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This Gurbani Blog is featured by Gurbani.org  – “Reflections On Gurbani” – which has been online since 1993. This blog feature was added to the Gurbani.org Website in 2009.

Understanding the Gurbani from the Gurbani

The Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) asserts that the Gurbani can ONLY be understood FROM the Gurban!

  • ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਜਾਤੀ ਜਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਤੇ ਰੰਗੁ ਲਾਇ ॥: Gurbani is understood from the Gurbani by those who are lovingly attuned to the Shabad (-Vichaar). (sggs 1346).
  • ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜਪਿ ਅਨਦੁ ਕਰਹੁ ਨਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ॥੧॥: O mortal! Understanding the Bani of the Perfect Gur (Satigur), be ever in Bliss (Aatmak Aanand). ||1|| (sggs 616).
  • ਪੋਥੀ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕਾ ਥਾਨੁ ॥ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: “Pothee” (SGGS-Adi Birh) is the Abode (ਸਰੂਪ, Place, etc.) of Parmeshar (i.e., Place to Realize Hukam, Shabad, Naam, Brahm-Giaan, Virtues, Law of Nature…). By understanding the Giaan (spiritual Knowledge of the “Pothee”), Aatmaa is strengthened and begins to live by Virtues (Giaan). (sggs 1226).
  • ਆਤਮਾ ਪਰਾਤਮਾ ਏਕੋ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮਰੈ ॥੧॥: When Aatmaa (soul) and Praatmaa (our Chetan Mool) are turned into one (i.e., PooranBrahm), (then) the inner duality become extinct within (sggs 461).

Per the SGGS who is the Guru or Satiguru in Sikhi?

Also, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) affirms: (1) Giaan (Wisdom) is the Guroo, (2) it’s the consciousness (Surat-ਸੁਰਤ) or the mind (Soch-ਸੋਚ) that needs to become a Sikh (ਸਿਖਿਆਰਥੀ, or a learner, or a student) of the Giaan-Wisdom of the Shabad Guroo.

  • ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਧੁਨਿ ਚੇਲਾ ॥: The Shabad (i.e. Giaan or Wisdom is my) Guroo. (Not the body, but) abidance of the Consciousness (i.e., my mind or Soch-ਸੋਚ) is the disciple (of this Shabad-Guroo). (sggs 943).
  • ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਮੈ ਸੋ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ਬਿਬੇਕੋੁ ॥੪॥੫॥: Says Kabeer, I have found that Guru, whose Name is “Bibek(u)” (Wisdom, Discerning Intelligence…). ||4||5|| (sggs 793).
  • ਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥: Guru is my Giaan (Knowledge or Wisdom…), the Guru is (ever) within my Heart; this is my meditation (Dhiaan, Reflection, contemplation …). (sggs 864).
  • ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨਾਮ ਰਤਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥: The Jewel of Giaan (Wisdom) is obtained from the Guru (sggs 1044).
  • ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਹੈ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਹੈ ਪੂਜਾ ॥: Satiguru is Giaan (i.e., Wisdom, ਸੱਚ ਦਾ ਗਿਆਨ); and this Wisdom-Satiguru is the “Poojaa” (i.e., Bhagati). (sggs 1069).

SGGS proclaims Shabad-Vichaar is above all

Understandably, SGGS gives the utmost importance to Shabad-Vichaar (Reflections On the Gurbani — churning the Gurbani for extracting the Butter of Wisdom…).

  • ਸਭਸੈ ਊਪਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥: Reflection on the Gur-Shabad is above all (other notions, speculations, calculations…). (sggs 904).

Hence, the “Pothee” Sahib (aka SGGS) provides us with the Giaan (Wisdom, or Knowledge) to become better human beings and community (ਵਧੀਆ ਇਨਸਾਨ ਤੇ ਵਧੀਆ ਸਮਾਜ਼).

SGGS asks to abandon the Pujaaree

Following the above Instruction of the SGGS, our attempt (ਛੋਟਾ ਜਿਹਾ ਉਪਰਾਲਾ, ਯਤਨ)  here is  to understand the Way of the Gurbani (SGGS) directly from the Gurbani,  NOT from the illiterate and corrupt Pujaaree system (Pujaaree-Vaad, Bipar-Vaad, Pakhand-Vaad, priest or Pujaaree groups (ਠੱਗ, ਮੰਗਖਾਣਾਂ ਪੁਜਾਰੀ ਲਾਣਾਂ) — Raagees, Bhais, Kathaakaar, preachers, Deraav-Vad or Sant-Vaad or Baabaa-Vaad, etc.).

  • ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਜੋ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੇ ਹਮ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਲੀਆ ॥੩॥: Whatever the Pandit and the Mullaan have written (the path of Karamkaand, Shariyat…), I have abandoned (all of that); I have not taken any of it ||3||. (sggs 1159).
  • ਹਮਰਾ ਝਗਰਾ ਰਹਾ ਨ ਕੋਊ ॥ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਛਾਡੇ ਦੋਊ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: (Now) I have no quarrel with anyone anymore; because I have abandoned both the Pandit and the Mullaan (ਦੋਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੱਸੇ ਰਸਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਮੇਰਾ ਕੋਈ ਵਾਸਤਾ ਨਹੀਂ – the path of Karamkaand, Shariyat…). |1|| Pause || (sggs 1158).
  • ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥ ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥: I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim. My body and breath of life belong to (whom Muslims call) Allah and to (whom Hindus call) Raam ||4|| (sggs 1136).
  • ਹਿੰਦੂ ਅੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਤੁਰਕੂ ਕਾਣਾ ॥ ਦੁਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਸਿਆਣਾ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਪੂਜੈ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥ ਨਾਮੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਜਹ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਨ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥੪॥੩॥੭॥: The Hindu is blind (mentally blind, spiritually unintelligent, etc., who has made-up phony stories and claims God is limited only to the temple…) and the Muslim is one-eyed (i.e., who has some intelligence – but claims Allah is limited only to the mosque, etc.). The Giani (the knower of Truth…) is wiser than both of them. (Due to lack or limited vision) the Hindu worships the temple and the Muslim worships the mosque. Naam Dev Says: I serve that (Divine), who is neither limited to the temple nor the mosque ||4||3||7|| (sggs 875).
  • ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਆ ਘਾਇ ॥ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਅੰਧੁ ॥ ਤੀਨੇ ਓਜਾੜੇ ਕਾ ਬੰਧੁ ॥੨॥: The Qazi tells lies and eats filth. The Brahmin kills (inflicts pain to souls: ਆਤਮ-ਘਾਤੀ..) and then takes (cleansing) baths (ਤੀਰਥ-ਇਸਨਾਨ). The Yogi is (mentally or spiritually) blind, and does not know the Way. These three are the fetter of destruction (of the society, people…). ||2||(sggs 662).
  • ਬੁਤ ਪੂਜਿ ਪੂਜਿ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੂਏ ਤੁਰਕ ਮੂਏ ਸਿਰੁ ਨਾਈ ॥ ਓਇ ਲੇ ਜਾਰੇ ਓਇ ਲੇ ਗਾਡੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਗਤਿ ਦੁਹੂ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥ ੧॥ ਮਨ ਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਅੰਧ ਗਹੇਰਾ ॥: Worshiping their idols, the Hindus die; the Muslims die bowing their heads (towards Mecca…). The Hindus cremate their dead, while the Muslims bury theirs. (O Universal Energy, Hukam…!) neither finds Your true state. ||1||. O mind, the world is a deep, dark pit (of ignorance) (sggs 654).
  • ਅਲਹੁ ਏਕੁ ਮਸੀਤਿ ਬਸਤੁ ਹੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਮੁਲਖੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਕੇਰਾ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਦੁਹ ਮਹਿ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਹੇਰਾ ॥: (Muslims think) Allah lives only in the mosque; then to whom does the rest of the world belong? Hindus think idol is the abode of the Divine (or the Divine) Naam; there is no truth (ਅਸਲੀਅਤ) in these claims (of both Hindus and Muslims). (sggs 1349).
  • ਕਹੁ ਰੇ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਬਾਮਨ ਕਬ ਕੇ ਹੋਏ ॥ ਬਾਮਨ ਕਹਿ ਕਹਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਮਤ ਖੋਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਜੌ ਤੂੰ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣੀ ਜਾਇਆ ॥ ਤਉ ਆਨ ਬਾਟ ਕਾਹੇ ਨਹੀ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥: In the womb, no lineage and caste is known. (One) Brahm is the Source of all ||1|| (Kabeer Sahib questions) since when have you been a Brahmin? Don’t waste your life by continually claiming to be a Brahmin. ||1||Pause|| If you are indeed a Brahmin, born of a Brahmin mother, then why didn’t you come by some other way? ||2|| (sggs 324).
  • ਜੋਗੀ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਉਚਰੈ ॥ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਕਾ ਏਕੁ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥ ਕਬੀਰ ਕਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੪॥੩॥੧੧॥: The Yogi (forgetting the Divine) repeats Gorakh, Gorakh. The Hindu utters the Name of Raam (i.e., Hindu thinks his God is only in the idol of Raam). (Similarly) the Muslim considers only  the Khudaa (as their God, somewhere up there in 7th sky). (However) Kabeer’s Divine is that which is pervading all over (ਫੈਲਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ, ਤੇ ਸਭ ਦਾ ਸਾਂਝਾ – the same one in all beings and everywhere) ||4||3||11|| (sggs 1160).

This is not a commercial website

  • We decided to keep this entire Website non-commercial since its inception in 1993. For we are not interested in commercializing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and using the SGGS as a mundane business (“ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ”, ਧੰਧਾ, ਦੁਕਾਨਦਾਰੀ) as many are doing just that in the guise of Sikhi.
  • This Website is not meant to make presentation of corrupt politics, rituals (Karamakaand), dogmas, etc.,  which have no place in the Wisdom of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
  • Hence, this Website is  not for those who use the SGGS, Dharma, or religion as a mundane business, or who like their understanding of the SGGS watered down.
  • This Website is for those who have become aware that there is more to the Gurmat (Wisdom, Upadesh or Way of the SGGS…) than the routine ritualistic and robotic reading or hearing of the Gurbani (SGGS) from the self-serving and fraud Pujaaree groups.

“Why do you write?”

  • The author is neither a scholar nor a writer and nor interested in being one. He does this Website to understand the deeper meaning and Message of the Gurbani (SGGS) from the Gurbani (SGGS) — to instruct and persuade his own mind.
  • While reading the Gurbani (SGGS) and reflecting on it, he writes it down so that he can remember or refer back to later.
  • Some seekers may also find all this of some value; in that spirit he shares on this Website (“Vand Shaknaa“). Specifically, he knows some will come and correct him!

The Gurbani asserts:

  • ਭੁਲਣ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਅਭੁਲੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥: Everyone makes mistakes; only the “Guroo Karataar” is infallible. (sggs 61).

So, nothing is perfect, including this. If you know how to say the Gurbani’s meaning more clearer, please share (“Vand Shaknaa“) in the comment section of each post.

Note on gender

It’s only for the ease of writing, we use a pronoun “He”. Also, the term “Man” is to be understood in its generic sense, including both woman and man, unless the context indicates otherwise.

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