Gurus Understanding Mool Mantar

[SIZE=+2]Mool Mantra[/SIZE]
Ik onkar, satnam, karta purakh, nirbhau,
Nir vair, aakaal murat, ajooni se bhang,
Gur parsaad. Jap. Aad sach jugaad sach,
Hai bhi sach naanak hosi bhi sach.

Dear luv4u, before starting a topic one should post his/own views on the topic rather than cutting and pasting the stuff. Presenting you own views on the topic would give the readers a clear vision as what you want to understand on the topic. Please take care.

In nutshell the Mool mantra is summed up as follows.
ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Ik oankar satinamu karta purakhu nirbhau nirvairu akal murati ajuni saibhan gurprasadi
translates to One Supreme Being, Truth is His name; the Creator Primal Being; Without fear and Without Enmity, the Timeless Verity, Un-incarnated and Self-Existent, known through His grace.[(GG. Pg 1)]

Oankar is a variation of the mystic monosyllable Om (also known as anahata nada, the unstruck sound) first set forth in the Upanishads as the transcendent object of profound religious meditation.

Guru Nanak prefixed the numeral one (ik) to it making it "Ik Oankar" or "Ekankar" to stress GOD's oneness. GOD is named and known only through GOD's Own immanent nature.

{for detailed discussion refer:http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/essays-on-sikhism/15076-god-in-sikhism.html]


As said Guru Tegh Bahadur, Nanak IX, "He has himself spread out His Own "maya" (worldly illusion) which He Himself oversees; many different forms He assumes in many colours, yet he stays independent of all" (GG, 537).

God is Karta Purakh: the Creator-Being. He created the spatial-temporal universe not from some pre-existing physical element, but from His own Self. Universe is His own emanation. It is not "maya" or illusion but is real (sat) because, as say Guru Arjan, “True is He and true is His creation [because] all has emanated from God Himself” (GG 294). But God is not identical with the universe. The latter exists and is contained in Him and not vice versa. God is immanent in the created world, but is not limited by it. “Many times He expands Himself into such worlds but He ever remains the same One Ekankar" (GG, 276). Even at one time "there are hundreds of thousands of skies and nether regions" (GG, 5). Included in Sach Khand (Realm of Truth), the figurative abode of God, there are countless regions and universes" (GG, 8). Creation is "His sport which He Himself witnesses, and when He rolls up the sport, He is His sole Self again" (GG, 292). He Himself is the Creator, Sustainer and the Destroyer.

What is the Creator's purpose in creating the universe? It is not for man to enquire or judge the purpose of His Creator. To quote Guru Arjan again, "The created cannot have a measure of the Creator; what He wills, O Nanak, happens" (GG, 285). For the Sikhs, the Creation is His pleasure and play "When the showman beat His drum, the whole creation came out to witness the show; and when He puts aside his disguise, He rejoices in His original solitude" (GG, 174, 291, 655, 736).


That God is "nirbhau" (without fear) and "nirvair" (without rancour or enemy) is obvious enough as He has no "sarik" (rival). But the terms have other connotations, too. Nirbhau not only indicates fearlessness but also the absence of fearfulness. It also implies sovereignty and unquestioned exercise of Will. Similarly, nirvair implies, besides absence of enmity, the positive attributes of compassion and impartiality. Together the two terms mean that God loves His handiwork and is the Dispenser of impartial justice, dharam-niau. Guru Ram Das, Nanak IV, says: "Why should we be afraid, with the True One being the judge. True is the True One's justice" (GG, 84).

God is Akal Murat, the Eternal Being. The timelessness involved in the negative epithet akal has made it popular in Sikh tradition as one of the names of God, the Timeless One, as in Akal Purakh or in the slogan Sat Sri Akal (Satya Sri Akal). One of the most sacred shrines of the Sikhs is the Akal Takhat, the Eternal Throne, at Amritsar. Murat here does not mean form, figure, image or idol. Sikhism expressly forbids idolatry or image-worship in any form. God is called "Nirankar", the Formless One, although it is true that all forms are the manifestations of Nirankar. Bhai Gurdas, the earliest expounder and the copyist of the original recension of Guru Granth Sahib, says: "Nirankar akaru hari joti sarup anup dikhaia (The Formless One having created form manifested His wondrous refulgence" (Varan, XII. 17). Murat in the Mool Mantra, therefore, signifies verity or manifestation of the Timeless and Formless One.

God is Ajuni, Un-incarnated, and Saibhan (Sanskrit svayambhu), Self-existent. The Primal Creator Himself had no creator. He simply is, has ever been and shall ever be by Himself. Ajuni also affirms the Sikh rejection of the theory of divine incarnation. Guru Arjan says: "Man misdirected by false belief indulges in falsehood; God is free from birth and death. . . May that mouth be scorched which says that God is incarnated" (GG, 1136).

The Mool Mantar ends with gurprasadi, meaning thereby that realization of God comes through Guru's grace. "Guru" in Sikh theology appears in three different but allied connotations, viz. God, the ten Sikh Gurus, the enlightened ones and enlighteners, and the gur-shabad or Guru's utterances as preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib. Of God's grace, Gurus' instruction and guidance and the scriptural Shabad (Sanskrit, sabda, literally 'Word'), the first is the most important, because, as nothing happens without God's will or pleasure, His grace is essential to making a person inclined towards a desire and search for union with Him.

Extracted from adopted :http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/essays-on-sikhism/15076-god-in-sikhism.html]

Dear Aman ji,
I have noted your message for future compliance , Sorry that it caused you incoinvenience.

Understanding 'one' and 'many'

The above posts have been reproduced from a standard source of Wikipedia . This is assumed to be the stated position Of the Almighty. We all accept this.


1. It is the main theology Of Sikhism unless contrary to the above is proved.

2. Bhai Gurdas writes, "By writing 1 (one) in the beginning, it has been shown that Ek Oankar, God, who subsumes all forms in Him is only One (and not two or three)" The number one also affirms identity and not void or shunya.


Analysis Of Number ‘One’


The definition of formlessness will be fine if one can always imagine something existing in space and constantly creating and assuming different shapes and forms all the times so that one cannot say with certainty as to what is the exact shape and form at one point of time howsoever, small that may be. Sikh religion can be believed to be Monistic i.e. the view in metaphysics that reality is a unified whole and that all existing things can be ascribed to or described by a single concept or system.[one may make further investigations by investigating terms like monotheism,Transdental, Immanence etc, that fits into while dealing with Godhead and attrubutes.]

Number One and problem Of formlessness


The number ‘One’ should, essentially, go against the philosophy of formlessness and the thinking patterns that we are attuned to. Even to say that He is ‘One’ in himself will lead it to imagine some form. Mind is free to visualize this. If there is ‘one’, It must have some association with some form. Human mind is capable of imagining something concrete that we call as ‘one’. The sheer fact that something is ‘one’ cannot make it otherwise, leads one to assume that ‘one’ has to has some form so that ‘one’ becomes meaningful. It has to be ‘one’ and cannot be nil [Shunya]. One is also not an abstract number. [Considered apart from concrete existence].

Conceptualizing Formlessness


On the other hand there has to be something opposite to ‘one’ like i.e. ‘infinite’. If something is infinite it can still be contained in ‘one’ provided that the ‘one’ itself changes so quickly that ‘rate of change’ is too high that the exact shape and form cannot be glimpsed by human mind at any point of time when the ‘rate of change’ is being observed. The range of ‘rate of change’ of the entity varies from ‘one’ to ‘infinity’. It is the limitation put upon by us on our mind only that we can’t have an idea of infinity in the present context. Surely, we cannot define infinity in finite expressions but mathematics give some answers to reach approximations in terms Of numbers. ‘One’ can definitely contain in itself the ‘infinite’ in terms of approximation of assuming a thing or substance of which that ‘one’ is composed of to be changing all the times that our mind can detect. It shall stand the logical test. Human Body along with its organ and parts and minutest of cells and tissues, is the finest example that can best describe the concept that is self creating and constantly changing entity and that contains itself in itself all the times, We all know but we cannot express. Human body, thus, fall in the class of an entity that has form and yet is formless as it is also constantly changing with every moment. [However, human body is not the cause of all the cause and will not be categorized as something divinely, but it is the best possible example of defining something that is one and is composed of many and is constantly changing.]


Analysis Of Human Body as an example Of Formlessness

It is for the human mind to make something fit into the definition to conceptualize a thing that is constantly changing at such a fast rate that one cannot imagine the exact shape of the thing at one point of time as the number of forms that exist at that point of time will not be or cannot be caught by the human intellect. Yes, anything superior to human mind and is so ‘Sukshm’ [fine] that human mind and intellect looks too much of a ‘Gross’ in terms of conceptualization. What human mind can analyze is ‘Gross’ and that which cannot be analyzed will be ‘fine’. ‘Fine’ is essentially considered as the cause of ‘Gross’.

To reach the level of something that is so ‘fine’ one must take one’s intellect to the level of something that is so ‘fine’ or ‘finer’ than the thing that one is studying or analyzing ,in the present case we are trying to encapsulate the ‘one’ who has many forms at one point of time and it has also one form . It is obviously not very easy to define and state in human language but one can always conceptualize something ‘one’ that may seem to have some/many forms and yet may be changing so fast and may exist in many forms and yet may still be in ‘one.’ We can conceptualize. Such an ‘entity’ can be imagined by human mind. One can reach at the approximate form/forms/ of this entity.

However, if this is susceptible to be even imagined by human mind it shall be against the SGGS ji. Hence I abandon the idea of further investigating into the matter.



In fact, entire nature is the best example of being defined as one and yet containing no shape and yet so many shapes that it cannot be defined of any form as at any particular moment nothing is static and everything is changing.


The emphasis is that human mind is capable of reaching the level of imagination as to the ‘one’ who may be ‘one’ and yet may be ‘many’ and may be formless at any particular point of time as it might be undergoing a change all the times. It is like a constant flow of water in a river between two points of study. The entire mass of water is being constantly replaced by new mass of water. However, on the face of it, it appears that it is not so. There can be so many examples that one can think of.

This is the magic Of number one.

I had problems of solving this i.e ‘one and yet so many’. It is the way I solved the things for myself and may be it helps. May be it is helpful to you as well. I do not know. I have never expressed myself in this manner. would like to be forgiven if something has irritated you.

The Mul Mantra, the Root Mantra, is the only cure for the mind; I have installed faith in God in my mind" - SGGS page 675

Ik Onkar

Every religion, system of philosophy, or group of human beings in general are engrossed in speculating about the origin of the world, universe, or universes as they see it.

The concept of eternal reality and its attributes are enunciated in Gurbani in a very precise manner in the Mool Mantar in Japu ji at the very beginning of Guru Granth Sahib. In terms of economy of words and intensity and concentration of philosophical concepts there is a very clear pattern in Gurbani. The very beginning of Gurbani in the form of Mool Mantar and Japuji presents a highly intense emphasis on theological concepts. As one moves forward there is exposition of the individual aspects in individual Sabads and long compositions such as Sukhmani, Sidh Gost, Oankar, Anand etc. Cosmogonical concepts are further elaborated in the Vaars at the end of each Rag in the Pauris of these Vaars[1].

He is the sole God, Ik , or Ek Oan Kar. 'Om ' has a special significance in various religions especially Hindu. One can trace the origin of Om in various ways. However, many scholars have some point of view whether the word contains ‘Om’ or not and how actually it is to be pronounced.[2] There are difference of views as to how to pronounce it. One may refer to the interesting discussion at the followings addresses:

Quote

“Dear Gursikhs,
One thing which is really confusing me is the very First Word of Our Guru Granth Sahebji and that is Ek Oankaar or is it Ek Omkaar.
Whether we may like it or not Guru Nanak Devji has taken the preachings of many Scholars of all religions.
OM is the most powerful word in the universe.
By saying OM each & every part of our Body is active.
Try it yourself.
Cause if we are not following the very first word of our Guru than where are we heading for? Posted by Gursikh of Universe”

Unquote


Please see:The Voice of Sikh Youth > Is It Ek Oankaar Or Ek Omkaar

And also :
quote

“this is very deep subject-

please listen to gyani thakur singh ji japji sahib audio vaikhiya - 1-5 files. this is explained in detail there.

http://www.gurmatveechar.com/katha.php?k=gts” .

Unquote

Om, as stated above is of significance to the Hindus. It is sometimes written as ‘Aum’ .It represents the three Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ in itself means Brahman[3]. It has been stated by the scholars that Guru sahibann pre-fixed ‘Ik’ and suffixed ‘kar’ to the word ‘Om’. This was done to state monotheism in the Sikhs religion. The SGGS begins with Ik Oan Kar – Only one God. The philosophy differentiates from the philosophy of the Hindus as well where it is stated to be following one god and many a times many gods and goddesses. There is a reference of this in SGGS ji as well.

Ik Oankar pharase has a long legacy in Indian philosophy apart from being the 'Beej Mantar' in Sikhism and at the biginning part of the ‘Mool Mantar’ and indeed that of Guru Granth Sahib ji.
As against the rest of he Gurbani, or the general writings of religious personages, a mantar is highly concentrated and philosophically dense symbol or phrase that displays the same concepts or aspects of God or a deity as the writer is attempting to portray in a larger corpus. It is in this context that in Gurbani, the ‘mool mantar’ or the first sentence of Guru Granth Sahib attempts to depict the various aspects of God in about half a dozen word pairs such as Sati-Naam, Karta-Purkh, Nir-bhau, Nir-Vair, Akal-Murti Ajooni-Saibang. Such a Mool Mantar tradition goes back to the Vedic times or even beyond. Whereas, further on in Japuji, each sentence conveys one idea, in mool mantar each word pair does the same[4].

Beej Mantar

However, in Beej Mantar i.e. Ik Oankar Guru Nanak Dev ji goes an order of magnitude higher in the sense that this pair of symbols (one a numeral and another a letter of alphabet) manages to convey most of the aspects of God in just these symbols.
There would be a difference Of opinion as to whether the above Oankar really contains Om or Aum. This is yet to be resolved.In absence of any clarity it would be important to see as to how Om and Aum stand in relation to the Godhead.
====================================================================================
[1] ttp://www.sikhnet.com/Sikhnet/discussion.nsf/All+by+Date/e7a41a235fc1861d87256ba10061a53e?Open
[2] The word 'O-ankaar' denotes that God manifests Himself ceaselessly throughout His creation in diverse forms, features and colours, and in this way becomes knowable to us. But, in spite of manifesting in such diverse forms, God remains One; He is immanent in His creation, while being at the same time transcendent. This God is at once one and many, implying unity in diversity. Kapur Singh suggests Oan = Transcedent, -kar = Immanent. The Mandukopanishad defines the word as: "That which was, is, will be, is all Onkar. And that which triple transcends is Onkar too."
[3] Brahaman means: God
[4].Re: Eg Kon KarRe: Eg Kon Kar[http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/discussion.nsf/All+by+Date/DF9BD972E0EECEB5872565AA0054FF5D?OpenDocument]

luv4u said:

The Naam (SHABD), the Name of God is the only medium available to us for approaching Him. The Naam actually is a combination of five words (which are the names of five supernatural heavenly places which fall on the way when the soul is starting towards the SACHKHAND) which only a true Guru can give to his disciples. All who get Naam from the Guru have to concentrate at one point in their mind and recite the Naam in their mind without actually uttering it.

Click to expand...

Dear luv4u, can you elaborate it a little more, in the context of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, please. Or am i missing something?

Dear Gurupyare jeo,

The answer to your question can be found in the Bani Of Guru Nanak Dev ji in Jap ji sahib.The khands are the stages of spritual achivements of a seeker .These are not physical states or places. The following are the extracts that I have prepared for the mutual benefit. We can explore it further if desired. However, looking at the relevance in the context itmaynot be very advisable. I am quoting below the concept part only. You may kindly like to elaborate it further by giving your input as well.

Five Khands

FIVE KHANDS or Panj Khand literally means as follows: Panj = five and khands = regions or realms. These signify in the sikh tradition the five stages of spiritual progress leading man to the Ultimate Truth. The supporting text is a fragment from Guru Nanak Dev ji Bani , of Jap ji sahib [Pauri](Stanzas) 34 to 37.

The Five Realms described in the Bani are:
1. Dharam Khand: the realm of righteous action (pauri 34),
2. Gian Khand: the realm of knowledge (pauri 35),
3. Saram Khand: the realm of spiritual endeavour (pauri 36),
4. Karam Khand: the realm of grace, and
5. Sach Khand: the realm of Truth (pauri 37).
The concept of the spiritual journey running into several stages is found in other religious traditions as well. The number of stages and the nomenclature may vary, but the broad features of the journey remain the same.

The seven muqamat of the Sufis, the eight angas of Patanjal Yoga, the five kosas of Vedanta and dash bhumis of Buddhism run on parallel lines though they are embedded each in a different cultural milieu.

The Panj Khands in the JapJI sahib delineate the different stages of spiritual ascent tracing the evolution of human consciousness on different planes involving man’s thought, emotions and action. Though Guru ji does not explicitly deal with these transformations and only touches upon the core characteristics of each stage (khand), yet the emphasis on one aspect does not exclude the others. In each stage, the status or position of the individual is set forth in a social setting. The seeker is not conceived of as a recluse or ascetic: social obligations and moral qualities form an essential core of the spiritual path. The empirical mind is first emancipated from the grip of desire and purified by a rigorous moral discipline. When it learns to stand still, it is brought to the Divine Portal which it can enter only with the divine grace. There it finds itself face to face with the Truth Eternal, i.e. God.

The above material is taken from Sikhi wiki . You may kindly refer to Paudis as referred to above. Being a learner I am subject to be corrected.

Regards as usual.

I am giving below some references that appear in the source document for your further investigation. If you happen to get hold of some kindly share with us as well. I shall not be able to elaborate further. The reference to 'Panch shabad' as 'five primal sounds' can be found In SGGS ji.

References
Primary source Document is as follows. You may kindly refer to it for a fuller exposition as there are many sub-links or in line links. It shall be helpful for increasing knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mul_Mantra

The best source could be Macauliffe ,M.A., The Sikh Religion that is not available in India. It is widely referredto by the scholars and the researchers.

• Macauliffe, M.A (1909). The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus Sacred Writings and Authors. Low Price Publications. ISBN 81-7536-132-8.
• Shackle, C (1981). A Guru Nanak Glossary. School of Oriental and African Studies. ISBN 0728602431.
• Singh, Dalip (1999). Sikhism in the Words of the Guru. Lok Sahit Prakashan. ISBN B0000CPD3S.
• Singh, Dr. Gopal (1962). Guru-Granth Sahib Vol.1. Taplinger Publishing Co.. ISBN.
• Singh, Dr. Santokh (1990). English Transliteration and Interpretation of Nitnaym Baanees, Sikh Prayers for English Speaking Sikh Youth. Sikh Resource Centre. ISBN 1-895471-08-7.
• Osho (1994). The True Name, Vol.1 : Discourses on Japji Sahib of Guru Nanak Dev. New Age International(P) Ltd. ISBN 81-224-0606-8.
• Dr Sahib Singh, D Lit (Jan 1972). Shiri Guru Granth Sahib Darpan. Raj Publishers (Regd), Adda Husharpur Jallundhar.

Dear Gurupyaara jeo,

Daas would be grateful if you could take up the Job of expanding upon the term and expression ' Ik Onkaar' as this term needs little indepth study that has not been done to the extent that should have been done. You may kindly let me know through a private message if you are willing to do the same.

Expecting a positive response.

Thanks

Dear luv4u jeo, thanks for thr response.

I know about Khands as Guru Nanak Dev Ji has mentioned in JapJi Sahib. And I have no question at all about Ek Onkaar as I am satisfied with MoolMantra, no further exploration is required on that term from my part. God is one and so do I believe, no questions on the rest of the attributes of God either. I believe in Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

My question is still lingring. your statement was "The Naam actually is a combination of five words". So what five words are you talking about? If these are related to khands- how and why and what these words will do? Does each word takes you through each realm-What do you mean by that? "which only a true Guru can give to his disciples. " Our Guru is Guru Granth Sahib Ji, i hope we agree on this. So as a Gursikh brother I am only asking for clarification of your statement, just to understand the concept you are explaing to Sangat. I am a part of SPN Sangat, so I guess I may ask. If you only looking for Wah Wah(positive response), I dont know, I am not finding much deserving that.

let me repeat myself: What five words you are talking about? And if they come from a true Guru, Where this concept is mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji? That will be all for now. And I dont think anything is supposed to be secretly disscussed in Gursikhi, We dont need to depend on private message for this. This is Gurbani Vichar, open to all. This is the beauty of our faith- nobody can keep secrets- so nobody can be made a fool by anybody. Everything should be according to the Word-Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Dear Gurupyaare jeo,

1.
The above exposition has been taken from a source stated above. You may also look into it. I am no one to explain any new concept to anyone. Your question to 'elaborate ' was put only in a round about manner and hence I had given the above answer related to Khands that I thought would be helpful.
2.
I have no answer to answer you about the 'five words in relation to khands' as my knowledge is fairly limited.
3.
It would not, however, to mean that I discard the above as well, as my knowledge is limited. You may like to enlighten further if you are sure Of some thing that the above can be disacrded as it is wrong or incorrect.
4.
I also agree that SGGS ji is our Guru and that also living Guru and you are a participant of SPN. I am not sure if 'sangat' is an appropriate term.
5.
How to interpret these five words in relation to the khands is something that one shall have to explore after analysing 'Panch Shabads' and it may take some time.
6.
If you happen to know some thing you may kindly share with us as well. Even if you discard it as well kindly say it, if you do not, kindly say it again so that we can know that you are genuinely interested in learning and teaching that is mutual understanding. I am sharing that I am learning .The fact that I am not able to answer does not entitle me to discard it as well. It all depends upon one's search and research and ability to interpret only.
7.
I also note that you will not like to participate in the active manner as you have declined the offer to do some work on' Ik Onkar' that seems to seriously puzzle me. Anyway It is your prerogative.
8.
Daas is not to look in for 'wah ..'wah'' from any body. If He has something for us and blesses us with it shall be our destiny.

During my search and reasearch If I come across any answer it shall be known to you.

Best Of Luck

Ik Onkar –
A reflection : Is It a full word or derived / Altered from OM
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
I am sharing the following with the readers.

Ik Onkar and some views and Bij Mantra[1]

Guru Nanak's concept and vision of the Supreme Being is embodied in terse terms in the Sikh Fundamental Creed, Mool Mantra, literally meaning the Root Formula. Because of its importance as a basic theological declaration around which revolves the whole Sikh philosophical thought, it is most appropriately placed in the very beginning of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. It affirms in unequivocal terms Guru Nanak's uncompromising belief in monotheism. In the original the text read as:
"Ek Onkar Satnam Karta Purush Nirbhau Virvair Akal Murat, Ajuni Saibhang Gurprasad(i)"

The English rendering would approximate to:

There is One and only One God who is transcendent as well as immanent. True and Eternal Name. Creator and Person. Without Fear and without Enmity. Timeless Form, Unborn, Self-existent. Realized by Divine Grace.

Bij Mantra and SGGS ji

Besides Mool Mantra there is another term Bij Mantra (Seed Formula) which is occurs in Guru Arjun's composition 'Sukhmani' (Pearl of Peace). The original text where it appears runs as:

Bij Manter sarab ko Gyan. Chahu Varona meh japey kou Naam."
It's English version is:
All can be enlightened with Bij Mantra. Anyone from four castes can meditate on it.
It may be noted that this is entirely in contrast to the traditions of the caste ridden Hindu society wherein the lower castes are not entitled to benefit from enlightenment of Mantras for meditation, etc.
The term Bij Mantra signifies any word or phrase out of which develops a prayer meant to be meditated upon or chanted to invoke Divine blessing.

Almost all the Sikh scholars and theologians are unanimous in recognizing Ek-Onkar as theBij Mantra out of which has emanated Guru Nanak's vision of the Supreme Being in the form of Mool Mantra. That is why it stands majestically at the head of the Mool Mantra and forms its integral part[2].

It is constituted of two components - Ek and Onkar. Ek means one, and is written as a numerical figure '1'. Onkar stands for the Primal mystical Divine Name of God referred to as Brahma in the Vedic literature. In order to grasp fully the underlying spiritual significance and meaning of Ek-Onkar each of its components needs to be studied in depth, beginning with Onkar.
Onkar contains ‘Om’ Hindus Most Powerful mantra[3].
The root of Onkar is traceable to the Hindu sacred syllable Om, also written as Aum. Historically, in the beginning, Om was used as a reply of approval or consent. It is equivalent to the English word 'Amen' uttered at the end of a Christian prayer, meaning 'so be it'.

At a later stage, with the evolution of Indian philosophic thought, the sages of Upanishads pronounced it as an adequate symbol of the Absolute Transcendent Reality, Brahma. It is considered as the unity of all sound to which all matters and energy are reduced in their primordial form, hence fit as a symbol for Atman (soul) or Brahma, the Supreme Being, which is the unity of all existence. These - and possibly some other - considerations led the Vedic sages to accord to Om the highest Divine reverence and worship. As a very sacred and powerful Mantra it forms part of daily worship and meditation by Hindu devotees. It is treated as the holiest symbol of Divinity calling it Nada Brahma or Shabda Brahma in the form of sound.
Its nearest equivalent in the West is Logos[4] or the 'Word'. St. John's Gospel expounds it thus:

"in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The Word was the true light that enlightens all men!
Written in original,it is composed of three letters of Sanskrit alphabet, corresponding to A U M of English alphabet. According to the polytheistic tradition of Hinduism it also represented the Hindu Trinity, each letter standing for one of the deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
This, is obviously, was not acceptable to Guru Nanak whose concept of God was based on unalloyed monotheism. His was One and Only One Supreme Being, an Indivisible Entity. This belief in the unity of God he has re-iterated in various ways in his other compositions as well. At one place he emphatically affirms,

Sahib mera Eko hai, Eko hai Bhai, eko hai.
In English:

'My Master is One, One only, Oh Brother, He is Sole.'

So Guru Nanak's revealed Scripture place numerical figure '1' before Onkar thus enhancing his firm conviction in the unity of God. Its main importance and underlying significance lies in the fact that one is not represented by 'one' in words, but by a numerical figure '1'; thus completely eliminating any possibility of words being given different meaning. It was Guru Nanak's own inspired vision that transformed AUM into Ek-Onkar[5] representing the Supreme Being, the Sole Absolute Eternal Reality which, while manifesting itself in multiplicity as Onkar, is still in its essence 'Sole and Absolute'; Transcendent as well as Immanent. Impersonal is also Personal in Ek-Onkar.

By the large, Sikhs worship 'Waheguru' as God's name for constant remembrance by repetition aloud or Sotto Voce. In Sikh parlance, this is known as 'Naam Simran'. There are, however, many a Sikh who also meditate upon and use Ek-Onkar for 'Naam Simran'. Like 'Waheguru' this is also considered to be a powerful Mantra for achieving spiritual progress and Divine Grace for final emancipation of the individual soul.
In conclusion, it can be said that Ek-Onkar is the true symbol of Sikhism given to us by Guru Nanak based on his spiritual experience and inspired vision at the very inception of the Sikh faith. [End Of the article.]
==============

My View about ‘Ik Onkar’


Our scripture do not contain the significance as to origin Of ‘Ik Onkar’ as no explanation is found in the SGGS ji or the commonly read sikh scriptures. Sikhism do have some coomon conepts like soul, Law Of Karma etc, that are also found in Hinduism but Sikhism rejects the Hinduism and is a separate religion in itself. Sikhism rejects even Gita. It is the most popular scriptural reference to Soul and Rebirths etc. I am reproducing extracts [relevant portion] Of Rehat Maryada[6].

Sikh Rehat Maryada :

Views About ‘Onkar’

As per ‘Rehat Maryada’, a sikh is not to accept Vedas and Upnishadas and smiritis. The Rehat Maryada is explicit and unambiguous in this regard.

In this case I beg to differ that ‘Onkar’ is really is derived [and is altered] from ‘Om’ that is stated to be one Of the most powerful Mantra Hindus. For them it is like the Mool Mantra and Guru-Mantra. I am reproducing the extracts of the Sikh Rehat Maryada, for the benefit of Reference purposes.

In My humble opinion it should be an independent word meaning the same as is meant to address the Almighty the Creator and should not be considered as any derivation/alteration /modification Of ‘Om’.

Article XVI
“A Sikh's living, earning livelihood, thinking and conduct should accord with the Guru's tenets. The Guru's tenets are:

a. Worship should be rendered only to the One Timeless Being and to no god or goddess.

b. Regarding the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib and the ten Gurus' word alone as saviours and holy objects of veneration.

c. Regarding ten Gurus as the effulgence of one light and one single entity.

d. Not believing in caste or descent untouchabililty, Magic spells, incantation, omens, auspicious times, days and occasions, influence of stars, horoscopic dispositions, Shradh (ritual serving of food to priests for the salvation of ancestor on appointed days as per the lunar calendar), Ancestor worship, khiah (ritual serving of food to priests - Brahmins - on the lunar anniversaries of death of an ancestor) (Two words, shradh and khiah, occuring in this clause connote what appears to be the same thing - the ritual serving of food to the priests (Brahmins). The difference between the connotations of the two words is implicit in the dates on which the ritual is performed. The ritual of serving of food on the lunar anniversary of the death goes by the name khiah; whereas the ritual of serving food on the lunar date corresponding to the date of death during the period of the year designated shradhs is known as sharadh.) pind (offering of funeral barley cakes to the deceased's relatives), patal (ritual donating of food in the belief that that would satisfy the hunger of a departed soul), diva (the ceremony of keeping an oil lamp lit for 360 days after the death, in the belief that that lights the path of the deceased), ritual funeral acts. hom (lighting of ritual fire and pouring intermittently clarified butter, food grains etc. into it for propitiating gods for the fulfilment of a purpose), jag (religious ceremony involving presentation of oblations), tarpan (libation), sikha-sut (keeping a tuft of hair on the head and wearing thread), bhadan (shaving of head on the death of a parent), fasting on new or full moon or other days, wearing of frontal marks on forehead, wearing of thread, wearing of a necklace of the pieces of tulsi (A plant with medicinal properties, Bot, Ocimum sanctum.), stalk, veneration of any graves, of monuments erected to honour the memory of a deceased person or of cremation sites, idolatry and such like superstitious observances (Most, though not all, rituals and ritual or religious observances listed in this clause are hindu rituals and observances. The reason is that the old rituals and practices, continues to be observed by large numbers of Sikhs even after their conversion from their old to new faith and a large bulk of the Sikhs novices were Hindu converts. Another reason for this phenomenon was the strangle hold of the Brahmin priest on Hindus' secular and religious life which the Brahmin priests managed to maintain even on those leaving the Hindu religious fold, by the his astute mental dexterity and rare capacity for compromise. That the Sikh novitiates included a sizeable number of Muslims is shown by inclusion in this clause of the taboos as to the sanctity of graves, shirni etc.)

Not owning up or regarding as hallowed any place other than the Guru's place- such, for instance, as sacred sports or places of pilgrimage of other faiths.

”Not believing in or according any authority to Muslim seers, Brahmins' holiness, soothsayers, clairvoyants, oracles, promise of an offering on the fulfillment of a wish, offering of sweet loaves or rice pudding at graves on fulfillment of wishes, the Vedas, the Shastras, the Gayatri,(Hindu scriptural prayer unto the sun) the Gita, the Quaran, the Bible, etc. However, the study of the books of other faiths for general self-education is admissible.’”

[Emphasis added by the author]

e. The Khalsa[7] should maintain its distinctiveness among the professors of different religions of the world, but should not hurt the sentiments of any person professing another religion.

Issues to be addressed

Issues For which reconciliation Is sought for. I have stated them to be problems as these are problems for me and I am sure it shall not be for many of my learned friends.

Problem No. 1

If Sikhs are not to believe in these Holy books of other religions it makes no sense to me as to why ‘Onkar’ is supposed to comprise ‘Om’ [or its altered form] as one of its word in the Bij Mantra. I am forced to believe that ‘Onkar’ does not and should not contain the word ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ as is usually read and presented in some other posts of this forum. It should thought to have an independent meaning by way Of a full word and should be totally independent of ‘om’ or its altered form. Even if 1 is pre-fixed to Aum, its altered form would be reflective Of the acceptance of the word taken from the Aum/om and then changed, and it can hardly be the intention Of Guru Sahibaan.

Meaning Of Ik onkar by Dr. Sahib Singh ji,

1-ie`k[ E-EAM[ > -kwr[

‘E’ sMsik®q dw Sbd hY[ Amr koS Anuswr ies dy iqMn ArQ hn:-









iehnW ivcoN ikhVw ArQ ies Sbd dw ie`Qy ilAw jwxw hY-ies ƒ idRVH krn leI Sbd 'EN' dy pihlW '1' ilK id`qw hY[ ies dw Bwv ieh hY ik ie`Qy 'EN' dw ArQ hY 'auh hsqI jo iek hY, ijs vrgw hor koeI nhIN hY Aqy ijs ivc ieh swrw jgq smw jWdw hY['

Problem No. 2


The following lines also suggest that there is admission Of the fact that Vedas and Puraan etc, were created from the one ‘word’ of The Name of Almighty. Guru Sahibaan could not have rejected these as the creation Of any thing from the ‘word’ is supposedly be pious. I am not able to link the above two and hence would not be in a position to reconcile the conflicting self created arguments. Someone may kindly throw light.

byd purwn isMimRiq suDwK´r ] (262-11, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
The Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, the purest of utterances,
kIny rwm nwm iek AwK´r ] (262-11, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
were created from the One Word of the Name of the Lord.

Problem No. 3


The Sikh Rehat Maryada is formulated by SGPC as the religious cum administrative body. One is free to practice any ‘Nam’ and ‘Simran’ like ‘Mool Mantra’ which is recommended in SGGS ji .

As SGGS ji does not contain the reference of Guru Mantra ‘Waheguru’, it should not be mandatory although SGPC recommends it for meditation or allied purposes as it might have appeared in ‘Varan’. Further, there is a reference that a ‘Khalsa’ should remember ‘waheguru’ and a sikh should ‘Satnaam.’[ I do not have the source of the above citation , but a serious search can be made to locate the same and the same would be posted ,if required when available.]

Why such a difference has been made and what is the definition Of ‘Khalsa’ in this context. These are some of the stray queries that has cropped up while dealing with this and the other posts.

Problem 4

The following verses contain the reference to Bij Mantra. However, how to source out its origin is not clear to me. May be it appears in some scriptures other than SGGS ji.[ In nutshell how to make out that Ik Onkar is a bij Mantar]

bIj mMqRü srb ko igAwnu ] (274-16, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
The Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra, is spiritual wisdom for everyone.
chu vrnw mih jpY koaU nwmu ] (274-16, gauVI suKmnI, mÚ 5)
Anyone, from any class, may chant the Naam.


Problem 5

How do we arrive at the definition Of Khalsa? The term, as per my search, appears only in one line of Kabeer Sahib as follows:

khu kbIr jn Bey Kwlsy pRym Bgiq ijh jwnI ]4]3] (655-1, soriT, Bgq kbIr jI)
Says Kabeer, those humble people become pure - they become Khalsa - who know the Lord's loving devotional worship. ||4||3||

It should, as per my intellect, should appear in Dasam Granth ji. I shall be grateful if I am enlightened.


E & OE, I shall edit it if there are mistakes.

=========================================================
[1]http://www.sikhs.org/art1.htm [Souce Document, Kindly refer for complete article]


[2] Bij Mantra has appeared in SGGS in Sukhmani Sahib.

[3] Title Added by the author.

[4] Not discussd by the author in the present post.

[5] Author::The meaning Of Onkar is not clearly given by many authors/interpreters/commentators.

[6] One can refer to the full text as is available on the various sites.

[7] What is the definition Of Khalsa as per scriptures.

luv4u said:

Dear Gurupyaare jeo,

1.
The above exposition has been taken from a source stated above. You may also look into it. I am no one to explain any new concept to anyone. Your question to 'elaborate ' was put only in a round about manner and hence I had given the above answer related to Khands that I thought would be helpful.
2.
I have no answer to answer you about the 'five words in relation to khands' as my knowledge is fairly limited.
3.
It would not, however, to mean that I discard the above as well, as my knowledge is limited. You may like to enlighten further if you are sure Of some thing that the above can be disacrded as it is wrong or incorrect.
4.
I also agree that SGGS ji is our Guru and that also living Guru and you are a participant of SPN. I am not sure if 'sangat' is an appropriate term.
5.
How to interpret these five words in relation to the khands is something that one shall have to explore after analysing 'Panch Shabads' and it may take some time.
6.
If you happen to know some thing you may kindly share with us as well. Even if you discard it as well kindly say it, if you do not, kindly say it again so that we can know that you are genuinely interested in learning and teaching that is mutual understanding. I am sharing that I am learning .The fact that I am not able to answer does not entitle me to discard it as well. It all depends upon one's search and research and ability to interpret only.
7.
I also note that you will not like to participate in the active manner as you have declined the offer to do some work on' Ik Onkar' that seems to seriously puzzle me. Anyway It is your prerogative.
8.
Daas is not to look in for 'wah ..'wah'' from any body. If He has something for us and blesses us with it shall be our destiny.

During my search and reasearch If I come across any answer it shall be known to you.

Best Of Luck

Click to expand...

Dear luv4u jeo, thanks for the reply. As far as I understand from Gurbani- Panch Sabad Dhun(Anhad) Sound that happens by itself without any instruments- actually this happens after all the five senses are absorbed in God instead of the mayaaavi Sansaar- the state of ultimate detachment carries the unstruck melody(panch sabad teh puran naad).

So how a person can know about something before experiencing it. Have you experienced it?

A Point Of View:
CONCEPT OF NAM (DIVINE NAME)[1] and Mool Mantra
[ Note : I have added sub-headings and the notes only , I shall suggest that the full article may kindly be referred to @ the URl given at the note. The reader may kindly opine as to Nam is more important or Mool Mantra[2]. Gurbani has a reference to Mool Mantra in SGGS ji.]
According to Gurmat, before the creation, God lived Absolutely by Himself, Formless. When He made Himself manifest, He first formed Himself into NAM (Divine Name) and then created Nature. After creating Nature, He did not go away from it, rather He sustained His creation with His Own presence into it, and felt delighted.
"Aapinai aap sajio aapinai rachio Nao
Dui kudrat sajiai kar asan ditho chao."
(Asa Mohalla 1- pauri 1, p-463)
"God created Himself and assumed Name
Second besides Himself He created Nature
Seated in Nature He watches with delight what He creates."
(Translation of the above)
Nam: Basic Concepts
1) NAM (Divine Name) and God are not two different entities. Nam is just another aspect of the Almighty, still Formless. Nam is the total expression of all that God is. Nam sustains everything:
"Nam sustains and controls all beings
Nam supports the universe and its regions."
(Gauri Sukhmani Mohalla 5, 16-5, p-284)
Nam : Is their a special name Of God
2)Nam is not expressed as mere noun and it does not mean[3] that there is a special name of God [4] and by enchanting of which, one will meet Him. He is Infinite and can be called with infinite names, but who can count His infinite names? The enlightened and the blessed ones remember Him through His Attributes:
"Tav sarb nam kathai kavan
Karm nam barnat sumat."
(Guru Gobind Singh- Jap Sahib)
God’s Name SAT
3) God may be called by countless names by the devotees, who create these names according to the attributes of their Godhead, but the first and the foremost name of God is clearly depicted as 'SAT' (Eternal Truth) which shows the ever-existence of God:
"Kirtam nam kathai terei jihba
Satnam tera pra purbla."
(Maru Mohalla 5, p-1083)
Nam: A mystic word
4) The word NAM is a mystic Word used in practical religious life and in discipline of meditation. God is remembered by His attributive names. There is another aspect of it called true Name which emanates from a prophet's personal experience. It emerges from a vision that the Prophet has of the Divine Being. Such a mystic Word in Sikh religion is called 'Waheguru[5]' or Wonderful God or 'Thou art Wonderful'. True Name is not the word by which we describe an object, but the total power, quality and character of Reality. Through the word 'Waheguru' the prophet has tried to sum up mystic power and experience of His presence all around. Prophets have given us Divine Names of the nameless God, which reflect His presence in our consciousness. Contemplation or meditation on true Name (Waheguru) is called practicing the presence of God in one's conscious.
Gurbani Is a Nam
5) Gurbani (Divine Word) itself is NAM.
a) Gurbani itself is Nam:
"Gurmukh bani nam hai, nam ridai vasaie."
(Sarang ki Var-pauri, p-1239)
b) The term 'Nam Japo' means to remember God and to invoke His presence in one's conscious. All modes of meditation take the devotee into the presence of God, but according to Gurbani, Hari Kirtan, the musical recitation of Gurbani, is the super form of meditation. It invokes one's consciousness to the maximum level, into the presence of God:
"Har kirat utam Nam hai vich kaljug karni sar."
(Kanre ki Var Mohalla 4, p-1314)
c) The Gurmat explains that the recitation of the word 'Har Har..' is Nam Japna:
"Har har har har nam hai gurmukh pavai koei."
(Kanre ki Var Mohalla 4, p-1313)
d) Salvation cannot be attained without Nam. In other words anything that delivers salvation is Nam. Since Gurbani delivers salvation, therefore, Gurbani is Nam:
"Sachi bani mithi amritdhar
Jinh piti tis mokhdwar."
(Malar Mohalla 1, p-1275)
'The True Bani is sweet-nectar
Whosoever is devoted to it, attaineth salvation."
(Translation of the above)
"Sachi bani sion dhare piyar
Tako pavai mokhdwar."
(Dhanasari Mohalla 1, p-661)
'Whosoever devoted to Eternal Bani
Will get deliverance."
(Translation of the above)
It is therefore, very clear and evident that any form of recitation of Gurbani, may be simple reading with attention and devotion or meditation on any Sabad of Gurbani or Kirtan of Gurbani, is fully deemed as Nam Japna (meditation on Nam),that is to invoke the presence of God in one's conscious.

Gurmat And Naam
It may be mentioned here that there are small sects who mislead the innocent Sikhs on the subject of Gurbani and Nam. These sect leaders very emphatically say to the innocent Sikhs," Gurbani says that one must meditate on Nam, but Gurbani is not Nam. Come on, we will give you Nam." Then they whisper in their ears some broken sentence of Gurbani which they call Nam, and warn them not to tell any one; if ever they disclose this Nam to any one, some curse will fall on them. In this way they run their cults (shops). Thus, innocent Sikhs and others are lured and misled into their fold. The Sikhs should, therefore, be very careful from such sects. Those who try to say that Gurbani is not Nam, they are either misguided or are deceitful.
According to Gurmat (Guru's teaching), Gurbani is everything:
Gurbani is Nam: "Gurmukh bani Nam hai.."
(Sarang ki Var-pauri, p-1239)
Gurbani is Guru: "Bani Guru, Guru hai Bani..."
(Nat Mohalla 4, p-982)
Gurbani is Nirankar:"Wauh wauh bani nirankar hai Tis jiwad avar na koi."
(Slok Mohalla 3, p-515)
'Wauh wauh Bani is the Formless One
There is none as great as He."
(Translation of the above)
Gurbani is every Nad and Ved:
"Sabh nad beid gurbani Man rata sarang pani."
(Ramkli Mohalla 1, p-879)
Naam Leads To Eternal Bliss
Nam that ultimately leads a person to Eternal Bliss. For God consciousness, one must come in contact with Nam, but without Guru[6] one cannot attain Nam and would wander away in the darkness.
"Were a hundred moons to appear
Were a thousand suns to arise
There would still be utter darkness
If there were no Guru."
(Asa di Var, Mohalla 2, p-463)
"Let no one in the world remain in doubt
That it could ever be possible to be saved without the Guru."
(Gaund Mohalla 5, p-864)
"In this age of falsehood, Nam lieth hidden
Though the Lord filleth all hearts,
The Jewel of Nam becomes manifest in the hearts of only those Who resort to the Guru's refuge."
(Parbhati Mohalla 3, p-1334)
"All repeat God's Name, yet He is not attained
But when through the Grace of the Guru
God comes to reside in the mind
It is only then one's life becomes fruitful."
(Gujri Mohalla 3, p-491)
CONCEPT OF GURU
A yogi asked Guru Nanak who his Guru was? He replied,"The Word is Guru." God anointed Guru Nanak with His Word, His Wisdom (Logos), and the Guru's whole personality was Word-personified. The Guru made it very clear that his human body was not the Guru, and the mere outward glimpse of the Guru, or the outward profession of faith in him, could not bring the disciple close to the Guru. The light of the Word within his heart was the real Guru and the disciple should approach him with a receptive mind to receive His Light.
=====================================================
[1][adopted from]
http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/introduction/fundamentals-of-sikhism.html [just click and or cut-- paste]

[2] Author’s Note only.

[3] Author is not sure Of this.aspect

[4] There is a reference to Waheguru In the article as well.


[5] I do not have the reference for this. Readers may Like to post their opinions. It might have an entry in secondary scriptures/books Like Bhai Gurdas ji’s Vaaran.

[6] It is the author’s presumption that Guru would mean SGGS ji as we do not have any concept Of Living Guru. Readers and other members may kindly post their comments as well. I want to make it clear that it is an article that I liked and hence sharing with you. I enjoyed this and hope that you will also.

Second View Of Mool Mantra.
Some interpretors believe that the Mool Mantra is upto the words 'Hosee bhee Sach'. Accordingly the mool mantrain that case would be as follows:

The Mool Mantar (literally, the root verse; the first hymn composed by Guru Nanak) sums up the basic belief of the Sikhs. Guru Granth Sahib begins with the Mool Mantar. Every Sikh is expected to recite it daily. The English translation is given below:
Ik Onkaar
Sat Naam
Karta Purkh
Nir Bhau
Nir Vair
Akaal Moorat
Ajooni
Saibhang
Gur Parsaad Jap
Aad Sach
Jugaad Sach Hai Bhee Sach
Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach

There is only one God
His Name is Truth
He is the Creator
He is without fear
He is without hate
He is beyond time (Immortal)
He is beyond birth and death
He is self-existent
He is realized by the Guru's grace.
Chant and meditate:
True in the primal beginning
True throughout the ages
True here and now
O Nanak
Forever and ever true

I wanted to put in a table form. However, I could not format. May be someone out there at the web can do the necessary formatting, if considerd fit.

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/interfaith-dialogues/14983-ek-ong-kaar-kaur-mystical-process.html

By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur - The Mystical Process of the Divine as described in the Mool Man

By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur - The Mystical Process of the Divine as described in the Mool Mantra.


When talking about Divinity, sometimes we look outside of ourselves to discuss and define God. The Creator becomes, through our own conversations, everything a human is NOT. All-powerful. All-knowing. All-seeing. All-loving. All-kindness. It is as if we humans have taken certain experiences that give us a sense of comfort, that give us a sense of security on the earth; and projected their most perfect and continual expression on a Divine Being who can do and be everything we would most like to be, but aren’t.

When Guru Nanak talks about Divinity, his language, his perception, his vision is so all encompassing that Divinity intermingles with and provides the foundation for everything in the Universe. It is the secret ingredient that gives rise to our human experience. Every single aspect of being human, whether we ourselves would judge it as “good” or “bad” is embraced as part of the Divine. It’s a union. A yoga – if you can forgive the word – between finite perception and Infinite expression. The duty we have in our human body, Guru Nanak tells us, is to simply allow ourselves to become aware of this truth, and to live in a state of gratitude for it. That’s all.

Guru Nanak gave the Mool Mantra as the essence of the Sikh teachings. Recently, while meditating on it, it dawned on me how inter-dependent the phrases of the Mool Mantra really are. For a long time the Mool Mantra seemed to me a group of adjectives describing the experience of Divinity. But like a seed that breaks open to create roots – what I saw was that the Mool Mantra is not just a description. It defines a process through which we can become aware of the reality of the Divine inside us. Each line describes a state of consciousness. And understanding that state becomes a pre-requisite to developing an understanding of the state of consciousness described in the next line.


Ek Ong Kaar

One Spirit Beyond
Moves within the Creation-
Coordinating
Consolidating
Continually
Creating

To keep the Creator separate from the Creation is not the way of Guru Nanak. To see them in a joyful play, intermingling, evolving, finding new expressions of Itself – that is his gift to us. “God” is not out there somewhere – pulling strings or watching in judgment. The Divine dwells inside every molecule as a Living Force, constantly expressing myriads of forms, though all forms are ultimately unified in the One.

Most people’s search for Spirit begins in an external way – and so Guru Nanak gives us at the beginning a compact definition of the Force that Runs the Entire Universe. It is One – Ek. Is has vibration, sound – Ong – and from sound, from vibration it express itself in form – Kaar. But the Oneness and the sound and the form are merged in every moment, in every thing – continually playing together. A current runs through the entire Creation. And like children playing with paints, Ek Ong Kaar never creates the same picture twice.


Sat Naam

And this Spirit
Within me
Is my True Identity.

If I can accept what Ek Ong Kaar means – then I must also accept the Presence of the Divine within myself. Perhaps –I do not always see or feel that Presence. But Guru Nanak tells us – it is that Divine Presence within us that is our real identity. Our real name. Our real existence. What I see myself as today, “a 38-year-old woman, Sikh, grew up in South Jersey, loves to read, likes chocolate, etc.” is a very temporary thing that will change as I age, or vanish as soon as my breath leaves my body. But beyond these definitions, these stored memories, opinions and tastes of a lifetime – there is a Presence, a Life, a Spirit that will keep going. This Presence is part and parcel of the play of Ek Ong Kaar. And that is my True Identity. Sat Naam.


Kartaa Purakh

It Does All
And Causes All
To be Done.

It Protects me
Through all incidents
Of Time and Space.

This line takes a bit of subtlety to understand. Because in the previous two phrases, Guru Nanak describes first the Power that runs the entire Universe. Second, he shows that this Force behind all of Creation lives inside of my own self, as well. And then what he would like us to understand is that this Power – which flows through all of Creation and flows through me – Does everything and Protects everything.

This line may be difficult because it is difficult to believe that the Divine is the Doer. Our mind tells us that, “I am the doer. I am the one who is acting. I am the creator. I am the manipulator. I am the one who can move things and create my life as I want to. I am.” The moment the mind hears that it is NOT the doer, it protests, creates doubts, arguments, becomes defensive and storms around. The mind can become competitive with Divinity, and try to prove that it IS the doer, it IS the protector – and nothing is greater than itself.

We call this ego – and there’s a purpose for it. Because the intricate truth is that the Divine dwells in you, as well as in everything, so you are part of that Creative Power, and part of that Protective energy. You are not the entirety of it. But in your Spirit, you are part of it.

The misunderstanding comes because of the mind. The purpose of the mind is to serve the soul. It is created to apply its intelligence to carry out the commands of Spirit. When a human being flows with the experience of her own Spirit and the mind serving that – then it is easy to understand Kartaa Purakh. Where the “I” is not experienced as the Doer at all. Where everything is arranged and taken care of by the hand of the One.

But when the mind does not know how to listen to or surrender to our own Inner Divinity, then it follows its own impulses and desires. And in that experience, nothing ever quite turns out the way it wants. That builds frustration, anger and fear. The balance of our lives as human beings rests on this point. If the mind can be trained to serve the Spirit, it can surrender its finite understanding of life and consciously enjoy the experience of the One in All. But if it is not trained to serve the Spirit, and it follows it own thoughts and desires – then that creates a life of passion, pain and death.


Nirbhau
Nirvair

When I have seen these truths of Ek Ong Kaar, Sat Naam, Kartaa Purakh – then how can I ever feel afraid again? How can I ever be angry? Fear and anger come from ego – from my limited perception needing to protect my own security and identity. But if the Divine has blessed me to understand this Force that runs through all, that runs through me and that Does everything – then whatever I experience is the Divine. So why would I react to what I see with fear or anger – if it is all part of the One?

Not that we shouldn’t set boundaries or fight injustice. Guru Gobind Singh was a master of seeing the Divine on the battlefield, of praying to every aspect of the Creator while wielding his sword. It’s more about the way in which one sees life. Anger and fear cannot coexist with love. To fight and see the Divine in the enemy – to know the duty and yet to keep compassion in one’s heart – this is the way of the Sikh. Where fear and anger are – the Guru’s words are not. Where the Guru’s words are, fear and anger have no ground in which to grow. This, to my own mind, is the reason why the Sikhs in history could face such terrible tortures and horrors and still shine - Because they had cracked this secret of the Mool Mantra. And the experience of Divinity within themselves and within the entire creation was so powerful and so great, that even in the worst circumstances, they could see the Divine in the other person. And so they could go through the challenge with love instead of fear and vengeance.


Akaal Moorat

Deathless
It comes into form.

Moving beyond fear and anger, a perception, an awareness opens up within ourselves. And suddenly we can touch that Deathless Spirit inside. Our projection as a human begins to channel that Light. And we become the Image of the Undying while on the earth.

It isn’t a mental trick or a philosophy. An argument or a policy. It is something that begins to blossom when we move beyond fear and anger. Because when we begin to live beyond fear and anger, and feel our power from the deepest, most true, most genuine love inside of ourselves – then the fact that we are Deathless begins to make itself known to our conscious mind. In that awareness, we can represent Deathless Divinity in our every day life. Through our words, through our actions, through our dress, through our every interaction. We present in form the truth and reality of the Deathless Divine. In time, this gives rise to living the Rehit. For in the Rehit, Guru Gobind Singh gave the Sikhs a discipline and a structure to be Akaal Moorat – to be the Image of the Undying, the Deathless in Form.


Ajoonee

In Itself, It has
Never been born.

Deathless in Form. Never been born. Though the mind has no capacity to logically map it, our Spirit has always existed and will continue to exist always. No death. No birth. No beginning. No end. Just one big play, one continuous learning – shifting from form to form through time and space.

Feeling the reality of the Deathless Spirit inside, and understanding that there was never a beginning to us anyway– the mind can penetrate through the fog of time and surrender its finite ego to something far bigger.


Saibhang

Flowing through the cycles
Of Birth and Death,
It Moves
By Its Own
Purity and Projection.

Life needs definition to fulfill itself. And for most of us – the mind gives us our definition. We are “lawyers,” “engineers,” “lovers,” “ministers,” “writers,” “rebels,” – words, pictures, images that direct how we use our breath, our voice, our creativity to form our own lives.

Guru Nanak gives us a different definition. Saibhang. It’s a definition that applies to the soul, to the spirit. And in that definition, our own inner purity flows through time and space, calling one experience after another forward until we can consciously merge back in Union with Ek Ong Kaar. With the Source. With the One. Completion.

This definition applies once we understand that we are Deathless in Form, Never Been Born. In that vastness of Identity – Saibhang becomes a guideline for how to approach life, how to engage the very tiny bit of time that we have on the earth – in this body, in this experience. Rather than looking to create a finite identity and security for ourselves, Saibhang asks us to see our life in the context of a much larger journey. And to keep flowing forward, to complete who we are, so that the mind can consciously merge into the Limitless of Self and allow that inner Divinity to complete the journey.


Gur Prasaad

This understanding
Shall come to you
As a sweet blessing,
As a gift,
Through the Guru.

We need a teacher. We need a guide. Only an idiot believes that his or her mind can figure everything out on its own. We needed someone to teach us how to tie our shoes, how to dress ourselves. Then older - how to count, how to write letters. And yet this most sublime and important lesson of all – the lesson of what a human being is, of the purpose of the human life – we can sometimes so arrogantly assume that we need no teacher for that at all.

It is the proof of God in a world that questions the existence of the Divine that so many teachers have come to give us a path home. For the Sikh, that Teacher is the Shabad, the Divinely-given Word of the Guru. And by meditating on that Sound Current of the Shabad, It trains the mind into the reality of all that the Mool Mantra has described. So we seek that blessing, that gift that comes through the Guru. For just as we could never teach ourselves how to tie our own shoes, so too – the journey to merge into Divinity needs an example to follow, needs guidelines, principles, and a Voice that can remind us of the truth when we wander off the path.


Jap

In every moment
Continue
In Its Continual
Remembrance.

There is only one command in all of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. There are many many suggestions, but just one order to obey. Jap. Repeat. Continue to meditate on this. Over and over and over again. With love in your heart. Surrender. And remember.

As someone who does marketing, I know that the law of marketing is repetition. It doesn’t matter how fancy the ad, how large or expensive. Repetition is the key for someone to remember your message. To be able to identify your product. The market needs to see the ad over and over and over again – to remember.

Guru Nanak understood this basic psychology of the human being. And so he gives this command in the Mool Mantra. Repeat. Remember. Meditate upon it over and over and over and over again – so that you can identify it. So that you can learn the truth of it, and see it for yourself. Ultimately, the Guru can only point us in a good direction. It is up to us to do the work. And for the Sikh, Jap is the work.


Aad Sach
Jugaad Sach
Hai Bhee Sach
Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach

From the start
This Truth was True.

All through Time and Space
Is True.

Even now,
This Truth is True.

Nanak says,
Ever shall be True.

The seal of the Mool Mantra is the declaration by Guru Nanak that what has been described in the previous lines – about the nature of the Divine, about that Divine identity within us, about the process to become awake to that reality, about the need for the Guru, and the order to just keep repeating – all of this is True no matter what age, no matter what time and space. The Mool Mantra gives the essence of reality from before the Big Bang to the end of the physical Universe as we know it and beyond.

For us, as humans, to anchor ourselves to this knowledge can give us a deep sense of security. This seal exists to remove doubt, to create trust and faith. So that, by committing ourselves to the message of the Mool Mantra and realizing its truths, we have an opportunity to find the Divine within no matter what circumstance of life we have been born into.

Writing and creating dialogue about Divinity is so important. Since humans have existed – recorded history, myth and even before that – the way we discuss Divinity defines the purpose of human life. In a world that has gone mad through so many words, so many images, so much communication that confuses and competes – the Mool Mantra gives us a solid identity. It roots us in a reality so powerful and profound that our lives can be victories of joy, love and compassion in even the most difficult of times.

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.

All love in the Divine,

Ek Ong Kaar Kaur

Hukumnama for today 6th June 2007


One’s destiny is activated, when one chants the Lord’s Name, through perfect good fortune. Fruitful is that moment, O Nanak, when one obtains the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Lord of the Universe. || 1 || Its value cannot be estimated; it brings peace beyond measure. O Nanak, that time alone is approved, when my Beloved meets with me. || 2 || PAUREE: Tell me, what is that time, when I shall find God? Blessed and auspicious is that moment, and that destiny, when I shall find the Lord of the Universe. Meditating on the Lord, twenty-four hours a day, my mind’s desires are fulfilled. By great good fortune, I have found the Society of the Saints; I bow and touch their feet. My mind thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord’s Darshan; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. || 15 ||

Wednesday 23rd Jayt’h (Samvat 539 Nanakshahi)(Page: 709)

SatGuru , Ik Ong Kar and Mool Mantra : A relook at Mool Mantra


Guru Nanak passed this truth to the mankind through the verse[1]. It will be useful to note that the term 'Satguru' is for that entity that manifests the “true dispeller of darkness”. The Gurbani tells us numerous characteristics of the Satguru: Satguru is complete, is spiritual, exists forever, has been existing forever, is free from the cycle of birth and death and is divine knowledge (Satguru ki Baani). As a divine word (the Shabd/Gurmantar), is divine spirit (Jyot) with melody, residing in everybody? This is the intermediate link between the devotee and God, as the vehicle/channel to meet God.

“Ong” a Sanskrit word– means “Brahm” the cosmic sound symbol, the vibration that is prevalent alike in each and every bit of Creation and it is from this vibration that entire universe has manifested. Ik-Ong-Kar is the language of God. It is pronounced in three words “Ik-Ong-Kar” means (One Word-One Spirit). Gurbani tells us that this revelation descended on Guru Nanak[2], “Duin mih iDAwnu iDAwn mih jwinAw” Ik-ong-kar sabd is the sound current of the soundless sound (Anhad Naad) and is “divine light to illuminate this world, which comes to abide within the mind by His grace[3].”‘Ek[4]’ is the first primal un-manifested Form of the One Nirgun or Transcendent, Formless God. The next two are manifested Forms ‘Ong-kar’ and ‘SATNAM’, from ‘KARTA PURAKH’ to ‘Sai-Bhang’ are the attributes of God[5].
The creator is the Formless One, The Supreme-word: Ong-Kar is His Emanation. Therefore Supreme Word ‘Ek-Ong-Kar’ is His Emanation and as Gurbani tells us form of formless.[6]’Ik’ or ‘Ek’ may be accepted to reflect that there is only One God. The Japji Sahib begins with Mool Mantar. It is also called Mangla Charan[7].

It gives the concept and comprehensive definitions of God[8]. It would tantamount to as if God has seven facets and the realization of truth or worship of God requires the realization of sevenfold ideal in human being . ‘Ong-kar’ represents the manifestation of EK in the creation to include all worlds, all humanity, and all human beings with one soul residing within them. It makes us believe that we can experience God through experiencing his creations. It motivates us to recognize the presence of the Divine Light in every living being and discourages the society from profiling people into good and bad by promoting recognition of the same soul that each one carries[9]. It is like the concept of Individual consciousness and the supreme conscious ness. ‘Gurprasad’ denoted realization of God as Grace of the Guru. Guru Nanak says emphatically that, “eyko hY BweI eyko hY ] swihbu myrw eyko hY[10].

Ong-kar signifies that it is the unstruck celestial sound of Brahmand of the ONE God[11]. Guru Gobind Singh Ji further makes it clear[12]. What we call creation, in reality spells only the transformation of God[13] Himself first into the jewel of Naam and then into the material world[14]. He ‘created’ the universe out of Himself to shower His Love upon it.[15] The invocation of Mool Mantra ends with the Word, ‘Gur-parsad[16]’. These three senses (God, Guru and Guru's Word) are ultimately inseparable. The human gurus, the Guru Panth and finally the Guru Granth Sahib forged the Sikh religion. However, in the scriptural teachings, Gurus refers to Guru Sabd[17].


[ For fuller exposition Please refer to : http://www.sikhism.ws/mool-mantar-1501/ by Japjisahib004]


[1] “God has revealed to him to know that without the Guru (the source of Spiritual Knowledge i.e. baani), liberation is not attained, so one must follow and adheres to the teachings of Guru.” - Guru Granth ang.864.7. He further says, “siq purKu ijin jwinAw siqguru iqs kw nwau ] - as the one who knows and recognizes the path which leads to His palace, his Name is Satguru and this Satguru is true source of Divine knowledge (truth).” - Guru Granth ang.286.12. Guru Nanak further declares, “siqgur ivic Awpu riKEnu kir prgtu AwiK suxwieAw - He has placed Himself within the True baani (truth); thus revealing Himself, He declares this openly.” - Guru Granth ang.466.8.

[2] “through celestial sound while in meditation.” - Guru Granth ang.879.3.

[3] Guru Granth ang.67.10. Gurbani is the guru of Sikh and guru abides within the baani.



[4]All matter and space is Him. Guru Nanak further made clear, “Twkuru eyku sbweI nwir ] - there is only one ‘pursha’ the creator God and the rest all are His followers or His form.” - Guru Granth ang.933.12. So all have to worship the God only.

[5]It is God alone who is the Doer of deeds. There is none else.” – Guru Granth ang.276.18. Hence the creation has to worship the Creator – the Almighty God in His abstract form i.e. baani.

[6]“siqgur kI bwxI siq srUpu hY gurbwxI bxIAY ] [the Word of the True Guru's Bani is the embodiment of Truth; and through simran of Gurbani, one becomes perfect and merges with the Truth.” - Guru Granth ang.304.16.]

[7] Remembrance of God – A Vandana, which is followed by a Sloka. Mool means the origin or beginning. Guru Granth Sahib is the extension and elaboration of Mool Mantar.

[8] The Mool Mantar recorded ahead of the Japji is in full form. This Mool Mantar, which is glorifying or is indicating God also becomes the invocation for us to remember every time we begin a new work. Bhai Gurdas ji wrote that every time you do Mool Mantar you get ten times closer to the Infinite Being, that's how powerful Mool Mantar is. Guru Nanak defines in Gurbani as, “mUl mMqRü hir nwmu rswiexu khu nwnk pUrw pwieAw ] by Chanting the Mool Mantra, and the Name of the God, the source of nectar, I have found the Perfect God.” –Guru Granth ang.1040.19. It is also chanted (in full or short form) not only in the beginning of each set of Guru hymns but also before writing the Bhagat hymns as a prayer to seek blessings of the gracious God.

[9]But Guru Nanak Ji warned, “so muKu jlau ijqu khih Twkur jonI ] - let that mouth be burnt, which calls anyone God and Master, who is subject to birth and death.” - Guru Granth ang.1136.4.

[10] He is the One and Only One. He is the One alone. My God and Master is One. - Guru Granth ang.350.5

[11]‘Ong-kar ek dhun ekay eikaiy raag allpay’.[ p885.]

[12]Jaap Sahib too with the sabd, ‘ong-kar aad kathnee anaad’ - the entire Brahmand is being created.

[13]Gurbani reaffirms and tells us, “iliK Aru mytY qwih n mwnw ] - I do not believe in those whom He created and destroyed. I only know the One God who is from the beginning and is not created by anyone but is enlightened by Himself.” - Guru Granth ang.340.8. reincarnation of God into anthropomorphic forms various gods and goddesses), Further it may be observed that wherever the Guru has been described by such words as ‘Gobind Rup’ - Guru Granth ang.1272.17, this means that the Guru possesses all the attributes of God and has merged into His baani. It does not mean that he is the incarnation of God, thus Guru rup is not any human form but is exclusively the Guru-Sabd, as it is the Sabd which ultimately remains and not the body (Thus the Sabd which merges or mind has to link during meditation is Guru-Sabd). Further, “Word is the embodiment of the God and the God is in the Word.”- Guru Granth ang. 982.10 and the revealed Word of God is not meant, to be worshiped as ritual but read, listened to and acted upon as the wise counsel of the GURU.

[14]One can think as to what impelled God to manifest Himself into form of a universe; or from the human viewpoint, what makes Him create? According to the Sikh doctrine, God being Love, wanted to dispense out His Love. Guru tells us, “To dispense His Love, He created the cosmic expanse.” - Guru Granth ang.463.5. “Kar (>) ” means the changeless and uniformly pervading in everything and all over (zry zry ivc iek rs, ijs ivc qbdIlI nw Awvy).

[15]Question arises, how can it be same in each and particles. It is “just as light permeates the rays of the sun, so does God permeate in every being through and through.” - Guru Granth ang.1177.14. Hence Ek-Ong-kar is the symbol of God. Further use of the numeral ‘one’ is to stress that all have to worship only One God, who is everlasting Entity and none else. Before Guru Nanak, ancient Indian faith believed in Trinity-Trimurti-Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer respectively. But Nanak says that “Ek-Ong-kar” is the Creator meaning thereby that “He Alone” is the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. And we have to discover One in His infinite manifestation. Like, “guru guru eyko vys Anyk ] - teacher of teachers is the One, who appears in so many forms. With this declaration the very concept of trinity was dismissed.

[16]Again for grant of grace one has to pray and align the ground to seize. The basic mantra is to bring the consciousness in tune with the Sabd of Satguru.

[17]Thus it means God can be realized or life comes to this state of mind ‘by the Grace of Guru (Holy Book - source of Spiritual Knowledge or Sabd/verse).God is ever in gratitude of infinite wisdom for realizing one’s real personality. Just as biological processes create favorable circumstances for a seed first to become a tree and then to transform itself into a fruit, meditation on the Sacred Words (Sabd) creates the necessary energy through which an individual human may reach the heights of supreme attributes and merge in eternal union with the Infinite Wisdom.

luv4u said:

Hukumnama for today 6th June 2007

SHALOK:​

One’s destiny is activated, when one chants the Lord’s Name, through perfect good fortune. Fruitful is that moment, O Nanak, when one obtains the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Lord of the Universe. || 1 || Its value cannot be estimated; it brings peace beyond measure. O Nanak, that time alone is approved, when my Beloved meets with me. || 2 || PAUREE: Tell me, what is that time, when I shall find God? Blessed and auspicious is that moment, and that destiny, when I shall find the Lord of the Universe. Meditating on the Lord, twenty-four hours a day, my mind’s desires are fulfilled. By great good fortune, I have found the Society of the Saints; I bow and touch their feet. My mind thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord’s Darshan; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. || 15 ||

Wednesday 23rd Jayt’h (Samvat 539 Nanakshahi)(Page: 709)

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ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਉਹ ਘੜੀ ਬਰਕਤਿ ਵਾਲੀ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈਜਦੋਂ ਪੂਰਨ ਸੰਜੋਗਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮੱਥੇ ਦੇ ਲਿਖੇ ਲੇਖ ਉੱਘੜਦੇ ਹਨ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਾ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਹਰੀ ਦਾ ਦੀਦਾਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।੧।
ਇਤਨੇ ਅਮਿਣਵੇਂ ਸੁਖ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਾ ਸਕਦਾ​

(ਰੱਬ ਕਰਕੇ) ਉਹ ਵੇਲਾ ਛੇਤੀ ਆਵੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਾਂ। ਉਹ ਮੁਹੂਰਤ, ਉਹ ਮਿਲਣ ਦਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਭਾਗਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਜਦੋਂ ਧਰਤੀ ਦਾ ਸਾਂਈ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ। (ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ) ਅੱਠੇ ਪਹਿਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਮਰ ਕੇ ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨ ਦੀ ਚਾਹ ਪੂਰੀ ਕਰਾਂ। ਚੰਗੀ ਕਿਸਮਤਿ ਨਾਲ ਸਤਸੰਗ ਮਿਲ ਜਾਏ ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਨਿਊਂ ਨਿਊਂ ਕੇ (ਸਤ ਸੰਗੀਆਂ ਦੇ) ਪੈਰੀਂ ਲੱਗਾਂ। ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਵਿਚ (ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ) ਦਰਸਨ ਦੀ ਤ੍ਰੇਹ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਆਖ) ਮੈਂ (ਸਤਸੰਗੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ) ਸਦਕੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।੧੫।

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24/7 only God's remembrance..........................

Dhan Dhan Siri Guru Granth sahib Ji
Dhan Dhan Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji...

humbly asking for everybody's forgiveness

Dear friends,
I am giving an interesting link for the various 'Katha' and other lectures. once you are at this site you would enjoy the keertan and Paath. If ,I remember
An interesting Link and hope you will enjoy

G U R M A T V E E C H A R . C O M - Giani Thakur Singh Ji (Damdami Taksal wale) Katha

Importance Of Ik Ongkar
I am giving below the importance of the variouis parts of the Mool-Mantra.

ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik Ongkar
Ik oankar satinamu karta purakhu nirbhau nirvairu akal murati ajuni saibhan gurprasadi
translates to One Supreme Being, Truth is His name; the Creator Primal Being; Without fear and Without Enmity, the Timeless Verity, Un-incarnated and Self-Existent, known through His grace.[(GG. Pg 1)]

Oankar is a variation of the mystic monosyllable Om (also known as anahata nada, the unstruck sound) first set forth in the Upanishads as the transcendent object of profound religious meditation.

Guru Nanak prefixed the numeral one (ik) to it making it "Ik Oankar" or "Ekankar" to stress GOD's oneness. GOD is named and known only through GOD's Own immanent nature.

{for detailed discussion refer:http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/essays...-sikhism.html]


As said Guru Tegh Bahadur, Nanak IX, "He has himself spread out His Own "maya" (worldly illusion) which He Himself oversees; many different forms He assumes in many colours, yet he stays independent of all" (GG, 537).