By Bhupinder Singh | Opinion |
The strangest thing about the dreams, is how real they feel. Even if realize that it is the dream, not a reality, still the “sensory” experiences of the dream can remain just as convincingly real. But if we are told that life is a dream, that becomes difficult to agree to. Afterall we can touch objects, feel things and people, environment, all real. Yet the relative permanence of the objects and environments encountered in the waking world is no guarantee that the waking world is as real as it feels. Although the perceived permanence does seem to point to there being something objective or enduring out there, the true nature of whatever is “out there” is for a limited time only. Afterall, the happy times, and occasions in our lives pass like a dream. Same is true of sad times as well. Even the life that feels so real and enduring also ends. So, the words of enlightened does convey the essential reality.
Let us hear Kabir’s words about this illusion:
Jag jeevan aaisaa, supane jaisaa, jeevan supan samaanan.
Saach kar hum gaath dheenee, chhodd param nidhaanan. 1.
Baabaa maiaa moh hit keen(h).
Jin giaan ratan hir leen(h). 1. Rahaau.
Nain dhekh patang urajhai, pas na dhekhai aag.
Kaal faas na mugadh chetai, kanik kaamin laag. 2.
Kar bichaar bikaar parahar, taran taaran soi.
Kahae kabir jagjeevan aaisaa, dhuteea naahee koi. 3.5.27. (SGGS, Pg. No. 482)
ਜਗਿ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਐਸਾ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਜੈਸਾ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਸੁਪਨ ਸਮਾਨੰ ॥
ਸਾਚੁ ਕਰਿ ਹਮ ਗਾਠਿ ਦੀਨੀ ਛੋਡਿ ਪਰਮ ਨਿਧਾਨੰ ॥੧॥
ਬਾਬਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹ ਹਿਤੁ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਹਿਰਿ ਲੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨੈਨ ਦੇਖਿ ਪਤੰਗੁ ਉਰਝੈ ਪਸੁ ਨ ਦੇਖੈ ਆਗਿ ॥
ਕਾਲ ਫਾਸ ਨ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਚੇਤੈ ਕਨਿਕ ਕਾਮਿਨਿ ਲਾਗਿ ॥੨॥
ਕਰਿ ਬਿਚਾਰੁ ਬਿਕਾਰ ਪਰਹਰਿ ਤਰਨ ਤਾਰਨ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ ਐਸਾ ਦੁਤੀਅ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥੩॥੫॥੨੭॥
Translation:
The life in this world is only a dream; (really) life is just a dream.
Believing it to be true, I grasped at it, and abandoned (Lord,) the supreme treasure. ||1||
O Father, I have enshrined love and affection for Maya (worldly riches and power),
which has taken the jewel of spiritual wisdom away from me. ||1||Pause||
(Just as) The moth sees with its eyes, but it still becomes entangled; the (foolish) animal does not see the fire.
Attached to gold (meaning wealth) and woman (meaning pleasures), the fool does not think of the noose of Death. ||2||
Reflect upon this, and abandon sin (of evil pursuits); the Lord is the boat to carry you across.
Says Kabir, such is the Lord, the Life of the World; there is no one equal to Him. ||3||5||27||
Two interesting words:
In the beginning – Jag Jeevan – ਜਗਿ ਜੀਵਨੁ – Life in this world (Meaning the transient nature of life)
In the end – Jagjeevan – ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ – Life of the world (Meaning God, who is forever)
Note – The spelling difference, two separate words in the beginning and the other in the end is a compound single word. The vernacular changes the meaning while the pronunciation is unchanged.
Explanation
Here Kabir Ji has shared the reality of the transient nature of life. As at any moment this life that we know, cherish and experience can end, so he calls it a dream. He says just a dream is over, when we wake up from sleep, same way the life is like a short-lived dream, ends in death and is not everlasting. Yet most of us talk about our dream life, when in reality the life is dream. He repeats the words about dream nature for emphasis. However, believing it to be true and we cling to it, by tying a tight knot with it, as if it is permanent. In the process of grasping to the transient we have abandoned the Supreme Treasure of Naam – the Divine Virtues.
Kabir says that we are in love and attached with Maya (worldly falsehood), as a result the jewel like spiritual wisdom has been taken away from us.
He compares our life to that of a moth, who is enticed and drawn in by the light of the lamp. Yet the fool (moth) so enticed by pleasures, does not see the fire which can burn it. Same way we are enticed by gold (Maya) and woman (pleasures) and don’t reflect on the impending death which will finish the life. The death with a yearning for desires only keeps us in the cycles of birth and death.
In conclusion, Kabir Ji advises us to abandon the sins of attachment (to worldly falsehood of wealth and pleasures) and reflect about Lord, who can ferry you across (the worldly ocean of attachments). Lord alone can give the soul a permanent abode, free from birth and deaths. He concludes by saying that there is nothing else worth considering in this world, except the Lord.
Kabir’s message is to realize the transient nature of life, and not get infatuated with worldly wealth, power, or pleasures. As attachment to those can to become the reason for life of sins, which could put us in cycles of birth and deaths along with the associated sufferings. So enticing is the allure of these, that like moth we fail to realize that it can consume us. Instead, he reminds us to remember God, who can remove all our sufferings, grant us immortality, with perpetual peace and happiness.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji has shared the crisp reality of dream existence in these words:
ਜਗੁ ਸੁਪਨਾ ਬਾਜੀ ਬਨੀ ਖਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਖੇਲਾਇ ॥
“Jug supanaa baajee banee khin meh khel khelai.” (SGGS, Pg. No. 18)
Translation: The world is (like) a drama, staged in a dream. In a moment, the play is played out.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji has expressed about the reality of existence in these words:
ਅਪਨਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਠਾਕੁਰਿ ਰਚਨੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
“Apanaa khel aap kar dhekhai Thaakur rachan rachaiaa. 1.” (SGGS, Pg. No. 748)
Translation: The Lord Himself set His play in motion, and He Himself beholds it. He created the Creation.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji reminds about the reality of existence with historical references as:
ਰਾਮੁ ਗਇਓ ਰਾਵਨੁ ਗਇਓ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਬਹੁ ਪਰਵਾਰੁ ॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਥਿਰੁ ਕਛੁ ਨਹੀ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਜਿਉ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥੫੦॥
“Raam gaeio raavan gaeio jaa kau bahu paravaar. Kahau nanak thir kachh nahee supane jiau sansaar. 50.” (SGGS, Pg. No. 1429)
Translation: Raam passed away, as did Raavan, even though he had lots of relatives. Says Nanak, nothing lasts (here) forever; (this) world is like a dream. ||50||
Guru Amardas Ji says that those who fail to realize the dream nature of life, their life fades:
ਸਚਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਿਓ ਸੁਪਨਾ ਗਇਆ ਵਿਹਾਇ ॥
“Sachaa sabadh na pachhaanio supanaa giaa vihai.” (SGGS, Pg. No. 34)
Translation: They do not recognize the True Word of the Shabad, and like a dream, their lives fade away.
Let us end with a prayer that Guru Ji bless us with the understanding of dream nature of life, so that our life does not wither away in vain. We focus only on the tangible and everlasting.
References:
- Singh, Bhai Vir. Santhiya Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1992) Volume 6. Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi
- www.Sikhitothemax.com
- www.Srigranth.org
Bhupinder ‘Bo’ Singh, Houston. Born in Bhamo, Myanmar, he now lives in Houston, US, where he runs a manufacturing company formed with his son. A mechanical engineer by training, he has authored a number of books, including Connecting with the Master – A collection of essays on topics related to Sikhism (2006) and In Bully’s Eyes – An Illustrated Children’s book on Bullying(2019).
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