On the occasion of Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Sahib, let us look at what is fruitful and what’s fruitless, as suggested by the founder of the Sikh religion through the hymns revealed by him, which are part of Guru Granth Sahib. Bhupinder Singh delves into the Guru’s teachings and presents the central idea of the Sikh way of life.

THE RAHAAO LINES OF A SHABAD CONVEY its essential message, while the other lines are supporting statements plus clarifications to the central idea being conveyed in the Rahaao lines. Here Guru Ji is saying:

“ਜਪਹੁ ਤ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮਾ ॥ ਅਵਰਿ ਨਿਰਾਫਲ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥”

Translation: Meditate on the Name of the One Lord. All other actions are fruitless. ||1||Pause||
Guru Granth Sahib, page 728

We see that there is emphasis by Guru Nanak Dev Sahib is on “Naam Japna” or meditating on Naam. In this Shabad, Guru Ji shares how that process of “Naam Japna” takes place, which we will explore. Guru Ji starts by employing the metaphor of milk and its transformation to butter:

“ਭਾਂਡਾ ਧੋਇ ਬੈਸਿ ਧੂਪੁ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਤਉ ਦੂਧੈ ਕਉ ਜਾਵਹੁ ॥
ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮ ਫੁਨਿ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਮਾਇਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਰਿਾਸ ਜਮਾਵਹੁ ॥੧॥”

Translation: Wash the vessel, sit it down and anoint it with fragrance; then, go out and get the milk.
Add the rennet of clear consciousness to the milk of good deeds, and then, let it sit free of desires to curdle. ||1||
Guru Granth Sahib, page 728

The vessel or utensil is first to be washed with clean water and then it is set out in the sun to dry and disinfect. Some writers interpret the vessel as disinfected with smoke from the incense stick, but in essence the idea of disinfecting remains. Thus, the first step of cleaning the vessel is the purification of the body/mind. Then with the clean vessel go out to get the milk of good deeds. To this milk in the vessel, add the starter of meditation to ferment and leave it undisturbed to curdle overnight making the yoghurt.

What is the current state of the vessel (a metaphor for the body/mind) now? Guru Nanak Ji says: It is utterly soiled –“Bhaanddaa utt maleen” -Guru Granth Sahib, Page 730). Guru Ji says it is soiled with the thoughts of greed, guilefulness, slandering, aggression, etc. Additionally, it is obsessed to hear its own praises and ever ready to trash others. It craves violence, and aggression makes it feel good.

It has been scientifically proven that aggressive events trigger dopamine release to the mind providing it with thrill. So, Guru Ji says our body vessel is filthy. There is a torrent of thoughts in the mind. Many times those are constantly vacillating in nature. Even the types of thoughts that we get are not conducive to the remembrance of God. Guru Ji says it needs to be washed, dried and made free from toxins. Where can such cleansing take place? Guru Ji provides the place and the methodology as:

“ਗੁਰੂ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਹੋਇ ਸੋਝੀ ਪਾਇਸੀ ॥
ਏਤੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਧੋਇ ਹਛਾ ਹੋਇਸੀ ॥
ਮੈਲੇ ਹਛੇ ਕਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤਾਇਸੀ ॥”

Translation: Through the Gurdwara, the Guru’s Gate, one obtains understanding.
By being washed through this Gate, it becomes pure.
The Lord Himself sets the standards to discriminate between good and evil.
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 730

Now the analogy of cleaning the vessel makes sense. The cleaning that Guru Ji is talking about is not of the physical body cleaning with the great cleaning agent as water, but Guru Ji. is suggesting the cleansing of the thought processes. It is from Guru alone, the rationale of right and wrong will emerge. This is the place for the start of a transformation. The result will be that the aggressive nature will be replaced with a loving nature, full of reverence. Then only that vessel will become clean, a suitable receptacle for milk of good deeds.

Guru Ji refers to milk as the daily actions in life. Milk symbolizes purity, as well as its nurturing quality, the same way our actions will become pristine, nurturing, without the traits of greed, lust, aggression etc. So, when reverence is inculcated within, the results of the cleansing process will become manifest, as Guru Ji shares:

“ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਭਾਂਡੈ ਭਾਉ ਤਿਨਾ ਸਵਾਰਸੀ ॥
ਸੂਖੀ ਕਰੈ ਪਸਾਉ ਦੂਖ ਵਿਸਾਰਸੀ ॥
ਸਹਸਾ ਮੂਲੇ ਨਾਹਿ ਸਰਪਰ ਤਾਰਸੀ ॥੧॥”

Translation: Those, whose minds are filled with reverence, will be embellished.
They are blessed with peace, and their pains and sufferings eradicated.
Absolutely, without any doubt, they will be ferried across. ||1||
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 729 

The reverent attitude is a true inner adornment, and it will be reflected in daily life activities. Then with that raised awareness, bereft of worldly hopes and expectations, totally detached from worldly desires, as the ferment (starter), apply and leave it undisturbed. The stilled mind devoid of thoughts will thus transform the milk of daily activity into yoghurt. This is the process of transformation of rising above worldly desires. Guru Ji elaborates on the further development process as:

“ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਈਟੀ ਹਾਥਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਫੁਨਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰਉ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥
ਰਸਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਤਬ ਮਥੀਐ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪਾਵਹੁ ॥੨॥”

Translation: Let your mind be the handpieces, and then ever awareness as the churn-string churn it.
Utter the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with your tongue, then the yoghurt will be churned. In this way, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained. ||2||
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 728

With the two end handpieces as mind and the string of ever awareness churn the shaft back and forth with alertness. The desireless tongue acting as the blades will churn the yoghurt of good deeds. In other words, the good deeds are done credited to God as He channelled those through the doer, instead of taking credit for them as the doer. This process of churning will produce butter which will float to the top of the vessel. The butter is the metaphor for ambrosial nectar or wisdom. Let us recap the steps:

1. Washing the Vessel – This is the cleansing of the awareness.
2. Disinfecting the Vessel – Keeping the mind pure and elevated through the daily activities amidst worldly temptations. In short, becoming a person of high character and clear consciousness.
3. Adding the starter to ferment – Keeping the awareness in Supreme God.
4. Let it sit to become yoghurt from the milk – Becoming detached to worldly desires.
5. End Handpieces of the churn-string – Keeping the watchful eyes over the daily actions
6. Churn-string of awareness – Watching over with each breath to ensure that the mind is not being lulled to sleep of unawareness by the glitter of the material world.
7. Process of Churning – Uttering and remembering the Divine Virtues with the tongue.
8. Butter rising to the top of the vessel – The Ambrosial Naam is obtained. God is experienced within.

We briefly saw the metaphor of making butter from milk being employed by Guru Ji to share the most significant message of Guru Ji’s teachings. In the process of making the butter, there is constant back and forth churning, producing agitation in the contents of the vessel. However, outwardly the vessel appears to be in a state of complete rest without any movement at all. But the calmness is only on the outside, yet inside there is an agitation of unique desire to connect with Naam. Guru Ji has shared the state of the mind of the seeker. Connecting with Naam implies remembrance of the realization that I am not the doer, just a medium through which the Doer – God, is doing.

Guru Ji continues with the Shabad and provides another metaphor of washing the statues of gods and making an offering of flowers and petals to them. But for this discussion, we will restrict ourselves to the first metaphor of making butter and further explore its nuances.

First, let us start with the question of urgency with all these efforts. Guru Ji says that the life that we are born with is fleeting away approaching the end point. With each breath life is winding down, Guru Ji wants us to be concerned about the soul:

“ਛੀਜਤ ਡੋਰਿ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਅਰੁ ਰੈਨੀ ਜੀਅ ਕੋ ਕਾਜੁ ਨ ਕੀਨੋ ਕਛੂਆ ॥੨॥”

Translation: The string of life is dwindling thin uninterrupted day and night, and you have done nothing worthwhile for your soul. ||2||
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 206 

Guru Ji clarifies where the whole efforts have been misdirected:

“ਲਬੁ ਕੁਤਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਚੂਹੜਾ ਠਗਿ ਖਾਧਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ ॥
ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਪਰ ਮਲੁ ਮੁਖ ਸੁਧੀ ਅਗਨਿ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਚੰਡਾਲੁ ॥
ਰਸ ਕਸ ਆਪੁ ਸਲਾਹਣਾ ਏ ਕਰਮ ਮੇਰੇ ਕਰਤਾਰ ॥੧॥”

Translation: Greed is a dog; falsehood is a filthy street-sweeper. Cheating is eating a rotting carcass.
Slandering others is putting the filth of others into your own mouth. The fire of anger is the outcaste who burns dead bodies at the crematorium.
I am caught in these tastes and flavours, and in self-conceited praise. These are my actions, O my Creator! ||1||
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 15

Guru Ji wants us to redirect our efforts in collecting ambrosial nectar of Naam as all other endeavours are fruitless. Because that Naam alone is the saviour in this world and in the afterworld. Guru Ji has declared that:

“ਤੇਰਾ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਾਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥”

Translation: Your Name alone, Lord, saves the world.
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 24 

Guru Ji explains the process of “Naam Japna” as:

1. To utter/sing praises of God with a word or a string of words
2. To hear those words being said/sung
3. By singing the praises, try to internalize those in the heart
4. To elevate one’s own character emulating the characteristics heard in the process of “Naam Japna”

Thus, “Naam Japna” is to intentionally remember and internalize God or reside Him in the heart, mind, and soul. There is tremendous power in remembrance which we have never explored. It brings us closer to whom we remember, strengthening faith. It builds positive feelings and affirms the powers of God. Guru Ji says their coming to this world is fruitful in these words:

“ਆਇਆ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸਫਲੁ ਭਇਆ ਹੈ ਇਕ ਮਨਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥”

Translation: Fruitful is the coming of those, who meditate single-mindedly on Him.
Guru Granth Sahib, Page 579

References:

1. Sikhitothemax.com
2. https://www.livescience.com/2231-humans-crave-violence-sex.html

Note: Illustrations by the author.