Nature – Kudrat – Always Self Corrects

This universe is dynamic – ever changing.

Nothing here stays forever. Everything we see is changeful, fleeting, perishable or disappearing. Nothing our physical eyes can see in it is ageless.

• ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਉਪਜੈ ਬਿਨਸੈ ॥: Whatever is seen, originates and gets destroyed (sggs 352).

The Gurmat Giaan or Wisdom of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) tells us there is the ageless Hukam (System-Rule-Law Nature, Cosmic Order or Universal Energy, Naam…) that pervades everywhere in the Universe.

• ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥ : Everyone is subject to the Creator’s Hukam (System-Rule-Law-Order of Nature), none is outside of His Hukam. Nanak, If one Realizes His Hukam Within, then one does not behave egotistically — upon Realizing the Hukam within, false perception that I exist outside of His Hukam ceases to be. ॥2॥ (sggs 1).

The following verses make it clear that the whole process of creation is going on in an infallible System-Rule-Law of Rabb (Universal Energy), which is also called Hukam, and this is also called Naam (or Shabad…):

• ਜੇਤਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਤਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਥਾਉ ॥ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਵਣ ਕਹਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥ : (My mind now Realizes that) all that is created (by my Conscience) is within the confines of the Hukam (ਨਾਉ-Niyam) of the Creator. (My mind also Realizes that) the Creator’s Hukam (System-Rule-Law-Order-Jurisdiction) is Omnipresent. The discourse of Kudrat (the creator’s Creation) is beyond my ability. (My inability is such that) I am unable to even once express my devotion (adequately). (sggs 9).
• ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ॥: All living beings exist in accordance with Divine Hukam (i.e. System-Rule-Law of Nature, ਨਿਯਮ). The Universe exists in accordance with Divine Hukam (i.e. System-Rule-Law of Nature, ਨਿਯਮ). (sggs 284).

Aptly, there is nothing in the Universe – Sargun (visible or seen) or Nirgun (invisible or unseen) – which Baabaa Nanak does not call Rabb (ONE Universal Energy, Hukam: System-Rule-Law of Nature or Kudrat, Naam, Truth, ਨਿਯਮ, ਵਿਧਾਨ etc.)!

Fittingly, the SGGS asserts that Rabb is the subject of understanding (ਸਮਝਣ), NOT the subject of blind-worship or Poojaa, or blind faith (ਅੰਧ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ਼, ਅੰਨੀ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ — foolishness)!

According to the Gurbani, two names — Sargun and Nirgun — are given to the same One Universal Energy.

• ਸਰਗੁਣ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਥਾਪੈ ਨਾਉ ॥: Sargun and Nirgun are two given names. (sggs 387).

Both — Sargun (visible) and Nirgun (invisible System-Rule-Law of Nature) — functions together. One cannot work without the other.

We are taught by the Gurbani to respect the environment (creation, Kudrat, Nature…) for the ONE Universal Energy extended or spread in many ways.

• ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਵਸਿਆ ॥: (O Divine – the Universal Energy, Hukam, Law or System of Nature…!), I’m thankful to You who abides in ‘Kudrat’ (Nature…). (sggs 469).
• ਅਨਿਕ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਪਸਰਿਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੰਕਾਰੁ ॥: O Nanak! The One ‘Ekankaar’ (Universal Energy…) has expanded or spread in many ways. (sggs 296).

We all are part of this ‘ONE’ — the whole aspect: ਸਮੁੱਚਾ ਪਾਸਾਰਾ (‘ਸਭੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਹੈ-Sabh(u) Gobind(u) Hai’, sggs 485).

In other words, the Gurbani’s Rabb is NOT separate from man and Nature (Kudrat).

• ਅਨਿਕ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ ਏਕ ਤੇ ਭਏ ॥: Many scatters (of the world – ਜਗਤ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਖਿਲਾਰੇ) have come from the One Rabb. (sggs 289).

Hence, according to Gurmat Wisdom of the SGGS:
Understanding or knowing Kaadar (Rabb…) is = understanding or knowing Kudrat!

• ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਾਦਰ ਕਰਣ ਕਰੀਮਾ ॥ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਮੁਹਬਤਿ ਅਥਾਹ ਰਹੀਮਾ ॥ ਹਕੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਸਚੁ ਖੁਦਾਇਆ ਬੁਝਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਬੰਦਿ ਖਲਾਸ ਤਰਾ ॥੧੫॥੩॥੧੨॥: (Understand) the Kudrat of Kaadar (Creator…) and the Merciful Rabb’s created world. Love and praise of the infinitely deep merciful Rabb. O Nanak! Understanding the eternal Rabb and the eternal Hukam enables one to be free from bondage (of Maya) and get across the world-ocean. (sggs 1084).

Furthermore, the Gurbani reveals Nature (Kudrat) is all-powerful and that Nature always self-corrects – capable to destroy (‘ਭੰਨਣ’) and Create (‘ਘੜਣ’)!

• ਭੰਨਣ ਘੜਣ ਸਮਰਥੁ ਹੈ ਓਪਤਿ ਸਭ ਪਰਲੈ ॥: (Creator is) capable of breaking, making, creating and annihilating (cataclysm etc.) all. (sggs 1102).

If humans conflict with the System-Rule-Law of Nature, Kudrat will always win! However, in any cooperation between humans and Kudrat (Nature), humans always win!!

• ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਭੰਨਣ ਘੜਣ ਸਮਰਥੁ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸਦਾ ਸਮਾਲਹਿ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਤੂ ਦੁਖੁ ਸਬਾਇਆ ਲਥੁ ॥੧॥ : O Nanak! The Satguru has implanted in me firm commitment to Naam (Hukam: System-Rule-Law of nature, Commands, Brahm-Giaan, ਨਿਯਮ…) of the Creator who is capable of destruction and creation. O my friend! If you also ever keep in mind commands of Rabb, all your trouble will come to end. (sggs 317).

Advances in science and technology have given to humanity great material prosperity etc.

Unfortunately, prosperity tends to make us humans arrogant, wasteful, selfish, disrespectful, destructive, careless etc.

In such regression, we humans have been disrespectful not only to fellow human beings, but also to Creation (Kudrat, Nature, environment..).

In short, we humans live unnaturally, disrespecting, destroying, consuming, damaging or misappropriating everything we can in Nature.

That said, we are time and again reminded by the Gurbani that each one of us is responsible for our own thinking (Soch) and resulting actions and their fruits!

In short, we reap what we sow, or as the English expression goes, ‘Whatever goes around comes around’.

• ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ॥੨੦॥ : (The Internal cleansing is by a spirituality of) Internalizing (the Naam: Shabad, Hukam, Virtues, Giaan-Wisdom) through sustained deeds. Whatever you sow, you will reap. Nanak, (to reap as one saw) is the Hukam of the Creator pertaining to my cycle (of spirituality at the mind’s level). ॥20॥ (sggs 4).

In nutshell, the Gurmat Wisdom reminds us that every action will produce consequences related to that action. For example, if we disrespect we will be disrespected, if we destroy we will be destroyed, and so on.

Consider the current crisis of COVID-19 Coronavirus and its aftereffect.

This crisis reminds us to always respect the Nature (Kudrat). If we do not remember this, instead, if we dare to conflict with the System-Rule-Law of Nature, Kudrat will always win, and we humans will always lose and pay dearly for the fallout.

Neither any organized religions (ਮਜ਼ਹਬ), nor their separate gods, nor any of their shrines, nor any so called holy waters etc. can save us from the devastating fallout!

• ਹਰਿ ਇਕੋ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਸਲਤੀ ਭੰਨਣ ਘੜਨ ਸਮਰਥੁ ॥: ‘Hari’ (i.e. Mool, Naam, Universal Energy, Hukam: System-Rule-Law of Nature…) is my only counselor, who is all-powerful of breaking and constructing (i.e., creating and destroying…). (sggs 958).
• ਨਾਉ ਲਈਐ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੈ ਭੰਨਣ ਘੜਣ ਸਮਰਥੁ ॥੬੨॥: Take (remember, understand…) the Naam of Rabb who is all-powerful of breaking and constructing (i.e., creating and destroying…). (sggs 1420).