In Gurmat great importance is given to Nimrata. In Siri Asa kee Vaar, Guru Sahib gives the example of weighing scale to explain that the side that is heavy goes down and the lighter side goes up. In other words, such person who is great is always humble and an evil person is cheap and light. Please ponder upon the following Pankiti:
ਧਰਿ ਤਾਰਾਜੂ ਤੋਲੀਐ; ਨਿਵੈ ਸੁ, ਗਉਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥In the above Pankiti, the Bishraam should be placed after “ਸੁ” and then the meaning is – place it in the scale and that side which is heavy, bows down. If we place the bishraam before “ਸੁ” then the meaning is – That side that bows down is the heavier side. The bowing of the scale is contingent on the side’s heaviness and not the heaviness is dependent on the side’s bowing. It’s a given fact that Gurmukhs are great and therefore are humble as well.
(Weighing Scale - the heavier side bows down, same way Gurmukhs are humble because they are great)Having said that, Guru Sahib has also warned us about fake humility in this Shabad:
ਅਪਰਾਧੀ ਦੂਣਾ ਨਿਵੈ ਜੋ ਹੰਤਾ ਮਿਰਗਾਹਿ ॥
ਸੀਸਿ ਨਿਵਾਇਐ ਕਿਆ ਥੀਐ ਜਾ ਰਿਦੈ ਕੁਸੁਧੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥1॥(A sinner who is aiming to shoot at a deer, sometimes bows two times the normal but the intention behind such bowing is not humility but harming others. Guru Sahib says that what’s the use of bowing your head, if the heart is stained i.e. the intentions are bad.)
(hunters sometimes bow down when shooting their target. Such bowing is not equal to Gurmat bowing)Siri Guru jee has written that Bhagti (devotion) gets accepted only if the person doing Bhagti considers himself to be lowly:
ਭਾਉ ਭਗਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਨੀਚੁ ਸਦਾਏ ॥ ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੋਖੰਤਰੁ ਪਾਏ ॥2॥(After doing Prema-Bhagti, call yourself lowly, then alone you can attain salvation.)
Here are some thoughts on Nimrata:
1. Real humility comes with intensive Naam Abhyaas and Gurbani Vichaar.
2. A Gurmukh who keeps Rehit should be very careful about getting Haume. The reason why Gurmukhs keep dietary Bibek is not that they are superior to others but because it is a Hukam of Guru Sahib. Gurmukhs do all actions in the fear and love of Guru Sahib i.e. in accordance to Gurmat.
3. Knowing that certain Rehit is Guru Sahib’s Hukam and not keeping such Rehit is a sign of Haume. A person who has killed Haume cannot disobey Guru Sahib.
4. Gurbani clearly and strongly teaches us that all qualities belong to Vaheguru and anyone who has any good quality is because of Vaheguru. Since all qualities belong to Vaheguru and we don’t own any quality, then how can we have any ego over the qualities we possess? The qualities we possess are gift from Vaheguru and can be taken away at any time.
5. Vaheguru resides in everyone and everything. Since Vaheguru is everywhere and in everything, we ought to respect and love everyone. When strong understanding of this concept resides in the heart, humility comes automatically.
6. Gurbani says that ones who respect Gurmukhs, don’t get to see Jammdoots -
ਜੇ ਕੋ ਜੀਉ ਕਹੈ ਓਨਾ ਕਉ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤਲਬ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥4॥3॥ This should prompt us to give respect to Gurmukhs and be humble before them, as merely by giving respect to Gurmukhs, we can be spared of seeing Jammdoots.
Please ponder upon the beautiful Kabit of Bhai Gurdaas jee that informs us about the most superior organ of all:
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਸੀਸੁ ਈਸੁ ਊਚੌ ਦੇਹੀ ਮੈ ਕਹਾਵੈ
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਲੋਚਨ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਾਂਤ ਕੈ ॥
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ਦੁਰਤਿ ਸਨਬੰਧ ਕਰਿ
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਨਾਸਕਾ ਸੁਬਾਸ ਸ੍ਵਾਸ ਕ੍ਰਾਂਤ ਕੈ ॥
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਮੁਖ ਸ੍ਵਾਦ ਸਬਦ ਸੰਜੁਗਤ ਕੈ
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਨ ਹਸਤ ਸਕਲ ਅੰਗ ਪਾਂਤ ਕੈ ॥
ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸਬਦ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਗੰਧ ਰਸ ਰਹਿਤ ਹੁਇ
ਪੂਜੀਐ ਪਦਾਰਬਿੰਦ ਨਵਨ ਮਹਾਂਤ ਕੈ ॥289॥1. The head is the highest organ of the body but it is not worshipped; nor the eyes that can see far are worshipped.
2. The ears that have the power to hear are not worshipped; and nose that has the power to smell and helps in breathing is not worshipped.
3. The mouth that can taste and talk is not worshipped; and hands that help the whole body are not worshipped.
4. The Charan (feet) that don’t have the capability to see, speak, hear, smell or taste are still worshipped because they stay lowest of all organs i.e. have Nimrata (humility).
What an amazing thought Bhai Sahib jee has given. No one worships hands, eyes, ears, nose, mouth or other organs of Mahapurakhs but only the Charan are worshipped and respected. This is because they are the most humble of all organs. Vaah!
May Guru Sahib bless us with Gurmat-Naam-Ghareebi (Gurmat humility imbued with Naam).
Daas,
Kulbir Singh
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
good article, good images.