Why are We Here? – 13

Continued from Previous Page

Gurus have described the relationship with God as that of a husband and a wife. Although we have experienced this relationship in our human experience, our experiences have been a mixed bag with moments of happiness and moments of sadness.  Some have seen extreme joy and fulfillment in the marriage and some others have other extreme in torture, pain, violence and tragedy. Based on our own experiences, we can each paint a canvas that is a portrait of our own marital bliss. We can look at the most beautiful painted canvas and wish we could have painted that canvas. Interestingly, Guru Ji has painted such canvases and is telling us that we can have a similar canvas, no matter what our own marital canvas looks like.  But let us first hear from our Gurus about their experiences of the Union. Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:

“Pat mut pooree, pooraa parvanaa na aavai naa jaasee. Nanak gurmukh aap pachanae prabh jaisae avinaashee.” —(SGGS, Pg. No. 765)

Meaning: Perfect is my honor, my intellect, and complete is my journey. I shall therefore neither come nor go. Nanak, by Guru’s grace who recognizes self becomes Imperishable, like God.

Another quote from Guru Nanak Dev Ji echoing same sentiments:

“Darshan dhaekh bhaee nehkewal, janam maran dukh naasaa.” — (SGGS, Pg. No. 764)

Meaning: Upon seeing my Lord, I have become free of desires and my pains of birth and death have ended.

Guru Ram Das Ji shares his experience as:

“Veeaahu hoaa maerae baabulaa guramukhae har paaeiaa.” — (SGGS, Pg. No. 78)

Meaning: My marriage has been performed, O my father. As Gurmukh, I have found the Lord.

Here is another quote from Guru Ram Das Ji about how he feels after the experience:

“Jan nanak har har milae bheae galataan haal nihaal nihaal.” — (SGGS Pg. No. 977)

Meaning: Servant Nanak has met with the Lord, Har, Har; he is intoxicated, enraptured, enraptured.

Now let us see how Guru Arjan Dev Ji describes that experience:

“Sagal eishh maeree punneeaa miliaa niranjan raae jeeo. Anadh bhaeiaa vaddabhaageeho grihi pragattae prabh aae jeeo.” — (SGGS, Pg. no. 927)

Meaning: All my desires are fulfilled, meeting with my Immaculate, Sovereign Lord. I am in ecstasy, O very fortunate ones; the Dear Lord has become manifest in my own home.

Another quote from Guru Arjan Dev Ji:

“Aaj hamaarai mangalchaar. Aaj hamaarai maha anand. Chint lathahee bhetae gobind.” — (SGGS, Pg. No.1180)

Meaning: Today is a day of celebration for me. Today I am in supreme bliss. All my anxiety is dispelled, and I have met the Lord of the Universe.

Kabir Ji has explained that experience in these words:

“Ab tau jaae chadae singhaasan milae hai saarangpaanee. Raam kabeeraa eaek bheae hai koe na sakai pashhaanee.” —(SGGS, Pg No. 969)

Meaning: Now I have ascended on a throne (of Divine Kingdom) where I have met God. God and Kabir have been one and none can distinguish us apart.

Kabir Ji has a very interesting way of sharing his experiences. Now let us ask him to share how he feels after that experience. Kabir Ji says:

“Kabir mun nirmal bhaeiaa jaisaa ganga neer. Paashhai laago har firai kehath kabir kabir.” — (SGGS, Pg. No.1367)

Meaning: Kabir says my mind has become immaculate as water of Ganges River. Now God is calling out Kabir, Kabir, and running after me.

Now let us ask Kabir Ji to shed some light on what he means by immaculate?

“Antaragath har bhaettiaa ab maeraa mun kathhoo na jaae.” — (SGGS, Pg. No.1103)
Meaning: I have met the Lord, and I am emancipated within; now, my mind does not wander at all.

This is a very interesting expression as Kabir is saying by meditating on the Guru his mind became crystal clear without any vices and God has emanated within and he can hear him calling Kabir, Kabir. In elation of that experience Kabir is saying:

“Gaao Gaao ree dulhanee mangalchaaraa. Maerae grih aaeae raajaa raam bhathaaraa.” — (SGGS, Pg. No. 482)

Meaning: Hey fellow soul brides witnessing the wedding! Sing songs of elation, because Lord King as a groom has come to marry me.

Our Guru Ji’s description of their perfect relationship with the Creator is an invitation for us to explore this experience ourselves firsthand. We are very comfortable in our own cocoon world, where everything revolves around us. We are the center of our own universe. Guru Ji is teaching us about the purposes of life and sharing with us their experiences to open new vistas for us. It opens the door for us to experience our cosmic perspective, and that experience will cause a tectonic shift in our so-called world. It is the experience that I am not the center of the universe, but my Creator is the center and the support of these entire galaxies of universes. The tectonic shift with the Guru Ji’s education puts everything in proper perspective. Now the world does not revolve around us personally anymore, instead we are a small dot on the world and our world in itself is a small dot in our universe. Our universe is just a tiny dot in the Milky Way Galaxy. Now if we move to the next level, we will notice that there are billions of galaxies in the observable universe. This panoramic vision of the entire creation will make us echo Guru Ji’s words in awe:

“Hau kiaa salahee kiram janth, vaddee teree vadeeaee.” — (SGGS, Pg. No. 792)

Meaning: Oh Lord! I am a small worm, how can I describe your greatness? Your greatness is multifaceted!

Now we have seen the type of relationship Guru Jis have with the Creator Lord and they have shared their personal experiences so that we could also explore it ourselves. Guru Jis have a loving relationship with God and there is a direct connection between admiration and relationship of love. If we find something worth admiring, we fall in love with it. This love of Supreme is very fulfilling, and satisfying, in addition it provides us with security and protection. Guru Jis have not just shared with us the glimpses of spiritual experiences, but also told us that we are here for spiritual experiences. In addition, Guru Ji provides us with motivation and inspiration to enable us to explore our spirituality. Let us ask Guru Ji to become our coach and guide us so that we can explore this uncharted territory. Guru Ji says:

“Chal Sakheeae prabh raavan jaahaa. Saadh janaa kee charanee paachaa.”   (SGGS, Pg. No. 742)

Meaning: Come, O my companions! Get up, let us go and meditate on God. Let us go and ask to become attached to the feet of the saints.

Here Guru Ji is telling us that in order to meditate; one has to become dust meaning give up our ego. When ego is given up then only one can become the dust of the Saint’s feet. By surrendering at the feet of the Saints, the ego is eradicated, humbleness is acquired. As the saying goes, one is known by the company one keeps; the person keeping the company of saints’ becomes saint like. Whatever they will say will be nothing besides spiritual knowledge and their own spiritual experiences. Now that Guru Ji has taken us to the saints, let us ask Guru ji what we should ask for? Guru Ji says:

“Kar baenatee jan dhhoor bachhaahaa. Janam janam kae kilavikh laahaan.”   (SGGS, Pg. No. 742)

Meaning: Make a supplication that I may become the dust of the feet of the humble (Saint’s). It shall remove all the sins of countless incarnations.

What else should we ask for? Guru Ji says:

“Mun tun praan jeeo arapaahaa. Har simar simar mun mohu kattaahaa(n).”  (SGGS, Pg. No. 742)

Meaning: Offer your mind, body, and soul. By meditating, remove pride and attachment.

So Guru ji has shared that offering has to be that of mind, body, and soul. Then with constant remembrance of the Creator, the ego, attachment and pride have to be removed. Guru Ji, this is not easy. We will need help because we are not willing to give them up. Guru Ji says:

“Deen Dayal karahu uthasaahaa. Nanak das har saran samaahaa.”   (SGGS, Pg. No. 742)

Meaning: Oh Gracious Lord! Please grant us enthusiasm so that I can become the dust of your Servants (saints).

In essence Guru Ji has put succinctly that we are here to eradicate pride, and attachment. We are here to inculcate humility, so pray for grace as it will only happen with grace being bestowed.

In the previous chapters, we discussed that whatever we sow, we harvest, and we also saw that Guru Ji wants us to sow remembrance of God. Because we have experienced the finite world only, and are privy to working in that finite world, we cannot set our sights on the Infinite. It is only when we are exposed to the higher understanding in form of Guru Ji’s teachings, and then with the reinforcement of same higher thought process; we can start wondering that there is something beyond the finite world. When we hear about the Guru Ji’s experiences with the Infinite, then we will also have a desire in us about those types of experiences. Well, we will think that Guru ji is talking about this experience, I have not experienced it, but I would like to have that experience. It is like someone who has returned from Alaska or Hawaii and tells us about nature, beauty, and spectacles of those places. Simultaneously, a desire to visit those places emanates within us. Unless we ourselves make that trip and experience the marvels ourselves firsthand, the stories that we heard remain hearsay.

It will be worth remembering that Gurus have shared with us that we are here for a purpose and we did not land here by accident. The purpose of life has been described by Guru Ji and also the information that we have been allotted a designated time period from birth to death to make the journey. Gurus have even shared with us the spectacles of that wondrous journey. Now the only thing remaining is that we have to actually undertake the journey. Failure to make the journey may result in our disqualification. Guru Ji, can you please share with us as to what is the disqualification? Guru Ji says that after death we have to account for what we did with our life. If we say we did not make use of the opportunity, then we will have to continue our work on the evolution. If we fail to avail the resources provided to us as faculties in human form, then our next incarnation may be in a form where all the resources available to humans are unavailable. In other words, we have slid downwards on the evolution scale. Guru Ji says:

“Nanak sijh eivaehaa vaar bahurr n hovee janamarraa.”   (SGGS, Pg. No.1096)

Meaning: Nanak! Become successful in this life so that you don’t have to be reincarnated again.

Guru Ji has said the stakes are high; make the best of this opportunity called human life. Come out of the cycles of reincarnations and become one with our Creator, and just don’t have to remain just a creation. Guru Ji has provided us with the know-how, guidance, and direction. Now Guru Ji says make the effort. Guru Ji has given us words to ask for too:

“Prabh keejai kirapa nidhhaan hum har gun gaavehagae. Hao thumaree karo nit aas prabh moheh kab gal laavehigae.   (SGGS, Pg. No.1321)

God shower us with your grace as that will enable us to sing your praises. We have full faith in you that you will take me in your embrace. When God takes us in his embrace, we will merge. This is our aspiration and purpose for which we are here. Becoming successful in this venture is becoming successful in life.

Summary

Thought: Guru Ji! You have talked about wonderful experiences, and a desire to experience those have emanated in me.

Quote: Ab tau jaae chadae singhaasan milae hai saarangpaanee. Raam kabeeraa eaek bheae hai koe na sakai pashhaanee (SGGS, Pg. No. 969)

Meaning: Today is a day of celebration for me. Today I am in supreme bliss. All my anxiety is dispelled, and I have met the Lord of the Universe.

Action: Guru Ji! I pray for your grace and meditate on God lovingly, so that I can also experience ecstasy.

Concluded