Death

The premise under discussion is that Guru Nanak’s Portrait of Sikhi was painted over an existing canvas – and that the old canvas had existed for some 4,000 years prior to Guru Nanak.

What we mean by that – in the philosophical sense, is that Guru Nanak RE-DEFINED – in a REVOLUTIONARY way –  all the spiritual concepts of that canvas.

So while all the concepts of the old canvas are MENTIONED in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), they have been given NEW meanings.

And IF we intend to appreciate the Sikhi of Guru Nanak, we will need to understand the NEW meanings or REDEFINED meanings of the concepts. Concepts such as After Life, Heaven and Hell, 8.4 million, Ava Gaun, Reincarnation, Jum Doot, Chitar Gupat, Dargah, Dharam Raj, etc.

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We will attempt to provide the new, redefined, and Gurbani meanings of these concepts as outlined within the 1,429 pages of the SGGS in our series of 12 videos on this matter.

We begin by looking at the concept of DEATH.

We begin with the concept of death because Death after all, was the primary pillar of the old canvas. A very large portion of the concepts in the old canvas had to do with death. The focus and obsession of the old canvas was death and after death.

So by REDEFINING death, Guru Nanak did two things:

• First, He shook the very foundation of the old canvas. He pulled the rug from under the feet of that canvas. He demolished the two pillars that held up that canvas – death and the fear of what happens after death.
• Second, in redefining DEATH, Guru Nanak established the foundation of his own Canvas of Sikhi – which was LIFE. The foundation of Guru Nanak’s canvas was Living in the Here and Now.

Death, according to the old canvas, was when physical life came to an end and the soul went on onto an incredulous journey of its own into other realms.

All that about a journey that NO one has travelled, and no one has come back to file a report on. A journey that no one knows anything about. But presented as a religious FACT, and religious TRUTH. And believed by millions.

When the details of that concocted journey of after death were put together – the effect was unimaginable fear, unmistakable anxiety and unthinkable distress – all of which were SUFFERED IN THE PRESENT LIFE, in the here and now.

Imagine for one moment the illogic of it; the insanity of it. Living a life that is REAL in the here and now. But living it in FEAR, ANXIETY and DISTRESS in worry of an IMAGINARY and CONCOCTED after life that no one knows anything about.

What is incomprehensible is that the FEAR, anxiety and distress is not forced upon anybody. It is suffered IN choice, BY choice. Suffered by those who chose to believe in the clergy concocted tales of afterlife.

REDEFINING THE CONCEPT

So the first thing Gurbani does – EVEN before REDEFINING the concept of death – is to provide a proper, balanced and realistic understanding of the notion of physical death.

We can say that Gurbani first ALIGNS physical death by grounding it as a REALITY of life; and then goes on to REDEFINE the concept of DEATH to give it Gurbani meanings.

This ALIGNMENT serves the purpose of LIBERATING the mind of the debilitating fear and crippling anxiety created by concocted narratives of the so called journey of the soul after death.

And the REDEFINING itself is aimed at channeling that LIBERATION and FREEDOM into creating a spirituality of Anand and Bliss for the HERE and NOW.

So here is the ALIGNMENT, The grounding of physical Death in the Reality of LIFE.

This is a verse of Guru Nanak from page 685 of the SGGS.

VERSE 1:

ਅਨਿਕ ਜਤਨ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਲੁ ਸੰਤਾਏ ॥ ਮਰਣੁ ਲਿਖਾਇ ਮੰਡਲ ਮਹਿ ਆਏ ॥

Anuk Jatun Kar Kaal Santaye, Marunn Likhaye Mandal Meh Aiye. (SGGS, 685)

Meaning: The fear of physical death is debilitating in so many ways. Yet life is predicated, life is grounded, life is established on the reality of physical death.

The message is clear. It pertains to the Certainty of Physical Death. Why fear something that is certain. Why not live life to the fullest and to the best of our ability?

Here is another verse of Guru Nanak from page 936 of the SGGS.

VERSE 2:

ਰਾਣਾ ਰਾਉ ਨ ਕੋ ਰਹੈ ਰੰਗੁ ਨ ਤੁੰਗੁ ਫਕੀਰੁ ॥ ਵਾਰੀ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਬੰਧੈ ਧੀਰ ॥

Ranna Rao Na Ko Rheiy Rang Na Tung Fkeer. Varee Apo Apnni Koye Na Bandhiy Dheer. (SGGS, 936)

Meaning: All human beings – the poor and the wealthy, the ruled and the rulers, the temporal and the religious – are merely awaiting their turn.  We are in all in que. We are all in line. None can step out of the que.

Again, why fear something that is definite, certain and for everyone.

Why not live life to the fullest and to the best of our ability then?

Here is another verse on page 1427 of the SGGS.

VERSE 3:

ਪਾਂਚ ਤਤ ਕੋ ਤਨੁ ਰਚਿਓ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਚਤੁਰ ਸੁਜਾਨ ॥ ਜਿਹ ਤੇ ਉਪਜਿਓ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਲੀਨ ਤਾਹਿ ਮੈ ਮਾਨੁ ॥ ੧੧ ॥

Paanch Tat Ko Tan Racheyo Janho Chatur Sujaan. Jeh Tay Upjeyo Nanaka Leen Tahey Meh Maan. (SGGS, 1427)

Meaning: Physical life is constituted from the basic elements. Everything that has its origins in these elements eventually returns to that form.

We can summarize the attempt by Gurbani to provide a proper, balanced and realistic understanding of the notion of physical death – or what we have called Aligning – to the FOUR principles as follows.

• Physical death is for everyone.
• Physical death is certain.
• We are all in que and awaiting our turn.
• Physical death is the return of elements back to their source.

So that’s the alignment. The balancing. The provision of REALISTIC context to the notion of physical death. The grounding of physical death as part of the reality of Life, IN the reality of life. The description of physical death as a return to our origins.

This alignment is LIBERATING because it frees us from the crippling fear of a concocted tale, the anxiety of a fabricated journey, and the worry of a fake judgement.

The alignment is MEANINGFUL because it tells us to MAKE THE VERY best of our life. It tells us to live our lives in the Here and Now. It tells us to live our lives to the fullest right up to the moment of the certainty of physical death.

Now we come to the REDEFINING. Death is given TWO new meanings within Gurbani. Two revolutionary meanings. Let’s examine them both.

This verse of Guru Nanak on page 9 of the SGGS re-defines Death. It redefines Death in the manner in which it becomes RELEVANT to spirituality.

It re-redefines death in a way that it Becomes pertinent to spiritual life.  Becomes applicable to our spiritual journey.

It redefines death in the way by which it becomes a concern to Gurbani.

VERSE 4:

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਆਖਾ ਜੀਵਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥

Aakhan Jiva(n) Visaraiy Mur Jao(n). (SGGS, 9)

The phrase ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ Mar Jao(n) means death, to die, to suffer death. The word VISREY is critical.  VISREY means non-realization. That is the definition of death in Gurbani.

Physical death is RE-defined as spiritual death. And Spiritual death is defined in terms of VISREY – non realization.

The death that IS of concern to Gurbani, the death that IS of relevance to our spirituality is SPIRITUAL death.

That is Because the life that is of concern to Gurbani and relevant to our spirituality is SPIRITUAL life.

Physical life has happened, has occurred. But Spiritual Life does not happen, does not occur. It has to be Brought About.

Physical death WILL happen and CANNOT be avoided. But Spiritual Death CAN be avoided. Death of our Conscience can and MUST be avoided.

Gurbani tells us to CREATE spiritual life and to PREVENT spiritual death from happening.

So in this verse ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਆਖਾ ਜੀਵਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥ Aakhan Jiva(n) Visaraiy Mur Jao(n);  the word MAR JAON translates as Will die.  The verse is in the present tense. So VISREY MAR JAON means “IF VISREY happens I WILL DIE. It means Every time VISREY happens, I die.

But it is NOT about physical death. It is certainly NOT about physical death.  Lots of people are in the VISREY state but they don’t die physically.

The verse is about spiritual death.  More importantly, it is REDEFINING death and DEFINING spiritual death within the parameters of Gurbani.

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਆਖਾ ਜੀਵਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥

Aakhan Jiva(n) Visaraiy Mur Jao(n).

Meaning: I Have Spiritual Life When in A Realized State; The Un-Realized State Brings Spiritual Death.

Here is another verse from page 143 of the SGGS

VERSE 5:

ਪਵੜੀ॥ ਇਕਨਾ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਚਿਤਿ ਆਸ ਘਣੇਰਿਆ ॥ ਮਰਿ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਨਿਤ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਕੇਰਿਆ ॥

Pavrri. Ekna Marann Na Chit Aaas Ghaneyrea. Mur Mur Jamey Nit Kisay Na Kayrea.

Meaning: There are those who are unaware that they are dead or dying; they are unaware of their death in their excessive desires. I die this death repeatedly, over and over again, every day.

Again, this verse is about spiritual death. It’s about the death of our conscience on a daily basis.  More importantly, it is REDEFINING death and DEFINING spiritual death within the parameters of Gurbani.

Why is that so?

Because this is the death that matters. This is the death that is of concern to Gurbani and to us. This is the death that we can do something about. This is the death that can be avoided and must be avoided.

That is what spirituality of Gurbani and spirituality of the shabd is all about. It’s about creating Spiritual Life and keeping spiritual death at bay. The spirituality of Gurbani is about preventing the death of our conscience from happening.

On page 940 we have this verse of Guru Nanak:

VERSE 6:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਜਨਮੇ ਗਵਨੁ ਮਿਟਾਇਆ ॥

Satgur Kaiy Junmeiy Gavan Mitaya.

Meaning: Being born into the spirituality on account of the Creator Connecting Guru –Satguru ends the cycle of spiritual life and spiritual death.

It’s about CREATING/ BRINGING ABOUT spiritual life within the parameters of the Satguru – the shabad. And preventing Spiritual death, avoiding the death of our conscience.  Averting the death of our spirituality.

It’s about preventing ourselves from becoming the Walking dead. Stopping us from becoming beings with dead souls.

Here is a quote that is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. It makes clear that he understood the concept of death of the conscience very well.

Many people die at 25 but aren’t buried till they are 75. Why 25 – you may ask.  25 is the prime of age where people enter the prime of their youth. The message here is that Death of the conscience happens when people enter the prime of their youth – at or around 25.

How and why does that happen?

Gurbani provides the answers.  Spiritual life is predicated on virtues. It is centered on understanding divine virtues, accepting them, inculcating divine virtues, habitualizing divine virtues and finally BECOMING divine virtues. Eventually BECOMING Divine. Becoming REALIZED of Divine Virtues.

That is why Gurbani as found within the SGGS is a discourse of REALIZING divine virtues.

Now if spiritual life is brought about by divine virtues, then the converse is also true. Spiritual death is brought about by human vices.

Here is a verse on page 1207 of the SGGS

VERSE 7.

ਕਿਉ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਮਾਈ ॥ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਬਿਛੁਰਤ ਹੋਤ ਮਿਰਤਕਾ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਨੁ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥ 1 ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Kio(n) Jeevan Pritam Bin Mayee. Ja Kay Bichrut Hoat Mirtka Greh Meh Rahen Na Payi. Rahao.

Meaning: How can I obtain spiritual life, become spiritually alive   without realization of the divine.  Spiritual death happens to me when I am devoid of that realization. When that realization does not remain steadfast within me, I suffer death.

Here is another verse on page 1268.

VERSE 8:

ਬਿਛੁਰਤ ਮਰਨੁ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਮਿਲਤੇ ਜਨ ਕਉ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਦੀਜੈ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਅਧਾਰੁ ਜੀਵਨ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮੇਰੇ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕੀਜੈ ॥ 2 ॥

Bichrut Maran Jeevan Har Miltay Jun Ko Darsan Deejaiy. Maam Adhar Jeevan Dhan Nanak Prabh Maray Kirpa Keejaiy.

Meaning: I die, death comes, spiritual death comes, death of my conscience happens through separation of divine realization.  I acquire life, spiritual life through acquiring Divine Virtues. The basis of my   spiritual life is Nam – Divine Virtues.

Here is one verse of Kabir ji on page 330 of the SGGS

VERSE 9:

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਕੈਸੇ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਹੋਇ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥ ਜਬ ਨ ਹੋਇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਅਧਾਰਾ ॥ 1 ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Gaurri Kabeer Ji. Kaisay Jeevan Hoey Hmara. Jub Na Hoey Ram Naam Adhara.

Kabir is asking: How Can I acquire Spiritual Life, if it is NOT based upon acquiring Divine virtues?

It is clear then that Spiritual Life is on account of Divine Virtues.  And Spiritual death is on account of the absence of Divine Virtues.

This verse of Guru Nanak on page 580 ties it all together.

VERSE 10:

ਆਵਾ ਗਵਣੁ ਸਿਰਜਿਆ ਤੂ ਥਿਰੁ ਕਰਣੈਹਾਰੋ ॥ ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਆਇ ਗਇਆ ਬਧਿਕੁ ਜੀਉ ਬਿਕਾਰੋ ॥

Ava Gaunn Sirjiya Tu Thir Karnaiharo. Jamann Marnna Aye Gya Badkhik Jio Bikaro.

Ava Gavan refers to – The cycle of life and death. For the purposes of Gurbani, it is the cycle of Spiritual life and Spiritual death. Remember the re-defining. It is the redefined meanings that will lead us to the intended messages of Gurbani.

The phrase Aiye Gya – the coming and going – is about Spiritual Life and Spiritual Death and the cycle of spiritual life and spiritual death – because the next part of the verse has the phrase Badhik Jio Bikaro.

Badhik means bound, tied to.  Jio refers to life. Bikaro is vices

The death that is brought about by being bound within vices is Spiritual death.

The cycle that is brought about by being bound within vices is the cycle of SPIRITUAL Life and SPIRITUAL death.

Gurbani tells us to break the cycle and create a permanent and enduring spiritual life.

So it’s clear that in Gurbani, Spiritual death is brought about by human vices and this is the cycle that is liberated by the adoption of divine virtues.

Now we understand why Benjamin Franklin says many people die at 25. 25 is the prime of youth and this is where the human being begins to get grounded in vices.

We have this verse on page 966 of the SGGS than puts forth this view about youth.

VERSE 11:

ਮਃ ੫ ॥ ਫਰੀਦਾ ਉਮਰ ਸੁਹਾਵੜੀ ਸੰਗਿ ਸੁਵੰਨੜੀ ਦੇਹ ॥ ਵਿਰਲੇ ਕੇਈ ਪਈਅਨਿੑ ਜਿਨੑਾ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਨੇਹ ॥ ੨ ॥

Mehla 5. Fareeda Umur Suhavrri Sang Savanurri Deh. Virley Keyi Pyeean Jin Pyare Neh.

Meaning: Rare are the beings in their Youth who Inculcate divine-ness within themselves.

Fareed is stating a reality. Youth is rarely a stage in life for divinity.  It is a station of life for other things, but rarely spirituality.

So that’s the first meaning of DEATH in Gurbani. It is REDEFINED as SPIRITUAL Death.  It’s a revolutionary re-definition. The second meaning of DEATH in Gurbani – which is equally revolutionary – is DEATH from VICES, death OF vices.

This is a verse of Bhagat Kabir on page 1365 of the SGGS. The beauty of this verse is that it talks about all 3 forms of Death – physical, spiritual and from vices – all in the same verse.

VERSE 12:

ਕਬੀਰ ਮਰਤਾ ਮਰਤਾ ਜਗੁ ਮੂਆ ਮਰਿ ਭੀ ਨ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਮਰਨੇ ਜੋ ਮਰੈ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਮਰਨਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ੨੯ ॥

Kabir Marta Marta Jug Mua Mar Bhi Na Janeya Koye. Aisay Marnay Jo Mreiy Bahur Na Marna Hoye.

The words Marta / Marna / Mar and Mua all mean death. There are 7 references to death in this one single couplet. But of the seven, only one is used for physical death. On the other 6 occasions it refers to spiritual death and death on account of vices.

The meaning of the verse is Kabir, the world has experienced physical death in abundance but has not realized the need for death on account of our vices.  One who dies such a death on account of vices   will never suffer spiritual death again.

In conclusion, therefore, pyareo, we have seen that Gurbani does the following 4 things when it comes to the concept of death.

• Firstly, it Provides a realistic context to the notion of physical death.
• Second, Gurbani grounds physical death as part of the reality of Life.
• Third, Gurbani defines physical death as a return to our origins.
• Fourth, in doing so, Gurbani frees us from the crippling fear of afterlife.

When You Stop Living the Spirituality of Fear, You Start Living the Spirituality of JOY.

When You Stop Living IN FEAR of Death, You Start Living in The Joy of LIFE.

Fifth, Gurbani tells us to MAKE THE VERY best of our life, to live our life to the fullest right up to the moment of the certainty of physical death.

When You Stop Worrying About What Will Happen Tomorrow; You Start to Live In The Present.

You Start Living the Spirituality of Here and Now.

Sixth, Gurbani redefines death into spiritual death. The death that matters, the death that must be avoided, that can be avoided is Spiritual death, death of the conscience, and this is the death that is the subject matter of Gurbani. The very fact that Gurbani talks about avoiding death tells us that death is REDEFINED in Gurbani as spiritual death.

Finally, Gurbani speaks of a necessary death. A death that we need to die in the Here and Now. Namely a death of our Vices. Why? Because Death of our vices allows our spiritual life to blossom.

This REDEFINING is crucial in understanding the real messages of Gurbani. For every 100 verses in the SGGS that speak of death – ONE is attributed to physical death and the remaining 99 to Spiritual death and death of vices. That one verse is about REALIGNING and grounding physical death in the reality of Life, and the remaining 99 REDEFINE death into spiritual death and Death from Vices.

If we ignore this REDEFINING, and think (wrongly of course) that every mention of death within the SGGS is about physical death – we will fall into the parameters of the 4K year old discarded canvas – whose focus, fixation and obsession was indeed about physical death. Guru Nanak has eliminated that fixation. He has painted over that entire canvas.

Guru Nanak’s focus is on preventing spiritual death, and his motivation is on avoiding the death of our conscience.

The REDEFINING of Death is crucial and critical. By REDEFINING death, Guru Nanak set the stage for demolishing the entirety of the old canvas. After all, the old canvas was constructed on Death and After death.

Now, since death itself is REALIGNED and REDEFINED, every concept that is related to death, every concept that follows death, every concept of the old canvas is REDEFINED in Gurbani.

Next, we will examine the concepts of After Life in Sikhi and attempt to provide the new, redefined, and Gurbani meanings of After Life and After Death as outlined within the 1,429 pages of the SGGS.

 

SIKHI CONCEPTS SERIES BY DR KARMINDER SINGH DHILLON:  COMPLETE LINKS TO VIDEOS & LECTURE NOTES

MASTER LINK: Complete links to videos and lecture notes

PART 1: GURU NANAK’S CANVAS: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 2: DEATH: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 3: AFTER LIFE: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 4: CHAURASI LAKH (8.4 MILLION): Video | Lecture Notes

PART 5: REINCARNATION: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 6: HEAVEN & HELL: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 7: SALVATION (MUKTI): Video | Lecture Notes

PART 8: COURT OF JUDGEMENT (DARGAH): Video | Lecture Notes

PART 9: DHRM RAJ: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 10: JUM DOOT & CHITR GUPT: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 11: ANCESTORS: Video | Lecture Notes

PART 12: APPLYING THE CANVAS: Video | Lecture Notes

 

Sikh thinker, writer and parcharak Karminder Singh Dhillon, PhD (Boston), is a retired Malaysian civil servant. He is the joint-editor of The Sikh Bulletin and author of The Hijacking of Sikhi. He can be contacted at dhillon99@gmail.com. 

* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.

 

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