WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING BUT OUR TRUE SELF

WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING BUT OUR TRUE SELF

The fool does not understand his own (True) Self; he pains others with his
speech. His underlying nature (of causing pain to others) does not leave
him; separated from the Lord, he suffers (sggs 549).
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The Gur-Shabad indicates that it is the same One Consciousness that pervades everything in all of creation. To understand this Truth — also called Self Realization, God Realization, or Realization of our own True Nature, and so on — is indicated to be the ultimate purpose of the human life. In other words, the Realization of one's True Nature as the Universal Self ("Joti-Svaroopa), or to experience that one's True Self and God (or simply Truth) are one and the same.

so baurw jo Awpu n pCwnY ]Awpu pCwnY q eykY jwnY: So bayuraa jo aap na pachaanai. Aap pacchaanai ta eko jaanai: Man is crazy wihtout Self-realization. When he knows the Self, only then he comes to know the One God (sggs 855).
jn nwnk ibnu Awpw cInY imtY n BRm kI kweI: Jan Nanak bin aapaa cheenai mitai na bhram ki kaayee: Say Nanak, without realizing the Self, the moss of doubts (ignorance of the Self) can not be eradicated (sggs 684).
mn qUM joiq srUpu hY Apxw mUlu pCwxu: Mann tu jot saroop hai apnaa mool pashaan: O my mind, you are That — the true image of the Divine Light — know your Reality (sggs 441).

However, in reality, it's the opposite that happens in lives of the most of us (over 99.9 percent category). That is, we try to understand everything and everybody else but ourselves. The well known material scientist Albert Einstein in his final days is attributed to saying that, "Sometimes I suspect that my life has been a waste. I inquired into the farthest of stars and forgot completely to inquire into myself—and I was the closest star!"

Even in the case of those who claim themselves to be highly educated, cultured, wise and versed in scriptures, nothing could be farther from the truth. It is because, due to the rise of the false ego-sense within (Haume or relativist consciousness), our present perception of the Reality is only relative and limited — far away from the Absolute Truth. To illustrate the point, consider this little story.

Many of us have probably heard the name of king "Janak". His name is mentioned several times in the SGGS as well. In fact he is called "Gurmukh" in the Gurbani. Anyhow, it is said that once Janak invited all the best scholars of his kingdom to his palace to debate the Truth expounded in the scriptures. One of the great scholars was the father of the sage Ashtavakra. Although the sage Ashtavakra was a young lad then, but he was also a great scholar and a highly evolved soul. As the name implies — Ashta=eight and Vakra= bends — his body was crooked and deformed at eight places. Accordingly, his look and walk was pretty cumbersome.

Upon learning that his father wasn't doing well in the debate, Ashtavakra decided to go to the king's court to see if he could be of any assistance to his father. As soon as Ashtavakra entered the court, with the exception of his father, everybody else burst into laughter seeing his crooked body and awkward walk. Seeing all of them laughing at him, Ashtavakra also began laughing rowdily. Everybody in the room was surprised to see Ashtavakra laughing so wildly. Janak inquired, " My dear boy, everybody is laughing at your crooked body, but why are you also laughing?". Ashtavakra calmly replied, "I am laughing because the Truth is being debated by this assembly of shoemakers". He continued, "Seeing my deformed body, they laugh at me. They are judging me only by my skin. Therefore, I can only assume they all are leather workers and shoemakers. My body is crooked, but I am not. Look beneath my skin. My True Self is Straight and Pure."

The whole assembly was stunned to hear Ashtavakra's reply. They all realized that although they all were debating the Truth, but they could not see the Truth. Even though they were great scholars, but they could only see the relative truth — they could see only Ashtavakra's body but not his True Self. Whereas the sage Ashtavakra could see within each of them the True Light of the same One Supreme Self, which is the Absolute Truth.

This little story also provide us with the clue as to why in the Nanakian philosophy scholarly debates on debating the Truth is not encouraged. Because those who call themselves scholars and debate the Truth don't necessarily know the Truth themselves! As indicated in the SGGS, the problem with the most of us is that we are trying to understand everybody and everything but our own True Self. We are strongly urged by the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) to renounce such ways. Instead, we are challenged by the Gurbani to look within to examine and understand ourselves. If we dare doing what the Gurbani asks us to do here, then and only then we will be known as "real judge".

nwnk prKy Awp kau qw pwrKu jwxu: Nanak parkhe aap kayu ta paarakh jaan: O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge (sggs 148).
Awpxw Awpu n pCwxY mUVw Avrw AwiK duKwey: Aapanaa aap na pashaanai moorraa avaraa aakh dukhaai: The fool does not understand his own self; he annoys others with his speech. Guru Amar Daas Ji Raag Bihaagraa 549
muMFY dI Ksliq n geIAw AMDy ivCuiV cotw Kwey: Mundai dee khasalat na gayeeaa andhe vishurr chotaa khaai: His underlying nature does not leave him; separated from the Lord, he suffers cruel blows (sggs 25).

The SGGS says that our minds become Pure only when we realized our True Self ("Joti-Svaroopa) within. In other words, to gain True Understanding, complete Realization of the True Self within is must. Otherwise there can be no True Understanding of God or Purity of the mind.

Awpu pCwxY bUJY soie: Aap pashaanai boojhai soi: He who recognizes his Self comprehends God (sggs 57).
Awpu pCwxY mnu inrmlu hoie: Aap pashaanai manu niramal hoi: Those who recognize the Self - their minds become pure (sggs 161).
ijin Awqm qqu n cIin@Aw]sB Pokt Drm AbIinAw: Jin aatam tat na cheeniyaa; Sabh fokat dharma abeeniyaa: Whoever does not gain the knowledge of the Self, all his religious acts are vain and blind (sggs 1351).
nwnk cInY Awp kau so Apr Apwrw: Nanak cheenai aap kayu so apar apaaraa: O Nanak, one who knows his own Self, is Infinite and Incomparable (sggs 229).

Now, the question is: why the majority of us don't understand our True Self? The SGGS dissects our minds and tells us exactly what the problem is — "Filled with ignorance (the delusion of the tripple-qualitied Maya); one does not understand himself." In other words, when in doubts or Manmukh-consciousness (Haume or materiality: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and their numerous variations such as selfishness, envy, stubborn mindedness, and so on), we cannot understand the essence of the Reality.

AMqir qwmsu Awpu n pCwxY: Antar taamas aap na pashaanai: Filled with darkness (ignorance); one does not understand himself (sggs 231).
qqu n cInY mnmuKu jil jwie: Tatt na cheenai Manmukh jal jaai: The self-willed Manmukh does not understand the essence of reality, and is burnt to ashes (sggs 944).
Brim Bulwxw sbdu n cInY jUAY bwjI hwrI: Bharam bhulaanaa sabad na cheenai jooai baajee haaree: Deluded by doubt, one does not remember the Shabad; thus gambles his life away (sggs 1012).

The True Self is beyond the body-mind-intellect apparatus and hence is not affected by the afflictions that beset these human faculties. The SGGS reiterates this fact so that a spiritual seeker will come to terms with the ephemeral nature of the human personality and identify with the True Self instead ("Joti-Svaroopa"), which is Eternal or Infinite in Nature.

But it is easier said than done as can be seen in practice when a person embarks on the spiritual path (which is mentioned in the SGGS to be a "two-edged sword"). As indicated in the SGGS, to understand our True Self, we need the Guru's Grace and need to become Gurmukhs (spiritual being), leading a Divine Life. The following verses and many more throughout the SGGS provide us with pointers as to how we can understand our True Self.

gur prswdI Awpu pCwxY: Gur parasaadee aap pashaanai: By Guru's Grace (by following His Teaching), (a true devotee) realizes his (True) Self (sggs 88).
gur kY sbdy Awpu pCwxY: Gur kai sabade aap pashaanai: Through the Guru's Shabad, he realizes his (True) Self (sggs 224).
ibnu gur sbd n Awpu pCwxY ibnu hir nwm n kwlu try: Bin gur sabad na aap pashaanai bin har naam na kaal tare: Without (practicing) the Gur-Shabad, one does not undersand his (True) Self. Without the Lord's Name, death (fear of death) cannot be avoided (sggs 1014).
gurmqI AwpY Awpu pCwxY qw inj Gir vwsw pwvY: Guramatee aapai aap pashaanai taa nij ghar vaasaa paavai: Under Guru's Instruction, one comes to understand his (True) Self, and then, he comes to dwell in the Home of his inner Self (sggs 565).
prhir pwpu pCwxY Awpu: Parahar paap pashhaanai aap: Sin is far away from one who understands his (True) Self -- he lives a sin-free life (sggs 935).
nwnk qw kau imlY vfweI Awpu pCwxY srb jIAw: Naanak taa ko milai vadaaee aap pashaanai sarab jeeaa: O Nanak, he is blessed with glorious greatness; he realizes his (True) Self and sees (himself) in all beings -- he sees the same Light in all beings which resides in him (sggs 940).
Awpu pCwxY soeI jnu inrmlu bwxI sbdu suxwiedw: Aap pashaanai soee jan niramal bani sabad sunaaidaa: That humble being who (through the Gur-Shabad) understands his (True) Self becomes immaculate (free of Bikaars). And he preaches the Guru's Bani/Shabad to others (sggs 1065).
Awpu pCwxY Gir vsY haumY iqRsnw jwie: Aap pashaanai ghar vasai houmai thrisanaa jaai: Through realizing the (True) Self, people dwell within the Home of their inner being and their ego and desire depart (sggs 57).
gux sMgRih Avgx ivkxih AwpY Awpu pCwxY: Gun sangrahi avagan vikanahi aapai aap pashaanai: He (the Gurmukh) gathers in merits, and eliminates demerits, and realizes his (True) Self (sggs 568).
gurmuiK Awpu pCwxY sMqhu rwm nwim ilv lweI: Gurmukh aap pashhaanai santahu raam naam liv laaee: By becoming the Gurmukh, one understands his (True) Self, and fixes his attention on the Lord's Name, O Saints (sggs 910).
nwnk AwpY Awpu pCwxY gurmuiK qqu bIcwrI: Nanak aapai aap pashaanai gurmukh tata beechaaree: O Nanak, by becoming the Gurmukh, realize your (True) Self and reflect on the essence of Rfeality (sggs 1112).
nwnk Awpy Awpu pCwxY gurmuiK shij smwey: Nanak aapae aap pashaanai gurmukh sahaj samaaye: O Nanak, by becoming the Gurmukh, if she (Jeeva) understands her (True) Self, then she merges in celestial peace (sggs 689).
nwnk gurmuiK Awpu pCwxY pRB jYsy AivnwsI: Nanak gurmukh aap pashaanai prabh jaise avinaasee: O Nanak, by becoming the Gurmukh, when one understands his (True) Self, thwn he becomes like the Imperishable God (sggs 765).
Awpu pCwxY hir imlY bhuiV n mrxw hoie: Aap pashaanai har milai bahurr na maranaa hoi: One who understands his (True) Self, meets with the Lord, and never dies again (sggs 1410).
cInY Awpu pCwxY soeI joqI joiq imlweI hy: Cheenai aap pashaanai soee jotee joti milaaee hay: One who understands his (True) Self, realizes the Lord, and his light blends with thw Supreme Light (sggs 1024).
AYQY bUJY su Awpu pCwxY hir pRBu hY iqsu kyrw: Aithai boojhai su aap pashaanai har prabh hai tis keraa: One who understands here and realizes his (True) Self; God belongs to him (sggs 602).

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

To read Gurbani verses in Gurmukhi, click here to download Gurmukhi font.

Updated on Thursday, August 14, 2008 1:27 PM (PST)

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