Gurbani says focus on the Message not the Messenger

The Gurbani urges us to focus on the Message not the Messenger: “Gur kahiaa saa Kaar Kamaavahu” (“ਗੁਰਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਾ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ”) – do what the Guru tells (i.e., focus on the Message of the Guru, ਗੁਰ-ਬਚਨ, Gurmat…). In the same breadth, the Gurbani tells us not to focus on the Messenger.

• ਗੁਰਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਾ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਕਰਣੀ ਕਾਹੇ ਧਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਸਮਾਵਹੁ ॥੨੭॥: Guri kahiaa saa kaar kamaavahu. Gur kee karanee kaahe dhaavahu: Do those deeds which the Guru has ordained. Why are you chasing after the Guru’s actions? Says Nanak, through the Guru’s Teachings, merge in the True Lord ||27|| (sggs 933).
• ਗੁਰਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਾ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਸਬਦੁ ਚੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਸਹਜ ਘਰਿ ਆਵਹੁ ॥ ਸਾਚੈ ਨਾਇ ਵਡਾਈ ਪਾਵਹੁ ॥੨॥: Gur kahiaa saa kaar kamaavahu …: Do the deed (work, action, Kaar…), which the Guru tells you to do. (What is that Kaar? That Kaar is) Understand the Shabad (ਸਬਦ ਪਛਾਣ ਕੇ, ਸਬਦ ਨਾਲ ਡੂੰਘੀ ਸਾਂਝ ਪਾ ਕੇ…), come to the Home of Sahaj (the inner Natural State of Being, Mool, ਗਿਆਨ ਅਵਸਤਾ, ਆਤਮਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਟਿਕ ਜਾਣਾਂ…). Through the True Name (ਸਚ ਦਾ ਗਿਆਨ…), obtain Greatness (ਮਾਨ, ਸੋਭਾ, eminence…). ||2|| (sggs 832).

In other words, the Gurbani tells us that we need to focus more on the Message (Understanding of the Gurbani, and then living that Understanding…) and less on the Messenger (person delivering the Message). That is, the Gurbani urges us to focus on the Message (Gurmat, Aatam-Giaan, Wisdom…), live by the Teachings of the Gur-Shabad…

• ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਇ ਮਹਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ॥: Gur kee kaar kamaai mahal pashaaneeai: By doing the Guru’s Kaar (Will, Rajaa, Gurmat or His Teaching…), one realizes (All-pervading Lord) Presence within (sggs 420).
• ਸਰੀਰੁ ਜਲਉ ਗੁਣ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਜੋ ਗੁਰ ਕਾਰ ਨ ਕਮਾਇ ॥: Sareer jalaou gun baaharaa jo gur kaar n kamaai: That body devoid of Virtues burns away that does not do the Guru’s Kaar (sggs 651).
• ਮਤਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਰਤਨ ਜਵਾਹਰ ਮਾਣਿਕ ਜੇ ਇਕ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸਿਖ ਸੁਣੀ ॥: Mati vich ratan javaahar maanik je ik gur kee sikh sunee: Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies (i.e., Divine virtues…), if one listens to the Guru’s Teachings, even once (sggs 2).

To do “Gur kee Kaar” is essentially to live in accordance with the Gurmat (Teaching of the Gur-Shabad, Hukam, Shabad-Giaan, Aatam Giaan…), whereby we allow the Gur-Shabad to guide our day-to-day life. Simply put: our reading and understanding of the Gur-Shabad will be difficient without allowing the Gur-Shabad to guide our daily life.

• ਕਰਣੀ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਘਟੇ ਘਟਿ ॥: Karanee baajhahu ghate ghati: Without “Karanee”, (Understanding, ਸੂਝ ਬੂਝ…) remains deficient (ਨੀਵੀਂ , ਥੋੜੀ…). (sggs 25).

As a carpenter makes objects out of rough-hewn wood, similarly, the Guru shapes his disciple – Sikh – into a sterling Gurmukh who experiences Bliss (Anand) in living the Gurmat (Spiritual Knowledge, Aatamic-Giaan…).

• ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਪਰਵਾਰੈ ਸਾਧਾਰੁ ॥੮॥੧॥੩॥ : Gurmati maaniaa karanee saaru…: Following (obeying, living…) the Gurmat (Aatam Giaan, Guru’s Teaching…), one’s conduct (ਆਚਰਨ, practice…) becomes excellent. Following the Gurmat, one finds the Door of salvation (ਮੁਕਤੀ ਦਾ ਰਸਤਾ, Liberation from Maya…). O Nanak! Following the Gurmat (one) becomes the base of (his) family (i.e., he reforms, mend, or improve his family – ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਦਾ ਸੁਧਾਰ ਕਰਦਾ). ||8||1||3|| (sggs 832).

But the question is, why the majority of us (over 99.9 percent category) focus on the Messenger instead of the Message? The Gurbani answers as follows:

• ਪਉੜੀ ॥ ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਚਿਤ ਕਠੋਰ ਹਹਿ ਸੇ ਬਹਹਿ ਨ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ॥ ਓਥੈ ਸਚੁ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਕੂੜਿਆਰਾ ਚਿਤ ਉਦਾਸਿ ॥ ਓਇ ਵਲੁ ਛਲੁ ਕਰਿ ਝਤਿ ਕਢਦੇ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਾਇ ਬਹਹਿ ਕੂੜਿਆਰਾ ਪਾਸਿ ॥ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਚੇ ਕੂੜੁ ਨ ਗਡਈ ਮਨਿ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਕੋ ਨਿਰਜਾਸਿ ॥ ਕੂੜਿਆਰ ਕੂੜਿਆਰੀ ਜਾਇ ਰਲੇ ਸਚਿਆਰ ਸਿਖ ਬੈਠੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ॥ ੨੬॥: Pourree || Jin ke chit kathor hahi se bahahi na satgur paas || Outhai sachu varatadaa koorriaaraa chit oudaasi || Oui valu shalu kari jhati kadhade firi jaai bahahi koorriaaraa paasi || Vichi sache koorru na gaddayee mani vekhahu ko nirajaasi || Koorriaar koorriaaree jaai rale sachiaar sikh baithe satigur paas ||26||:  Paurree. Those who have hard (dense, etc.) ਚਿਤ (consciouness, intelligence, soul, Heart, thought, etc.), do not sit near the Satgur (ਸਚ ਦਾ ਗਿਆਨ – do not get near the Divine Knowledge of the Truth…). Truth prevails there; the false ones do not attune their consciousness to it. By hook or by crook, they pass their time (when in the Satgur’s Sangat), and then (from there) they go back to sit with the false ones again. Check it out and see in your mind – Falsehood does not mix with the Truth (in other words, falsehood cannot influence the Heart of a True person). The false go and mingle with the false, while the (True) Sikhs go and sit by the side of the Satgur. ||26|| (sggs 314).

Therefore, it is highly stressed in the Gurbani to be constantly attuned to the Gur-Shabad, to be in harmony with the Gur-Shabad, to feel the Gur-Shabad’s vibration while living in this world…

• ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਕਹਿਆ ਅੰਕਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸੂਚੇ ਸਾਚੋ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ : Gur kaa kahiaa anki samaavai. Niramal sooche saacho bhaavai: (One who) Takes the Words of the Guru into his very fiber (Heart); (he becomes) immaculate, holy, and pleasing to the True Lord. (sggs 933).
• ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਸੇ ਜਨ ਜਾਗੇ ਜਿਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਾਣੀ ॥: Gur kirapaa te se jan jaage jinaa hari mani vasiaa bolahi amrit Baanee (sggs 920).