Raj tam sat kal tayri chaea. Janm marn haumai dukh paea. Jes no kerpa karay
Har gurmukh gun cauthai mukat krae(n)da.
P.1038
Guru Amar Das says something similar when he mentions that
trai gun is
maya moh -
attachment to maya, and it is the gurmukh who attains cautha pad.
Traigun maya moh hai gurmukh cautha pad pae. P.30
qRY gux mwieAw mohu hY gurmuiK cauQw pdu pwie Ò
According to Guru Ji a
gurmukh recognizes this fourth stage – cautha pad
ceenai. This stage is beyond the influence of trai gun and the gurmukh resorts to
naam semran
and enjoys sukh – sukh hoi.
Gurmukh hovai cautha pad ceenai Ram naam sukh hoi. P.604
gurmuiK hovY cauQw pdu cInY rwm nwim suK hoeI Ò
Naam semran
and bhagti are synonymous with one another and the influence
of traigun can be eliminated only by bhagti. It seems strange or unusual how bhagti
can enable one to proceed to the
cautha pad stage. Bhagti exerts a tremendous pull
on the mind of the devotee towards spiritual perfection. According to Guru Nanak
Dev the destruction of the influence of trai gun – trai gun maytay, and the
attainment of the fourth stage is the result of bhagti. Guru Ji describes this as nerari
– unusual.
Traigun maytay cauthai vartai ayha bhagt(i)
nerari. P.908
The nine openings of the body, i.e. nasal passages, eyes, ears, mouth and
excretory organs,referred to as
chedar in chapter 15 are also described as duar /
darvaajay, meaning entrances. Nine duar are visible. The mind is referred to as
dasva(n) duar.
This duar is not visible and is deemed locked because of the mind’s
preoccupation with trai gun maya. But it can be opened with the aid of Gurbani.
When
Gurbani is used as a key to open this duar - dasvai(n) duar kunji jab deejai -
then only can one meet the
dyal Prabhu - tau dyal ko darsan keejai. When the mind
becomes preoccupied with Gurbani the dasva(n) duar opens up. Maya moh now fails
to lock out any spiritual pursuits. One gets emancipated from the vekaar tendencies
of the nine duar. Bhagat Kabir mentions it thus.
Dasvai(n) duar kunji jab deejai tau dyal ko darsan keejai.
P.341
Guru Amar Das states that when the nine openings are shut out to the
influences of
maya - nau dar thaakay, and the wandering mind gets controlled -
dhaavat rahaa-ay,
one settles down in the real home - nej ghar vaasa paa-ay, at the
feet of the Lord. This is the dasva(n) dar.
Nau dar thaakay dhaavat rahaa-ay. Dasvai(n) nej ghar vaasa paa-ay. P.124
When the fourth stage is attained the
dasva(n) duar opens and the devotee
enjoys spiritual bliss. The mind does not wander at all. It is as though the pendulum of
a clock becomes still. This is what is called sehaj. Bhagat Ravedas talks about what is
experienced at this stage. It is as though one resides in a place – thau –where there is
no worry – andoh. There is no dukh at all and sukh prevails everywhere. There are no
frustrations – tasvees, no desire to own property – maal, and no tax –kheraaj – to
pay. There is no fear –khauf – of any sin – khata, and there is no fear of losing
anything – na tars jwaal. This peaceful reign – paatsahi – is for ever – kaem daem.
All are equal and there is no dom saym – second or third class. All are rich – gani, and
contented –
maamoor. Bhagat Ji describes this as baygam pura – a town where there
is no gam – worry.
Baygampura sehar ko nau. Dookh andoh nahi teh thau. Na tasvees kheraaj na
maal. Khauf na khata na tars jwaal…………… Kaem daem sada paatsahi. Dom na
Bhagat Kabir says that in this stage of mind there is neither any desire to live
nor is there fear of death. There are no feelings of
dukh sukh – na dukh sukh beapai.
There is absolute stillness –
sunn smaadh, with thoughts focussed on the Lord only.
There are no thoughts of mine thine – do-oo teh nahi. This exalted state of mind is
unique – nerari – in that no comparison is possible and it is beyond description –
akath katha.
Jeevan merat na dukh sukh beapai sunn smaadh do-oo teh nahi. Sehaj ki akath
katha hai nerari.
P.333
Guru Amar Das refers to
dasva(n) duar as dasva(n) akaas, akaas meaning
sky. According to Guru Ji a gurmukh experiences sehaj and his mind is always in the
dasva(n) duar
stage.He is not influenced by maya moh and does not fall into maya
moh sleep – oongh. Hunger – bhukh – for maya does not bother him. He experiences
spiritual bliss – sukh vaas – because of the presence of the spiritual life giving amret
naam in the mind. Dukh sukh does not affect him owing to the spiritual enlightenment
in his aatma – aatam Ram pargaas.
Gurmukh antar sehaj hai man carea dasvai(n) akaas. Tethai oongh na bhukh
hai Har amret naam sukh vaas. Nanak dukh sukh veapat nahi jethai aatam Ram
pargaas. P.1414
This
sehaj state can only be attained by those on whom the Lord showers His
grace –mehar. He, who is thus blessed, retains the guru’s teachings via the sabad in
his heart - gur ka sabad red antar dhaarai. He parts company with the kaamadaks –
panc jana seu(n) sang nevarai, and keeps his ten endrays under control – das endri
kar raakhai vaas. In this way enlightenment develops in his aatma. Guru Arjan Dev
says:
Gur ka sabad red antar dhaarai. Panc jana seu(n) sang nevarai. Das endri
kar raakhai vaas. Ta(n) kai aatmai hoe pargaas.
P.236
Guru Ji mentions that the person who has attained the
sehaj state and sings the
praises of the Lord in the company of saadh sang feels as though loud music from
five different types of musical instruments – panc sabad – is continuously going on
within him. Such gurmukhs enjoy bliss – sookh anand, and they attain the sehaj state.
They remain free of ailments and anxieties – rog sog, and do not suffer transmigration
– nahi janm marn
Panc sabad teh pooran naad. Anhad baajay acraj besmaad ………Sookh sehaj
anand bhavn. Saadh sang bais gun gaaveh teh rog sog nahi janm marn.
P.888
This music, referred to in the foregoing quote, is not played by anyone and as
it goes on continuously it is described as
anhad dhuni. It produces a surprisingly
strange state of mind – acraj besmaad. The gurmukh who hears this sound – naad –
hears it as
pooran naad i.e. loud and clear. Guru Nanak Dev in Japji, hymn No.29,
mentions that this naad is present in all bodies – ghat ghat vaajeh naad.
This
naad can be regarded as divine music or eternal song which cannot be
heard by manmukhs because of haumai. But those who have attained the cautha pad
can hear it clearly. Guru Arjan Dev in the following quote says that His mind has
been won over by this
anhad dhuni which has extraordinary tastes - acaraj / acraj
swaad.
Anhad dhuni mayra man moheo acaraj ta(n) kay swaad. P.1226
Guru Amar Das describes the
sehaj state of mind as something which is
desired by all – sehjai no sabh locdi, but it cannot be attained without the guru - ben
gur paea na jae.
Sehjai no sabh locdi ben gur paea na jae. P.68
In the same
sabad Guru Ji goes on to say that only by attending
wholeheartedly to the sabad, sehaj is realized – sabday hi tay sehaj oopjai, and the
ever lasting Lord is attained – Har paea sac soe. It is in this sehaj state that one
acquires peace of mind and spiritual happiness – sukh saant hoe. The tongue – rasna
– savours the taste of naam – Har ras khae. Without sehaj life is worthless – jeevan
baad.
Sabdai hi tay sehaj oopjai Har paea sac soe ……… sehjai hi tay sukh saant
hoe, ben sehjai jeevan baad………Sabday hi Har man vasai rasna Har ras khae. P.68
Continuing the discussion of
sehaj Guru Ji adds that by seeking the saran of
the Sac Lord and with the attainment of sehaj, fear of death is destroyed – kaal
vedarea.
Sehjay kaal vedarea sac sarna-ee pae. P.68
Guru ji goes on to point out that
sehaj cannot come about by getting engrossed
with activities pertaining to traigun maya – trehu guna vec sehaj na pa-ee-ai. One
goes astray – bharm bhulae – with no end to repeated births and deaths.
Trehu guna vec sehaj na pa-ee-ai trai gun bharm bhulae.
P.68
iqRhu guxw ivic shju n pweIAY qRY gux Brim Bulwie Ò
Guru Ji further mentions that without
sehaj there is darkness – gubaar –
caused by attachment to
maya and everyone acts blindly – sabh andh hai.
Ben sehjai sabh andh hai maya moh gubaar. P.68
ibnu shjY sBu AMDu hY mwieAw mohu gubwru Ò
In another part of
Gurbani Guru Ji says that the minds of those people who
constantly dwell on the naam – naam ratay, become beautiful – ranglay. They attain
the sehaj state of mind because of the Lord’s bhagti. The bhagti colour is fast and
never fades – rang na utrai.
Nanak naam ratay say ranglay gur kai sehaj subhae. Bhagti rang na utrai
sehjay rahai smae.
P.85
According to Guru Ji
sehaj avastha and love for the Lord bring about a shower
of the amret naam jal within an individual.
Amret varsai sehaj subhae.
P.119
In this connection it is worth noting Guru Nanak Dev’s remarks that the noble
naam
essence – Har naam rasaen - is attained as a result of acquiring sehaj avastha,
i.e.
sehaj aath.
Har naam rasaen sehaj aath. P.1170
On attainment of the
sehaj stage the mind settles in the nej ghar – the real
home. The mind turns its attention inwards and discovers the abode of the Lord within
oneself. At this stage the mind does not wander , it enjoys spiritual bliss, and there is
no more fayra – transmigration. Guru Arjan Dev says:
Nej ghar mehal paavuh sukh sehjay bahur na hoego fayra.
P.13
inj Gir mhlu pwvhu suK shjy bhuir n hoiego Pyrw Ò
Guru Nanak Dev’s
sac khand stage described in the 37th hymn of Jap Ji is the
same as the cautha pad, sehaj avastha, nej ghar and baygampura.
Guru Nanak Dev in
Sedh Ghost Bani says that it is extremely difficult to
escape the influences of trai gun maya. Eliminating their grip on us is like chewing
iron –saar. But by acquiring the saran of the Guru and by following His teachings
implicitly, one can with the resultant illumination in the heart from the Lord’s light –
jot,
succeed in this seemingly impossible task. The jot is nerantar - without a break /
gap. It exists everywhere without any gap or break.
Gurmukh jot nerantar pa-ee. Trai gun maytay kha-ee-ai saar.
P.940
Talking about overcoming the effects of
maya Guru Arjan Dev says that the
person who is blessed by the Lord with spiritual strength –bal – withstands the
onslaughts of maya and its kaamadak warriors. As a result of the Lord's kerpa the
spiritual strength that has been bestowed by the Lord can now be maintained and
sustained whatever the temptations. That which earlier could not be tolerated and
sustained - ajar - now becomes jar / jarai. The Lord through His kerpa enables one to
bear it - jaraa-ay aap. Such a person is regarded as highly srayshat – noble. He is
poora pardhaan
and earns respect.
So poora pardhaan jes no bal dharai. Jeseh jaraa-ay aap soi ajar jarai.
P.958
Attacks of
maya in the form of vekaars and various temptations are difficult
to resist because of a weak spiritual situation. He who succumbs to them suffers
aatmak maut.
But the Lord’s kerpa and the guru’s saran changes this situation. The
mind becomes strong enough to resist these attacks and succeeds in keeping the nine
endrays – nau kul –
in control, and prevents them from falling into vekaars. What was
ajar
earlier now becomes jar / jarai i.e. the weak spiritual situation which could not
resist vekaars earlier now acquires strength to prevent the mind from succumbing to
their temptations.
Ajar jarai ta(n) nau kul bandh.
P.1289
The word
jar also means old age and the Lord is referred to as ajar because
He is not affected by old age. In the following quote by Guru Arjan Dev the word
jarai / jarn
means to retain in the heart. The person on whom the Lord Beethal
showers His blessings succeeds in
Har Har ajar jarn – succeeds in retaining in his
heart the ajar Lord’s naam.
Ja(n) kau bha-eo kerpaal beethla ten Har Har ajar jarn. P.1206
Guru Nanak Dev suggests that one should perform
ardaas requesting the Lord
Jag Jeevan
to shower His mehar / kerpa on the individual – nadar karuh. This would
enable the devotee to get across the world ocean – nestaara.
Nanak sehaj melay Jag Jeevan nadar karuh nestaara. P.489
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The End of Instruction is the Beginning of Practice.
Begum