What is Dying In The Shabad-ਸਬਦਿ ਮਰੈ?

By dying in the Shabad, the mind becomes Immaculate. O Saints!
Such worship is meaningful ||5||. (sggs 910).
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The Gurbani time and again tells us that without annihilation of the Mayaic or instinctive (Bikaaree...) mind, we cannot Realize God. In other words, there is no Mukti (Liberation, Emancipation, Freedom, Freedom, etc.) without complete annihilation of the lower mind (i.e., doubt ridden and deluded mind).

And, the complete annihilation of the Mayaic or instinctive (Bikaaree...) mind comes about when one dies in the Shabad.

What is "dying in the Shabad", one may ask?

The Gurbani answers this question by addressing to the so called saints.

First, why is the Gurbani's answer specifically addressed to the saints (ਸੰਤ), not to the ordinary people?

Perhaps because the so called saints misguide people. They do this on account of greed, and to maintain their lifestyle of being "Freeloaders" in the society (ਮੁਫਤ ਦੀਆਂ ਰੋਟੀਆਂ, etc.), taking advantage of public without due compensation. Furhter, such so called saints also lack Complete Brahm-Giaan, that is, they generally know little bit to impress upon the simpletons, unsuspecting, or ignorant people to maintain easy or "Freeloader" lifestyle for themselves. In fact many of them are just criminals disguised in peculiar religious garbs ("Bhekhee", "ਓਇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ ॥੧॥"), and so on.

In nutshell, dying in the Shabad is to be free from the menacing and the chronic disease of Haumai or egotism; it is to be free from the spell of Maya, duality, doubts (ਭਰਮ-ਜਾਲ), ignorance, Bikaars (lust, anger, greed, etc.), , self-will, Manmukhataa, ਅਪਣੀ ਮੱਤ, ਮਨ ਮੱਤ, ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਨਾ ਵਲੋਂ ਮਰਣਾਂ, ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵ ਆਪਣੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਪੈਣ ਦੇਂਣਾ, ਸਬਦ ਨੂੰ - ਸਬਦ-ਗਿਆਨ ਨੂੰ - ਸਦਾ ਇਕ-ਰਸ ਆਪਣੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਟਿਕਾਈ ਰੱਖਣਾ; it is to Awaken to our Mool (Source, Joti-Svaroopa...) within; it is to become Living Liberated (Jeevanmukta) or dead while alive; it is to remain constantly (ਸਾਸ ਸਾਸ: each and every breadth) linked to the Mool (Source: Joti-Svaroopa, ਸਚ, Truth...) within - to be continually linked to the Aatm-Giaan, Gur-Giaan, Brahm-Giaan, Shabad-Surti, Naam Consciousness, the Treasure or Ocean of Virtues (ਗੁਣਤਾਸ, ਗੁਣੀ ਗਹੀਰ), etc., and live accordingly (i.e., Divine Life, the Gurmukh Lifestyle, ਸਚ ਦੇ ਗੁਣ-Virtues of Truth...), and so on.

Upon dying in the Shabad, we become the embodiment of the Giaan (the Divine Knowledge) that is contained in the Gur-Shabad, as the fragrance is boxed in the flower.

In other words, when we have died in the Shabad, our "Antar" Awakenes to the Hukam, Divine Message, Aatm-Giaan, Wisdom, etc. To put it otherwise, our mind and Chit that were in cracked (divided-duality) state have become one again (ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਸਿਆ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸੇ ਜਨ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਹਾਏ ॥: Gur kaa sabadu vasiaa ghat antar se jan sabadi suhaae, sggs 770).

And the Hukam can only be Realized/Understood (ਹੁਕਮੁ ਬੂਝਿ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਈ ॥: Hukam boojh param pada paaee, sggs 229) - It is beyond the physical instruments of tongue, ears, hands, feet, etc. ( ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੨ ॥ ਅਖੀ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਵੇਖਣਾ ਵਿਣੁ ਕੰਨਾ ਸੁਨਣਾ ॥ ਪੈਰਾ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਚਲਣਾ ਵਿਣੁ ਹਥਾ ਕਰਣਾ ॥ ਜੀਭੈ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਇਉ ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਣਾ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਕੈ ਤਉ ਖਸਮੈ ਮਿਲਣਾ ॥੧॥: Saloku M: 2 || Akhee baajhahu vekhanaa vinu kanaa sunanaa..., sggs 139).

The Gurbani declares that the Mayaic and instinctive mind can only be annihilated (conquered, restrained, subdued, etc.) with this Giaan.

Upon attaining Shabad-Surti (Shabad-Giaan, Aatm-Giaan, Brahm-Giaan, etc.), the old false or Manmukh "dies", and gets "reborn" as a new Spiritual Being called the Gurmukh in the Gurbani. In other words, upon transcending the worldly-identity or body-consciousness, the mortal becomes living liberated or Jeevanmukta.

The Gurbani challenges us to die in the Shabad here and now, if we wish to:

By inquiring (Shabad-Vichaar) into the Truth and falsehood, we can resolve the confusion between the unreal or ephemeral and the Real or Eternal (the Mool: Joti-Svaroopa, ਸਚ...). Just as the diamond fallen into the mud is never spoiled, just as the sky is not affected by the dust particles floating in it, similarly, the Pure Joti-Svaroopa (Mool, ਸਚ...) remains untainted by the body. Upon dawning of the Divine Knowledge (Aatm-Giaan), or upon dying in the Shabad (Realizing God, Naam, Shabad, Satguru, Unconditioned Consciousness, etc.), our mind settles down in Complete Peace, Ease (Sahaj, "ਸਹਿਲਾ", "ਸੁਹੇਲਾ", "ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਹੇਲਾ"...), just as grains of dirt floating in water settle down when the water is absolutely steady. This is the state of the mind Liberated from the repeated suffering (Gurmukh).

In nutshell, to die in the Shabad is to realize the "ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ" (Shabadu Guroo) or the "ਬਾਣੀ ਗੁਰੂ" (Banee Guroo). As revealed by the Gurbani itself, this happens when by becoming fully established in the heart (ਇਕ ਮੱਨ ਇਕ ਚਿੱਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ - being Saabat, whole, undivided; ਨਿਸਚਿੰਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ-worry free; by becoming the Gurmukh...), we heedfully Reflect (Vichaar-ਵਿਚਾਰ) on the Teachings (Gur-Updesh, Gurmati, Gur-Giaan...) of the Gurbani.

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 8:58 AM (PST)

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