What is the meaning of life?
We have all had this question.
What is the purpose of me being on this earth?
What is my true essence?
These are the questions that Guru Nanak Dev ji
will be answering for us in this series.
In the series called Japji Sahib
This bani is called Jap Bani
but we all respectfully call it Jab ji Sahib.
Through Japji Sahib Guru Nanak Dev ji will be revealing to us our true essence,
our true existence.
In this series,
what are the questions that Guru Nanak Dev ji will be answering for us?
Guru Nanak Dev ji will be answering questions such as how do we break from this illusion.
Another question arises from that what illusion.
What illusion do we need to break from?
How do we have self-realization?
What type of rituals do I need to follow to have self-realization?
One of the most fundamental questions that we all have is hukam.
What is all this divine law about?
Do we have free will or is it just God doing everything?
Guru Nanak Dev ji will reveal to us through what is called the mantra,
the nature of that One.
That One that some referred to as God.
Then Guru Nanak Dev ji will give us five steps towards realization.
But before we receive this wisdom from Guru Nanak Dev ji,
how do we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji?
What does that even mean?
How to approach Guru Nanak Dev ji?
Do we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji as a teacher?
A teacher that is very learned of a very specific subject?
A teacher that has accumulated this knowledge academically,
that has learnt something, memorized something
and then now is passing on that knowledge?
Is that how we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji?
As we would approach our Maths teacher, our English teacher, our Science teacher?
Or do we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji as a great philosopher?
Somebody that answers the questions,
somebody that studies the fundamental questions such as existence, such as knowledge,
such as language, the mind..
Remember the word.
Somebody that studies these questions, studies can be in different ways and forms.
Somebody that carries out a study.
Somebody that does a survey, gets a whole load of people together.
Somebody that carries out these studies through different means.
Be through animals or be through human beings.
How do we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji?
Let's ask Gurbani.
Guru Arjan Dev ji tells us
Guru Nanak dev ji is a Sat Guru, the Guru.
Guru meaning the enlightener, who enlightens us of the truth.
Truth meaning enlightens us of our very nature or who some call of God
The one that knows that One.
The One that is one with that creator.
That One will then reveal to us of that creator.
Not just reveal to us, not just give us wisdom, but they'll take our hand.
They'll hold on to our finger and take us there.
So Sangat ji, we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji in that way.
In the way that Guru Nanak Dev ji is all knowing.
Not somebody that has accumulated knowledge from somebody else,
but somebody that knows from experience that has this wisdom from within.
Just like if somebody has actually been to a certain country
and then they've experienced that country:
the food of that country, the actual weather of that country,
the climate of that country...
They come back and they tell us firsthand.
Guru Nanak Dev ji is going to tell us firsthand of that One.
That's what it means to receive wisdom.
How did Bhai Lenna ji approach Guru Nanak Dev ji?
What sharda do we have in our heart?
Meaning what devotion do we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji with
for this wisdom to truly enlighten us.
Otherwise we'll be left with doubts.
Bhai Lenna ji is standing there in Kartarpur, They've been serving for many years.
Baba Sri Chand, the eldest son of Guru Nanak Dev ji, baba lakmi das is there,
Mata Sulakhni ji, Their wife, is there as well
and other Sangat and disciples are there too.
Guru Nanak Dev ji holds a coin in Their hand.
Guru Nanak Dev ji Patshah ji shows everybody that coin
and then They close their fist after showing everyone.
They said: "what's in the hands of Nanak?"
They asked the Sangat collectively.
And then Guru Nanak Dev ji ji approached and asked the eldest's son:
"You tell me what is in my hand"
Oh father Guru, you yourself put a coin in your hand, closed your fist
and then you asked us what is in your hand.
In your hand it's that coin, father.
You have shown us a coin in your hand then you asked us what is it.
It's the coin, what else can it be in your hand?
filled with doubt thinking why he's asking these questions.
They placed a vision upon Bhai Lenna ji
How can this Lenna that is so low and has no wisdom
how can he tell you what is in the hands of Nanak Dev ji?
There is a beautiful pangti in Gurbani that say
When all-powerful Guru places his hand above our head
then it becomes possible to do
what we never could imagine of being able to do
If you are blessing me, I will give the answer to this question
with your bakshish, with your karam, with your kirpa
with your blessing, with your grace
In the hands of Nanak is everything
In the hands of Guru Nanak is birth and death
in the hands of Guru Nanak is this entire creation
What is it that isn't in the hands of Nanak?
These are the words of Guru Amardas ji bani.
Vaheguru ji, can we ever know your limit?
because you are beyond the comprehension of these senses.
Bhai Lenna ji is saying that you cannot know the limit of that One
you cannot know the limit of the Guru because the Guru and that One is One.
Sangat ji, this was the approach of Bhai Lenna ji towards Guru Nanak Dev ji
Bhai Lehna ji looks at Guru Nanak Dev ji from the eyes of devotion
He sees Guru Nanak Dev ji to be everything
Guru Nanak Dev ji is the embodiment of that One,
that light.
Guru Nanak dev ji is everything themselves from within
Jabji Sahib has been divided into steps, pauriya.
Sangat ji, as we approach Japji Sahib and open our heart to it
we'll be climbing down those stairs
Just like we climb down the stairs of Sri Harmandir Sahib
When we go to Amritsar to get to Sri Harmandir Sahib,
we climb down the stairs because that signifies letting go of our ego
The many different layers of ego built through this life and many lifetimes
Japji Sahib is saying that these pauriya will help you
to shed those layers of the ego
Japji Sahib will enlighten you
take you from that place of ignorance to enlightenment
that place of duality, separateness, to oneness
That is Jabji sahib if we approach Guru Nanak Dev ji in that way