Misinterpretation of Gurbani: Farida Je Tu Akal Lateef

Farida Je Tu Akal Lateef Kalai Likh Na Lekh.
Apanre Giriwan Mahe Sir Neewan Kar Dekh (SGGS, Page 1378).
ਫਰੀਦਾ ਜੇ ਤੂ ਅਕਲਿ ਲਤੀਫੁ ਕਾਲੇ ਲਿਖੁ ਨ ਲੇਖ ॥
ਆਪਨੜੇ ਗਿਰੀਵਾਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਿਰੁ ਨੀਵਾਂ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੁ ॥੬॥

By Harbans Singh Kandola | Opinion |

(This is the fifth of a 7-part series on Misinterpretation of Gurbani. Click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7. Click here for all articles by the same author)

Every verse in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), the Sikh Scripture, is a message for spiritual awakening and truthful living. Each verse is about how to be a good human being and how to realize the meaning and purpose of life.

However, there are often very literal interpretations that that have no spiritual message for truthful living or how to be a good human being.

For example, the verse quoted above has been variously interpreted as, FARID if you are a master of wisdom then do not keep on writing blackened assays. Rather look underneath your own collar instead. Another author writes, FARID if you have a keen understanding then do not write black marks against anyone else. Rather, look underneath your collar instead.

These interpretations are completely literal. It appears that those who came up with these interpretations may have had little understanding of the basic principles of Gurbani or made minimal efforts to find answers from Gurbani itself.

In my opinion, the interpretation of Gurbani, in its real perspective, is a challenging task in and of itself. When the interpretation or translation is done without using logic or reason, and without understanding basic principles of SIKHI, we end up with a meaningless translation. This means no change in Sikh psyche and Sikhs continue performing worthless religious practices and rituals.

Prof. Sahib Singh has used logic and reason to a certain extent in the translation of the verse I quoted above. His interpretation of that verse is as follows:
AKAL LATEEF (ਅਕਲਿ ਲਤੀਫੁ) mean knowledgeable, educated and wise man.
KALAI LEKH (ਕਾਲੇ ਲਿਖੁ) mean finding faults, shortcomings and judging others.
GIRIWAN (ਗਿਰੀਵਾਨ) means our own consciousness.

In other words, his interpretation is: Farid, if you consider yourself a person of wasted knowledge and wise man, do not keep finding faults, shortcomings and judging others. Rather, look at your own behavior and actions.

In order to explain Gurbani in its proper perspective and understand its true message we need to use logic, reason, practicality and scientific investigations. We must be guided by the basic principles of SIKHI.

NANAK says

Na Hum Changai Aakhieh Bura Na Deesai Koai (SGGS, 1015)
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਚੰਗੇ ਆਖੀਅਹ ਬੁਰਾ ਨ ਦਿਸੈ ਕੋਇ ॥

meaning no one is special and better than others. Treat everyone as equals. When I have thoughts that exclude others, then I see myself as special. Self importance is ego. Nanak says change the way we look at other people, do not judge others. The basic principle of Sikhi is this: those who kill their ego do not consider themselves special. They are the humblest people. They never think to be above and better than others.

Understanding this principle of SIKHI, I proceed to interpret the above verse now. Nanak says if you consider yourself very knowledgeable, intelligent, wise and have a keen understanding why you keep pointing out faults, shortcomings of others. Why do you keep judging others to be lesser than you? Rather, you should look to your own actions, behavior, and deeds.

In summary, the interpretation of Gurbani, in its proper perspective, sends a very powerful message about how to conduct oneself in society. Judging others and finding faults in others is ignorance and ego. Self importance and false pride are our own shortcomings. We learn to introspect, look for our own faults, address those, and then realize our true selves.

Harbans Singh Kandola. Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, he read Ph.D. in Agriculture from Punjab Agriculture University in 1972. He moved to Canada in 1973 and retired as senior bank manager in 2005. He reads Gurbani passionately to understand its spiritual message and how it matters in his daily life. He read Prof Sahib Singh’s ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib Darpan’ (SGGS translation) in five years, with complete notes. In the past two decades, Harbans has engaged in Gurbani discussion in radio and television programmes, as well as newspapers and the Sikh Bulletin. He believes that we now have literature with the true and real message of Gurbani which has to be presented to Sikhs and non-Sikhs. This article is from his unpublished book ‘Renaissance of Sikhi’.

RELATED STORY:

Misinterpretation of Gurbani – Introduction (Asia Samachar, 2 Sept 2022)

Lost in Translation (Asia Samachar, 8 May 2019)

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