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Summary of Question:	The Bani Of Japji
Category:	Gurbani
Date Posted:	Saturday, 6/09/2001 1:19 AM MDT

WGJKK WGJKF

Khalsa Ji...i tried for a while doing Nitnem with all seven Banis a Sikh is supposed to do...the only Bani that i am close to memorizing completely (by Guru's grace) is the Bani which u'r forum defines as "it describes the entire Siri Guru Granth Sahib, and is the Jap (meditation) of the Ji (soul)" in contrast to other Banis which are said to NOT describe the entire SGGS,JUST A FEW various aspects...i'm referring to Japji Sahib...so is it ok if one does ONLY Japji during Amrit Vela as Nitnem?!?!?!...not that i want to or i am trying to sound lazy,but frankly speaking,doing all the seven Banis one after the other continuously,don't u think one cannot retain a whole lot of what one reads even if done aloud?!?!?!...my personal experience is that i start looking at the page number as though i want to just finish it off rather than enjoy it :-( please help! i tried meditation also...waiting for your answer eagerly!

Guru Rakha!

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REPLY
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Dear One:

Sat Siri Akaal! I think one's sadhana needs to be felt and understood, not just done as something to get through. The sadhana you keep is about YOUR relationship to God & Guru, and cannot be defined by others. I am not going to tell any Sikh that it is "OK" to do or not do all 7 banis in the morning. But I will give you several perspectives that I hope guide you in your decision.

If reading and comprehending Japji Sahib is taking all your sadhana time, then perhaps you need to focus on just that. Perhaps Guruji wants you to comprehend all that is in Japji, and then you will feel inspired to move on to the other banis. It is your personal decision. No one is going to take you to court for it. There are people who spend their lives working to understand Japji Sahib, so I also want to add that understanding this and all 7 banis grows with time, practice, and maturity.

Recitation of the banis is not ONLY about understanding them. So consider that doing all the morning banis is creating a SOUND CURRENT ('naad'), that serves your soul, spirit and your psyche in a cumulative way. Said separately, each bani still does this, but taken together, the effect is very powerful.

Many of us who work and have families do Japji and Naam Simran in the amrit vela, and then fit the other banis in over the course of the day. While that may not be the official way to do it, reading a bani in the middle of the day is a wonderful and elevating break. Moreover, I think that in this hectic world, Guruji holds dear any Sikh who keeps all his banis daily no matter when they are recited! That is, saying them daily WHENEVER is better than not saying them at all.

Your desire to do the right thing and keep your sadhana will serve you throughout your life, and I hope it inspires the many Sikhs out there who don't bother with their banis at ALL. Guru Rakha,
-DKK