ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਮੁਸਕਲੁ ਅਤਿ ਬਣੈ ਢੋਈ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਦੇਇ ॥
ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋਏ ਦੁਸਮਨਾ ਸਾਕ ਭਿ ਭਜਿ ਖਲੇ ॥
ਸਭੋ ਭਜੈ ਆਸਰਾ ਚੁਕੈ ਸਭੁ ਅਸਰਾਉ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਲਗੈ ਨ ਤਤੀ ਵਾਉ ॥1॥
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਨਿਤਾਣਿਆ ਕਾ ਤਾਣੁ ॥
ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਥਿਰੁ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਸਚੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜੇ ਕੋ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੁਬਲਾ ਨੰਗ ਭੁਖ ਕੀ ਪੀਰ ॥
ਦਮੜਾ ਪਲੈ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਦੇਵੈ ਧੀਰ ॥
ਸੁਆਰਥੁ ਸੁਆਉ ਨ ਕੋ ਕਰੇ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਕਾਜੁ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਰਾਜੁ ॥2॥
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਦੇਹੀ ਵਿਆਪੈ ਰੋਗੁ ॥
ਗ੍ਰਿਸਤਿ ਕੁਟੰਬਿ ਪਲੇਟਿਆ ਕਦੇ ਹਰਖੁ ਕਦੇ ਸੋਗੁ ॥
ਗਉਣੁ ਕਰੇ ਚਹੁ ਕੁੰਟ ਕਾ ਘੜੀ ਨ ਬੈਸਣੁ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥3॥
ਕਾਮਿ ਕਰੋਧਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਵਸਿ ਕੀਆ ਕਿਰਪਨ ਲੋਭਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥
ਚਾਰੇ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਉਨਿ ਅਘ ਕੀਏ ਹੋਆ ਅਸੁਰ ਸੰਘਾਰੁ ॥
ਪੋਥੀ ਗੀਤ ਕਵਿਤ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਕਰਨਿ ਧਰਿਆ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਨਿਮਖ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਤਰਿਆ ॥4॥

Guru Sahib in his great and sweet Gurbani gives four worst case scenarios to show how powerful Naam is. The miserable conditions mentioned in this shabad apply to all of us. At some point in life we all encounter these problems to some extent. Guru Sahib writes the worse case scenarios:

1) If someone gets entangled in a grave problem and finds out that there is no one to help. If friends and relatives become enemies and eschew one to suffer alone. If all other means and support vanishes and one has no one to look at. If in such distressful condition one remembers the merciful Vaheguru (through the true Naam of course), then even hot air cannot touch one. Note that Guru Sahib states that from such situation one gets so well protected that even hot air cannot touch one. So powerful is Naam.

2) This scenario is about poverty. If one gets hit by poverty and so severe is the attack that one gets greatly weakened out of starvation; if one does not have any clothes to even cover one’s body; If one does not have even one cent (damRa) and no one even offers words of comfort, let alone giving money; If no one helps out in any way and if through providence, none of one’s works or tasks get done; If in such distressful, pitiful and hopeless condition one remembers Vaheguru, one becomes a king in no time. Again from a beggar to a King is such a great distance and it is possible to cover this distance in a moment's time. Guru Sahib can do anything he pleases (or what his bhagats please).

3) Third worse case scenario is if one gets severely diseased. Guru Sahib says that if one gets greatly worried and is stressed out because of diseases on body; because of the diseases one’s family may also be suffering and always stays stuck in short-lived happiness and sorrows; if one gets so distressed with this pain that one wanders in four directions to get cured and healed and does not get comfort for even one minute; if in such pitiful condition one remembers Vaheguru, one’s body gets free of diseases and one feels the warmth of Vaheguru’s Naam. Dhan hai Satguru Sachay Paatshah.

4) Fourth is about one leading a very sinful life and suffering the consequences of it; if one is possessed by Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, greediness, worldly attachments etc; if one is guilty of doing all four cardinal sins and if one is fully worthy of getting the death of a demon; one who does not spend any time doing any religious or pious work; if such person remembers Vaheguru through his true Naam, in one second he becomes free of all his problems and sins.

Guru Sahib states that Sahib Vaheguru is the power-provider to the weak. He is forever stable and is recognised through the true word that is obtained from the true Guru.

We all have been hit with problems and I can tell from personal experience that many times I have been caught off-guard and I totally failed in the tests of Vaheguru. Then Vaheguru himself has been giving me strength to fight back through the weapons of Naam and Gurbani. I have learned this lesson so many times that if we remember him and obey his hukams in good times, then we don’t have to see bad times but we always fail our realizations.

If only we Sikhs could realise that we are sitting on a huge treasure. Like a snake that guards the treasure but never uses it, we guard Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee Maharaaj but are failing to take full advantage of the scientific truths stated in Satgur jee. May Guru Sahib enable us to become his true Sikhs and follow his rehit and take full advantage of what has been already offered to us by Satguru jee.

The second half of this article to be posted soon.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh