Ang 918 Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji
ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਅਨੰਦੁ
ਸੁਰਿ ਨਰ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਖੋਜਦੇ ਸੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ਪਾਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕੀਨੀ ਸਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਉਪਾਏ ਇਕਿ ਵੇਖਿ ਪਰਸਣਿ ਆਇਆ ॥ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਚੂਕਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਭਲਾ ਭਾਇਆ ॥ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਪਿ ਤੁਠਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੩॥
रामकली महला ३ अनंदु
सुरि नर मुनि जन अम्रितु खोजदे सु अम्रितु गुर ते पाइआ ॥
पाइआ अम्रितु गुरि क्रिपा कीनी सचा मनि वसाइआ ॥
जीअ जंत सभि तुधु उपाए इकि वेखि परसणि आइआ ॥
लबु लोभु अहंकारु चूका सतिगुरू भला भाइआ ॥
कहै नानकु जिस नो आपि तुठा तिनि अम्रितु गुर ते पाइआ ॥१३॥
Summary
Dhan Guru Amardas Ji dedication for ‘His Guru – Dhan Guru Angad Dev Ji’ is exemplary. Guruji led by an example, how to do ‘Guru Seva – Serve Guru’. Major chunk of ‘His Baani’ glorifies ‘The Guru’. This Shabad is no exception, where He speaks freely about ‘Grace of Guru’.
‘Amrit – Nectar of Immortality’ has been an entity of interest among living beings either celestial or humans or demons since the birth of universe. But why ‘Amrit’? Possible reasons:
1. An individual wants to live forever; such is fear of ‘Death – The End’. He just wants to enjoy senses so long life will ensure, as per their belief, he will continue to be victim of wrong beliefs. Also, as per him, being immortal will help him to establish his regime and rule forever. Even if he manages to attain immortality he will pay the price since he has become victim of ‘Fallible Beliefs’. So such individual even if find ‘Amrit’ he is as good as dead as his conscious is killed by evil. He will be a man without warmth, virtues and ‘The Name of The One’.
2. An individual has seen pains. He has been thrashed by society, slandered by all and discarded by everyone, like Kabeer Ji, Ravidass Ji and Naam Dev Ji. And he just begins to believe that ‘pains have to end’. He searches for end to his miseries either to take revenge over the society and end up like an individual mentioned above in point 1 or just to rise over sufferings. If he search for ‘End of Sufferings’ outside he will just wither away but if somehow by ‘Grace of Guru’ he searches inside, as mentioned by Guruji, he is sure to find Amrit. His sufferings will end and he will become alive, no more ‘Dead Consciousness’ and eventually he will find ‘The Amrit’.
‘Guru’s Grace’ is such bliss that ‘Such Amrit’ is only obtained from Him, the ‘Same Amrit’ which angelic beings and the silent sages keep searching. What happens when ‘Amrit’ is found by Guru’s Grace? Guruji say, ‘The True One’ resides in mind.
‘The One’ is the creator and all living beings and creatures are created by Him. But why only few come to seek blessing of ‘True Guru’? This is really amazing, ‘HE’ is present in all and only few seek ‘HIM’. Well, Gurbaani surely gives the reasons for it. Whosoever is under ‘HIS GRACE’ will pursue ‘HIM’.
ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੋ ਧਿਆਏ [1]॥ जिस नो नदरि करे सो धिआए ॥
(One, whom He blesses with His Grace, meditates on Him.)
But who is under ‘HIS GRACE’? As per Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji:
ਅਖਰਾ ਸਿਰਿ ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ਵਖਾਣਿ[2] ॥ अखरा सिरि संजोगु वखाणि ॥
(From the Word, comes destiny, written on one's forehead.)
That is, one is born with pre-ordained destiny is under ‘HIS GRACE’ to serve ‘HIM’, to contemplate on ‘HIS NAME’.
What happens to such individuals who come to meet ‘True Guru’? WHO other than Guruji is better to explain it? Guruji went to meet Dhan Guru Angad Dev Ji and He gave away Himself. His greed, desires and ego were dispelled. Just imagine Dhan Guru Amardas Ji was elder brother of Dhan Guru Angad Dev Ji’s daughter’s father-in-law. But when He took first step to meet Dhan Guru Angad Dev Ji, He had left behind His ego and met Guruji like a ‘Common Sikh’.
And when all the evil residing a human is vanquished he is just left with gratitude for his Guru. The Guru becomes everything for him.
ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਤਾ ॥ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਬੰਧਪੁ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਭ੍ਰਾਤਾ [3]॥ तूं मेरा पिता तूंहै मेरा माता ॥ तूं मेरा बंधपु तूं मेरा भ्राता ॥
(You are my Father, and You are my Mother.
You are my Relative, and You are my Brother.)
When Guru becomes every relation then all the emotions for each relation combined as one for Guru. And, then commences the process of surrender. Guru takes cares of everything; in fact He comes to abyss of filth, filth which has been accumulated for births to clean it. Someone, ‘WHO’ comes to depth inside an individual and cleans the filth; just remember an individual has tons of immorality which can only be cleaned by Guru and Guru’s Word, why did He not seem sweet to such an individual? There are no words to thank ‘Such Guru’ and an individual reaches the state of bliss.
In the end of this Shabad Guruji summarizes that those with whom the Lord is pleased, obtain the Amrit, through the Guru. Dhan Guru Amardas Ji showed us the way to serve the Guru and He achieved the ‘Highest Possible State’ just by serving ‘His Guru’. Please remember we have to serve in similar way for our Guru, Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
[1] Vadhans Mehla 5 – Ang 563 Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[3] Majh Mehla 5 – Ang 103 Dhan Guru Granth Sahib
