editorial articles reviews news & views - Institute of Sikh Studies
editorial articles reviews news & views - Institute of Sikh Studies
editorial articles reviews news & views - Institute of Sikh Studies
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THE ART OF SEEKING GOD’S GRACE THROUGH SELF-ANNIHILATION<br />
9<br />
the hard-heartedness <strong>of</strong> Dharamraj I am frightened. I find that<br />
this world is like a dark well or a burning fire. That is why I now<br />
want to hold on to the support <strong>of</strong> my Guru. Says Nanak : I<br />
concentrate on the Lord. And I find that I have now received the<br />
Perfect Lord in my heart. 1<br />
What strikes me is not only the form <strong>of</strong> prayer and its total<br />
surrender but also the confidence and faith with which the prayer is<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered. I had heard so may shabads, two <strong>of</strong> which I detail below in<br />
English translation which command us to lose our vanity in prayer<br />
and show ourselves as supportless and absolutely helpless. But the<br />
above shabad exudes confidence and later shows that the Lord is not<br />
only responsive but also responds immediately. Let me refer to the<br />
English rendering <strong>of</strong> the verses <strong>of</strong> the two shabads envisaging similar,<br />
but not identical ardas.<br />
In total helplessness, my Lord, I have come to seek Your shelter.<br />
And now that I fall at Your feet, I come with the determination<br />
never to leave, whether You protect me or You kill me. And<br />
then, I have now decided never to care for people’s criticism or<br />
praise; I throw both in the fire. Also whether people call me good<br />
or bad, I am sold unto You. 2<br />
In absolute humility I fall at your feet, my Satguru, Guru is the<br />
pride <strong>of</strong> the prideless and welcomes me. 3<br />
Our system <strong>of</strong> prayer and our philosophy are distinctly dependent<br />
on the purity <strong>of</strong> the soul and have nothing to do with karam kand. On<br />
the other hand, our Guru strictly forbids mere karam kand bhakti. Let<br />
us look at the following verse :<br />
Whatever karam-kand is performed for devotion is really a form<br />
<strong>of</strong> public hypocrisy, because this kind <strong>of</strong> devotee will be subject<br />
to the onslaught <strong>of</strong> Yamas. On the other hand, if you devotedly<br />
sing the praises <strong>of</strong> the Lord without any expectation <strong>of</strong> material<br />
reward, even an instant <strong>of</strong> remembrance can liberate you. 4<br />
Since Guru Granth Sahib now is my only support in the world, I<br />
literally experience the warmth <strong>of</strong> every word that I meditate on. Every<br />
word, every shabad and every thought has a spiritual meaning, distinctly<br />
different from religious connotations. Since this scripture is really for<br />
all mankind, the messages are truly universal. And I happen to witness<br />
this everyday, living with over a thousand people, none <strong>of</strong> whom is a