ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਜਬ ਕਛੁ ਨ ਸੀਓ ਤਬ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਵਨ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਿ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਅਪਨਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਠਾਕੁਰਿ ਰਚਨੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
ਮੇਰੇ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਇ ਮੁਝ ਤੇ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਏ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਗਣਤੀ ਗਣੀ ਨ ਛੂਟੈ ਕਤਹੂ ਕਾਚੀ ਦੇਹ ਇਆਣੀ ॥ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਰਣੈਹਾਰੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ॥੨॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਤੁਹੀ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥ ਤੇਰੀ ਗਤਿ ਮਿਤਿ ਤੂਹੈ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕੀਮ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੩॥
ਨਿਰਗੁਣੁ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਅਜਾਣੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
ਦਇਆ ਕਰਹੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ਮਿਠਾ ਲਗੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਾਣਾ ॥੪॥੬॥੫੩॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 748)
Jab kacẖẖ na sīo ṯab kiā karṯā kavan karam kar āiā.
Apnā kẖel āp kar ḏekẖai ṯẖākur racẖan racẖāiā. ||1||
Mere rām rāe mujẖ ṯe kacẖẖū na hoī. Āpe karṯā āp karāe sarab niranṯar soī. ||1|| rahāo.
Gaṇṯī gaṇī na cẖẖūtai kaṯhū kācẖī ḏeh iāṇī. Kirpā karahu parabẖ karṇaihāre ṯerī bakẖas nirālī. ||2||
Jīa janṯ sabẖ ṯere kīṯe gẖat gẖat ṯuhī ḏẖiāīai. Ŧerī gaṯ miṯ ṯūhai jāṇėh kuḏraṯ kīm na pāīai. ||3||
Nirguṇ mugaḏẖ ajāṇ agiānī karam ḏẖaram nahī jāṇā.
Ḏaiā karahu Nānak guṇ gāvai miṯẖā lagai ṯerā bẖāṇā. ||4||6||53||
By Harmanpreet Singh Minhas | Sikh Bulletin |
Do we only live once? It all depends on one’s perspective. If you think we’re nothing but chemicals with no soul, then yes, it is the end. If you believe in only one life and then it’s heaven or hell, then no.
It’s especially not the end if you happen to believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation suggests this is not our first life on Earth and it’s most likely not our last. The Hindu perspective suggests we have been around for millions of lifetimes and that there may be millions ahead. In that sense, we are all “old souls.” In each of our lives, somehow through some inconceivable system, all our positive and negative deeds are recorded. This means, no one gets away with anything. The mind propels us into action based on its conditioning which is based on actions of past life. So, when the body reaches its demise, the mind and soul get transferred into, hopefully, another human womb (human rebirth may not be guaranteed and a person can reincarnate into a different species). Even while in the womb, the mind may remain active and recall events from the previous life. The concept of reincarnation suggests that the soul moves through different bodies until it ultimately purifies itself of anger, greed, pride, and other vices.
The mind functions kind of like a hard drive with millions of files on it. If a hard drive is transferred into a different computer, the new computer will have all the same information as the previous one. So, when the mind and soul are relocated into a new body, the exterior is different, but all the programming stored in the mind are the same. This programming will make the person behave in very much the same way as they did in the previous life because the conditioning and impressions are the same. The car may be different, but the driver is the same. Hence, we are not very different from who we were in our previous life.
Having said all that, Gurbani does not agree with the concept of reincarnation and karma. The Gurbani takes the ball out of a higher court and places it firmly in our court. For our pain and pleasure, we can blame neither God nor a devil nor some third outside party. If some outside party is responsible for all our troubles, then we humans have no responsibility for our actions in our present life. Then why should we follow any religion, or engage in Gurbani-Vichar etc. It does not make any sense.
READ ALSO: There is no second coming
The concepts of reincarnation and karma are old, worn out and illogical, while Gurbani concepts are new, fresh, and logical. Yes, there are words used in Gurbani that may imply that Gurbani agrees with Karma of previous lives and Reincarnation. These words are merely used as examples to explain doctrines of Gurbani. It’s like using some logic that someone already understands to explain something new. Simply put, an example does not equate to the message or the doctrine.
On page 1,366 Bhagat Kabir Ji tells us the human life is priceless (Kabīr mānas janam ḏulambẖ hai). Every moment in life is precious and every single moment that passes cannot come back again. We do not get to live our life for the second or third or the infinite times (hoe na bārai bār). When some fruit ripens, it falls from the tree (Jio ban fal pāke bẖue girėh). It cannot reattach itself with the tree again (bahur na lāgėh dār). Similarly, we do not get a second chance to live our life (i.e. no reincarnation).
ਕਬੀਰ ਮਾਨਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਦੁਲੰਭੁ ਹੈ ਹੋਇ ਨ ਬਾਰੈ ਬਾਰ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਬਨ ਫਲ ਪਾਕੇ ਭੁਇ ਗਿਰਹਿ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਲਾਗਹਿ ਡਾਰ ॥੩੦॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 1366)
Kabīr mānas janam ḏulambẖ hai hoe na bārai bār.
Jio ban fal pāke bẖue girėh bahur na lāgėh dār. ||30||
Like the logical message from Bhagat Kabir Ji, Guru Arjun Dev Ji logically debunks the theory of Karma in this shabd.
ਮੇਰੇ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਇ ਮੁਝ ਤੇ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਕਰਤਾ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਏ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Mere rām rāe mujẖ ṯe kacẖẖū na hoī. Āpe karṯā āp karāe sarab niranṯar soī. ||1|| rahāo.
Since these are the Rahao lines, the central message of the shabd is contained within these lines. When reading and understanding the remaining lines, we need to relate them back to these. Rahao lines can also be considered as the title of the shabd. To gain full understanding of the shabd each line of the shabd must be related or linked back to the meaning or message within the Rahao lines. When singing the shabd, the Rahao lines must be sung multiple times.
To express his humility, Guru Ji while conversing with the Creator within, says that O’ My God (Mere rām rāe) I can do nothing without you (mujẖ ṯe kacẖẖū na hoī). He credits everything to God, saying that O’ God you are omni present (sarab niranṯar soī). You are the creator (Āpe karṯā), you are everywhere and within everyone (sarab niranṯar soī). Everything that happens, happens within your will (Hukam or Systems, āp karāe). Godly systems include, life and death, all the eco systems that sustain us on earth, sun, air, water, everything that goes on within our body and infinite other things which are beyond the comprehension of humans. A simplistic way to think about God is that God is the universal energy, that makes everything function.
Some people may think that all the actions humans perform (good or bad) are ordered by God (āp karāe). Such thinking is short sighted and illogical. Such thinking cannot be further from the truth. God and goodness are synonymous with each other. Evil, corrupt, immoral, unethical, dishonest, tainted actions of humans cannot be attributed as orders of God. Few excerpts from Gurbani suggest that humans have free will/choice to do what they want. Not everything a person does is pre-approved by God.
ਆਪਿ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਇ ॥੨॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 25}
Āp bīj āpe hī kẖāe. ||2||
ਜੇਹੀ ਮਨਸਾ ਕਰਿ ਲਾਗੈ ਤੇਹਾ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਏ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 116}
Jehī mansā kar lāgai ṯehā fal pāe.
ਜੇਹਾ ਬੀਜੈ ਸੋ ਲੁਣੈ ਕਰਮਾ ਸੰਦੜਾ ਖੇਤੁ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 134}
Jehā bījai so luṇai karmā sanḏṛā kẖeṯ.
ਜੈਸਾ ਸੇਵੈ ਤੈਸੋ ਹੋਇ ॥੪॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 223}
Jaisā sevai ṯaiso hoe. ||4||
Simply put, we reap exactly what we sow. As indicated in the Gurbani, man is the architect of his own fate or destiny because every past or present thought and action lays the foundation for our future. Hence, self-effort called, “Uddam”, is a very important aspect of our life. In life, our self-effort is the best help we can count on. If we need to improve in any aspect of life, no magic will help us. A person does not become a doctor or a professional athlete without self-effort, without self-will, without hard work, without determination to succeed etc. As discussed previously, there is no hard drive with hard work and determination from previous life (concept of Karma) that propelled a person to become a doctor or a professional athlete.
To summarize, the Rahao lines tell us that everything that happens around is due to and within the Hukum and Systems of God. There is nothing that is outside of Hukum and Systems of God, except the evil, corrupt, immoral, unethical, dishonest, tainted actions of humans.
ਜਬ ਕਛੁ ਨ ਸੀਓ ਤਬ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਵਨ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਿ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਅਪਨਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ਠਾਕੁਰਿ ਰਚਨੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Jab kacẖẖ na sīo ṯab kiā karṯā kavan karam kar āiā.
Apnā kẖel āp kar ḏekẖai ṯẖākur racẖan racẖāiā. ||1||
The definition of Karma suggests that we get to live either a happy and satisfied life or a life full of suffering based on the deeds and actions we accumulate in our previous lives. These actions are somehow tagged to our soul that transmigrates into a new body. Guru Ji debunks this definition. As mentioned, many times before, Gurbani is applicable within our present life only. It is for here and now. The concept of Karma is used within Gurbani but to represent the result of our present actions, NOT previous life. The outcome of good, moral, and ethical actions in our present life is good and the outcome of the evil, corrupt, immoral, unethical, dishonest and tainted actions in our present life is bad.
Guru Ji uses logic to kill the concept of Karma across multiple life terms. He questions the believers of Karma that when there was nothing (there was no life, Jab kacẖẖ na sīo) what Karma’s did you accumulate before you were born (ṯab kiā karṯā kavan karam kar āiā). What Karma’s shaped your very first life? Guess what, such logical questions stump people who believe in such illogical concepts.
Guru Ji and Gurbani want people to live their present life in the best possible way, without having to worry about what they did in the past or what will happen to them after they die. This implies that anyone can reach the pinnacle of success within their life. Everyone has the built-in capacity and capability to reach their goals. God does not hold anyone back. There is nothing from their past life that should impact their present life.
In the Rahao lines we learned that everything that happens around is due to and within the Hukum and Systems of God. The human life we get is not a result of Karma’s from our previous life. This life and everything around us are given to us by the one God (ṯẖākur racẖan racẖāiā). The life as we see it originated from God (Apnā kẖel) and he is part of/within his creation (āp kar ḏekẖai).
ਗਣਤੀ ਗਣੀ ਨ ਛੂਟੈ ਕਤਹੂ ਕਾਚੀ ਦੇਹ ਇਆਣੀ ॥
ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਰਣੈਹਾਰੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ॥੨॥
Gaṇṯī gaṇī na cẖẖūtai kaṯhū kācẖī ḏeh iāṇī.
Kirpā karahu parabẖ karṇaihāre ṯerī bakẖas nirālī. ||2||
The people who were slaves to the religious leaders during the lifetime of Guru Ji believed that we have been around for millions of lifetimes and that there may be millions ahead. In each of our lives, somehow through some inconceivable system, all our positive and negative deeds are counted or recorded. There could be a tax return (of good and evil) at the end of life, and we must pay the outstanding bill in our future lives. The most shameful thing is that many Sikh’s (followers of Gurbani) still believe in such nonsensical rhetoric. Read this shabd, read this line and determine for yourself if such a tax bill needs to be paid across multiple lives.
The concept of reincarnation suggests that the soul moves through different bodies until it ultimately purifies itself of anger, greed, envy, and pride. Guru Ji says that to believe that when the count (Gaṇṯī gaṇī) of our good deeds outnumbers our bad deeds somehow the transmigration (na cẖẖūtai kaṯhū) of soul from one living body to another will stop is illogical and nonsensical (iāṇī). Our body is fragile (kācẖī ḏeh) and once our present life ends there is nothing after that. There is no transfer of tax bill of our good and bad deeds to the next life. There is no next life.
In the Rahao lines we learned that everything that happens around is due to and within the Hukum and Systems of God (parabẖ karṇaihāre). The human life we get is not a result of Karma from our previous life. This life and everything around us are given to us by the one God. The life as we see it originated from God and he is part of and within his creation. Here Guru Ji says that we should ask God for unique (ṯerī bakẖas nirālī) blessings (Kirpā karahu) in our present life. What is this unique blessing that Guru Ji is talking about? This unique blessing is to live present life with Godly virtues, such that all the deeds that we perform, all the actions we take (in our present life) align with the Godly characteristics.
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਤੁਹੀ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥
ਤੇਰੀ ਗਤਿ ਮਿਤਿ ਤੂਹੈ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕੀਮ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੩॥
Jīa janṯ sabẖ ṯere kīṯe gẖat gẖat ṯuhī ḏẖiāīai.
Ŧerī gaṯ miṯ ṯūhai jāṇėh kuḏraṯ kīm na pāīai. ||3||
In the Rahao lines we learned that everything that happens around is due to and within the Hukum and Systems of God. The life as we see it originated from God (Jīa janṯ sabẖ ṯere kīṯe) and he is part of and within everything (gẖat gẖat) in his creation. Everything that is living and all the systems that assist in sustenance of life are serving God (ṯuhī ḏẖiāīai). The details of how God works (Ŧerī gaṯ miṯ), how his systems work is known only by God (ṯūhai jāṇėh). Humans measure everything in units of price. How much is house, how much is your car, how much do you make… etc., are the common questions asked to assess the value of a human. Guru Ji says that no one can assess the value of the limitless God (kuḏraṯ kīm na pāīai) and the Godly systems. Measuring value of God is incomprehensible for humans.
ਨਿਰਗੁਣੁ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਅਜਾਣੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
ਦਇਆ ਕਰਹੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ਮਿਠਾ ਲਗੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਭਾਣਾ ॥੪॥੬॥੫੩॥
Nirguṇ mugaḏẖ ajāṇ agiānī karam ḏẖaram nahī jāṇā.
Ḏaiā karahu Nānak guṇ gāvai miṯẖā lagai ṯerā bẖāṇā. ||4||6||53||
Guru Ji in his most humble self, calls himself to be virtue-less (Nirguṇ), foolish (mugaḏẖ), thoughtless (ajāṇ) and ignorant(agiānī). He says that he does not know of any deeds (karam) or any religious ceremonies or prayers that could please God (ḏẖaram nahī jāṇā). Of course Guru Ji is not virtue-less, foolish, thoughtless, and ignorant. He is using these words to describe that state of mind of normal humans who think so highly of themselves but in a spiritual sense they are pure duds.
In line 2 of this shabd, Guru Ji says that we should ask God for unique (ṯerī bakẖas nirālī) blessings (Kirpā karahu) in our present life. What is this unique blessing that Guru Ji is talking about? This unique blessing is to live present life with Godly virtues, such that all the deeds that we perform, all the actions we take (in our present life) align with the Godly characteristics. Here, too, he is asking God for blessings (Ḏaiā karahu). The blessing he is seeking are that of establishing Godly virtues within his mind (Nānak guṇ gāvai). Ask yourself, when we ask God for blessings, what do you ask for? Are your requests in line with what Guru Ji is asking for? The most likely answer is NO. Most likely the Godly virtues and characteristics will not be readily acceptable to our mind. We may adopt Godly virtues due of fear of something, rather than love for God. As part of blessings that Guru Ji is seeking from God, he wants his mind to accept all the Godly virtues purely based on love for God.
The results of acting based on Godly virtues may not always be favorable, yet the lovers of God, do not care about such unfavorable results. While enacting life based on Godly virtues, all results (good or bad, favorable, or unfavorable) seem to be sweet to them (miṯẖā lagai ṯerā bẖāṇā). Our Guru’s lived their lives based on this principle.
The author, Harmanpreet Singh Minhas, can be contacted at hpsminhas@outlook.com. This article appeared in the The Sikh Bulletin – 2024 Issue 3 (July-September 2024). Click here to retrieve archived copies of the bulletin.
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