Japji Pauris 5 to 7

The first four Pauris of Japji deal with Hukam, the preordained Divine commands or the laws of nature. The fourth Pauri also introduced the concept of Mokh also called Mukti or salvation. It also brings out the futility of rituals. We mortals are unable to understand what is preordained for us and what leads to salvation. The help of a guru who has known God is therefore needed. This is the subject of Pauris 5 and 6.

Pauri 5 starts with -

ਥਾਪਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ਕੀਤਾ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

God cannot be created or Its images installed;

It is not touched by any one and is self existent.

Guru Nanak now explains that we should try to praise, understand and try to emulate Divine virtues. Living a life of virtue and obedience is serving God. He says:

ਜਿਨਿ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਤਿਨਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਾਵੀਐ ਗੁਣੀ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ॥

One who obeys the commands and laws of nature receives honor;

Let us therefore praise (obey) God, the fountainhead of virtues.

Having mentioned the need for obedience to Hukam and praising God, Japji now tells us three more steps on the path of spiritual advancement. They are listening, accepting and emulating:

ਗਾਵੀਐ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਮਨਿ ਰਖੀਐ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਰਹਰਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਘਰਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਇ ॥

We should praise, listen, accept and emulate the virtues lovingly;

This will relieve is of afflictions this would lead us to our final abode and peace.

Some people concentrate on the sound of mantras while other think scriptural knowledge leads to merge in God. Some worship gods and goddesses, but God is hard to understand. For the devotee the guru’s teachings is the way:

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥

ਗੁਰੁ ਈਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬਤੀ ਮਾਈ ॥

ਜੇ ਹਉ ਜਾਣਾ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਹਣਾ ਕਥਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥

Through the guru’s teaching I know about the celestial music, scriptural knowledge and that God is all pervasive;

The guru is therefore worthy of adoration instead of gods and goddesses;

Even if I think I know about God but I will still not be able to describe it.

I therefore beseech the guru:

ਗੁਰਾ ਇਕ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥ ਸਭਨਾ ਜੀਆ ਕਾ ਇਕੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਸੋ ਮੈ ਵਿਸਰਿ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੫॥

My Guru, please give me this understanding, that

The one beneficent Master is the source of all living beings;

May I never forget It. 5.

It would be noticed that five types of actions have been mentioned in Pauri 5. They are living by Hukam, praising God, listening, accepting and lovingly emulation. These five qualities make a person a Panch, a selected person. This will be discussed in Pauri 16.

Continuing, Japji next says that rituals like ceremonial baths are useful only if I become acceptable to God. Divine grace is necessary for achieving any thing:

ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਵਾ ਜੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵਾ ਵਿਣੁ ਭਾਣੇ ਕਿ ਨਾਇ ਕਰੀ ॥

ਜੇਤੀ ਸਿਰਠਿ ਉਪਾਈ ਵੇਖਾ ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਲਈ ॥

ਮਤਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਰਤਨ ਜਵਾਹਰ ਮਾਣਿਕ ਜੇ ਇਕ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸਿਖ ਸੁਣੀ ॥

ਗੁਰਾ ਇਕ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥ ਸਭਨਾ ਜੀਆ ਕਾ ਇਕੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਸੋ ਮੈ ਵਿਸਰਿ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੬॥

I should resort to baths at pilgrimage centers if they make me acceptable to God;

Without acceptance such baths are futile;

In the whole universe, let us see if any one can achieve any thing without Divine grace;

The gems of virtues that lead to grace are present in the mind;

To know them the mind needs to be awakened through the guru’s teachings;

My Guru, please give me this understanding, that

The one beneficent Master is the source of all living beings;

May I never forget It. 6.

Pauri 7 deals with grace. Some people think grace manifests as very long life. Some are proud of their good looks, plenty of wealth, power or fame.

A prerequisite for receiving God’s grace is humility. It is fine to be famous in the world but the objective of receiving grace needs to be ever remembered:

ਜੇ ਜੁਗ ਚਾਰੇ ਆਰਜਾ ਹੋਰ ਦਸੂਣੀ ਹੋਇ ॥

ਨਵਾ ਖੰਡਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਨਾਲਿ ਚਲੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥

ਚੰਗਾ ਨਾਉ ਰਖਾਇ ਕੈ ਜਸੁ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਜਗਿ ਲੇਇ ॥

If a person’s life spans extends to the four Yugas (millions of years); and ten times that;

He becomes famous in all the nine continents i.e. the world;

Every one seeks his or her company;

Earns a good name and is praised by all; ---

ਜੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਤ ਵਾਤ ਨ ਪੁਛੈ ਕੇ ॥

ਕੀਟਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕੀਟੁ ਕਰਿ ਦੋਸੀ ਦੋਸੁ ਧਰੇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਗੁਣਿ ਗੁਣੁ ਕਰੇ ਗੁਣਵੰਤਿਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਦੇ ॥

ਤੇਹਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਸੁਝਈ ਜਿ ਤਿਸੁ ਗੁਣੁ ਕੋਇ ਕਰੇ ॥੭॥

But without grace he will receive no attention (in the hereafter);

For his transgressions he will be treated like other accused and charges levied on him;

But If such people submit, God grants virtues to the virtue less, and more virtues to the virtuous;

There is none who has virtues to be given to God. 7.

The message of Pauris 5 to 7 therefore is that Divine grace is achieved not through rituals but by emulating virtues. For this there is need to seek the guru’s guidance in humility.