Vaheguru jee kaa Khalsa,
Vaheguru jee kee fateh.
Dear veer and bheno, please take the time to read this inspirational chapter taken from the excellent book Bandagi Nama by Saradar Raghbir Singh Bir, I hope you enjoy. (Some spelling mistakes may be present, as for some reason the letter F's and L's do not copy and paste very well from adobe reader. However I have tried my best where possible to rectify this).
Chapter 7
Simran - Its three stages
7.1 The First Stage: Audible Repetition of the Divine NameIn the initial stage, we should practise Simran by uttering the Divine Name aloud. But if this fails to result in mental concentration, we might resort to the beads of the rosary. Subdued utterance of the Divine Name and listening to its sound helps us to concentrate.
At first, the mind does wander and concentration is dicult to attain. In this tug-of-war, irrelevant thoughts are bound to recur, but one need not despair:
There is no escape except through Simran.
bin Har bhajan nahi chhutkara
Guru Arjan - Gauri.
This human life is the time to realize God.
Gobind milan ki eih teri baria
Guru Arjan - Asa.Mottoes such as these, contained in Gurbani, must inspire and guide us. We may select any of God's Names according to our creed or faith, or in conformity with the guidance of our preceptor, because all Names are sacred.
I am a sacri ce unto all Thy Names.
balihari jao jete tere nav hai
Guru Nanak - Basant.The First Cause, the Merciful or Karim,
Rahim, or Merciful God, sustains all,
Allah, is unknowable and transcendent
Khuda, is Self-existent and In nite.
The Divine Lord, the Creator,
Pervades all His creation,
He is Jagan Nath, the Sustainer of creation,
He is Madho, the Remover of Fear.
Remember Him in thy innermost heart,
He is Rikhikesh, Gopal, Gobind.
He is the Gracious, Unique Maula,
The Pir, the Prophet, the Shaikh,
He is Narain, Nar Hari, Dayal (Merciful)
Vasudeva, dwelling everywhere,
His play is inscrutable
O Thou, the First Cause of all things,
Be merciful to me,
Grant me the gift of devotion, O Thou Maker mine,
Saith Nanak, the Guru has removed all my illusions,
Allah and Parbrahm (Transcendent Brahm)
Are the same God.
kaaran kanan Karim sarab pratipal Rahim
Allah alakh apar khudi khudai vad beshumar
unmo bhagwant gusai khalaku ravi rahia sarab thai
Jagan Nath jag jiwan Madho bhao bhanjan rid mahi aradho
Rikhikes, Gopal, Gobind puran sarbatr Mukand
meharvan maula tuhi ek pir paikadbar sekh
dila ka malaku kare haku Kuran Kateb te paku
Narain, Narhar daidl ramat ram ghat ghat adhar
Basudev basat sabh thai lila kichhu lakhi na jai
mehar daiya kar karnaihar
bhagati bandgi aehi sirjanhar
kahu Nanak guri khoe bharam eko Allahu Parbrahm.
Guru Arjan - Ramkali.Personally, however, I use the Word, "Wahiguru" for Simran and recommend it to fellow Sikhs. In my opinion, all other names, such as Ram, Om, Allah, Gobind, Madho, and others symbolize a particular attribute of God and when a spiritual seeker glows conscious both of the immanence and transcendence of God, he would not like to call God by a name that is indicative of only one attribute. It would be like referring to the ocean as a "cup"or a "bowl" It would diminish the area of one who is meditating on the All-Encompassing and All-Pervasive.
When a spiritual seeker attains to a sublime spiritual stature and fi nds within his soul the Eternal Refulgent Light, he involuntarily exclaims ecstatically through every pore of his being, Wah, Wah: Wonderful, Wonderful!" It is a wondrous, ecstatic state and one perceives the full signi cance of the
mystic word, "Waheguru - Wondrous God"! There is no other conceivable
word that can equally comprehensively describe the great mystery and wonder
that is God.
The term "Guru" connotes all the immanent and transcendental attributes of God and much else besides. This is why I uphold and advocate the use of the word Waheguru. The word "Guru" in Sikh ideology means both a spiritual guide and God.
The great poet-author of Suraj Parkash Bh. Santokh Singh and many other old writers, in their lucid and beautiful comments, expound the meaning of the word "Wahiguru." Bhai Gurdas says that Guru Nanak himself originally coined the word for God.
Guru Nanak pronounced the true mystic implication of the word Waheguru.Waheguru sach mantar sunaia
Var - Pauri 3.Bhai Gurdas adds that the word Waheguru is for Simran the supreme epithet.
The mystic word Waheguru brings about the end of self's ascendancyWahiguru gur mantar hai jap haumai koi
Var 13 - Pauri 20.The Primordial Being Who was in the beginning,
Who will be at the end,
He alone is my spiritual guide
My homage to Him alone
Who regulates the entire creation.
adi ant ekai avtara
soi gura samjahu hamara
namaskar tis ki h ao hamari
sagal praja jin ap sawari
Guru Gobind Singh - Chaupai.My True Guru lives for ever and ever,
He neither takes birth, nor does He die,
He is the deathless Master,
He pervades all things.
Satiguru mera sada sada
na avai na jai
oh abnashi purkhu hai
sabh mahi rahia samai.
Guru Ramdas - Suhi7.1.1 Guru's ImageIn the preliminary stages, many seekers of Truth, while resorting to the Simran of "Waheguru," fix their mind on Guru Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh or some incarnation or other, but they have to face a great difficulty in the fi nal stages. I myself used to have a picture of Guru Nanak before my eyes when I began Simran. At fi rst, this device proved very useful in promoting concentration. As I progressed, I visualized that the picture scintillated with sparks of light and glowed with life - as if Guru Nanak was present in the flesh. Then my joy knew no bounds. Whenever I so chose, I could, as it were, have a glimpse of the Guru. I felt as if the image of the Guru dwelt in my heart, and when 1 chose, I closed my eyes, and I could visualize the Guru within. Once I expressed it thus poetically:
Perfect Master as I utter thy name,
I see thy likeness before my eyes
I close my eyes and behold thee in my heart
I have lost all interest in other joys, since I have known this one,
But I wonder and fail to understand
How the Kindly Master like thee
condescends to bless the narrow recesses of my heart.
pare gurdev tera laindia hi nam
ik akhian de age tasvir khichi janvdi
mit lavan akhian ke kite nazar lag jave
akhian ton lahike dile vich ja samanvandi
bhulian ne khedan sanu jadon di eh khed labhi
par han hairan ik samajh nahi anvdi
tere jahe guru beparvah shahanshah tain
mere dil jahi tang jaga kinven bhanvdiWhen this state develops further, it becomes hard to contemplate God in His transcendence, while in fact the realization of His transcendence and our
union with Him are the crown and climax, the apex and zenith of spiritual growth. When I wished to concentrate on the formless one, there arose before my eyes the image of the Guru. At last, with a mighty e ort, greater than that with which I had formed the habit of picturing to myself the Guru. I undid and broke this habit. It is, therefore, essential to reect on the Formless God from the very outset, else diculties arise in the closing stages. Theconcentration and meditation should therefore be only on the Guru's "Sabad" (word- Waheguru) and the seeker should continue to dwell on His Name by the process of meditation and listening to the same. Judicious Mahatmas commend this very course that I suggest.
7.2 The Second Stage
7.2.1 Mental SimranRepetition of the Name at times, leads to automatic mental Simran: the
lips cease to move, and yet mental Simran progresses. This induces mental
peace and joy. As we grow spiritually, mental Simran will always, or whenever
we so choose, progress unceasingly. The physical aspect of Simran ends, and
mental repetition continues from day to day. The external attractions and
distractions begin to drop, while mental harmony with Him begins. All the
powers of the mind, which were di used in external objects, begin to be
concentrated, through the sweet, soft, mental Simran. The seeker of God
perceives a flood ood of mental peace coursing through his whole being; the mind
is at rest, the lips are motionless, and yet mental Simran continues!
Those who are regular in the recitation of Gurbani, especially as a mental
process, taste this joy now and then. But it is far more useful and more
methodical, to get to the stage of mental Simran through the repetition of
Nam. It facilitates the progress to higher stages. I have seen some advanced
souls deeply perplexed in this process - they could recite Gurbani mentally,
but when they began Nam, Simran, they could not continue it for long.
7.2.2 The Practice of Nam with our Every BreathAt this stage, if we accustom ourselves to the practice of Simran with our
every breath, it brings much joy. As we inhale, we might mentally utter
"Wah", and "Guru" when we exhale. The lips do not move. This is also
mental Simran, and we practice Nam with our every breath. This is the
second stage of Simran.
7.3 The Third Stage
7.3.1 SignsThe Third stage of Nam is marvellous. Mental Simran promotes concentration,
and the gentle sound that mental Simran creates within our being becomes more audible. The sounds of the external world are drowned in thesound of mental Simran within. We hear nothing but the music of Simran within. The music is pitched in such a high key that even while travelling in a railway train, moving at full speed, to the man practicing mental Simran, the rattle of the wheels is inaudible.
7.4 The State of SahejThe spiritual stage gradually continues to advance to such an extent that
we consider even the recitation of mental Simran as superfluous. Then the
physical process of Simran ceases, but the mind is in union with God, in a
state of poise. Now, both the physical and mental stress of Simran cease,
and the mind is perfectly at rest. This is called the Sahej stage, whose peace
and bliss defy description. Then one feels:
Those who have not practiced Nam
Are leading a useless, insipid life.
jini aisa Hari nam na chetio
se kahe jag ae ram raje
Guru Ramdas - Asa.The ambrosial joy of Nam is experienced at this stage. The mind is in a state of inebriation and is full of unfathomable bliss, and the joys of the world stand no comparison to it and pale into insigni cance. We feel as if we have found a rare treasure. When we descend from this state, mental Simran begins and, through it again, we ascend to this stage of peace, poise, and joy.
7.4.1 My First IllusionWhen I rst felt this stage of e ortless union with God, I thought that
though my bliss was in nite, yet Simran was seemingly wanting, and so
i fancied that without Simran God-worship was meaningless. At first, I
imagined that God-worship consisted in repeating the Divine Name only;
then I conceived that mental Simran was God-worship: now I felt as if Simran
had ceased altogether and, therefore, I felt that the repose of the mind in
peace and poise, without Simran, was not God-worship and was, I thought,
a mere waste of time. For years, I laboured under this delusion.
I consulted some Mahatmas, one of whom was the late Sant Attar Singh
Ji. The Sant said, "My dear boy, this spiritual state of yours is superior to
your previous stages the very object of Simran is to attain this state of poise
and peace."
Later, I met Dr. Chanan Singh of Jagraon, who himself was a devotee. He
escorted me to the late Sant Nand Singh Ji of Kaleran (Ludhiana District),
who said, \In the rst stages there is Simran with the lips, followed by mental
Simran. This is followed by the mind resting in a state of poise and peace."
He added, "When somebody is performing Simran with the lips, followed
by mental Simran, he stands apart from God and adores God, but when he
draws nearer to God, Simran begins to drop and there emerges a state of
being-at-one and one drinks of the heavenly nectar."
He paused awhile, and said, "Take two pieces of iron. When the two pieces
are welded, they become one whole. So is Simran the welding, the joining
link that unites the soul with the In nite Soul."
I inquired: "Since the mind does not continuously dwell in the state of
Sahej, how can we permanently retain it in this state?"
He replied: "Let the mind remain in the state of Sahej, so long as it will
stay there. When it descends, take to Simran and through Simnan, it could
regain the same ideal state of bliss. In the course of time, the mind will ever
abide in the state of ceaseless mental peace and bliss."
7.4.2 Second IllusionThe devotee labours under another illusion. In this spiritual state, he falls
into the state of Sukh Nindra, or the "Sleep of Ease," which the yogis call
the sleep of Tandra. In this stage we live as in a sweet, dreamless sleep,
when all thought is absent. But the devotee must beware of this sleep and
remain poised in the state of Sahej. This sleep of ease blocks the way to
further spiritual progress, and labouring under a delusion, we fancy that it
is the culminating stage of spiritual advancement. I strayed in this state
for long. My inner voice said that this was not the nal stage, and the
journey ahead was yet long, but I could not see the way ahead. Whenever I
tried to concentrate, the Sleep of Ease overpowered me. At last, I chanced
upon a book, in English, A Visit to a Gyani, by Edward Carpenter, at an
auctioneer's shop, a study of which resolved my long-standing doubts and
my spiritual progress was accelerated:
Carpenter says,
Then when success seems to be coming and thought is dwindling,
oblivion; the twin foe appears and must also be conquered. For
if thought merely gives place to sleep, what is there gained? After
months but more probably years of intermittent practice, the
power of control grows curious but distinct psychological changes
take place. One day the student nds that Thought has gone,
he stands for a moment in oblivion, then that veil lifts and there
streams through his being a vast and illumined consciousness glorious,
that fills lls and over flows him, surrounding him so that, he is
like a pot in water which has the liquid within and without. In
this consciousness there is divine knowledge but no Thought.
Apropos this point, the Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry
wrote:
Generally when you have what you call dreamless sleep, it is one
of two things, either you do not remember what you dream or
you fall into absolute unconsciousness which is almost death-a
taste of death. But there is the possibility of a sleep in which you
enter into an absolute silence, immobility and peace in all parts of
your being and your consciousness merges into Sach-chid-ananda.
You can hardly call it sleep, for it is extremely conscious. In that
condition even if you remain for a few minutes, these few minutes
give you more rest and refreshment than hours of ordinary sleep.
You can not have it by chance, it requires a long training.The spiritual pilgrim loves to revert to, and stay in, this state of Sahej
repeatedly. But keeping in view our worldly duties and obligations, we must
not aim at an excess of it, even if we could, so long as the discharge of our
manifold duties in the world continues to claim our time arid attention. We
must not be too greedy even in God-worship, nor must we be impatient. We
must devoutly, gratefully, watch and wait patiently for God's grace. We are
not blessed with the state of Sahej too soon, or too often, at the very outset.
Years passed after my rst experience of this ecstatic state, and I waited and
waited to experience it again. I felt as if the rst experience had been a mere
dream. After some years, I began to be blessed again with it, and in quick
succession.
Once when I inquired of a Namdhari Mahatma about this mystic state, he
naively said, "It is my mystery, too. At times, He hears us, even if we hail
Him but a few times, and we are blessed with this state. And there are times
when we tire of hailing Him, yet He hears not, as if His ears were plugged
with cotton-wool!"
Of course, by "hailing" he meant Simran.
7.4.3 The Fruit of SahejIn this blessed state, the seeker feels as if he has received an electric current
within him-waves of ecstasy surge through him. A wondrous thrill permeates
his being; there is boundless, over flowing joy; he is steeped in an ocean of
bliss; he feels inebriated with brimming bliss. When he turns his mind to his
ears he hears sweet melodies emanating from the universe; in the cortex of the
brain there is the musical melodious tinkle of bells, and celestial symphony.
When the seeker's mind turns to his nose, sweet, enthralling perfumes greet
his nostrils, and when his eyes open, he sees Divine Force pervading all things
and feels that the Divine Force makes all living things dance to His tune. And
when his eyes close, he perceives the same Force permeating His being. He
finds himself indissolubly connected and interlinked with the universe, like
beads strung together. This state of Sahej brings Divine Knowledge, which
I shall refer to in the chapter on "Gyan, or Divine Knowledge."
7.5 Centres of ConsciousnessIn this state, the seeker perceives within himself many centres where consciousnesscould rest in a state of concentration, and when his mind is diverted
to such centres, he feels unfathomable joy. As compared with this
supreme bliss, the pleasures of the world are naught. The love and union of
man and woman is supposed to be delightful, but, the seeker nds in Sahej
that indescribable, unfathomable, bliss that de es description. The bliss of
Sahej in nitely excels the pleasures of the flesh in intensity and in its peculiar
nature, and unlike the afteref ects of coitus-weakness, depression, and
inertia-those of Sahej are exhilarating, invigorating and health-giving. The
mind is buoyant.
At the initial stage, we do not understand these things, and even when we
are at Simran, we yearn for worldly pleasure. Imperceptibly, gradually, we
compare the pleasures of the world with those of the spirit, and inevitably,
we are driven to the inescapable conclusion that the greatest pleasures of the
senses stand absolutely no comparison with the supreme bliss of the spirit,
the bliss of Nam. Indeed, we discard the pleasures of the world, only when
we taste of the bliss of Nam, and in comparison nd the pleasures of the
esh dull and drab. When we nd the Supreme Bliss of Simran, we experience a
sense of satisfaction and the mind is at rest. We cease to crave for worldly
pleasures, for in the supreme bliss of Simran are concentrated all conceivable
pleasures, and much more besides.
When we taste spiritual bliss,
The pleasures of the
flesh repel us.
oh rasu ava ihu ras nahibhava
Kabir - Gauri Bawan Akhri.The man of Simran alone can fully grasp the great truth of above quotation.
Those who merely read it, but do no its truth cannot fully comprehend it.
Only those who have tasted spiritual bliss are aware of the inner and deeper
of the words.
7.6 Daswan Duar, or Tenth GateThere are six centres in the body where consciousness is concentrated; a
little below the navel, the navel, the heart, the neck, midway between the nose
and the eyes, and the cortex of the brain. When consciousness is focused in
the cortex of the brain, bliss is unbounded and the mind feels the intoxication
of joy. The Gurus call it Daswan Duar, or Tenth Gate. Impatience to reach
this marvellous centre is not desirable. Only the ideal seeker can aspire to
reach this centre. When we reach this centre, we derive in nite delight,
and are averse to returning to our normal waking condition. We enter into
Samadhi, or trance, and some Mahatmas shed their mortal frame while in
this stage. Those who attain this stage are not much interested in worldly
a airs. Descending from this state, I feel like a stranger, and perceive that
humanity in general is on the wrong track. In this mood of frustration, I
have to remind myself of attractions and fascinations of the world to work
up any interest to re-enter it.
A Mahatma used to remark, "Householders must not indulge in an excess
of Samadhi, for it tends to create too much detachment from worldly a fairs
and one feels disinclined to throw one's whole heart into the af airs of the
world. One continues to yearn for the Sahej state, as one yearns for the joys
of kingship which one has enjoyed in a happy dream!"
When we attain the Sahej state, our desire to live in the flesh diminishes,
and the desire to merge into Truth intensifi es. Therefore, the seekers should
attempt to enjoy this state of Samadhi only when they have discharged their
responsibilities of service to humanity in their missionary work. (The Gurus
hold that we must continue to serve humanity with our whole heart, even
while steeped in the blissful state of Sahej).
The Gurus speak of Sahej repeatedly:
In a God-centred being, there is the state of Sahej,
The mind rests at the Tenth Centre,
There is no drowsiness, nor appetite
There, God's Name is the nectar.
gurmukh antar sahaj hai manu charhia daswai akasi
tithai ugh na bhukh hai Hari amrit nami sukh vas
Guru Amardas - Saloka.And there is peace and bliss.
There is sweet, unstruck music,
In this mortal frame,
there is a rain of melody.
jhunatkar ankad ghanghoran
trikuti bhitar ati chhabi joran
Paintees Akhri.There is perfect music,
Unstruck music and ecstatic joy,
It is a wondrous state,
Only rare souls attain it
There is no wavering, no wandering
By His Grace alone, is this state attained.
panch sabad tah puran nad
anhad baje achraj bismad
birle pavahi oh bisram
digi na dolai katahu dhavai
gurprasad ko eku mahalu pavai
Guru Arjan - RamkaliIn Sahej, there is neither day nor night,
There is God alone-none but He.
dinsu rain bed nahi sastra
taha basai Nirankar
Kabir - Asa.Mental concentration in centres besides the Tenth Centre, or the cortex of
the brain, also create an ecstatic state. In the preliminary stages, we would
do well to practise mental concentration in lower centres. As we progress
and attain a greater measure of self-control, we could advance towards the
higher centres.
Though Mahatmas, or advanced pilgrims, are but few and far between, and
even those few prefer to remain obscure and unknown, yet if we are lucky
enough to have the inspiration and guidance of such souls, it proves highly
useful. Each one of us has his own peculiar diculties, and so a well-informed
guide expedites our progress.
It is a pity that although there are enough Sikh colleges and schools for secular
education to spare, there is not a single Sikh institution for the guidance
of spiritual seekers. For want of appropriate assistance in Simran, many aspirants
to spiritual advancement, such as myself, have to wait for years before
we can progress from one stage to another.
Here I might add one more point before I end this chapter. While we are
engaged in Simran, there are, at times, low and gentle tapping sounds in
the brain. They must not frighten us, because they are signs of our progress
on the spiritual plane. In fact, with more experience, these taps prove to
be sources of great joy. After every tap, there rises a wave of mental peace;
the nerves and brain cells thus assume their natural poise. When for the
first time the late Sant Gurbakhsh Singh Ji, of Jabbowal (Amritsar), told
me of this phenomenon, I was unable to make any comment. But when I
had this experience myself and enjoyed it immensely, I recollected what he
had said. He was a high-souled Mahatma and was leading a life of Simran
and missionary work. I met him for the rst time when I had just appeared
for the B.A. examinations. He remarked, \Do not worry about examination
results. You will get through. Go on with your Simran, and some day you
will taste of its sweet fruit."
After passing the examination and with his advice regarding the practice
of Simran, I felt much encouraged and derived much spiritual good. He was,
perhaps, the first saint with whom I had come into contact and heard a
discourse on Nam Simran.
End of the chapter, hope you enjoyed the read and was inspired.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥