A UNIQUE CONGREGATION

By Major Ranjit Singh (Retd.) (South Africa)


ON 19th September, 2005, I received a phone call from Mr. Ranjit Singh (my namesake), inviting me to join in Path (Recitation of Sukhmani Sahib and Anand Sahib, portions of Sri Guru Granth Sahib) at a congregation in his house. Since I myself had been doing this for nearly forty years and remembered these by heart. I was keen to attend the congregation. About 30 persons attended it. After the Ardasa (prayer), I was asked to share my views, which were as follows:

It is believed that recitation of Sukhmani Sahib and Anand Sahib brings peace of mind, bliss and happiness to the readers/reciters. Yes, it bestows peace, bliss and happiness, but of a temporary nature. For lasting peace, bliss and happiness, we have to seek the guidance of a Satguru to practise what is written in the scriptures. That is why it is said:

    Satguru Bhete So Sukh Paye,
    Har Ka Nam Man Vasaye.

(On meeting a Satguru, one can be happy and God-conscious.)

This means that one can be blissful when God dwells in one's mind, which, in turn, is possible when by the grace of a Satguru one realises God, the fountain of lasting peace, bliss and happiness.

No doubt, it is good to read and recite Guru's words, but it is more important to catch the spirit of his words which clearly state that reciting God's Name without knowing God is all rattle and prattle and may result in increasing of our ego. How can we avoid falling in the trap of ego:

    Nanak Lekhai Ek Gal,
    Hor Haumai Jhakhana Jhakh.

    (Except �Ik Gal�, all else inflates our ego.)

Now, let us pause and ponder as to what exactly this �Ek Gal� means without which recitation of the scriptures is categorised as rattle and prattle and which inflates our ego? This �Ik Gal� is �Ek Onkar� or God. Have we realised Him? This is the most important point to ponder over. To take a lead from this term, we refer to the term �Satguru Prasad� which implies that God can be realised by the grace of a Satguru.

Analysing the sentence �Ek Onkar, Satguru Prasad�, we get to the crux not only of Sukhmani Sahib and Anand Sahib but also of the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other holy scriptures. This is also the essence of the �Mool Mantra� or initial eulogy, which is recited before reciting a hymn of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

(a) �Ek Onkar� (God): We have heard and read a lot about God's traits like He is One, all-pervading, omnipotent, omniscient, self-created, eternal and that nothing happens without His will. The question is, who is He? Do we know Him or it is just our imagination? If we have not known Him, then whose glories are we singing? Don't we need to know Him?

(b) �Sat Guru� (True Master): We certainly need to know God and a Satguru who leads us from the darkness to the light. Now if we wish to see God in and around us, meeting a Satguru is a must. Have we come across a Satguru in our life? If not, do we wish to meet a Satguru who can bless us with the divine vision to see God?

(c) �Prasad� (Grace): Divine Vision is not a matter of right but of grace bestowed by a Satguru. It is an undeserved kindness and bestowed freely. The only requirement is that the seeker must approach a Satguru in all humility and a Satguru is there to bless such a seeker.

Holy Scriptures guide:

(a) When we meet a Satguru and understand the meanings of the above three terms, the message of all the holy scriptures, including Sri Guru Granth Sahib, stands understood and we begin to imbibe virtues and enjoy lasting bliss.


    �Anand Bhaya Meri Mae,
    Satguru Main Paya.�

(I have met the Satguru, Now I am all bliss.)

(b) Holy scriptures enshrine description of God, known by several different names such as Waheguru, Ram and Allah. However, Name alone is not enough unless the named entity, that is, God is known and we behold Him face to face.

(c) The scripture says:

    �Hazar Nazar Sarb Viapi,
    Sarb Reha Bharpur.�

(God is present, visible, all-pervading and everywhere.)

The hallmark of a Satguru is that he can make us realise God to be near us.

    �Pure Guru Ki Eh Nishani, Parbrahm Nikat Kar Jani.�

(The mark of a Perfect Guru is that by his grace we perceive God close.)

 

�Purey Guru Ka Sun Updesh, Parbrahm Nikat Kar Pekh.�

(Listen to the Perfect Guru and see God around.)

After the writer has expressed his views, a lady got up and spoke: Throughout my life, I have attended hundreds of congregations but this is the first time I have heard something new and thought-provoking. The lady further expressed certain doubts such as: How can one see God who is formless? Further, to locate a Satguru is also very difficult. Nowadays, there are so many persons posing themselves as Satguru. Who is real and who is fake, how can we make out?

To this, this humble self submitted: I have myself realised God by the grace of Nirankari Baba Ji and anyone can do it by making a humble request to him. God is formless, no doubt, but He can be seen not with the physical eyes but with the divine vision bestowed by a Satguru, as you must have heard so many times before. It is the revelation by a Satguru that enables a soul to realise the Super Soul. The holy scripture is a witness to this truth:

       Allah Alakh Na Jayi Lakhya
       Guru Gur Deena Mitha,
       Kahey Kabir Meri Shanka Nasi,
       Alakh Niranjan Deetha.

(God cannot be seen by the senses but when the Satguru revealed God, all my doubts vanished and I beheld the Unseen.)

To sum up, a True Guru is one who can reveal God straightaway but a fake one simply gives a description of God and some Mantra (incantation) and asks you to repeat it and hope for the best. When confronted with no spiritual progress in a seeker, he will offer one excuse after another. An earnest seeker should therefore make a direct request to him: Kindly show God to me. The answer is either yes or no. If yes, sit down and see the all-pervading Formless, otherwise say thanks and move on till you find a True Guru who blesses you with a Divine Vision of the omnipresent, all-pervading formless God.

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