17.18. The End - Death (Overcoming Death): In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:

http://tdsinghharjidamarg.blogspot.in/2017/03/1717c-end-death-pleasure-of-senses-and.html

As per Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in following words:

ਮਾਨ ਮੋਹੁ ਨ ਬੁਝਤ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਕਾਲ ਗ੍ਰਸ ਸੰਸਾਰ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥[1]

मान मोहु न बुझत त्रिसना काल ग्रस संसार ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

(Pride, attachment and desire are not quenched; the world is in the grip of death.)

The evil residing in human minds does not vaporize just like that. They are the worst enemies of an individual. They cause conflicts and raise a war inside the individual. So does it mean the whole world will always be in grip of Death? If that would have been case, how Guruji would have said following:

ਓਇ  ਬਿਖਾਦੀ  ਦੋਖੀਆ  ਤੇ  ਗੁਰ  ਤੇ  ਹੂਟੇ  ॥ਹਮ  ਛੂਟੇ  ਅਬ  ਉਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ  ਤੇ  ਓਇ  ਹਮ  ਤੇ  ਛੂਟੇ  ॥੧॥ [2]

ओइ बिखादी दोखीआ ते गुर ते हूटे ॥हम छूटे अब उन्हा ते ओइ हम ते छूटे ॥१॥

(These quarrelsome enemies have been overcome through The Guru,

I have now escaped from them and they have run away from me)

Well, it is evident that Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is all merciful and savior of mankind then how can He leave us in limbo? If He has given insight into causes of Death, He possesses the treasure of knowledge, treasure of ‘Gur Shabad’ to help mortals to swim across and overcome Death. So, now we will focus on what needs to be done to overcome painful Death, to soften the grip of merciless Messengers of Death, to defeat Ministry of Death which is mortal’s powerful enemy as said by Sheikh Fareed Ji in following words:

ਫਰੀਦਾ ਮੰਡਪ ਮਾਲੁ ਨ ਲਾਇ ਮਰਗ ਸਤਾਣੀ ਚਿਤਿ ਧਰਿ ॥[3]

फरीदा मंडप मालु न लाइ मरग सताणी चिति धरि ॥

(Fareed, do not focus on mansions and wealth; center your consciousness on death, your powerful enemy.)

As per Fareed Ji a mortal should focus consciousness on Death rather on Mansion or Wealth which will just fade away like whisper when Death pounce on an individual. Will mansions belong to any individual once he sleeps in lap of Death? Everyone knows the answer and the answer is ‘No’ but still how many of us acknowledge it while still alive and after Death how does such acknowledgement helps? Well, what matters is what Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is saying in following words. Death has to be overcome before one dies if he wants to reach the ‘True Home – The Home of Lord – Sachkhand’ and not to have any regrets in the end.

ਮੁਇਆ ਜਿਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਿਤੁ ਜੀਵਦਿਆ ਮਰੁ ਮਾਰਿ ॥[4]

मुइआ जितु घरि जाईऐ तितु जीवदिआ मरु मारि ॥

(To reach your True Home after you die, you must conquer death while you are still alive.)

ਜੀਵਦਿਆ ਮਰੁ ਮਾਰਿ ਨ ਪਛੋਤਾਈਐ ॥[5]

जीवदिआ मरु मारि न पछोताईऐ ॥

(While you are alive, conquer death, and you shall have no regrets in the end.)

Guruji further says following:

ਮਰਤਾ ਜਾਤਾ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੪॥੪॥[6]

मरता जाता नदरि न आइआ ॥४॥४॥

(And now I see that there is no such thing as birth or death.)

Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji says following:

ਤਹ ਭਉ ਭਰਮਾ ਸੋਗੁ ਨ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਵਣੁ ਮਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਹੋਤਾ ॥[7]

तह भउ भरमा सोगु न चिंता ॥आवणु जावणु मिरतु न होता ॥

(There is no fear, doubt, suffering or anxiety there;

There is no coming or going, and no death there.)

So there is state of mind, when Death is conquered, an individual would see birth and death as myths, where no doubts, sufferings and no anxiety exist. And individual is free from coming and going and even Death does not touch him. This really plants hope that Death can be overcome but how? We have seen few actions which take near to Death like living without ‘The Naam, The Guru, and The Shabad, Being Manmukh’. We will try understanding actions which weakens power of Messenger of Death, which loosens the grip of Death on an individual under Divine Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

The question may be asked why Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, after all He is not living Guru. I have raised this question since ‘Sikhism’ is going under worst phase possible. People lacking urge to put efforts to find the ‘treasure’ hidden in Guruji are surrendering to impostors. But by Grace of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji I found following ‘Shabads – Words’ of Dhan Shri Guru Raam Daas Ji and these words also fit in the context of this series and hence raised the question here, Dhan Guru Raam Daas Ji! Dhan Guru Raam Daas Ji!

ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਸਾਬਾਸਿ ਚਲਣੁ ਜਾਣਿਆ ॥[8]

गुर पूरे साबासि चलणु जाणिआ ॥

(Blessed is the Perfect Guru, through whom the way of Death is known.)

As per Paatshahi 4, the ‘Perfect Guru’ knows all paths to Death. And so far under divine light of Guruji we have received all the possible information related to ‘Death’ and that too in details as covered in the series. I would apologize if I have missed anything as tried to capture all as per best of my ability. Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is compilation of experiences of ‘The Great Masters and Devtional Beings’ which no living guru of modern times can describe in details. So called modern times preachers talk about life, a life based on myth taking people away from Death, the very inevitability of living form. But Guruji inspires to accept Death since only it can take an individual to ‘Immortality – Not to Death’ as said by Kabir Ji in following words:

ਅਬ ਕੈਸੇ ਮਰਉ ਮਰਨਿ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥[9]

अब कैसे मरउ मरनि मनु मानिआ ॥

(Now, how shall I die? My mind has already accepted death.)

Talking about life leads to attachment, greed, lust, ego and anger since human body is made of these ‘five sins’. Point to be noted, impostors are corrupt and if they talk about life it will be driven by just five sins. And same they will pass on as how they will sow or cultivate the virtues in others as their own crop is ruined, as said by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in following words (Salok Mehla 1 - Ang 1245 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji):

ਖੇਤੀ ਜਿਨ ਕੀ ਉਜੜੈ ਖਲਵਾੜੇ ਕਿਆ ਥਾਉ  ॥

खेती जिन की उजड़ै खलवाड़े किआ थाउ ॥

(Their crop is devasted what harvest they will have.)

But talking about Death inculcates respect for Death, not fear. And Death as per Guruji is not end of physical manifestation but it means Death of desires, Death of passions, Death of Mind which wanders in all direction. Once mind is conquered an individual is elevated to highest level of consciousness. This is clearly conveyed by Kabir Ji in following words:

ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰੈ ਮਰੈ ਫੁਨਿ ਜੀਵੈ ਐਸੇ ਸੁੰਨਿ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥[10]

जीवत मरै मरै फुनि जीवै ऐसे सुंनि समाइआ ॥

(One who remains dead while yet alive, will live even after death; thus he merges into the Primal Void of the Absolute Lord.)

So who is ‘Dead’? One who does not respond to urges of senses. If a dead individual is revived, he will again scumb to senses. But if a living person achieves such state then he is virtually dead but he still breathes, he is alive and still not slave of senses. And such individual remain alive even after his body is thrown to pyre. How? Since before the end of his physical manifestation he has merged with ‘The Lord’, WHO HIMSELF is beyond cycles of Birth and Death, WHO does not die or born. Once an individual is merged into it how could he die, he will continue to live after his Death. And what will this be called? This will be evolution of ‘Highest Level of Consciousness’. Well, Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji not only shows path to Death, He tells about nature of Death and the ways to over come it; hence He is ‘The Perfect Guru’. Then why should I go out and search for other? So, we will proceed futher under divine light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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[1] Saarag Mehla 5 - Ang 1229 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[2] Aasa Mehla 5 – Ang 400 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[3] Salok Sheikh Farid Ji Ke - Ang 1380 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[4] Sireeraag Mehla 1 – Ang 21 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[5] Pauree – Ang 147 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)

[6] Gauree Mehla 1 – Ang 152 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[7] Gauree Mehla 5 – Ang 237 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[8] Raag Aasa Ghar 8 ke Kafee Mehla 4 – Ang 369 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[9] Gauree Kabir JI – Ang 327 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[10] Gauree – Ang 332 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Kabir Ji)

17.17(c). The End - Death (Pleasure of Senses and Greed): In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:

http://tdsinghharjidamarg.blogspot.in/2017/03/1717b-end-death-emotional.html

Senses of humans are insatiable. They crave for more simply because they cannot ‘sense’ the infinite with their limited abilities. All the pleasures associated with them are transient and just last for few moments but they are so vigorous to make an individual their slave for whole life. Such individuals over indulge in senses, deluded by them don’t remember the death as described by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in following words:

ਮਤੀ ਮਰਣੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਖੁਸੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ॥[1]

मती मरणु विसारिआ खुसी कीती दिन चारि ॥

(The people are intoxicated; they have forgotten death, and they have fun for a few days.)

What they don’t understand ‘The City of Indra – Senses’ i.e. living in senses for senses leads to Death as described by Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in following words:

ਇੰਦ੍ਰ ਪੁਰੀ ਮਹਿ ਸਰਪਰ ਮਰਣਾ ॥[2]

इंद्र पुरी महि सरपर मरणा ॥

(In the Realm of Indra, death is sure and certain.)

According to Gurbaani (Sant Singh Ji Maskin has elaborated this in one of his talks) Indra is not a God but an individual who lives as per his ‘Inderyian – Senses’. From senses originates sinful pleasure which results in sorrow, separation and Death as said by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in following words:

ਹਰਖਹੁ ਸੋਗੁ ਵਿਜੋਗੁ ਉਪਾਇ ਖਪਾਇਆ ॥[3]

हरखहु सोगु विजोगु उपाइ खपाइआ ॥

(From sinful pleasures come sorrow, separation, birth and death.)

People are passionate about their beauty. In fact in modern times people are seduced by ‘beauty of women’. And even women manipulate such emotions to reap personal benefits. Both man and woman take pride in their beauty but they forget such beauty is not permanent and they cannot escape the Death as said by Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in following words:

ਰੂਪੁ ਰੰਗੁ ਰਹਸੁ ਨਹੀ ਸਾਚਾ ਕਿਉ ਛੋਡੈ ਜਮ ਜਾਲੋ ॥੧॥[4]

रूपु रंगु रहसु नही साचा किउ छोडै जम जालो ॥१॥

(Beauty, loving attachment and the pleasures of life are not permanent. How can anyone escape from the noose of death?)

Guruji further says in following words, indulging in pleasures of eating leads to Death.

ਖਾਵੈ ਭੋਗੈ ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਪਹਿਰਿ ਦਿਖਾਵੈ ਕਾਲ ਘਰੇ ॥[5]

खावै भोगै सुणि सुणि देखै पहिरि दिखावै काल घरे ॥

(He eats and enjoys, listens and watches, and dresses up to show off in this house of death.)

Greed:
Greed is considered mother of all evils. And even Gurbaani denounce it. As per Kabeer Ji and Dhan Shri Guru Teg Bhadur Ji in following words, greed just takes an individual to his Death:

ਕਾਲ ਫਾਸ ਨ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਚੇਤੈ ਕਨਿਕ ਕਾਮਿਨਿ ਲਾਗਿ ॥੨॥[6]

काल फास न मुगधु चेतै कनिक कामिनि लागि ॥२॥

(Attached to gold and woman, the fool does not think of the noose of Death.)

ਝੂਠੈ ਲਾਲਚਿ ਲਾਗਿ ਕੈ ਨਹਿ ਮਰਨੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੧॥[7]

झूठै लालचि लागि कै नहि मरनु पछाना ॥१॥

(You are attached to false greed, and you do not even consider death.)

Gold does glitter. But does its shine sparkle the ‘divine light’ or gives rise to ‘false greed’? Gold does not have shine of its own it just reflects the light which falls on it. Something which does not have its own light, how can it guide others or become source of light in darkness? Also, it is found deep inside Earth, in mines which are dark place. And to find it requires light and such light is only possessed by ‘The Guru’. Only Guru can find out gold in darkness of seeker make him shine. But remember without the light it cannot be discovered. If gold seduces other that is seeker thinks that the light in him is his own light then he is mistaken. He has become victim of ego and others the victim of spiritual blindness driven by their own greed. Such greed spoiled Gangu. He was blinded and could not preserve his loyalty to ‘Guru Ghar – The House of Guru’ and handed over Baba Jorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji younger sons of Dhan Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji to Imperial Regime. What did he receive, just few pieces of gold taking him to eternal darkness, to be cursed by history and designation of a villain? Such is greed which can ruin year of services to ‘Guru’. It takes an individual far from Guru and eventually Death will be all over him.

So we have seen that what are False Actions and what is the consequence of being attached to them. Bhagat Dhanna Ji takes further dig on same in following words:

ਗੁਨ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਬਢੀ ਅਨ ਭਾਂਤੀ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਫਿਰਿ ਤਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥[8]

गुन ते प्रीति बढी अन भांती जनम मरन फिरि तानिआ ॥१॥

(Turning away from virtue, his love for other things increases, and he weaves again the web of birth and death.)

ਜੁਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਜਲਤ ਜਾਲ ਜਮ ਫੰਧ ਪਰੇ ॥[9]

जुगति जानि नही रिदै निवासी जलत जाल जम फंध परे ॥

(He does not know the way to the Lord, who dwells within his heart; burning in the trap, he is caught by the noose of death.)

Evil leads an individual far from virtues. Once virtues are lost love for duality increases, an individual traps him self to web, he does not recognize the lord living in him only to be caught gleefully by Death. Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji further says who loose the sense to distinguish between good and evil is surely will be tortured by Death, and Guruji also clearly suggesting that ‘False Actions’ seriously damage an individual’s ability to make the right choices in following words:

ਸਰ ਅਪਸਰ ਕੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਜਮੁ ਮਾਰੇ ਕਿਆ ਚਾਰਾ ਹੇ ॥੧੩॥[10]

सर अपसर की सार न जाणै जमु मारे किआ चारा हे ॥१३॥

(One who does not distinguish between good and evil, is beaten by the Messenger of Death; how can anyone escape this?)

Guruji futher says in following words that indulging in false actions just increases the load of faults on one’s consciousness which leads to grieves and Death:

ਮੈ ਗਲਿ ਅਉਗਣ ਮੁਠੜੀ ਬਿਨੁ ਪਿਰ ਝੂਰਿ ਮਰਾਉ ॥੨॥[11]

मै गलि अउगण मुठड़ी बिनु पिर झूरि मराउ ॥२॥

(I wear my faults around my neck; without my Husband Lord, I am grieving, and wasting away to death.)

So we found out what actions of an individual, what indulgences of an individual lead to Death. We also looked at the nature of Death and it is pre-ordained for every one. No individual can escape his end no matter what he does or what is his social status or what kind of beauty he possesses or what kind of knowledge he has. All has been covered in Divine Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. So next we will look at what actions can overcome Death under Divine Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which will be concluding part of this series.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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[1] Sireeraag Mehla 1 – Ang 15 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[2] Gauree Mehla 5 – Ang 237 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[3] Mehla 1 – Ang 139 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[4] Raag Bhairao Mehla 1 – Ang 1125 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[5] Maroo Mehla 1 – Ang 1013 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[6] Aasa – Ang 482 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Kabeer Ji)

[7] Tilang Mehla 9 Kaffee – Ang 726 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[8] Aasa Baani Bhagat Dhaane Ji Ki – Ang 487 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[9] Aasa Baani Bhagat Dhaane Ji Ki – Ang 487 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[10] Maroo Mehla 1 – Ang 1027 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

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