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The Roar of the Lion ... The Way of the Sikh:
Letter & Spirit # 20
YUKTANAND SINGH
Translated from Bhai Vir Singh's ‘Gurmukh Sikhia’
PART XI
Our soul is very beautiful.
This beauty is suppressed by the flaws of our own mind.
Simran and sometimes catching a glimpse of this beauty under the influence of a virtuous person release it from suppression. Our soul is then awakened.
Once, a woman was traveling to another town. On her way she was attacked by a robber who started to undress her by force. The lady begged with her hands clasped together: “Brother, do not uncover me like that. Let us go to my house. Let me change my clothes and then you could take these expensive clothes from me.”
The robber was impressed by her offer. The lady kept her word upon reaching her home. Without any rancor, she changed and delivered her expensive suit to the robber.
The robber was deeply influenced. This lady’s pious act shook his soul. After that day he was a changed man. He started to live a life of honesty and in welfare of others.
* * * * *
“gunn gaava din raat Nanak cha-o ey-ho“ - “My desire is to sing your praise, day and night” [GGS:762]. Naam is to be repeated with passion and with zeal (cha-o).
With repetition, through practice of the word “Wahe-Guru” we are able to drink this nectar. “antar khuhta amrit bhariya“ - "Deep within us is a well filled with nectar, the bride who came to fetch water draws it with the shabad and enjoys it" [GGS:570].
When we practice evil it wounds our heart and causes physical illnesses. Baba Farid says: “O Farid! Answer an evildoer with benevolence. Do not harbor anger in your heart. Disease shall not afflict your body and you will obtain everything” [GGS:1381].
If we commit an error, we must never try to justify it. Regret the error, promise not to repeat it, and ask Waheguru for His forgiveness. If the same error is repeated, then do the same again and continue to ask for forgiveness.
Waheguru will have mercy and give us power. Eventually, our soul will overcome those evil tendencies and our weakness will be overcome. Then we can enter His court with integrity.
“Someone who goes with the nishaan (insignia of the Lord) is not called to an account hereafter” [GGS:730]. This insignia of honor is branded on us through simran.
But if we continue with our evil acts, then: “O Kabir, one whose heart is not healthy and whole - how can he find his Lord?” [GGS:1374].
After death: “Social status caste or power are not seen in the world hereafter; the souls are stripped nude” [GGS:469]. Honor and status in this world are of no value there. Over there, only the soul that has become beautiful through naam is honored.
The first disappointment that we face after death is that all the money we earned, even our family and our children has no value. They do not accompany us. They are all left behind and the soul goes alone. Only the naam that we had earned stays with us.
When we harm someone we wound our own heart. These wounds are visible after we die. We cannot hide them. With naam these wounds are cleansed. The dirt is washed off and they are healed. Then we are filled with sweetness.
“By repeating naam the mind becomes immaculate and life is passed in absolute pleasure” [GGS:915]. We need to make our mind positive, always blossoming (‘chardi kalaa’) with optimism. Do not have anger. Stay humble. Do not wish evil for anyone, do not even think about it.
But being humble and being gentle does not mean that we give up roaring. Do not give up courage. Be proud of the Guru and stay in high spirits. This is self esteem, not pride.
“The One Lord, our Lord and Master, is our protector. He is the Inner-knower, the knower of all hearts. I sleep without any worry; I am awake without worry. You, O God, pervade all” [GGS:1136]. This is the conviction that we must always maintain.
* * * * *
There was a lion. He became gentle and harmless upon advice of a fakir. He promised to never kill for food. He stopped hunting for animals. He would lie at the entrance of a mosque and ate whatever someone gave him.
Seeing him so harmless, even the children were not afraid of him any longer. They would throw stones at him each time they passed by. Thus, he became quite wounded physically.
He started to hide from people. One day the fakir heard about his poor state. He said, “I asked you to quit killing. But why did you quit roaring?”
Thus, we must not quit roaring and we must stay in chardi kalaa.
January 2, 2013
Conversation about this article
1: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA.), January 04, 2013, 9:14 AM.
The above message promotes Naam Simran. While the lion roars instictively, human beings who follow Sikhi have a choice -- to recite or to ignore naam simran. Guru Amardas in Vaar Sorath [GGS:644]: "dhandhaa karti-aa nihfal janam gavaa-i-aa sukh daata man na vasaa-i-aa / Nanak naam tinaa ka-o milli-aa jin ka-o dhur likh paa-i-aa" - 'Being busy in wordliness, we waste our life, not realizing that the source of happiness which is God is within us. However, those blessed with naam simran, it is in their destiny ordained by God." Regardless, a Sikh should never ignore the path of naam Simran because it is his/her lifeline. Courage, peace and contentment are the outcomes of naam simran.