30.

LEARNING - PARNA
According to Guru Nanak Dev numerous people endeavour to describe the
Lord – kaytay kah-hai vakhaan, and then depart from this world – keh keh jaavna.
The Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, too describe Him – Ved kah-hai vakhean, but no one
has been able to know His limits – ant na paavna.By studying in schools and colleges
one cannot understand the Lord and His ways – pare-ai nahi bhayd. But if one
follows the Guru’s mat one begins to understand His infinite nature and His attributes
– bujhi-ai paavna.
Kaytay kah-hai vakhaan keh keh jaavna. Ved kah-hai vakhean ant na paavna.
Pare-ai nahi bhayd bujhi-ai paavna. P.148
kyqy khih vKwx kih kih jwvxwÒ vyd khih viKAwx AMqu n pwvxw Ò piVAY
nwhI Bydu buJIAY pwvxw Ò
Guru Ji cites the case of the learned pandets who repeatedly read the Hindu
scriptures, i.e.the Vedas, Puranas, Semratis, and listened intently to the verses -
thaatha – of these scriptures – par par pothi semrat paatha, Bed Puraan parai sun
thaatha. They do not, however, enjoy the naam essence such that they could rise
above the tastes of this world and get fully immersed in the naam essence. Without
getting immersed in the naam ras in this manner one’s mind is merely dancing –
naata - to the tune of maya – ben ras raatay man bahu naata.
Par par pothi semrat paatha. Bed Puraan parai sun thaatha. Ben ras raatay
man bahu naata.. P.225
piV piV poQI isMimRiq pwTw Ò byd purwx pVY sux QwTw Ò ibn rs rwqy mnu
bhu nwtw Ò
Guru Ji is of the view that those people who gain knowledge and go astray by
not doing semran, experience blows to their spiritual lives - par par bhooleh cota(n)
khaahe. Their wisdom (based on their knowledge of secular education) thrusts them
into the cycle of life and death - bahut seanap aaveh jahe.
Par par bhoolay cota(n) khaahe. Bahut seanap aaveh jahe. P.686
piV piV BUlih cotw Kwih Ò bhuq isAwxp Awvih jwih Ò
Bhagat Kabir says that he was under the impression that to acquire knowledge
was a good thing – mai jaaneo parebo bhalo, but he had come to the decision that to
acquire union with the Lord was better – parebo seu(n) bhal jog, even if people were
to have an adverse opinion and talk ill of him – bhaavai(n) nendau log. Because of
this conviction, he was in no way prepared to forgo bhagti of the Lord - bhagt(i) na
chaadau Ram ki.
Kabir mai jaaneo parebo bhalo parebay seu(n) bhal jog. Bhagt(i) na chaadau
Ram ki bhaavai nendau log. P.1366
kbIr mY jwinE piVbo Blo piVby isau Bl jog Ò Bgiq n Cwfau rwm kI BwvY
inMdau logu Ò
Guru Nanak Dev requests the foolish mind not to go astray – man kaahay
bhoolay moor mana. Addressing the mind as beera – brother, Guru Ji says that one
would be regarded as learned , if one could, on leaving this world, successfully give
an account of actions in this world – jab laykha dayveh. If one could, in parlok,
succeed in giving this accountability without any problem, he would be deemed to be
learned and knowledgeable.
Man kaahay bhoolay moor mana. Jab laykha dayveh beera tau parea. P.432
mn kwhy BUly mUV mnw Ò jb lyKw dyvih bIrw qau piVAw Ò
 Guru Amar Das is of the same opinion and maintains that learning should
enable one to follow the right path in life. If an educated person deviates from the
right path and goes astray the burden of accountability will remain on his head . He
will not be in a position to free himself from giving the laykha - laykha dayna ser
rahea. So what purpose does such learning serve - aisa laykha ki parea.
Man aisa laykha tu(n) ki parea. Laykha dayna tayrai ser rahea. P.434
mn AYsw lyKw qUM kI piVAw Ò lyKw dyxw qyrY isir rihAw Ò
Guru Nanak Dev states that without naam an educated man is a trader of koor
- ven naavai koorear, and he suffers and faces difficulties - aukha tangi-ai. He is
accountable - laykhaydaar, and he will be asked to give an account - laykha mangi-ai.
Parea laykhaydaar laykha mangi-ai. Ven naavai koorear aukha tangi-ai.
P.1288
piVAw lyKydwruu lyKw mMgIAY Ò ivxu nwvY kUiVAwru AauKw qMgIAY Ò
Guru Ji goes on to say that the person who understands matters pertaining to
the Lord - ngyan boojhai jay koi, is an educated pandet – parea pandet soi. Such a
person understands that the one Lord is present in all beings – sarb jee-a(n) meh ayko
jaanai, and knowing this, he has no haumai – ta(n) haumai kahai na koi.
Ngangai ngyan boojhai jay koi parea pandet soi. Sarb jee-a(n) meh ayko
jaanai ta(n) haumai kahai na koi. P.432
||Y i|Awnu bUJY jy koeI piVAw pMifqu soeI Ò srb jIAw mih eyko jwxY qw
haumY khY n koeI Ò
Those who acquire a high standard of secular education do become victims of
haumai, in the absence of any spiritual knowledge. They fail to realize that whatever
happens in this world is as per the lord’s rajaa which is for the good of all. What is
required is an understanding of the rajaa instead of feeling proud of one’s secular
education. By accepting the rajaa / hukam one will not blame others - dos na day-oo
kesai - for what befalls him. He will accept the fact that his own actions are to blame -
dos kramma aapnea. Because of his actions he admits acquiring the appropriate fruit -
so mai paea - of what he did - jo mai kee-a. Hence, he does not blame anyone else -
dos na deejai avar jana. So says Guru Ji in Patti Bani in Asa Raag in which there is
discussion of learning.
Dadai dos na day-oo kesai dos kramma aapnea.Jo mai kee-a so mai paea
dos na deejai avar janaa. P.433
ddY dosu n dyaU iksY dos krMmw AwpixAw Ò jo mY kIAw so mY pwieAw dosu n
dIjY Avr jnw Ò
In Asa Di Vaar Guru ji mentions that in the dargaah of the Lord, it is the
Lord’s sefat salaah only which is accepted – laykhai ek gall. Other efforts merely
result in the mind to wander ahout – bhatkana, because of haumai – hor haumai
jhakhna jhaakh. Activities such as reading cart loads of books – par par gadi ladi-ai,
reading piles and piles of books – par par bhari-ai saath, reading books by the boat
load - par par bayree pa-ee-ai, reading books which could fill numerous holes in the
ground - par par gadi-ai khaat, reading books for many years and for many months –
pari-ai jaytay bars bars pari-ai jaytay maas, reading throughout one’s life – pari-ai
jaytee aarja, so long as there is breath – saas, all these are futile as these reading
activities do not meet with the Lord’s approval.
 Par par gadi ladi-ai par par bhari-ai saath. Par par bayree pa-ee-ai par par
gadi-ai khaat. Pari-ai jaytay bars bars pari-ai jaytay maas. Pari-ai jaytee aarja pari-
ai jaytay saas. Nanak laykhai ek gall hor haumai jhakhna jhaakh. P.467
piV piV gfI ldIAih piV piV BrIAih swQ Ò piV piV byVI pweIAY piV
piV gfIAih Kwq Ò pVIAih jyqy brs brs pVIAih jyqy mws Ò pVIAY jyqI Awrjw
pVIAih jyqy sws Ò nwnk lyKY iek gl horu haumY JKxw JwK Ò
Guru Ji goes on to state that if an educated person can be deemed to be guilty
- gunehgaar- of not remembering the Lord , it does not follow that an uneducated
person – omi - need to be alarmed. An uneducated person who knows the name of the
Lord, i.e. Om only, but does good deeds will not face any punishment – omi saadh na
maari-ai. Judgement is based on the actions that we resort to in this world, not on
whether we have been educated or not – parea atai omia vicaar agai vicaari-ai.
Parea hovai gunehgaar ta omi saadh na maari-ai. …… Parea atai omia
vicaar agai vicaari-ai. P.469
piVAw hovY gunhgwr qw EmI swD n mwrIA Ò…… piVAw AqY EmIAw
vIcwru AgY vIcwrIAY Ò
Guru Arjan Dev is of the opinion that the person who remembers the Lord
Govend - jo praani Govend dheavai, succeeds in attaining a high spiritual status -
parmgat paavai, irrespective of whether he is educated or uneducated.
Jo praani Govend dheavai. Parea anparea parmgat paavai. P.197
jo pRwxI goivMd iDAwvY Ò piVAw AxpiVAw prmgq pwvY Ò
Guru Amar Das points out that learning and remembering what has been learnt
– parna gurna, has become one of the chores of this world - sansaar ki kaar hai. But
this does not help in eliminating feelings of desire and vekaar tendencies - andar
tresna vekaar. Fires of tresna and vekaars cannot be eliminated by means of worldly
education. Such learning is motivated by haumai, and people get tired of this activity
– haumai vec sabh par thakay. By indulging in such maya moh activities – doojai
bhaae, people suffer – khuar. The really learned person and wise - beena - pandet is
the one who reflects upon the gur sabad and retains it in his heart – so parea so
pandet beena gur sabad karay vecaar. He searches within him and discovers the Lord
(tat) – andar khojai tat lahai. He finds the way to escape from tresna and other
vekaars – paa-ay mokh duar.
Parna gurna sansaar ki kaar hai andar tresna vekaar. Haumai vec sabh par
thakay doojai bhaae khuar. So parea so pandet beena gur sabad karay vecaar. Andar
khojai tat lahai paa-ay mokh duar. P.650
pVxw guVxw sMswr kI kwr hY AMdir iqRsnw ivkwr Ò haumY ivic siB piV
Qky dUjY Bwie KuAwru Ò so piVAw so pMifq bInw gur sbid kry ivcwru Ò AMdru KojY
qqu lhY pwey moK duAwru Ò
Guru Ji is of the opinion that those who have acquired worldly education tend
to indulge in doojai bhaae activities and they fail to understand the real meaning of
the holy texts. They get engrossed in trai guni maya moh activities - trebedh maya
kaaran loojhai.
Doojai bhaae parai nahi boojhai. Trebedh maya kaaran loojhai. P.127
dUjY Bwie pVY nhI bUJY Ò iqRibiD mwieAw kwrix lUJY Ò
Guru Ji in another place mentions that a person under the influence of maya
moh - doojai bhaae - finds it difficult to accept what is written in religious texts. The
pull of materialistic pleasures is too powerful to enable one to be convinced that the
right approach in life is to follow the spiritual path.. He will also find it difficult to
discard or subordinate his own views based on whatever secular knowledge he might
have acquired. Thus he is never at ease reading religious texts and reflecting on them.
He remains engrossed with maya and thereby suffers. - parat gunat sada dukh hoi.
Doojai bhaae jayta pareh parat gunat sada dukh hoi. P.492
dUjY Bwie jyqw pVih pVq guxq sdw duK hoeI Ò
Guru Nanak Dev suggests that knowledge of the Lord’s naam and His sefat
salaah should be acquired through learning – pari-ai naam salaah. All other
intellectual activities are worthless – hor budhi methea. Acquiring naam is the real
business – saca vapaar - that we should be concerned with. Without this saca vapaar
life is wasted - ben sacay vapaar janm berthea. Worldly knowledge cannot help
anyone – kenhi – to know the Lord’s limits or to meet Him – ant na paravaar na
kenhi paea. Bereft of naam the whole world becomes blinded by pride and ego – sabh
jag garb gubaar. Naam semran does not appeal to such worldly educated people – ten
sac na bhaa-ea.
Pari-ai naam salaah hor budhi methea. Ben sacay vapaar janm berthea. Ant
na paravaar na kenhi paea. Sabh jag garb gubaar ten sac na bhaa-ea. P.1289
pVIAY nwmu swlwh hoir buDI imQAw Ò ibnu scy vwpwr jnmu ibriQAw Ò AMqu
n pwrwvwru n iknhI pwieAw Ò sBu jgu grib gubwru iqn scu n BwieAw Ò
Guru Ji points out that a person who lives at holy places - teerath vaasi - can
claim to be holy only if he succeeds in controlling the five kaamadaks - ja(n) panc
raasi. Likewise the really learned person should be a parupkaari - one who willingly
serves others. He should be broadminded enough to render selfless service to anyone
in need.
Vedea vicaari ta(n) parupkaari. Ja(n) panc raasi ta(n) teerathvaasi. P.356
ividAw vIcwrI qw praupkwrI Ò jW pMc rwsI qW qIrQvwsI Ò
Guru Ji says that an educated person who yearns for tastes of the tongue and
has feelings of greed and pride - lab lobh ahan(g)kaar, should be described a learned
fool - parea moorakh aakhi-ai. What one should do is to resort to naam semran with a
focussed mind - nau pari-ai nau bujhi-ai, by taking gurmat into consideration -
gurmati vicaara.
Parea moorakh aakhi-ai jes lab lobh ahan(g)kaara. Nau pari-ai nau bujhi-ai
gurmati vicaara. P.140
piVAw mUrK AwKIAY ijsu lbu loBu AhMkwrw Ò nwau pVIAY nwau buJIAY gurmqI
vIcwrw Ò
The learning of sefat salaah should be given priority. Other forms of learning,
according to Guru Amar Das, are regarded as koor. This other learning, and practising
it in life, is merely a manifestation of love for maya poison - bekhea naal pyar.
Hor koor parna koor kmaavna bekhea naal pyar. P.1094
hor kUVu pVnw kUVu kmwvxw ibiKAw nwil ipAwru Ò
Bhagat Kabir says that in the darkness caused by maya moh we need to light a
lamp (gyan lamp) within us - andhearay deepak cahi-ai. Then only one can acquire
the naam commodity – naam bast, which is described as bast agocar because it is
beyond the reach of the sense organs. To acquire the naam bast so that one could
experience prabhu melaap we have to rise above the trai gun of maya and reach the
sehaj avastha stage where the mind remains still without wandering, thus enabling
one to focus on the Lord. Bhagat Ji maintains that there is no use of reading or
listening to religious texts – paray sunay kea hoi, if we fail to meet the Lord, i.e. if we
fail to acquire Prabhu melaap.
 Paray sunay kea hoi. Jau sehaj na meleo soi. ……… Andhearay Deepak cahi-
ai. Ek bast agocar lahi-ai P.655
pVy suny ikAw hoeI Ò jau shj n imilE soeI Ò............ AMiDAwry dIpku
chIAY Ò iek bsqu Agocr lhIAY Ò
If one is unaware of the spiritual status that is obtained by naam semran - Ram
naam ki gat nahi jaani, how can one get across this world ocean - kaisay utras
paara? Bhagat Ji points out to a pandet that merely reading the Vedas and Puraanas
is in no way beneficial (without naam semran) - Bed Puraan paray ka kea gun?
Reading these holy books is like loading a weight of sandalwood on a donkey’s back -
khar candan jas bhaara. Bereft of naam, reading scriptures is merely imposing a load
on the mind. Hence it can be rightly assumed that worldly education is in no way
better than reading scriptures without knowing the value of naam semran.
Bed puraan paray ka kea gun khar candan jas bhaara. Ram naam ki gat nahi
jaani kaisay utras paara. P.1103
byd purwn pVy kw ikAw gunu Kr cMdn js Bwrw Ò rwm nwm kI giq nhI jwnI
kYsy auqris pwrw Ò
Thus understanding of scriptures (Gurbani for Sikhs) is essential when we
read or listen to Gurbani. Then only can we mould our lives such that we do not go
astray. Worldly education is no hindrance in our efforts to attain the real aim of life.
The important thing to remember is that one must live like a gurmukh in this
world of maya without succumbing to its temptations. A gurmukh moulds his life
according to the Guru’s teaching i.e. gurmat. In this way his haumai which is termed
aapa-bhaav disappears, giving way to naam semran. An educated person who resorts
to haumai fails to realize that the knowledge he has acquired is God’s gift for which
he should with humility be thankful to the Lord. Thus a gurmukh will refrain from
doojai bhaae, which invariably brings problems by not remembering the Lord. No
person can atatain the Lord without naam semran. as his mind will keep wavering
with no peace of mind. No spiritual lamp can be lit in such a person who may have
had a very high secular education, but is bereft of the Guru’s gyan. Beccause of
spiritual darkness within him he would tend to follow the dictates of his mind and he
will be in no position to counter the evil effects of maya moh which inevitably tend to
lead to vekaars. The aim to acquire oneness with the Lord in this life gets lost. In the
dargah of the Lord he suffers punishment and faces transmigration.
In the fast developing competitive modern world it is essential to acquire as
much worldly education as is possible to enable one to lead a comfortable life whilst
fulfilling one’s responsibilities. Just as wealth, material possessions and maya are all
accepted, provided one follows the Guru’s teaching, so too worldly education should
not be looked upon as an obstacle in pursuing the Godly path.