The gurbani leads us to the Light (Chaanan) – Enlightenment, spiritual Giyan (Bibek Budh, Knowledge, Wisdom, Virtuous life etc.), the greatest and lasting Inner Wealth. It removes spiritual ignorance (ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਲੋਂ ਬੇ-ਸਮਝੀ ਦਾ ਹਨੇਰਾ) just as light removes darkness.
- ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਇਸੁ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਕਰਮਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਏ ॥੧॥ : (O MY mind) Gurbani is the enlightenment in life in this world. It comes to abide within the mind through the divine grace of internalization of the enlightening Message of it. ||1|| (sggs 67).
- ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਅੰਧੇਰਾ ਮਿਟਿ ਗਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਚਰਾਗੁ ॥ : The Gur-Wisdom is (akin to) the kindled lamp that dispels darkness of ignorance (from within) (sggs 849).
The One Creator (Parmaatam) is indicated to be the Giyan Principle, the Inner Light. The Gurbani says we are That (Jot Saroop), the embodiment of the Infinite Giyan.
- ਮਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸ ਭਈ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਤਤਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਟੀ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਇ ॥੩॥ : By focusing my mind on the essence of Divine Giyan (Wisdom…) and remembered God (i.e. remembering Divine Virtues in daily life), my intellect got enlightened. (As a result) the Divine Light manifested within, my mind realized God and I remain absorbed in Sahaj (Natural State of Being, Giyan Avastha or state of Wisdom etc.). ||3|| (sggs 1199).
The Gurbani repeatedly urges us to awaken this Light of spiritual Giyan within, which will dispel our darkness of spiritual ignorance.
- ਅੰਤਰਿ ਖੂਹਟਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਭਰਿਆ ਸਬਦੇ ਕਾਢਿ ਪੀਐ ਪਨਿਹਾਰੀ ॥: Deep Within this body is the well overflowing with the Amrit; the Water-carrier (one engaged in Naam-Jap or understanding the Gur-Shabad) draws and drinks it through the Shabad (sggs 570).
It’s really amazing and shocking to see how worthless and empty rituals and dogmas are taking their strong roots in Gurdawaras! For example, the author recently observed in a Gurdawara – immediately after bowing down in front of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) – many people would walk to an another alter behind the SGGS and bow down in front of it. Just out of curiosity, after the conclusion of the Divaan, the author went to see as to what is it the people bow before, blatantly ignoring the SGGS. He found that it was an oil lamp people were bowing before!
- ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨੁ ਜਾਨੈ ਸਭ ਬਾਤ ਜਾਨਤ ਹੀ ਅਉਗਨੁ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਕਾਹੇ ਕੀ ਕੁਸਲਾਤ ਹਾਥਿ ਦੀਪੁ ਕੂਏ ਪਰੈ ॥੨੧੬॥: Kabeer, the mind knows everything and knowingly it commits demerits. What is the use of that lamp (Giyan-Wisdom) if we fall into the well (of ignorance, Maya, vices/Bikaar) even with that lamp in our hands? (sggs 1376).
This is the Pujaaree (clergy clique) promoted madness Guru Nanak rejected in no uncertain terms. But looks like we are falling back into the same pre-1469 beliefs that were rejected by Guru Nanak. Pujaaree clique (Bhais, Ragis, Parchaarak, Dera-Vaad etc., do not want to correct this sort of non-sense because they don’t want to loose a lucrative business (ਧੰਧਾਂ) by ticking off their repeat or new clients!
The oil lamp (ਦੀਪਕ, ਚਿਰਾਗ) the Gurbani talks about is again the Infinite spiritual Giyan.
- ਕਲਿ ਕਾਲਖ ਅੰਧਿਆਰੀਆ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨ ਦੀਪਕ ਉਜਿਆਰੀਆ ॥੧॥ : In this Kali Yuga (ignorance filled state of the mind), there is only pitch darkness. The Guru’rs Giyan is the Lamp that Enlightens the mind. ||1|| (sggs 210).
Hence, the lamp is to be taken metaphysically and symbolically — instead of taking it literally and start worshiping the lamp blindly (in the presence of SGGS), the idea is to learn spiritual significance of these similes. In turn, having understood their spiritual significance, we can learn from them.
- ਅੰਤਰਿ ਤੀਰਥੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਹੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ॥: Deep within is the sacred shrine (Teerath) of Giyan (Spiritual Wisdom…), which the Satigur has revealed (sggs 587).
- ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ॥ ਦੇਹੀ ਮਹਿ ਇਸ ਕਾ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮੁ ॥: God’s Amrit Naam is like the nine treasures of the world (NOTE: Gurbani Re-defines the Pujaaree’s nine treasures here). It dwells in the human body itself. (sggs 293).
For example, let’s consider the simile of the oil or Ghee lamp. It symbolizes our Vaasanas (negative tendencies, vices/Bikaar) and the wick, the false ego-sense (Haumai). When lit by spiritual Giyan, Vaasanas get slowly exhausted and Haumai (the false ego-sense) too finally thins out. If we so objectively observe, the flame of a lamp always burns upwards. It signifies that, similarly, we should acquire such spiritual Giyan as to take us towards Higher ideals and Higher Self.
This lamp of the spiritual Giyan that wells from within is always there. We may not be aware of its existence – we may neglect it or not care to Realize it – but, nonetheless, its there within each one of us Here and Now. It is only because our awareness is busy in gratifying our senses in the external world that we don’t wish to look within for this Light that radiates at a higher vibration.
Once such lamp is rekindled in the Heart Lotus, the external world (of sense-gratification, vices/Bikaar, false-ego-sense (Haumai) etcetera disappears, and the Gurmukh Lifestyle (Enlightened/Guru Shabad-Oriented etc.) shines forth.
- ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ : The Naam-treasure is present within every human being, but it is obtained by becoming the Gurmukh. (sggs 369).
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Thanks,
was just wondering the biolumniscent light in pineal, its like …COSMIC ILLUMINATOR….
ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੨੮॥
The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same.
Guru Nanak Dev. sggs-6
PINEAL GLAND.inner .JOT..PRAKASH..RAY… Inside the Pineal Gland are tiny little crystals ..Apatitie high concentrations of OH−, F− and Cl− ions, Calcite caco3, Magnetite Fe3O4 and these crystals are known to produce bioluminescense, which is a form of light without heat….were photons are released as end product ie chemiluminescence…….the inner jot can be seen if these photons are recieved /percieved by our 2 eye balls while eye lids closed….but unfortunately our eye balls are busy with the reflected light of matter, thus clouded by reflections.
This comment is in response to the original post.
….. “the idea is to learn spiritual significance of these similes” ….
Nothing could be more important than realizing this truth. Examples and analogies are often cited to simplify things, to set the right direction for thinking … but unfortunately just a superfluous reading perhaps leads to the literal ‘misinterpretations’ or even mis-actions.
I particularly liked author’s observation –
“If we so objectively observe, the flame of a lamp always burns upwards. It signifies that, similarly, we should acquire such spiritual Knowledge as to take us towards Higher ideals and Higher Self”.
Very well said. The flame burns ‘upwards’ and in the process burns down the ‘wick’ as well as the ‘oil’ – the true inner knowledge eradicates lusts and false egos.
Please keep enlightening us all (just like the lamp as exemplified in this two-liner by an Urdu poet )….
Jahaa’n bhi hogaa, roushni hi degaa
K charaag ka apna makaa’n nahin hotaa
Deep regards
Well said. I agree with what you have to say, but was pointing towards something else. I could elaborate on my viewpoint, but perhaps this is not the right forum to start a discussion of this kind. Also, discussions and debates probably just take us away from the Truth.
It is nice to know there are thoughtful and caring people around the world; people who put forth their views in a civilized manner :) Thank you for your comments on my response.
Regards,
Sonik
I don’t want to start this blog page as a discussion forum but just to present my view. Both the author and Mr. Sonik Malik has brought good points. But there is a difference between just bowing down in front of lamp and bowing down in front of Guru Granth Sahib Ji that is pointing at truth as Mr. Sonik Malik himself said. Therefore, to equate a burning lamp to something that is pointing towards Truth may not be appropriate.
To better express my view please take into consideration this example, a doctor writes an order on a piece of paper. Now any regular paper and that piece of paper on which the doctor has written order is same physically and also chemically but the presence of doctor’s order on that particular paper makes it important. In the same way, bowing down in front of Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not bowing down in front of 1430 papers or the ink, or the nicely decorated clothes but bowing down to the knowledge that is present in it.
Regards,
Gurbani Veechar
Sir,
I agree with you that bowing to a lamp is unnecessary and dogmatic in nature; the lamp is a symbol, after all. But, on the same note, the Granth Sahib too is a collection of songs and hymns that point to the truth – that symbolize something that is untouchable, inexpressible. Going to a gurudwaara and bowing to the book is as unnecessary and futile as is bowing to a lamp or any other image.
Having said this, I do understand that ritual brings comfort and security to the human mind. Also, a gurudwaara, temple, mosque, or church is a place where people congregate, find some moments of peace and of meditation. That is a good thing, indeed.
I write here in order to share my views, not to criticise or condemn. I hope my comments do not offend anyone.
Regards,
Sonik