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Besant Swarag Kaatha
by Harsimrat Kaur Khalsa
Guru Granth Parchar Mission of USA, Inc.
510-432-5827
ਸਲੋਕ॥
(707)
Shalok:
ਬਸੰਤਿ ਸ੍ਵਰਗ ਲੋਕਹ ਜਿਤਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਵੀ ਨਵ ਖੰਡਣਹ॥
“They may live in heavenly realms, and conquer the nine
regions of the world.”
This bani is written in the elite language of the pandits,
Seheskriti. ਬਸੰਤਿ
also means Sprint season, time of growth, power, life,
beauty, and hope. Guru Ji teaches with this bani in contrast to the Hindu
understanding of reincarnation. People have achieved high things in live. They
have gained much knowledge, exceeded over most others in skill, strength, fame,
wealth, power, and beauty. This makes them happy as if they are in heaven. When
they lose what they have achieved, then they lose their peace of mind, ending up
in a hell like state.
ਧਨੁ ਦਾਰਾ ਸੰਪਤਿ ਸਗਲ ਜਿਨਿ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਿ॥ Your wealth,
spouse, and all the possessions which you claim as your own
ਇਨ ਮੈ ਕਛੁ ਸੰਗੀ ਨਹੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚੀ
ਜਾਨਿ॥ 5॥ (1426, ਸਲੋਕ, ਮਹਲਾ 9)
none of these shall go along with you in the end. O
Nanak, know this as true. ||5||
| NINE
WROLD REGIONS OF THE WROLD
ਨਵ ਖੰਡਣਹ |
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1. Africa Region Life List
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2. Australasia Region Life List
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3. Eurasia Region Life List
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4. Pacific Ocean Region Life List
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5. North America Region Life List
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6. South America Region Life List
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7. South Polar Region Life List
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8. Atlantic/Arctic Ocean Region Life List
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9. Indian Ocean Region Life List
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There are also 9 abdominopelvic regions of the human anatomy with their
locations:
1. epigastric - located in the right upper quadrant
2. right hypochondriac - located in the right upper quadrant
3. umbilical - located centrally in the right/left quadrant
4. right lumbar - located in right lower quadrant
5. hypogastric located in right lower quadrant
6. right iliac - located in right lower quadrant
7. left hypochondriac - left upper quadranrt
8. left lumbar - left lumbar - left lower quadrant
9. left iliac - left lower quadrant
ਬਿਸਰੰਤ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਪਾਲਹ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਉਦਿਆਨ ਭਰਮਣਹ॥ 1॥
“but if they forget the Lord of the world, O Nanak, they are
just wanderers in the wilderness. ||1||”
Living as a wanderer brings spontaneous pleasures and
torment. When you wander, you become hot, then cold; hungry, then thirsty again;
healthy, then ill again, hopeful, then doubtful again, happy, then angry again;
and sure, then doubtful. There are only temporary sources of what one needs
wandering, and the resources are extremely difficult to get. It requires
knowledge, skill, courage, and patience. Harsher conditions of a wilderness do
not promote much vegetation and water.
ਬਿਆਪਤ ਹਰਖ ਸੋਗ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ॥ ਬਿਆਪਤ
ਸੁਰਗ ਨਰਕ ਅਵਤਾਰ॥ (182, ਗਉੜੀ
ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ, ਮਹਲਾ 5) “It torments us with the expression
of pleasure and pain. It torments us through incarnations in heaven and hell.”
Heaven is symbolic of when we are having pleasure. Hell is the opposite. Just
watch anyone that goes through good times and then challenging times. His life
is in cycles. The Hindu sees it as reincarnation, but the Gurmukh understands
with Guru Granth Sahib that janam and maran are only expressions that the
manmukh tries to explain about the constant vibrations of molecules and infinite
particles of reality or the stability of God’s hukam (natural laws of the
universe as they actually are and not depenent on how we see them.) To grasp
this, one needs to study the Guru Granth Sahib banis. Guru Ji quotes the source
of the Hindu belief in reincarnation used as an example to argue His cause.
ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਬੇਦ ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਨ
ਵੀਚਾਰ॥”The Shaastras and the Vedas speak of sin and
virtue”; ਨਰਕਿ ਸੁਰਗਿ ਫਿਰਿ
ਫਿਰਿ ਅਉਤਾਰ॥ 2॥”they say that mortals are reincarnated
into heaven and hell, over and over again. ||2||”
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਮਨੁ ਵਸਿ ਆਇਆ॥”By
God's Grace, the mind is brought under control; Salvation is not accomlished by
showy works or rituals.”
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤਰੀ ਤਿਨਿ ਮਾਇਆ॥ 4॥
(385, ਆਸਾ, ਮਹਲਾ 5)
“O Nanak, the Gurmukh crosses over the ocean of Maya. ||4||”
ਕਉਤਕ ਕੋਡ ਤਮਾਸਿਆ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਸੁ ਨਾਉ॥
“In the midst of millions of games and entertainments, the
Lord's Name does not come to their minds.”
Infinite changes are given to each person to discover and
embrace the Creator, but many fall short and only see and misinterpret
everything in maya as their only Heaven reality. Then they distinguish between
pain and pleasure which their minds interpret good or bad inaccurately. Pain and
pleasure are not objects of their own and cannot exist without human or animal
life. The brain and entire nervous system contains over 120 billion
neuro-receptors chemically reacting to different stimuli, and the body receives
these signals back and forth from parts of the body to the brain to inform us of
change. The brain defines the stimuli and communicates to parts of the body how
to react, to ignore or to react. We experience various stimuli in our social and
physical environment changes inside and outside the body. We either calm down
(parasympathethic nervous system taking over)and enjoy or flight or resist. We
have the ability to ignore what bothers us. The brain can cut the pain. The
fools are stuck in what they call heaven and hell. They are fooled by the
illusions they have created themselves or been influenced like the blind leading
the blind. ਜਿਉ ਸੁਪਨਾ ਅਰੁ
ਪੇਖਨਾ ਐਸੇ ਜਗ ਕਉ ਜਾਨਿ॥ (1427-14,
ਸਲੋਕ, ਮਹਲਾ 9) “Like a dream and a show, so is this
world, you must know.” Many claim to have divine insight, false Kachie bani
preachers, but they are more blind than their listeners.
ਨਾਨਕ ਕੋੜੀ ਨਰਕ ਬਰਾਬਰੇ ਉਜੜੁ ਸੋਈ ਥਾਉ॥ 2॥
“O Nanak, their home is like a wilderness, in the depths of
hell. ||2||”
ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਨਹ ਸਿਮਰਿਓ ਮੋਹਿਓ ਸੁਆਦ ਬਿਕਾਰ॥
(297, ਥਿਤੀ ਗਉੜੀ, ਮਹਲਾ 5)
“He does not
remember the Lord in meditation; he is fascinated by the pleasures of
corruption.” ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮਿ
ਬਿਸਾਰਿਐ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਅਵਤਾਰ॥ 9॥”O Nanak, forgetting the
Naam, he is reincarnated into heaven and hell. ||9||”
ਝੂਠ ਸਮਗ੍ਰੀ ਪੇਖਿ ਸਚੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ॥”Gazing
upon the false objects, he believes them to be real.”
ਪਉੜੀ॥ Pauree:
ਮਹਾ ਭਇਆਨ ਉਦਿਆਨ ਨਗਰ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ॥
“He sees the terrible, awful wilderness as a city.”
The universe is compared to an enormous, infinitely detailed
city easy to get lost in. Without a map how can any visitor get around? Guru
Granth Sahib’s wisdom is our tour guide and navigator. With him the city is
quite exquisite and wonderful. If you rely on your limited knowledge or have a
bad tour guide, your visit will be Hell. Sometimes you have to ride through dark
tunnels or high ridges, or take a detour through a place not so beautiful, to
get to the other side of the city. These are not bad, because patience and the
right direction make it worth the wait to get to your trip’s destiny.
ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਪੋਚ ਮਾਟੀ ਕੇ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਨਾ ਕਛੁ
ਪੋਚ ਕੁੰਭਾਰੈ॥ 2॥ (ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ, ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ)॥ (1349) “Nothing is
wrong with the pot of clay – nothing is wrong with the Potter. ||2||” When
things don’t happen the way we expect, we tend to judge the whole situation as
bad, then we tend to blame God. When we reason faults in creation and faults in
the natural laws of the universe, we tend to misjudge God. Our evidence is only
based on our illusions, our misunderstandings of anything. We become lost in our
perceptions which are blinded by our ignorance and five vices.
ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧਿ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਦੇਵਾਨਿਆ॥
“Engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism, he wanders
around insane.” Gursikhs believe in conditioning the mind to focus on reality
(sachiaya hoiyeh) in all aspects of life. Care is taken not to fall as suckers
into the five thieves, of which the first two kam and krodh are the most
difficult to strongest.
ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਭ੍ਰਮਤਉ ਘਣੋ ਸਦਾ ਸੰਘਾਰੈ ਮੀਚੁ॥
(297, ਥਿਤੀ ਗਉੜੀ, ਮਹਲਾ 5) “They
wander endlessly in heaven and hell, until death annihilates them.”
ਸੁਰਗ ਬਾਸੁ ਨ ਬਾਛੀਐ ਡਰੀਐ ਨ ਨਰਕਿ
ਨਿਵਾਸੁ॥ “Don't wish for a home in heaven, and don't be
afraid to live in hell.” In other words, don’t be closed minded to the wills of
God and only accept things in life that brings convenience and comfort. Even if
you relax your whole life, your body will weaken.
ਹੋਨਾ ਹੈ ਸੋ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ ਮਨਹਿ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ
ਆਸ॥ 1॥ (337, ਗਉੜੀ ਪੂਰਬੀ, ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ)
“Whatever will be will be, so don't get your hopes up
in your mind. ||1||” Just as things change with the stable hukam of God, so
should our willingness to adapt be ready. The most successful people in the
world are those who constantly examined themselves and learnt to adapt and were
ready to accept needed changes in their posture, self image, appearance, and
tactics.
ਸਿਰਿ ਲਗਾ ਜਮ ਡੰਡੁ ਤਾ ਪਛੁਤਾਨਿਆ॥
“When the Messenger of Death hits him on the head with his
club, then he regrets and
repents.”
We should not wait for the day of death to improve ourselves.
Now is the day of salvation, not later. The earlier we start, the greater impact
we will have on ourselves, family, and society. Since everything is like a dream
and illusion, after death, if one has attached himself selfishly to maya, then
he will be not be able to adjust the to changes in the next world where the very
maya that he yearns is no use to him. He will not adjust either in this life or
in the next realm of existence. Or, he will only get what he craved (the maya),
when he could have had the Giver Himself which he rejected.
ਬਿਨੁ ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰਦੇਵ ਫਿਰੈ ਸੈਤਾਨਿਆ॥ 9॥
“Without the Perfect, Divine Guru, he roams around like
Satan. ||9||”
ਹਉ ਵਿਚਿ ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਨ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥ In ego
they reflect on virtue and sin.
ਹਉ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਰਕਿ ਸੁਰਗਿ ਅਵਤਾਰੁ॥
(466, ਆਸਾ, ਮਹਲਾ 1)
In ego they go to heaven or hell. This means egotistic fools
even attempt to enter or experience Heaven, but don’t make it.
ਕਵਨੁ ਨਰਕੁ ਕਿਆ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ਸੰਤਨ
ਦੋਊ ਰਾਦੇ॥ (969, ਰਾਮਕਲੀ, ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ)
What is hell, and what is heaven? The Saints reject
them both. Heaven and Hell are only viewed as the spiritual condition of the
soul. ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਅਵਤਾਰਾ॥
People are incarnated in heaven and in hell.
ਹਉਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਈ॥ In egotism, they come
and go. ਮਨੁ ਟਿਕਣੁ ਨ ਪਾਵੈ
ਰਾਈ॥ The mind cannot hold still, even for an instant.
ਬਾਝੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਬਾਰਾ॥
Without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
ਮਿਲਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਾ॥ 2॥
(1003,
ਮਾਰੂ, ਮਹਲਾ 5) Meeting with the True Guru, one is
emancipated. ||2||
So what is heaven? Is it a physical place where pure souls
enter after death? ਆਪੇ
ਸੁਰਗੁ ਮਛੁ ਪਇਆਲਾ॥ (1021, ਮਾਰੂ,
ਮਹਲਾ 1) You Yourself are the heavenly realms, this
world and the nether regions of the underworld.
ਅਰਬਦ ਨਰਬਦ ਧੁੰਧੂਕਾਰਾ॥
For endless eons, there was only utter darkness.
ਦੋਜਕੁ ਭਿਸਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਖੈ ਕਾਲਾ॥
(1035, ਮਾਰੂ, ਮਹਲਾ 1)
There was no heaven or hell, no death or time.
ਨਰਕੁ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਨਹੀ ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਨਾ ਕੋ
ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਇਦਾ॥ 3॥ (1035, ਮਾਰੂ, ਮਹਲਾ
1) There was no hell or heaven, no birth or death, no
coming or going in reincarnation. ||3||
ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ
ਤੁਝ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਲਗਾ॥ 7॥ O imperishable, eternal,
unfathomable Lord, everything is attached to You. ||7||
ਸ੍ਰੀਰੰਗ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੇ ਵਾਸੀ॥
(1082, ਮਾਰੂ, ਮਹਲਾ 5)
The Lover of greatness, who dwells in heaven.
ਭਿਸਤੁ ਨਜੀਕਿ ਰਾਖੁ ਰਹਮਾਨਾ॥ 4॥ 7॥
15॥ (1161, ਭੈਰਉ, ਮਹਲਾ 5)
Keep me near You O Merciful Lord God - that is heaven for me.
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ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ॥
As long as the mortal hopes for heaven,
ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸ॥ 2॥
he will not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||2||
ਖਾਈ ਕੋਟੁ ਨ ਪਰਲ ਪਗਾਰਾ॥
(1161, ਭੈਰਉ, ਮਹਲਾ 5)
ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਤ ਧਿਆਉ॥
To meditate on the Lotus Feet of the Lord of the
Universe is heaven for me.
ਮੁਕਤਿ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਸੰਗਤਿ
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ॥ 1॥ ਰਹਾਉ॥
(1220, ਸਾਰਗ, ਮਹਲਾ 5) In the Saadh Sangat, the Company
of the Holy, is the treasure of liberation and the Lord's Ambrosial Name.
||1||Pause|| Because the company of those who hunger for God encourage and
inspire each other to remain on that path of Heaven.
ਕਬੀਰ ਸੁਰਗ ਨਰਕ ਤੇ ਮੈ ਰਹਿਓ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ
ਕੇ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ॥ (1370, ਸਲੋਕ, ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ)
Kabeer, I have been spared from heaven and hell, by
the Grace of the True Guru.
In conclusion, Heaven and Hell are the conditions of our
body, mind, and soul. People try many extreme tactics to attain Heaven,
salvation, peace of mind, success. Heaven is not something you earn through
egotistic “showoffy” acts of kindness, ritual prayer, urge of the greedy soul
for convenience. If you want Heaven, you have to have a just cause for wanting
it. If you only urge for heaven for selfish gain, you will never get it and
remain stuck in the returning cycles of disappointment.
The only way to reach Heaven is to yearn for God.
ਜੋ ਬੀਜੈ ਸੋ ਉਗਵੈ ਖਾਂਦਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਜੀਉ॥
(1243, ਸਾਰੰਗ, ਮਹਲਾ 1) Whatever is planted, shall grow.
The soul eats the fruits of its actions, and understands. You must learn
understand what God is and how to react to His gracious free invitation and
accept it, and live by it. This is why it is urgent for the whole human race to
study the Guru Granth Sahib teaches. We should not be so superficial with God,
our great Giver. If we only come to Him for a gift, that is not enough. Soon we
will crave more and more of His gifts. If a person gives you a gift and you only
exploit them, then you do not truly respect the giver. What is God’s gift? His
gift is eternal. Creation forms are only a loan for us that changes in molecular
form from seen to invisible, like birth and death. Things fade away in time.
God’s hukam is eternal that causes everything to come and go.
Akal Purekh Himself is unchanging and infinite. God’s Gift is Himself- the
delight in the radiance of the divine presence of God.
In conclusion, God truly intended for everyone to get to know
Him on an intimate basis. Because of our ignorance and falsehood of our 5 vices,
we tend to turn away as if to say we have no interest in the diving Heavenly
experience of our Creator, true Father and companion, provider, protector, and
healer. Christianity teaches “how can say he enjoys such sublime ecstacy of
Heaven and not be willing to share how to get this with others?” I cannot
understand why we do not have empathy for others to care enough to introduce
Guru Ji to those already suffering Hell on earth. Why can’t we also offer the
free information of Guru Gian to promote Guru Nanak’s goal of reaching those who
are hungry for God but do not know how to find it. We should have our own Guru
Granth Sahib study programs in the homes or in the Gurdwara Sahib, just like the
Christians do with their Bible. It is not enough just to read paath, meditate,
and listen to kirtan and sewa. We need to study Gurbani, act, and promote so as
not to be selfishly living comfortably in our closed environment. We can
accomplish promotion of Guru’s Khushkhabri Gospel, without being forceful to
promote humanity and spirituality to all races. We need to develop creative
methods to do this, to get the attention of the lost to hear what Guru Ji has to
offer- risk free. There is no need for deception, false advertising, or imposing
on anyone. It should be a natural gentle, loving action on our part by the Grace
of God to extend a hand for those that are lost in their own self made Hell. We
should also try to help the very people we come in contact with, especially
those with special needs, not just “save the soul” and ignore the rest of their
composition.
Since Guru Granth Sahib is so special to us Sikhs, why are we
not studying and promoting the golden wisdom Guru Ji provides to all free of
cost, regardless of one’s background? Instead, many of our own kind are too busy
fighting for a position as a committee member, craving power over others for
recognition and attention, or just craving more of the money collected in Guru
Ji’s name. If we claim to have the true Word of God, why are so many of us lost,
without tasting the meaning of the Gurbani that we daily recite? Instead of only
doing sewa, paath reading, and meditation, we also should incorporate sharing
traits in our walk with Guru Ji and accept the task that Guru Ji started, and
many martyrs sacrificed their lives for-for the right for all to hear about
God’s greatness, glory, and grace. What a blessed Heritage we have from Guru Ji,
yet we do little about it.
ਫਿਰੈ ਸੈਤਾਨਿਆ
We don’t have to roam around like Satan over and over again.
We can roam around inspiring others. We can decide to be Satan or a Gurmukh.
This decision will promote Heaven or Hell for ourselves and others are effected
too.
My goal with Guru Granth Parchar Mission is to reach as many
people as possible to promote the study of Guru Granth Sahib so they can have
access to this jewel wisdom so they will be able to can decide for themselves
whether or not they want to apply it to their lives to watch Akal Purekh help
them work out their own Heaven and remain there. If your burden for this to
happen agrees with our Parchar Mission, please contact us.
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