location and blessing of Guru Sahib

A while back a Gurmukh was telling me about a bajurg Bibi who once commented "mere pichhay Baba kharra", implying that Guru Sahib protected her and "stood behind her". The Singh remarked that we are the ones who need to be behind Guru Sahib and follow Him, rather than Him standing behind us. Initially I laughed a lot at the Bibi's comment, but later on it struck me that she was indeed wrong.

ਸਾਜਨੜਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਜਨੜਾ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਖਲੋਇਅੜਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਜਨੜਾ ॥
Friend, my Friend - standing so near to me is my Friend!

"khaloeiarraa" comes from "khalotha", which means to stand. An armed guard standing is always perceived to be on alert. A guard sitting down can lose his alertness in carrying out his duties. You may be sitting, standing, lying down, walking, running, or doing whatever. But your Guru is always khaloeiarraa near you. But how far is He standing? He is "ਨਿਕਟਿ" which means nearby or closeby. That is how much Vaheguru loves us. He stands close to us, guarding us like a guard, watching over us like a mother, instructing us like a teacher, and at times scolds us like a father. He is definitely not behind us.

Another tuk is as follows

ਚਿੰਤਾ ਜਾਇ ਮਿਟੈ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
Anxiety departs, and ego is eliminated.

ਤਿਸੁ ਜਨ ਕਉ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਪਹੁਚਨਹਾਰੁ ॥
No one can equal that humble servant.

ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਠਾਢਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਸੂਰਾ ॥
The Brave and Powerful Guru stands over his head.

ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾ ਕੇ ਕਾਰਜ ਪੂਰਾ ॥੭॥
O Nanak, his efforts are fulfilled. ||7||

Someone on my right can't see my left and vice versa, someone in front of me can't see behind me and vice versa. Guru Sahib is within us and all around us, and can see us even where the whole world can't. He is always ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ, always ਨਿਕਟਿ ਖਲੋਇਅੜਾ, always watching us, always protecting us. Always being "ਹਾਥ ਦੇਇ ਰਾਖੈ ਅਪਨੇ ਕਉ ਸਾਸਿ ਸਾਸਿ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲੇ ". Because "ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਹਾਥ ਪੈ ਨੇਰੈ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਹੋਈ ".

He is standing (ਨਿਕਟਿ ਖਲੋਇਅੜਾ) on my head (ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ) at a distance closer than my hands (ਹਾਥ ਪੈ ਨੇਰੈ) and is always cherishing me 24/7 (ਸਾਸਿ ਸਾਸਿ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲੇ). This is the location and blessing of Guru Sahib.

Beautiful post, Bhai Mehtab Singh jeeo and thanks for the reminder that Satguru jee is ਨਿਕਟਿ ਖਲੋਇਅੜਾ.

It's also a very scary thought because if we realize that Guru Sahib is extremely near to us, then he was also near us when we sinned. He saw everything we did and still continued to love us. Such love cannot be found anywhere else. By the same token, the embarrassment (Sharam) that we feel, knows no bounds, when we realize that he has been watching every sin that we have done.

Kulbir Singh

Vaheguru Kee Kaa Khalsa
Vaheguru Jee kee Fateh

Amazing post by Mehtab Singh Jee.

You are right Bhai Sahib jee. This feeling causes fear as well as bairaag. There are Gurmukhs who burst into tears by the mere thought that SatGuru jee has stood by them always and they didn't even know He was there for them when even their parents and siblings were not.

What then causes even more further bairaag is that inspite of all our shortcomings He is bakshind.

ਅਉਗਣੁ ਕੋ ਨ ਚਿਤਾਰਦਾ ਗਲ ਸੇਤੀ ਲਾਇਕ ॥
He does not remind me of my faults; He hugs me close in His embrace.

People of the world push us away and taunt us about our faults. SatGuru jee doesn't (ਕੋ ਨ ਚਿਤਾਰਦਾ) and always hugs us (ਗਲ ਸੇਤੀ ਲਾਇਕ).

> People of the world push us away and taunt us
> about our faults. SatGuru jee doesn't (ਕੋ ਨ
> ਚਿਤਾਰਦਾ) and always hugs us (ਗਲ
> ਸੇਤੀ ਲਾਇਕ).




Vaheguroooooo!

ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਢਾਕਿ ਲੀਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਪਾਪੀ ਪੜਦਾ ॥

Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Ji in Jail Chithian narrates the incidence when a British priest agrees with Bhai Sahib that his Guru is truely and in fact with him, in a isolated and dark small jail room. He says that mine lord is not as close. Of course, every body is not lucky enough to enjoy that closeness of the Lord. But surey He is with every one.

Mehtab Singh Ji I could not understand your point, when you want to prove that "mere pichhay Baba kharra" is techinically misfit. We in Punjabi language do use a phrase like that. "He is at my back" we say like that. Children are always safe when parents are closely following them. Similarly Security Guards do follow the person they are supposed to protect. May be, in Gurbani also, we will be able to find such expressions stating "Lord at my back."

I wonder, how it matters, if the LORD is closeby, but behind us.

Quote

Mehtab Singh Ji I could not understand your point, when you want to prove that "mere pichhay Baba kharra" is techinically misfit. We in Punjabi language do use a phrase like that. "He is at my back" we say like that. Children are always safe when parents are closely following them. Similarly Security Guards do follow the person they are supposed to protect. May be, in Gurbani also, we will be able to find such expressions stating "Lord at my back."

Hanji Guru pyaareyo, but I was just looking at it from a perspective that if Guru Sahib is behind me, then my back is facing Him, which is what a GurSikh would never do/want.

Dear Mehtab Singh Ji, I do not see any problem with the phrase "having God or Guru at my back". (I will be blessed rather).
Over the head, side by side, in the heart, on the tongue, with each body part or in each hair; I think, all these phrases, convey the meanings of HIS PROXIMITY. If Guru gives "a pat on our back", how will you feel? I think pat is always possible from the back.

ਨਿਹਤੇ ਪੰਜਿ ਜੁਆਨ ਮੈ ਗੁਰ ਥਾਪੀ ਦਿਤੀ ਕੰਡਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੮॥
I have thrown the five challengers to the ground, and the Guru has patted me on the back. ||18||

If the positioning is to be considered even "side by side walking" seems to be disrespectful.

ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਸਖਾਈ ਸਦਾ ਨਾਲਿ ਚਲੈ ॥
The Companion of my breath of life shall always be with me.

ਅੰਗ ਸੰਗਿ ਲਾਗੇ ਦੂਖ ਭਾਗੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਸਭਿ ਹਰੇ ॥
He is joined to me, in my very fiber; my sorrows have departed, and my body, mind and soul are all rejuvenated.

ਸਦਾ ਅੰਗ ਸੰਗੇ ਅਭੰਗੰ ਬਿਭੂਤੇ ॥
Salutation to thee O Ever present with all, Indestructible and Glorious Lord!

ਰੋਮ ਰੋਮ ਮਹਿ ਬਸਹਿ ਮੁਰਾਰਿ ॥
and on each and every hair, the Lord abides.

Veer Ji, to me the old lady you talked about, seems to be very lucky and blessed.

Please let me know, if it makes sense, ji.

Hanji Gurmukho, you are right...sat bachan
I was looking at it from another perspective but yours makes total Gurmat sense as well

I understand your perspective Veer Ji. May we never show our back to Him and He is always at our back.

Just wanted to add a few thoughts to this very old post.

Every devout GurSikh who has the prakash of Dhann Dhann Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj at their place of residence always make sure to do so at the highest spot located over there. This is the selfless love of a GurSikh that he/she wants Guru Sahib to be at THE highest (not just highest possible but THE highest) spot at the place they live.

The whole world keeps saying that God is within us, but where exactly one might wonder. As mentioned in an older post from many years back, Bhagat Ravidas Jee said ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਹਾਥ ਪੈ ਨੇਰੈ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਹੋਈ ॥੪॥੧॥

Gurbani says ਹਰਿ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਏਹੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਹੈ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਰਤਨਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

Can we then say that Guru Sahib is at our Dasam Dwaar? After all ,that is the highest spot in our body, right?

Is there a hidden meaning behind "ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ", and possibly it refers to Dasam Dwaar?

There are other tuks as well in Bani which (as per their English translation) imply the same meaning. They also translate to mean that Dasam Dwaar is where we get Darshan.

Ang 932: ਗਗਨ ਗੰਭੀਰੁ ਗਗਨੰਤਰਿ ਵਾਸੁ ॥

Ang 974: ਦਸਮ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰਾ ਪਰਮ ਪੁਰਖ ਕੀ ਘਾਟੀ ॥

Ang 1033: ਸਾਚਾ ਵਾਸਾ ਪੁਰਿ ਗਗਨੰਦਰਿ ॥
Ang 1033: ਦਸਵੈ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਲੇਖੁ ਅਪਾਰੀ ਆਪੇ ਅਲਖੁ ਲਖਾਇਦਾ ॥੩॥

Ang 1036: ਦਸਵੈ ਵਾਸਾ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰੈ ॥

Ang 1039: ਦਸਵੈ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਤੀਤੁ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ਆਪੇ ਅਲਖੁ ਲਖਾਇਆ ॥੪॥

Please forgive and correct any mistakes I may have made in trying to understand these tuks.

Please don't get me wrong. Guru Sahib is in every speck and particle of the entire creation, without a doubt. My only point is, just like a king has his rule over an entire kingdom, yet he is seated on his throne, can we then understand these tuks in that way, that Dasam Dwaar is a throne of Guru Sahib?

It would be great if GurSikhs here can shed some light and do veechaar on atleast some of these tuks.

Thank you

Mehtab Singh