There are a lot of individuals who think it is a blessing to help people out and try to inspire, encourage or motivate them into Sikhi. They feel good to talk to people and console them, and tell them that Gurujee will look out for them, that whatever Gurujee does is best for us, that whatever happens is His Will. It is always so cool to tell people stuff that sounds so nice to hear/read.
But then one day Gurujee smiles, and decides to test this person, and see if he/she can actually stand up to what he/she has been telling other people. This is when you can see for yourself if this individual is genuine of phony. A genuine one would hold onto Gurujee's feet, surrender to Him, and Maharaj would carry him/her across and keep his/her honor. A phony one would freak out, weep, whine, wail, scream, complain, yell, and repeatedly ask "why me?" That is when your fate, destiny, karams and vikaars, all laugh in your face and ask you "Is that it? Is that all you are made of? You sounded all big, now what?"
ਕਹਨ ਕਹਾਵਨ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਕਰਲਾ ॥
kehan kehaavan eihu keerath karalaa ||
People talk on and on about Him; they consider this to be praise of God.
ਕਥਨ ਕਹਨ ਤੇ ਮੁਕਤਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕੋਈ ਵਿਰਲਾ ॥3॥
kathhan kehan thae mukathaa guramukh koee viralaa ||3||
But rare indeed is the Gurmukh, who is above this mere talk. ||3||
I belong to the 2nd category, of the phony ones. The true Gurmukh doesn't talk much, yet stands strong as a solid rock no matter what kind of storm he/she has to face. Coming on an online Sikh forum, or chatting online to someone about Sikhi is so easy and so cool. You can talk all you want and try to get someone into Sikhi, or back to Sikhi. And thats good, you are helping someone. But such people like myself need to watch out. Because the day when the tables turn, and Maharaj decides to see what you are made of, that is when your actual potential will be put to the fire test. Even gold has to pass through fire to be certified as pure gold. What made you think you were an exception?
ਸੁਹੇਲਾ ਕਹਨੁ ਕਹਾਵਨੁ ॥
suhaelaa kehan kehaavan ||
It is easy to speak and talk,
ਤੇਰਾ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਭਾਵਨੁ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
thaeraa bikham bhaavan ||1|| rehaao ||
but it is difficult to accept Your Will. ||1||Pause||
If everyone could accept His Will, His Hukam so easily, this world would not remain "the world", it would become a carbon copy of Sachkhand. Maharaj tells us again and again in Bani, that accepting His Hukam is as hard as close to impossible. He also says that it is way too hard to recite His name.
ਆਖਣਿ ਅਉਖਾ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥
aakhan aoukhaa saachaa naao ||
It is so difficult to chant the True Name.
Well then, what to do? Who can recite His Naam?
ਸੇ ਸਿਮਰਹਿ ਜਿਨ ਆਪਿ ਸਿਮਰਾਏ ॥
sae simarehi jin aap simaraaeae ||
They alone remember Him in meditation, whom He inspires to meditate.
And what about people like me?
ਗਲੀਂ ਅਸੀ ਚੰਗੀਆ ਆਚਾਰੀ ਬੁਰੀਆਹ ॥
gala(n)aee asee cha(n)geeaa aachaaree bureeaah ||
We are good at talking, but our actions are bad.
ਮਨਹੁ ਕੁਸੁਧਾ ਕਾਲੀਆ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਚਿਟਵੀਆਹ ॥
manahu kusudhhaa kaaleeaa baahar chittaveeaah ||
Mentally, we are impure and black, but outwardly, we appear white.
ਰੀਸਾ ਕਰਿਹ ਤਿਨਾੜੀਆ ਜੋ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਦਰੁ ਖੜੀਆਹ ॥
reesaa karih thinaarreeaa jo saevehi dhar kharreeaah ||
We imitate those who stand and serve at the Lord's Door.
Its very easy to talk big to others when things are alright. The real deal is how you deal with life when He puts you in a particular test.
ਅਵਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੈ ਆਪਿ ਨ ਕਰੈ ॥
avar oupadhaesai aap n karai ||
One who does not practice what he preaches to others,
ਆਵਤ ਜਾਵਤ ਜਨਮੈ ਮਰੈ ॥
aavath jaavath janamai marai ||
shall come and go in reincarnation, through birth and death.
Am I ready for this?
So who should we talk to then? Who can really help us out, just by talking to?
Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Gond on Ang 870
ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ 1
kabeer jee ghar 1
Kabeer Jee, First House:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh ||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੁਨੀਐ ਕਹੀਐ ॥
sa(n)th milai kishh suneeai keheeai ||
When you meet a Saint, talk to him and listen.
ਮਿਲੈ ਅਸੰਤੁ ਮਸਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥1॥
milai asa(n)th masatt kar reheeai ||1||
Meeting with an unsaintly person, just remain silent. ||1||
ਬਾਬਾ ਬੋਲਨਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ॥
baabaa bolanaa kiaa keheeai ||
O father, if I speak, what words should I utter?
ਜੈਸੇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਰਵਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jaisae raam naam rav reheeai ||1|| rehaao ||
Speak such words, by which you may remain absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
ਸੰਤਨ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਉਪਕਾਰੀ ॥
sa(n)than sio bolae oupakaaree ||
Speaking with the Saints, one becomes generous.
ਮੂਰਖ ਸਿਉ ਬੋਲੇ ਝਖ ਮਾਰੀ ॥2॥
moorakh sio bolae jhakh maaree ||2||
To speak with a fool is to babble uselessly. ||2||
ਬੋਲਤ ਬੋਲਤ ਬਢਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰਾ ॥
bolath bolath badtehi bikaaraa ||
By speaking and only speaking, corruption only increases.
ਬਿਨੁ ਬੋਲੇ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥3॥
bin bolae kiaa karehi beechaaraa ||3||
If I do not speak, what can the poor wretch do? ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਛੂਛਾ ਘਟੁ ਬੋਲੈ ॥
kahu kabeer shhooshhaa ghatt bolai ||
Says Kabeer, the empty pitcher makes noise,
ਭਰਿਆ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਕਬਹੁ ਨ ਡੋਲੈ ॥4॥1॥
bhariaa hoe s kabahu n ddolai ||4||1||
but that which is full makes no sound. ||4||1||
I am the "shhooshhaa" that Bhagat Kabeer ji is talking about here.
So, what was it that we were talking about? Never mind that, lets just try to act on it, but only by surrendering to Him, and knowing deep down that He is making us follow His path.
Enough of talking the talk, time to walk the walk.
May He make us walk!
- Mehtab Singh
Sept. 7 2009
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥