The Eternal Play
Friday, October 25, 2013: As I was reading today’s Hukum on page 746 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ सूही महला ५ ॥ Sūhī mėhlā 5. Soohee, Fifth Mehl: ਰਾਸਿ ਮੰਡਲੁ ਕੀਨੋ ਆਖਾਰਾ ॥ रासि मंडलु कीनो आखारा ॥ Rās mandal kīno ākẖārā. The Lord has made this world a stage; ਸਗਲੋ ਸਾਜਿ ਰਖਿਓ ਪਾਸਾਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ सगलो साजि रखिओ पासारा ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥ Saglo sāj rakẖi▫o pāsārā. ||1|| rahā▫o.He fashioned the expanse of the entire creation. ||1||Pause||
ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਰੂਪ ਰੰਗ ਆਪਾਰਾ ॥ बहु बिधि रूप रंग आपारा ॥ Baho biḏẖ rūp rang āpārā. He fashioned it in various ways, with limitless colors and forms. ਪੇਖੈ ਖੁਸੀ ਭੋਗ ਨਹੀ ਹਾਰਾ ॥ पेखै खुसी भोग नही हारा ॥ Pekẖai kẖusī bẖog nahī hārā. He watches over it with joy, and He never tires of enjoying it. ਸਭਿ ਰਸ ਲੈਤ ਬਸਤ ਨਿਰਾਰਾ ॥੧॥ सभि रस लैत बसत निरारा ॥१॥ Sabẖ ras laiṯ basaṯ nirārā. ||1|| He enjoys all the delights, and yet He remains unattached. ||1||
ਬਰਨੁ ਚਿਹਨੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਨ ਮਾਸਾਰਾ ॥ बरनु चिहनु नाही मुखु न मासारा ॥ Baran cẖihan nāhī mukẖ na māsārā. He has no color, no sign, no mouth and no beard. ਕਹਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਖੇਲੁ ਤੁਹਾਰਾ ॥ कहनु न जाई खेलु तुहारा ॥ Kahan na jā▫ī kẖel ṯuhārā. I cannot describe Your play. ਨਾਨਕ ਰੇਣ ਸੰਤ ਚਰਨਾਰਾ ॥੨॥੨॥੪੫॥ नानक रेण संत चरनारा ॥२॥२॥४५॥ Nānak reṇ sanṯ cẖarnārā. ||2||2||45|| Nanak is the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||2||2||45||
One of the lines talks about how Waheguru has created this World as a drama and watches it and enjoys it being detached from it. There are times when I sit at a bench in our local park and just watch this World around me. It is a busy little park in a downtown square probably in a one to two acres of land but has streets with car and pedestrian traffic all around it. It kind of reminds me of Model Town Jalandhar in India where there is a little park in a circular fashion with traffic, restaurants and shops all around it. It is a great feeling to just see all kinds of activities with people, pets, trees, flowers, decorations etc.
Then I start thinking about how Gurbani talks about this World being a play created by God. I feel like I am also playing some sort of part in this whole drama. People suffering, people enjoying, people fighting, people playing, cries, laughs, the trees, the flowers, the birds, dogs, cats, people with different shapes, sizes, fashions, hairdos, beards, mustaches, cuts and with a little role for me. Be it good, bad, angry, happy, sad etc. I wonder what each one is thinking, what is going on each one’s life, are they happy, are they sad, are they lonely, do they have a big family, what does each one eat, all types of foods at restaurants, the types of coffees, teas, drinks, alcohols, smokes in shops and so on. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, homeless, kids playing, dogs, pigeons, sparrows. It is both fascinating and mind boggling if you really go a little deep into it. It sure feels like a 24/7 drama like New York City Broadway but on a much larger scale with so many different acts going on at the same time and it never ends even at 2AM because some activity is still going on. Even if it was dark and quiet it would still feel like a play.
It reminds me of a Gurbani shabad ( http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=655&fb=0&punjabi=t&id=28442#l28442 )
ਹਮਰਾ ਭਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਭਉ ਭਾਗਾ ॥ हमरा भरमु गइआ भउ भागा ॥ Hamrā bẖaram ga▫i▫ā bẖa▫o bẖāgā.
My doubts were removed, and my fear ran away,
ਜਬ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਗਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ जब राम नाम चितु लागा ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥ Jab rām nām cẖiṯ lāgā. 1 rahā▫o.
when my consciousness became attached to the Lord's Name. 1 Pause
ਬਾਜੀਗਰ ਡੰਕ ਬਜਾਈ ॥ बाजीगर डंक बजाई ॥ Bājīgar dank bajā▫ī.
When the magician beats his tambourine,
ਸਭ ਖਲਕ ਤਮਾਸੇ ਆਈ ॥ सभ खलक तमासे आई ॥ Sabẖ kẖalak ṯamāse ā▫ī.
everyone comes to see the show.
ਬਾਜੀਗਰ ਸ੍ਵਾਂਗੁ ਸਕੇਲਾ ॥ बाजीगर स्वांगु सकेला ॥ Bājīgar savāʼng sakelā.
When the magician winds up his show,
ਅਪਨੇ ਰੰਗ ਰਵੈ ਅਕੇਲਾ ॥੨॥ अपने रंग रवै अकेला ॥२॥ Apne rang ravai akelā. 2
then he enjoys its play all alone. 2
ਕਥਨੀ ਕਹਿ ਭਰਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥ कथनी कहि भरमु न जाई ॥ Kathnī kahi bẖaram na jā▫ī.
By preaching sermons, one's doubt is not dispelled.
ਸਭ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਰਹੀ ਲੁਕਾਈ ॥ सभ कथि कथि रही लुकाई ॥ Sabẖ kath kath rahī lukā▫ī.
Everyone is tired of preaching and teaching.
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਆਪਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥ जा कउ गुरमुखि आपि बुझाई ॥ Jā ka▫o gurmukẖ āp bujẖā▫ī.
The Lord causes the Gurmukh to understand;
ਤਾ ਕੇ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੩॥ ता के हिरदै रहिआ समाई ॥३॥ Ŧā ke hirḏai rahi▫ā samā▫ī. 3
his heart remains permeated with the Lord. 3
ਗੁਰ ਕਿੰਚਤ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕੀਨੀ ॥ गुर किंचत किरपा कीनी ॥ Gur kicẖanṯ kirpā kīnī.
When the Guru grants even a bit of His Grace,
ਸਭੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਦੇਹ ਹਰਿ ਲੀਨੀ ॥ सभु तनु मनु देह हरि लीनी ॥ Sabẖ ṯan man ḏeh har līnī.
one's body, mind and entire being are absorbed into the Lord.
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਾਤਾ ॥ कहि कबीर रंगि राता ॥ Kahi Kabīr rang rāṯā.
Says Kabeer, I am imbued with the Lord's Love;
ਮਿਲਿਓ ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਦਾਤਾ ॥੪॥੪॥ मिलिओ जगजीवन दाता ॥४॥४॥ Mili▫o jagjīvan ḏāṯā. 4 ll 4
I have met with the Life of the world, the Great Giver. 4 ll 4