Me™ days passed that way. The, Sindhi was .a picture of complete devotion., He started. acting on.the advice of the Bhai.and. engaged, in.sélfless service. Those who believe in mere theory. cannot: understand. the extent of joy af. a person who is actively engaged i in selfless. service, The extent of,} Joy and the type, of happiness which was now the everyday experience of the Sindhi was indescribable. Itcanbe understood -by one. who, himself starts on. the road to selfless service; one wh, acts. and faces a problem and finds its solutions. When such a person faces a problem he tries to find a solution and after Solving. it, ne does not rest. He keeps .on going. In his devotion to the Bani and jn-his effort at recitation and reading of the holy word the Sindhi was facing two distinct problems. The first problem was that often while studying the Bani he felt a tremendous} JOY. which gave him a feeling of pride and the realization, that he was, an, extraordinary person; This would bring in him a feeling of egoism. He diddevdte sometime to the -Rani,, but that did not give, him any. jay, It became, more of a formalityt than real dedication. The joy ‘which he had got earlier made him. proud of himself. His head swelled. and he became an, egoist. ‘The.second. problem. was that the following day he “would feel disinterested inthe Bani..He would feel indifferent and lazy. The, Sindhi brought both his problems to Bhai Sain Dass Ji and sought a. solution. Bhai. Sain Dass Ji listened to his problems carefully and. was Jost inmeditation and thinking over. the whole: affair “He said. that, the road. to Spiritual. bliss _wasol a, silken. highway. | ‘tt was fraught with all, sarts of
1s. che Guru Ji i is.great who. protects the true seekers.and | keeps them on the right path. Without the constant, and. active pretengen of Guru Ji no seeker can hope to succeed in his
efforts. The Bhai said to the Sindhi, “Dear brother, you enjoy the reading of Gurbani. Guard yourself lest the evil should play clever tricks upon you. Egoism is the most powerful disease afflicting the mind. Ego always hides somewhere inside and it is ever busy in tempting the seeker to fall a victim to the self. One becomes aware of it only when it is too late. When one experiences spiritual bliss, the ego brings in the feeling of self importance and one likes to say, ‘I am great, 1am everything, nobody is like me etc.’ This feeling if unchecked takes the form of pride and one starts feeling ‘I read Gurbani, I am the seeker.’ The stress is always on the ‘Tl’ and this feeling strikes at the root of concentration. Man finds his attention wavering and the focus becomes blurred. Such a person loses all interest and becomes lethargic and disinterested. All the love which one had for Guru Ji disappears and man starts nursing the - feeling of his own greatness. The solution and treatment of such a malady is that one should mix with the feeling of joy »
- some other feeling so that when evil or ego tempts am an, he is
able to resist it. This strategy will help in keeping the mind
concentrated on Guru Ji.”
The Sindhisaid, “Respected Sir when the aim of dedication and devotion is bliss, how can bliss play the role of trapping a person? What mystery lies behind the situation when bliss becomes a hurdle?”
The Bhai said, “Bliss is never the cause of man’s fall. In many cases when devotion to God, service to humanity and dedication to the Bani lead to a blissful state of mind, many a weak person gets more than he can bear, his thoughts slip to starts considering himself as somebody very important. In some cases bad company gives him such an impression. The actual cause of harm is the weakness of mind and not bliss. Therefore, ’ at this stage we need some help or something which does not affect the purity of experience and at the same time does not
make the seeker’s mind sad. Let me explain further. One is
unable to digest pure butter oil but it can be very easily digested if taken with black pepper and sugar.”
The Sindhi was pleased at the illustration and the simile. He wanted to know what could help the mind in resisting the onslaught of the ego. The Bhai said, “That is the feeling of thankfulness. In other words it is an attitude of gratitude. When you are being blessed with bliss, adopt the attitude of greatfulness and say, ‘Lord, you are great. It is very kind of you that you have considered me worthy of your blessings. I am nothing, you have made me everything. Lord, you are great you are the source of all joys. You are the soul, you are the body. Tama sinner. It is your greatness that you have considered me worthy of your benediction. Itis your grace that you have blessed me. I am unable to thank you. I am too poor to think you. Dear Lord, you have awakened in me the light which has enabled me to see your glory and beauty. Lord, how blissful is your face! © How can [ thank you! If every pore of my body were a tongue even then it would not be possible for me to thank you adequately. No effort on my part can be sufficient to thank you _ for'what you have done for me. Thanks, many many thanks, countless thanks.’ If you have such feelings of greatfulness and, when the feeling of bliss is added to these, you will be the happiest person. Your eyes will well up with feelings of joy, every pore of your body will become effulgent of a strange sensation and often you will find your throat blocked with the sudden rise of emotion. You will experience various forms of spiritual swings. Instead of the sharp shooting bursts of bliss, you will experience a slow, and regular flow of joy inside. The sudden experience of bliss was bound to be short lived. Whereas the blissful experience coupled with the feelings of thankfulness will be a more enduring affair. If the feelings of thankfulness are nourished, the blissful experience can be further prolonged. This way you will leam to live through the
" experience easily.”
While hearing these words the Sindhi thanked the Bhai. But the movement he opened his lips, he felt as if his throat was choked with the feeling of thankfulness which was empowering him. The Sindhi was experiencing what he had heard from the Bhai. The wise teacher had aroused in him the
feelings of greatfulness. His theory wasimmedjatelytranslated dnto, practice. What. the Sindhi; wanted, te.say was lost in the feelings of. gratitude: He could not utter even.a: wordandfellat : the feet-of the Bhai: The Bhai lifted up the Sindhi.and, clasped him-to; his bosom: As. the.Bhai embraced.him the.feelings. of thankfulness. in. the: Sindhi got further intensified, The; Bhai told him that when, one is experiencing the feelings: and -emotions of thankfulness; the Gurulooks all the more charming and Guru Ji's memory becomes all the more sweet: Insucha -gtate-of mind one experiences the soothing coolness of the ‘moon and.a feeling of elation spreads inside. -
The Bhai said, “Dear friend, the.emotion.of thankfulness is the panacea of all.ills, Guru Ji teaches us the importance of thankfulness: at every step. Just see how Guru Ji opens our eyes-and tells us to experience the feeling of, gratitude, : The -Guru Ji tells us: to have the black pepper and sugar mixed-with the pure butter of bliss.”
It is by His grace that you get’ cosy beds to lie in Sing therefore His praises ‘hight and day. It is His grace that brings you honour among me. Honour Him therefore with: your tongue aiid voice. ~ Look upto Himalways, =” One Supreme Lord who helps you to live up - to your convictions.
as = Ff
‘His grace it is that saves your repute from harm.
‘After this reading from the book, both became quiet for some.time.. They were lost in their-devotion: to Guru Ji. When some time had passed, the Sindhi opened his eyes and said, : Porgive me, please be kind enough to tell me what qne should do when one becomes lazy and finds his.mind indifferent.”
The Bhaisaid, “There is:-another method: which.is as.potent as the method.of thankfulness; and.that is: prayer; Prayerisia very -effective weapontofightlaziness and indifference; Prayerhas ithe-power.to: tune our mind-to; the. Almighty, There.ane two a types of prayers. Let as for our-conventence;‘catt one, xh these
an appeal and the other.a supplication.” The Sindhiasked the Bhai-how to pray. The Bhai.said; “When, you wish; to, get something or you wish to getrid of some disease or affliction-ar wish to-seek protection from an unwanted.object or.danger, ‘you should make an appeal to Guru Ji or the almighty. [fthe appeal is not born of deep feelings, it is a prayer all right but it is a very weak effort. But if the appeal is from the depth-of your heart and if it is the voice-of your soul, it is very effective and very fruitful. There is another form of appeal which: is more effective and has more lasting effect. Whenthe seeker believes that Guru Ji lives in his mind and he feels Guru Ji within. and without, he remembers Guru Ji all the time and.everywhere. An appeal made in such a state.of mind should be considered accepted. by God. Believers have great faith in such prayer."
“In this world everything differs from the other, The difference is-qualitative. Similarly the quality of. every. prayer is different. The difference is on the basis of the seeker's state of mind. A mind steeped in faith in the Almighty and rich in-the belief. of the nearmess to God and-sleep in dedication and _ devotion. will have success in prayer. As is the faith, so, as the prayer.”
The Sindhi said, “That is right. You have very. aptly explained the appeal-like-prayer.which helps the-believer in achieving the desired effects. Revered sir, you have explained how the believers say their prayer, but I had asked what a beginner, like me should do. My question was how to overcome laziness orlethargy and indifference. You have said that prayer is the.cure of such an affliction. The problem which I am facing does not exist at all for true believers. My problem is how, to concentrate the lazy.and indifferent.mind and how. to Sneak the runaway, thoughts.”
Bhai Sain Dass Ji replied, “Youmean to say what is the use of lip prayer? But in fact, this is not just lip-prayer.-Prayer is born on the lips and then. it finds its roots. Nobody becomes awrestler in a day. Progress is. the result oLslaw and steady. hard work.
‘Bede ft
his mad himself he says,’ ‘How shall L, do this?” We ask him to
make up his mind. He says that he tnes but all his efforts are in vain. We ask him to pray to God and He will help him. We ask him to say his prayer with the truest feelings. He does as we ask him. What do you think, will his prayer be as effective as a prayer by Bhai Gurdas Ji?” The Sindhi said, “The difference will be very great and very wide.” The Bhai continued “But both are prayers. One day the evil man, if he says his prayer every day, will reach the level of Bhai Gurdas Ji.”
“The more he devotes himself to God, the greater will his strength be. The more he believes, the more he achieves. The more he tries, the more he will succeed. As he advances in his efforts he will come closer to truth. His concentration will increase and one day he will able to say the prayer which is accepted by the Lord before it is over. Prayer fails only when it is not said with due devotion. That prayer is bound to fail which aims at demonstration and creating an impression that the man is very pious because all the time heis lost in prayer.When the prayer utters something or not, whether the prayer lasts . for half an hour or just a couple of minutes, it is accepted. Such a prayer never fails. If the intention is holy and the devotion is complete, one rises spiritually through the course of the prayer. simplicity and the truth of prayer gives the purest joy to the seeker. God is so helpful that whosoever seeks Him is helped at every step of his effort. If there is desire for seeking, and proper effort is put in, one may fail once, but one is not defeated. Failures give strength to the true seeker to rise and try again. So what starts as a mere appeal ultimately cleans the mind, the soul and the body, and makes the seeker one with God. True prayer takes the seeker to his destination. Dear friend, as far as possible, say your prayer with the utmost devotion. When | you find your mind lethargic and indifferent, make all efforts to © address your prayer to God. Ask andimplore God to protect you and to keep your mind devoted. In this way when devotion and dedication is shown, the ego gets subordinated. Whenever you feel the ego waking up, suppress it with prayer. One should pray to God with the total humility and say, ‘Almighty God, | have come to seek your protection. Lord ! Bless me with the
power to keep my mind devoted to you. lam just a worm seeking your blessings.’ Gurbani says:
My Master, mercifully keep me in Thy protection. I know not how to perform Thine service, as lama grovelling fool. Itake pride on Thee, O my darling Beloved. I am a sinner and ever perpetrate mistakes. Thou art ever the Pardoner of mine. Pause. I commit numberless sins everyday and Thou artForsaking Thee, O Lord,] associate with mammon, Thy handmaiden. Such are my deeds. In Thine mercy, Thou blesseth me with everything, While I am an ungrateful fellow. I am attached with Thine gifts and contemplate not on Thee, O my Master. 0 the Remover of birth and death, Without Thee, there is not another. Says Nanak, [ have entered thy sanctuary, O merciful Guru Ji. Deliver, (1ou me, the unwise one.
“This type of prayer will help you rid yourself of lethargy and indifference. You will feel the joy of bliss flowing to you uninterrupted. I have seen many pious Sikhs who are deeply dedicated to the Nam. Whenever they feel a spiritual urge, they study Gurbani and enjoy the bliss.”
“[have seen them happy with the feeling of thankfulness. I have seen their eyes full of tears of joy while saying their prayer. Often I have seen them overwhelmed by all these feelings coming together. We are powerless. Because of our powerlessness, we need all the more hardwork to make prayer a part of our psyche.”
The Sindhi said, “That is very true. You are a blessed Sikh of the holy Guru Ji. Kindly let me know some other method to fight lethargy and indifference of the mind.” The Bhai said, “Lethargy and indifference may be due to some physical ailment. By washing our face, hands and feet we can get nid of lethargy and indifference. Seeking the company of the pious also helps. The company of the pious and the words of wise men on the one hand give us strength to fight lethargy and indifference and on the other hand induce dynamism in us. Gurbani says that the company of the pious is very exalting.
The other cure lies in listening to the recitation of the holy Bani. I have told you about saying prayers. As fare as possible, say your prayers and say. these with, the utmost devotion and dedication. Guru Ji will he pleased with you and you will find yourself interested, once again in the matter of spiritual advancement. Another method is persistance. If you find your mind indifferent towards something, persist with it. If you find your mind to. avoid it and try hard-to keep your. body away from it. With the passage of time you will find that persistence in doing, good: and avoiding. evil will transform your nature and good actions.will become a part of your daily habit.”
The Sindhi reminded the Bhaithat he had told him earlier that prayer was of two types. One might be called an appeal and the other a supplication. The Sindhi wanted to know the difference between these two. The Bhai continued his exposition and said, one can call it a prayer when the super consciousness of one’s mind, to fulfil its spiritual needs, attunes itself with the Lord and Guru Ji with total conviction and a sense of timelessness. The prayer is based on the faith that : God is all-pervasive, omniscienent and omnipotent such a prayer is the result of the trust in His power, and faith in His being the source of all love. There is another form of prayer which is still higher. In such a prayer nothing is asked for or desired. Nothing is asked for consciously or knowingly. This prayer is addressed with the faith that God Himself fulfils all desires of His seekers. As I have said, in such a prayer, the seeker begs for something regarding which he himself is now aware and God fulfils all the desires of his devotee. This is the state of being wheré the mind if fully tuned to the Almighty. Itis just: like touching: the chord of a musical instrument and the very touch produces the whole symphony.”
“It is a true‘prayer when the mind remembers all the six Guru Sahibs and-also remembers the sacrifices of the devoted men and women of the past: This prayer does not aim only’ at personal spiritual growth. It is also said as ritual and a convention. Itis also.a prayer when the seeker himself speaks to the Almighty or speaks through another devoted person.”
The Sindhi asked the Bhai if prayer was also said for the’ benefit of the soul: The Bhai: said, “This is a‘ distinct form of: prayer which is said solely for spiritual upliftment: Guru Ji: himself has prescribed Such a prayer in Gurbani.” § -
“In other words theseééker, sometimes, overwhelmed with emotions and feelings, : makes a more grateful effort than-he has'‘spiritual energy. Guru Ji says.that one ‘must not tryto: jump higher than.one’s capacity. One should consolidate oné’s: position before taking the next step on the road to‘spiritual fulfilment. If a man puts in more efforts than ‘he can: afford; naturally he will be easily tired and in such a situation: he will not find. any interest either in Nam, Bani or service, or in joining the congregation. The concentration will evaporate and he will find himself disinterested. In such a situation to regain his lost ground man should pay attention to prayer and devote his mind to the Guru Sahibs. When one feels exhausted, indifferent and lethargic one should remember the Guru Sahibs in the right sequence.” The Sindhireplied that was the prayer of spiritually mature minds: He wanted to know whether novices like him could also benefit from that prayer. The Bhai said, “We are all: sinners. We-commit many sins and errors. ‘Due ‘to’ misunderstanding or due to bad company or dué to‘any other reason, we commit sins and the ‘net result is that the mind becomes weak and lethargic. But if we devote our attention to God and the Guru Sahibs once again we can regain the lost energy. True prayer gives us strength to shed the baseness which engulfs our mind due to bad actions.”
“Our Guru Sahibs have given liberation to numerous persons. and sects at various places. In our-religion the concept of the Guruis abstract as well as palpable. These days Guru Nanak Dev Ji is physically. present in the world in the body of the Sikh Guru Ji. Their philosophy is the panacea of all ills. If a Sikh is living at a far off placeé-and.is unable-tosee Guru Ji physically; he can do so.through prayer. When. the.mind wants to have a grip over. abstract concepts it finds-a lot of difficulty and often-in its devotion to Gurbani too, it becomes lethargic. In such a situation. the best way-is to address the prayer in the belief that Guru Ji
is present. Such an effort cleans the mind. These are some of the different methods to treat spiritual affliction.” The Sindhi was greatly satisfied. He said, “That is all very good. Now let me tell you what I have understood to clarify that I have got these ideas properly. When the mind becomes disinterested in life and the world and finds peace and consolation in God and Guru Ji, this is called spiritual awakening. Though I do not have personal experience of such a state, yet I can say, as I have understood from your discourse and exposition, it is that state of mind when it is natural to think of the welfare of others and to think about spiritual urges. In most cases God himself fulfils all the desires of the seeker, but I think that it is possible only in the case of spiritually advanced minds. I do not know whether it is an appeal, supplication or prayer, but this much I know that it is an experience in itself.” | Bhai Sain Dass Ji interrupted him by saying, “Generally people apply the common term prayer to all their efforts. For your easy understanding, I had given different names to different kinds of prayers, but in fact all forms should be more appropriately called spiritual prayers.” The Sindhiagreed with ‘the Bhai. The Bhai continued, “Believing that Guru Ji is present, the appeal for fulfilling the needy is a prayer. It is just like submitting an application to the higher spiritual authority for the redress of gnevances and problems. You have learned _ the recitation and reading of Gurbani as prayer. So seek God's blessings, to overcome the weaknesses of the mind and to seek the love of God. The supplications made to God have also been termed as prayer. When evil thoughts overwhelm the mind or when the ego pulls man towards evil ways, the remembrance of Guru Ji has also been termed as prayer. I think prayer is useful and helpful when one is afflicted with worldly problems and difficulties of daily life.” Bhai Sain Dass Ji assumed that a prayer was perfectly in order for seeking God's blessings in solving the day to day problems of life, but that should be done with complete humility and dedication. Guru Ji says that instead of begging from those who are themselves beggars, it is better to pray to Him who has the
magnanimity to give gracefully. One may beg only from God. One should pray to God as an obedient son speaks to a rich father. This way the mind will find what it seeks. When the mind is elevated and spiritually awakened, it is said that such a person demands from God only one thing and that is His name. But we, you and [are yet novices. We are still very weakminded. We should seek from God what we need. We are still not capable of transcending all our desires and beg the Nam from God. Guru Ji says that ‘begging from anybody other than God is itself an affliction. Now give me the gift which _Satisfies all hungers.” The Sindhi said, “I have followed you. I have understood your point. Kindly tell me if have understood your meaning fully and clearly?”
Bhai Sain Dass Ji said, “Yes, you have got my meaning correctly. I have explained to you the different methods about which, I have practical personal experience. Two methods will suffice. The first method has been described in the Bani. We need only to practice what the Bani teaches us. Bani tells us of the code of spiritual joy. The other method is that which — we learn through our personal individual practice. This method is as clear as the sun in the sky. If your mind desires to know different methods, one day we shall go to seek advice from the honourable Bhai Gurdas Ji, who is a noble and perfect example of devotion and piety.”
The Sindhi said, “Revered Sir, 1am not considering your expositions from a critical point of view, nor am I an expert in the field of spirituality. lam a thirsty man seeking water. Your words are very soothing to me and they have quenched my thirst. am alreadyfed up with dry theoretical knowledge which leads one nowhere. Your words have acted like a balm on my sore heart and while sitting in your company, | feel as if! am sitting in a beautiful garden.”
The Bhai said, “It is all due to the blessings of Guru Ji. Dear friend, I do not mean to say that spiritual knowledge is mere superstition or pure thought. What! wish to stress is that one understands the higher stages of spiritual knowledge as one moves deeper in devotion and dedication. I have been
telling you the various methods to ascend the steps towards ultimate knowledge. As medicine cures fever, similarly, Ihave tried to tell you ways to cure spiritual affliction. Ihave not told you yet, which medicine is effective and how it acts on our body and soul. I am still explaining to you the first step. The second step automatically comes into our grasp. When the mind is concentrated and when one has the blissful experience, everything becomes clear and beautiful. There is still a long way to go, I have told you about various methods which I had learnt through my experience. For the moment the content is more important than the method. The Bani spreads joy within us, but the mind is stabilized through some method or device.”
“I wish to refer to another matter and, after meeting the sixth Guru Ji, you will leave for your town but there you will be living physically at a distance from Guru Ji. But to feel that Guru Ji is near you, you should involve yourself in the congregation. Guru Ji is present in the congregation. The - congregation is of various types. The first form of congregation is the company of Guru Ji but if one lives physically away from Guru Ji one can still enjoy the Gum's closeness through the Bani that is the company of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the manifestation of all the Guru Sahibs. It contains eternal and immortal knowledge. Living in the company of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji amounts to living in the company of Guru Ji himself. The third form of congregation is living in the company of a devoted person who has been blessed by Guru Ji. A blessed person is always willing to help the seekers who should be ready to act upon his advice. In our faith such blessed and pious persons are given the honour of a (Sant) - Man of God, the benefactor, Gurmukh and other such names. These blessed men are fully devoted to Guru Ji and they help others in such efforts. The fourth type of congregation is of those who are hardworking, lovers of truth, simple and free from bad company and bad habits. Whenever these people get together, they thank God for His blessings. In other words, seeking the company of good people blessings. In other words, seeking
the company of good people and endeavouring in the way of piety, is also a congregation. The fifth form of congregation is the company of someone who is suffering from spiritual restlessness and comes to you to listen to words ofconsolation. To talk with such people on subjects such as truth and good action is also a form of congregation. Such conversation helps them in finding the right path and they create within themselves love for God. It is a congregation as long as you are filled with a feeling of charity and as long as you are free from pride and egoism. You are to treat yourself as a messenger of God and treat the seekers as guests of Guru Ji and you are to talk to them in the name of Guru Ji and conduct yourself as though you have been commanded by Guru Ji. Further you are to treat the fellows as your most important guests. Gurbani says that you should treat such a seeker to the best of your capacity. Nowhere are you to think in terms of doing a favour to - him. You are to treat the seeker or your guest, as a humble servant treats his master. But if you suffer from the illusion of supenonity and treat others with contempt and have merely formal relationship with others, you will be harming yourself. When the ego overpowers the soul, even the most celebrated person becomes a victim and prisoner of his own ego. Sikhism enjoins on every Sikh to try to be far above the worldly temptations and be closely associated with Guru Ji. He should act according to the advice of Guru Ji as is stated in the Bani:
By the Lord’s grace does one serve others.
such is the Lord’s command;
Thereby one attains His mission.
One following the master’s will obtains all desires. And at the divine portal is invested with honour.
In the end I wish to point out that you must never be unmindful of the improper longings of your heart. Many a time the mind creates an impression that one is free from all drawbacks. Whenever you commit an error, you should willingly own it and repent it. If somebody points out some “defect in you, you should not lose your temper with him; rather,
you should be thankful to him. A true Sikh is always ready to listen to criticism. Now this matter stands concluded.”
The Sindhi said, “I wish to seek clanfication on one more point. Your referred to recitation of Gurbani to the accompaniment of music. I wish to know, what is the use of such singing?”
The Bhai said, “I have ATE told you about Gurbani. When Gurbani is sung with music, that is called Kirtan (bit laudation}. Music softens the heart and with the help of music one acquires enlightenment quickly. Music prepares the soul to advance into the unknown fields of spiritual experience. In Gurbani there are repeated references to the importance of music. Gurbani when sung or recited with music is more effective. Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that Kirtan enables the mind. Kirtan purifies the mind. There are many pre-conditions for making Kirtan effective. First of all the singer of devoted and | dedicated to God. Guru Ji says that only such a person should sing it who has faith in God’s Name and only that Kirtan is effective which is performed by a true believer. The second condition is that the signer must enunciate the words in their correct and lucid form, so that the listeners have no difficulty in understanding. The music should remain subordinated to the Bani and it should not be allowed to overwhelm the sacred words. The third condition is that the singer should be an expert in the art of music and should have a clear understanding of rhythm and metre. He should select the appropriate tune for every piece of Baniwhich he intends to sing. Every effect should be used so that both the Bani and music should complement and supplement each other. The tune should be clear and melodious.”
Kirtan is a form of meditation which melts the heart; and intensifies the blessings. When the heart melts, it uplifts the: soul. The process arouses love for God and one is able to rise above all types of low thoughts. Kirtan makes for uninterrupted flow of the Name. When wax melts it looks all the more beautiful. When the heart melts it is ready to receive the impressions of the Name and God. When the heart is indifferent
and suffers from lethargy, base material gets collected around the self. Kirtan is the sure cure. In the past ages the seeker himself had to meditate to remove dust from his soul, but in our period man has the facility of Kirtan. Kirtan has an added benefit. If a seeker 1s unable to perform Kirtan himself he can listen to others. Gurbani sanctions listening to Kirtan. Kirtan prepares the heart to receive the gift-of the Nam. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has described the seeker’s state of mind to an uninterrupted progress. Guru Ji says that seekers are always progressing and advancing towards God. So, Kirtan has the capacity to lift the seeker above mundane joys and sorrows. It is the force which lifts the mind to an upper region. Those who sing God’s Name rise with the help of Kirtan. Guru Ji says that by pronouncing God’s Name through Kirtan all sorrows come to an end and Kirtan solves all problems.”
“That is why in every Sikh shrine and in every Sikh household Kirtan of Asa-di-Var is performed in the mornings. Listening to Kirtan purifies the mind, cleanses the heart and washes all that is base and low in it. One feels prompted to serve humanity. One develops love for the Bani and feels deeply rooted in the Name and the life of the seeker becomes meaningful. That is why Guru Ji has laid down that Kirtan is a gem that has a brilliant and pure glow. Similarly, dear friend, there is another use of Bani which is called discourse. Discourse aims at explaining and paraphrasing Gurbani and one learns the secrets of spiritual enlightenment. Through discourse the listener understands the reality of God and finds himself devoted.”
The traveller said, “Babaji, I have found that the Sindhi is ~ averyinquisitive seeker and does not let anything pass without questioning and understanding it. It appears to me as if am asking the question and the Bhai is answering my inquiries. Had there been no reference to Kirtan and discourse, I was going to ask you these very questions which the Sindhi has asked. It is good that the abstract and philosophical side of Gurbani is explained through discourse. That is the right purpose of discourse, cleaning of the mind and concentration
are easily obtained through Kirtan. The Bhai has beautifully . said that Kirtan is a form of meditation. One person does the meditation, and others benefit from his efforts. If you ask me, . would say that there is another side to Kirtan. The easier form of Kirtan is such a form of meditation which gives joy and delight and involves little effort. It is not simply meditation, it is the soothing rain of joy.” |
The Baba said, “Now, I feel that you understand Baniinits proper perspective. As you listen to Bani, read it, meditate on it or listen to Kirtan you will feel enriched within and without.”