Bhagat ji, Sainty ji
The Law of Karma tells us that actions have consequences. It reminds us that we are moral beings because we are accountable for our choices in life. I think we take a wrong turn when we try to figure out what percentage of our actions are self-determined and what percentage is determined by God. Rational analysis won't work. The shabad above makes us immediately conscious of the effects of our kaaram, our deeds, at the time of death. Who of us is in control of that moment? Do we realize that we have never been in control? We have acted in life as if we were in control. All of our actions, motivated by our belief that we were in control, have consequences -- good and bad. Now, what will happen?
ਜਾਨੀ ਘਤਿ ਚਲਾਇਆ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਆਇਆ ਰੁੰਨੇ ਵੀਰ ਸਬਾਏ ॥
jaanee ghath chalaaeiaa likhiaa aaeiaa runnae veer sabaaeae ||
This dear soul is driven off, when the pre-ordained Order is received, and all the relatives cry out in mourning.
ਕਾਂਇਆ ਹੰਸ ਥੀਆ ਵੇਛੋੜਾ ਜਾਂ ਦਿਨ ਪੁੰਨੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਏ ॥
kaaneiaa hans thheeaa vaeshhorraa jaan dhin punnae maeree maaeae ||
The body and the swan-soul are separated, when one's days are past and done, O my mother.
ਜੇਹਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥
jaehaa likhiaa thaehaa paaeiaa jaehaa purab kamaaeiaa ||
As is one's pre-ordained Destiny, so does one receive, according to one's past actions.
This is the understanding put forward by Nanak - As is one's preordained Destiny, so does one receive, according to one's past actions. What will happen? Again we are faced by that interconnected image - His Hukam and our actions together determine what the next stage of spiritual consciousness will be. Whether we return, or whether we do not. This is about burning the ego, about mukhti, and not about slicing onions or people.
ਧੰਨੁ ਸਿਰੰਦਾ ਸਚਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗੁ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
dhhann sirandhaa sachaa paathisaahu jin jag dhhandhhai laaeiaa ||1||
Blessed is the Creator, the True King, who has linked the whole world to its tasks. ||1||
The sachaa paathisaahu has invented it all, and even karma is contained within His Hukam. One meaning of karma is deeds or actions -- tasks. The world is linked to its kaaram, its tasks, through His Divine Order.
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈਹੋ ਸਭਨਾ ਏਹੁ ਪਇਆਣਾ ॥
saahib simarahu maerae bhaaeeho sabhanaa eaehu paeiaanaa ||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way.
Everyone has to pass this way through birth and then death and then we face the consequences of our kaaram. We must eventually move on to our own hereafter. We pass through the entanglements of Maya so quickly (life is short), yet we delude ourselves into thinking we have more control than we really do.
ਏਥੈ ਧੰਧਾ ਕੂੜਾ ਚਾਰਿ ਦਿਹਾ ਆਗੈ ਸਰਪਰ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
eaethhai dhhandhhaa koorraa chaar dhihaa aagai sarapar jaanaa ||
These false entanglements last for only a few days; then, one must surely move on to the world hereafter.
ਆਗੈ ਸਰਪਰ ਜਾਣਾ ਜਿਉ ਮਿਹਮਾਣਾ ਕਾਹੇ ਗਾਰਬੁ ਕੀਜੈ ॥
aagai sarapar jaanaa jio mihamaanaa kaahae gaarab keejai ||
He must surely move on to the world hereafter, like a guest; so why does he indulge in ego?
There is really only one way to find peace after a lifetime of self-delusion and the pain that comes from our attachment to ego. This is the way to peace
ਜਿਤੁ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਦਰਗਹ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਕਾ ਲੀਜੈ ॥
jith saeviai dharageh sukh paaeeai naam thisai kaa leejai ||
Chant the Name of the Lord; serving Him, you shall obtain peace in His Court.
When death is approaching, that is the moment when the meaning of our kaaram becomes vividly real. Are we really so foolish to think that we were that important, that we were in control of anything at all?
ਆਗੈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮੂਲੇ ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਿਆ ਵਿਹਾਣਾ ॥
aagai hukam n chalai moolae sir sir kiaa vihaanaa ||
In the world hereafter, no one's commands will be obeyed. According to their actions, each and every person proceeds.
The key....
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਿਮਰਿਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈਹੋ ਸਭਨਾ ਏਹੁ ਪਇਆਣਾ ॥੨॥
saahib simarihu maerae bhaaeeho sabhanaa eaehu paeiaanaa ||2||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way. ||2||
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੰਮ੍ਰਥ ਸੋ ਥੀਐ ਹੀਲੜਾ ਏਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੋ ॥
jo this bhaavai sanmrathh so thheeai heelarraa eaehu sansaaro ||
Whatever pleases the Almighty Lord, that alone comes to pass; this world is an opportunity to please Him.
My opinion. The effects of our kaaram are not irreversible. Mukhti comes with His nadar, with the glance of His Grace.
ਜੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਤ ਵਾਤ ਨ ਪੁਛੈ ਕੇ ॥
jae this nadhar n aavee th vaath n pushhai kae ||
still, if the Lord does not bless you with His Glance of Grace, then who cares? What is the use?
We can open ourselves up to His grace. Making this choice is potentially within the reach of our consciousness. We are not dumb organisms whose actions are programmed, and we do not have to hold ourselves in contempt.
ਕੀਟਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕੀਟੁ ਕਰਿ ਦੋਸੀ ਦੋਸੁ ਧਰੇ ॥
keettaa andhar keett kar dhosee dhos dhharae ||
Among worms, you would be considered a lowly worm, and even contemptible sinners would hold you in contempt.
To the contrary, He raises us up above the level of worms. And He does not hold us in contempt. He has different, maybe even bigger plans for us.
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਗੁਣਿ ਗੁਣੁ ਕਰੇ ਗੁਣਵੰਤਿਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਦੇ ॥
naanak niragun gun karae gunavanthiaa gun dhae ||
O Nanak, God blesses the unworthy with virtue, and bestows virtue on the virtuous.
He makes the unworthy virtuous by blessing them with virtue; He bestows virtue on the virtuous just as well. He blesses the sinners and the saints. If we turn away from the possibility of this realization, then we are the ones who have made the wrong choice. Just my thoughts. Forgive me.
The Law of Karma tells us that actions have consequences. It reminds us that we are moral beings because we are accountable for our choices in life. I think we take a wrong turn when we try to figure out what percentage of our actions are self-determined and what percentage is determined by God. Rational analysis won't work. The shabad above makes us immediately conscious of the effects of our kaaram, our deeds, at the time of death. Who of us is in control of that moment? Do we realize that we have never been in control? We have acted in life as if we were in control. All of our actions, motivated by our belief that we were in control, have consequences -- good and bad. Now, what will happen?
ਜਾਨੀ ਘਤਿ ਚਲਾਇਆ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਆਇਆ ਰੁੰਨੇ ਵੀਰ ਸਬਾਏ ॥
jaanee ghath chalaaeiaa likhiaa aaeiaa runnae veer sabaaeae ||
This dear soul is driven off, when the pre-ordained Order is received, and all the relatives cry out in mourning.
ਕਾਂਇਆ ਹੰਸ ਥੀਆ ਵੇਛੋੜਾ ਜਾਂ ਦਿਨ ਪੁੰਨੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਏ ॥
kaaneiaa hans thheeaa vaeshhorraa jaan dhin punnae maeree maaeae ||
The body and the swan-soul are separated, when one's days are past and done, O my mother.
ਜੇਹਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥
jaehaa likhiaa thaehaa paaeiaa jaehaa purab kamaaeiaa ||
As is one's pre-ordained Destiny, so does one receive, according to one's past actions.
This is the understanding put forward by Nanak - As is one's preordained Destiny, so does one receive, according to one's past actions. What will happen? Again we are faced by that interconnected image - His Hukam and our actions together determine what the next stage of spiritual consciousness will be. Whether we return, or whether we do not. This is about burning the ego, about mukhti, and not about slicing onions or people.
ਧੰਨੁ ਸਿਰੰਦਾ ਸਚਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗੁ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
dhhann sirandhaa sachaa paathisaahu jin jag dhhandhhai laaeiaa ||1||
Blessed is the Creator, the True King, who has linked the whole world to its tasks. ||1||
The sachaa paathisaahu has invented it all, and even karma is contained within His Hukam. One meaning of karma is deeds or actions -- tasks. The world is linked to its kaaram, its tasks, through His Divine Order.
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈਹੋ ਸਭਨਾ ਏਹੁ ਪਇਆਣਾ ॥
saahib simarahu maerae bhaaeeho sabhanaa eaehu paeiaanaa ||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way.
Everyone has to pass this way through birth and then death and then we face the consequences of our kaaram. We must eventually move on to our own hereafter. We pass through the entanglements of Maya so quickly (life is short), yet we delude ourselves into thinking we have more control than we really do.
ਏਥੈ ਧੰਧਾ ਕੂੜਾ ਚਾਰਿ ਦਿਹਾ ਆਗੈ ਸਰਪਰ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
eaethhai dhhandhhaa koorraa chaar dhihaa aagai sarapar jaanaa ||
These false entanglements last for only a few days; then, one must surely move on to the world hereafter.
ਆਗੈ ਸਰਪਰ ਜਾਣਾ ਜਿਉ ਮਿਹਮਾਣਾ ਕਾਹੇ ਗਾਰਬੁ ਕੀਜੈ ॥
aagai sarapar jaanaa jio mihamaanaa kaahae gaarab keejai ||
He must surely move on to the world hereafter, like a guest; so why does he indulge in ego?
There is really only one way to find peace after a lifetime of self-delusion and the pain that comes from our attachment to ego. This is the way to peace
ਜਿਤੁ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਦਰਗਹ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਕਾ ਲੀਜੈ ॥
jith saeviai dharageh sukh paaeeai naam thisai kaa leejai ||
Chant the Name of the Lord; serving Him, you shall obtain peace in His Court.
When death is approaching, that is the moment when the meaning of our kaaram becomes vividly real. Are we really so foolish to think that we were that important, that we were in control of anything at all?
ਆਗੈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮੂਲੇ ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਿਆ ਵਿਹਾਣਾ ॥
aagai hukam n chalai moolae sir sir kiaa vihaanaa ||
In the world hereafter, no one's commands will be obeyed. According to their actions, each and every person proceeds.
The key....
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਿਮਰਿਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈਹੋ ਸਭਨਾ ਏਹੁ ਪਇਆਣਾ ॥੨॥
saahib simarihu maerae bhaaeeho sabhanaa eaehu paeiaanaa ||2||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way. ||2||
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੰਮ੍ਰਥ ਸੋ ਥੀਐ ਹੀਲੜਾ ਏਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੋ ॥
jo this bhaavai sanmrathh so thheeai heelarraa eaehu sansaaro ||
Whatever pleases the Almighty Lord, that alone comes to pass; this world is an opportunity to please Him.
My opinion. The effects of our kaaram are not irreversible. Mukhti comes with His nadar, with the glance of His Grace.
ਜੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਤ ਵਾਤ ਨ ਪੁਛੈ ਕੇ ॥
jae this nadhar n aavee th vaath n pushhai kae ||
still, if the Lord does not bless you with His Glance of Grace, then who cares? What is the use?
We can open ourselves up to His grace. Making this choice is potentially within the reach of our consciousness. We are not dumb organisms whose actions are programmed, and we do not have to hold ourselves in contempt.
ਕੀਟਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕੀਟੁ ਕਰਿ ਦੋਸੀ ਦੋਸੁ ਧਰੇ ॥
keettaa andhar keett kar dhosee dhos dhharae ||
Among worms, you would be considered a lowly worm, and even contemptible sinners would hold you in contempt.
To the contrary, He raises us up above the level of worms. And He does not hold us in contempt. He has different, maybe even bigger plans for us.
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਗੁਣਿ ਗੁਣੁ ਕਰੇ ਗੁਣਵੰਤਿਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਦੇ ॥
naanak niragun gun karae gunavanthiaa gun dhae ||
O Nanak, God blesses the unworthy with virtue, and bestows virtue on the virtuous.
He makes the unworthy virtuous by blessing them with virtue; He bestows virtue on the virtuous just as well. He blesses the sinners and the saints. If we turn away from the possibility of this realization, then we are the ones who have made the wrong choice. Just my thoughts. Forgive me.
