PASSING OF THE LIFE-NIGHT
Night and day, the days of our lives wear away. Night and day both bear witnessto this loss.The blind, foolish, Manmukh (material being) is not aware of this;
death is hovering over his head (sggs 1061).
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The ancient Indian system divides the night into four parts called Pahar. Mortal's life is compared by the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) to these four parts or watches of the night. It further explains to us as to how we mortals waste each part of our life-night in vain (sggs 74). Also, the Gurbani shows us as to how we can make the best use of each part of our life-night.
As the night has beginning and end, so does the human life. Both are born; both go through childhood and youth before becoming old and weary; and ultimate, both vanish. Thus, one thing is permanent in life: Change. Body is born, it goes through changes every moment of its existence, and ultimately it dies. This is the story of mortal's entire life-night.
First Part of The Life-Night
As indicated in the Gurbani, it is in accordance with the Hukam (Divine Law...) that Soul is placed into the womb. In upside-down position, we dwell in the utter darkness and heat of the womb for close to ten months. How does the Jeev (individual being) survive there?
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਪਹਿਲੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਪਇਆ ਗਰਭਾਸਿ ॥੧॥: Pahilai pahrai rain kai vanjaariaa mitraa hukmi paiaa garbhaas: Says Nanak, in the first watch of the night, by the God's Hukam or Will, you enter into the womb (sggs 74).
- ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੇ ਆਰਾਧੇ ਵਿਚਿ ਅਗਨੀ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਜੀਵਿਆ ॥: Har Har Naam jape araadhe vich agnee Har Jap jeeviaa: Jap of the lord's Name and worship within the fire of the womb, your life is sustained by dwelling on the Divine Name (sggs 76).
- ਦਸੀ ਮਾਸੀ ਮਾਨਸੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਮਿਤ੍ਰਾ ਕਰਿ ਮੁਹਲਤਿ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥: Dasee maasee maanas keeaa vanjaariaa mitraa kar mulat karam kamaahi: In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds (sggs 77).
How can this first part of life be saved? At this stage, infant's mind is innocent — free of emotional attachment or false ego. Without meditation, however, one is sure to get drowned in the love of duality (Doojaa Bhaav). Therefore, in the very onset, the Gurbani reminds us not to get caught in emotional attachment to the child, instead, one must remember and reflect upon the Divine to whom the child belongs. Such pious family environment also helps the infant develop Spiritual inclinations instead of material or evil instincts.
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਪਹਿਲੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੀਐ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ॥੧॥: Kahu Nanak praanee pahlai pahrai Hari japeeai kirpaa dhaar ||1||: Says, Nanak, O mortal, in the first watch of the night, dwell upon God, who will shower you with His Grace ||1|| (sggs 77).
- ਇਹੁ ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਦੁਲੰਭੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਸਭੁ ਜਾਏ ॥ ਹੁਣਿ ਵਤੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਬੀਜਿਓ ਅਗੈ ਭੁਖਾ ਕਿਆ ਖਾਏ ॥: Ihu maanas janam dulanbh hai naam binaa birathaa sabh jaae. Hun vatai har naam na beejio agai bhukhaa kiaa khaae: It is so difficult to obtain this human birth, and without the Naam, it is all futile and useless. Now, in this most fortunate season, man does not plant the seed of the Lord's Name; what will the hungry soul (hungry of the Naam) eat, in the world hereafter? (sggs 450).
- ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਬੀਜਿਆ ਫਿਰਿ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਪੁੰਨ ਕੇਰੀ ॥੩॥: Jan Nanak Hari punn beejiaa phir tot na aavai Hari punn keree ||3||: Serf Nanak has sown the virtue of God's Name; and the virtue of God's name never exhausts ||3|| (sggs 451).
Childhood passes into youth. Through this transition, the child and parents become emotionally attached to each other without realizing that at the end, nothing will be theirs. Consequently, what sustains us in the mother's womb takes the back seat.
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਵਿਸਰਿ ਗਇਆ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥੨॥: Kahu Nanak praanee doojai Paharai visar gaiaa dhiaan: Says Nanak, in the second watch of the night, you have forgotten to meditate on the Name (sggs 75).
- ਦੂਜੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਰੈਣਿ ਕੈ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਮਿਤ੍ਰਾ ਭਰਿ ਜੋਬਨਿ ਮੈ ਮਤਿ ॥: Doojai Pahrai raani kai vanjaariyaa mittra bhar joban mai mati: In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, you are intoxicated with the wine of youth and beauty (sggs 75).
- ਦੂਜੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਰੈਣਿ ਕੈ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਮਿਤ੍ਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਲਾਗਾ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥: Doojai Pahrai raani kai vanjaariyaa mittra man lagaa doojai bhaai: In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the mind is attached to the love of duality (sggs 76).
- ਨਾਨਕ ਭਾਇ ਭਗਤਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਾ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਵਿਆਪੈ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੨॥: Nanak bhaai bhagat nistaaraa dubidhaa biaapai doojaa ||2||: O Nanak, deliverance comes only by loving devotional worship; through duality, people are engrossed in worldliness ||2|| (sggs 75).
The mind of a mortal whose consciousness is focussed on lust and material possessions, gets entangled in worldly and household affairs. As a result, he becomes entangled in emotional attachment to his wife, children, relatives, friends, parents, and so on. Anger and greed follows the lust. With the waves of greed rising up within, one thinks of nothing but how to accumulate more and more material wealth. This is like "gathering poison" (Maya), says the Gurbani.
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਤੀਜੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਬਿਖੁ ਸੰਚੇ ਅੰਧੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੩॥: Kahu Nanak praanee teejai pahrai bikh sanchai andh agiaan ||3||: Says Nanak, in the third watch of the night, the blind and ignorant person gathers poison ||3|| (Sggs 77).
- ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਚੇਤੈ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਬਿਕਲੁ ਭਇਆ ਸੰਗਿ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: Hari ka Naam na chetai praanee bikil bhayaa sang Maya: You do not remember God's Name, and you become confused by Maya (sggs 75).
Instead of gathering "poison" (Maya), the Gurbani's advice is to trade in Dharma. Further, we are urged by the Gurbani to engage in Shabad-Vichaar, so that we can be assured union with our Mool within.
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਤੀਜੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਚੇਤਹੁ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੩॥: Kahu Nanak praanee teejai paharai prabh chethau liv laai ||3||: Says Nanak, O mortal, in the third watch of the night, let your consciousness be lovingly focused on God ||3|| (sggs 76).
At this stage of the life-game, one's body grows old and weak, eyes go blind and cannot see, ears do not hear any words, tongue is unable to taste or speak, shoulders are weighed down by the tyrant of old age, he lives only with the help of others, and finally breath comes to its end. At the final moment, the reaper comes to reap what he has planted in the previous Pahars of his life-night. The death seizes one. All his weeping and wailing then is of no avail. In an instant, one becomes a stranger!
Thus, we get exactly what we practiced throughout our life — we reap what we sow. The entire life-night spent without Spiritual Virtues, wisdom (Aatam-Giaan), detachment, and devotion to the real Mool, etc., becomes consigned to suffering. Thus, for the mentality we cultivate throughout our lives, we, the Manmukhs, suffer.
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਚਉਥੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਲਾਵੀ ਲੁਣਿਆ ਖੇਤੁ ॥੪॥੧॥: Kahu nanak praanee chauthai pahirai laavee luniaa khet ||4||1||: Says Nanak, in the fourth watch of the night, O mortal, the reaper reaped the field ||4||1|| (sggs 75).
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਚਉਥੈ ਪਹਰੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੪॥: Kahu nanak praanee chauthai paharai Gurmukh Shabad pachaan ||4||: Says Nanak, O mortal, in the fourth watch of the night, the Gurmukh recognizes the Shabad ||4|| (sggs 76).
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਛੂਟੈ ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਤਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੫॥੨॥: Kahu nanak praanee chootai saache te pat pat paavai ||5||2||: Says Nanak, when the mortal becomes Gurmukh, he is saved and honored by God ||5||2|| (sggs 76).
- ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਗਤ ਸੋਹਹਿ ਦਰਵਾਰੇ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਤਿ ॥੫॥੧॥੪॥: Kahu Nanak Bhagat sohahi darvaare Manmukh sadaa bhavaat ||5||1||4||: Says Nanak, the devotees look beautiful in the Court of the Lord; the Manmukhs wander forever in reincarnation |5||1||4|| (sggs 78).
- ਕਰਿ ਸੇਵਹੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਮਿਤ੍ਰਾ ਸਭ ਚਲੀ ਰੈਣਿ ਵਿਹਾਦੀ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਵਹੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਢਿਲ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਕਰਿਹੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਅਸਥਿਰੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਹੋਵਹੁ ॥: Kar sevo pooraa satguru vanjaariaa mittraa sabh challee raini vihaadee. Hari sevahu khin khin dhil mool na karihu jit asthir jug jug hovahu: Serve the Perfect True Guru, O my merchant friend; your entire life-night is passing away. Serve the Lord each and every instant—do not delay! You will become eternal throughout the ages (sggs 77).
— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org
Updated on Thursday, March 15, 2012 3:18 PM (PST)
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