Different Meanings of "Nanak" In Gurbanee

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖਾਲਸਾਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫਤਹਿ

I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the different meanings of Nanak in Gurbanee....for example:-

ਸਭਤੇਵਡਾਸਤਿਗੁਰੁਨਾਨਕੁਜਿਨਿਕਲਰਾਖੀਮੇਰੀ

As there is a onkur underneath the kakka, does this banee tuk refer to Guru Nanak Dev Jee in the Human Form?

Thanks

Bhupinder Singh

ਸਭਤੇਵਡਾਸਤਿਗੁਰੁਨਾਨਕੁਜਿਨਿਕਲਰਾਖੀਮੇਰੀ

Bhupinder Singh jeeo,

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ਸਭਤੇਵਡਾਸਤਿਗੁਰੁਨਾਨਕੁਜਿਨਿਕਲਰਾਖੀਮੇਰੀ
As there is a onkur underneath the kakka, does this banee tuk refer to Guru Nanak Dev Jee in the Human Form?

The meaning of this pankiti is that Satgur Nanak is the greatest of all, who has kept my honour. Some teekakaars have interpreted ਕਲ as Shakti or power. Then the meaning would be that Satgur Nanak is the greatest of all who maintained my shakti or kept my shakti.

Here are more pankitis that refer specially to Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee:

ਸਭੇ ਕਾਜ ਸੁਹੇਲੜੇ ਥੀਏ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਤੁਠਾ ॥1॥
(All my works or tasks were done easily when Guru Nanak became merciful/kind/benevolent)

ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤੁਠਾ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਇ ॥
(When Guru Nanak became merciful, I met Vaheguru).

There are numerous such pankitis, mostly by Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee, that talk about Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee and how through his mercy alone, one can meet Vaheguru.

Most of the times the word "Nanak" is without aunkad or sihaari and in such situations, it is used as a poetic name. Many times it also means "O Nanak". Guru Sahib addresses himself while ending a shabad. At times, it also means "Nanak ne" but most of the times the meaning of "Nanak ne" is derived from ਨਾਨਕਿ as is the case in the following pankitis:

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪਛਾਣਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਉ ॥2॥
(Servant Nanak has realised Brahm (Vaheguru) by doing the Karma of singing praises)

ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਦਰਿ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਸੁ ਨਾਨਕਿ ਆਖਿ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥
(What ever occurred at the door of Vaheguru, that Nanak (Guru Nanak) has narrated).


Bhul chuk dee maafi jee.

Kulbir Singh

What is the following meaning of the Gurbani Tuk

ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤੇਰਿਆ ਚਰਣਾ ਕਉ ਬਲਿਹਾਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੪੭॥
gur naanak miliaa paarabreham thaeriaa charanaa ko balihaaraa ||4||1||47||


My understanding is the pangti is referring to the meeting/union of Guru Sahib and Akal Purakh. But others make the claim a meeting never existed because Guru Ji is God- ( living incarnation of God). I have believed that there is not much of a distinction between Guru Ji and GOd . God has uplifted GUru Ji and gave him everything but still there is a distinction. God is without Birth, Death, Name ,etc. God is Naam, while GUru Ji meditated on Naam and gives Naam . Guru Ji was given a life but he can take life and destroy life as well. Through the sweet compassion of Guru ji life is sustained.

I went to a very good SIkhi camp this weekend and there was an interesting viewpoints amongst some of the speakers. I remember one speaker said GUru Ji is God- the living incarnation of God who came in living form. While another speaker said Guru Ji is the bichola ( wedding arranger) of God. I was most pleased with this description because I have always believed Guru Ji has been given the greatest status in uniting souls to AKal Purakh Ji. I respected both speakers and they were much more wiser then me . Unfortunately I could not do more veechar with the speakers because there was a camp rule that said do not discuss any topic that might cause controversy amongst the sevadars. I accidentaly already broke the camp rule about controversy topics, and I thought the topic of Who is Guru Ji might cause further controversy so I avoided any further discussion. So I hope I can get a clearer understanding and was wondering what sangats view on this form is about God and Guru Ji?

Bhai Sukhdeep Singh,

ਸਭੇ ਇਛਾ ਪੂਰੀਆ ਜਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤੇਰਿਆ ਚਰਣਾ ਕਉ ਬਲਿਹਾਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੪੭॥

Notice that the above pankiti has aunkad on both ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ and for this reason this is referring to Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee. The shabad is of Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee.

For sometime, I was thinking of writing about Dehli-Deepaks, and now is a perfect time to highlight the use of Dehli-Deepak in Gurbani. Will write about Dehli Deepaks in a separate post but presented here is a brief explanation of it. In this pankiti, the word ਮਿਲਿਆ is a Dehli Deepak. What Dehli-Deepak means is such lamp (Deepak) that is placed right on the door (dehli). This way the lamp gives light on both sides of the door. Same way a word (averb, an adjective etc) that is connected to two words is called a Dehli Deepak. In this case, this word ਮਿਲਿਆ is connected to both ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ and ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ . The meaning would be clear if I write it in Punjabi as follows:

ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ, (ਤਾਂ ਮਿਲਿਆ) ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ...

And on who's charan is Guru Sahib going sacrifice? It has to be the Charan of ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ because he enabled them to meet ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ.

Based on the discussion above, the meaning of this pankiti is: When I met Guru Nanak, then I met Vaheguru; I am sacrifice on Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee (who enabled me to meet Vaheguru).

Baani is Agam Agaadh Bodh and no one can claim to know full meanings of Gurbani.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

Thanks for the explanation Bhai Sahib. I have never heard about Dehli Deepak. Im looking forward to a more thorough explanation on Dehli Deepak.

So does the Shabad mean that through meeting SatGuru Ji dasam duaar becomes open and WaaheGuru Ji is visioned. If so does this not mean Guru Ji is God. I remember Bhai Randhir Singh Ji mentioning Guru Ji sits at the gate of Dasam Duaar?

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So does the Shabad mean that through meeting SatGuru Ji dasam duaar becomes open and WaaheGuru Ji is visioned. If so does this not mean Guru Ji is God. I remember Bhai Randhir Singh Ji mentioning Guru Ji sits at the gate of Dasam Duaar?

It is an established truth that the Satguru is the Guru-form of Vaheguru. This is why there are hukams in Gurbani to consider Guru and Vaheguru one and the same entity. Vaheguru established his own form as Guru in order to deliver the world and give salvation to it. From his own jyot, he has created the Satguru, whose function is to deliver jeevs from this world.

Kulbir Singh

Whenever I hear praises of WaaheGuru in Gurbani by Guru Sahib then to me it appears GUru Sahib is speaking as a bridesmaid. For example whenever I listen to parts of Akal Ustat, Chaupey Sahib, Jap Ji Sahib etc to me it appears Guru Sahib speaks as a very vulnerable/humble bridesmaid with human attributes. There is such a feminine tone whenever GUru ji praises and does a benti in Chaupey Sahib.

But when Guru Ji is giving straight forward Hukums the tone becomes more masculine and sounds more like Husband Lord. Sometimes Guru Ji sounds like the drops in a puddle, while at other times Guru Ji sounds like strong thunder. So for me I have always believed to get maximum benefit of Gurbani one must refer to Guru Ji as God at the same time refer to Guru Ji as a Bichola which unites widow souls.