ANAND means bliss, happiness, ecstasy, contentment, satisfaction. In the real world it means differently to different people. To a starving hungry person, a meal may be “ANAND”. But this state of “ANAND” is short-lived. Because hunger is bound to return. To a poor person, wealth may bring “ANAND”. But wealth is illusionary, short-lived and unfaithful. To some, the birth of a child may be “ANAND”. However, the same child after a few years may become a source of pain, anguish, unhappiness, etc. to the same parents who rejoiced. So much on the birth of the same child. There are innumerable examples of what “ANAND” - TRUE HAPPINESS means to different people. But invariably the ‘ANAND” is not truly long-lived, & permanent. According to “Gurmat” – the Sikh philosophy “ANAND” is a state where the individual’s innermost blossoms:
“NANAK BHAGATAA(n) SADAA VIGAAS” JAPJI.
Guru Amar Das Jee in this text of Guru Granth, explains “ANAND” and how to go about achieving it. The Guru says that I have achieved the state of “ANAND” because of the fact that I have now found the True Guru. The Guru has given me what I was looking for “ANAND” the blossoming of my inner self. All human race is seeking and running constantly for happiness, contentment “ANAND”. But the Guru also says, elsewhere about the condition of the world:
“KIJH NAA BUJHEY, KIJH NAA SUJHEY, DUNIYA GUJHEE BHAAYE”.
This world is not what we see on the surface. It is like the volcano that is lying dormant. From the outside it is peaceful. But inside the lava is boiling hot. The same way, people of this world may seem happy on the surface, but inside are not actually so. They generally run after false and illusionary things that they feel might bring happiness. People are unhappy for different reasons. Some are poor and want wealth. Others have wealth, but have problems of protecting or saving it. Some do not have children. Others have problems because of children. In short, no one is free from problems. Everyone is trying to get rid of problems by seeking happiness and escape from problems. However, the solutions sought are mostly not permanent. Elsewhere in Guru Granth:
“GREHAST MEIN CHINT UDAAS AHANKAR”.
There is worry in family life and people who renounce family life suffer from problems stemming from ego. If one has a family, one wants wealth and resources which bring worry. If one successfully achieves the material things it leads to ego and ego on its part, brings problems. Or if one is unsuccessful in achieving the material success, then the worry brings along sadness. That is why the human-beings, regardless of their stations in life, have been seeking happiness. The true Guru is the only one who can lead the human-beings to such a state. Guru Arjan Dev Jee:
“ABINASEE KHEM CHAA HE JAY NANAK, SADAA SIMAR NARAYAN”.
If one wants the everlasting or indestructible happiness, then contemplate on the “NAME” of God. Here, the indication is that Guru gives us “ANAND” or Guru links us to God or the “NAME” of God, and according to the following quotation from Guru Granth, the definition of God is “ANAND”:
“NA OH MURRAY NA HOVEY SOG”.
God is “ANAND” because there is no death or sorrow associated with God. The true Guru connects us to God. God is “ANAND”. Consequently,
“ANAND BHAIYYA MERI MAYE, SAT GURU MAIN PAYA”.
But for God to come and reside in our hearts, we need to open the door to our hearts. Our own inner-self is lost in the maze of “Maya”. Therefore, first, we need to know ourselves. That is why elsewhere in Guru Granth, it is said
“MERE MUN PARDESI WAY PYAARE AAO GHARE”.
Oh my stranger self, come home because by doing so we pause, evaluate and open the doors to our minds so that now the Guru may bring in the “NAME” of God - the True “ANAND”.
“HAR GURU MILAVO MERE PIYARE”.
The Guru is essential for preparing our mind, which is going to be the abode of God. In the real world, when some V.I.P. is visiting our house, we make special efforts to find out about the likes and dislikes of the visiting dignatory and make special efforts to ensure that the visit and stay is comfortable and enjoyable one. Accordingly, one thing is sure that God only comes and resides where the Guru Comes and prepares the mind. Without Guru’s preparatory work, God will not come.
“SAT PURAKH JIN JANIYA(N), SATGUR TIS KA NAO (n),
TIS KAY SANG SIKH UBREY, NANAK HER GUN GAO”. (SUKHMANI)
In this quotation, Guru ARJAN further reinforces the thought that God only goes where Guru visits first. “SATGURU” is the one that knows about the true being and it is through the “SATGURU’S” company that a Sikh (follower) will be able to achieve by singing HIS praises. Guru helps cleanse the mind and helps transform the human mind into a temple fit for God’s abode. The problem with today’s world and human-beings is that the focus is on the physical being and not on the inner-being. As a result, we clean, decorate and care for the body and ignore the soul with the result:
“JANAM JANAM KEE ISS MUNN KO MUL LAGEE, KALA HOA SIYAH”.
Ignoring the mind results in the closing of the mind, which is closing the doors for good things, like God and Godliness. God is “NIRMAL”. – pure like the rain water and cannot reside in a dirty mind. Even we human beings do religious acts with our physical being like shower, ear clean and fresh clothes and use “MALA” of beads with hands while our minds are sinful, having malicious thoughts and we say nice things and recite the “NAME” of God only to impress people around us while our minds are full of malicious and sinful thoughts. “KABIR SAINT” says:
KABIR JAPNI KAATH KEE KYA DIKHLAVEY LOEY
HIRDAY RAM NA CHETNI, EH JAPNI KYA NOEY”.
“HAR HAR AKHAR EH DOYE MALA,
JAPAT JAPAT BHAYE DEEN DAYALA”.
“Saint Kabir” in Guru Granth says, OH KABIR, you hold the wooden “JAPNI” (string of beads used for reciting time and again the “NAME” of God) in your hands just to show the people around you, but in your mind you do not recite the “NAME” of God. All this is useless. Additionally, m Guru Granth, it is said the word “HARI” when repeated becomes a string of the Lord’s “NAME” and by repeating it over and over again, one becomes one with God eventually or ultimately like God.. According to “Gurmat”, repeating the “Name” of God means, that assimilation of the qualities of the “Name” of God into one’s own life by practicing and living according to the qualities as explained by the “SATGURU” through “SHABAD GURU” (WORD). Let us go back to the Shabad – Pauri 1 – ‘ANAND”:
(Part-2)
Oh my mother, I am ecstatic, my mind has blossomed or is in bliss because I found my “SATGURU”. I found, with the grace of the Guru, a sate of “SEHAJ” peace and stability – a state where pain, suffering, happiness, comfort, etc. are all alike – meaning: nothing since the time I have achieved “SEHAJ”. One thing which needs to be remembered is that all this relates to the mind, the inner-self. “ANAND” is experienced by the mind, the Guru (SHABAD) is in the mind, the felicitations {VADHAIYA(N)} ARE TO THE MIND. None of this is physical. The state of stability or “SEHAJ” achieved through the Guru’s grace makes us experience God in our own minds. We could not experience God because of instability. Here is an example explaining as we experience in the real physical sense. On a full moon night, fill any number of buckets with clean and clear water. You may see the full moon in the sky. You may also see the reflection of the full moon in each and every bucket. Now bring a bucket with muddy water. You will not be able to see the moon in the bucket with muddy water. Further, bring a cover or some object over a bucket with clear water, in that case you will not be able to see the moon in that particular bucket. Finally, throw some object into a bucket with clear water and you will not be able to see the moon in that particular bucket of water. Let us now analyse and compare this experience with the human mind. The bucket with muddy water is parallel to the sinful human mind. The bucket with an object covering or coming in the way of the moon is parallel to a person without the “Satguru” living in duality and finally the bucket where an object is thrown that disturbed the water is parallel to the human mind that has not attained “Sehaj” because there is no “SATGURU” in the individual’s life. Guru Granth talks about the above example in this manner:
HUB SAMANI JYOT, JIYO(N) JAL KHATAOO CHANDER MA(N)”. … “HO(N) HO(N) BHEET BHAIYO HAI BEECHO”.
So, to sum up, finding the “Satguru” who provides us with “Sehaj” enables us to experience God, and the true Guru is the “SHABAD”. Guru Arjan Dev jee in “sukhmani” says: “JEEO (N) MANDIR KO THAMEY THAMAN, TEO(N) GUR KA SHABAD MANEY ASTHAMAN”. Just as a pillar supports a structure like a house, the same way does the “Shabad” of the Guru in supporting the human mind. The mind then becomes stable or achieves “Sehaj” and experiences “ANAND” and the mind is felicitated by “RAAG & RAGNIS”. “RAAG” means unification – “RAAG” is a musical composition. “DHUN” is part of a “RAAG”. The “DHUN” helps us concentrate on some thing. The Guru says: “DHUN MEIN DHYAN, DHYAN MEIN JANYA”. That is why the Guru incorporated “RAAGAS” into “Gurbani” and into the Guru Granth. “Raagas” help concentrate and focus. The first “ANAND” shabad continues: “RAAG RATAN PARIWAR PARIYA(N) SHABAD GAAWAN A(N)YIA”. The “RAAGAS” with families came to sing the tunes of happiness. The Guru further goes on in this “Shabad” to say:
“SHABADO TA GAWO HARI KERA MUNN JINI VASAYA”.
Only sing the word of God because I now have “ANAND” in my mind (heart). “ANAND – GOD”. Guru says all this is possible because it is very common that the human-beings generally forget God – the source of “ANAND”, and start singing and indulging in other geets (illusionary situations). To this effect, the Guru says: “DUKH DAROO SUKH ROG BHAYA” - hard times act as medicine for disease, thus meaning that human-beings remember God in difficulty and get comfort and while enjoying comfort, they forget God and get into difficulties (“SUKH ROG BHAYA”). Comforts become a disease.
The message is: happiness and good times should not mislead us and should not make us forget God. The Guru goes on to say that in “ANAND” and also goes on to connect to the next “Shabad” of “ANAND” by addressing the mind:
“EH MUNN MERAYA TU SADA RAHO HAR NALEY”.
(Part-3)
The Guru says: stay with God all the time – do not stray away to other values. Here, staying with God means: listening to, practicing and living the values and qualities of God and not indulging in other things that do not measure up to those values.
Then Guru says:
“DEEVA MERA EK NAAM DUKH WICH PAYA TAIL”
It is the hard times, the problems that bring human-beings closer to God and take away from the other distractions. During times of comfort, human-beings tend to indulge in illusionary things and physical comforts – thus moving away from God. “HAR NAAL RAHO TU MUNN MERE DOOKH SABH VISARNA”
When human-beings stay with God, then God takes care of the needs and problems of human-beings because
“SABHNAA (N) GALAH(N) SAMRATH SWAMI, SO QIYO (N) MANO VISAREY”
God is perfect in every way. So,do not forget God even for a moment.
“KAHEY NANAK MUNN MERE SADAA RAHO HER NALEY”
Guru brings and gives a state of stability to the human mind through the “Shabad”. A mind that becomes stable (achieves “Sehaj”) Got Almighty makes HIS abode in that mind. God is the form of bliss where there is no pain and suffering. Such a mind then experiences the holy “Shabad” in beautiful tunes as felicitations.
The Guru says to the mind to stay with the “Shabad” and not listen to any other tunes. …………………..do not sing the “Shabad” because the “Shabad” is the source of bliss.
“DOHE PURH CHAKKEE JORH KAY, PEESAN AYE BAHIT, JO DER RAHEY SO UBHREY” …………….”SAACHAY SAHIBA KYA NANI GHAR TERE, GHAR TA(N) TERE SABH KICHH HAI JIS DEY SO PAAVAY, SADAA SIFFAT SALAH TERI, NAAM MUNN VASAVAI; NAM JIN KAY MUNN VASIA, VAJAY SHABAD GHANERE, KAHEY NANAK SUCHAY SAHIB, KIYA NAHEE GHAR TERE”…….. “SACHAA NAM MERA ADHARO, SAACH NAAM ADHAR MERA, JIN BHUKHA(N) SABH GAWAIYA(N), KAR SAANT SUKH MUNN AAYE VASIYA JIN ICHHA(N) SABH PUJAIYA(N), SADAA KURBAN KEETA GURU WITOH(N) JIS DEEYA(N) EH WADIYA(N)IYA, KAHEY NANAK SUNOW SANTO SABAD DHAROW PIYARO, SACHA NAAM MERA AHDAARO”
Connecting stanzas 1 and 2 to stanzas 3 and 4 (or pauris 1 & 2 to 2 and 4), the Guru has said in Stanza 2 that by keeping the name of “HARI” in one’s mind , all calamities, sufferings, etc. go away and all comforts, etc. come to one’s way because “HE” is “SAMRATH” (accomplished) in every way. Then in the 3rd stanza the Guru says: the true Lord has every thing and will fulfill our desires. Here one needs to pause and go beyond the literal meaning of the text. In Guru Granth, it is said about God that HIS abode is
“SUN SAMADH GUFFA TAI ASAN”.
HIS abode is where there are no material things but only quiet and meditation. We, human-beings are born out of desires and live in desires. So the only comforts we know and comprehend are the material one. And by nature, human-beings are like little children. We want what we see and know about. Anything that a child does not know about, no matter how superior it may be compared to the one that the child wants, the child will not trade. In the same manner, human-beings do not know the “TRUE ANAND”. We only know the “Material ANAND”. The Guru understands the child in us and that is why, HE says and God gives us material things so we may get into the habit of asking God through Guru, and ultimately get to realize and taste “TRUE ANAND”. Once an individual tastes the true “ANAND”, then the worldly “ANAND” of material things seems tasteless – so much so that anything else seems useless. Since one becomes accustomed to the “TRUE ANAND”, nothing else fills in or is satisfying. One feels the need for the “TRUE NAME – ANAND” only. Although in the beginning, it was the temptation of “CHAAR PADARATH” – “ARTH, DHARAM, KAAM AND MOKSH” and “NAV NIDHI AND ATHARAA SIDHI” was the reason to tread this path. But once one tastes the “TRUE NAAM” and experiences “THE ANAND”, then everything else becomes meaningless, tasteless and useless. The desire for other material things vanishes. The “True Naam” has brought into the mind a state of “SEHAJ”, “ADOLTAA”, “SHAANT”, “PEACE”, “BLISS” AND now there is no more desire. The Guru substantiates this thought with
“BIKHIYA MAI(N) KIN HE TRIPAT NA PAEE”
“KOT JOREY, LAAKH KAROREY, MUN NA HOREY,
PAREY PAREY HE KO LOOJHIYE”.
It is like when one lives in the material world, the desire increases, e.g., every day through technology progress one wants to always own the latest and the best.
This is a never ending cycle of running after material things, and not ever being satisfied. The Guru explains thus:
“BIKHIYA MEIN KINHEE TRIPT NA PAEE, JEEO(N) PAWAK EENDHAN NAHI(N) DHRAPEY”----------“BIN HER KAHA(N) AGHAYEE”.
I have reached this state because of the Grace of my Guru and thus I am a sacrifice unto such a Guru. Nanak says, Oh, people of God, love the “WORD – SHABAD”.
(PART-4)
“VAAJAY PANCH SHABAD TIT GHAR SUBHAGAY, GHAR SUBHAGAY SHABAD VAAJAY, KALA JIT KER DHARIYA. PUNCH DOOT TUDH VAS KEETAY KAAL KANTAK MAARIA, DHUR KARAM PAIYA TUDH JIN KO, SAY NAAM HER KAY LAAGAY, KAHAI NANAK TEHE SUKH HOA, TIT GHAR ANHAD VAAJAY”….. “SAACHEE LIVAI BIN DEH NIMANEE, DEH NIMANI
LIVAI BAJOW, KIYA KERAY VICHARIYA, TUDH BAAJH SAMRATH KOI NAAHEE (N) KIRPA KER BANWARIA, EIS NOO(N) HOR THAO(N) NAHI(N) SHABAD LAAG SAWARIYA, KAHEY NANAK LIVAY BAJHO(N) KIYA KERAY VICHARIYA.”….
“VAAJAY PUNCH SHABAD” AND “PUNCH DOOT TUDH VUS KEETAY” …”TIT GHAR ANHAD VAAJAY” AND “JOG OR YOGA PHILOSOPHY.
The Yogis say that the process that leads to the tenth door where “ANHAD VAAJAY VAJDAY HUN” means that there is incessant music inside the tenth door. – In fact, it is a state of mind that the yogis achieve by following a certain technique (which is physical – of course) to experience the incessant music. In the above “Shabad”, the fifth “Pauri” or Stanza, the Guru says:
“KAHAY NANAK TEHE SUKH HOA, TIT GHAR ANHAD VAAJAY”.
The instruments playing inside the tenth door are five. There is a basic concept of a democratic set-up at the smallest level called “PANCHAYAT (FIVE PRINCIPALS)”. Taking this as a cue in every facet of human life, there are five principal ills, five principal good or positive attributes: In Guru Granth, the Guru says:
“PUNCH MANAYE, PUNCH RUSAYE, PUNCH VASAYE, PUNCH GAVAYE, INN BIDH MUTHAA MERE BHAI”.
The five good attributes are “SAT, SANTOKH, DAYA, DHEERAJ, DHARAM – meaning: truth, contentment, kindness, patience and duty. The five described are different from the five “NADAS” of the Yoga Philosophy. Here in Sikh Philosophy, it is five “SHABADS”. What comes out of a musical instrument is “DHUNNA”. That is what the “YOGA PHILOSOPHY” teaches. But the conscience can only be reached through “SHABAD DHUNNA” not just a “PLAIN DHUNNA”. A “PLAIN DHUNNA” can reach the mind. The Guru here is trying to tell us that when the “PUNCH SHABADS” as described above reach our mind and continuously play in our consciousness, then the five ills – “KAAM, KRODH, LOBH, MOH AND AHANKAAR” WILL BE CONTROLLED -
“PUNCH DOOT TUDH VUS KEETAY”.
This state is reached only if SAT, SANTOKH, DAYA, DEERAJ & DHARAM become our nature. The five shabads of SAT SANTOKH etc, play non-stop incessantly in our mind. Now the opposing values KAM, KRODH etc will be in our control. Then
“KAHE NANAK TEH SUKH HOA TIT GHAR ANHAD VAAJEY”
only then there will be peace. This state of mind should be constant.
We Humans take on influence easy. For example, we go to Gurdwara, listen to Guru’s bani, our mind gets influenced, however, when we get out of the Gurdwara and are now exposed to some harsh realities we give up the influence of Guru’s Bani regarding “SAT, SANTOKH etc” The opposing values (negatives) take over. We take on greed, selfishness etc easy. It means “SAT, SANTOKH, DAYA, DHEERAJ & DHARAM are not constantly in the depth of our minds. That is why the Guru is trying to show us a way in progression:
“VAAJAY PANCH SHABAD TIT GHAR SUBHAGAY”.
That house (body) is blessed where the “PANCH SHABAD” play incessantly and the moves on to
“SAACHEE LIVAI BIN DEH NIMANEE”.
It is the next stage. How a human can get to the stage of “VAAJAY PANCH SHABAD”. Guru explains that humans are week “DEH NIMANEE” . It can get stronger only with “SACHI LIVAI” with “SHABAD” and the connection to shabad can only be achieved by God’s mercy & Guru’s kindness.
“TUDH BAAJH SAMRATH KOYE NAHIN, KIRPA KAR BANWAARIA”
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