The meditation of Sri Guru ji is like the sun. It makes the Lotus-like heart blossom. My wisdom is blossomed and so I write this beautiful Katha of the Giver of Peace.
Sri Baba Sandhur Vaach..
Many people were called by the Raja. He started the construction of the Dharmsala, right away. Musk, sandalwood, agar and Kapoor were grinded and pasted on the walls. Beautiful doors were made. Many types of rugs were laid out. Rose essence was sprinkled everywhere. The fragrance was great everywhere. A beautiful bed was laid down in the middle with expensive sheets laid out on top. The Dharmsala was ready, soon enough. The Raja had love in his heart. He walked towards Guru ji. When the Raja came to the garden, he didn’t see Guru ji there. Guru ji wanted to test the love of the Raja. Guru ji had disappeared before the Raja came. When the Raja couldn’t find Guru ji, he became anxious. He fainted on the ground. He lost the senses of his body. His body got dirty with dirt. His servants picked up him and fanned him to bring him back to consciousness. The Raja soon regained awareness. He spoke with a deep sorrow: “where did you go Guru Nanak Dev ji? Doing your Darshan makes the 3 illnesses go away. I had been waiting for you for a long time. I had finally met you and experienced joy. I must have bad karma because you disappeared.” The Raja said this and ran towards the jungle, anxiously. Love had made him crazy. He was in pain and yelled: “oh Master of my Life, come and meet me again.” He ran around frantically. He asked the birds and the trees if they had seen Guru ji. He asked the bees, lakes and shores: “did you all see the Mine of Virtues?” He was anxious and spoke to everything in the jungle. He couldn’t find Guru ji anywhere. He had sweat all over his body. He had tears in his eyes. His clothes were wet. He fainted again.
Guru Nanak Dev ji, the Master of the Universe, reappeared to him. The Raja’s servants fanned him and wiped his face. He came back to his senses after drinking water. He saw Guru ji standing in front of him. He grabbed the feet of Guru ji with eagerness. His throat swelled with emotion. He spoke: “I have constructed the Dharmsala, Master! Where did you go, oh Omniscient One? Come with me and make my city pure. Come and sit in my beautiful home.” Guru ji heard the Raja’s requests. The Giver of Mukti walked with the Raja.
Within the Dharmsala, there was a bed laid out. Guru Nanak Dev ji was seated on the bed. The Raja was happy and held a celebration in the city. Everyone was eager to do the Darshan of Guru ji. They all came, bringing many gifts. They folded their hands and bowed to Guru ji’s feet. They took white flowers in their palms and showered Guru ji with them. They sprinkled sandalwood and lit incense. Many celebrations took place. The praise spread throughout the land. Rani Chandkala, came with the Raja. They were eager to see Guru ji. They did 16 types of Poojas of Guru ji (Chaur, bowing, Parkarma etc.). Taking a golden plate in his hand, the Raja lit four wick Divas. The Raja did the Aarti of Guru ji with his own hands. The whole Dharmsala was filled with sounds of “Jai Jai!” the Raja was humble and made pleas to Guru ji: “Prabhoo, I am without guidance. Make me yours. Give me your wisdom by which the doubts of the world are destroyed. Give wisdom to my whole country. Your words have the four gifts (Dharma, Arth, Kaam and Moksha).” Guru ji heard this and understood his Dharma of relieving the pain of his servants. He said: “make your mind still and pure. This is the way to destroy all of the pains. There are two ways to stop the mind. The Vedas and the saints say this. Do what is easier for you. Think about it and take one path.” Raja Shivnaab folded his hands and bowed his head to Guru ji’s feet. He said: “the two ways you speak about, tell them to me in detail.”
Guru Nanak Dev ji said: “the two ways, I will tell you in detail. The two ways are “Kasht Yog” (also known as Hatha Yog) and “Bhagti Yog.” These two make the body pure along with the mind. I will tell you about Kasht (Hatha) Yog first. It has 8 Angs (Asht Ang), listen to these: 1. Yam 2. Nem 3. Ekaant 4. Asana 5. Prana Yam 6. Dhyana 7. Dhaarna 8. Samadhi. The one who practices these can obtain the highest Param Padh status.
Yam has 10 types. I will tell you their signs. The first is Ahinsa – non-violence with the Munn, words and body. To think bad of others is the Hinsa of the mind (Munn). To speak harsh words is the Hinsa of the words. The third is to kill someone. Denounce these without delay. The second is “Sach.” Speak the truth. Never lie. The third is theft of two kinds: of the body and of the mind. To steal someone else’s things is of the body. To do a sin and to hide it, this is of the mind. This is the third type of Yam. Don’t forget these, oh Raja. The fourth is Brahmacharj which gives peace. Win the 8 types of Kaam: 1. Talking about women 2. Listening about the beauty of women 3. Meeting with women alone 4. Touching body parts 5. Looking at women with pleasure 6. Embracing 7. Thinking about women 8. Having sex. Whoever lets all of these go, that is the following of the Brahmacharj. The fifth is Dheeraj – patience. Pain and joy should be tolerated like the earth. Pain, joy, wealth, heat and cold; one should not be anxious in any situation. The sixth is Forgiveness. Tolerate everything. If someone says good or bad, tolerate it with patience. The seventh is to never see anyone in pain. Have compassion upon all. The eighth is to keep a soft heart. Give wisdom to all with love. The nineth Yam is to eat food in the Maryada. Think of good and bad. The food that comes, eat one fourth less than required. The tenth Yam is to keep “Soch” – purity. Wash your hands with dirt and water. The dirt of attachment and hatred in the mind, let it go and make your mind pure. These are the 10 Yams.
Listen to the 10 Nems with focus. The first is Tapp. It is of 3 types 1. Rajsi 2. Tamsi 3 Shantki. To keep oneself hungry, to give heat to the body in summer, to bathe in cold water in winter; this is the Tamsi Tapp. (Vaak Sidhi is achieved with this) Gyaan does not come into the heart though. If one does this, they are rewarded with Vaak Sidhi. Rajsi Tapp is to stop the mind from doing bad deeds and doing Seva. The Shantki Tapp is to make the mind still. The second Nem is Santokh – contentment. There are 2 types: when you can’t gain a certain item, and say you don’t need it, there is no joy in the heart. The person wishes for praise. The second type is to accept what comes to you. The Jogi that does this, there is no fault in this. They are not affected in any way. If they get something, they are happy with what they got. They are happy with the will of Vahiguru. This gives them joy. The third is Aasthik Bhuddi. One should have faith on the Guru’s words. The fourth is Dhaan – donation. There are three ways: Tamsi, Rajsi and Satki. Giving donation with anger or speaking harshly; giving donation with conflict; speaking with anger while giving donation; giving donation on inauspicious days; this is the Tamsi Dhaan. To donate for self-praise; this is Rajsi Dhaan. There is little reward in this. To donate while seeing a deserving person (saint, poor, needy); giving with respect and request; this is the Shantki Dhaan. To see Vahiguru as the ultimate giver, not to see anything as yours, there is a lot of reward in this. The donation of money or Vidya (knowledge); giving the Shantki Dhaan with humility, the reward is not measurable. The saints and Vedas all say this. The fifth is to do Pooja with your heart. Keep faith in the Guru. The Pooja will be a success then. Their wisdom is drenched in love and devotion. The sixth Nem is to abide by the Guru’s Shabad. To read those Shabads and listen to them; pondering on them; words that are against the Guru’s ideology, do not listen to them nor read them. The seventh is to read and listen with “Riti” – tradition. Love the tradition and teach it in the same way. Do as you preach. Earn the Shabad of the Guru without hypocrisy. Make your body and mind pure by doing this. The eighth is to keep the mind Satoguni. Walk with humility. Speak sweetly. The ninth Nem is, the Paath (recitation) that you do, don’t speak any other words while reciting the Bani. The tenth is the Agni Home (Yagna). To make the Devatas happy for your wish fulfillment. One should feed hungry Sikhs. This the Brahm Home, which is successful. This is the Langar. Say “Vahiguru” before eating the food. Angi Dev is the mouth of all the Devatas. All of the Devatas receive what is put into the fire. The Brahm is happy when the food is burnt in the belly of the person who says the Naam. They become pure in this way. The third Home (Yagna) is of the Gyaan. The tastes of the Indrees (senses); the Gyaan fire destroys the ego of the body (hamta, mamta= me and mine). These are the 10 Nems. This is the second Ang of Kasht Yog.
The third ang is Ekaant Desh. Living in the place where no other human’s sound can be heard.
The fourth ang is Yog Asanas. The Vedas and Jogeshwars speak about this. The Jeevs in the world, as many as Jeevs there are, that’s how many Asanas there are. (Out of 84 Lakh Jeevs, 84 are considered Mukh. From those are taken 16 and then 4 and then 2) the 2 supreme Asanas are considered the Sidh Asana and Padam Asana. The great beings have chosen them. Listen to their characteristics: dig a hole in the ground and fill it with soft grass. Lay a white cloth on top and sit on it. Take a bath and don’t move while sitting. Take your left foot and press it onto the anus. Take the right foot and place it on top of the Ling. Focus your attention on your front nostrils or on the tip of your nose. This is the Sidh Asana. Wise Yogis do this. Padam Asana - put your left foot on your right thigh and your right foot on your left thigh; the two arms should be behind the back; hold the toes; concentrate on the middle of your eyebrows and sit down. This is the Padam Asana.
The fifth ang is Prana Yam. They have 3 types: Poorak, Kumbhak and Rechak. Poorak – take your focus away from the world. From your right nostril, take the Puraans up towards the Dasam Duaar and say Oankaar 12 times. As long as the Puraans stay inside that is Kumbhak. Say Oankaar 24 times. Rechak – take your breath out from the left nostril and say Oankaar 12 times. To take the breath up and down, slowly, do it in reverse for the other nostril as well. If you start with the right nostril, say it with the left next time. This will open up the Trikuti path (between the eyebrows). When the Puraans begin to stay in the Dasam Duaar, then the Anaahad Dhun begins to open. The Anaahad sounds ring and the Param Jot can be seen. The great radiance can be seen moving there. The bliss is there. As the focus increases in the Param Jot, the sound increases. The sound gives immense bliss.
The sixth ang is Dhyaan. This gives peace. There are two types of Dhyaans: Bahya – outward and Antreek – inward. To do the Dhyaan in Vishnu Chaturbhuj, this is the Bahya Dhyaan. To focus on the Guru’s Shabad, to focus on the belly button, heart, nose and the middle of the eyebrows; to focus on the ground or the Dasam Duaar, the Anaahad Dhunni opens up. Then focus on the Param Jot. This is the Antreek Dhyaan.
The seventh ang is Dhaarna. While focusing, the mind wanders which becomes an obstacle. To repeatedly control the mind and take it to the Shabad, to make the mind still in Dhyaan, this is Dhaarna.
When the mind becomes still, that is called the Samadhi. The mind does not wander. There are two types: Nirvakalap and Sakalap. To see the Dhyata (focuser), Dyaan (focus) and Dhay (item to be focused upon) as separate, that is the Sa Vikalap Samadhi, as said by Jogis and wise beings. To see the Dhyata, Dyaan and Dhay as the same, to see only the Brahm; this is called the Nirvakalap Samadhi. This is the eight ang. Practice this with determination. The consciousness should be focused in this Yog; this will give joy while practicing. When the focus stops from the Dasam Duar, one takes guidance from the Guru’s word. Many have been blessed by this way. The attachments have been broken in this way. They broke their bonds.
The second way is the “Bhagti Yog.” The Granths describe 8 Angs for these as well. The first is Yam – keep the mind humble, even though one being filled with many skills. See yourself as lower than others. Don’t be egotistical/proud of your accomplishments and skills. The second is “Nem” – going to the Satsangat. Listen to Katha and Keertan in Sangat. Focus on it. If you are literate, read Bani with love. If you can listen, listen to Gurbani with focus. The third ang, Ekaant Desh – see the Gobind everywhere. Don’t identify anyone or anything as different from the Gobind. See the animals and insects as Gobind. See other humans as Gobind. There is no other so don’t see duality. There is only One Gobind in every heart. Understand the fourth ang as “Asana.” Keep focused on the Gobind. The focus is the Asana. The fifth is Prana Yam. Poorak, Kumbhak, Rechak; 3 types. Poorak – listen to the words of the Guru and make them dwell into the heart. Be eager to listen to more. Listen to the words and understand them. Kumbhak - Engrain the Guru’s words in your heart. Practice this everyday, forever. Keep it in your heart. Rechak – recite the words of the Satguru. Let go of what the Satguru tells you to let go. Let go of your desires and vices. This will give you peace. The sixth is Dhyaan. Read, listen and recite the words of the Guru. Keep your focus in the meanings of the Shabad. Don’t think of any other thing. Don’t let the mind wander. The seventh is Dharana. I will tell you of the form; if the mind wanders, control it and focus on the Shabad of the Guru. When the mind is still for an hour or two, that is the Samadhi, the eighth ang. When the Samadhi occurs within the Shabad, then practice this more and make it grow. When the mind is focused in the Shabad for 24 hours, then the Samadhi is complete in the best way.
This the Bhagti Jog. In Kaliyuga, it is the easier way. The Kasht Jog is difficult and can’t be done by everyone.” Hearing the wisdom from Sri Guru ji, the Raja folded his hands and bowed his head. He said: “I wish to learn the way of Yog. It is a deep desire of my heart.”