Guru Piyare Jio,
Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh
Presenting the next Part, this part may needs keen reading/re-reading due to understanding of Gurbani in relation to the topic...
Had the writer mentioned Naam-practice to link with Khands as spirtual stage, this could have made some sense. However, ‘thinking’ can only lead to ‘stages of Thought’, but it is not proper to call these Khands as spirtual stages. Let us now study stages of Naam-practice according to Gurbani. During Naam-recitation, first there is an ecstatic taste on the tongue of practitionar that is the sweetest in experience:
ਅਵਰਿ ਸਾਦ ਚਖਿ ਸਗਲੇ ਦੇਖੇ ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਮੀਠਾ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥(Panna 100)
All other flavours have been tasted, O mind, Divine flavour is the sweetest of all.
Next, fragrance and coolness and some supernatural powers come to abide within the being:
ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮੁਸਕਿ ਝਕੋਲਿਆ ਸਭੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਧਨੁ ਧੰਨਾ ॥੧॥ (Panna 448-49)
Slave Nanak has become fragrant and blessed is all the life.
ਚੰਦਨ ਚੰਦੁ ਨ ਸਰਦ ਰੁਤਿ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਮਿਟਈ ਘਾਂਮ ॥ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਥੀਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜਪੰਦੜੋ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੨॥ (panna 709)
Sandalwood nor moon nor winter season provide relief from heat, O’ Nank! Coolness lies in Naam-recitation.
Every pore of a Gurmukh’s being recites Naam:
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰੋਮਿ ਰੋਮਿ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਵੈ ॥ (panna 941)
God-oriented being’s very pore produces the Naam sound. The sound of Naam-recitation can be heard from every particle of creation:
ਧਰਤਿ ਪਾਤਾਲੁ ਆਕਾਸੁ ਹੈ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੁੜੀਏ ਸਭ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵੈ ਰਾਮ ॥ (Panna 540)
World, underworld, sky, all are engaged in Naam recitation, O’ my being!
A Gurmukh being is engaged in Naam-practice day and night. A stage is reached when breath stops at navel. The down-cast lotus straightens up in flourishment and becomes effulgent. This is the effulgence of our soul that is equivalent to light from few suns. This stage is called ‘Revelation of the Soul-Being’.
ਮੀਨ ਕੀ ਚਪਲ ਸਿਉ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਖੀਐ ਉਡੈ ਨਹ ਹੰਸੁ ਨਹ ਕੰਧੁ ਛੀਜੈ ॥੧॥ (Panna 991-92)
Like the steep plunge of a fish in water, With ardent Naam-Simran, breath along with mind crosses all to access the inaccessible Dasam Duar and comes to abide there.
Naam-practice is going on in full earnest, like the steep dive of a fish when in one stroke the fish goes to touch great depths in the ocean then produces a ‘Chapal’ sound in water with tail. As an example, Satguru has explained that forceful flow of breath from navel in recitation-practice, with one thurst, accesses the Dasam Duar. The strong, stone-like door is otherwise closed. Only Shabad-devotion is efficacious to open this door, not otherwise. Opened with the Shabad-key, at the Dasam Duar the compassionate Lord is envisioned in the form of Effulgent Being. Thus, the Timeless Being is also known as Embodiment of Light. Where as at Jot Parkaash of navel the light intensity was of few suns, now the intensity of Light is equivlent to millions of suns, yes millions of suns.
ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਜਲੁ ਆਇ ਖਟਾਨਾ ॥ ਤਿਉ ਜੋਤੀ ਸੰਗਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥ (Panna 278)
Just as water mixes with water, so also the soul being merges with the Light of the Supreme soul.
A drop of water mixing with water of ocean becomes one with the ocean. Similarly soul-effulgence merges with the Effulgence of Supreme Soul in Oneness as Supreme Soul.
ਮਿਟਿ ਗਏ ਗਵਨ ਪਾਏ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਨ ॥੮॥੧੧॥ (Panna 278)
Ended is the journey of transmigration and soul being abides in rest. Nank is sacrifice unto the supreme Being.
Ended is the cycle of endless rebirths of transmigration. Now it is only resing in peace. life’s journey is complete.
It is quite apparent that in the Gurmat ordained path, there is no reference to a ‘stage’ or ‘mind’s thinking.’ The experiences of the nectar flavor, flourishment of the lotus at navel and its effulgence, cannot be mere imaginations. Thinking cannot bring about realization of Dasam Duar and envisioning the beloved Lord immanent in the efffulgent glory. It is by the blessing of Naam-practice that is ceaseless. Gurbani says as follows:
ਊਠਤ ਬੈਠਤ ਸੋਵਤ ਨਾਮ ॥ (Sukhmani -17)
Naam-recitation while getting up or sitting.
ਜਿਨਾ ਸਾਸਿ ਗਿਰਾਸਿ ਨ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾਂ ਮਨਿ ਮੰਤੁ ॥ (Panna 319)
hose who forsake not Naam in mind, even for a single breath.
It is passing through this hard practice that one comes to merge with the Supreme Spirit. There is no realization through mere talk nor can it be through intellectual force or mind’s thinking. Therefore the subject of Five Khands cannot be reduced to a play of imagination. Then question remains if Five Khands are not subject to stages of mind’s thinking then could it stages of Naam Abhiyaas Kamayee? Now with the foregoing conclusion, let us also analyze the Khands as stages of Naam-practice. For such a co-relation, we have to think what stage of Naam-prcatice can be co-relate to which Khand and on what basis. Can the description of individual Khand mention in Gurbani suits to our reasoning?
In the case of Dharam Khand: “ਧਰਮ ਖੰਡ ਕਾ ਏਹੋ ਧਰਮੁ ॥ Such is righteous duty in Dharam Khand.” What Dharam?
“ਕਰਮੀ ਕਰਮੀ ਹੋਇ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ Every deed is subjected to analysis.”
“…ਕਚ ਪਕਾਈ ਓਥੈ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਇਆ ਜਾਪੈ ਜਾਇ whether a deed fails or passes the test of Divine acceptance is determined there. Says, Nank, the final decision can only be known there.”
There Divine justice is based on the performed deeds by the mortals. Can this be a description of Dharam Khand on the basis of a ’stage’ of Gurmat spirtual journey?
“ਗਿਆਨ ਖੰਡ ਕਾ ਆਖਹੁ ਕਰਮੁ ॥“ The functioning in Gian Khand is “ਕੇਤੇ ਪਵਣ ਪਾਣੀ ਵੈਸੰਤਰ ਕੇਤੇ ਕਾਨ ਮਹੇਸ ॥ Many types of winds, waters, and many types of fires and many are Krishnas and shiv Jis…”
This whole stanza goes on to describe limitless creations in nature. How can such a description yield to the defination of a stage? Similarly about Saram Khand, Karam Khand and Sach Khand:
“ਸਰਮ ਖੰਡ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਰੂਪੁ ॥ Beauty is constituted in Saram Khand."
"ਤਿਥੈ ਘਾੜਤਿ ਘੜੀਐ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਅਨੂਪੁ ॥ the objects there reflect unparalleled beauty.”
“ਤਿਥੈ ਜੋਧ ਮਹਾਬਲ ਸੂਰ ॥ There abide warriors of limitless strength and bravery.
"ਤਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰ ॥ There abide the ones given only to divine Glory.”
“ਤਿਥੈ ਭਗਤ ਵਸਹਿ ਕੇ ਲੋਅ ॥ There abide devotees from many different worlds.”
“ਤਿਥੈ ਖੰਡ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਰਭੰਡ ॥ There are many are the regions, spheres and cosmos.”
“ਤਿਥੈ ਲੋਅ ਲੋਅ ਆਕਾਰ ॥There are many worlds and their inhabitants.”
All this given description is connected to what stage of our thinking or reasoning? In above Gurbani facts use of words ਤਿਥੈ, ਓਥੈ (there, where) points to a specific place in creation not related to the mind and Naam-practice. It can safely be concluded that a description can not possibly be related to any state whether of thought or spirtual.
To be Continued…
For any typo and difficulty in reading I beg for khima.
With Regards,
Daas,
JASJIT SINGH
With Regards,