When Reading the Word, no Need to Shout or use Loudspeakers

The following verse of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) assets that there is no need to shout so loud (ਕੂਕਾਂ ਮਾਰਕੇ, ਸਪੀਕਰ ਲਗਾਕੇ ਸੁਨਾਣਾਂ – broadcast through loudspeakers etc) while reading holy books, discoursing, praying, and so on because God is neither deaf nor far away. The command of the Gurbani is:

ਕਬੀਰ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਮੁਨਾਰੇ ਕਿਆ ਚਢਹਿ ਸਾਂਈ ਨ ਬਹਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਜਾ ਕਾਰਨਿ ਤੂੰ ਬਾਂਗ ਦੇਹਿ ਦਿਲ ਹੀ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਜੋਇ ॥੧੮੪॥ : Kabeer says: O Mullah, why do you climb to the top of the minaret (to make loud calls)? God is not deaf. God for whose sake you shout (Baang-ਬਾਂਗ: call of Muslim priest for worship) so loudly, look for Him within your own mind. ||184|| (sggs 1374).

Since Gurbani is meant for the entirety of the mankind (‘ਸਾਝੀ ਸਗਲ ਜਹਾਨੈ-Saajhee Sagal Jahaanai’), the counsel or command of the foregoing Shabad of Bhagat Kabeer is not only for Muslims but also applicable to Sikhs as well.

In other words, the edict (ਫੈਸਲਾ) of the Guru Shabad is that the Gurbani enshrined within the SGGS is applicable to the entire world. Hence, its enlightening spiritual Message is NOT LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC group, person, location, religion, occasion, incident or era! It is relevant in all times, all locations, and the entire humanity in the world.

ਪਰਥਾਇ ਸਾਖੀ ਮਹਾ ਪੁਰਖ ਬੋਲਦੇ ਸਾਝੀ ਸਗਲ ਜਹਾਨੈ ॥ : The Great Men may be speaking about or addressing certain story or a particular situation, but the Teaching in those is applicable to the entire world. (sggs 647).

One may ask why not read scriptures aloud using loudspeakers etc? The explanation of the Gurbani in SGGS is that when one reads loud (‘ਕੂਕ’ ਮਾਰਕੇ, ਰੌਲੇ ਰੱਪੇ ਵਿਚ), it is indicative of one’s mere reading. Put plainly, it is indicative of one not understanding what he/she is reading. Therefore – according to Gurbani – so long one does not understand what he is being read, until than one reads loud for only others to hear (ਉੱਚੀ ਬੋਲਕੇ ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਣਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ) that he is reading Gurbani (or any other scripture for that matter). But he himself remains ignorant of what is being read by him!

ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹੰਤਾ ॥ ਪੂਕਾਰੰਤਾ ਅਜਾਣੰਤਾ ॥ ਜਾਂ ਬੂਝੈ ਤਾਂ ਸੂਝੈ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਖੈ ਕੂਕ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ : As long as a person keeps merely reading Shaastras, Vedas and Puraanas (or any other scriptures for that matter) without understanding. Till then he loudly recite them out of ignorance or without understanding their essence. It is only when one understand the essence, then one is able to realize the Omnipresent God. Nanak, only then one’s loud shouts (‘ਕੂਕ’ – ਉੱਚੀ ਉੱਚੀ ਬੋਲਣਾ) end. ||1|| (sggs 1242).
ਬਿਨੁ ਬੂਝੇ ਪਸੂ ਭਏ ਬੇਤਾਲੇ ॥੬॥ : Without Understanding, people become beasts and demons (nature-ਸੁਭਾਵ). ||6|| (sggs 224).

However, Gurbani stresses when one understands what he/she is reading or when one is able to grasp (realize, internalize etc.) the gist of the Word being read (ਜਦੋਂ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਭੇਤ ਪਾ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਤਦੋਂ ), then one begins to see God in everything and everywhere. As a result, one’s need to shout so loud comes to an end.

ਹਰਿ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਅਤਿ ਊਜਲਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਇਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਪਾਠੁ ਪੜੈ ਨਾ ਬੂਝਈ ਭੇਖੀ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇ ॥ : The Creator is Pure and self-illumined and can not be realized without the Gur-Giyan-Wisdom. God can not be realized by those who merely read (scriptures – ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਪੁਸਤਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਿਰਾ ਪਾਠ); the ‘Bhekhee‘ (those who thus merely read disguised in religious garbs, deceitful pretenders, sham, false, impersonator etc.) remain deluded by doubts. (sggs 66).
ਮੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਪੂਜਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਵਸਿ ਰਹੇ ॥ ਭੇਖੁ ਭਵਨੀ ਹਠੁ ਨ ਜਾਨਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਚੁ ਗਹਿ ਰਹੇ ॥੧॥: Divine Naam is dwelling in (my) mind; (equivalent to this divine Naam) I don’t think of any religious discussion, any meditation and any Poojaa. I know nothing about religious robes, pilgrimages or stubbornness; Nanak, I only hold tight to the Truth ||1|| (sggs 843).

Gurbani stresses that to make real Spiritual Progress, we must struggle with our own mind to apply every Word we read in our daily life. But, before we can properly apply it to our daily life, we need to understand what we read! Mere ritual listening, reading or memorizing of scriptures is not enough.

ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਤਿਨਾ ਕਾ ਜੀਵਿਆ ਜਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਵੇਚਹਿ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਖੇਤੀ ਜਿਨ ਕੀ ਉਜੜੈ ਖਲਵਾੜੇ ਕਿਆ ਥਾਉ ॥ ਸਚੈ ਸਰਮੈ ਬਾਹਰੇ ਅਗੈ ਲਹਹਿ ਨ ਦਾਦਿ ॥ ਅਕਲਿ ਏਹ ਨ ਆਖੀਐ ਅਕਲਿ ਗਵਾਈਐ ਬਾਦਿ ॥ ਅਕਲੀ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਅਕਲੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਅਕਲੀ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਕੈ ਬੁਝੀਐ ਅਕਲੀ ਕੀਚੈ ਦਾਨੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਖੈ ਰਾਹੁ ਏਹੁ ਹੋਰਿ ਗਲਾਂ ਸੈਤਾਨੁ ॥੧॥ : Accursed is the life who (on account of their selfishness and greed) read and reflect on Naam to sell it in the form of Mantras or magic. They are like those whose crop is continuously destroyed, (as a result) they have nothing to thrash! Without proper self-effort (to know ownself etc.) their future life is wasted. Intellect is not which is wasted in futile arguments. Use intellect in the service of God; the right use of intellect brings respect. Learn by intelligent reading and use intelligence in practice of charity (to help the needy). Says Nanak, this is the right way of life while other things (failure to apply discerning intellect) lead to wickedness. ||1|| (sggs 1245).
ਪੜਿਐ ਨਾਹੀ ਭੇਦੁ ਬੁਝਿਐ ਪਾਵਣਾ ॥ ਖਟੁ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੈ ਭੇਖਿ ਕਿਸੈ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਵਣਾ ॥ ਸਚਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਲਖੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ ॥ : Not by just reading (scriptures), but it is through spiritual Wisdom one Understands this fact (that God is infinite). No one can merge in the eternal God by merely adopting the garbs mentioned in the six Shastras (the Hindu holy books). The eternal God is unfathomable, but revealed through the Guru’s Shabad, He (i.e. Creation, Hukam) looks beautiful. (sggs 148).

If a person eats without properly chewing (ਚੱਬਣ) the food or eats more than one can chew, it then results in indigestion! Similarly, we get spiritual indigestion when we read and / or listen the Gurbani:

Without Vichaar or reflection, contemplation or pondering,
without understanding or DIGESTING,
Without applying or living it in daily life (ਅਮਲ),
Without Awakening Divine Wisdom or Virtues within,
Without Inner Transformation or positive change,
Without resulting in enlightened or Gurmukh mindset,
Without performing spiritual surgery on the mind suffering from psychological ailments,
Without attention, focus and concentration on the enlightening Message contained within the Guru Shabad — reading of the SGGS from more than one Beerh (ਬੀੜ) at the same time (i.e., ਇੱਕ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਬੀੜਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਕਰਕੇ: ਅਖੰਡਪਾਠ, ਕੋਤਰੀ ਪਾਠ, ਸੰਪਟ ਪਾਠ — a business (ਧੰਧਾ),
Without any regard whatsoever for the Sikhi principles or Sidhaant of Guru Nanak etc.

The SGGS counsels the entire humanity:

ਚਿਤੁ ਜਿਨ ਕਾ ਹਿਰਿ ਲਇਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਬੋਲਨਿ ਪਏ ਰਵਾਣੀ ॥: Those whose consciousness has been lured by Maya, keep reciting mechanically (ਫਰ ਫਰ, ਉਪਰੋਂ ਉਪਰੋਂ, ਤੇਜੀ ਨਾਲ…). (sggs 920).
ਸਨਕ ਸਨੰਦ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਬੇਦ ਪੜੇ ਪੜਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੇ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥: By reading and reading (i.e., reading the Vedas over and over again), Sanak and Sanand (the so called sons of Brahma) wasted their lives away (but could not find God…). Brahma too wasted his life away reading the Vedas. ||1|| ||1|| (sggs 478).
ਲਿਖਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਪੜਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤਾ ਕੜਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁ ਤੀਰਥ ਭਵਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤੋ ਲਵਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁ ਭੇਖ ਕੀਆ ਦੇਹੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਦੀਆ ॥: (Without Vichaar, the more or again and again one) reads the written, the more one boils or burns (in doubt, pride, egotism, anxiety, pain, thick-headedness…). The more one wanders at Teerath the more one talks uselessly (in false ego-sense, he goes around telling others that he has visited this Teerath or that Teerath). The more one wears religious robes, the more pain he causes his body. (sggs 467).

The term ‘Karhiaa’ (‘ਕੜਿਆ’) is pretty significant in the foregoing verses. It signifies how such people — who merely read the Gurbani, without Shabad Vichaar (ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਨਿਰਾ ਪਾਠ) — burn or boil within; and how such people end up further inflaming the fire of their pride, false ego-sense (or Haumai), vices/Bikaars; and so on.

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From so many clear guidelines of the Gurbani (SGGS), one thing becomes crystal clear that the purpose of Gurbani is to understand its enlightening spiritual Message and adopt it in one’s life. Reading/listening to Gurbani is the first step in this direction, because reading/listening to ‘Gurbani’ is necessary to understand. But if the act of reading is made into a ritual, not with the purpose of understanding, then it takes the form of a worthless Karamkaand! Today, about 99.9% of the recitations in the nation are rituals performed under this tendency.

ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਸਹਜਿ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਜੈਸੇ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਤਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਬਿਲੋਈ ॥ ਇਸੁ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੰਜੋਈ ॥੨॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਮਨ ਕਾ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਧਾਰਾ ॥੩॥: O my brother, churn (Shabad-Vichaar, Reflect on) the Divine Naam. Just as you churn yogurt with ease so that the essence, the butter is not lost, churn the Naam slowly and naturally (i.e. in Sahaj Avasthaa), so that the Essence (ਤੱਤ ਗਿਆਨ-enlightening spiritual Message) is not lost – must be applied in life. ||1||Pause|| Assume your body as the clay churning pot (ਚਾਟੀ), and your mind as the churning spindle (ਮਧਾਣੀ). Put together the yogurt of (Guru’s) Shabad in this pot of the body, so that you may obtain the Essence ||2|| Like the churning of butter, reflect on Naam (Shabad-Vichaar) within your mind. This way, one obtains the stream of Amrit Naam (within) through the Gur-Prasaadi (Grace of the Gur-Giyan). ||3|| (sggs 478).

However, the Gurbani says the mind conditioned like frog of well will not understand. Also, who in spite of living near the lotus flower eats filth only!

ਦਾਦਰ ਤੂ ਕਬਹਿ ਨ ਜਾਨਸਿ ਰੇ ॥ ਭਖਸਿ ਸਿਬਾਲੁ ਬਸਸਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜਲ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨ ਲਖਸਿ ਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ : O frog (-mind)! You can never understand. (O fog like mind!) While you dwell in the clean water (pure spiritual knowledge or Amrit-Giyan), but you do not appreciate it. (Instead) you eat the slimy scum (of Bikaar in that clean water of the Amrit-Giyan). ||1||Pause|| (sggs 990).
ਕੂਪੁ ਭਰਿਓ ਜੈਸੇ ਦਾਦਿਰਾ ਕਛੁ ਦੇਸੁ ਬਿਦੇਸੁ ਨ ਬੂਝ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਬਿਮੋਹਿਆ ਕਛੁ ਆਰਾ ਪਾਰੁ ਨ ਸੂਝ ॥੧॥: As a well is filled with frogs, (but those frogs in the well) know nothing of the world (outside the well); just so, my mind, infatuated with the poison (of Maya), understands nothing from one side to the other. ||1|| (sggs 346).

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