FISH CLIMBS A DATE TREE

ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਿਰਵਾ ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਜਲ ਕੀ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਚਰੈ ਖਜੂਰਿ ॥੧॥ (sggs 718).
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It is just impossible for the fish to climb a Khajoor (date tree, palmyra palm). Here the Gur-Shabad mentions not any tree but a date tree, which is relatively a difficult climb even for humans, let alone the fish!

Bhagat Naam Dev in the foregoing Shabad says that to debate whether our Mool (Source, Origin, Jot, ਪ੍ਰਾਤਮਾ,ਅੰਤਰਆਤਮਾ..) is near or far away is nothing but a "nonsense" speech. Because, such talk amounts to same as a fish climbing a date tree! Which, of course, is impossible. Yet many of us waste our energy and time by engaging in such "nonsense" discussions and debates.

As a result, our Surti (consciousness, memory, recollection...) gets linked to the tripple-quality Maya, instead of linking with our Mool within. Bhagat Naam Dev is also indicating that it is also a "nonsense" talk to say that one who has found the Lord, keeps quiet about it ("ਕਾਂਇ ਰੇ ਬਕਬਾਦੁ ਲਾਇਓ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ  ਹਰਿ ਪਾਇਓ ਤਿਨਹਿ ਛਪਾਇਓ"). Because in this (ਮੂਰਖੁ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਰਾਮਹਿ  ਜਾਨੈ) verse, Bhagat Naam Dev himself declares that he knows the Inner Raam (ਅੰਦਰ ਰਮੇਂ ਹੋਏ ਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਹਾਂ). Not only that, Bhagat Naam Dev further says that, those who realized the Truth, instead of hiding it, they write the Veda (Granth of Divine Knowledge).

The connection of the Supreme Essence with His creation revolves round the axis of the two following divine traits (among the countless). The first is His Transcendence which makes Him the omnipotent Lord of the creation, the Absolute Reality. The second is His easy accessibility because of which human beings adorn Him in infinite ways and are able to realize Him.

Only that which is finite and bound in time and space can be caught in the near / far physicality. Since the One, Absolute Reality is not so bound in time and space, the Gurbani indicates This Reality to be Infinite, Fathomless, Limitless, Formless, All-pervading, ever Present, etc. Simply put, it was, It is, and It will be - Eternal, omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience. The entire creation is pervaded with This Boundless Grace.

Near and far is the notion of duality - bodily or physical proximity. If one says Reality to be near, than the question arises: how near? On the other hand, if one says Reality to be far, than the question arises: how far? Or is It some super mundane remote Reality? Is It separate from us? Does It remain on a fixed abode or a plane? Absolutely not, declares the SGGS. In fact, the Gurbani tells us that the "Gur Sabhaa" ( ਗੁਰ ਸਭਾ: ਸੰਗ or Association of the Gur - Giaan...) cannot be "obtained like this, by trying to be near or far away".

The one indivisible Divine Factor is the All-embracing Reality, the ever-present Cosmic Energy that pervades the ever dwells within the hearts of all beings. The SGGS declares that this Infinite Reality is "here and now" — "Haajraa Hajoor"! There is no other time, other place or there yonder . There is no yesterday, today, or tomorrow. Neither this Reality is after death somewhere. Because Reality is not a post-mortem state! The Reality is closer to us than our very breath! We are That at this very moment!

Baabaa Nanak enlightens us with fantastic examples of the "fragrance which remains in the flower", and the "reflection in the mirror". He says "the Lord dwells deep within; search for Him within your own heart".

Since Truth is 'here and now' - Haajraa Hajoor - the Gurbani urges us to stay where we are. Which simply means there is nowhere to go to discover Reality. It is our very True Nature (Joti-Svaroopa, Mool... ). Wherever we go, we will find the same Mool everywhere. Wisdom is the comprehension of this Truth at this very moment. But, as repeatedly indicated by the Gurbani, this will not happen until we gain insights into the disorder our conditioned mind (Haume) has created.

This leads to the following question: if Reality is here and now, then what makes us miss It? It is the confusion resulting from our psychological conditionings (false ego-sense or Haume) that makes us go far away from Truth. Everything is only subsequent to this modification of the Consciousness. Before that, there is only Pure Awareness. But with the rise of confusion comes agitation in the life-forces. On account of this confusion, one is unable to perceive Reality clearly. Living in the external area of the mind, thoughts (notions, concepts, systems and customs) always keep changing. When we see the outer things (physical proximity), we do not see our Inner True Nature (Joti-Svaroopa, Mool... ) - one's own Reality. For it is impossible for the same person to be engaged in dualistic notion and to have the Vision of Truth as well.

Bhai Gurdaas Jee further helps us understand Truth with an example of a river and its two banks. He says: " From the two banks of a river its True extent cannot be understood simply by saying that the one is far and the other near bank." Similarly, being Infinite, Reality's "shores near and far cannot be known". According to Bhai Gurdaas Jee, we attain clear understand when, as the Gurmukh (spiritual being), we attain the Shabad-Giaan.

A question such as this may arise in one's mind: "if Reality is evenly present within and without, everywhere, then why to some He appears far away, while others perceive Him near at hand?" In other words, why do some realize Him within, here and now, while others don't? The Gur-Shabad indicates that, according to the Budhi (intellect...) we have cultivated for ourselves, some have realized Him and thereby perceive Him here and now and others who have not realized Him perceive Him to be far away.

"Joti-Svaroopa, Mool... " - which was present before the birth of the body and which will be there after the body is gone - is also present her and now. In fact the Gurbani time and again reminds us that the One Factor is everything.

But the majority of us neither know it nor understand it. Our body-consciousness (Mayaic Budhi, animal nature) is the cause of this forgetfulness. According to the Gurbani, the difference between our animal nature and our True Nature (Pure Consciousness, Joti-Svaroopa, Mool...) is as between darkness and light, between ignorance and knowledge, between bondage and liberation, between death and life, between impurity and purity, between falsehood and truth. That is to say, when we think we are the body, then we are not linked to our "Joti-Svaroopa, Mool... ", and vice versa. Thus, based on the mentality we have cultivated for ourselves, some are closer to our "Joti-Svaroopa, Mool... " in this life, and some are yet far away or even drifting farther apart.

- T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Monday, July 16, 2012 5:23 PM (PST)

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