The SGGS (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) places great emphasis on: (1) direct and personal experience of God; (2) Seeing God everywhere and in everyone (the Infinite God being equally pervading the entire creation as omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience Power); (3) knowing God within oneself, here and now, not after death; (4) constantly remembering the Creator whilst enjoying the Creation; and so on.

As indicated in the SGGS, the personal experience of God is not to be accomplished through intellectual or clever devices but through truthfully living the Spiritual Life (the Gurmukh Lifestyle), devoid of intellectual corruption of the Haume (false ego-sense). Following such Divine Life, Mahaatamaans have come to know God, in ancient days and modern. But to live the real Divine Life is indicated in the SGGS to be like walking along the two-edged sword or chewing steel balls!

• ਅਕਲ ਕਲਾ ਨਹ ਪਾਈਐ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਲਖ ਅਲੇਖੰ ॥: Akal kalaa nah paaeeai prabh alakh alekham: God is not found by intellectual or clever devices; He is Unseeable and Incalculable (sggs 1098).
• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੁ ਕਾਇਆ ਖੋਜੈ ਹੋਰ ਸਭ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਈ ॥: Gurmukhi hovai su kaaiaa khojai hor sabh bharami bhulaaee: One who becomes a Gurmukh, Spiritual Being, searches within the body; all others just wander around in confusion (sggs 754).

The SGGS teaches us that God is the Transcendent (Siva, Formless, Param Tant, etc.). He is the Supreme Truth beyond form, space, and causation. This All-knowing Eternal Principle is Unmanifest, Timeless or Undying (Akaal Moorti), Unborn (Ajoonee), Changeless (Nihachall), Formless (Nirankaar), Inaccessible(Agmaa), Unreachable or Unapproachable (Agamm), Unrivaled or Incomparable (Apaaraa), Incomprehensible (Agochar), Unseeable or Invisible (Alakh ), Inscrutable (Abhevaa), Infinite (Beant) or Limitless, Unfathomable (Athaahaa or Agaadh or Agaah), Immaculate (Niranjan), Absolute and Unchanging Reality, Alekham (Incalculable), and so on. In addition to God's Transcendent aspect (Nirgun aspect), the Gurbani also indicates the same Nirankaar (Formless Go) to be Sargun.

• ਪਰਮ ਤੰਤ ਮਹਿ ਰੇਖ ਨ ਰੂਪੁ ॥: Param tant mahi rekh na roop : The Supreme Essence of the Reality has no shape or form (sggs 952).
• ਕੋਇ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਤੁਮਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ॥: Koi na jaanai tumaraa ant : (O Lord) No one knows Your limits (sggs 268).
• ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥: Sargun Nirgun Nirankaar sunn smaadhee aapi: Nirankaar (Formless God) Himself is Sargun, Nirankaar (Formless God) Himself is Nirgun and Himself abides in Sunn Samaadhi (beyond the influence of the three qualities of Maya, ਅਫੁਰ ਅਵਸਥਾ ...). (sggs 290).
  

The term "Nirankaar" (ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ) essentially means Formless. As the foregoing verse indicates, Nirankaar (Formless) is Sargun ( ਸਰਗੁਨ or ਸਰਗੁਣ ) , and the same Nirankaar (Formless) is Nirgun ( ਨਿਰਗੁਨ or ਨਿਰਗੁਣ) as well.

This means that - according to the gurbani - both Sargun (ਸਰਗੁਨ) and Nirgun (ਨਿਰਗੁਨ) aspects of the Akaal Purakh are Formless (Nirankaar). So, to say Sargun (ਸਰਗੁਨ) means God in human form would be totally contrary to the Gurbani. In other words, since the Gurbani's God does not take birth, Sargun (ਸਰਗੁਨ) does not mean God in human form.

This Sargun-Roop (ਸਰਗੁਨ-ਰੂਪ) simply indicates His Hukam (Hukam-Roopa or ਹੁਕਮ-ਰੂਪ - Divine Order, Command, Will, Eternal Law...) or Shabad (Shabad-Roop or ਸਬਦ-ਰੂਪ).

• ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥: Hukamai andar sabhu ko baahar hukam na koi. Nanak hukamai je bujhai ta houmai kehai na koi: Everyone is subject to Hukam; no one is beyond (exempt or outside of) Hukam. O Nanak! One who understands Hukam, does not speak in ego (i.e., that person does not live in Haumai or ego) (sggs 1).
• ਏਕੋ ਸਬਦੁ ਏਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਸਭ ਏਕਸੁ ਤੇ ਉਤਪਤਿ ਚਲੈ ॥: Eko Shabadu eko prabhu vartai sabh ekasu te utpati chaalai: The One Shabad (or Hukam), One God, prevails everywhere. All the creation cmes from this One (God) (sggs 1334).
• ਸੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਆਛੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਲਹੈ ॥: Su sabad nirantar nij ghar aashai tribhavan jot su sabad lahai: Incessantly, this Shabad is in its Nij Ghar (ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ-in its Own Real Home...); (it is) through this Shabad (one) seeks (God's) Light that pervades the three worlds (sggs 945).

And the Nirgun (ਨਿਰਗੁਨ) aspect is His Light (Joti-Roop or ਜੋਤਿ-ਰੂਪ).

• ਆਪੇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਬਾਲਾ ॥: Aape joti saroopee baalaa: (the Lord) Himself is the embodiment of Light, and the Great (ਸਭ ਦਾ ਵੱਡਾ-Exalted, Eminent, etc.) (sggs 1021).

This "Param Tant" or the Primal Factor is the Highest Plane of Pure Consciousness (our True Nature as "Joti-Svaroopa"), which runs in and through all objects, animate and inanimate ("Antaryaamee"). This is indicated to be the Immanent or Sarguna aspect of God. That is, everywhere we look we find Him, and all that we hear is the Transcendental Vibratory Sound (Shabad) of Him. That is, He is the Substratum (Adhaar) of everything.

• ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿ ਸਭਸੈ ਦੇ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥: Nanak so saalaaheeyai ji sabhsai de aadhaar: O Nanak, praise the One who gives Support to all (sggs 791).
• ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸ੍ਰਬ ਠਾਂਈ ॥: khaalik khalak khalak mehi khaalik poor rahiou srab thaa(n)ee: The Creation is in the Creator (God), and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places (sggs 1350).

Thus, the Cosmic Consciousness (Siva, Transcendent Reality, Kartaa Purakh, Akaal Purakh, Paarbrahm, Light, Param Tant etc.) and the material energy (Shakti) of "the Supreme Essence of the Reality" are inseparable. One can be taken as that which represents the constitutive elements of the universe, while the other can be taken as the dynamic potency which makes these elements vibrate. The entire Universe is perceived as being emanated, penetrated and sustained by the Spiritual Force and material force, which are permanently in a perfect and indestructible union. In other words, God is the Eternal Witness to all that takes form and to all that is formless. This Pure Consciousness is of the nature of Absolute Truth, Beauty and Bliss (Anand) — ਸਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਣੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਿ ਚਾਉ (sggs 4).

• ਸਿਵ ਰੂਪੀ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖ ਚਲੇ ਨਾਹੀਂ ਧਰਤ ਚਲਾਈ ॥: Siva roopee kuruthaa purukh chulae naahee dhhuruth chulaaee: Only Siva, Kartaa Purakh, is Permanent; the earth is transitory (Bhai Gurdaas, Vaar: 1, Pauree: 42).
• ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਸਕਤੀ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਸੀਉ ॥: Ihu manu saktee ihu manu seeu: (By identifying with Maya) This mind also becomes Maya, (by identifying with God) this mind also becomes God. (sggs 342).
• ਆਪੇ ਸਕਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਸੁਰਤਾ ਸਕਤੀ ਜਗਤੁ ਪਰੋਵਹਿ ॥: Aape sakataa aape surataa sakatee jagatu parovahi: You Yourself are All-powerful, the Intuitive Knower and the Sakti; on which the whole world is strung (sggs 1242).
• ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਆਪਿ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਵਰਤਾਏ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਵਰਤਾਏ ਆਪਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕਿਸੈ ਬੁਝਾਏ ॥: Siv sakti aap oupaai kai karataa aapae hukam varataaeae. Hukam vartaae aapi vekhai Gurmukhi kisai bujhaae: The Supreme Being Himself created Spirit and matter (Maya); subject to His Eternal Law. Enforcing His Eternal Law, He Himself sees this Play. How rare are those who, by becoming Gurmukh, come to know This (sggs 920).
• ਆਪੇ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤੀ ਸੰਜੋਗੀ ॥: Aapae siva saktee sanjogee: The Supreme Being Himself is the Uniter of Spirit and matter (sggs 1150).
• ਜਹ ਦੇਖਾ ਤਹ ਰਵਿ ਰਹੇ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤੀ ਕਾ ਮੇਲ ॥: Jah daekhaa tah ravi rahae siva sakatee kaa mael: Wherever I look, I see God pervading there, in the union of Spirit and matter (sggs 21).

Hence, nothing exists that is not God: God is All, and All is God. This is the central Teaching of the SGGS. As we are repeatedly reminded, the equanimity of Vision comes when we are able to see everyone as our own Self.

• ਆਸਾ ਬਾਣੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਏਕ ਅਨੇਕ ਬਿਆਪਕ ਪੂਰਕ ਜਤ ਦੇਖਉ ਤਤ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਿਮੋਹਿਤ ਬਿਰਲਾ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਸਭੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਸਭੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਸੂਤੁ ਏਕੁ ਮਣਿ ਸਤ ਸਹੰਸ ਜੈਸੇ ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਜਲ ਤਰੰਗ ਅਰੁ ਫੇਨ ਬੁਦਬੁਦਾ ਜਲ ਤੇ ਭਿੰਨ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਇਹੁ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਲੀਲਾ ਬਿਚਰਤ ਆਨ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੨॥ ਮਿਥਿਆ ਭਰਮੁ ਅਰੁ ਸੁਪਨ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਸਤਿ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥ ਸੁਕ੍ਰਿਤ ਮਨਸਾ ਗੁਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੀ ਜਾਗਤ ਹੀ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੩॥ ਕਹਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥ ਘਟ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਕੇਵਲ ਏਕ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ॥੪॥੧॥: Aasaa baanee sree Naamadeou jee kee: Ek anek biaapak poorak jatt dekho tatt soee. Maya chitr bachitr bimohit biralaa boojhai koee ||1|| Sabh Gobind hai sabh Gobind hai Gobind bin nahee koyee. Soot ek man sat sahans jaise ot pot prabh soee ||1|| Rahaaou || Jal trang ar phen budbudaa jal te bhinn na hoyee. Ih parpanch paarbrahm kee leelaa bichrat aan na hoyee ||2|| Mithiya bharam ar supan manorath sat padaarath jaaniaa. Sukirat manasaa gur oupadesee jaagat hee man maaniaa ||3|| Kahat Naamadeou har kee rachanaa dekhahu ridai beechaaree. Ghat ghat antari sarab niranti keval ek muraaree ||4||1||: Aasaa baanee sree Naamadeou jee kee: In the one and in the many, God is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there He is. (But) a rare person understands this (ਭੇਦ), because (generally the Jeeva - the individual beings) are fascinated (deluded) by the Maya's colorful imagery. ||1|| God is All (i.e., everywhere and everything), God is All (i.e., everywhere and everything); without God, there is nothing at all. As one thread holds hundreds and thousands of beads, So is (God) woven into All (i.e., everywhere and everything). ||1||Pause|| The waves of the water, the foam and bubbles, are not distinct from the water. (Similarly) this manifested world is the Play (Leelaa) of the Supreme Being; reflecting upon it, we find that it is not different from Him. ||2|| (Watching this Leelaa) the man believes worldly objects (ਪਦਾਰਥ) to be True (permanent, etc.), but they are like objects (ਪਦਾਰਥ) seen in the dream (i.e., untrue) - "ਮਿਥਿਆ ਭਰਮੁ " (Mitthiyaa Bharam). Un to whom the Guru bestows Good Understanding (ਭਲੀ ਸਮਝ), his mind stands awakened (from delusion, untruth, "ਮਿਥਿਆ ਭਰਮੁ", etc.), and his mind accepts this (that the worldly objects are Mithiya, unreal, impermanent, etc.). ||3|| Says Naam Dev, reflect upon this in your heart that this is the Creation of the Lord. In each and every heart, and deep within the very nucleus of all, is the One God (i.e., in this entire Creation, only One Lord pervades in everyone and everywhere). ||4||1|| (sggs 485).
• ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਦੀਸੈ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਏਕੁ ਏਕੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਆਤਮ ਪਸਾਰਾ ਕਰਣਹਾਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬਿਨਾ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥: Brahm deesai Brahm suneeyai ek ek vakhaaneeyai. Aatam pasaaraa karan haaraa parabh binaa nahee jaaneeyai: The One Unique Reality is seen everywhere, the Unstruck Celestial Music is heard everywhere, the One Creator is present in all creation; there is none else than He Himself everywhere (sggs 846).

In the world, the time of action is indicated in three as past, present, and future. Similarly, God is also indicated as That Reality which was True in the past, is true now, and will be True in the future. However, Baabaa Nanak in the very begining of the SGGS - in his Banee known as Japji Sahib - used the fourth dimension. That is, God was also True before the Primal Beginning (or before the Creation or before the time).

• ॥ ਜਪੁ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਸਚੁ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਚੁ ॥ ਹੈ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੋਸੀ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ॥੧॥: || Japu || Aadi sachu jugaadi sachu || Hai bhee sachu Nanak hosee bhee sachu ||1||: Understand (ਸਮਝੋ, Reflect...): ਆਦਿ-Aadi (Source, Bignning, Base, or ਮੁੰਢ of Maya, ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟੀ...) is Truth (Sach-ਸਚ), (and) ਆਦਿ-Aadi of time (ਜੁਗਾਦਿ = ਜੁਗ+ਆਦਿ; and ਜੁਗ= time, Kaal, ਕਾਲ ਸਮਾਂ...) is (also) the Truth. Sach (Truth, Sach-ਸਚ) is Now, (And) O Nanak, Sach will be (i.e., Sach-ਸਚ is the same in all Jugas, forever and ever - Sach never gets old...). ||1|| (sggs 1).
  

We are all beads strung on the same One life thread of God. This One Homogeneous Consciousness is the Changeless in changing phenomena, like the one gold in all gold-ornaments, the one ocean in all waves, the one clay in all clay-pots, the one sun in all sun-rays, the one moon reflected in all water-pitchers etc. There is no "other".

• ਮਾਟੀ ਏਕ ਭੇਖ ਧਰਿ ਨਾਨਾ ਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥: Maatee ek bhekh dhari naanaa taa mahi Brahm pachhaanaa: The clay is one, but it has taken many forms; I recognize One God Within them all (sggs 480).
• ਹਭ ਸਮਾਣੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਘਟਾਊ ਚੰਦ੍ਰਮਾ ॥: Habh smaanee joti jiyu jal ghataayoo chandramaa: Divine Light is permeating all, like the moon reflected in all the waters of the pitchers (sggs 1099).
• ਤੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਤੋਹੀ ਅੰਤਰੁ ਕੈਸਾ ॥ ਕਨਕ ਕਟਿਕ ਜਲ ਤਰੰਗ ਜੈਸਾ ॥੧॥: Tohee mohee mohee tohee antar kaisaa. Kanak katik jal trang jaisaa: O God, You are me, and I am You—what is the difference between us? We are like gold and the bracelet, or water and the waves ||1|| (sggs 93).
• ਜਿਉ ਪਸਰੀ ਸੂਰਜ ਕਿਰਣਿ ਜੋਤਿ ॥ ਤਿਉ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਰਮਈਆ ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤਿ ॥: Jiyu parsee sooraj kirin joti. Tiyu ghat ghat Ramayeeyaa oti poti: Just as the light of the sun’s rays spread out, God permeates each and every heart, through and through (sggs 1177).

In a nutshell, when a person acquires all the godly virtues or qualities God is indicated to exhibit, that person himself becomes God-like. In other words, he links in Union with God by dissolving his limited individual self (Haume) into the Infinite Wisdom (Brahm Giaan). The Gurbani confirms it as follows:

• ਆਪੁ ਗਇਆ ਤਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਭਏ ॥: Aap gaiaa taa aapahi bhae: When ego (ਆਪਾ-ਭਾਵ) is gone, (one) becomes the Lord (ਉਹ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ ਹੀ ਹੋ ਗਇਆ) Himself (sggs 202).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਆਪਿ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰ ॥੬॥: Nanak Brahm Giaanee aap Permesur ||6||: O Nanak! The Brahm Giaanee himself is the exalted Lord ||6|| (sggs 273).
• ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਸਰਬ ਕਾ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ॥: Brahm Giaanee sarab kaa thaakur: Brahm Giaanee is the Lord of all (sggs 273).
• ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਸੋ ਹਰਿ ਜੇਹਾ ॥ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਹੁ ਮਾਣਸ ਦੇਹਾ ॥: Hari kaa saevaku so hari jaehaa || Bhed n jaanahu maanas daehaa: God's servant becomes like God. Do not think that, because of his human body, he is different (sggs 1076).
• ਜਿਨ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਜਿਨ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਮੇਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਜੀ ਤੇ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਸਮਾਸੀ ॥: Jin seviaa jin seviaa meraa Hari jee te Hari Hari roop samaasee: Those who serve, those who serve my Dear Lord, are absorbed into the Being of the Lord (sggs 11).
• ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਸੇ ਤੁਧ ਹੀ ਜੇਹੇ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਬਾਲ ਸਖਾਈ ਹੇ ॥ : Jo tudh sevahi se tudh hee jehe nirbhayo baal sakhaaee he: Those who serve You, become just like You; O Fearless Lord, You are their best friend from infancy (sggs 1021).
• ਤੁਧੁਨੋ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਸੇ ਤੁਝਹਿ ਸਮਾਵਹਿ ਤੂ ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਇਦਾ ॥: Tudhno sevahi se tujhahi samaavahi tu aape mel milaaidaa: Those who serve You are immersed in You. You unite them in Union with Yourself (sggs 1060).
• ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਸੋ ਤੂਹੈ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਸੇਵਕ ਪੈਜ ਰਖਾਈ ॥: Jo tudhu sevahi so tuhai hovahi tudhu sevak paij rakhaaee: Those who serve You, become You. You preserve the honor of Your servants (sggs 758).
• ਜੋ ਜਨੁ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਰਾਤਾ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋਈ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਬਿਧਾਤਾ ॥੫੧॥: Jo jan Naam niranjan raataa. Nanak soee purakh bidhaataa ||51||: That humble being who is imbued with the Immaculate Naam, O Nanak, is himself the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny ||51|| (sggs 943).

There is also repeated mention of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, etc. For the SGGS, they are not separate gods existing and acting apart from the Almighty, Timeless, Supreme Reality - Akaal Purakh. They are also in the influence of Maya. In turn, Maya is pervaded by God as well.

• ਆਪੇ ਸਿਵ ਸੰਕਰ ਮਹੇਸਾ ਆਪੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅਕਥ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥: Aape siva sankar mahesaa aape gurmukh akath kahaanee: He Himself is Shiva, Shankara and Mahesh; He Himself is the Gurmukh, who speaks the Unspoken Speech (sggs 553).
• ਪਵਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਅਗਨਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਕੀਆ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸ ਅਕਾਰ ॥: Pavan paanee agan tin keeaa brahamaa bisan mahes akaar ||: He created air, water and fire, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the whole creation (sggs 504).
• ਮਹਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਹੈ ਛਾਇਆ ॥: Mahaa Maya taa kee hai shhaaiaa: The great Maya is only (God's) shadow (sggs 868).

Regarding the notion of God taking birth or Avatar — that God incarnates upon the earth as savior etc. — the SGGS holds that God does not take birth to save the mankind. For He is the mankind as well as everything else! He has created all, consciously knows all, lovingly guide all and fully encompasses all. Therefore, when He Himself has become everything, then save who and from whom? Therefore, there is no need for Him to come down and take birth (the word Avatar comes from the Sanskrit word Ava-Taratee meaning to come down, assuming one body or another). In other words, there is no need to rectify a process already made complete by him. How logical, rational and scientific!

• ਜਨਮ ਮਰਣ ਤੇ ਰਹਤ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ॥: Janam maran te rahat naaraain: God is beyond birth and death.(sggs 1136).
• ਸੋ ਮੁਖੁ ਜਲਉ ਜਿਤੁ ਕਹਹਿ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਜੋਨੀ ॥: So mukh jalou jit kahahi thaakur jonee: Let that mouth be burnt that says God is subject to birth (sggs 1136).
• ਆਪੇ ਸਭਨਾ ਮੰਝਿ ਆਪੇ ਬਾਹਰਾ ॥: Aape sabhanaa manjh aape baaharaa: He Himself is within all, and He Himself is beyond them (sggs 966).

Thus, God is Energy (Shakti). This Primal Energy comes first, and everything else is a form of That Cosmic Energy. In the case of the majority of us, our consciousness is differentiated in the waking state, dream state and sleep state (although less differentiated in the deep sleep state). But, this consciousness is Homogenous (Oneness) in the Fourth State (Chauthaa Pada, Turiya, etc.). In this state of indescribable ("Goonge kee Mathiyaaee") monolithic Absolute Reality — a state of utter Stillness and Silence (Sunn) where mind's wanderings, thoughts or Phurne completely cease to be — lays the abode of the Gurmukh (Perfect Spiritual Being) or the Giaanee. Our mind may name it God, Paarbrahm, Supreme Reality, Truth, Light, and so on; but it is unreachable by words or the mind. He who plunges into his Pure Self ("Joti-Svaroopa" or Soul-Consciousness ) within loses his identity in the experience and then who remains to relate it to others? Also, the SGGS does not assign a particular gender to God.

• ਜਿਨਿ ਇਹ ਚਾਖੀ ਸੋਈ ਜਾਣੈ ਗੂੰਗੇ ਕੀ ਮਿਠਿਆਈ ॥: Jin ih chaakhee soee jaanai goonge kee mithiaaee: Only one who tastes it knows it, like the mute, who tastes the sweet candy, but cannot speak of it (sggs 608).
• ਚਉਥੀ ਪਉੜੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਊਚੀ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਕਮਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੪॥ chouthhee pourree guramukh oochee sacho sach kamaavaniaa ||4||: The Fourth State, the Highest (the state above the influence of Maya), is obtained by becoming the Gurmukh, who practices Truth, and only Truth. ||4|| (sggs 113).
• ਸੁੰਨ ਮੰਡਲ ਇਕੁ ਜੋਗੀ ਬੈਸੇ ॥ ਨਾਰਿ ਨ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕੋਊ ਕੈਸੇ ॥: Sunn mandal ik Yogi baise. Naar na purakh kahahu kou kaise: The Yogi, the Primal Lord, sits in the Realm of Absolute Stillness (state free of mind's wanderings or Phurne). (Since God) is neither male nor female; how can anyone describe Him? (sggs 685).

Apparently, the way the SGGS has dealt with this theme seems very logical, rational and scientific. The SGGS points God to us through the media we know. That is the body and the world we live in. God pervades each Jeeva (individual being) and everything in this world and beyond, equally. In other words, God-Consciousness or one's True Nature can be realized through the world and the body we live in, not by abusing, harming, neglecting or abandoning this media.

• ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥: Jo brhamande soee pinde jo khojai so paavai: The One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds Him there (sggs 695).
• ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤੀ ਦੇਹੀ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਏ ॥: Siva sakatee dehee mahi paaye: Both Spirit (Transcendent aspect) and matter (Immanent aspect), are placed into the body (sggs 1056).

Perhaps we can now appreciate as to why God-realization cannot be made to an order or given as a gift to somebody. For God must be realized within by the each person himself: it's a personal experience. The journey begins from the known to the unknown. Not other way around — the unknown cannot be known through the unknown. Accordingly, God must be realized through the known media - the world and the body we live in. This is essentially what the SGGS is indicating to us in a reasoning way.

• ਭਈ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਦੇਹੁਰੀਆ ॥ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਮਿਲਣ ਕੀ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਰੀਆ ॥: Bhayee praapat maanukh dehuriyaa. Gobind milan kee ih teree bariyaa: (You) have obtained (this) human body. This is your chance (time, opportunity...) to meet God. (sggs 12).
• ਅੰਜਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਇਵ ਪਾਈਐ ॥: Remaining pure in the midst of the worldly filth  — this is the way to attain Yoga (sggs 730).
• ਹਸੰਦਿਆ ਖੇਲੰਦਿਆ ਪੈਨੰਦਿਆ ਖਾਵੰਦਿਆ ਵਿਚੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਮੁਕਤਿ ॥: Hasandiaa khelandiaa painandiaa khaavandiaa viche hovai makat: While laughing, playing, dressing and eating, become liberated (sggs 522).
• ਸਭ ਕੈ ਮਧਿ ਸਗਲ ਤੇ ਉਦਾਸ ॥: Sabh kai madhi sagal te udaas: Remain in the midst of all, and yet detached from all (sggs 296).
• ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਅਲਿਪਤੋ ਵਰਤੈ ਤਿਉ ਵਿਚੇ ਗਿਰਹ ਉਦਾਸੁ ॥: Jiyu jal mahi kamal alipte vartai tiyu viche girah udaas: As the lotus flower floats unaffected in the water, so does one remain detached in his own household (sggs 949).

It's obvious now as to why the SGGS does not suggest us to abuse the body and to run away from oneself and the world to go live in the forests or the mountain-tops. For, by neglecting or harming the body and running away from oneself and the world, all one is doing is abandoning the media known to him through which he finally has the chance to cultivate genuine detachment and mature spiritually to know his True Self (God-Consciousness). Hence the SGGS emphasizes that the opportunity afforded in this birth must not be frittered away without utilizing it for the purpose for which it is intended.

Thus, in the case of the majority of us, God is not what we generally hear, believe or think Him to be! God of the SGGS is clearly not someone who has confined Himself to a lofty place somewhere "up there" in the sky! God is "here and now" ("Haajraa Hajoor"). There is nothing "up there" which is not "down here" on the earth or within. God is in us and we are in Him ("Soham"). As Love, His expanse has expanded everywhere within and without (Tribhavan). The truth is that even to move a finger we need God's Power ("Praan": Vital Life-Force, Energy or Shakti).

• ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋਹੰ ਹੰਸਾ ਜਪੁ ਜਾਪਹੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਤਿਸੈ ਸਮਾਹਿ ॥: Nanak soham hansaa jap jaapahu tribhavan tisai samaahi: O Nanak, chant the chant of ‘Soham hansaa’ — ‘He is me, and I am Him.’ The three worlds are absorbed in Him (sggs 1093).
• ਜਿਹ ਧਿਰਿ ਦੇਖਾ ਤਿਹ ਧਿਰਿ ਮਉਜੂਦੁ ॥: Jih dhhir dekhaa tih dhir moujood: Wherever I look, there I see (God's) Presence (sggs 84).
• ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥: Jo brahamande soee pinde jo khojai so paavai: The One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds Him there (sggs 695).

Hence, if one believes that God only dwells in heaven or "up there" somewhere and that he looks down on us in judgment and punishment, you will find it difficult to embrace the application of not only Sikhism but any "ism" for that matter in everyday life!

Therefore, the way to realize or to know God is indicated to be going within. This is Self-realization. Implication is that Mukti (liberation from ignorance of one's True Self or annihilation of the body-consciousness) is to be understood not as a physical destination but an inner Realization by which one understands the Ultimate Truth within and knows the temporary (Mithiya) nature of the worldly existence. Ego or Haume-mind is indicated to be the cause of ignorance in this regard, which prevents the perception of Transcendent Truth. Accordingly, we are repeatedly reminded by the SGGS to get rid of ego (Haume) to know Reality. Naam-Simran (meditation) is indicated to be the saving Principle.

• ਨਿਜ ਆਤਮੈ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ ॥: Nij aatamai rahiaa bharapoor: God is totally permeating and pervading the Soul (sggs 657).
• ਅੰਤਰ ਆਤਮੈ ਜੋ ਮਿਲੈ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਇ ॥: Antar aatamai jo milai miliaa kaheeai soi: Who unites (God) deep within his Soul is said to be united (sggs 791).
• ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਪਾਏ ॥: Houmai vich prabh koi na paaye: No one finds God through egotism (sggs 664).

Essentially similar belief patterns are also indicated by some other religious philosophies of the world. It is the implementation or practice that lacks. Just imagine if we all can fully understand, grasp, appreciate, and practice wholeheartedly what the SGGS is indicating here, then no one will be one's enemy and all will be his friends. As a result, there will be no hatred, violence, wars, genocides, brutal fanaticism, and so on. Instead, this world will be full of selfless love and compassion for each other! This is probably the only hope for this world to live in peaceful coexistence.

In fact, Sat Sri Akal - Akal is pronounced Akaal - undoubtedly the most commonly used greeting, slogan, salutation or Jaikara (pronounced as Jaikaaraa) throughout the Sikh community. That is, in a normal situation, when two Sikhs meet they exchange greetings by saying Sat Sri Akaal. It indicates all auspicious qualities of the Supreme, Eternal, and Timeless Truth; and reminds us to live these Great and Holy qualities in our day-to-day life.

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 4:13 PM (PST)

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