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02/07/2008

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Gur charan laag hamm binvataa poochhat kah jeeo paaeiaa;
Kavan kaaji jag upjai binsai kahu mohi samjhaaeaa (SGGS, p 475).
Paying obeisance to the Guru, I beseech, Why has man been created? Pray teach me; Why does man go through cycles of birth and death?

Bhagat Kabir asks these profound questions from the Guru and then prays:

Dev karhu deiaa mohi marag laavhu jit bhai bandhan tootai;
Janam maran dukh phayd karam such jea janam tay chhootay (SGGS, p 475).
O Lord please show compassion, and put me on the path that frees me of ‘bondage’ with the ‘terrifying world ocean’; Suffering due to past deeds is forgiven, and I am released from cycles of reincarnation.

This prayer answers the questions thus: Man ties himself in bondage due to evil thoughts and deeds, thus going through cycles of birth and death. By following the Guru’s teachings he can break this cycle and attain release from it. Let us try and understand the import of these statements.

The soul came from, and is a part of, God, the Supreme soul. At the time of birth of the body, the soul is told that he has a role to play and after it completes the allotted tasks he will be accepted back to merge with the Supreme soul. A fixed time is allotted for this and death scheduled in advance. However distractions like looking viciously at another’s wealth or beauty, greed, anger, attachment to transitory pleasures, slander, backbiting, and conflict with others, wean the soul away from faithfully carrying out its tasks. This is the ‘bondage’ mentioned above. It becomes a wall or obstacle between the soul and Supreme soul. But the soul yearns to get back to the source. On death of the body he attempts but is unable to cross the obstacle created by the above evils. Since these evils affect one whose mind is in turbulence, overcoming the obstacle is like crossing an ocean in turbulence, the ‘terrifying world ocean’ mentioned above. If the soul fails in crossing the world ocean, he cannot obviously merge with God and has to take birth in another body (reincarnate) in a life form that is determined by God based on his conduct in the life just ended. Reincarnation is chastisement as also opportunity. In every birth the soul is given a chance to act such that he is granted human birth again which provides the opportunity to merge with the Supreme soul. If he does not succeed he continues in the cycles of death and rebirth, thus:
Parr dhann parr tann parr tee nindaa parr apbaad na chhootai;
Aavaagavan hot hai pun phun ehu parsang na tootai (p 971).
One who has designs on others’ beauty or wealth, and remains in conflicts, continues in cycles of reincarnation and this story never ends.

There are no places or regions known as heaven and hell. Reincarnation is temporary hell, and success in merging with God is heaven. No one is permanently put in hell because God is compassionate and merciful

Let us now study the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) on how release from the cycles of reincarnation may be achieved. All page numbers in parentheses are of SGGS.

In Japu Ji Guru Nanak asks a question and answers it thus:

Question: Kiv sachiaara heeai kiv koodai tutai paal (p 1)
How can the soul break the wall of falsehood (obstacle) and get to God?

Answer: Hukam razaaee chalna Nanak likhiaa naali (p 1).
Carry out the commands preordained.

So the obstacle can be broken if one carries out the commands that are preordained, i.e. carry out the allotted tasks. This can only be achieved in human birth:

Bhaee praapat maanukh dayhureea; Gobind Milan ki eh tayree bareea (SGGS, p 12).
You have been granted human birth; this is your chance to meet the Master.

Let us see what type of commands could have been given to the soul. First and foremost he was told that the family into which he is being born, was predestined. These relatives are based on association in previous birth but cannot help when the end comes; attachment to them must therefore be avoided.

Maaee baap putr sabhi hari kay keeay;
Sabhna kau sanbndh hari kari deeay (p 494).
The mother, father, and children are all given, and relationships established by God.

Jio jananee sutu paaltee raakhai nadir majhaar;
Antar baahar much day giraasu khin khin pochaar(p 168).
The mother gives birth to, brings up and supervises the children and arranges for their nutrition.

Kaahay poot jhagrat hay sang baap;
Jin kay janay badeeray yum hau tin sio jhagrat paap , Pause.
Jisu dhan ka tum garabu karat hau so dhan kisay na aap
Khin mahi chhod jaaey bikhiaa rasu tau laagai pachhutaap (p 1200).
The children should not defy their parents who gave birth and brought them up. In case they do this because of financial independence, they must remember it is transitory.

Maat pita banita sut bndhap ist meet ar bhaaee,
Poorab janam kay milay sanjogee antay ko na sahaaee (p 700).
The mother, father, spouse, children, relatives, loved ones and siblings meet based on association in previous births but cannot help at the end.

The profession or the job is also preordained and one must carry that out well:

Sabh jeeo pind deeaa tudhu aapay tudh aapay kaarai laaeaa;
Jayhaa tun hukam kareh tehay ko karam kamaavai jiha tudh dhur likh paaeaa (p 736).
O Lord You create all bodies and souls and put people to work. Every one carries out the tasks preordained.

Jaisa sangg biseear sio ray taisaa hi eh parr gharr (p 403);
Being with someone other than the spouse is like company of a poisonous snake. Adultery is taboo.

Nitprati hirayh par darabu chhidr kat dhaakeeayh (p 1362).
Laying hands on another’s wealth cannot be concealed.

Ninda bhalli kisai ki naahi manmukh mugdh karrani;
Muhnkaalay tinaa nindkan narkay ghori pavani (p 755).
It is not right to slander any one. The slanderers are put to shame and go through hell.

Poorabi likhay dayh si aaey maaeaa;
Chalan ajj kay kall dhurhu puurmaaeaa (p 369).
O my mother my days are predetermined; I have to leave on the day preordained.

This may be summarized thus:

Jehaa cheeree likhiaa tehaa hukam kamaaeh,
Ghalay aavai Nanka saday uthee jaaeh (p 1239).
One is born when sent by God to this world, acts as per God’s writ and dies when called back.

God created the universe and looks after it lovingly. He therefore appears to have decided to enjoy and further develop it. God Himself is not a physical entity; He exists in spirit. He puts a part of this spirit as soul in every body and sends them to the earth to enjoy. Thus God sends man to enjoy the nature He has created. Man is expected to enjoy nature and participate in its further development on behalf of God. For this he is enjoined to perform duties earmarked for him. Human birth enjoys many benedictions like intellect and a sense of discrimination with which he can understand what is expected of him. The duties that man should perform are covered by the word Dharam. This word is of Indian origin but is now universally used as Dharma. It encompasses all duties in all fields of life. These include but are not limited to the code of conduct laid down by his religion; responsibilities to the elders, other members of the family and society; loyalty to his country; responsibilities of the job; interpersonal dealings; conforming to the laws of the land and above all leading a truthful life.

Man is not expected to perform these duties mechanically as a robot without emotions or need for personal aspirations and enjoyment. He therefore also works for his economic wellbeing and satisfaction of desires. While man works he creates resources for himself and the society thus contributing to development. This quality is called Arth or economic well being. Some of these resources he uses for fulfillment of his aspirations and desires. This is called kaam.

Dharam, Arth and kaam are very attractive and are likely to wean man away from his duties i.e. forget God’s commands. But man is not asked to keep away from them because that will take him away from practical life. Instead he should not get attached to them. This is analogous to a lotus flower surviving with the help of water and mud but remaining untouched by them. Or like the duck that floats in water but does not let its wings get wet. Both these metaphors are frequently used in SGGS. Guru Nanak was asked by the Yogis how to get across the terrifying world ocean i.e. achieve salvation mokh or mukti, which is the other name for merger of the soul with God and consequent release from the cycles of reincarnation. He replied:

Jaisay jal meh kamal niraalam murgaaee naisaanay,
Surt sabad bhavsaagar tareeai Nanak Naam vakhaanay (p 938).
The way the lotus flower and the duck remain untouched by water. (Remaining unattached from the worldly activities), and letting the mind be guided by the Shabad and chanting the Naam one gets across the terrifying world ocean.
‘Chanting the Naam’ means remembering God and His commands and to carry them out.

Dharam, Arth, Kaam and Mokh are together called the four cardinal blessings. Achievement of all of them signifies a successful and productive life that ends in salvation. While the other three are clearly understood as blessings it is necessary to understand why duty is a blessing. Duty here means to do what is right and having the freedom to do so. A look at the items given above while describing duties will indicate that it is not the freedom to anything what likes but what is right. This is aided by always being in God- consciousness which means performing one’s duties at work and home, never forgetting that one is carrying out God’s commands. This is a blessing in itself.

The purpose of human birth thus is to achieve Dharam, Arth, Kaam and Mokh i.e. being dutiful, contributing to development, meeting personal aspirations and finally merging the soul with God.

This translates into a disciplined, enjoyable and fruitful life.

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