Columnists

The Friend:
The Way of the Sikh
Letter & Spirit # 31

YUKTANAND SINGH

Translated from Bhai Vir Singh's ‘Gurmukh Sikhia’

Part XXI-A


“If you want eternal surety and eternal peace, then, O Nanak, do the simran of the Lord at all times” [GGS:714.3].

 “… do the simran of the Lord at all times” … when we do this, we fall in love with Waheguru who is eternal and imperishable and thus we find eternal happiness. On the other hand, when we are attached to something that is perishable, then we are miserable when it perishes.

Through simran we reach the next state where God’s will (hukam) tastes sweet to us.

“The only support I have within my heart is that whatever someone did was my friend’s will” [GGS:187.17].

Gurbani states earlier: “Whatever my friend does, I accept. My friend's deeds are the most appropriate.”

Thus, love of God is our primary function. We love our family, our spouse, our children, also. But that love is secondary.

When we continue to do simran, we reach the precious moment that was mentioned in these words: "Someone who meditates on Him even for one moment with a single-pointed mind - does not face the noose of death" [Akaal-Ustat:1.10].

When we reach that moment, we are liberated, but if we haven’t reached it yet, we must not give up simran. We must hold on to it. This moment can arrive only for those who live in simran during all the available moments.

Waheguru’s simran is the foremost. Those, who are engaged in it, should continue. But due to some past karam, some individuals may sometimes feel distant from it. They must not give up the simran, but pray and ask for this bounty, that they can maintain their relationship with Waheguru under all circumstances.

Simran includes an acceptance of God’s will. This acceptance comprises of four levels:

1  Accepting loss or pain as an outcome of our past karam: “Why do you slander the Lord, O ignorant girl? Pain and pleasure are the result of your own actions” [GGS:695].

2  “Always bow to the Master who cannot be influenced or persuaded” [GGS:268]. This means accepting His will by recognizing our powerlessness in His presence.

3  “Whatever my friend does, I accept. My friend's deeds are the most appropriate” [GGS:187]. Knowing that Waheguru is our friend, and He does only what is good for us.

What we may see as painful could be for our pleasure, and what we see as pleasure may in fact be painful in the end. We do not need to worry why this is so. At present we simply need to accept whatever our friend does.

4  “Whatever He does, tastes sweet to my mind now” [GGS:887]. His hukam tastes sweet to us. We find happiness and pleasure in accepting His hukam.

*   *   *   *   *

One summer afternoon, at his residence in New Delhi, Bhai Sahib sat in the lawn after lunch and in a voice saturated with extreme love, said this in response to questions from the seekers:

Simran takes a man closer to reality. When one starts to understand the reality, then there is disappointment if the aim was to achieve worldly fame. But if the aim was spiritual fulfillment, then one enjoys this experience.

Before we start to fully enjoy it, we are in an unstable sate and thus this period is critical because various emotional waves can sweep us off the path. This problem is solved in the company of a gurmukh who helps us in difficult times, whenever appropriate.

Once, Guru Nanak adopted the garb of a savage. Gradually, all the seekers left him. Their worldly outlook had blocked their meeting with real Guru Nanak. Only Bhai Lehna (later to be anointed as Guru Angad, the second Master) survived this test because his only aim was to meet the true Guru at the spiritual level.

A Sikh needs to have faith in Waheguru’s presence, to cherish His simran in the heart and to work for others’ welfare as far as possible, and at the very least not harm anyone. If one is not able to help others, then not harming anyone is good enough.

One needs to maintain integrity. Immoral acts accumulate negative assets. Waheguru’s simran creates a positive balance in this wealth. When the negative assets are eliminated then one is at peace at all times.
 
Simran is an immaculate act. Our teacher’s mercy results in a much greater success on our path to liberation.

Everyone does not face the same fate after death.

Just as if a child was punished before going to sleep he will continue to dream about it and will sob during the sleep. If he was happy about something then he may laugh in his sleep.

Similarly, when someone dies in a state of frustration or commits suicide, then the soul continues that agony after death. Dwelling on the memory of such souls makes us absorb their agony and lose our own peace.

One Sardar’s European wife committed suicide. He loved her deeply. He cherished her picture that he always kept in the living room, and lived in her memory. Even though he had read the religious tomes, he was unable to recover from the weakness created by her memory, because he had no teacher who could have helped him during this difficulty.

Similarly, another Sikh professor lost his peace while writing the biography of a swami friend.

Whenever we remember someone who has passed on, we must do so in a positive spiritual state, and not be influenced by it through a negative and weak state of mind.

Naam keeps us in an ascending spiritual state and then we have the power. Joseph’s father could not see Joseph who was thrown in a cistern by his brothers. But when his spirit ascended he could feel Joseph’s fragrance coming from the direction of Egypt.

A prostitute was on her death bed. People asked what lesson she had learnt.

She said, “I never refrained from engaging in evil acts, but you must do so.”

Doctors are angels on earth, but only if they endeavour to relieve pain and suffering.

To be continued ...

May 6, 2013

read other articles in Columnists