JAPJI SAHIB

Japji Sahib contains the whole essence of Sikh philosophy. It contains the basic teachings of Guru Nanak. For these reasons it occupies the opening place in the Guru Granth Sahib. It is a treasury of secular and spiritual wisdom and deserves detailed study. It is difficult to say precisely when it was written. According to Puratan Janama-sakhi, it was stated by Guru Nanak, soon after his Divine revelation and benediction. Macauliffe' however felt that it was the mature work of Guru Nanak, in advanced age, after he had settled at Kartarpur in 1521. Other biographers believe that the verses were written by the Guru at different times and later collected together as a basic prayer, for the benefit of his followers. Japji is written in the sutra or mantra form, like the ancient Indian sacred texts and contains concentrated thought expressed in the minimum words. It Is this economy of words and brevity of expression which distinguish this composition from all others. The expressions used are both pertinent and pithy.

The whole prayer concerns itself with the problems of ordinary. Its theme covers a suggested course of training for an average family-man that would enable him to attain spiritual perfection. It does recommend passive contemplation or living an isolated life. It favours man's participation in the affairs of the world, combined with an integration of wisdom and selfless activity. In the very first verse, Guru Nanak states its whole theme in question form:

"How can one be a man of "The Truth"? How can one break down the wall of falsehood?" He supplies the answer very briefly in the following line. The goal is to elevate ordinary people to the mystic vision of God. Prof. Seshadri explains it thus: "The quest is inward and the goal, God-realisation! The sacred shrine is within the heart of man, but the essential precondition for the success of man's earthly pilgrimage is to overcome his own Ego. Hence the need for Dharma and the discipline of morality."' There is a constant inner urge of the human soul for Oneness with God, for every person has a Divine Spark within himself.

Japji describes the basic concepts of Sikhism: Firstly, Bhakti or Simran (devotional worship) is given as the best way to God realisation. The best time for devotional prayer or meditation is during the ambrosial hours-about dawn. Secondly "Hukam"-Divine Law or Will-that which controls and governs the universe, sometimes also thought of as "Cosmic Law." This law brings grace as the fruit of good action, and divine retribution as that for bad action. Man's effort to live a holy and virtuous life may be rewarded by a divine grace which may lead to his salvation. Grace does not come merely by doing good deeds. Devotion and the singing of God's Name and His praises are also essentials for deserving this grace or blessing. Thirdly the concept of the Creation, which the Guru explains, is the result of God's command or word (and the world came into being instantly). No one knows the expanse of the Lord's creation. There are millions of lower and upper worlds. The infinity of the creation and manifestation, is beyond count or measure. Finally, Guru Nanak describes the five planes of spiritual progress by which man may come to God's abode-in the realm of the Eternal. The last Verse (Salok) of Japji is repeated by Guru Angad in his Manjh-ki-var on page 146 of the Guru Granth Sahib.

The overall excellence of the Japji is not structural or literary, nor is it the step-by-step progression of an argument for a planned thesis. Its unity is obtained by its consistent drive toward a basic vision or goal. Its stanzas are clustered in groups which then lead to unity of idea. The groups of stanzas deal with one topic at a time, for example, Listening to the Holy Name (Suniyai) in stanzas 8 to 11, Faith in the Holy Nams (Mannei) in 12 to 15, the discipline of Yoga in 28 to 31, or the steps of spiritual ascent (Khands) in stanzas 34 to 37. However each stanza varies in its number of lines and rhymes. Such variations are necessary in order to break up uniformity and regulate the flow of thought and rhythm.
Consider the message of the Japji by taking the clusters of verses serially. Examine how these leads to total achievement of their goal. In the Mool-mantra (the introduction) we are told of the qualities of God. This is the basic corner-stone of the Sikh Religious Path. Then, in the first verse, the Guru rejects all the traditional methods of spiritual uplift which
on ritual purity, silence, fasting, speculation and worldly wisdom. pith to spiritual liberation is by obeying God's Divine Will as expressed by one's conscience.

<> siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ] (1-1, mÚ 1)
ik-o^Nkaar sat naam kartaa purakh nirbha-o nirvair akaal moorat ajoonee saibha^N gur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace ~

] jpu ] (1-3, mÚ 1)
jap.
Chant And Meditate:

Awid scu jugwid scu ] (1-4, jpu, mÚ 1)
aad sach jugaad sach.
True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.

hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI scu ]1] (1-4, jpu, mÚ 1)
hai bhee sach naanak hosee bhee sach. ||1||
True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True. ||1||

socY soic n hoveI jy socI lK vwr ] (1-5, jpu, mÚ 1)
sochai soch na hova-ee jay sochee lakh vaar.
By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times.

cupY cup n hoveI jy lwie rhw ilv qwr ] (1-5, jpu, mÚ 1)
chupai chup na hova-ee jay laa-ay rahaa liv taar.
By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained, even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within.

BuiKAw BuK n auqrI jy bMnw purIAw Bwr ] (1-5, jpu, mÚ 1)
bhukhi-aa bhukh na utree jay bannaa puree-aa bhaar.
The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by piling up loads of worldly goods.

shs isAwxpw lK hoih q iek n clY nwil ] (1-6, jpu, mÚ 1)
sahas si-aanpaa lakh hohi ta ik na chalai naal.
Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even one of them will go along with you in the end.

ikv sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY pwil ] (1-6, jpu, mÚ 1)
kiv sachi-aaraa ho-ee-ai kiv koorhai tutai paal.
So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away?

hukim rjweI clxw nwnk iliKAw nwil ]1] (1-7, jpu, mÚ 1)
hukam rajaa-ee chalnaa naanak likhi-aa naal. ||1||
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. ||1||

hukmI hovin Awkwr hukmu n kihAw jweI ] (1-7, jpu, mÚ 1)
hukmee hovan aakaar hukam na kahi-aa jaa-ee.
By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described.

hukmI hovin jIA hukim imlY vifAweI ] (1-8, jpu, mÚ 1)
hukmee hovan jee-a hukam milai vadi-aa-ee.
By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained.

hukmI auqmu nIcu hukim iliK duK suK pweIAih ] (1-8, jpu, mÚ 1)
hukmee utam neech hukam likh dukh sukh paa-ee-ah.
By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained.

ieknw hukmI bKsIs ieik hukmI sdw BvweIAih ] (1-9, jpu, mÚ 1)
iknaa hukmee bakhsees ik hukmee sadaa bhavaa-ee-ah.
Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever.

hukmY AMdir sBu ko bwhir hukm n koie ] (1-9, jpu, mÚ 1)
hukmai andar sabh ko baahar hukam na ko-ay.
Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command.

nwnk hukmY jy buJY q haumY khY n koie ]2] (1-10, jpu, mÚ 1)
naanak hukmai jay bujhai ta ha-umai kahai na ko-ay. ||2||
O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego. ||2||