Soul’s Journey to the Five Realms: Goal of Life
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The five ‘Khandas’
form an integral part of the JAPJI SAHIB which is the foundation of the
Sikh philosophy. Let us dwell briefly on the Creation theory of the Universe as
propounded in SGGS which is relevant to our lives on earth.
kIqw pswau eyko
kvwau ] iqs qy hoey lK drIAwa SGGS
Japji–pg.3
The Universe came into
existence from the Word of the Lord and flowed into millions of streams.
swcy qy pvnw BieAw pvnY qy jlu hoie ] jl qy
iqRBvxu swijAw Git Git joiq smoie ] SGGS M1-pg.19
By the Lord’s command came
gaseous, liquid and solid matter as air, water and earth and God mingled His
own spirit in the Creation.
Awpy
scu kIAw kr joiV ] AMfj PoiV joiV
ivCoiV ] Driq Akwsu kIey bYsx kau Qwau ] rwiq idnµqu kIey Bau Bwau ] ijin kIey kir vyKxhwrw ] Avru n dUjw isrjxhwrw]
SGGS M1-pg.839
The True Lord created the
universe by Himself in the form of an egg which he parted into Heavens and Earths.
The earth was created for people to live and days and nights for performing
their duties under Lord’s fear and love. Lord is the seer and doer of
everything and there is none besides Him:
AMbru
Driq ivCoiVAnu ivic scw Asrwau ] Gru dru sBo scu hY ijsu ivic scw nwau ] sBu scw hukmu vrqdw gurmuiK
sic smwau ] scw Awip qKqu scw bih scw kry inAwau ] sBu sco scu vrqdw gurmuiK
AlKu lKweI ]
SGGS M3-pg.949
The Heavens and Earths are
kept separated with the support of the Lord.
Blessed are those having True Name of the Lord in their hearts. Lord’s writ runs large everywhere that
dispenses True Justice. Guru-oriented truly realize the secrets of the
unfathomable Lord:
rwis
mMflu kIno AwKwrw ] sglo swij riKE pwswrw ]1] rhwau ] bhu ibiD rUp rMg Awpwrw ]
pyKY KusI Bog nhI hwrw ] siB rs lYq bsq
inrwrw ]1] brnu ichnu nwhI muKu n mwswrw ] khnu n jweI Kylu quhwrw ] nwnk ryx
sMq crnwrw ]
SGGS M5-pg.746
The Lord has created this
worldly drama and, having created it, keeps it going. He has created this in many forms, shades and colours and is
never tired of enjoying it. Although
engrossed in it, is never involved in it.
The Lord is without any form, colour , face or features. None can comprehend His play fully. Nanak seeks the dust of the feet of the
Lord’s saints.
In another hymn, in Raag
Sarang, Guru Arjun Dev Ji has beautifully described in detail the grandeur and
wonder of the Lord’s court. (Page 1235):
O Holy saints, let us listen
to the wonderful story of the creation of the Lord who is beyond our comprehension
but whose court is wonderful.
My salutation to the True
Guru, time and again, with whose grace and benevolence I have been able to sing
the praises of the limitless Lord Almighty and my darkness of ignorance
vanished.
The Lord’s greatness and His
wonderful drama is beyond description and His grandeur cannot be put into
words.
Innumerable are Brahmas
reciting the Vedas. Numerous Sivas are meditating on him. There are innumerable incarnations of the
Lord and countless Indras are standing at His door.
There are countless “gods” of
air, water and fire and countless oceans containing Jewels of different types.
Countless are suns, moons and stars and countless gods and goddesses at His
biddance.
There are countless
wish-fulfilling cows and countless musicians singing His praises like Narada
etc.
There are countless Shastras,
Smrities and Puranas with discourses, knowledge and literatures with
innumerable followers. Countless are
the gods of Justice.
Countless are the
Continents, galaxies and Universes in countless forms and colours with
countless forms of vegetations although the Lord Himself is formless.
Countless are Yugas, days and
nights with innumerable Beings moving around in this Universe.
Countless types of wondrous
dramas and plays are being enacted by Lord’s illusionary ‘MAYA’ with
countless musical instruments.
Innumerable ‘chitraguptas’ are keeping accounts.
But the greatest of all is the
Lord whom Saints are worshipping with love and devotion and achieving bliss.
The Lord is ever TRUE, abiding in His TRUE FORM as ETERNAL TRUTH. The Lord pervades in the whole creation and
resides in the hearts of all beings.
The Lord is the ocean of grace
and benevolence, with no shortfalls in His munificence. Those who have recited His Name have
achieved ETERNAL BLISS in their lives.
DHARAM
KHAND (THE REALM OF ENDEAVOUR)
After an individual dies, the
five elements of which the body is made remain behind, but the soul made up of
the Astral body, known as ‘shuksam srira,’ goes to heaven. All man’s
deeds, good or bad, are evaluated there. In the Lord’s Court only true ones
known as ‘sachiaras’, ‘Panchas’ or ‘jeewanmuktas’ are
admitted. They are accepted into the
kingdom of the Lord. They look
glorified and are showered with Lord’s favours with Guru’s grace. A clear
distinction is made there between True and false ones.
In the Realm of GNOSIS where
innumerable universes with different forms of creation exist, have countless
Brahmas, Vishnus and Sivas with powers of creation, sustenance and
destruction. There are innumerable
teachers like a DHRUVA GIVING DISCOURSES TO THEIR DISCIPLES. There are many Indras, monks, Buddhas,
angels, etc.
There are oceans full of
treasures. There are countless learned
scholars of countless languages beyond description. In this region one enjoys wonderous sights, plays and symphonies.
The Saram Khand is the
place of incomparable ECSTASY beyond description in words. Here is fashioned highest intuition of Mind, Intellect and Wisdom and capacity to
know spontaneously effortlessly.
In the Realm of Grace,
speech becomes impressive and only those who are only beloved of the Lord live
there. They are truly brave who have
conquered their basic instincts and developed chastened minds and are engaged
in the constant adoration of the Lord.
All of them are immortal enjoying Eternal Bliss. Their hearts are sewn
into the glory of the Lord and their beauty is indescribable.
The Realm of Truth is where
Lord abides Himself showering His benevolence on His creation. Here He enjoys the sight of the grandeur
of the Universes, their Planetary
systems and knowledge of all His creation.
It is impossible and as hard as
steel to describe the vastness of the Lord’s creation.
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