Life’s Purpose: A Study in Gurbani Ethics
Gurmit Singh*
* Adapted and based on ‘Fundamentals of Sikhism’ by Dr. Kartar Singh of Solan [1903-1980].
********************************************
The purpose of life is often described differently by the various religions. The believers in Evolution Theory are of the view that the sole purpose of life is to invent more and more items so that we feel more comfortable. The Atheists say that life’s main purpose is to eat, drink and be merry. The Communists opine that people should have a house for shelter, enough food to eat and clothes to wear and that the rich as well as poor should have equal status. Under no circumstance, wealthy should never resort to any exploitation of the poor. The Research Scholars think that the purpose of life is to read and teach. According to Hindus’ six Shastras, life’s purpose is also at variation. The philosophy of Mahatma Buddha is to attain salvation. The Scientists have their own philosophy.
Sikhism is however required to believe only in the Righteous faith as taught by their Gurus, the Enlightened Masters. Let us try to understand what Sikh religion tells us the purpose of life based on Divine Word enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sacred Scripture of the Sikhs:
If our mind is not immersed in God’s True Naam, then our food and clothes are of no avail. Similarly, eating and enjoying of fruit, clarified butter, sugar, wheat flour, and even meat is also useless. What is the use of good clothes or the comforts of beautiful cozy beds including enjoyment of worldly pleasures? There is no joy of having large troops, worldly kingdoms and big palaces. Guru Nanak advises us that except God’s True Naam, all these are perishable and any false honour is valueless.
We human beings waste the day in eating and the night by sleeping and accordingly this priceless life is wasted in worthless actions. O foolish person! You have not tried to understand God’s True Naam but then what is the use of repenting at the end of life? (Pause)
mY gux glw ky isir Bwr ] glI glw isrjxhwr ] Kwxw pIxw hsxw bwid ]
jb lgu irdY nw Awvih Xwid ]
O True Lord! The only qualification I possess consists of talking only, due to which I manage to carry the burden of either praising or using slander for others. But only that talk is fruitful and worthwhile, which deals with God’s praises. Till we remember God and inculcate Your love in our hearts, all our activities of eating, drinking and laughing are futile and worthless.
ijnI Awqmu cIinAw prmwqmu soeI ] eyko AMimRq ibrKu hY Plu AMimRq hoeI ]
The persons, who have attained self-realization have become one with God. There is only one Enlightened Tree, the Divine Knowledge, which is the source of all virtues, like Amrit nectar.
Guru Nanak tells us that when the person does not remember God, and without reciting the True Lord’s Naam, partakes the dainty food that person is surely spat at and discredited.
One could recite True Lord’s Naam only when God bestows His Grace. Thus the heart becomes humble and pious by imbibing the love of God. When the human being perceives the soul and Prime-soul on par, without any distinction, then the true devotee realizes the Omnipresent God. With this realization, person casts away his dual-mindedness. The True Lord could be attained through Divine Grace by inculcating the love of God in the heart and then person does not fear of death. By reciting the True Naam, we get enlightened and thus one does not indulge in worldly attachments. The Greatest Virtue of the Almighty God lies in the fact that we could attain emancipation while leading a householder’s life having wife and children.
O Brother! The persons, who have neither inculcated the love in their heart and nor have they gained God’s Bliss, are like the guest of a deserted house from where they have to come back disappointed. The person, who has wasted his life without the recitation of God’s True Naam, has to hear countless unsavoury comments from others, as he is exactly like the swan, which partakes of the poison of sinful actions instead of drinking the nectar of the True Naam. Cursed be the life of such a condemned person, who has only eaten delicious foods to fatten his belly. Guru Nanak reminds us that without True Naam, all relatives are like enemies.
Bereft of True Naam, for what purpose such faithless persons have come to the world? Carts of such persons loaded with ash, neither realize peace in life nor are remembered after their death. Such persons, who remain far away from God, suffer a lot without God’s refuge.
Guru Nanak teaches us that the person, who earns his livelihood with honest means and shares with the needy persons, has truly recognized the True Way of Life.
Guru Nanak advises us that being engrossed in the worldly pleasures of eating, drinking, making merry and sleeping, you have forgotten that you are bound to die any time. Forgetting the Almighty God, you wasted your life knowing fully well that you will not last forever.
Some persons follow the path of falsehood, begging for alms from others. No one has ever attained the pious character without God’s Divine Knowledge. Whereas Guru-oriented devotees are immersed in God’s love and merge with Truth.
Guru Nanak teaches by giving an example that the world considers one foolish if one remains silent, but if one talks too much, then that person cannot get imbued with the love of God. By omission or default, we should seek the refuge of Almighty God because without reciting God’s True Naam, one cannot develop a good character.
Guru Amardas advises the faithless person that by seeing the useless flower you should never be misled because its colour lasts for a short period and it has no value. The stupid persons waste their lives in dual-mindedness and thus their life is like a worm in filth. Under Nanak’s penname, Guru Sahib opines that through the guidance of Divine teachings those persons, who remain engaged in the recitation of God’s True Naam, are always rejoicing the state of Equipoise.
O my mind! Try to realize your true worth, as you are a personification of the True Lord Himself; so try to appreciate your origin, forgetting all worldly involvements. The Divine Light is always with us and accordingly we should enjoy the Bliss of life, by meditating on the True Naam. Once we realize the Truth about our origin and get united with God through self-realisation, we will automatically understand the secret of birth and death. By attaining the Divine Knowledge, we will also get over our dual-mindedness and then our mind will remain attuned with God’s love and devotion. Thus we will acquire peace of mind and attain emancipation. Guru Nanak says that we should ever endeavour to realize our origin because Divine light of God shines within us.
The Guru tells us that without the support of God’s True Naam, humans are lost. Being engrossed in dual-mindedness, all our meditation and penance are wasted due to our sinful actions. Accordingly we suffer due to our own deeds. There are also other types of selfcentered persons who are inimical to the Guru-minded persons, being only friendly towards the sinners and demons. Such persons never achieve peace of mind but ever remain frustrated. But they are completely lost in the love of worldly desires and thus are dishonoured due to their duality.
Bhul chuk mauf
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Gurmit Singh*
* Adapted and based on ‘Fundamentals of Sikhism’ by Dr. Kartar Singh of Solan [1903-1980].
Add: 9, Hamlin St. Quakers Hill, NSW 2763, Australia. Email: gurmitsingh@exemail.com.au
The purpose of life is often described differently by the various religions. The believers in Evolution Theory are of the view that the sole purpose of life is to invent more and more items so that we feel more comfortable. The Atheists say that life’s main purpose is to eat, drink and be merry. The Communists opine that people should have a house for shelter, enough food to eat and clothes to wear and that the rich as well as poor should have equal status. Under no circumstance, wealthy should never resort to any exploitation of the poor. The Research Scholars think that the purpose of life is to read and teach. According to Hindus’ six Shastras, life’s purpose is also at variation. The philosophy of Mahatma Buddha is to attain salvation. The Scientists have their own philosophy.
Sikhism is however required to believe only in the Righteous faith as taught by their Gurus, the Enlightened Masters. Let us try to understand what Sikh religion tells us the purpose of life based on Divine Word enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sacred Scripture of the Sikhs:
jyvfu Awip qyvf qyrI dwiq ] ijin idnu kir kY kIqI rwiq ]
Ksmu ivswrih qy kmjwiq ] nwnk nwvY bwJu snwiq ] [SGGS: 10]
O True Lord! Your Blessings are as great as Yourself, and You have created day and night for our comforts. Guru Nanak says that whosoever forgets the Almighty God, surely comes of a low origin as without meditating on God’s True Naam, one behaves like a demon. Ksmu ivswrih qy kmjwiq ] nwnk nwvY bwJu snwiq ] [SGGS: 10]
ikAw KwDY ikAw pYDY hoie ] jw min nwhI scw soie ] ikAw myvw ikAw iGau guV imTw ikAw mYdw ikAw mwsu ] ikAw kpVu ikAw syj suKwlI kIjih Bog iblws ] ikAw lskr ikAw nyb KvwsI AwvY mhlI vwsu ] nwnk scy nwm ivxu sBy tol ivxwsu ]
[SGGS: 10]
If our mind is not immersed in God’s True Naam, then our food and clothes are of no avail. Similarly, eating and enjoying of fruit, clarified butter, sugar, wheat flour, and even meat is also useless. What is the use of good clothes or the comforts of beautiful cozy beds including enjoyment of worldly pleasures? There is no joy of having large troops, worldly kingdoms and big palaces. Guru Nanak advises us that except God’s True Naam, all these are perishable and any false honour is valueless.
rYix gvweI soie kY idvsu gvwieAw Kwie ] hIry jYsw jnmu hY kaufI bdly jwie ]1] nwmu n jwinAw rwm kw ] mUVy iPir pwCY pCuqwih ry ]1] rhwau ] [SGGS: 156]
We human beings waste the day in eating and the night by sleeping and accordingly this priceless life is wasted in worthless actions. O foolish person! You have not tried to understand God’s True Naam but then what is the use of repenting at the end of life? (Pause)
mY gux glw ky isir Bwr ] glI glw isrjxhwr ] Kwxw pIxw hsxw bwid ]
jb lgu irdY nw Awvih Xwid ]
[SGGS: 351]
O True Lord! The only qualification I possess consists of talking only, due to which I manage to carry the burden of either praising or using slander for others. But only that talk is fruitful and worthwhile, which deals with God’s praises. Till we remember God and inculcate Your love in our hearts, all our activities of eating, drinking and laughing are futile and worthless.
ijnI Awqmu cIinAw prmwqmu soeI ] eyko AMimRq ibrKu hY Plu AMimRq hoeI ]
[SGGS: 421]
ijqu muiK nwmu n aUcrih ibnu nwvY rs Kwih ]
nwnk eyvY jwxIAY iqqu muK Qukw pwih ]
nwnk eyvY jwxIAY iqqu muK Qukw pwih ]
[SGGS: 473]
ndir kry qw ismirAw jwie ] Awqmw dRvY rhY ilv lwie ] Awqmw prwqmw eyko krY ] AMqr kI duibDw AMqir mrY ]1] gur prswdI pwieAw jwie ] hir isau icqu lwgY iPir kwlu n Kwie ]1]rhwau] sic ismirAY hovY prgwsu ] qw qy ibiKAw mih rhY audwsu ] siqgur kI AYsI vifAweI ] puqR klqR ivcy giq pweI ]2] [SGGS: 661]
One could recite True Lord’s Naam only when God bestows His Grace. Thus the heart becomes humble and pious by imbibing the love of God. When the human being perceives the soul and Prime-soul on par, without any distinction, then the true devotee realizes the Omnipresent God. With this realization, person casts away his dual-mindedness. The True Lord could be attained through Divine Grace by inculcating the love of God in the heart and then person does not fear of death. By reciting the True Naam, we get enlightened and thus one does not indulge in worldly attachments. The Greatest Virtue of the Almighty God lies in the fact that we could attain emancipation while leading a householder’s life having wife and children.
ijnI n pwieE pRym rsu kMqu nw pwieE swau ] suM\y Gr kw pwhuxw ijau AwieA iqau jwau ]1] sau aulwmHy idnY ky rwqI imlinH shMs ] isPiq slwhxu Cif kY krMgI lgw hMsu ] iPtu ievyhw jIivAw ijqu Kwie vDwieAw pytu ] nwnk scy nwmu ivxu sBo dusmnu hyqu ]2]
[SGGS: 790]
ijnI nwmu ivswirAw sy ikqu Awey sMswir ] AwgY pwCY suKu nhI gwfy lwdy Cwru ] ivCuiVAw mylw nhI dUKu Gxo jm duAwir ]3]
[SGGS: 1010]
Bereft of True Naam, for what purpose such faithless persons have come to the world? Carts of such persons loaded with ash, neither realize peace in life nor are remembered after their death. Such persons, who remain far away from God, suffer a lot without God’s refuge.
Gwil Kwie ikCu hQhu dyie ] nwnk rwhu pCwxih syie ] [SGGS:1245 ]
Guru Nanak teaches us that the person, who earns his livelihood with honest means and shares with the needy persons, has truly recognized the True Way of Life.
Kwxw pIxw hsxw sauxw ivsir igAw hY mrxw ]
Ksmu ivswir KuAwrI kInI iDRgu jIvxu nhI rihxw ] [SGGS:1254 ]
Ksmu ivswir KuAwrI kInI iDRgu jIvxu nhI rihxw ] [SGGS:1254 ]
Guru Nanak advises us that being engrossed in the worldly pleasures of eating, drinking, making merry and sleeping, you have forgotten that you are bound to die any time. Forgetting the Almighty God, you wasted your life knowing fully well that you will not last forever.
min jUTY vyjwiq jUTw KwieAw ] ibnu sbdY Awcwru n ikn hI pwieAw ]
gurmuiK EAMkwir sic smwieAw ]16]
gurmuiK EAMkwir sic smwieAw ]16]
[SGGS: 1285]
msit krau mUrKu jig khIAw ] AiDk bkau qyrI ilv rhIAw ] Bul cUk qyrY drbwir ] nwm ibnw kYsy Awcwr ]1]
[SGGS: 1330]
mnmuK nwm ivhUxIAw rMgu ksuMBw dyiK n Bulu ] ies kw rMgu idn QoiVAw CoCw ies dw mulu ] dUjY lgy pic muey mUrK AMD gvwr ] ibstw AMdir kIt sy pie pcih vwro vwr ] nwnk nwm rqy sy rMguly gur kY shij suBwie ] BgqI rMgu n auqrY shjY rhY smwie ]2]
[SGGS: 85 ]
mn qUM joiq srUpu hY Awpxw mUlu pCwxu ] mn hir jI qyrY nwil hY gurmqI rMgu mwxu ] mUlu pCwxih qW shu jwxih mrx jIvx kI soJI hoeI ] gur prswdI eyko jwxih qW dUjw Bwau n hoeI ] min sWiq AweI vjI vDweI qw hoAw prvwxu ] ieau khY nwnku mn qMU joiq srUpu hY Apxw mUlu pCwxu ]5]
[SGGS: 441]
nwnk nwvhu GuiQAw hlqu plqu sB jwie ] jpu qpu sMjmu sBu ihir lieAw muTI dUjY Bwie ] jm dir bDy mwrIAih bhuqI imlY sjwie ] sMqw nwil vYru kmwvdy dustw nwil mohu ipAwru ]
AgY ipCY suKu nhI mir jMmih vwro vwr ] iqRsnw kdy n buJeI duibDw hoie KuAwru ] muh kwly iqnw inMdkw iqqu scY drbwir ] nwnk nwm ivhuixAw nw aurvwir n pwir ]
AgY ipCY suKu nhI mir jMmih vwro vwr ] iqRsnw kdy n buJeI duibDw hoie KuAwru ] muh kwly iqnw inMdkw iqqu scY drbwir ] nwnk nwm ivhuixAw nw aurvwir n pwir ]
[SGGS:648]
The Guru tells us that without the support of God’s True Naam, humans are lost. Being engrossed in dual-mindedness, all our meditation and penance are wasted due to our sinful actions. Accordingly we suffer due to our own deeds. There are also other types of selfcentered persons who are inimical to the Guru-minded persons, being only friendly towards the sinners and demons. Such persons never achieve peace of mind but ever remain frustrated. But they are completely lost in the love of worldly desires and thus are dishonoured due to their duality.
Bhul chuk mauf
More...