Sukhmani Sahib - Pauri 1 of Ashtpadi 1

Dear Khalsa Ji,

What I understand from the 1st Pauri of the 1st Ashtapadee of Sukhmani Sahib, I share with you in this post.
1. ismrau ismir ismir suKu pwvau ] simra-o simar simar sukh paava-o.
By remembrance, and continue with such remembrance one obtains the state of happy well being.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib instructs me to meditate (relaxed but single minded remembrance) on ‘The Sat’. Guru Sahib asks me to be
persistent in my periodic meditation, never give up. Ultimately it will lead me to a state of being where I will be happy
and my well being will be assured. I will be contented; both spiritually and materially; this is called Sukh in Panjabi.
The rational behind this teaching is clear. As I meditate, my brain will adjust itself. The vices causing me all the troubles
will get purged from my being. These vices are: (i) Kama(desires); (ii) Krodh (anger); (iii) Lobh (greed); (iv) Moh
(attachments); and (v)Ahamkara (ego). Satvikta (purity) will become my nature. This way I will move closer to ‘The Sat’.
2. kil klys qn mwih imtwvau ] kal kalays tan maahi mitaava-o.
Perturbed state of mind and worries get erased.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib has elaborates on the advantages that result from meditating on ‘The Sat’. What Guru Sahib says is rational.
It is clear to me that when the mind of any person becomes pure, her or his being always remain contented and the
dualities in her or his mind get dissolved leading to internal harmony and hence the Sukh.
3. ismrau jwsu ibsuMBr eykY ] simra-o jaas bisumbhar aykai.
Meditate on the greatness of the ‘One’ who is the enveloping entity of all the worlds.
My understanding:
Here Guru Sahib explains to me what is meant by ‘Meditation’. Guru Sahib asks me to think of the greatness of the
incomprehensible, immense, immaculate, formless ‘One’ - the immortal ‘Sat’, who is the cause and the content of all
that constitute the worlds – living and nonliving. Thinking in this way, with single mindedness is ‘Meditation’.
A great teaching: Wah-e-guru.
4. nwmu jpq Agnq AnykY ] naam japat agnat anaykai.
Many different Naam (name) are repeatedly chanted by countless individuals.
5. byd purwn isMimRiq suDwK´r ] bayd puraan simrit suDhaakh-yar.
The Vedas, Puranas, Smritis, Sudhakhar. (collectively, these constitute a major part of scripture of Hindu religion).
6. kIny rwm nwm iek AwK´r ] keenay raam naam ik aakh-yar.
All these can be summed into one word – Naam; whose elaboration is this scripture.
My understanding:
In the above three lines Guru Sahib conveys that the ancient scripture of the land is nothing but elaboration of ‘The
One’. Any elaboration can only give only a very narrow view of ‘The Sat’. It is natural. We human have mental limitation,
which are compounded by the limitation of the language leading to difficulty in explaining what this immaculate,
immense, all comprehensive, immeasurable, formless, timeless infinite ‘One’ is. Such elaboration is not possible in
writing or through speech. Any attempt to do so will only give a very narrow and segmented picture of ‘The Sat’, may be
even the distorted view too.
This way, indirectly, Guru Sahib tells me not to understand the ‘One’ in parts as this endeavor can never come to an end,
life is too short for it. Instead, Guru Sahib asks me to take a direct path. Guru Sahib asks me to follow the path of
remembrance (meditation) to merge with ‘The Sat’ and know for myself what ‘The Sat’ is. This way Guru Sahib has
mentioned in the beginning of this Pauri.
7. iknkw eyk ijsu jIA bswvY ] kinkaa ayk jis jee-a basaavai.
Those in whose heart the ‘One’ resides.
8. qw kI mihmw gnI n AwvY ] taa kee mahimaa ganee na aavai.
Her or his glory cannot be counted.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib tells me that it is not possible to count the glory of the person in whose heart the ‘One’ resides. This way
Guru Sahib makes me understand that, if it is difficult to count the glory of the person in whose heart ‘The One’ dwells,
how difficult it will be to count the glory of ‘The Sat’ itself who is the cause of the glory of this person. This individual is
only a small fragment of the whole i.e. ‘The Sat’. The Sat’ is infinite, beyond human capabilities to describe.
As with the ancient scripture of our land so is the case with individuals who have ‘The Sat’ in their hearts. The difficulty is
the same: limited nature of us.
8. kWKI eykY drs quhwro ] kaaNkhee aykai daras tuhaaro.
Those who yearn to see you.
9. nwnk aun sMig moih auDwro ]1] naanak un sang mohi uDhaaro. ||1||
Nanak, save me along with them.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib conveys that a strong urge that must arise in me to experience ‘The Sat’. I take ‘Daras’ to be a metaphor for
experiencing.
Assimilation:
I must take a direct path to ‘The Sat’. This path is through meditating on the remembrance of the perceived glory of ‘The
Sat’. I must meditate on the whole i.e. ‘The Sat’. While meditating my thoughts should only be on the glory of ‘The Sat’.
My attempt should be to experience ‘The Sat’ rather than trying to mentally comprehend the ‘One’. The latter attempt is
bound to fail as ‘The Sat’ is beyond human comprehension.
With this, I close the post.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/threads/sukhmani-sahib-pauri-1-of-ashtpadi-1.5564/