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Summary of Question:Sukhmani Sahib
Category:Meditation
Date Posted:Monday, 4/16/2001 3:33 AM MDT

Waheguru Jee Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Jee Kee Fateh

Thank you for your answers on Sukhmani Sahib and the effects that daily recitation of it has. My question is slightly different.

In the first ashtpadi of Sukhmani Sahib, Sri Guru Arjan Dev is telling us about the benefits of Simran i.e. what all we will achieve by doing simran. This is the central theme in Sukhmani sahib as well as a lot of the other banis in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The question is, if we read Sukhmani Sahib once we have sort of read the
instruction on what we are required to do in our life i.e practise Simran. If we read it the second time, the instructions will become further clearer in our mind. If we read it n times we will know the instructions inside out.

BUT, till we practise Simran we will not achieve any of the benefits that Guru Arjan Dev is talking about in Sukhmani Sahib.

So to my limited and ignorant understanding it appears that the focus after having done Sukhmani Sahib a few times and after having read and vichaaroed the Siri Guru Granth Sahib a few times should be to do Simran with each and every breath. Wouldn't that take priority over reading the instructions and benefits over and over again?

I am honestly confused on this issue and am seeking an answer. It is not my intent to criticise the existing "consensus" view that one should read the banis all the time, I (in my ignorant and limited way) think that we should focus on living what the banis are asking us to live by and do what the banis are asking us to do rather than simply read them over and over again without following what they are saying.

Your elaboration / thoughts / comments on this would as always be greatly aand sincerely appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and respond.

Humbly
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Reply
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Greetings and blessings.

The greatest experience is the life devoted to the experience of Simran. This experience that the Gurus refer to is a process of expansion. Just as you grow from a baby to a youth to an adult with varying and changing experiences of joy and fulfillment, so is your experience of Gurbani. When you make daily recitation a part of your life, it becomes a touchstone of your life experience. It is good to understand what you read, HOWEVER, the sound of Gurbani has a power to transform you regardless of what you understand with your mind.

Gurbani is a power to take you from darkness to light, from the false world to the the Infinte undying truths of life. It is a sound that you vibrate from your tongue through your pituitary gland, which is the seat of your own elevation or experience of bliss. If you wish this experience your daily practice is imperitive to recieving this gift by the Grace of the Guru.

You must start with something. Then continue through out your life. You may choose to read Sukhmani Sahib daily or to read all your Nitnem, or even part of it. It matters little which one you do. What matters is that you start and then continue.

Stop thinking so much. As Guru Nanak Dev ji instructed us in Jap Ji Sahib, "Sochai Soch na hova-ee..." Thinking and thinking does not give us the answer...". So, It is not a mental process that will give you the benefit. It is a pure experience of reading and hearing yourself recite. Apply yourself completely to your bani and see how much different or how much better you feel from having done the "path".

Here I can suggest to commit yourself to this practice for 40 days to see how your life can be affected through the daily recitation of Sukhmani Sahib. It will give you balance in your life, peacefulness and increased clarity and intuition.

God bless you, SKKK



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