Dear Khalsa Ji,
With the grace of ‘The Sat’, today I share my understanding of 8th Pauri of 10thAshtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib with you.
Please note that the English sentence after the Transliteration is not the exact literal translation of the text of the Tuk of Siri Guru Granth Sahib under reference, it is the meaning of the Tuk as understood by me.
First the Summary: Guru Sahib in this Pauri tells us about the individuals who have reached the pinnacle of spirituality.
1. keI koit pwrbRhm ky dws ] ka-ee kot paarbarahm kay daas.
[/FONT]Numerous persons are instrument of ‘The Sat’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
There are many living persons among us who have purified their being and enshrined ‘Naam’ in it (‘Naam’, for me, is sum total of all the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib). Their actions are selfless and thus godly. They act as speech and limbs of ‘The Sat’ in this world. They further the cause of sustaining the creation of ‘The Sat’ and also help it evolve to a higher level of spirituality. Such individuals Guru Sahib has referred to as ‘Das’ in the Tuk under reference.
2. iqn hovq Awqm prgws ] t[/FONT]in hovat aatam pargaas.
[/FONT]Such individuals are enlightened ones.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us those individuals who with efforts, their karmas and with the blessing (grace) of ‘The Sat’ have become its instrument on this planet are the ones whose inner self stays illuminated by ‘The Sat’ which guides all their thoughts, speech and actions, and thus direct the person’s Gyanendriyas (five senses) and Karmendriyas (five organ for actions). Such enlightened individual’s brain remains functional for the common good of the creation of ‘The Sat’.
3. keI koit qq ky byqy ] ka-ee kot tat kay baytay.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals understand the Ultimate.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us that there are many persons who have realized ‘The Sat’. I am of the opinion that many of them may be living on this planet with us. Those individuals who have purified themselves and dedicated their lives to the cause of ‘The Sat’s’ creation have their actions guided by ‘The Sat’, they are in permanent touch with it and thus they know about ‘The Sat’.
4. sdw inhwrih eyko nyqRy ] sadaa nihaarahi ayko naytaray.
[/FONT]Always they keep concentration on ‘The Sat’ [/FONT]
My understanding:
It is my understanding that ‘Naytra’ i.e. eyes is a metaphor. We cannot see ‘The Sat’ we can only perceive its effect i.e. its creation. To me, Guru Sahib is telling us that evolved soul keep positively working, with single mindedness, for protection, preservation and evolution of the creation of ‘The Sat’. This as I understand is only possible when the person has enshrined ‘Naam’ (sum total of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib) in its being. With this all the persons actions – thought, speech and physical actions – that result from this purified being becomes Godly. This way they always remain latched through the gift of Naam to “the Sat’ and hence, ‘The Sat’ remains the center of concentration for such a person. For me these Naytras that Guru Sahib are referring to are mental.
5. keI koit nwm rsu pIvih ] ka-ee kot naam ras peeveh.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals experience the bliss of ‘Naam’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us that those individuals who have enshrined ‘Naam’ in their being remain blissful. It is natural, as there is no conflict between their internal urges and their external expression of themselves – there is no stress of any sort in mind. Such persons have a fully harmonized functioning brain and the action that comes from it is similar. This bliss comes from the soothing effect because such person’s life and actions are driven by ‘The Sat’ that is in command of inner self of the individual.
6. Amr Bey sd sd hI jIvih ] amar bha-ay sad sad hee jeeveh.
[/FONT]They become immortal and thus live forever.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Whenever we go to sleep, deep sleep, we are not aware if we exist or not. In a way the world is lost to us. We go to sleep confident that we will wake up; we do not fear sleep because we are assured in our mind that we will be awake again and live the other day. To me, death is a fear, of not being in this world; of losing all that we love; of lowing all that we are attached to.
All this fear is the result of attachment to what we love and are used to enjoying in our worldly life. All this is extrinsic to us; our living for entities of the world outside ourselves. Those individuals who live their lives based on the internal illumination from deep inner self do not have the attachment to these sense gratifying or ego stimulation entities of the world. These persons’ being is socked in ‘Naam’. They are aware that their inner self will survive the body and thus will always be with them and that to for Good. Such people are spiritually evolved and are instrument of ‘The Sat’; they know that non-material part of them can not die and thus with or without this body they are at the service of ‘The Sat’ whom they love. There is nothing to lose, there is nothing to fear. They are in perfect harmony with the event call death of the body. They know that the non-material part of them was always there, is there and will be there. This way they have overwhelmed the death and become immortal and thus live forever.
7. keI koit nwm gun gwvih ] ka-ee kot naam gun gaavahi.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals live in accordance with ‘Naam’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
To me, ‘Naam’ is some total of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, to me, the phrase ‘Gun Gavahi’ in the Tuk under reference is a metaphor. With this as premise, I understand that Guru Sahib is telling us to live in accordance with the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Singing is a physical expression of some inner feeling, so is living, it is an expression of inner-self where the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib are enshrined after the gift of ‘Naam’ from ‘The Sat’. Individual sings the teachings - Naam by living in accordance with it. The thoughts of such individual, the expression through speech and the physical actions all conform to ‘Naam’. All this, as I understand, is singing the ‘Naam’ as said by Guru Sahib in this Tuk. To me, it is the highest state of truthful living.
8. Awqm ris suiK shij smwvih ] aatam ras sukh sahj samaaveh.
[/FONT]The essence of self is readily imbibed.[/FONT]
My understanding:
To the extent I understand, Aatam or self is the entire non-material part of the person. First of all it includes ‘The Essence’ which is referred to as ‘Atman’; it is ‘The Sat’ in us. Over this there is a coating of the accumulated Karmas of present and past lives; our tendencies, attributes, potentials, capabilities and limitations; all that is preordained by ‘The Sat’ for our present life and our mission for the present life. These aspects of our Aatam, as I understand, are collectively referred to in the ancient scripture of our land as ‘Linga Sarira’.
As the person progressively moves towards ‘The Sat’ as a consequence of spiritual advances and the resulting purity of mind, the dirt of ‘Ling Sarira’ starts falling and the essence of the person’s being start taking command of mental faculties. What was far and abstract now becomes close and understandable. The person’s being now starts resonating with ‘The Sat’ within the person. This is the ‘State of Being’ Guru Sahib has referred to in the Tuk under reference.
9. Apuny jn kau swis swis smwry ] apunay jan ka-o saas saas samaaray.
[/FONT]‘The Sat’ cares for each and every entity of its creation all the time.[/FONT]
My understanding:
As I understand Guru Sahib is telling us that ‘The Sat’ never forgets that it has created. No matter the person is pure or devilish ‘The Sat’ cares for all. ‘The Sat’ is always with us.
10. nwnk Eie prmysur ky ipAwry ]8]10] naanak o-ay parmaysur kay pi-aaray. ||8||10||
[/FONT]O’ Nanak, They are all loved by ‘The Sat’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
It is said that ‘God is love’. ‘The Sat’ loves us all no matter what we are. As I understand, ‘The Sat’ creates an environment which may be anything from pleasant to difficult depending on the Karmas and the tests in life we have to pass which are part of our mission which is preordained. This is Hukam. We have to perform truthfully and come out successful. All this is love expressed in different form to help us evolve. In Mool Mantra itself Guru Sahib has told us that ‘The Sat’ in ‘Nirvair’ without enmity after this only love remains. This is what Guru Sahib is conveying to us in this Tuk.
With this I close the post.
With Love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
Punjab, India.
With the grace of ‘The Sat’, today I share my understanding of 8th Pauri of 10thAshtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib with you.
Please note that the English sentence after the Transliteration is not the exact literal translation of the text of the Tuk of Siri Guru Granth Sahib under reference, it is the meaning of the Tuk as understood by me.
First the Summary: Guru Sahib in this Pauri tells us about the individuals who have reached the pinnacle of spirituality.
1. keI koit pwrbRhm ky dws ] ka-ee kot paarbarahm kay daas.
[/FONT]Numerous persons are instrument of ‘The Sat’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
There are many living persons among us who have purified their being and enshrined ‘Naam’ in it (‘Naam’, for me, is sum total of all the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib). Their actions are selfless and thus godly. They act as speech and limbs of ‘The Sat’ in this world. They further the cause of sustaining the creation of ‘The Sat’ and also help it evolve to a higher level of spirituality. Such individuals Guru Sahib has referred to as ‘Das’ in the Tuk under reference.
2. iqn hovq Awqm prgws ] t[/FONT]in hovat aatam pargaas.
[/FONT]Such individuals are enlightened ones.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us those individuals who with efforts, their karmas and with the blessing (grace) of ‘The Sat’ have become its instrument on this planet are the ones whose inner self stays illuminated by ‘The Sat’ which guides all their thoughts, speech and actions, and thus direct the person’s Gyanendriyas (five senses) and Karmendriyas (five organ for actions). Such enlightened individual’s brain remains functional for the common good of the creation of ‘The Sat’.
3. keI koit qq ky byqy ] ka-ee kot tat kay baytay.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals understand the Ultimate.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us that there are many persons who have realized ‘The Sat’. I am of the opinion that many of them may be living on this planet with us. Those individuals who have purified themselves and dedicated their lives to the cause of ‘The Sat’s’ creation have their actions guided by ‘The Sat’, they are in permanent touch with it and thus they know about ‘The Sat’.
4. sdw inhwrih eyko nyqRy ] sadaa nihaarahi ayko naytaray.
[/FONT]Always they keep concentration on ‘The Sat’ [/FONT]
My understanding:
It is my understanding that ‘Naytra’ i.e. eyes is a metaphor. We cannot see ‘The Sat’ we can only perceive its effect i.e. its creation. To me, Guru Sahib is telling us that evolved soul keep positively working, with single mindedness, for protection, preservation and evolution of the creation of ‘The Sat’. This as I understand is only possible when the person has enshrined ‘Naam’ (sum total of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib) in its being. With this all the persons actions – thought, speech and physical actions – that result from this purified being becomes Godly. This way they always remain latched through the gift of Naam to “the Sat’ and hence, ‘The Sat’ remains the center of concentration for such a person. For me these Naytras that Guru Sahib are referring to are mental.
5. keI koit nwm rsu pIvih ] ka-ee kot naam ras peeveh.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals experience the bliss of ‘Naam’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells us that those individuals who have enshrined ‘Naam’ in their being remain blissful. It is natural, as there is no conflict between their internal urges and their external expression of themselves – there is no stress of any sort in mind. Such persons have a fully harmonized functioning brain and the action that comes from it is similar. This bliss comes from the soothing effect because such person’s life and actions are driven by ‘The Sat’ that is in command of inner self of the individual.
6. Amr Bey sd sd hI jIvih ] amar bha-ay sad sad hee jeeveh.
[/FONT]They become immortal and thus live forever.[/FONT]
My understanding:
Whenever we go to sleep, deep sleep, we are not aware if we exist or not. In a way the world is lost to us. We go to sleep confident that we will wake up; we do not fear sleep because we are assured in our mind that we will be awake again and live the other day. To me, death is a fear, of not being in this world; of losing all that we love; of lowing all that we are attached to.
All this fear is the result of attachment to what we love and are used to enjoying in our worldly life. All this is extrinsic to us; our living for entities of the world outside ourselves. Those individuals who live their lives based on the internal illumination from deep inner self do not have the attachment to these sense gratifying or ego stimulation entities of the world. These persons’ being is socked in ‘Naam’. They are aware that their inner self will survive the body and thus will always be with them and that to for Good. Such people are spiritually evolved and are instrument of ‘The Sat’; they know that non-material part of them can not die and thus with or without this body they are at the service of ‘The Sat’ whom they love. There is nothing to lose, there is nothing to fear. They are in perfect harmony with the event call death of the body. They know that the non-material part of them was always there, is there and will be there. This way they have overwhelmed the death and become immortal and thus live forever.
7. keI koit nwm gun gwvih ] ka-ee kot naam gun gaavahi.
[/FONT]Numerous individuals live in accordance with ‘Naam’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
To me, ‘Naam’ is some total of the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, to me, the phrase ‘Gun Gavahi’ in the Tuk under reference is a metaphor. With this as premise, I understand that Guru Sahib is telling us to live in accordance with the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Singing is a physical expression of some inner feeling, so is living, it is an expression of inner-self where the teachings of Siri Guru Granth Sahib are enshrined after the gift of ‘Naam’ from ‘The Sat’. Individual sings the teachings - Naam by living in accordance with it. The thoughts of such individual, the expression through speech and the physical actions all conform to ‘Naam’. All this, as I understand, is singing the ‘Naam’ as said by Guru Sahib in this Tuk. To me, it is the highest state of truthful living.
8. Awqm ris suiK shij smwvih ] aatam ras sukh sahj samaaveh.
[/FONT]The essence of self is readily imbibed.[/FONT]
My understanding:
To the extent I understand, Aatam or self is the entire non-material part of the person. First of all it includes ‘The Essence’ which is referred to as ‘Atman’; it is ‘The Sat’ in us. Over this there is a coating of the accumulated Karmas of present and past lives; our tendencies, attributes, potentials, capabilities and limitations; all that is preordained by ‘The Sat’ for our present life and our mission for the present life. These aspects of our Aatam, as I understand, are collectively referred to in the ancient scripture of our land as ‘Linga Sarira’.
As the person progressively moves towards ‘The Sat’ as a consequence of spiritual advances and the resulting purity of mind, the dirt of ‘Ling Sarira’ starts falling and the essence of the person’s being start taking command of mental faculties. What was far and abstract now becomes close and understandable. The person’s being now starts resonating with ‘The Sat’ within the person. This is the ‘State of Being’ Guru Sahib has referred to in the Tuk under reference.
9. Apuny jn kau swis swis smwry ] apunay jan ka-o saas saas samaaray.
[/FONT]‘The Sat’ cares for each and every entity of its creation all the time.[/FONT]
My understanding:
As I understand Guru Sahib is telling us that ‘The Sat’ never forgets that it has created. No matter the person is pure or devilish ‘The Sat’ cares for all. ‘The Sat’ is always with us.
10. nwnk Eie prmysur ky ipAwry ]8]10] naanak o-ay parmaysur kay pi-aaray. ||8||10||
[/FONT]O’ Nanak, They are all loved by ‘The Sat’.[/FONT]
My understanding:
It is said that ‘God is love’. ‘The Sat’ loves us all no matter what we are. As I understand, ‘The Sat’ creates an environment which may be anything from pleasant to difficult depending on the Karmas and the tests in life we have to pass which are part of our mission which is preordained. This is Hukam. We have to perform truthfully and come out successful. All this is love expressed in different form to help us evolve. In Mool Mantra itself Guru Sahib has told us that ‘The Sat’ in ‘Nirvair’ without enmity after this only love remains. This is what Guru Sahib is conveying to us in this Tuk.
With this I close the post.
With Love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
Punjab, India.
