17.15. The End - Death: In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:

http://tdsinghharjidamarg.blogspot.in/2017/02/1714-end-death-in-light-of-dhan-shri.html

9.      Without ‘Shabad’: ‘Gur Ka Shabad – The Word’s of Guru’ are not merely words. ‘Shabad’ is an experience of enlightened soul. Following questions are asked many times, how can ‘Shabad’ help in spiritual journey, how can just reciting the ‘Shabad’ help, what makes a Sikh to bow down his head to ‘Gur Shabad – The Words of Guru’? Well, these questions will be regarded as ‘questions of ignorance’ who all are attached to ‘Guru Ghar – The House of Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’. But an individual who is new to ‘Guru Ghar’ will surely ask them. If his doubts are not quenched he will never be able to understand the beauty of ‘Singing Shabads in Gurudwara by followers of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’. Just to add these questions are not new, they have been asked from centuries. And to answer the question I will provide excerpts from “Shri Asht Guru Chamatkar” by Bhai Veer Singh Ji. Similar questions were asked to Dhan Shri Guru Angad Dev Ji by Jogis who came to meet Him after He was established ‘The Guru’ by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. And He answered them as follows explaining the ‘Greatness of Shabad’:

“Ego is dispelled by Spiritual Wisdom; Spiritual Wisdom is obtained by attuning to Lord, by meditating on Lord’s Name and the merging with HIM. Meditation can only happen by attaching consciousness to Lord and consciousness is attached to Lord by focusing on ‘HIS Name – The Naam’. Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was ‘One’ with ‘The Lord’. Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was deeply attuned with The Lord via ‘Naam’, He was in infinite love with The Lord and in deep meditation He obtained ‘The Shabad – The Baani – The Words’. These Words are ‘Brahman Gyan – Knowledge of Super Consciousness – Knowledge of Cosmos’ which He obtained in deep meditation and attuning Himself to The Lord. These Words are uttered by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, ‘Who’ was ‘One’ with The Lord. This is Baani of Lord HIMSELF, The Baani signifies ‘Amrit – The Nectar of Immortality’ and that’s why Gurbaani is sweet as Amrit. Only ‘Gurmukhs – Who Listen to Guru’ have understood it as they have been blessed by Gurbaani. The Gurbaani describes the true ‘Summary of Consciousness’ and it is ‘The Purest Knowledge’. Gurbaani teaches ‘Bhakti – The Devotion’ and ‘Love for Lord’ to grab the ‘The Purest Knowledge’. Then Gurbaani educates that The Lord creates and drives The Universe as per HIS Will and HE takes care of every living being. And when an individual realizes ‘HIS Hukum – The Command – The Will’ then Ego is dispelled. And Ego is the biggest hindrance in salvation. Gurbaani overpowers ‘The Ego’ and thus Gurbaani tells the direct path to The Lord. And that was the whole purpose of uttering ‘This Baani’. Thus Baani becomes worthy of reverence.”

This explains why Sikhs bows to Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji since Guruji contains Baani uttered by realized souls, ‘Who’ have experienced ‘The Lord’, in fact have become HIS face. This also explain why Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji always sat at lower platform where Granth Sahib Ji (please remember Granth Sahib Ji was not given Gur Gaddi – Throne of Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji yet) was kept bestowing ‘grace and divine light’ of ‘Shabads’. And now it will be quite evident without ‘Shabad’ an individual will surely is in grip of Death. Dhan Shri Guru Teg Bhadur Ji, Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Dhan Shri Guru Amar Das Ji describe the plight of an individual without attunded to Shabad in following words:

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਭੈ ਰਤਿਆ ਸਭ ਜੋਹੀ ਜਮਕਾਲਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੭॥[1]

बिनु सबदै भै रतिआ सभ जोही जमकालि जीउ ॥७॥

(Without being attuned to the Word of the Shabad and the Fear of God, all come under the gaze of the Messenger of Death.)

ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਨ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਕਾਲੁ ਟਰੇ ॥੫॥[2]

बिनु गुर सबद न आपु पछाणै बिनु हरि नाम न कालु टरे ॥५॥

(Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he does not understand himself. Without the Lord's Name, death cannot be avoided.)

ਜਮ ਮਗਿ ਬਾਧਾ ਖਾਹਿ ਚੋਟਾ ਸਬਦ ਬਿਨੁ ਬੇਤਾਲਿਆ ॥[3]

जम मगि बाधा खाहि चोटा सबद बिनु बेतालिआ ॥

(You shall be bound and beaten on the road of Death, without the Word of the Shabad, O madman.)

Choice is always given that is something out of mortal’s comprehension. That is if ‘The One’ drives the world why HE does not attune everyone to HIM. Well, that is something mortals need to dig futher in divine light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. But, if a mortal has made choice of living without Shabad then Death is surely waiting for him.

 

TO BE CONTINUED!

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[1] Sohee Mehla 1 Ghar 9 – Ang 751 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[2] Maroo Mehla 1 – Ang 1014 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[3] Aasa Mehla 1 Chant Ghar 3 – Ang 439 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji