Talking Stick
Reflections on The Japji
The Talking Stick Colloquium XX, May 17 -23
Convenor: RAVINDER SINGH TANEJA
THIS WEEK: Further reflections on The Japji
Early in our discussion on the Japji, a reader from Mumbai admonished us thus:
'Sikhi is a religion of practicality, not esoteric mumbo-jumbo. What the Gurus have given us is a day-to-day plan of living, an exact how-to-do steps, rather than empty philosophical meanderings. True, Amrit Vela can ultimately mean the elixir of life itself. But that's not what our Gurus are trying to get us to do NOW ... they want us to start with baby steps - which, I bet you, very few, if any, have started on yet - and those steps will lead us to Hukam, Sehaj and Amrit Vela. We must resist the temptation of theorizing.' (Livleen Kaur, Mumbai)
Livleen ji's admonition found voice in similar concerns expressed from time to time by others.
While Livleen Kaur has a point, I am not certain that exact "how-to-do-steps" are neatly laid out for us; that is one of the challenges that we face.
While Gurmat shows us The Way in terms of the proper ends of life, its expression as poetic gurbani requires from us an engagement and a commitment to fashion the message into practical application.
It is this exercise that we are engaged in here: to extract for ourselves a day-to-day plan of action - as far as this is feasible.
There is no better way to do this
than in sangat and learning from each other.
LET'S CONSIDER:
I had a fairly extensive list of questions but in speaking to some of you, I decided to leave them out. Instead, here is what I would ask you to do:
Share your experience in how this study of the Japji (or a similar study) changed your sense of how you understood Japji? Did you have an "aha" moment where you exclaimed to yourself, "Oh, so this is what this means! I had always thought it meant this or the other, but this makes more sense!"
Has this engagement caused you to re-visit or reflect on your relationships - to yourself, to the world around you, and even to the Divine?
Have you made any changes in your routine as a result?
Have you noticed any discernable changes?
Have you been inspired in any way to do things differently?Conversation about this article
1: Ravinder Singh Taneja (Westerville, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 17, 2010, 12:06 PM.
My own engagement with the Japji has - as you might expect - evolved over the years through a series of quantum leaps or paradigm shifts. I want to emphasize that my "aha" or "eureka" moments have always come in the midst of sangat - rarely, if ever, during my private study. Some of the shifts that I have experienced are: 1) seeing the Mool Mantar not simply as the attributes of a God "out there" but a definition of the Self that the self (us) needs to evolve to - a kind of line-of-sight objective; 2) seeing the Creator and Creation as one, not distinct; 3) Amrit Vela as having not one fixed meaning but ranging from time of day to the opportunity presented by human life; 4) Hukam as not the Force managing existence at a cosmic level but also operating through me as an individual, making it imperative for me to discover my own micro purpose and understanding how it relates to the larger purpose of Hukam; 5) the essence of religion being an inner state that requires the cultivation of virtues like compassion, contentment, patience, knowledge, discernment, love and creativity (Naam). More later.
2: Nirmal Singh Nilvi (Texas, U.S.A.), May 18, 2010, 12:41 AM.
'Japji is unique', is a reverential saying among the Sikhs. Reading Japji in sangat is considered mystical. How would one characterize it if read in cyber-sangat. Let us ruminate on that experience. Because it was rare and unique. Felt like in a crowd of seekers and thinkers. Their quest: earnest, real and thoughtful. The most remarkable aspect was the approach of Guru Nanak's own well-worn coat; talk nicely, pay attention, ask respectfully, answer in humility, be direct and to the point. All ingrained in the Japji as well, to understand, assimilate and utilize. The weekly topic selection tended more towards the practical, with a mix of spirituality and the divine. That balance was noteworthy. The time really flew as is evident from the passage of nearly five months. My response to the experience: a big thank you to everyone. The change among the readers was palpable. There was a desire to adjust. There were acknowledgments to this fact. That was unusual. Some change was discernible. One could visualize a move towards balance between the practical, mystical and divine. Customarily, we tend to be heavy on the divine. Besides question and answers, there was a spirit of appreciation for the thoughts of others - another unusual difference, perhaps.
3: Guravtar (Johnson City, TN, U.S.A.), May 18, 2010, 10:01 AM.
Japji, written 542 years ago by Guru Nanak for enlightening humanity about the Akal Purakh and the creation in perpetuity, is still going strong and will continue forever. Providing elaborate information in every aspect of creative activity in the universe and detailing it to the core of the human mind and soul, he has touched all that an accomplished gurmukh can fathom about the Akal Purakh, it's creative activity and ministering universal laws in the natural phenomena. The most striking sentence for me is: "mat vich ratan jawahar mannak jae ik gur ki sikh sunnee." Comprehending the significance of the 'Ik Gur'(One Guru/ Teacher) and blessed faculties of intellect and wisdom, it diminished my 'I-am-ness' and confirmed faith in the One. It helps me in suppressing my doubts, improving my ability to accept happenings in life and by thinking through to resolve problems. It has helped my confidence in Guru Nanak and his philosophy, but, as a Sikh, I am still struggling to be a kindergarten student of Sikhi. My moment of awe comes when I think of Guru Nanak and his accomplishments as a lone person promulgating 'Truth' and gracefully subjugating religious, political and social autocrats all over in the fifteenth century. Thanks for providing this excellent medium for sharing and learning.
4: Yadwinder Singh (Pickerington, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 18, 2010, 3:01 PM.
I think in this line - `Mat wich ratan jawahar manak je ik gur ki sikh sune` - Guru Nanak means, even if you listen to and imbibe a single teaching of the Guru, it is equivalent to acquiring a treasure-chest of jewels. I do not think here he means 'ik guru' - this is my humble opinion.
5: Jasvinder (Hamilton, New Zealand), May 18, 2010, 5:24 PM.
I had never encountered 'Japji Sahib' like this before, so it was very humbling to know there are people like me who would like to understand it in layman's terms, because Guru Nanak gave us all this philosophy in common man's terms, but common masses today don't even know Punjabi that well, let alone Gurmukhi. Even if you know Gurmukhi, it is still hard to understand the the poetic language. So this experience was something where I could make some sense out of it all, what is being said by Guru Nanak, and all of you have helped tremendously in increasing my knowledge of this pure bani. I think I have never paid this much attention to it earlier. This time I tried to comprehend it for myself, tried to understand it and then apply it. Earlier, it was just means of distracting my mind from my daily problems, which only happened occasionally because most of the time the mind still goes everywhere even when you sit down and recite. So please continue - just a humble request: keep it simple for kindergarten kids like me.
6: Pashaura Singh (Riverside, California, U.S.A.), May 18, 2010, 8:21 PM.
It has been ingrained in the collective Sikh memory that the essence of the whole Guru Granth Sahib is contained in the Japji. This is very true. The reason that there is no rahau-verse (refrain) in this text is related to the fact that each line in it has an independent meaning. Our reflection has made it clear that Japji's potential for meaning is inexhaustible. No matter how much one studies and interprets it, infinity of meaning remains yet to be fathomed. Those individuals who dive deep into this great ocean through reflection and meditation find within themselves a treasure trove of jewels and realize their true spiritual status. Guravtar ji has rightly pointed out: "The most striking sentence for me is: "mat vich ratan jawahar mannak jae ik gur ki sikh sunnee." Comprehending the significance of the 'Ik Gur'(One Guru/ Teacher) and blessed faculties of intellect and wisdom, it diminished my 'I-am-ness' and confirmed faith in the One." In fact, an eighteenth-century Rehatnama of Bhai Chaupa Singh explicitly says: 'According to Guru Ram Das, he/she who recites Japji five times will acquire the radiance of true enlightenment. Thereafter, let him/her recite whatever bani he/she knows by heart.' My mother sowed the seed of Japji in my childhood and inspired me to learn it by heart. Since then it has always been the companion of my heart, mind and soul. I cannot thank her enough for giving me this spiritual treasure. We can make a singular contribution if we encourage our children and grandchildren to learn it by heart.
7: Nirmal Singh Nilvi (Texas. U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 11:07 AM.
Earlier, my focus was to reflect upon a general approach, the reader outlook and the environment in which the study has progressed. A few personal thoughts on the message in the Japji. The general collective opinion is its universal application and utility. It transcends beliefs, culture, gender and geography. To understand its message, one way is to view it like you look upon the rays of the sun. You can't see the rays but feel them. Their intensity varies but can be adjusted to your need and tolerance. They are vital to your existence and are available freely. You have to learn the value and use them to suit your needs and desire. So is the Japji. They keep you warm in the cold, bring light in darkness, uplift moods, provide nurture, etc; so is the Japji. But it is your responsibility to know, seek and use. The Japji is knowledge of utility in daily chores, with spiritual and divine dimensions. Therefore, explore it in every dimension and use as desired. Some recommend daily recitation and many Sikhs do. If that works for you, do it. You want to revere and hold it sacred, go for it. I seek and find the knowledge, inspiration, direction and a path for life's journey. There are four principles in it that provide me a stable stool to rely on; "munn jeetay jag jeet"; "karmi karmi hoe vicchar"; "aape beeje aape khae" and "sub gun tere main naheen koi". I tend to read Japji in no particular order, a stanza at a time and contemplate. It brings out varied thoughts, reflections and at times far reaching ideas, connections or possibilities. Because Japji inspires the mind to think and comprehend. It never fails as long as you are willing to stretch the mind with "mut". The thoughts in it are as deep as the oceans, as wide as the expanse of the universe and as high as the stars. That is a heck of a space to traverse and explore for any mind. And not enough time to cover in a life time. That is perhaps the reason and a rationale for Guru Nanak to name it 'Jap'!
8: Atika (Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 12:22 PM.
Given the focus of this week's dialogue, I would like to share with the readers some of the changes I have noticed in myself, as a result of gaining a deeper understanding of the Japji, with the hope that this would encourage many more to share their personal experiences. First of all, I have become more accepting of my own self. I have learnt to embrace and respect who I am as a whole, inclusive of all the positive and negative traits. Believe me, this was a difficult change to bring about. By habit, I tend to be over critical of myself, but of late, I have begun telling myself - "Big deal! I am who I am." Relatedly, I have become a better observer of my own haumai at work. While I think I've made some improvement in being able to consciously ground myself (or prevent my ego from getting bloated) every time I ride the high wave of success, I am still working on being able to keep the same sense of self intact when it is thrashed by failures. Finally, I have become less expecting of others. For instance, it used to bother me earlier when I would go out of my way to help someone, and not get a thank you in return. It has much less of an impact on me now. I am grateful for all the lessons I have learned in the sangat and, to quote Robert Frost, I know I still have miles to go before I sleep!
9: Yadwinder Singh (Pickerington, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 1:46 PM.
I would like to add: while analyzing gurbani, sometimes we get carried away with interpreting the meaning word by word. I think we should focus more on the central idea and the philosophical message.
10: Nirmal Singh Nilvi (Texas, U.S.A.), May 21, 2010, 12:19 PM.
Yadwinder Ji has shared a keen observation about our obsessive focus on translating the meaning of each word in Sikh scriptures, including the Japji. It is amazing to witness umpteen serious debates, controversies and personal hurts that may have resulted from this approach. Even more puzzling is the fact that in spite of the advice in the Japji to control/ manage our mind, our mind is controlling us in this approach. Something to recognize and learn from. In other words, the message in the Japji has yet to sink in, regardless of the frequency or the number of reading/ recitations of Japji many of us have gone through. The situation is not exclusive to certain minds only. It is pervasive in the minds of every style and variety: educated, intellectual, open, simple. In other words, it is the 'ritual' that has become more important than the purpose of imbibing the Japji. If someone asks why, literally every person (his mind) will have an answer. That is another enigmatic human trait. Our mind loves to advise others. Therefore we must learn to teach our mind to extend the same advice to itself and inculcate it in a way that it becomes our mind's own habit. We deliberated on this issue a few weeks ago. We should question more often some of these customs and debate their meaningful benefits. Only then may we be able to modify and improve the effectiveness of our approach to maximize the intended benefits. To effectively realize such benefits, we may have to start focusing more on understanding valuable knowledge embedded in the Japji, while honoring our long held tradition of reciting Japji in the morning.
11: Mohan Singh (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), May 21, 2010, 4:36 PM.
Gurbani is the subject of 'Gaveeye suniye muann rakhiey bhau', and by following this sincerely one will start understanding the meaning on its own and follow the paatth. Guru Gobind Singh refused to spell the meaning of gurbani when requested by Bhai Mani Singh at Sabo ki Talwandi. He said gurbani is the ocean of knowledge and he would not like to limit the meaning of bani by his own interpretation. He wanted his Sikhs to dive deep into this ocean and utilize their own surt, mutt, munn and buddh to understand and try to live their lives accordingly. Just one example: Bhai Lakhuji used to recite Japji Sahib 21 times a day, with 'munn rakhiey bhau' (during the time of Guru Arjan) and he could reach to the level of sachkhand. One has to surrender to the Akal Purakh and have bhavna; understanding will follow on its own. Japji is a collection of selected shabads that Guru Nanak recited while travellng on his Udasis, and while at Kartarpur he compiled the Japji with the help of Bhai Lehnaji. Guru Nanak created thousands of gurdwaras in the hearts of people. Gurbani is from divine grace, knowledge and wisdom of the Gurus, Bhagats and Bards ... hence it is 'dhur ki bani' and not a philosophy. There are over 21 guides of Japji Sahib that I know of, but none of them duplicate one another. Still, all these publications are reprinted from time to time. The only common thing in them is their style of interpretation is with varying examples and illustrations. Also, there are several vyakhyas of Japji ... again, they differ widely. Giani Sant Singh Maskeen has done it in 20 hours, Prof. Darshan Singh has taken 34 hours, Bhai Pinderpal Singh took over 65 hours, Baba Thakur Singh took over 70 hours and Gyani Harnam Singh of Bangla Sahib has also taken over 35 hours. None of follow the same route, but the style is common of all. (Vyakhya by Maskeen ji and by Prof. Darshan Singh ji are highly intelectual). Here at Talking Stick, the interpretation of Japji by Guravtar Singh and Gurdev Singh Bir was in the light of gurmat. Also, Manjit Singh Barapindia was in tune. Recently, Kartar Singh Bhalla did also express well, lastly Rawel Singh also narrated the essence of Japji very well, all without philosophical essays. Sardar Jarnail Singh of Australia has also started Japji Sahib interpretation - 'Understanding Jap' - with illustrations and in light of gurmat.
12: Ravinder Singh Taneja (Westerville, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 21, 2010, 10:35 PM.
Good to hear from you after a lapse, Mohan Singh ji. Indeed there are many interpretations of Japji and I suspect the number will continue to grow. They all have their rightful place - yet none can ever plumb the depths of Japji - it is bottomless. You are quite correct in asserting that gurmat is not a philosophy - yet, in a forum like this, one can communicate with each other only in a philosophical framework, or else we could not proceed. That is indeed a limitation, but one we have to live with. Philosophy becomes the template through which "Dhur ki bani" becomes intelligible to us. Just like "dhur ki bani" is expressed in poetic medium in the Guru Granth Sahib through words that are inherently limiting.
13: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), May 22, 2010, 10:14 AM.
This long discussion on the Japji - almost a meditation on it - has surely been edifying, and yet it remains as it should: incomplete. That we do not all agree, nor should we, is good. Unanimity of thought and homogeneity of opinion would stifle and stop all progress. The issues that the many voices have raised remain to be revisited again and then, after a while, again and again. Learning never ends. When would it be the time to reopen the Japji in a similar format, we will have to look within us. Each of us experiences gurbani differently, in spite of the commonality that defines our exchange with it.
14: Aryeh Leib (Israel), May 23, 2010, 3:43 AM.
This discussion has done much to demonstrate to me how the concept of sangat works; out of the knowledge and experience of individuals - to find a universally applicable meaning of gurbani. Something tangible to put in your pocket and take away from the discussion to use in your own life. And it stands to reason that one can return again and again to the topic; uncovering and contributing more and more shades of meaning as we take in more and more impressions from along the paths of our individual lives. Many thanks to all of you for having the patience to deal with my non-gurbani based commentary, rudimentary as it still is. Your companionship and friendship mean a great deal to me, as I take my first steps in the Panth.
15: Ravinder Singh Taneja (Westerville, Ohio, U.S.A.), May 23, 2010, 8:00 AM.
To Dr IJ Singh's point, our discourse on gurbani can never be marked complete; nor can our understanding of Truth be more than tentative. Guru Nanak saw the entire creation as singing odes of joy to the Creator. In its own way, our discussion and dialogue has been our collective "hymn to an unkonown God." Speaking of which, the next bani we will consider is appropriately titled, Sohila or an Ode to Joy. Thank you for your participation and in enabling the Talking Stick.
16: Nirmal Singh Nilvi (Texas, U.S.A.), May 23, 2010, 8:04 AM.
Mohan Singh ji, my admiration for you is Japji inspired. In our study, you were perhaps more gurmat oriented and I was perhaps seeking more practical, beneficial aspects from Japji's message. While I remained focused on the practical utility, your write-ups acted as reminders to us of perhaps the central theme in the Japji: not to ignore or forget "His grace". Most often we don't or cannot realize the benefits our actions provide to others. And this reality is also best explained in the Japji - "Manney ki gutt kahi na jaa-e/ Je ko kahai picchai pachhtaa-ey". Like I. J. Singh ji reflected: there is too much to grasp, understand, accept, admit, agree, disagree, seek in the Japji. We all have been saying it for too long. The only way we can make this saying obvious is when we begin to view Japji as the scripture that inspires us all for our own reasons. Yet it remains the spiritual force and the intellectual glue that brings us together as well. To reflect our true understanding of the meaning of Japji's universal message, we ought to include our appreciation of its other admirers/ seekers. Only then we will truly become the fellow travelers on the same highway, enjoying the journey and the company. And by pointing out many appealing scenic features along the fast moving freeway of life, help each other not miss much. 'Gaveeye sunniye munn rakhiey bhau'.
17: Nirmal Singh Nilvi (Texas. U.S.A.), May 23, 2010, 7:51 PM.
Ravinder ji, let me share my admiration for your deft handling of your role. You were objective, fair, considerate, encouraging and accommodating. Your weekly theme selection, background synopsis, tone-setting - all were professional and reflected intellectual heft. It was a challenging task and you demonstrated your capacity to match it. It is unusual for a sensitive religious group task like this to go as smoothly as it did. Congratulations on a task well managed and smoothly wrapped up. A job well completed.
18: Jaswant Singh (La Palma, California, U.S.A.), June 13, 2010, 11:54 PM.
I submit to this group that the perpetuation of misnomers in gurbani is a disservice to the very cause being served. Two examples of this stand out above other minor ones. First is 'Japji Sahib'. It is obvious that for expressing our respect for gurbani, this misnomer has evolved, apparently beyond repair. It has been assumed and propagated for centuries that 'jupp' on the first page of the Guru Granth is the heading of the composition that follows it. If this is how a heading of a bani was to be indicated, as a matter of tradition, then why this process has not been repeated anywhere else in the Guru Granth? "Jupp" stands alone on the entire page with enclosures on both sides of the word. This way of highlighting a heading, (if it is a heading), has not been used again in the entire Guru Granth, which begs a question: "Could it be to indicate something different? I humbly submit that 'jupp' might be indicating an instruction to do jaap in order to be worthy of gurparsad. We may call it Jupp Bani but Japji or Japji Sahib is a misnomer, pure and simple. Nowadays, we are using the electronic media for research as well as communication. If we search for 'Japji' or Japji Sahib in the Guru Granth text, we will not find it anywhere. Are we doing justice to coming generations by perpetuating these kinds of misnomers? The second example is "Kirtan Sohila" in place of just 'Sohila'. I cannot offer a reason why this is so or how it started but it keeps appearing in the print media as well as in discussion forums. To a lesser extent, "Asa ki Vaar' is also a misnomer because that is not the title of the bani. Just because it is in Raag Asa, the name has stuck. Should this forum try to clarify these misnomers? I think so.