GURMAT is Divine Grace!
Spiritually, gurmat is the Supreme, invisible gift of divine knowledge (Giaan) with profound energy. The attributive-immanent nature of the Supreme Being with hidden power to create as one of the cardinal attributes of the God of its conception. The Creator brought into being the universe by his hukam or Will, without any intermediaries. Man, as the pinnacle of creation, is born with a divine spark; his liberation lies in the recognition of his own spiritual essence and immanence of the Divine in the cosmic order. A fulfillment comes with the curbing of one's haumai or ego and cultivation of the discipline of Naam.
According to Baba Nanak Guru means Enlightener, the destroyer of darkness (ignorance and falsehood through Giaan - knowledge of truth or wisdom-Shabad), which is one of the supreme attributes of God. Therefore in Gurbani Guru is God as said by Guru Nanak “Gur prasaadi' in Mool Mantra which is made of two terms Gur" and "Prasaadi". The term "Gur" indicates Giaan, the truth (enlightenment - wisdom). "Prasaadi" (Parsaad) translates as "Grace", "Nadar" or "Kirpaa". Hence, "Gur Prasaadi" implies that spiritual illumination that is Oneness with the One Truth realized with the Grace of the God and is known as Dhur ki Bani or Gurbani in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, including that of all Bhagats. All these Bhagats were spiritually enlightened and they personally jolt down Giaan padarath in the form of shabad or stanzas of their own. Baba Nanak while traveling through his Udhsis collected these valuable Giaan Padarath of such Bhagats and maintained a separate pothy of these collections along with his own. Guru Arjun: “When the Guru's Spiritual Wisdom awakened in my mind, then the Divine Light illuminated within me and I see that Light everywhere” (GGS: 209).
Darkness or ignorance signify man's bondage (Mayaic efforts), and Light or knowledge refers to liberation from bondage. In other words, the contrast between Light and darkness is symbolical of Divine Knowledge and ignorance.
All our Gurus suggested to the Sikhs to be connected to the Primal Guru, the Almighty God, the “One and Only” Entity, the Cause of all causes, Source of all sources That is manifest as the Cosmos and invisible as Hukam (Cosmic Law).
(A traditional etymology of the term "guru" is based on the interplay between darkness and light. The guru is seen as the one who "dispels the darkness of ignorance. As a noun the word means the imparter of knowledge. As an adjective, it means 'heavy,' or 'higher,' in the sense of "higher in knowledge,” with spiritual wisdom, and realization. On GGS page 1142, said Guru Arjun: “There is no difference between the Supreme Lord God and the Guru”).
There are no adequate words in English or other languages to translate gurbani terms properly. For example, Guru and Sikh are most commonly interpreted as teacher, spiritual guide and preceptor, or learner, student and disciple, respectively. However, these words fail to convey the proper meanings of Guru and Sikh as used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
However, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh means devotee, disciple, learner (seeker of truth), sachiara (truthful), gurmukh (enlightened being, God-centered being). The follower of Gurmat is known as GurSikh, as God is Enlightener, this enlightenment or illumination is spiritual wisdom or Gurmat and has profound energy within. Gurmat is supreme, with divine vibrations and is most powerful. Even lord
In Sikhism, the 'guru' in gur-mat means the Ten Gurus of the Sikh faith as well as gur-bani, i.e. their inspired utterances recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib. The instruction (mat) of the Guru implies the teaching imparted through this holy word, and the example set by the Ten Gurus in person. Direction derived from these sources is a Sikh's ultimate norm in shaping the course of his life, both in its sacred and secular aspects. More specifically the spiritual wisdom lay down by the Guru is a term which may in its essential sense be taken to be synonymous with Sikhism itself. It covers doctrinal, prescriptive and directional aspects of Sikh faith. Doctrine and tenets derived from the teachings of Guru Nanak and his nine successors, refers to the whole Sikh way of life both in its individual and social expressions evolved over the centuries.
Ignorance and Knowledge (or Light and darkness) are again relative terms used in the Gurbani to explain the states of man's existence. But, the state of linking with the Mool transcends both, which has been attested in the life of Enlightened Beings (Gurmukhs). Divine Knowledge is the only Light. Without it, the darkness of ignorance will not go away. The Divine Knowledge arises only when the Shabad is reflected upon (Shabad-Vichaar) and its subtlety understood. Although this Supreme Light shines within everybody, we are still unable to realize it. This Inner Light is covered with the cloud of false ego, and the thunderstorm of sense cravings and fear. Consequently, we search it in the external objects of the world. It is like the deer that searches for the musk in the bushes. The deer does not know the secret the musk is within its own body, but due to its ignorance it searches for it outside.
The Gurbani itself is the Divine Light (the Source of Divine Knowledge), which radiates the three worlds. It enlightens every one who comes in contact with the Gur-Shabad or Naam. The Shabad-Surti bestows sincere devotees with the Daan of Divine Love, devotion or Naam. All we have to do is surrender our falsehood, engage in the earnest Shabad-Vichaar; then the Light of the Shabad will pierce through our deluded mind just as the lightening pierces through the dark clouds. The Transcendental vibration of the Shabad (Naam) and the Infinite Consciousness are inseparable. They are inseparable like the whiteness of the snow, fragrance in the flower, heat in the fire, liquidity of the water, light in the bulb, waves in the ocean, and rays in the sun.
Mohan Singh (Homeopath)
Spirit of GURMAT
walia44@hotmail.com