Application of knowledge from various sciences and
logic to interpret Gurbani
Dr Sukhraj S Dhillon, PhD
Mountain House, CA 95391, USA
Email: drdln@dpcpress.com
ABSTRACT
Gurbani is the absolute truth and the truth does not shake or waiver with time or contradicts itself. Truth from science and truth from gurbani must eventually converge to remove myths trickled down to us from Hindu mythology that has influenced interpretation of gurbani. We have suggested both the scientific and spiritual perspectives to remove such doubts. It is concluded that use of science as a modern tool helps comprehend and understand, and gives a better picture of the total philosophy rather than leave things in myths and up to individual interpretations. The concept of God by Guru Nanak and modern science is similar which is important in understanding gurbani.
Introduction
It is very disconcerting to read literal meanings of gurbani. Gurbani created by any guru, bhagat or Bhatt should carry the same theme and same philosophy. There cannot be two interpretations of gurbani. It is the absolute truth and the truth does not shake or waiver with time. However, many myths have trickled down to us from Hindu mythology and people over time have come to believe them. We need our scholars to do research using analytical minds so that they can help us remove such doubts that creep in our minds.
One of the strongest motivations of humankind is to seek answers to profound questions, and we need to bring all the power of both the scientific and spiritual perspectives to bear on understanding what is both seen and unseen. This is the approach we need in interpretation of gurbani.
Guru Nanak and his successors were not scientists in the traditional sense. But none of their writings are at odd with modern scientific concepts. If science is used as a tool to explain some of their writings, it becomes easier to comprehend and understand, and perhaps get a better picture of the total philosophy rather than leave things in myths and up to individual interpretations. The concept of total philosophy is important to understand the basic philosophy of gurbani for proper interpretation or what we call interpretation in the real perspective.
The scientific concepts enhance our understanding about what were mysteries before. Scientific discoveries are not about damaging a religious faith or creating a new religion, sect or movement but to complement our understanding in a positive way (3).
The Message of
Gurbani and Its Interpretation
In the absence of proper tools of understanding gurbani even the learned scholars differ on the same theme. Here’re some examples from recent missives on GLZ (Gurmat Learning Zone). My views, keeping in mind the basic philosophy and science, are also given. Even in daily practice of gurbani, Dr. Khokhar and Prof. Kirpal Singh are in favor of use of Mala (rosary) for Naam Japna. On the other hand the missive of Mr. Rawel Singh is against the use of Mala for Naam Japna. I endorse Rawel Singh's views.
Similarly, I noticed a duality in another discussion about existence of MIRACLES in gurbani. Mr. Rabinder Singh Bambra supports the existence of Miracles in Gurbani, and possession of ridhi and sidhi (supernatural powers) by Yogis and Siddhas while Mr. Mohinder Singh Sahni opposes the acceptance of miracles and ridhi and sidhis in gurbani. Here I support the views of Mr. Sahni.
Though our gurus did not believe in reincarnation, yet Bhatts held Ram and Krishna
as Divine incarnates, believed that Guru Nanak and his four successor Gurus
were Ram and Krishna reborn. Here my views are that there is no reincarnation,
and Rama and Krishna are not reborn as Sikh Gurus. Kabir Ji also says
that we are not born again and again (reincarnated) as humans.
kbIr mwns
jnmu dulµBu hY hoie n bwrY
bwr ]
kabeer maanas janam dulambh
hai ho-ay na baarai baar.
Kabir, Precious human existence does not come over
and over again.
(AGGS, Kabir, p 1366, Line 1)
Similarly Guru Arjan says that:
Awgwhw kU
qRwiG ipCw Pyir n muhfVw ]
aagaahaa koo taraagh
pichhaa fayr na muhadrhaa.
Look forward; don't
turn your shoulder backwards.
nwnk isiJ
ievyhw vwr bhuiV n hovI jnmVw ]1]
naanak sijh
ivayhaa vaar bahurh na hovee janamrhaa. ||1||
O Nanak, be successful
in this life. You shall not be born again. ||1||
(AGGS,
M 5, p 1096)
These examples suggest that we should not take Gurbani too
literally. We should take a broader view of gurbani to interpret in the modern
age of science and technology.
Why is there duality in understanding the message of Gurbani?
What is the real message of Gurbani about these and other subjects?
The problem with the great theologians and researchers is that they are interpreting Gurbani according to their own single-minded knowledge and whims without considering the proper methodology for interpreting Gurbani. The answer to the above two questions lies in understanding the basic philosophy and use of science as a tools for proper understanding of Gurbani in its originality.
The essence of the Gurbani message starts with Mool Mantar (basic principle) which is the expression of Japuji in as few words as possible. The philosophy of our founding Guru Nanak is expressed in Mool Mantar and Japuji Sahib which is extended into the entire Gurbani of our holy Guru Granth Sahib.
The central theme of Gurbani is that there is only one God (Ek Onkar), who is known by different names in different religions. It is not outside the world. The God, a creator is in the creation and creation is in the creator.
Kwilku Klk Klk
mih Kwilku pUir rihE sRb
TWeI ]1]
rhwau ]
khaalik khalak khalak meh khaalik poor rahi-o sarab thaa-ee.
The Creation is in the
Creator, and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all
places.
(AGGS, Kabir,
p1350)
Science says the same. The very first word of Ek Onkar in Mool- Mantar expresses exactly the same concept which is the foundation of all modern relativistic science: E=mc2. Ek Onkar: The Creator (energy) and the Creation (matter) are ONE! In other words, creator/creation or energy/matter is inter-convertible. But the total energy is one constant universal reality, the god. It is eternal (akaal moorat) and does not take birth (ajooni).
If we realize that fact then we will not call Guru Sahiban as Gods or God like because there is only one God who is eternal and doesn’t take birth (akaal moorat and ajooni). This will make shabads like the ones below easier to interpret without controversy. Guru Arjun and Guru Nanak should not be interpreted as Gods or God like.
Bin mQurw kCu Bydu nhI guru Arjunu prqK´ hir ]7]19]
bhan mathuraa kachh bhayd nahee gur arjun partakh-y
har. ||7||19||
So
speaks Mathuraa: there is no difference between God and Guru; Guru Arjun is the
Personification of the Lord Himself. ||7||19||
(AGGS,
Mathura, p 1409, Line 12)
sB qy vfw siqguru nwnku ijin kl rwKI myrI ]4]10]57]
sabh tay
vadaa satgur naanak jin kal raakhee mayree. ||4||10||57||
Guru
Nanak is the greatest of all; He saved my honor in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
||4||10||57||
(AGGS, M5, p
750, Line 4)
Here’s what Guru Nanak and science Says about our relationship with God: We can have scientific explanation to the concept of Soul-God (atma-parmatma) from Gurbani. That is individual soul as part of universal soul.
God and Soul is explained by Guru Nanak as the 'Jyot', which is scientifically 'Energy'. Scientifically everything in this universe came from this 'Energy' and will go back to this 'Energy'. 'Everything' means all matter including human beings and all other beings. Guru Nanak still goes further that this 'Energy' came from 'Sunn (or void) or Singularity or Nirgun'. The 'Sunn' means 'Nothingness' and 'Nothingness' means 'Everything'.
A universal mind or one mind or one God of which we are part of is universal energy, because "the universe is all energy and the energy is all universe." Albert Einstein discovered: the energy can convert into matter and matter can convert into energy. The basic units: atoms and subatomic particles - that form molecules, and cells, and tissues, and organs, and individuals, are our common origin. The atoms and subatomic charged particles do not grow old and are ageless and timeless. We can call these basic units of matter as soul (atma) created from the energy of the universe (parmatma) - the two are inter-convertible and represent atma-parmatma. The atoms in a child or a seedling are no younger than that of a wrinkled person or a yellowing leaf. That is why we can say that soul is eternal and never ages or dies, if we choose to say so (4).
Once we accept the God within and realize that it's not possible to be separate from God and that we are one with God; then we know that we are love and we are peace and we are joy and we are happiness and we are eternal. It's only when we look at life in a specific form, we fall victims to our separation from rest of things. That separation is called the ego. The ego is a false self that we made up to compete with God based on the thought that we are separate. That iron curtain of selfish ego separates us from Universal Spirit/Universal Energy or God or atma from parmatma.
Here’s what Guru Nanak Says:
Awqm mih rwmu rwm mih
Awqmu
God is in the Soul and the Soul is in the God.
(AGGS, M 1, p 1153)
Awqmw prwqmw eyko krY]
AMqr kI duibDw AMqir mrY]
aatmaa paraatamaa ayko karai.
antar kee dubiDhaa antar
marai.
Whose soul and the Supreme Soul (God) become one; the duality of the
inner mind disappears.
(AGGS, M 1, p 661)
We are all part of one indivisible divine mind or the universal mind or Universal Energy or God. Our individual mind or soul (atma) is divine image of supreme (or Parmatma), but we have to recognize it:
mn qUM joiq srUpu hY
Awpxw mUlu pCwxu ]
AGGS, M 3, p 441.
O'my
soul/mind you're the image of Divine light; so know your source.
Recognition of one’s soul is recognition of God within us. What is that recognition! What is that state of mind with awakened spirit! That state of mind is without fear, without enmity, immortal without the fear of death or birth, complete within itself-- timeless, ageless, and formless (Akaal Moorat). We know that only physical body ages, spirit is not affected by time or age or birth or death. A few blessed ones realize that state of mind (Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajooni Saebhang, Gur Parsad! Mul-Mantra or Basic Principle, Japuji, AGGS, p 1).
In addition to the above concept, there are some other main points to keep in mind when interpreting Gurbani. Violation of these points will take us away from interpretation in real perspective.
1. The concept of heaven, hell as specific places out of this world is not accepted.
2. Haumai (I-am-ness/false ego) is one of the most important impediments in realizing God.
3.
The concept of Sehaj
is probably unique to Sikhism. “Sehaj” may be called a state of mind that determines how one
acts and deals with any situation. This state can only be achieved when one
believes that in the ultimate analysis whatever happens is the will of God and
one’s responsibility is to take the right steps in a calm and peaceful manner
in harmony with the environment.
4. We all are us, there is no other. If no other then there is no enmity. And if no enmity then there is no fear.
Understanding types of expressions, used in Gurbani using logic and science play very important role in understanding Gurbani as discussed in detail by Dr. Chahal (2). These include (1) Allegories, Metaphors, and Similes; (2) Questioning-Answering System; (3) Use of Practical Methods; (4) Use of Established Concepts, Ancient Philosophy.
Here’s an example of interpretation keeping in mind the principles we have discussed above. We are all familiar with Kabir ji’s shabad often cited in Gurdwaras and at funerals.
kbIr ijsu mrny qy jgu frY myry min Awnµdu ]
kabeer jis marnay tay
jag darai mayray man aanand.
Kabeer,
the world is afraid of death - that death fills my mind with bliss.
mrny hI qy pweIAY pUrnu prmwnµdu ]22]
marnay hee tay
paa-ee-ai pooran parmaanand. ||22||
It is
only by death that perfect, supreme bliss is obtained. ||22||
(AGGS,
Saint Kabir, p 1365)
How do we obtain bliss by death? The bliss can only be experienced while we are alive. The Gurbani declares that one who dies in the Shabad (Naam-consciousness) is truly dead. He is a Jeevanmukta (living-liberated). With constantly hearing, perceiving and contemplating the Truth, his individual light links to the Supreme Light. In this process disappears his false ego-sense (Haume), the notion of "I, me, mine, and you." Therefore, it is not the death of physical body but the death of ego in which we experience the supreme bliss.
ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਮੁਆ ਮਰਦੋ ਮਰਦਾ ਜਾਇ ॥
Houmai vich jagat muaa marado maradaa jaae.
In egotism, the world is dead; it dies and dies,
again and again
(AGGS, M 3, p 555, Line: 19)
ਹਉ ਨ ਮੂਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਮੁਈ ਬਲਾਇ ॥
Hau
mooaa maeree muee balaae.
I have not died - that evil
nature (ego) within me has died
(AGGS, M1, p 152, Line: 7).
Guru Nanak in Japuji is saying the same as ultimate aim is to kill the ego if you want to realize the truth or experience the supreme bliss.
ikv
sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY
pwil ]
kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai
tutai paal.
How to realize the truth, and
remove the wall of falsehood?
Answer:
hukim rjweI clxw nwnk iliKAw
nwil ]
1 ]
hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal. ||1||
O Nanak, accept and walk in
the Way of His Will.
nwnk hukmY jy buJY q haumY khY n koie ]2]
naanak hukmai jay bujhai ta ha-umai kahai na
ko-ay. ||2||
O Nanak, one who understands His Command,
does not speak in ego. ||2||
(AGGS, Jap
1, p 1)
Here’s another example of a very common hymn that can totally mislead us without understanding the philosophy of Gurbani. Literal meaning without the use of logic and science will give us a conclusion that will be different from entire philosophy of Gurbani. This is one of the hymns in our holy book, the Guru Granth, which most theologians interpret more like Hindu concept of reincarnation and transmigration.
AMiq kwil jo lCmI ismrY AYsI icMqw mih jy mrY ]
ant kaal jo lachhmee
simrai aisee chintaa meh jay marai.
At the
very last moment, one who thinks of wealth, and dies in such thoughts,
srp join vil vil AauqrY ]1]
sarap jon val val a-utarai.
||1||
shall be
reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents. ||1||
ArI bweI goibd nwmu miq bIsrY ] rhwau ]
aree baa-ee gobid
naam mat beesrai. rahaa-o.
O
sister, do not forget the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||Pause||
AMiq kwil jo iesqRI ismrY AYsI icMqw mih jy mrY ]
ant kaal jo istaree
simrai aisee chintaa meh jay marai.
At the
very last moment, he who thinks of women, and dies in such thoughts,
bysvw join vil vil AauqrY ]2]
baysvaa jon val val a-utarai.
||2||
shall
be reincarnated over and over again as a prostitute. ||2||
AMiq kwil jo liVky ismrY AYsI icMqw mih jy mrY ]
ant kaal jo larhikay
simrai aisee chintaa meh jay marai.
At the
very last moment, one who thinks of his children, and dies in such thoughts,
sUkr join vil vil AauqrY ]3]
sookar jon val val a-utarai.
||3||
shall
be reincarnated over and over again as a pig. ||3||
AMiq kwil jo mMdr ismrY AYsI icMqw mih jy mrY ]
ant kaal jo mandar
simrai aisee chintaa meh jay marai.
At the
very last moment, one who thinks of mansions, and dies in such thoughts,
pRyq join vil vil AauqrY ]4]
parayt jon val
val a-utarai. ||4||
shall
be reincarnated over and over again as a goblin. ||4||
AMiq kwil nwrwiexu ismrY AYsI icMqw mih jy mrY ]
ant kaal
naaraa-in simrai aisee chintaa meh jay marai.
At the
very last moment, one who thinks of the Lord, and dies in such thoughts,
bdiq iqlocnu qy nr mukqw pIqMbru vw ky irdY bsY ]5]2]
badat tilochan tay nar muktaa peetambar
vaa kay ridai basai. ||5||2||
says
Trilochan, that man shall be liberated; the Lord shall abide in his heart.
||5||2||
(AGGS,
Saint Trilochan, p 526)
Here’s brief summary of few lines of the above shabad for analysis.
"At his very last moment, one who thinks
of wealth, and dies in such
thoughts, shall be
reincarnated over and over again, as a serpent."
"He who
dies in thoughts of women shall return as a prostitute."
"One who
dies thinking of mansions shall be reincarnated as a goblin."
"At his
very last moments, one who thinks of the Lord, says Trilochan,
shall be
liberated; the Lord shall abide in his heart."
--Trilochan, Guru Granth, p
526
If one takes literal meaning of this hymn from Guru Granth by Bhagat Trilochan, it will be more like Hindu idea of the cycle of birth and rebirth (where one would logically look for one’s ancestors in lower life forms such as reptiles or in kings and queens depending upon how their earthly lives were measured by a heavenly judge) and not the Sikh philosophy.
In the last stanza of Bhagat Trilochan’s hymn, its literal interpretation would tell us
that one could sin the whole life to one's heart's content; all that is
necessary to be forgiven is to die with the name of God on one's lips. Now, how sensible is that? How does that fit the model of perfect
justice? This does not fly with educated
Sikhs in age of Science and technology.
What Trilochan means is perhaps the same as in Hindu concept. Most of the orthodox Sikhs will also interpret similar to Hindu concept. But keeping in mind the entire Sikh philosophy using science and logic it will be interpreted as I.J. Singh of New York (Internet Discussion Groups) interprets that if you were obsessed with mansions all your life, then you may as well be a ghost or a goblin that supposedly haunts such buildings. If money and treasures have defined your life, you may as well be a snake. (In the Indian culture, snakes are reputed to make their home where treasures are buried.).
Why? Because your character traits have been defined by your preoccupations and values - that is the kind of a person you have become. We can, therefore, interpret all of the examples in his hymn, including prostitute, similarly - it is metaphorical language, not to be literally translated. That is why it is important to formulate methodology for interpreting gurbani. With proper methodology, the interpretation goes along the entire philosophy of Guru Granth, and does not put words in Trilochan’s mouth who wrote the hymn.
In conclusion, what Trilochan means here is to question what one has become over a lifetime of habits. "Reincarnation", then, is used as a metaphor, for our life here and now. So, until we get it "right", we are going to embody the human (or animal) experience over and over again in this life. Put another way, until we learn to live without a personal stake (ego/haumai), we are going to attach ourselves to desires which, unchecked, lead to addictive/neurotic personalities, and so the cycle continues.
I strongly feel that
one must keep in mind most of the basic principles of Gurbani Philosophy before
interpreting Gurbani. And one must make sure that it does not contradict any of
these principles. Perhaps, this is the
only way to interpret what we call in real perspective. Otherwise,
interpretation tells more about the personality of the interpreter than the
real message of gurbani.
REFERENCES
1. AGGS = Aad Guru Granth Sahib. 1983 (reprint). Publishers: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar.
2. Chahal, D. S. 2004. Nanakian Methodology. In: Sabd Guru to Granth Guru. By D. S. Chahal, Institute for Understanding Sikhism, Laval, Quebec, Canada. Singh Brothers, Amritsar.
3. Dhillon, S.S. 2006. "Science, religion, and spirituality." Publish America, Frederick, MD.
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