Most of the people just get upset when a person starts believing what they don’t believe in because of their programmed minds. In this shabda, Bhagat Kabir ji is trying to explain how the people of his time, reacted as he started believing only in the Universal Creator. His shabda is on SGGS 324:

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥

ਜਬ ਹਮ ਏਕੋ ਏਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥ ਤਬ ਲੋਗਹ ਕਾਹੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥1॥

Ga-oṛī Kabīr jī.

Jab ham eko ek kar jāni-ā. Ŧab logah kāhe ḏukẖ māni-ā. ||1||

Raag Gaurhi of Bhagat Kabir .

In essence: When I have realized that there is only one Akalpurakh, why people are upset?

 Bhagat Kabir is talking about his contemporary people who had belief in many gods or different faiths, and contrary to them, he believed in only one Creator. Humans are found of trashing others just because they cannot take disagreement positively. Talking about Him, they act ignorantly. Deeming themselves as genius, they create and establish the Creator in their own ways. Obviously, Bhagat Kabir stands in disagreement with them because of his belief in the Creator’s permeating His creation. Now he questions them about their unnecessary anger over his belief. They accuse him of losing his honor in the society by not following their convictions. It is very important to know that no story has anything to do with Bhagat Kabir’s Shabda; it is just his realized ultimate truth about the Creator” which is being passed on to us.

ਹਮ ਅਪਤਹ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥

ਹਮਰੈ ਖੋਜਿ ਪਰਹੁ ਮਤਿ ਕੋਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ham apṯah apunī paṯ kẖo-ī.

Hamrai kẖoj parahu maṯ ko-ī. ||1|| Rahā-o.

(As per your thought) I am dishonored one, and I have lost my honor. On what path I tread, you do not need to tread on (you remain honored ones. It is ironical expression!). Pause.

 Bhagat Kabir says, “If your following of me takes away your honor, you don’t need to do that. So let me remain as I am, and let me believe what I want to. If you think that the real honor is in your way, keep thinking that way.”

ਹਮ ਮੰਦੇ ਮੰਦੇ ਮਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ ਸਾਝ ਪਾਤਿ ਕਾਹੂ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਹੀ ॥2॥

Ham manḏe manḏe man māhī. Sājẖ pāṯ kāhū si-o nāhī. ||2||

If I am bad, it is me (what to others?). I am not into establishing relationships with others.

 Bhagat Kabir says, “Oh honored ones! Stay away from me to keep your honor!” It is very sarcastic statement! He is very clear about his mission of having union with the Creator, as he sees the hypocritical religious trends in other people through which they establish “receiving and giving honors to one another to feed their conceit.” He declares that this curtain of hypocrisy will be torn up at the end.

ਪਤਿ ਅਪਤਿ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਨਹੀ ਲਾਜ ॥ ਤਬ ਜਾਨਹੁਗੇ ਜਬ ਉਘਰੈਗੋ ਪਾਜ ॥3॥

Paṯ apaṯ ṯā kī nahī lāj. Ŧab jānhuge jab ugẖraigo pāj. ||3||

I don’t care to have honor or dishonor (from you), but you will know the reality when your “cover up” will be exposed.

Bhagat Kabir is hinting at the false honor for which people live. For His devotee, it is Ekankar’s acceptance that supersedes all the worldly honors. Please also ponder over why Bhagat Kabir is saying that the “put up show” of people (of his time) will be exposed eventually. This is what all enlightened ones say, because they deem Ekankar’s acceptance as the real honor and His name, the real wealth. It shows how both “sansaree/worldly” and “bhgatas/His devotees” go opposite directions. The spiritual experience enables the enlightened ones to stand up against all the worldly belief of “honors and dishonors.”

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਪਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਰਾਮੁ ॥4॥3॥

Kaho Kabīr paṯ har parvān. Sarab ṯi-āg bẖaj keval rām. ||4||3||

The real honor is in fact Akalpurakh’s acceptance; for that, Oh Kabir! say this: forsake everything else and meditate only on Akalpurakh.

 Here Bhagat Kabir puts the secret about His path wide open. It is Akalpurakh’s acceptance, because the worldly opinion doesn’t matter for His devotees. They do not need to worry about the worldly honor or dishonor. Remembering only the Creator is their first priority.

Wishes

G.Singh

www.gursoch.com

Why we have come here and what we should do to achieve that? The Guru answers on 494, 495, 496 SGGS , let us ponder over his teachings:

ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥

ਜਿਸੁ ਜਲ ਨਿਧਿ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਤੁਮ ਜਗਿ ਆਏ ਸੋ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਛੋਡਹੁ ਵੇਸੁ ਭੇਖ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਇਹੁ ਫਲੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥1॥

 Soraṯẖ mėhlā 1.

Jis jal niḏẖ kāraṇ ṯum jag ā-e so amriṯ gur pāhī jī-o.

Cẖẖodahu ves bẖekẖ cẖaṯurā-ī ḏubiḏẖā ih fal nāhī jī-o. ||1||

Raag Sorath, the bani of First Nanak.

In essence: The treasure of nectar (Ekankar’s name that satisfies the thirst of desires) for which you have come into this world is with the Guru; therefore, get rid of your garbs, disguises, cleverness, and duality, because through these, the fruit of His name-nectar is not obtained. 

To have that what we need to do ?

ਮਨ ਰੇ ਥਿਰੁ ਰਹੁ ਮਤੁ ਕਤ ਜਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਬਾਹਰਿ ਢੂਢਤ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਘਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਘਟ ਮਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

 Man re thir rahu maṯ kaṯ jāhī jī-o.

Bāhar dẖūdẖaṯ bahuṯ ḏukẖ pāvahi gẖar amriṯ gẖat māhī jī-o. Rahā-o.

Oh my mind! Stay stable by getting focused on Ekankar within and do not wander around, because His name-nectar is within. By searching His name outside, you will go through many difficulties. Pause.

The Sikhi believes strictly that the presence of the Creator is within and the Sikhs, as the Guru’s followers, should battle within with the negative forces to find His name-nectar within

How? The Guru answers the question in the all next verses:

ਅਵਗੁਣ ਛੋਡਿ ਗੁਣਾ ਕਉ ਧਾਵਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਅਵਗੁਣ ਪਛੁਤਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸਰ ਅਪਸਰ ਕੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਕੀਚ ਬੁਡਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥2॥

Avguṇ cẖẖod guṇā ka-o ḏẖāvahu kar avguṇ pacẖẖuṯāhī jī-o.

Sar apsar kī sār na jāṇėh fir fir kīcẖ budāhī jī-o. ||2||

Obtain virtues by forsaking demerits; because of these demerits, you will have to repent (eventually). You don’t know the difference between good and bad; therefore, you keep sinking in the mire of corruption (the Maya love) again and again.

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਲੋਭ ਬਹੁ ਝੂਠੇ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਨਾਵਹੁ ਕਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਸਦ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਗਤਿ ਤਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥3॥

 Anṯar mail lobẖ baho jẖūṯẖe bāhar nāvhu kāhī jī-o.

Nirmal nām japahu saḏ gurmukẖ anṯar kī gaṯ ṯāhī jī-o. ||3||

If there is great deal of filth of greed and falsehood in the mind, what is the use of washing the body? If you remember Ekankar’s pure name through the Guru always, only then your internal plight will be better.

So do the following as well :

ਪਰਹਰਿ ਲੋਭੁ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਤਿਆਗਹੁ ਸਚੁ ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਉ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਲਾਹੀ ਜੀਉ ॥4॥9॥

 Parhar lobẖ ninḏā kūṛ ṯi-āgahu sacẖ gur bacẖnī fal pāhī jī-o.

Ji-o bẖāvai ṯi-o rākẖo har jī-o jan Nānak sabaḏ salāhī jī-o. ||4||9||

Forsake greed, slandering of others, and falsehood and follow the Guru’s teachings. You will obtain its fruit (His name-nectar). Oh Nanak! Pray this way: Oh Ekankar! Keep me as you wish, but bless me so that I can praise you through the Guru’s shabda.

So, we take the divine knowledge from the Guru and utilize it for becoming one with our Creator. Remember that the Guru is the divine knowledge that leads us to him. Obviously concentrating on the Creator will lead us very close to Him.

Wishes

G.Singh

www.gursoch.com

On 1239, Guru Angad Sahib writes:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥

ਤਿਸੁ ਸਿਉ ਕੈਸਾ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਜਾਣੁ ॥ ਚੀਰੀ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਨਾ ਫਿਰੈ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥

ਚੀਰੀ ਜਿਸ ਕੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਮੀਰ ਮਲਕ ਸਲਾਰ ॥ ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥

ਜਿਨ੍ਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਹਥਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਉਠੀ ਕਰਲੈ ਪਾਹਿ ॥

ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥  ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥1॥

Salok mėhlā 2.

Ŧis si-o kaisā bolṇā jė āpe jāṇai jāṇ.  Cẖīrī jā kī nā firai sāhib so parvāṇ.

Cẖīrī jis kī cẖalṇā mīr malak salār.  Jo ṯis bẖāvai nānkā sā-ī bẖalī kār.

Jinĥā cẖīrī cẖalṇā hath ṯinĥā kicẖẖ nāhi.  Sāhib kā furmāṇ ho-e uṯẖī karlai pāhi.

Jehā cẖīrī likẖi-ā ṯehā hukam kamāhi.  Gẖale āvahi nānkā saḏe uṯẖī jāhi. ||1||

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: What to say to Akalpurakh, who himself knows everything? Only that Master is worthy to be Master whose order cannot be challenged. All kings, nobles, and commanders are subject to His ordnance. Oh Nanak! Only that deed is good, which pleases Akalpurakh. Those persons who are subject to His (about death) ordinance have nothing in their hands. As per the Master’s ordinance, the people take the road and as per His ordinance, they act. Oh Nanak! The mortals come here when Akalpurakh sends them and they depart as He calls them back.  

The Guru expresses about the total powers of the Universal Creator; his created powerful people can claim empires but they are bound to His ordinance. All people come into this world and depart as per His ordinance. Obviously living in His love is what He loves. This idea is further elaborated:

ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥

ਸਿਫਤਿ ਜਿਨਾ ਕਉ ਬਖਸੀਐ ਸੇਈ ਪੋਤੇਦਾਰ ॥  ਕੁੰਜੀ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਮਿਲੇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥

Mėhlā 2.

Sifaṯ jinā ka-o bakẖsī-ai se-ī poṯeḏār.  Kunjī jin ka-o ḏiṯī-ā ṯinĥā mile bẖandār.

Second Nanak.

In essence: Those persons whom Akalpurakh blesses with His praise become treasurers. Those persons who are blessed with the key of the treasures (His name) get the treasure (His name).

Thus, the Guru guides his followers to realize the Creator’s pervading order over all. Not all are blessed to be His lovers, who love to praise Him and respect His ordinance without a question. Who do so, the Guru calls them to be treasurers of His praise-treasure, because it is precious.

Wishes

G. Singh

www.gursoch.com

The writer of our destiny is our mind; to change our destiny to be with Creator, we must counsel our mind. This is what Guru Nanak sahib tells us in the following shabda which is on SGGS, 662  

ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥

ਕਾਇਆ ਕਾਗਦੁ ਮਨੁ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ॥ ਸਿਰ ਕੇ ਲੇਖ ਨ ਪੜੈ ਇਆਣਾ ॥

ਦਰਗਹ ਘੜੀਅਹਿ ਤੀਨੇ ਲੇਖ ॥ ਖੋਟਾ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਵੇਖੁ ॥1॥

Ḏẖanāsrī mėhlā 1.

Kā-i-ā kāgaḏ man parvāṇā . Sir ke lekẖ na paṛai i-āṇā.

Ḏargėh gẖaṛī-ahi ṯīne lekẖ . Kẖotā kām na āvai vekẖ. ||1||

Raag Dhanasri, the bani of First Nanak.

In essence: The body is like a paper and the mind is a written ordinance on it, but the ignorant mortal doesn’t study the mind. In Har’s court, three kinds (the good, mediocre and low) of writs are scribed. You see that the wrong deed is of no avail.

The verses above are very subtle; just going after the words, we get nothing; the metaphor and analogies need to decipher to reach to the point. The Gurbani suggests us studying our minds to find what is important for us. Our minds create our destiny which thus becomes preordained; it is repeatedly said that it cannot be erased (because the mind is not counselled) Question: if it is inerasable destiny, what can we do? The Guru suggests that we are given all tools to become better; therefore, just don’t give up by saying it is inerasable and let it go as it is going. The Guru suggests by studying one’ mind and its inclinations, one should try to turn it toward Akalpurakh, who keeps His presence in all. In other words, we should search Akalpurakh’s presence within. If we don’t do it, our preordained inclinations will doom us.

ਨਾਨਕ ਜੇ ਵਿਚਿ ਰੁਪਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਖਰਾ ਖਰਾ ਆਖੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥  

Nānak je vicẖ rupā ho-e . Kẖarā kẖarā ākẖai sabẖ ko-e. ||1|| Rahā-o.

Oh Nanak! If a person has purity, he/she acts piously, and all people applaud him/her in praise. Pause.

Now, the Guru gives example of the people filled with wrong inclinations as per their preordained writ; they don’t study the mind to change their inclinations; such kind of behavior leads the mind to filth.

ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਆ ਘਾਇ ॥

ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਅੰਧੁ ॥ ਤੀਨੇ ਓਜਾੜੇ ਕਾ ਬੰਧੁ ॥2॥

Kāḏī kūṛ bol al kẖā-e . Barāhmaṇ nāvai jī-ā gẖā-e.

Jogī jugaṯ na jāṇai anḏẖ . Ŧīne ojāṛe kā banḏẖ. ||2||

The Qazi lies and lives on it. The Brahmin does ablution, but keeps ruining the beings. In ignorance of the divine knowledge, the Yogi doesn’t know the right way of living. All three of these kinds of people lack virtuous way of living and they head toward destruction.

 Now the Guru expresses how they actually should live to be worthy of Har’s union: when one starts reading one’s mind and a writ written on the paper body, then one changes the destiny:

ਸੋ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੋ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣੈ ॥

 ਕਾਜੀ ਸੋ ਜੋ ਉਲਟੀ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਜੀਵਤੁ ਮਰੈ ॥

ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥ ਆਪਿ ਤਰੈ ਸਗਲੇ ਕੁਲ ਤਾਰੈ ॥3॥

So jogī jo jugaṯ pacẖẖāṇai . Gur parsādī eko jāṇai.

Kājī so jo ultī karai . Gur parsādī jīvaṯ marai.

So barāhmaṇ jo barahm bīcẖārai . Āp ṯarai sagle kul ṯārai. ||3||

That person is a Yogi, who understands the right way of living. With the Guru’s blessings (following the Guru), he deems Har’s creation and Har as the same one. That person is real Qazi, who turns away from Maya (bad inclinations) and with the Guru’s blessings, becomes detached while alive. That person is Brahmin, who reflects on Har and after realizing Har, gets liberated and helps others to be liberated.

ਦਾਨਸਬੰਦੁ ਸੋਈ ਦਿਲਿ ਧੋਵੈ ॥ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਸੋਈ ਮਲੁ ਖੋਵੈ ॥

ਪੜਿਆ ਬੂਝੈ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ ਜਿਸੁ ਸਿਰਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਕਾ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥4॥5॥7॥

   Ḏānasbanḏ so-ī ḏil ḏẖovai . Musalmāṇ so-ī mal kẖovai.

Paṛi-ā būjẖai so parvāṇ . Jis sir ḏargėh kā nīsāṇ. ||4||5||7||

If one is wise, one will certainly clean one’s mind (by analyzing one’s inclinations). A Muslim who cleans the filth of his mind is a real Muslim in real sense. That person is educated and accepted one (Brahmin), who has a pass to enter Har’s court.

Thus, counselling the mind to become the love of the Creator is a tool to change our destiny if it is drowning us in the Maya pursuits, which eventually separates us from our Creator.

Wishes

G. Singh

www.gursoch.com

The Creator makes those people, who are in love with Him, realize His importance and makes them content. This is not what I say but it is expressed in the Gurbani. His name makes them fully happy and worry free. Let us look the following slok of the Second Guru, Guru Angad Sahib:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਜਿਨ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਤੇ ਰਤੇ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

Salok mėhlā 2. Jin vadi-ā-ī ṯere nām kī ṯe raṯe man māhi.

Nānak amriṯ ek hai ḏūjā amriṯ nāhi.

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: Oh Akalpurakh! Those persons who have the glory of your name remain drenched in your love internally. Oh Nanak! There is only one nectar: His Name; yes, there is no other nectar.

It is all about the psychological state of mind in which one’s mind feels totally content after one having the name- nectar. But there is one more fact that His name-nectar is obtained through the Guru’s blessing because the Guru guides the follower through the journey of living in His love:

ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਮਨੈ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ਤਿਨ੍ੀ ਪੀਤਾ ਰੰਗ ਸਿਉ ਜਿਨ੍ ਕਉ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਆਦਿ ॥1॥

Nānak amriṯ manai māhi pā-ī-ai gur parsāḏ.

Ŧinĥī pīṯā rang si-o jinĥ ka-o likẖi-ā āḏ. ||1||

Oh Nanak! Akalpurakh’s name nectar is obtained within through the Guru’s blessings. Only those persons who are destined from the beginning taste His name nectar with love.

As per the above Slok, living in His love and enjoying this state of mind is actually preordained. As we see all utter His name, sing His praises but a few of them settle in contentment with a feeling to be with Him all the time, because those few ones are destined to be with Him all the time. Such a state of mind comes with His blessings.

Wishes.

G. Singh

www.gursoch.com