Japu, which means remembering or reciting again and again, is the name of the first composition in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), the Sikh holy book. It has the status of a living guru; its contents are also called Gurbani, the guru’s word.

 

Japu reverently called Japji is preceded by a prologue called the Mool Mantar or the Root Mantra which is not part of Japji but a prologue for the whole of SGGS. It is repeated in full or abbreviated forms throughout the scripture. It describes Divine virtues thus:

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ੧ ੧

 

 

One all pervasive Creator with eternal virtues, Creator, beyond fear or jealousy, timeless and deathless, unborn, self existent, whose virtues may be known through the Guru ‘s grace.

Mool Mantar has been discussed in a separate chapter.

 

 

Japji is titled Japu with a prologue of its own, 38 Pauris (stanzas) and a Slok as an epilogue. The title and prologue are written thus:

 

॥ ਜਪੁ॥

 

 

The Baani or composition Japu.

 

ਆਦਿ ਸਚੁ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਚੁ ॥ ਹੈ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੋਸੀ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ॥੧॥

 

All existence started from the Eternal Creator; It is the beginning of time.

It is a reality now and shall ever be.

 

A prologue is a preface or introduction to what follows. The first prologue – for the whole of SGGS – describes the virtues of the Creator which the humans need to emulate. The rest of SGGS is an elaboration of this aspect and acts as a complete guide on all aspects of human life to enable the soul to merge in God.

 

Before proceeding further it may be worthwhile to understand that the virtues described in the Mool Mantar cannot be of any one with a physical existence because all physical bodies are born and then die. The Creator thus does not have a physical form; it is Spirit. The soul in every living being is an offshoot of the Spirit. God being the universal truth does not change but the soul gets tempted by transitory or false pleasures. As a result a sort of dividing wall or curtain develops between the two but the soul still yearns to get back to its source, the Spirirt. For this the dividing wall or curtain must be demolished. This is possible only in human birth which alone has the sense of discrimination i.e. being able to differentiate between the desirable and the undesirable. Merger of the soul with God after having performed its duties is the aim of human birth.

The beauty in Japu is that every Pauri (Stanza) or group of Pauris has a context which generally speaking is given in their last lines. If the context is known, understanding becomes easy. Let us take the first Pauri. Its context is:

 

ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥

How can we break the obstacle of things transitory or falsehood and get to the Spirit?

The obstacles that separate the soul from the spirit are enumerated thus: evil thoughts, disturbed mind, craving even when we have enough, and considering wisdom or knowledge as a means of achieving union with God.

The first thing noticed by any one who wishes to pursue the spiritual path is rituals being performed. Gurbani teaches against this. Let us now translate the first Pauri keeping in mind its message that the obstacles cannot be overcome by rituals:

 

 

ਸੋਚੈ ਸੋਚਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਸੋਚੀ ਲਖ ਵਾਰ ॥

 

The mind cannot be cleansed of evil thoughts by bathing the body even a million baths.

ਚੁਪੈ ਚੁਪ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਲਾਇ ਰਹਾ ਲਿਵ ਤਾਰ ॥

 

Unless causes of the mind being disturbed are removed it cannot be at peace even if one sits in continuous meditation.

 

[Sukhmani Sahib gives one of the reasons for a disturbed mind:

 

ਜਬ ਧਾਰੈ ਕੋਊ ਬੈਰੀ ਮੀਤੁ ॥ ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਚੀਤੁ ॥ ੫੨੭੮

 

As long as one indulges in friendships and enmities the mind cannot be at peace (M: 5, p 278].

ਭੁਖਿਆ ਭੁਖ ਨ ਉਤਰੀ ਜੇ ਬੰਨਾ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਭਾਰ ॥

 

A craving mind is not satiated even by the wealth of all the worlds.

 

[Craving is overcome by developing contentment.

 

ਬਿਨਾ ਸੰਤੋਖ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਊ ਰਾਜੈ ॥ ਸੁਪਨ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਬ੍ਰਿਥੇ ਸਭ ਕਾਜੈ ॥੫੨੭੯

 

No one is satiated without having the quality of contentment;

All rituals are fruitless like things done in a dream (M: 5, p 279)].

 

ਸਹਸ ਸਿਆਣਪਾ ਲਖ ਹੋਹਿ ਤ ਇਕ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਨਾਲਿ ॥

 

Loads of knowledge and wisdom also do not help.

 

ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥

 

Question: Then how can we break the wall of things transitory or falsehood and get to the Spirit?

 

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

 

Answer: Live by Hukam, the preordained Divine commands, the laws of nature. 1.

 

The laws of nature are to be respected. They should be considered inviolable. One who lives by the laws of nature does not talk in ego i.e. saying things can be done as he or she pleases. The context Pauri 2 is:

 

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥

 

One who understands that he or she is to obey the laws of nature does not talk in ego i.e. does not boast of doing any thing by the self, outside the laws.

 

The commands and the laws of nature to be obeyed are explained in the second Pauri. The fundamental point is that the universe exists and its components function according to laws of nature. Human actions should accord with these laws. Men and women reap results based on their deeds.

 

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥

 

All creation is by Divine commands but what is the purpose of the Creator is not know. In other words what is this law of nature is beyond human comprehension; the Creator alone knows.

 

However as discussed above what is expected of the creatures is told to them and they must act accordingly. They reap the benefits or suffering according to the laws of nature on the principle of cause and effect.

 

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥

 

All living beings are created to act according to laws of nature and they get the reputation accordingly.

 

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥

 

High or low status is also according to the laws of nature and so are joy and suffering based on deeds.

 

ਇਕਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਇਕਿ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ॥

 

Based on the laws of nature and deeds some receive grace while others keep going in cycles of reincarnation.

 

Grace here is getting free of reincarnation and is called Mukti or release. This happens when the soul is able to merge in God.

 

ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥

 

Every one is subject to the laws of nature, none is beyond them.

 

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥

 

One who understands that he or she is to obey the laws of nature does not talk in ego i.e. does not boast of doing any thing by the self, outside these laws.

 

The first message of Japu therefore is twofold.First that God is eternal and second that we have to live by Hukam, Divine commands or the laws of nature.Living by Hukam helps overcome ego which is the main obstacle to spiritual advancement.

 

A request: The readers re requested to give their comments on this format for translation. It is hoped to continue with the translation serially like this or improved based on comments. Guru Rakha

 

Rawel Singh