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| Dear Members, As we all know Pauri means a rung of the ladder. Studying each Pauri should elevate me spiritually. studying the interpretation of Siri Guru Granth Sahib as available with me in different books does not give me the satisfaction that I have got the real meaning. I use the knowledge that I gain by reading available litrature, but with that my search is not ending. Literal translation does not give me what I am looking for. I expose my thinking to all our you learned people with a view that I will come out of it as a better Sikh. In this posting, I share with you my deliberations and the resulting understanding of the 2nd Pauri of Japji Sahib. In the 1st Pauri, Guru Sahib has asked us to merrily harmonise ourselves with the ‘Hukam’. In this Pauri Guru Sahib has not elaborated on what this ‘Hukam’ is and what creates it. Guru Sahib is preparing us, may be, later on in Siri Guru Granth Sahib, he may through light on these aspects. With this background of 1st Pauri and Mool Mantra, I study the 2nd Pauri. In the first sentence Guru Sahib says: hukmee hovan aakaar hukam na kahi-aa jaa-ee. Guru Sahib says that by the ‘Hukam’ of ‘Karta Purakh’ the forms come into existence. Guru Sahib immediately adds that the ‘Hukam’ cannot be stated. The question that arises now is why it cannot be stated? When something happens in ones life, the individual knows that this was his ‘Hukam’, then why it cannot be stated? On further thinking I realise that what happens in the life of an individual – positive or negative – is the impact of the ‘Hukam’, which is not the ‘Hukam’ proper. ‘Hukam’ when implemented creates an impact on the life of an individual, which one can feel and know; what we know is only the effect of ‘Hukam’ and not the ‘Hukam’ proper. We really have no knowledge of the ‘Hukam’. ‘Hukam’ is the precursor of the impact i.e. effect. When the ‘Hukam’ got designed we did not know any thing about it. We live in present, it is natural that we will not know what ‘Hukam’ awaits to impact on our lives next. With this realisation, I understand why Guru Sahib said that ‘Hukam’ cannot be stated. I move on to the next sentence. hukmee hovan jee-a hukam milai vadi-aa-ee. Once one has understood that the ‘Absolute’ is the ‘Karta Purakh’ there is no question to be answered for this line, which says, that because of the ‘Hukam’ beings come into this world and it is because of the ‘Hukam’ that glory and greatness is achieved by the individuals. Guru Sahib through these sentences is conveying the spread over which the ‘Hukam’ impacts. Now I go to the third sentence. hukmee utam neech hukam likh dukh sukh paa-ee-ah. The first part of the sentence is clear; it says that because of his ‘Hukam’ one acquires an evolved level or degrades to a low level. The second part of the sentence, which has the word ‘likh’, which means ‘written’ raises questions in my mind. Why ‘Karta Purakh’ who is ‘Nirakaar’ will be writing any thing? Written text is the need for those like us who have ‘Akaar’. I start looking for what can be the implied meaning of this word ‘likh’. When we humans want to give and order (Hukam) for implementation, we write it down. This written command is the end result of the process that designs the command/order. There is another question that arises in my mind due to the use of the word ‘likh’. In popular usage it means preordained. If this is the meaning than nothing is to be done just live the life as it comes, nothing can be changed, no improvement if possible, it is all fixed; it is preordained. If it was so, then why did our Gurus invest their lives to bring about a change in individuals and the society - not one but ten lives? Our Guru Sahibs knew every thing – what is possible and what is not, yet they worked for the change and succeeded also. What our ancestors were 500 years ago and what we are today is a proof of their success. This makes me conclude that every thing is not preordained; things can be changed, ‘Hukam’ is not preordained; through their lives and achievements our Guru Sahibs have show us the way. The word 'likh' cannot be taken as preordained. If Hukam is not preordained then it cannot be an out come of a static but a dynamic cosmic process, which in a sense writes it; that is why Guru Sahib has used the word ‘likh’. This is the way I understand this sentence and precede to the next sentence. iknaa hukmee bakhsees ik hukmee sadaa bhavaa-ee-ah. This sentence is simple and straight which tell that ‘Karta Purakh’ thorough his ‘Hukam’ bestows his grace on some and makes some go round and round. Here again Guru Sahib is giving and idea of the domain in which the ‘Hukam’ is effective. The next sentence is: hukmai andar sabh ko baahar hukam na ko-ay. Guru Sahib is telling us that one gets only what comes within the domain bound by the ‘Hukam’ of ‘Karta Purakh’. Out side the boundary set by this ‘Hukam’ no one gets anything. The next sentence is: naanak hukmai jay bujhai ta ha-umai kahai na ko-ay. ||2|| Guru Sahib in this Pauri finally tells us that those who understand that what one is getting is because of the ‘Hukam’ will not speak with a sense of ‘Ahamkara’. It will be naturally so, because the individual knows that she/he is not the doer, is not the achiever; she/he is only the receiver of what came to her/him as a result of ‘Hukam’ of ‘Karta Purakh’. This is what my understanding of this Pauri is. My desire to know what in our life is responsible for specific ‘Hukam’ is still not fulfilled. In search of it, I continue my study of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. With Love and Regard for all. Amarpal |
 | My understanding of 2nd P... (Amarpalsinghxx - 23.Jul.04) |
| . . Re: My understanding of 2... (Serjinder Singh - 24.Jul.04) | |
| . . . . Re: My understanding of 2... (Amarpalsinghxx - 25.Jul.04) | |
| . . . . . . Re: My understanding of 2... (Serjinder Singh - 26.Jul.04) |
