Real Seeker of Truth

A real seeker of Truth is he who is in search of himself – his True Nature, Essential Being, Real Self, “who am I?”, and so on.

• ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਕੈਸਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਸੋਇ ॥: Prays Nanak, what is nature of the Giaanee (the knower of the Truth…)? (A true Giaanee is he who) recognizes his Mool (ਮੂਲ, Source, Jot…), that (Mool-realized Giaanee) understands(sggs 25).
• 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 Giaanee (Wise – ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਸੂਝ ਬੂਝ ਵਾਲਾ) ||1||Pause|| (sggs 152).

Thus, the common refrain in the Gurbani is the belief that one who truly knows himself is the real Giaanee who knows the Supreme Reality and becomes Immortal.

• ਜਿਨਿ ਆਤਮ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਚੀਨ੍‍ਆਿ ॥ ਸਭ ਫੋਕਟ ਧਰਮ ਅਬੀਨਿਆ ॥: Whoever does not Realize the Essence or Reality of the Self, all his religious acts are of no value-worthless (sggs 1351).
• ਜਿਨੀ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਿਆ ਪਰਮਾਤਮੁ ਸੋਈ ॥: They alone realize the Creator within, who reflect on their Self. (sgg 421). (sgg 421).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਚੀਨੈ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਸੋ ਅਪਰ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥੮॥ : Nanak, one who realizes ownself becomes the embodiment (in terms of Divine Virtues) of the Infinite Creator. ||8|| (sggs 229).
• ਆਤਮ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਮ ਮਹਿ ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਸਿ ਗੁਰ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥: Aatam mahi Raamu Raam mahi aatamu cheenasi Gur beechaaraa : Omnipresent God (Universal Energy…) is in soul, and soul is in Omnipresent God. This is realized through Reflecting on the Guru’s Shabad. (sggs 1153).  (sggs 1039).
• ਚੇਤਿ ਸੁਚੇਤ ਚਿਤ ਹੋਇ ਰਹੁ ਤਉ ਲੈ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ਉਜਾਰਾ ॥: Chet suchet chit hoyi rahu tayu lai pargaas ujaaraa (sggs 339).
• ਆਤਮ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਲਹੰਤੇ ॥: Within the Soul, find the Supreme Lord (sggs 276).
• ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨੈ ਸੁ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੇ ॥: Aatam cheenai su tatt beechaarae (sggs 224).
• ਆਤਮ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਆਤਮ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਾ ਹੇ ॥੭॥: Aatam Raam Raam hai aatam Hari paaeeai Sabad veechaaraa hae (sggs 1030).

The Gurbani speaks of the five enemies of man that place a distance between us and the Divine in us. These are — Lust (Kaam), anger (Krodh), greed (Lobh), attachments (Moh), arrogance (Ahankaar, Mada, etc.) – and their countless variations like jealousy (Matsarya), stubborn mindedness (Mann-Hath), etc. – and have to be fought and removed. The practice of the Gur-Shabad is to destroy the ignorance that prevents us from seeking Truth.

• ਗਾਥਾ ਗੁੰਫ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਕਥੰ ਮਥੰ ਮਾਨ ਮਰਦਨਹ ॥ ਹਤੰ ਪੰਚ ਸਤ੍ਰੇਣ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੇ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰਣਹ ॥੬॥: Gaathaa Gunph gopaal katham matham maan maradanam. Hatam panch satren Nanak har baane prahaaranah ||6|| (sggs 1360).

The Gurbani has revealed to us as to how those (the Giaanees, the Gurmukhs) who conquer these internal foes will conduct themselves.

• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣਿਆ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਇਕ ਮਨਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ: Who have become the Gurmukhs, they realize their Real Self (ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਪੜਤਾਲ); and meditate single-mindedly (ਸੁਰਤਿ ਜੋੜ ਕੇ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰਣਾਂ) (sggs 429).