Discernment of a Giyani

The Gurbani enshrined within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) urges us to constantly inquire, reflect, contemplate, investigate, directly look into, etc. (i.e. Vichaar): Where I came from? Where did I originate, and where will I go and merge? How am I bound, and how do I get emancipated? How do I become God-Realized within? Why does one one become U-un-realized? What is mind? Who is the sufferer? What is the Truth? Who is hidden? Who is detached? Who is our Real mother and father?…

ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਆਵੈ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੧੨॥ : (Sidhas asked Guru Nanak) why is (your) God beyond fathom? And in (in your spiritual Way) how does one get detached. How does one become God-Realized within one’s mind (ਅੰਤਰਿ) and one’s senses (ਬਾਹਰਿ)? How does one become God Realized and why does one lose that Realization? How does one become Realized of God who has existence in the past, present and future?॥12॥ (sggs 939).
ਕਤ ਕੀ ਮਾਈ ਬਾਪੁ ਕਤ ਕੇਰਾ ਕਿਦੂ ਥਾਵਹੁ ਹਮ ਆਏ ॥ : (sggs 156).

Guru Nanak’s answers to the above questions of Sidhas:

ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੧੩॥ : (God or the Creator is beyond fathom because) He resides within His entire Creation. (In my spiritual Way) one gets detached by (following the direction of) the Guru’s Message within the Shabad. One becomes God-Realized within one’s mind through the technique (Advice, Messages) that are contained within the Shabad. Rejecting the Shabad Guru’s Message (i.e. Manmukh-hood), one’s spiritual journey gets lost / destructed in this vacillation (i.e. spiritual Elevation comes and goes). Nanak, Realization of God is through the Guru’ Shabad (i.e. Gurmukhi: from the Guru’s mouth — Shabad, Gurbani, Message). ॥13॥ (sggs 939).

In other words, one’s Spiritual Identity is present in the answer to the this Inner Inquiry: ‘Who am I?’.

As repeatedly indicated in the Gurbani, there are only two different groups of people living together on earth: Gurmukhs (Internalization of the spiritual Message of the Shabad, Gurmukh-Hood State of mind – Enlightened / Guru Shabad-Oriented mindset) and Manmukhs (the deniers of Truth, truthful living, whose mind escapes through senses and run after sense-objects or who’s Akal follows the mind’s dictates…).

A Giyani (ਗਿਆਨੀ, Wise…) is a Gurmukh. A Giyani always identifies with his Jot Saroop (Mool, Origin, True Nature…). He does not involve in Mayaic-consciousness, entanglements…

ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਕੈਸਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਸੋਇ ॥ : Nanak beseeches, what kind of person is a Giyani (Wise person)? A true Giyani is he who has Realized ownself (Mool-realized). (sggs 25).
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਬੰਧਨ ਤੇ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥ : Brahm Giyani – the knower of Truth – is free from worldly entanglements (sggs 273).

In other words, it is the Giyani, the Enlightened Being (the Gurmukh…), who sees beyond duality (Doojaa-Bhaav…) and knows the oneness of all (i.e., he sees no difference). He is the Illumined (Awakened, Aware…) one, filled with the Light (‘ਪੂਰਨ ਜੋਤਿ’…).

On the other hand, the Manmukhs (the opposite of a Giyani or Gurmukh, the majority category…) identify with their fleeting body (status, titles, position, caste or Jaat-Paat, family of birth, education, and so on. Such consciousness is indicative of body-consciousness, bondage, entanglements…

A Giyani ever revels in the Divine Shabad for the sake of Brahm-Giyan (spiritual Wisdom). Detached, he perceives the Reality present in everything and everywhere. He understands that the ability to learn True Giyan is a faculty available only to human beings. So he uses this precious and rare human life to realize the Truth.

ਸੋ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ ॥: He alone is a Giyani (ਗਿਆਨ-ਵਾਨ), who has focused his consciousness on the Shabad (sggs 831).

To transcend Mayaic-consciousness (duality…), the Gurbani urges us to adopt the Giyni’s perception, discernment, or intuitive faculty. The Gurbani encourages us to see the Giyani’s Spiritual Wisdom regarding our Mool (ਮੂਲ, Source, Origin, Essential Nature, ਅਸਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਪਛਾਣ…).

ਆਪੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੇ ਸੁ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ : Who reflects ownself ( ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ, ਆਪਣੇ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਨੂੰ, ਆਪਣੇ ਅਸਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਚਾਰਦਾ ਹੈ – ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਪੜਤਾਲ) is truly Giyani (Wise – ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਸੂਝ ਬੂਝ ਵਾਲਾ) ||1||Pause|| (sggs 152).

To appreciate the view point of a true Giyani, the Gurbani asks us to live by the Message of the Gur-Shabad (Gurmukh-Hood, a State Of Mind).

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਚੈ ਬੇਦ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਚੈ ਤਰੀਐ ਤਾਰੀ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਚੈ ਸੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਗਿਆਨੀ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਚੈ ਅੰਤਰ ਬਿਧਿ ਜਾਨੀ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥੨੮॥ : Internalization of the spiritual Message contained in the Shabad (Enlightenment: the Gurmukh-Hood State of the Mind) enables evaluation of the Vedic discourse; (it) enables an evaluation of (the discourse of Vedas of) as guides of spirituality; (it) enables an evaluation of Enlightenment resulting from the Message of the Shabad (whether we are sustaining it within or not etc.); (it) enables an evaluation of the Creator’s Realization Within; (it) creates Realization of the Infinite and Fathomless Creator; Nanak, (it) creates an unhindered spiritual Pathaway. ॥28॥ (sggs 941).

But the Gurbani also indicates that it is difficult for the mortal (Jeeva or an individual being…) to be aware of this Teaching of the Gurbani always because the Jeeva is caught in the cycle of repeated suffering due to his love for Maya.

As the Gurbani repeatedly indicates to us, it is difficult to always realize our Mool (our true self, God…) because of our constant involvement with the daily activities in this material world. Our vices/Bikaars (passions, negativity, sense-gratifications…) keep us immersed in duality – joy and sorrow, likes and dislikes, praise and slander, ups and downs, and so on. These worldly entanglements delude and obstruct us from realizing the essential truth of our Mool (True Nature, Jot Saroop…).

Our Mool is both far and near. It all depends what we do with this rare opportunity of human life.

ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਬੁਰਿਆਈਆ ਵਾਚੈ ਧਰਮੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਕਰਮੀ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੇ ਨੇੜੈ ਕੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥ : Good and bad deeds are determined in the light (Hadoor) of Hukam (Cosmic Law or System-Rule-Order of Nature). My own deeds determine whether I realize the Creator or otherwise (i.e. far from realization). Those who diligently and arduously Realized Naam (Spiritual Giyan, Wisdom, divine Virtues), they realize God (become ‘Sachiaaraa-ਸਚਿਆਰਾ’ in their spiritual Journey). Nanak, they both liberate themselves and those who tread with them as well (from the primary affliction of Koorh-ਕੂੜ). ॥1॥ (sggs 8).

He seems far to those (e.g. Manmukhs) who are preoccupied with the material world (Maya…) and near to those who are always established in His Presence within (as the Gurmukhs, Giyani…). A true Giyani (not fake and fraud Giyani) perceives only Him as the ever Present Truth or Reality and (in ਸਚ ਸੰਤੋਖ-true contentment…) remains detached to the happenings of the mirage-like, enchanting world.

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