In Paurri 23 Guru says the Creator is like a bottomless ocean. We should not try to find out how big or great IT is, but just remain absorbed in praising and emulating IT’s virtues. We shall then merge in IT like the rivers and streams flow to the sea and get lost in it. Water always seeks a lower level, so be in remembrance of the Almighty in humility.
ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਏਤੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ॥
ਨਦੀਆ ਅਤੈ ਵਾਹ ਪਵਹਿ ਸਮੁੰਦਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੀਅਹਿ ॥
One should praise virtues of the Almighty the such that s/he does not even realize that that s/he is doing it,
Get absorbed the way the rivers and streams lose their identity when they enter the sea.
The grace so obtained is more precious than any thing of material nature:
ਸਮੁੰਦ ਸਾਹ ਸੁਲਤਾਨ ਗਿਰਹਾ ਸੇਤੀ ਮਾਲੁ ਧਨੁ ॥
ਕੀੜੀ ਤੁਲਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਨੀ ਜੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਨਹੁ ਨ ਵੀਸਰਹਿ ॥੨੩॥
Remember, a king with his dominion as big as the ocean and heaps of wealth like the mountains,
is not blessed as much as the little ant that neve forgets the Master, i.e. one should think of the Almighty with humility. 23.
Thank you for the above translation Rawel Singh Ji. Could you elaborate on some items?
Does surati in the first line refer to something like a "mystical awareness"? What do you take this word to mean in this context? I see how the line could refer to "praise without having awareness". But could there might be a meaning of surati as a reference to the Creator listening to the praise? In that case I thought it might imply praise without any supplication.
Also, could you explain how the term samunda saaha is used here, is saaha referring to breath?
Thank you!
Guru Fateh Jee
It was a wonderful session on yesterday on Pauree 23.
Thanks everyone and specially to those who asked some challenging Questions.
I will try to define some meanings from within Gurbani to the best of my understanding. Hoping this will help in understanding the Pauri in a better way.
This Pawan pauri 23 is in continuation from the pauri 22
ਨਾਨਕ ਵਡਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਆਪੁ ॥੨੨॥
How to know your self (ਆਪੁ)?
Here the answer
ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ (Through praises)
(ਸਾਲਾਹੀ) The Praise worthy,
(ਸਾਲਾਹਿ) The extolling or exaltation of a deity,
The main Questions are
How to praise ?
Whom to praise ?
Let us try to find these answers from within Gurbani.
ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਰੰਗੇ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੩੨
Singing the Praises through the Gur Shabads (Gurbani), the Atma is dyed in the colour of Pratama.
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਮਾਹਿ ਉਦਾਸਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੪੨੬
Praising the Paratma through the Teachings of Gurbani, the Atma will remains unaffected by Maya ||1||Pause||
ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਸਚ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਹੋਰੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੬॥ਪੰਨਾ ੧੨੦
Night and day, praise through the True Word (Gurbani). There is no other way to know His Worth. ||6||
ਨਿਰਮਲ ਬਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਜਪਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਵਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੧੨੧
Praise the praise worthy Paratama through the Immaculate Word of the Gurbani; O Atma understanding the Immaculate Har (Paratma), all filth is washed away. ||1||
Hence we can conclude that Gurbani instructs us to praise our MOOL (Har, Prabh, Raam, Gobind) through Gurbani. This will make our Atma and Pratama go ONE or Pooranbraham.
ਆਤਮਾ ਪਰਾਤਮਾ ਏਕੋ ਕਰੈ ॥
ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮਰੈ ॥੧॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੬੬੧
When soul (Atma) and the Supreme Soul (Paratama) become one.
The duality of the Atma dies within. ||1||
Gurmat has used the word Paratama (ਪਰਾਤਮਾ).
It has never used the word Parmatma (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ)
Let us try to understand the word ਸੁਰਤਿ from within Gurbani.
ਮੰਨੈ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਮਨਿ ਬੁਧਿ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੩
(intuitive awareness)
ਸੁਰਤਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਤਿ ਊਗਵੈ ਗੁਰਬਚਨੀ ਭਉ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੧੮
(understanding)
ਜੋਤੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਮਿਲਾਈਐ ਸੁਰਤੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੨੧ (Wisdom)
When human light (Atma) blends with the Supreme Light (Paratama) the union of wisdom is effaced with the universal wisdom,
ਏਕਾ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਜੇਤੇ ਹੈ ਜੀਅ ॥
ਸੁਰਤਿ ਵਿਹੂਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕੀਅ ॥
ਜੇਹੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਤੇਹਾ ਤਿਨ ਰਾਹੁ ॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੨੪
( inner consciousness)
ਸੋਭਾ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਤੀ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥੨॥ ਪੰਨਾ ੧੩੯ (understanding )
Beautiful and sublime is the glory and the understanding of those who focus their consciousness on the Lord (Paratama). ||2||
Hence we can conclude that the word Surat(i) (ਸੁਰਤਿ )will be associated with the Manh (ਮਨ) of the Being.
And it will have meaning in the sense of:
consciousness, awareness, understanding, mental activity or functioning, sanity, attention; power of reflection and recollection, memory
Gurjeet Singh Ji - Thank you for the explanation with these references, I will reflect on these further. Much appreciated!
In the limelight of the above discussion we can conclude the meanings of these Pavan pankatees.
ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਏਤੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ॥
ਨਦੀਆ ਅਤੈ ਵਾਹ ਪਵਹਿ ਸਮੁੰਦਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੀਅਹਿ ॥
It indicates that this Pauri 23 like the previous Pauri 22 starts with some historical context.
Other Scriptures do mention about the praises and they seem to have praised their Gurs or Peers (Holy Men) only. Mahabharat and Ramayan are the most obvious ones.This is due to lack of Surat (i) ਸੁਰਤਿ, as they did not had Gurmat available to them due to any reason. But as per Gurmat the Atma has to Praise the Paratma through Gurmat, Gurbani or Gur Shabad. This has been explained by an example that the river has to flow non-stop in a downward mode to merge into the Ocean.
Through Gur Opdesh the Atma will start to move from Trikuti towards Hirda where its MOOL (Pratama) resides, to merge into Pratma to become Pooranbraham.
Which will Ultimately attain the state of PAARBRAHAM or Shabad Guru.
This is very similar to understanding the universal Laws of Motion, rather then studying the history of Newton.
We as Sikhs need to understand that message of Gurbani is the ONLY important aspect for us to become Pooranbraham. Rather then the SIKH History.
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥ਪੰਨਾ ੨੬੩
The remembrance of Pratama is the highest and most exalted of all.
This Pavan pankatee can be understood in the lime light of the above discussion on ਸਾਲਾਹੀ.
ਪ੍ਰਭ is Paratma.
If the Atma praises the Pratama. It becomes Pooranbraham.
Hence as per Gurmat we need to praise our Prabh (ਪ੍ਰਭ) (Pratama)