Columnists
The Morning Hukam:
A Meditation
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
INNI KAUR
Today’s Hukam, Darbar Sahib, Amritsar – Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The body is the paper, and the mind the inscription on it. The ignorant fool does not read what is written on his forehead. In the Court of the Divine, three inscriptions are recorded. Behold, the counterfeit coin is worthless there. || 1 ||
O Nanak, if there is silver in it, then everyone proclaims, “It is genuine, it is genuine.” || 1 || Pause ||
The Qazi tells lies and eats filth; the Brahmin kills and then takes cleansing baths. The Yogi is blind, and does not know the Way. The three of them devise their own destruction. || 2 ||
He alone is a Yogi, who understands the Way. By Guru’s Grace, he knows the One Creator. He alone is a Qazi, who turns away from the world, and who, by Guru’s Grace, remains dead while yet alive. He alone is a Brahmin, who contemplates the Divine. He saves himself, and saves all his generations as well. || 3 ||
One who cleanses his own mind is wise. One who cleanses himself of impurity is a Muslim. One who reads and understands is acceptable. Upon his forehead is the Insignia of the Court of the Divine. || 4 || 5 || 7 ||
[Guru Nanak, Raag Dhanasri, GGS:662]
Today’s Hukam is consciousness-churning. It speaks to three types of personalities.
Qazi: the Muslim magistrate.
Brahmin: the Hindu priest.
Yogi: the ascetic who has mastered different postures and ways of breathing.
However, I feel Guru Sahib is speaking to me through them.
The incredible beauty of the shabad astounds me. I know it emanates from a limitless timeless source, yet I am in awe at the way it resonates within me.
Guru’s voice is so clear: “Your body is temporary like paper. Your mind has blinded you into thinking that you are immortal. Engrossed in the material world, you have become reckless. You have not read, understood nor have you walked the Path.
“There are three types of coins: gold, silver, copper. Each carries its own value. There are also counterfeit coins that are worthless.”
I pause.
What type of a coin do I want to be?
Gold of course!
Gurbani reveals that gold is the individual who has realized the genuine meaning of life, meditated on naam and is dyed in the color of naam.
“O Qazi! The money and fame that you gain by your false decisions are devious. O Brahmin! You perform rituals and take cleansings baths, while misleading and looting people. O Yogi! You instruct people to run away to the mountains.”
My lesson: Stay away from lies, bribery and deceit. Overcome duality. Be fully and truthfully engaged in the battlefield of life.
Guru further explains: “A true qazi is one who deals in Truth, and is Guru-centered. A true yogi is one who understands, and recognizes, the True Path.”
What is the True Path?
“The True Path: Through Guru's Grace, realizing the One pervades through all. A true brahmin is one who contemplates upon Brahma, the One Creator. That erson liberates all those around them.
“A truly wise individual is one who washes and cleanses the mind of bad thoughts.
“A true intellectual is one who through studying, comes to realize that the true purpose of life is to meditate upon the Divine, and serve humanity.
“A true Muslim is one who removes the impurities within oneself.
“The highest person is one whose consciousness is dyed in the color of the Divine and radiates with Divine Love.”
The Path is so clear …
Which coin do I want to be?
August 21, 2013
Conversation about this article
1: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA..), August 21, 2013, 1:26 PM.
On GGS:1245, Guru Nanak says: "aklee sahib sayvee-ai aklee paa-ee-ai maan". That is, "Waheguru should be served through wisdom if devotee wants to earn the His honour". Our Gurus fully realized the place of reason and intellect in the development of personality. The Brahmin, the Qazi and the Yogi are governed by nothing spiritual but greed, pride and craving.
2: Gurinder Singh (Stockton, California, USA), August 21, 2013, 3:47 PM.
'Three inscriptions' is reference to maya's three 'guna's. Through naam simran, we are to transcend them.
3: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), August 22, 2013, 8:51 AM.
This is one of my personal favourite shabads in the Guru Granth Sahib.