Amrit Ras har Keertano ko Virlaa Peevai!
As we grow from childhood we learn a lot from our parents and elders in our family, such as traits talents and temperaments or so called the 'Sanskaar', (noble virtues). This ultimately reflects our character and behaviors through rest of our life. Balance of motherly and fatherly qualities required. The Gurbani refers to One God as our "Mother" and "Father". The Gurbani also states that the same One God has made us in His True Image. This means He must have endowed us with both the motherly and fatherly qualities. Everything God does is perfect and beautiful. Both the man and the woman need to awaken these complementary powers within themselves.
To awaken joy in life, it's essential to strike a balance, one must move from dry intellect to intuitive intellect (Sahaj). Intuitive intellect denotes pure Wisdom -- a mind that is intuitively balanced. The Heart must also expand along with it. Therefore, to awaken selfless love and harmony in life, it is essential to understand spiritual principles and their implications in daily life. With better spiritual understanding, we can learn to respect feelings of each other and learn to listen to each other's problems with selfless love, care and forgiveness, compassion and affection. It will soothe and heal feelings of hurt and guilt. The reason "no one is free of conflict and strife" in the world is that we are out of balance.
Unfortunately during our growth period we also build up layers of filth in our mind from friends, relatives, schools; colleges, university and society, and we dance around accordingly through the life. We all try to compete with one another and pretend to be so, in this regard Guru Amardas said “Daykhaa daykhee sabh karay manmukh boojh na paa-ay”(28). Just we dance around according to our mind on account of layer of filth built up, just rewind and play-rewind and play again and again through the rest of life. We never listen to our soul, the image of God within us! Right in Japjee Sahib time and again Baba Nanak has said “Suni-ai dookh paap kaa naas”. (Listening-pain and sin are erased), but we never listen and have no time, though it is very important. Guru already said “Amrit Ras har Keertano ko Virlaa Peevai!” (GGS: 400). Again in Gurbani Guru Ramdas said: “Ham bārik ṯūʼn gur piṯā hai ḏe maṯ samjẖā▫e”. (450) (I am your child; O Guru, you are my father. Please give me the wisdom of Gurmat and understanding). Here the message is that the Guru is our Father and the Gurbani is our Mother and in subtle form our parents stay with us and thus will remain alive through out the generations to come, to shed the light of Gurmat, the spiritual wisdom!
Guru Arjun revealed in His hymn: “Ham Dhanvant bhaagath sach naa-ay, har gun gaavah sahj subhaa-ay (rahaa-o). Pee-oo daaday kaa khol dithaa khajaanaa, taa mayrai man bha-i-aa niDhaanaa. Ratan laal jaa kaa kachhoo na mol, bharaybhandaar akhoot atol. Khaaveh kharcheh ral mil bhaa-ee, tot na aavai vaDh-do jaa-ee. Kaho naanak jis mastak laykhlikhaa-ay, so ayt khajaanai la-i-aa ralaa-ay” (GGS: 185-86).
(We are really prosperous and fortunate, for we have been gifted by the Guru the most valuable and the true treasure of Giaan Padarath the Naam. Thus we can sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Waheguru with natural, intuitive ease (Pause). Upon opening and gazing the treasures of our father and grandfather, our mind feels delighted and happy. The storehouse is inexhaustible and immeasurable, overflowing with priceless jewels of diamonds and rubies. The Siblings of our Destiny will meet together, and eat and spend, but these resources will never diminish; rather the treasure will continue to increase. Says Nanak, one who has such destiny written on his forehead, becomes a partner in these treasures).
So is the hidden treasure of spiritual wisdom of Gurmat in Gurbani! One should avail the opportunity and connect with Guru Gurbani and God, engross and absorb in contemplation. The Gurbani says this world is on fire, and we are all suffering in this fire (of worldly existence). With the exception of those who have become Gurmukhs, rests of us are all suffering? So if one is having problems in life, don't think you are the only one suffering or God has singled you out. If we look around from a hilltop view, we will notice the majority of the mankind is burning in the same fire. But that does not mean we should be satisfied with that and keep suffering. Because the ultimate purpose of this human life is to transcend material suffering by realizing one's True Nature, which is free of suffering!
Learn to share in virtues of others, not their faults or shortcomings. The Gurbani roars from the top of its voice that we have no business to share in faults of others. The reason: we are not here to deal with faults or weaknesses. Because, such negative thinking does no good to anybody. The Gurbani calls such dealings "false trade". Therefore, we are asked for shunning such negative conduct and mental habit patterns. We are here to deal with only virtues because only virtues or can be conducive to the divine Life. Accordingly, the Gurbani time and again urges us to make this our real business - leave behind our faults and be absorbed in virtues. In the final analysis, says Baabaa Nanak, "the mortal is emancipated only when all his faults are eradicated."
Mohan Singh (Homeopath)
Spirit of GURMAT
Toronto, Canada.