਆ ॥ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਉਪਾਏ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਵਧਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੪॥

When the Creator willed, IT created the universe. Placed everything in space without support. Created the gods and with it the attraction for acting by own will. 14

ਵਿਰਲੇ ਕਉ ਗੁਰਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਸਬਾਇਆ ॥ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਅਰੰਭੇ ਗੁਪਤਹੁ ਪਰਗਟੀ ਆਇਦਾ ॥੧੫॥

Some rare person who followed the guru realized that everything happens by Hukam/the system established by the Creator. The creation began with celestial bodies; this is how the Creator manifested from un-manifest form. 15.

ਤਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚਿ ਰਤੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦੀ ਬਿਸਮ ਭਏ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੬॥੩॥੧੫॥

No one knows the extent of virtues and powers of the Creator. This awareness comes from the perfect guru. Those imbued with love of the Eternal become ecstatic and praise/obey the Creator, says Guru Nanak. 16.

This is pristine spirituality, i.e. conformance to the Divine consciousness present in everyone.

We shall next see how Sukhmani Sahib explains the same thing.