Sikh Critique of Yoga and Meditation

Balbinder Singh Bhogal

This chapter ponders what it would require to rethink Sikh dharam today, given the irreversible transformation that occurred from a (pre-colonial) sikhi to today's (colo-nial/ modern) Sikhism. Such re-assessment is approached through the employment of a third term, sikhi(sm). This third term operates as a postcolonial strategy to foreground the legacy of powerful colonial inscriptions, and in doing so, this chapter aims to recall how (colonial) power continually affects the production of (modern) knowledge. After charting the colonial/ modern context, the chapter then briefly sketches some of the key principles that are required to begin the figuration of a postcolonial sikhi(sm) - based on exegesis of the Guru Granth Sahib.

The terms SIKH and SIKHI have been defined by different Sikh organizations from time to time. None of these definition is as concise and precise as a definition should be. I defined a Sikh in 1992 about 28 years ago and continued to find the perfect definition. The current article searches for perfect definitions of SIKH and SIKHI from the bani of Guru Nanak. This article on the definitions of a Sikh and Sikhi leads us to the idea that Guru Nanak is the Pioneer of the Age of Enlightenment in South Asia.

The purpose of this Paper is to establish the UNIQUE Identity of Sikh Religion founded by Guru Nanak. This religion preached the Divine Message of universal equality of all human beings, and the worship of only one Supreme Being; it has flourished not only in the home state of Guru Nanak, Punjab, but all over India, and to some degree even in the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and beyond. Many Hindus, and quite a few Muslims too, became Guru Nanak’s followers. But we have not been able to teach the world about the greatness of Sikh religion, and most Western scholars define Sikhism as an offshoot of Hinduism, or at best, a good combination of Hinduism and Islam. Some people believe that Sikhism is just a product of the Bhagati Movement.

Sikhi(sm): Yoga and Meditation Balbinder Singh Bhogal, *** draft please do not cite without permission *** He Himself is the Yogi (aape jogii), and the Way (jugati) throughout the ages. He Himself is the Fearless, absorbed in meditation (taarii laahaa). (GGS 699 Jaitasarii M4) Yoga (jog) and meditation (dhiaan) abound in the Guru Granth Sahib (hereafter GGS).1 From the above verses one might think that if God, the True-Guru, is said to be the true Yogi and the Way of Yoga itself, then, Sikhs would believe and practice yoga (as commonly understood). But this is not the case. Understanding why this is so, is crucial to gain insight into gur-sikhii – the way of un/learning guided by the Guru, that Sikhi(sm) fosters.2 Introduction When the “problem” is ignorance, knowledge is the solution and education is lorded as a panacea. But if the “problem” is knowledge itself, then what would constitute a solution? This is the entry point of “religion” and its practices, like yoga and meditation. Knowledge as false projection cannot be solved by more knowledge. What is required is a systematic dismantling of the roots of knowledge itself: thought. Hence yoga is classically defined in the Indic traditions as the cessation of thought, and it is through this quieting of the mind, that “true (Self) knowledge” may arise. To 1 The Guru Granth Sahib, compiled in 1604, contains the songs of six of the ten Sikh Gurus, all sing and sign in the name of “Nanak”: M1 = Guru Nanak (1469–1539), M2 = Guru Angad (1504–1552), M3 = Guru Amar Das (1479– 1574), M4 = Guru Ram Das (1534–81), M5 = Guru Arjan (1563–1606) and M9 = Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–75). “M” stands for mahala, the “palace of God’s presence”, denoting the Sikh Gurus awakened subjectivity. 2 Elsewhere (Bhogal 2010, 2012a, 2014, 2015), I have argued that “gur-sikhii” and Gur-Sikh dharam were partially displaced and reframed by British colonization and classification as a “religion” that “Sikhism” names. “Sikhi(sm)”, on the other hand, is a decolonial moniker devised to foreground this homogenizing translation and recall that pre-colonial gur-sikhii was overwritten by modern Sikhism in the ‘conversion’ to the nation-state system in the birth of “India” and “Pakistan”. The parenthetical term “Sikhi(sm)” emphasizes the importance of retaining indigenous understandings within modernity and to seek to understand gur-sikhii through its praxis as a verb rather than its conceptual abstraction as a noun. “Un/learning” refers to the fact that knowledge is often instrumentalized by the ego, group or nation, and thus becomes largely an arbitrary if not false projection, one which should be unlearned. All translations of the GGS are mine. 1 pause one’s hubris in meditative silence, to chant mantras, or sing, are not merely activities in which one feels a sense of peace and belonging, but were examples of alternative epistemological tools for the reconfiguration of one’s inner sense to the extent that the practice (eventually) stops one projecting false knowledge. This results in the reduction of (self-imposed and unnecessary) suffering, permitting the natural emergence of “true” perception, unfiltered by the ego’s desperate desires and fears. The radical implication in such an existential praxis is that one discovers and uncovers an always already existing organic and original source to one’s being (ikk, ek, saciaaraa, param-gat, -pad, -aatam, jot-nirantar, jot-apaar, niramal-jot, antar-jot, ekaa-jot, man-piaare, man-niramal, acaraj-ruup), which is not commanded by thought and removed from the socio-linguistic ego-structure. Subjectively, such transformative “knowledge” comes across as undoubtable revelation. Despite the possibility of subjective revelation, whether such techniques of “self-power” can guarantee “enlightenment” is hotly contested; every “brand” has its testimonials as well as detractors. Unlike most ancient and medieval (Buddhist, Hindu and Jain) traditions of yoga, many late medieval / early modern Siddhas, Sahajiyas, Sants, Sufis and Sikhs, saw the systematization of “spiritual techniques of self-transformation” as problematic. This is because they could still be caught by the hubris of the ego’s will and misguided desperation. The rise of bhakti-yoga/bhagati-jog challenged the individualism of this “self-power” by placing it within a wider context of “Otherpower” (God’s Grace and Will). The shift to “Other-power” through bhakti-yoga raised further questions. One may silence thought, but not, it seems, one’s habituations, not at least to the extent of liberation (mokh-duaar, mukati, mukati-bhugati-jugati).3 What, then, is the way out? Where to locate the escape from samsaara beyond ritual practices? Can yoga and meditation still provide an answer, or, only bhagati’s Way of Love? Guru Nanak entertains these very questions, rejecting the validity of any yoga or meditation as remedies in and of themselves. Subsequently, the Sikh Gurus took a critical stance towards any practice or technique that has an unquestioned ego at its center: He is the Way of Yoga (joga jugati), the Life of the World. Doing true deeds (kari aacaaru), true peace is found. Without the Name (naam vihuunaa), how can anyone find liberation (mukati)? (GGS 931 Raamakalii Dakhanii M1) 3 Liberation in the Sikh tradition is not separate from sensual pleasures and worldly success (GGS 200 Gauri M5). 2 However, Other-power (transcendentalism) has its own limitations, which if systematized may encourage passivity and dependence. However, gur-sikhii’s temporal frame rejects taking self-erasure literally, arguing instead for its integration within God’s Will expressed through nature’s laws (hukam): “Egoism (haumai) is the chronic disease (diiragh-rog), but it also contains its own remedy (daaruu)”.4 Thus, the conscious mental ego has to “die” to fully integrate its unconscious bodily being, leading to a radical transformative de-centering of the “I am”, not its elimination. Thus, the focus on “doing true deeds” as one’s yoga. From the standpoint of the Guru’s Word (shabad) and the Name (naam), the GGS’ bhagati shifts the focus from extra-ordinary metaphysical doctrines to an ordinary existential praxis, central to which is the problem of the ego.5 1. Medieval Background: Indian Renaissance and Gur-Sikh Enlightenment The GGS includes ideas and terms of yoga (jog) and meditation (dhyaana/dhiaan) that are found in ancient and medieval soteriological literature. It is however important to read these in the wider context of the Sikh Gurus’ critique of the Vedas, Shastras and Smritis, and the ideals of sacrifice, renunciation, asceticism and meditation. Similarly, the GGS’s comparative and critically inclusive verses also engage Upanishadic insights, Samkhyan assumptions, Puranic notions for devotion, Tantric esotericism, and various Yoga teachings and practices, reinterpreting karma- and jnana- yogas in its particular bhagati-jog as the Way of the Name (naam-maarag). However, the Sikh Gurus’ more immediate context involved direct engagements with the ubiquitous and influential Naath-Yogiis, or Kaanphata/Hatha Yogis, but also Buddhist Siddhas, Buddhist and Hindu Tantrikas, Saiva and Vaisnava Sahajiyaas – engaging with their key notions of guru, word (sabda/shabad), nirvana (nirbaan), impermanence (anityaa/velaa, calanaa, aavan-jaan), essencelessness (shuunyataa/sunn), and effortlessness (sahaja/sahaj), not to mention their shared esoteric vocabulary (turiiyaa/chauta-pad, sunn-samaadh, dasam-duaar, siv-sakati). Through this discursive engagement the GGS questions the exclusive and metaphysical conception of “God” as well as Yoga’s ascetic elitism, and thereby rejects the necessity for “divine” languages and “esoteric” vocabularies. It elucidates its GGS 466 Aasaa M2 GGS 1140 Bhairau: “Yogis, householders, pandits, and beggars in religious robes – are all asleep in egotism” (M3). “Without renouncing egotism, how can anyone be a renunciate? Without overcoming the five thieves, how can the mind be subdued? Whoever I see, is diseased: only my True-Guru-Yogi, remains diseaseless.” (M5). 4 5 3 Way via multiple “vernaculars” taken from a composite people diverse in language, tradition, caste, class, ethnicity and geography. The GGS accepted select songs of non-Sikh “saints” (sants/bhagats) as part of its own pluriversal revelations, marking out the true comparative uniqueness of its universally resonant voice.6 The GGS speaks of “a Way beyond ways,” one that is beyond the techniques, rituals, and practices that stabilize the ego. It is inclusive of different paths and expressions, but not without a critique of those paths. To be able to criticize and not dismiss – where the difference of the other is not a challenge to one’s own tradition, but a natural expression of life’s diversity, and thus to find a resonant pluriversal truth across traditions is the unique genius of the Sikh Gurus.7 This new Way of un/learning (de- and re-conditioning) brought mantric secrets of the ascetics into the households of the everyday person: Upanishadic and Yogic transcendentalism became humanized by bhagati’s everyday existentialism; anti-brahmanic metaphors of relationships between Master and student, Parent and child, lovers, friends became the new vocabulary of a soteriological and “worldly” life. Direct communion with the numinous was to be found right there in one’s phenomenal existence, via the Guru’s guidance. The affective language of the heart became a new lingua-franca of expressing the highest conceptual truth: “knowing” (jnana) was thereby recontextualized by “longing” (viraha/vijog, bhuukh) for the divine/Name.8 Communal forms of soteriological practice arose, singing the praises of the divine/Name. Praise itself became the Way. This spread of bhakti saw the rise of a new religiosity centered around the (only true) universal soteriological forces: the True-Guru, His/his Word, and God’s Name. However, early modern bhakti was largely framed within an apolitical semirenunciation of the world. Although it had the potential to be revolutionary, it rarely challenged the hierarchy of the prevailing social order. Though it criticized the hypocrisy and ignorance of priestly hierarchies, it rarely instigated political revolution. The non-possessable “pluriversal” (Mignolo 2000; 2007) is a bottom-up concept derived from across many traditions. It approaches the universal through a truth that resonates across traditions – checking the hubris of monolingual narrations, be they Christian, Buddhist or Brahmanic. Only those dedicated to the education required for a pluriversal outlook gain a voice to approach any supposed universal. Mignolo argues “that modernity occluded the pluriversal under the persuasive discourse of the universal”(2006: 435). 7 As Tagore appreciated: “There are of course natural differences in human races which should be preserved and respected and the mission of our education should be to realize our unity in spite of them, to discover truth through the wilderness of their contradictions.” (Talks in China, Tagore 2007: 707) 8 GGS 9 Aasaa M1: “Chanting it, I live; forgetting it, I die./ It is so difficult to chant the True Name./ If someone feels hunger for the True Name,/ that hunger shall consume his pain.” 6 4 Unlike other bhakti movements, the Sikh Gurus used their notion of direct communion with the numinous in the everyday to launch a socio-political movement. This resulted in an epistemic shift from the personal and dualistic to the nondual and collective, as evidenced by the recontextualization of scripture within the Guru, mantra within the Word, self-effort (technique) within Other-power (grace), culminating in the democratization of the Guru (at Baisakhi) as the people’s will (panj piaare, khaalsaa). The Sikh Gurus employ the terms, concepts and ideas from multiple traditions to express their own distinct, compound, dialogical and nuanced “cross-traditionless tradition”. Gur-sikhii involves a reframed and qualified affirmation, one that integrates the vocabulary of opposed traditions through their redefinition, such that “Sikh jog” is simultaneously a critique of all forms of yoga, whilst affirming a transformed understanding of it. 2. Guru Granth Sahib’s Critique of Yoga and Meditation The Gur-Sikh tradition maintains two seats of authority reflecting two forms of sovereignty: aasan and takhat. It is important not to confuse Sikh aasan with Upanishad’s literal aasana, hathayoga’s esoteric aasana as well as modern yoga’s postural asanas. Firstly, aasan (seat, posture) represents a private authority and sovereignty over the ego. Aasan elicits a transcendental experience of inner equipoise, illumination and love – it is a form of inner spirituality. In the mastery of the mind the Sikh Gurus repose in the seat (aasan) of Effortless Absorption (sahaji dhiaan).9 Secondly, takhat (throne) represents a seat of authority and sovereignty that governs the public sphere over tyranny. The Gur-Sikh “true king” is therefore also a “jogii” or saint who sits on the throne of truth, administrating true justice.10 By occupying both forms of yogic and regal authority, the Gurus’ invented a new middle Way, calling it raaj-jog that was simultaneously private and political. Only those of such a double orientation were considered legitimate administrators of justice.11 Gur-Sikh raaj-jog, is a singular notion that contains within it a diversity of different types of union (spanning ascetic-yogic, householder-bhaktic, and royal formularies). The two seats together form a Gur-Sikh way of love as justice (raaj-jog), that updates the Buddhist majjhima-patipadaa. Just as the Buddha found the middle between kingly indulgence and ascetic denial, so too did the Sikh Gurus solicit the spiritual (udaas) within the temporal (grihast). The GGS 370 Aasaa M5; GGS 877 Raamakalii M1; GGS 3 Japu M1; GGS 942 Raamakalii M1; GGS 114 Maajha M3. GGS 1156 Bhairau M5; GGS 907 Raamakalii Dakhanii M1; GGS 1026 Maaruu M1; GGS 1087 Maaruu M4. 11 “The King sits on the throne within the self; He Himself administers justice” (GGS 1092 Maaruu M3). 9 10 5 integration of both seats and forms of sovereignty marks Gur-Sikh jog as unique, expressing no love without justice, no spiritual transcendence without social responsibility, no saint (sant) without soldier (sipaahi), and no rule without equality.12 J.P.S. Uberoi (1996) argued that the separated and independent domains of the state (rajyas/kashatriya), civil society (grihast/brahmana) and religion (sannayas/sramana) expressed by medieval Hindu and Islamic paradigms (raajaa/brahman/sannyaasii; sultan/ulemaa/suufii), were collapsed within and by the Gur-Sikh tradition such that the Guru and Gurmukh operated in all three seamlessly. Not dividing off the domains into opposed forms of life within gur-sikhii represented for Uberoi the first Indian nondual modernity. I build on this crucial insight by showing the actual Gur-Sikh terms that consciously bring together these opposed domains, traditions and peoples. The map of terms (below) charts this new paradigmatic shift that form GGS’s political mysticism. Expressed architecturally, the mystical seat (aasan) evolved into the Harmandir Sahib (popularly known as the “Golden Temple”), which brought asceticism (jogii, udaasii) into family life (bhogii, girasat), forming part of the Indic renaissance.13 The latter temporal seat (takhat) was formed as the political center of the Akaal Takht (“Throne of the Timeless”). It brings the new ascetichouseholder (jogii-bhogii) ideal into realm of governance (raaj) and justice (niaau) that expresses GurSikh Enlightenment.14 The Guru/Gurmukh/Khalsa occupies both spaces of loving-Saint and justKing, juxtaposing forest, house and battlefield, ashram, mandir and mahal, making raaj-jog a political mysticism not developed elsewhere. This is precisely what constitutes the inclusive (non-converting) critique of GGS’s ideal of what makes a “true” Yogi, Qazi and Brahmin.15 12 The Persian-Arabic poet of Guru Gobind Singh’s court, Bhai Nand Lal (2003), writes that true devotion and remembrance (bandagii, simaran) grants an ever-expanding sovereignty (baadashaahii, raaj) [v.13-14]; Zindagii Naamaa, p.78) and in praise of Guru Amar Das, “As he has occupied the Lords’ True seat (rab sac aasan)./ Through his expositions, this world is radiating, And through his justice (inasaaf) the earth and world are turned into a (celestial) garden (baag).” [v.65, 66]; Ganj-Naamaa, p.172. 13 “One who sees You is recognized as a householder (girasat) and as a renunciate (udaasii)” (GGS 385 Aasaa M5). 14 “He [M4], seated (as King) upon the Throne of Truth, canopy above His Head, possesses the powers of the Yoga (jog) and the pleasures (of the householder) (bhog)” (GGS 1406 Savaiie mahale chauthe ke Sala). 15 GGS 662 Dhanaasarii M1 6 Khanqah Dera, Ashram, Akhara, Ban, Alog Sangha, Siddh-Sabha, Dharamsal Masjid Mandir, Gompa, Tirath, Grihu, Log Caste, Sant-Sabha, Panth, Samaadh Mahal Akaal Takhat, Dal sampradaya, panth, Piir, Fakiir, Sufi, Dervesh, Muriidaa Siddh, Budh, Jain, Nath, Jogi, Muni Avadhuut, Bairagi, Saadhu Tapisar, Udaasii, Daas Ulema, Mullah, Qazi, Brahman, Pandit, Sant, Bhagat, Bhogi Vaish, Siv, Sakti, Sohagani, Jan, Man Rasiaa, Grihast, Miir, Pathaan Raja, Sipaahii, Suur, Singh, Bal Tariqat, Zikr, Sama, Ittihad(union) Moksha, AAsan,VarnashramJap, Tap, Jog, Simaran, Jantar, Mantar, Dhiaan, Giaan, Manji, Maalaa, Degh Ash-covered, Naam, Man-diijai? Shari’at, Shahada, 5 Pillar -Dharma, Kama Pujaa, Darshan, Sevaa, Karam Bhajan, Kirtan, Paath, Piaar Gun-Gaavai Daan, Ishnaan, Hukumat Artha,Takhat, Hukam, Rahit Niaau Tegh Tan-diijai ASCETICISM (sramana) CIVIL SOCIETY (brahmana) STATE (kshatriya) Table: Medieval Context of Islamic & Hindu Opposed & Separated Domains Rearranging the chart to match the colors reveals how Sikh nondual pairings go beyond and move across the Hindu and Islamic medieval divided domains: First paradigm shift: Jogi—Bhogi, Simaran—Sevaa, Ban—Grihu, Girast—Udaasii (Indic Renaissance) (Siddhas, Sufis, Sahajiyas, Bhaktas/Bhagats, Sants) Second paradigm shift: Aasan—Takhat, Shaah—Fakiir, Miir—Piir, Sant—Sipaahii, (Gur-Sikh Enlightenment) Baadshah—Dervesh, Maalaa/Degh—Tegh The above table and its regrouping shows that the first pair of opposites of renuniciate-private and householder-public is overcome by collapsing their distinction. These are then joined with idealizations about the ruler and principality (king-political), forming the notion of the saint as the warrior-king (sant-sipaahii, miirii-piirii). The model of sant-sipaahii places the “Way of the Name” at the heart of Gur-Sikh models of state and governance. The seat (aasan) of the True-Guru (satiguru) is expanded into the throne (takhat) of the True King (sacaa-patishaah); the temple of Awakening 7 SOTERIC PRAXIS King–Political (rajyas) Baadshah, Sultaan, Shaah Maharaja, Kshatriya HUMAN Householder–Public (grihast) Allah’s, Rahiim’s Court Darbar Hari, Raam, Devi, Siv-Sakti, Maayaa SOVEREIGN PLACE Renunciate–Private (sannyas) Onness-Tawhid, Heaven/Paradise Sunn, Samaadh, Nirban, Mokh Turiyaa Avasthaa, Chauta-Pad (Harimandir Saahib) unites with the Rule of Timeless Sovereignty (Akaal Takhat). GGS presides in the world by offering a “new” universal vision that completely reframes the past and present into a different inclusive order of things, values and beings. That is to say, the Sikh tradition proposes nothing short of a double Enlightenment: “spiritual/mystical” and “social/political” as an “Enlivenment”.16 Having shown the proper ascetic-familial, socio-political, and religio-political frame of Guru Nanak’s vision we are now positioned to ask, in what does the GGS’s critique of yoga and meditation consist? 2.1. Aasan (spiritual yoga) Firstly, it is important to recognize that “critique” (vicaar, buuj) in the GGS is not issued from a center that could be formulated thus allowing comparisons to a fixed notion of truth. There is nothing fixed at the “center” of gur-sikhii, not Self (aatman), not No-Self (anaatman), not God alone, nor some impersonal absolute. This is because all centers are metaphysical foils if not projections of the ego. The Gur-Sikh “source” (ikk-oankaar), which is “everywhere everything”, is an inexplicable mystery and wonder (vismaad) defined only by fungible terms: viz., One, God, Guru, Word and Name. The GGS’s inclusion of Abrahamic and Indic personal deities (Allah, Khuda, Rahim; Ram, Siva, Devi), and impersonal absolutes (nirbaan, purush, siv-sakati) to name Ikk-Oankaar, is both affirmative (in not desiring conversion respecting diversity) but also analytical (in requiring transformation to a pluriversal vision). The Gur-Sikh critique of yoga occurs within the broader ideas outlined above. For example: That Yogi (jogii) does not know the Way. Understand that his heart is filled with greed, attachment, delusion and egotism. (GGS 685 Dhanaasarii M9) Here yoga is critiqued for its having become an empty ritual, the by-product of a systematization of practice over truthful living. The Gur-Sikh Way (of the Name and Guru’s Word) cannot be 16 This term is borrowed from Weber (2019); although there is much in common important difference remain. 8 captured without the danger of objectification (i.e., the reduction to a thing or technique); mantras can be fixed, but not the Word; the Word can include yoga but yoga is outstripped by the Word. The true Yogi is one who looks upon “gold and iron”, “pleasure and pain” alike.17 The Way of the Name (naam-maarag) displaces the need for particular techniques (mantar-jap), because it is inseparable from an existential praxis of being true (saciaaraa, sac-kamai). The Word (shabad) is different to itself as it is revealed through an ongoing quotidian encounter where “Truth” is constantly surpassed by the necessity of truthful living.18 As the following passages show, the naam-maarag and the practice of the Guru’s Word (gurshabad kamai) are not tied to a mantra, ritual or technique delimited by caste hierarchy: The Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra, is spiritual wisdom for everyone. Anyone, from any class, may chant the Name. Whoever chants it, is emancipated… The Name is the panacea, the remedy to cure all ills. It cannot be obtained by any religious rituals. O Nanak, he alone obtains it, whose karma is so pre-ordained. (GGS 274 Gaurii Sukhamanii M5) O Nanak, do not forget the Name. Practicing the Word, you shall be saved. (GGS 62 Siriiraag M1) The Name is the store of nine treasures; psychic and supernatural powers are its slaves. (GGS 1397 Savaiie mahale cauthe ke, Kala) Without the Name, all actions are futile, like the magician who deceives through illusions. (GGS 1343 Prabhaatii M1) The new Gur-Sikh frame of naam-maarag, involving inner recollection (simaran) and outer service (sevaa) where truthful living requires an orientation towards justice (niaau), formulates an Elsewhere these are expressed as “joy and sorrow”, “nectar and poison”, “honor and dishonor”, “beggar and king”. The jiivanmukt – that one liberated in life – “amidst all remains unattached” GGS 274 Gaurii Sukhamanii M5. 18 GGS 62 Siriiraagu M1: “Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is truthful living.” 17 9 equitable political yoga. I take this to represent a double-sovereignty (of self-realization and social justice) that displaces and reinterprets earlier forms of power whether martial, brahmanical or ascetic. As such, the Sikh Gurus emancipated restricted notions of the personal divine or the impersonal absolute.19 The central yearning in the GGS is to praise and re-member this (divided but irreducible) One (Ikk-Oankaar). Yet, just as the conscious mind cannot simply recall the unconscious (without wild distortion), the ego-mind cannot simply remember God (without monolingual projection) as it is not simply a matter of will or conscious remembrance. Simaran involves “grace” (nadari) and “great good fortune” (vad-bhaagi), where we stumble upon the Guru’s Word and Name. This marks a shift from the dualistic world of particular techniques to the nondual universal frame of the One, God, Name, Word and Guru: Wherever I look, I see Him. Without meeting the True-Guru, no one is liberated.20 Enshrine the True One in your heart; this is the most excellent action. All other hypocritical (paakhand) actions and devotions bring only ruin. ||6|| He eradicates duality (dubidhaa), then realizes the Word. Inside and out, he knows the One… In the Society of Sants, contemplate the Glories and Gnosis of God. Whoever destroys mind (manu maare), knows the state of being dead-while-alive (jiivat-mari). O Nanak, by His Grace (nardar), the Gracious Lord (nadarii) is realized. ||8||3|| (GGS 1343 Prabhaatii M1) In addition to God’s grace (nadar) and association with the society of the saints (sant-sabhaa), the key force (of the Guru’s Word) to destroy the mind (man), the ego (haumai) and its dualistic consciousness “God Himself” is the “great Sensualist (rasiaa)”, “Enjoyer (bhogi)”, as well as the “Yogi (jogii) residing in the state of “Nirvana” (GGS 1074 Maaruu M5), sitting on the Throne of Truth (sachau takhat) (GGS 1406 Savaiie mahale chauthe ke Sala). The divine now unites all three spheres of life: private-asceticism, public-civil society, and political-state: God is the greatest King (raaj), Yogi (jogii), Ascetic (tapiisar), and Sensualist (bhogii), (GGS 284 Gaurii sukhamanii M5). Not seeing God within, the deluded mind looks outward, yet “He cannot be found by any device; the Guru will show you the Lord within your heart” (GGS 234 Gaurii Puurabii M4). 20 This “without” (bin/vin, binaa/vinaa) represents a key rhetorical strategy of the GGS: “without the Name”, “Guru”, “God”, “Word”, nothing avails: “Without (vin) the True One, all are false, and all practice falsehood.” (GGS 147 Maajha M2); “I have studied the religions and rituals of all the ages. Without the Name, this mind is not awakened.” (GGS 913 Raamakalii M5). 19 10 (dubidhaa), is humility (nimrita).21 Humility is enacted through listening (suniai), accepting (maniai) and loving (bhaau). Technique can be given, but not the Way. The Way is inseparable from unknowing, longing, begging, praying, living. Those that prefer a technique prefer the gift over the Giver. An important critical strategy used by the Sikh Gurus in their critique is the trope of “disemplotment” – to dislodge what each tradition takes as universal and locate it within the Gur-Sikh context of the pluriversal Guru, Word and Name, but without negating the power or relevance of the “dis-emplotted” term. Those diverse traditional terms are kept but re-employed to express a pluriversal reality of a wholly inclusive existential praxis. The critique of yoga occurs in this manner, for example: The Word is Yoga, the Word is Gnosis [for the Yogi]; the Word is Vedas for the Brahmin. The Word is bravery for the Kshatriya; the Word is service to others for the Shudra. For one who discerns this secret: the Word for all is the One Word (eka-shabadan). (GGS 1353 Sahasakritii M1) The dis-emplotment and re-emplotment of “yoga” and “meditation” follow this major trope of the GGS: diversity is sacred when tied to the Word (shabad). “Yoga”, “Wisdom”, “Vedas”, etc are taken out of the plot in which they claim universal relevance, and replaced within Guru Nanak’s pluriversal (cross-traditional, multi-caste) vision of many namings. Guru-Shabad and Naam work as the inexpressible force behind everything, and remind all that the universal can only be approached through the inclusion of every tradition’s imaginations. Guru Nanak is, therefore, not a peddler of specific techniques or mantras but the revealer of an unforeseen pluriversal Way that engages key ideas of other paths: “Meditation”, “meditation”? – good is the meditation on the Name of Hari, Hari. ||2|| “Renunciation”, “renunciation”? – good is the renunciation of lust, anger and greed. ||3|| “Begging”, “begging”? – good is the begging for the Lord's Praise from the Guru. ||4|| (GGS 1018 Maaruu M5) Humility is not to be underestimated not least because it is the opposite force of the ego. Bhai Nand Lal (2003: 84) in Zindagii Naamaa writes, that the resilience (naramii) within humility (nimarataa) is the ultimate prescription of all ailments [v.50]. 21 11 Whilst a person may initially practice meditation to overcome greed, anger and lust, with the likely deferral of the goal, the practice may become the goal itself, with the meditator not necessarily cognizant of such a shift having taken place. The treachery of techniques is clear: they replace the transformation that they promised to become the focus themselves. In the GGS all practices – here meditation, renunciation and begging – are reframed, to place the focus on the ego (haumai), to unsettle what we have always assumed to be efficacious and true. Efficacy is not tied to a logic the ego can name, expect, or know. The GGS as a whole may be understood as a disputation against the efficacy of human techniques (shrines, clothes, rituals, mantras, songs etc) no matter their “100,000 clevernesses” (GGS 1 Japu M1). The transformation or the ego-mind-state comes first, not the technique, method, or practice. The Gurus simply bring us back to the hard work of the real task of disarming and dismantling the common ego – the one that (too easily) makes techniques a part of its arsenal: The Digambara may take off his clothes and be naked. What Yoga does he practice by having matted and tangled hair? If the heart-mind is not pure, [forget] the Tenth Gate! The fool wanders and wanders, entering the cycle of reincarnation again and again. ||1|| (GGS 1169 Basant M3) How then is one to proceed without techniques? Is truth “a pathless land” (Krishnamurti)? If (modern) yoga’s goal is health of the physical body, no one would argue against its efficacy. But reemplotted within the context of subjective awakening and political freedom, can physical yoga avoid being humbled, like every other technique? This is the challenge of the Sikh Gurus’ repeated question: what is efficacious?22 Given that “God (hari) cannot be found by any technique (upaai)”,23 without the transformation of the heart-mind, (of lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, let alone political liberation), what use is any private technique, physical or mental? The devolution of traditions to mere technical specialisms (of vocabulary and ritual) was precisely what the Gurus were reformulating into a new synthesis of the Guru’s quotidian and existential Word-praxis. “When the mind is filthy, everything is filthy; by washing the body, the mind is not cleaned…/ Even if one learns Yogic postures of the Siddhas, and holds his senses in check,/ still, the filth of the mind is not removed; the filth of egotism is not eliminated. ||2|| This mind is not controlled by any other discipline, except the Sanctuary of the TrueGuru./ Meeting the True-Guru, one is reversed/transformed beyond description. ||3|| Prays Nanak, one who dies upon meeting the True-Guru, shall be rejuvenated by his Word” (GGS 558 Vadhansu M3). 23 234 Gaurii Puurabii M4 22 12 2.1.1. True Yoga as Sahaj-Jog 24 Mixing freely yogic and bhaktic grammars, Guru Nanak sings “the true way of yoga (aisii jugati jog)” is the “mastery of the five passions”, where “day and night he remains absorbed in Essencelessness/Void of Absolute Awareness (sunn-samaadhi)”, and “begging for loving devotion he lives in fear of God”; he is “satisfied with the priceless gift of contentment”, and “becoming the embodiment of meditation itself (dhiaana ruupi hoi), he finds the true posture (aasanu paavai)”, in which “consciousness flows in ceaseless connection with the True Name (saci naami taarii chitu laavai)”.25 This is the yoga to be “practiced” through the very challenges, threats and attachments of everyday existence and be untouched by their seductions (anjan maahi niranjan rahiiai).26 The notion of true yoga and its practitioner, the true yogi, result from the dis-emplotment found within the GGS. A key term used in the GGS is sahaj, meaning, “natural, easy; spontaneous; effortless; beatific”, and is understood as innate. It relates to a deep yearning of what the body remembers. This makes sahaj an originary condition prior to yoga. Sahaj as simaran – a form of nonegoic “remembrance” – is beautifully captured by Namdev: a boy flies a kite while talking to his friends, a girl carries a pitcher laughing with her friends, a mother remembers her child in the cradle whether she works in the kitchen or the field, just as the cow never forgets her calf in a faraway field.27 Though these symbolize the uneducated, untrained, natural being, for Namdev they become perfect exemplars recalling the Name, valued over the highly-trained Siddhas and Nath Yogis and their esoteric knowledge, complex techniques and specialized practices. Unlike the elitism of the Yogis, Namdev does not exclude anyone. Simaran is not therefore a technical skill but a form of awareness expressed in everyday praxis, open to all to engage spontaneously, effortlessly, almost without thinking. This is sahaj-jog, a pluriversal praxis not an idiosyncratic device. Sahaj-jog involves an impersonal natural love before thought: “In love with the Beloved Lord, one looks at Him as the lotus looks at the sun”.28 Sahaj and humility (nimarata) thus share the same psychological space: Other major formulations of True Yoga are: Gurmukh-Jog and Shabad-Surat Jog GGS 877 Raamakalii M1 26 GGS 730 Suuhii M1 27 GGS 972 Raamakalii Bhagat Naamdeva jii. 28 GGS 983 Nata M4 24 25 13 The Lord is like sugar, spilled onto the sand; the elephant cannot pick it up. Says Kabir, give up your ancestry, social status, honor; be like a tiny ant – pick up and eat the sugar. (GGS 972 Raamakalii Bhagat Kabiir jii) Ego, status, pride, learning are the obstacles, not lack of training in a particular technique; no number of techniques will allow an elephant to sift sugar from sand, but to the ant no learned technique is required. The ant simply acts without thought to self or practice. Ego loss is an original condition and thus one merely needs to return to it. In relinquishing the effort required to maintain the ego (and the stories it tells itself) sahaj is a path of effortlessness. The body’s remit is sahaj, the mind’s is strategy. A hymn by Guru Nanak starts with a kundalini/tantric trope of the inverted lotus, and the tenth gate (beyond the nine bodily apertures) from which trickles the ambrosial nectar, but switches quickly to what is really required: not ascetic meditation, not singing, not mantras, not rituals, etc., but the surrender of one’s own mind, the naughting of oneself, in order to return home inheriting an infinitely expanded and transformed nondual vision.29 Sahaj points towards a philosophy of the event of one’s existential and moment-by-moment life: “Whatever the Lord does, look upon that as good; thus, you shall obtain the treasure of Sahaj-Jog”.30 Guru Amar Das states that “in sahaj the Name dwells in the mind practicing the lifestyle of Truth (sacii kaar kamaai)”, but when the ego-mind gets attached to maaiaa (love of duality) sahaj fails to emerge.31 Although the truth of sahaj cannot be made, falsehood and duality can be rejected and dismantled. If the “Beloved Mind” (man-piaare) is originally pure, all one needs to do is stop polluting it. Loving hands and understanding eyes are not the result of technical prowess;32 as such sahaj implies a nondual praxis: “To see without eyes; to hear without ears; to walk without feet; to work without hands; to speak without a tongue – like this, one remains dead–while–yet–alive”.33 Thus, the mundane world as Word is always already a teaching: the space-time continuum is soteric, hence “one who understands hukam (God’s Will, Order, Command, or the inscription of the Word GGS 153 Gaurii M1 GGS 359 Aasaa M1 31 GGS 68 Siriiraagu M3 32 GGS 139 Maajha M2 33 GGS 139 Maajha M2 29 30 14 in creation) is called a Yogi.” 34 And then “whatever they speak is wisdom (giaan) / whatever they hear is the Name / whatever they see is meditation (dhiaan)” they sleep in sahaj, awake in sahaj.35 If the yogis (jogiiaa), wandering ascetics (jangama), renouncers (sanniaasii) as well as the “saints” (saadhus) and the virtuous (gunii) have tried everything and failed in calming and mastering anger, hatred, desire, then the Sikh Gurus are unlikely to offer yet more techniques.36 Not only have they failed, they have also wasted their lives, erred and gone astray, leaving behind an inflated sense of egotism (ahankaar) and arrogance (garabu).37 Guru Nanak implores ascetics and householders to practice true yoga (saac-jog), viz.,“subdue the five thieves, and hold your consciousness in its place” and “discern the Word of the Guru by losing your ego-mind”.38 To lose oneself is not a matter of will. Rather, events overwhelm, one is humbled; concepts of grace (His Will), fear of God, “naam-binaa”, pre-ordained destiny (dhuur masataki likhiaa) and great good fortune (vad-bhaagi) are all used in the GGS to describe an anti-ego, anti-technique understanding of the Way as life or time itself. This, however, should not lead to indifference and pessimism. Guru Arjan states humbly, “I do not know what pleases the Lord” but follows immediately with, “O mind seek out the way!” He then proceeds to list the various ways people have tried: meditation, gnosis, self-discipline, asceticism, silence, celibacy, detachment, nine forms of devotional worship, recitation of scriptures, family life, pilgrimages, fasting, independent thinking, isolation etc., but concludes, “Of these, no one admits deficiency, all claim to have found the Truth/Lord.” All the Sikh Gurus remain skeptical of any and all answers the ego-mind proffers. The last lines are: “He alone is a devotee, whom the Lord has united with Himself. Abandoning all devices (ukati) and contrivances (upaavaa), I have sought the (only real) Renuniciate’s Sanctuary.39 Guru Nanak presents an axiomatic sequence: because you don’t know, listen (suniai); having heard, consider and accept (maniai). If you accept, then, act, or serve (sevaa) with loving devotion (bhaau).40 Techniques and their mastery fool one into believing one’s knowledge is superior and unknown by others. But life will not be mastered, only the ego can be humbled. In short “by listening one effortlessly enters meditation” (suniai laagai sahaji dhiaanu).41 “Hearing the Name” (naai GGS 908 Raamakalii M3 GGS 236 Gaurii M5 36 GGS 219 Gaurii M9 37 GGS 513 Guuarii kii vaara M3 38 GGS 1189-1190 Basantu M1 39 GGS 71 Siriiraagu M5 40 GGS 4 Japu M1 41 GGS 3 Japu M1 34 35 15 suniai), only then are “supernatural powers”, “wealth”, “contentment” etc., are received.42 There is a crucial reversal going on here. It is not that there are techniques so that you can hear the Name, but that one can hear the Name in all techniques, making no one technique better than another; the Name is yoga but yoga is not the (Way to the) Name. 2.2. Takhat (political yoga): raaj-jog Guru Arjan sings, “I came to the Guru to learn the way of yoga. The True-Guru has revealed it to me through the Word… I have brought the five disciples… under my control… That place where there is no fear, becomes my seated posture (aasan)”.43 And that aasan becomes the foundation of political justice: One who keeps Naam in his heart attains the Immoveable Seat (aasan). One who keeps Naam in his heart is seated on the Throne (takhat). One who keeps Naam in his heart is the true King (saah). (GGS 1156 Bhairau M5) The subjective sovereignty of the mystic state is the true aasan but it is only half the story. The other half is the objective sovereignty of the true King who sits on the true throne (takhat): It is very difficult to serve the True-Guru: Give your head; lose yourself. One who dies through the Word shall never die again; his service is totally approved. (GGS 649 Sorathi M3) Guru Amar Das captures in four words the double sovereignty of Raaj-Jog in its most pared down form “siru diijai aapu gavaai” – not only the Saint’s sacrifice of the self (spiritual death of ego-mind), but also of the Soldier’s head (political death of body).44 It is this double sacrifice that precludes sahaj from being reduced to relativism. In the Gur-Sikh notion of double sovereignty raaj-jog does not GGS 1240 Saaranga M1 GGS 208 Gaurii M5 44 James Mallinson is currently researching the history of this term and Shameem Black (in this volume) notes its politicization in militant Hindutva discourse. 42 43 16 allow just anyone to be a king – it has to be a saint, or someone that has killed the ego-mind through the Word. That one enters not only private realms of bliss but public realms of justice that takhat symbolizes: The True One’s Law (hukam) is effective everywhere; the Gurmukh merges in its truth. He Himself is true, true is His Throne (takhat), Seated, He administers true Justice (niaau). The Truest of the True pervades everywhere; the Gurmukh sees the unseen. (GGS 949 Raamakalii M3) Not only does God make creation His Throne,45 but also establishes that takhat within each body (kaaiaa).46 Those “who can discern the Word” (objectively and subjectively), then, also “sit upon His Throne”,47 for “The True Lord fashioned the earth for the sake of the Gurmukhs”. Consequently, and without desire or effort, they obtain the eight supernatural powers (asata siddhii) and “all wisdom” (sabhi buddhii), knowing fully both worldliness (paravirati) and renunciation (naravirati).48 Guru Arjan adds: “Your consciousness becomes steady and firm (when) forest (banu) and household (grihu) are seen as the same.” The renouncer and householder are no longer polarized but re-framed such that raaj-jog can be practiced “being in the world but not of the world” (loga alogii):49 Raaj Bhagat sipaahii seva, kirtan Hari (Personal) girasat grihu gurdwara loga Akal Tahkat sant sabha/sat-sangat IMMANENT sargun/paravirati temporal spirituality ---Middle Way---------------- [Gu-sikhii: sahaj-jog, raaj-jog, gurmukh jog, shabad-surati-jog]--------------------------------spiritual temporality Jog Udaasi sant udaasii banu simaran sunn-samadhi (Impersonal) alogii- Harimandir Sahib siddha-sabha TRANSCENDENT nirgun/niravirati Table: Nondual Middle Way of Gurmukh-Jog/Raaj-Jog Gur-Sikh raaj-jog could be further elaborated by reconceptualizing the above pairs as a third (tiisarpanth) or new middle way. GGS 580 Vadahansu M1 GGS 1039 Maaruu M1 47 GGS 1026 Maaruu M1 48 GGS 941 Raamakalii M1 49 GGS 409 Aasaa Aasaavarii M5 45 46 17 3. Splitting Raaj-Jog in the conversion to Western Modernity In the incalculably violent conversion to Western (globalatinized Christian) Modernity, two key historical markers instigated the splitting of gur-sikhii’s raaj from jog.50 The first was the colonial encounter with the British, and the second was the invention of India and Pakistan as (modern) “nations” through the tragedy and trauma of Partition. After two Anglo-Sikh wars, the British annexed the Panjab and de-militarized the Sikh Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1849. Under this colonial subjugation the Gur-Sikh middle way was broken, eventually splintering into opposing Sikh revival and reform movements. Given the run up to independence and the birth of India as a modern nation state in 1947, the constitutional separation of church and state effectively “religionized” sant/jog in the formation of “Sikhism” and “secularized” sipaahii/raaj into political movements.51 The secular frame of modernity both rests upon and demands such a polarized duality (i.e., secular vs religious). Furthermore, given the transformative power of nineteenth century European technologies in India (census, cartography, print, telegraph, railways, roads and canals), various forms of “Sikh yoga”, whether Thind’s mental focus or 3HO’s physical focus (see below), sought similarly modern techniques. In this shift from premodern raag-jog to the technique-ization of the twentieth-century, Sikh groups’ privatized modes of “religious” practice became the only form compatible with colonial modernity’s political economy; whether Panesar’s mindfulness techniques or Yogi Bhajan’s postures, such movements flourished because they could pass unnoticed as apolitical. The 60s counter-culture furthered this privatization of religious practice, resulting in the widespread capitalization and commodification of sell spirituality and yoga: God wore the collar of the dollar whether in the gym or the ashram.52 With Gur-Sikh raaj-jog’s sovereignty disarmed, Sikh yoga became malleable to the global market. The capitalist marketplace can countenance spiritualities, and even make their “spiritual materialism” profitable, but only where stripped of their collective voice of resistance. 53 Derrida (2001; 2002); Van der Veer (1996) See Mandair (2013) ch.3. for an overview. 52 Carrette and King (2005); Jain (2015). However, the early stages of the reception of yoga in the West was to demonstrate its health benefits, scientific viability and relevance to modern business people. See Gopal Singh Puri (1974) as a case in point, who together with his wife Kailash Kaur Puri taught meditational and postural yoga. Thanks to Suzanne Newcombe for this reference. 53 Trungpa (1987) 50 51 18 But Sikhs from the beginning have understood that “power concedes nothing without a demand”,54 as evidenced by a long history of resistance movements speaking truth to power.55 However, none of these movements are classed under the category of “Sikh yoga” given the frame imposed by colonial modernity, wherein yoga was to be identified only with aasana and sant, and not with takhat and sipaahii. Clearly, the opposite is also true: if jog was reduced to “religion”, then raaj was similarly reduced to “politics”. The split augured by modernity led to political movements with no jog nor sant to speak of.56 Given the teachings of the GGS and the fact that the first and last Sikh Gurus are popularly known as “Nanak Shaah-Fakiir” and “Guru Gobind Singh Baadshaah-Dervish,” revealing the inseparability of raaj-jog, it is therefore problematic to countenance such contemporary Sikh-yoga movements, along with political movements lacking sant/jog, as legitimate. Within the contemporary scene all the various “Sikh yoga” movements reflect such a neutering of Gur-Sikh anti-caste political spirituality into purely subjective forms or privatized practice. 4. Contemporary Scene: Sikh Yoga and Meditation movements Against kundalini yoga, Jiddu Krishnamurti reiterates in the contemporary world many of the ideas expressed in the GGS: [with kundalini yoga there is] a certain form of increasing energy to do more mischief … But there is a different form of [becoming]… that can only happen when the self is not. Then there is a totally different kind of energy. To keep the mind fresh and young, alive. And that can only come when there is absolutely no sense of the self… because the self, the me, the center is in constant conflict, right?, wanting not wanting, creating dualities… [emphasis added] On August 3, 1857, Frederick Douglass delivered a “West India Emancipation” speech at Canandaigua, New York. See Bhogal (2011; 2010) 56 Figures like Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, are a far cry from any actual jog, despite being also the head monk/priest at the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur. He is, rather, a crude firebrand for far-right Hindutva majoritarian politics, and whose youth organization (Hindu Yuva Vahini) has instigated violence against minority mainly Muslim communities. The politicization of such “raaj-yogiis” is not my focus here. And though some may argue that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was similar, i.e., only political with no saintliness, I offer my rebuttal in Bhogal (2011) and elaboration (2012b). Here raaj-jog cannot be divorced from political violence and terrorism whether statesponsored or from freedom fighters, for the modern nation state cannot countenance political theologies of the minorities. 54 55 19 Inner cleansing techniques, raising Kundalini energy (bhuiangam), inhaling, exhaling and holding the breath by the force of the mind – by such hypocritical (paakhand) practices Dharmic love for God (hari) is not produced; Only through gur-shabad is the sublime ecstasy (mahaa-ras) found. (GGS 1043 Maaruu M1) All medicines and remedies, mantras and Tantras are nothing more than ashes. Enshrine the Creator within your heart. (GGS 196 Gaurii M5) Kabir, you have not shaved your mind, so why do you shave your head? (GGS 1369 Salok, Bhagat Kabiir Jii) One could describe the general transformation of yoga from pre-modern jog to modern mainstream postural yoga as a shift from what kind of (samaadhic) mind the body yearns to what kind of body the ego-mind desires. Today, the past’s psychological “tasteless stone of Yoga” has acquired quite a physically-sensual taste.57 Krishnamurti however, refuses the Western desire for the “mystic East’s” tantra and kundalini practices, refusing its orientalism of the “Zen Mind.”58 There is now also the more common orientalist desire for the “Yoga Body”. Though both the physicalization and orientalizing of modern yoga have received critique, both critiques are tropes within the GGS. We have already noted gur-sikhii’s critique of yoga and meditation, as well as the Gurus’ acerbic dismissal of religious spectacle (“outward show”).59 Guru Nanak’s oddly familiar critique of the paraphernalia of yogic cults is therefore equally applicable today as it was five centuries ago.60 57 GGS 966 Raamakalii Balavandi te Sattaa. Cf. the many verses stating the incomparable taste of God’s Essence that leaves one wonderstruck and more importantly satiated – as no other taste can: GGS 180 Gaurii Guaarerii M5 58 These terms are taken from Thompson in Horton & Harvey (2012). Others have labelled these “Postural” (Singleton 2010) and “denominational” (Michelis 2008) or “spiritual” (Jain 2015). I use “Zen Mind” and “Yoga Body” as monikers denoting large transnational movements (on the one hand New Thought, Mysticism, Spiritualism, Esotericism, MantraMeditation, and on the other Body Building, Fitness Gym Culture and Modern Postural Yoga, respectively). 59 GGS 556 Bihaagaraa M3 60 “Yoga is not the patched coat [leggings], Yoga is not the walking stick [yoga mat]. Yoga is not smearing the body with ashes [nor done in 100 degree Fahrenheit rooms]. Yoga is not the ear-rings [incense or candles], and not the shaven head [six pack abs or the splits]. Yoga is not the blowing of the horn [New Age “spiritual” soothing music]. Remaining unperturbed amidst worldly seductions – this is the way to attain Yoga” (GGS 730 Suuhii M1). Such observations can lead to humorous critiques: “If yoga could be attained by wandering around naked, then all the deer of the forest would be liberated” 20 Indeed, the GGS is perhaps the only comprehensive and sustained Indic critique of jog, and as such presents a clear lacuna in Western scholarship in general and yoga studies in particular. Even recent works charting the history of Yoga’s invented mental and physical modern forms (from Vivekananda’s mid 1890’s “raja-yoga” to the contemporary transnational-Anglophone “hatha yoga”) neglect the GGS.61 This is partly understandable as gur-sikhii and yoga (i.e., not jog) are rarely associated by Sikhs. The association is limited to those movements that acquiesced to modernity’s splitting forces. “Sikh yoga” is a modern phenomenon which only Western Sikhs have partial familiarity with and Eastern Sikhs find offensive and bizarre. Often in discussions of Sikhism and yoga two individuals are mentioned: Guru Nanak’s son Sri Chand, founder of the Udaasiis (sixteenth century), and Yogi Bhajan, founder of 3HO (twentieth century), and who is solely responsible for the Western conflation of “Sikhism” and “yoga”. The former practiced a form of ascetic “yoga” rejected by Guru Nanak’s worldly focus. The latter’s yoga is inflected by the international physical culture movement as a counter-cultural New Age “religion/dharma”. Neither could be seriously entertained as having any real relation to Gur-Sikh teachings. Were one to look for figures and movements not related to “yoga” but the GGS’s “raajjog”, then the list is indeed much longer, including, to varying degrees: Khalsa Singhs, Bandai Sikhs, Akalis, Nihangs, Nirankaris, Namdharis, Singh Sabha reformers, Babbar Akalis, Akali Dal, SGPC, Nanaksar Movement, Bhai Randhir Singh, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, and Babbar Khalsa.62 None of these, given their integration of raaj, are seen as yogic traditions. Having noted the two major orientalizing discursive formations of Western modernity’s appropriation of Asian “spiritual cultures”, as either meditational (“Zen Mind”) or postural (“Yoga Body”), the following individuals and groups can be mapped accordingly. The ease of this mapping illuminates the problematic nature of contemporary yoga from the perspective of the GGS – as such apolitical forms reveal their unacknowledged conversion to modernity. Unrelated to gur-sikhii is the Radhasoami movement founded by Shiv Dyal Singh in 1861. I mention it because its conceptual vocabulary is largely taken from the GGS, for example its main focus is surat-shabd-yoga. However, this is literally interpreted as a “sound-current”, and “secret mantras” are used in initiations, which in turn secure a hierarchy of lesser traditions, meditative (GGS 324 Gaurii Kabiir jii). The familiarity stems from parallels with 19th century British colonial critique of jogiis, internalized by influential Indians (Singleton 2010: chs. 2 and 3). 61 See Eliade 1989 [1958]; De Michelis 2008 [2004]; Phillips 2009; Singleton 2010; Jain 2015; Mallinson and Singleton 2017. Only Feuerstein’s 2008 [1998] encyclopedic work contains a short, if problematic, chapter. 62 See Bhogal (1996) 21 states, and techniques. Their shift away from the Word back to mantra, elitism, initiation, exclusion and dualism reveals its divergence from the GGS, a text the tradition purports to interpret. The GGS’s nondual, horizontally-inclusivist Way contrasts sharply with Radhasoami’s literalist, dualistic and hierarchically-inclusivist vision.63 Unlike particular turn of the 20th century movements, like Nand Singh’s Nanaksar movement, 1869 and Bhai Randhir Singh’s Akhand Kirtani Jatha – (who evidence aspects of asceticism, celibacy, ritualism, meditation and literalist fundamentalism), their indigeneity marked them from those who migrated to the West during the same time. For example, Bhagat Singh Thind (1892-1967) whose entry into the West, moulded him to shift to a more worldly countercultural frame – though both emphasized meditation. Two movements in the West that retain the (“Zen-Mind”) meditation but also develop the postural dimension of the “Yoga Body” are Harbhajan Singh Khalsa’s (Yogi Bhajan’s) Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO) and Professor Surinder Singh’s Raj Academy. Both openly promote yogic techniques, using a vocabulary of yantra, tantra, mudra and mantra as well as actual practices including yogic postures (asanas) – the exact vocabulary displaced and dismissed by the GGS.64 Surinder Singh further summarizes his teaching under the phrase “naad-yoga” (Yoga of Sound), a term also used by others.65 An alternative yet complementary development to the religious form of “Sikh yoga” is its alignment to the self-help and corporate culture. For example, Davinder Singh Panesar’s “Gurmat Psychotherapy” teaches “symran” in his Mindfulness Institute, offering an array of programs (MM: mindfulness in management, MBBM: Mindfulness based business management, MBCT: mindfulness based cognitive therapy, MBSM: mindfulness-based stress management, DMM: Diabetes Management with Mindfulness). These programs employ a “groundbreaking combination See Zapart (forthcoming) who makes this point forcefully and convincingly. GGS 766 Suuhii M1: “I know nothing of Tantras, mantras and hypocritical rituals; enshrining Ram within my heart, my mind is satisfied./ The ointment of naam is only understood by one who realizes sach through gur-shabad”; GGS 184 Gaurii Guaarerii M5: “Mantras, tantras, all-curing medicines and acts of atonement, are all in the Name of the Lord (hari), the Support of the soul and the breath of life. I have obtained the true wealth of the Hari’s Love.” 65 I have been engaged in a long, on-going dialogue about this phrase, that does not occur in the GGS, with leading figures within Sikh musicology: Bhai Baldeep Singh (Chairman of the Anād Foundation, founder of Anād Khaṅḍ: Conservatory of Arts, Aesthetics, Cultural Traditions and Developmental Studies, and Dean of Faculty of Humanities & Religious Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University) as well as, and especially with, Dr. Francesca Cassio (Sardarni Harbans Kaur Chair of Sikh Musicology, Hofstra University) about my concerns along the lines of the argument put forth here. 63 64 22 of tried and tested techniques from many wisdom traditions with cognitive experiential learning exercises”.66 The above movements operate squarely within colonial modernity’s Western frame which permeates their ethos. This frame, because of its coercive vectors of capitalist power (commodification, consumption, technique-ization, orientalism, and individualism), gives such movements little choice but to invent “traditions and techniques”. A particular “technique-ization” of gur-sikhii found among a number of Sikh groups like the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and various contemporary kirtan jathas, sat-sangis, seem to have misunderstood some hymns of the Gurus’. Let us take one example. A particular hymn by Guru Arjan begins describing a Gur-Sikh’s loving attention to the Guru, such that he “remembers the Guru with each and every breath”. This has been interpreted by some as a particular technique.67 However such a reading makes the mistake of decontextualization, ignoring the poetic structure of the hymns. Many hymns begin with a first line operating as a setting the theme rather than with propositional teaching. The first line is followed by a pause (rahao). This rahao signifies a key insight that will be expounded upon in the main body of the hymn; the hymn’s following verses are therefore exegetical. Thus, as the hymn clarifies, what follows is not a detailed explanation of a meditation technique or instructions of how to regulate one’s breath, nor a justification of why this “pranayama” is superior to others, but quite the contrary; the hymn offers a simple listing of a very mundane praxis of humble service. “Remembering him with each breath” does not mean that there is actually a technique to remember Him, but refers to the infusion of quotidian praxis with love: to lovingly “carry water”, “grind corn”, “wave a fan over him”, “wash his feet and drink the water.” I cannot stress enough how contrary to the hymn’s structure and content such readings of “yogic” technique are; it is equivalent to making carrying water or grinding corn the “sacred” technique of gur-sikhii. Such selective and literalist readings (would similarly) ignore the hymn’s emphasis on love and humility as existential modes of being. If the Guru, Word and Name are not particular experiences, but the ground of experience itself, then any experience may trigger that connection. The unavoidable “arbitrariness” this presents is persistently missed by such groups and their misinterpretations. Furthermore, “one’s troubles, conflicts, fears, doubts and pains” are not dispelled by mastery of a technique, but by “His all-powerful love and grace”; self-power (karam) is to be understood within the context of Other-power (nadar, parasaad). 66 67 http://www.symran.com/about.html, (accessed March 22, 2019) GGS 239-40 Gaurii M5 23 Contrary to the highly selective readings to extract robust techniques (and thus benefit from claims of authenticity and authority), no specific technique or techniques are given in the GGS. On the contrary, nothing additional is required to be compassionate, kind, loving, courageous, etc., for it’s a matter of application of these common attributes that all have, not possessing one technique over others. This is why the Gurus switch from the prescription of techniques to the praxis of the way: to meditate (dhiaai), to discriminate/contemplate (viicharia), to remember (simaran), to love (piaar), to attach one’s mind to, to focus attention (cit laai), to search (bhaalaai) for the Lord within the heart, and lovingly attune oneself to (har liv laai), to return to one’s home (gharu jaai), to find the palace of love/ecstasy (pagah rang mahalii), to meet the Guru (guru mele), to abandon hypocrisy, greed (paakhand lobh tajaai) and doubt (bhram gavaai), to associate with the holy congregation (mil sangatii), to listen to the teachings of the Guru (gura kii sikh sunaai), to take the supplies of the Lord’s Name and obtain honor (kharacu liiaa pati paai), to surrender to and obey the Guru (gur manniaa), to offer prayers (gur aagai kari jodarii), to practice the truth (sach kamai) because it is a ladder to the Guru (gur ki paurii saaca ), to sing His praises (gun gavai), to give one’s mind to the guru (man diiaa), to attach one’s mind to the truth (man sacai laaiaa). Each one of these actions ranging from meditation (jog) to singing his praise (bhagati), are still not to be made into techniques. Without the Name, all would fail. The inherent deconstructive and existential nature of the Name (as the nameless), Word (as unsystematizable) and Guru (as everywhere there but hidden) will not allow such a reduction to technique that modernity’s individualism demands. Conclusion He is not won over by music, (esoteric) sounds or the Vedas. He is not won over by mindfulness (suratii), gnosis (giaanii) or Yoga. GGS 1237 Saaranga M1 In this hymn Guru Nanak goes on to list other actions and ideals that do not align the individual to the One: “feeling sad”, “beauty, wealth, pleasures”, “being naked”, “shrines”, “charity”, “living alone in the wilderness”, “fighting and dying as a warrior”. This may on the surface seem to contradict the earlier emphasis on all manner of quotidian actions being potential pathways to God/Ikk. However, there is no contradiction for both lists offer the same conclusion. 24 One must humble the ego-self such that all actions are infused by love and guided by gur-shabad and naam. “The True One is won over by becoming the dust of the masses”, that is, “only by His Name”. The Gurus were acutely aware that they made affirmative suggestions (like meditate on Him, praise Him, remember Him etc), and hence also sought to undercut any and all suggestions by emphasizing the limitless nature of the Name, Word and Guru. This constant deconstructive critique at the heart of the GGS, one that refuses to be tamed into any kind of salve or technique, is the very antithesis of modern consumerism hungry for the next best technique or system. As love or character can never be reduced to a technique, nor can wisdom be reduced to knowledge, or phronesis to that of techne,68 so it is with naam and gur-shabad that deconstruct any such technique-ization that might divorce love from justice. However, it remains undeniable that codified techniques are often more popular than the path of loving justice or just love. I propose a few suggestions of why this might be so. One, the former is easier to do and is goal-driven, the latter is very difficult and wearisome given its perpetuity. Two, mastery over the former is easier to demonstrate than the latter; many can become masters of techniques, rare are those who actually master their vices or change society (for the better). Three, and most important of all, mastering a technique is possible precisely because the habituated ego and its inherently dualistic consciousness are left largely (if not wholly) unchallenged and intact. Techniques bolster the ego. Jog in gur-sikhii emerges, then, not as a new method, or set of techniques, but as a perennial philosophy: of the drop merging back into the ocean.69 But this drop (as part of the water cycle: precipitation–evaporation–condensation–transpiration) is re-understood taking its union (aasan) within the midst of worldly entanglements and responsibilities (takhat) to express raaj-jog’s political mysticism. Connecting the drop and the sea, is the long and unique journey of meandering rivers (cutting across all human binaries), that chart the very context in which the Name can be engaged and lived. Lastly, given the refrain throughout the GGS that the one who presumes to describe God, the Way, should be known as the “greatest fool amongst fools”, then anyone performing a definitive exegesis of the GGS carries the real risk of such a moniker.70 Present author included. See Bhogal (2001). See Bhai Nand Lal’s Zindagii Naamaa (2003: 123-5): “Though drop merges with the ocean” [v.289]… yet the wave (lahir) in the sea (saagar), still evidences a conspicuous difference (baraa farak) from it. [v.296]. 70 GGS 6 Japu M1 68 69 25 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Prabhsharanbir Singh, Puninder Singh, Harjeet Singh and especially Sophie Hawkins for their feedback on an earlier version of this paper. Biography Dr. Balbinder Singh Bhogal is a professor in Religion and holder of the Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Bindra Chair in Sikh Studies (Hofstra University, NY). Area: Indic religions, specializing in Sikhi(sm). The tensions between hermeneutics and deconstruction; Religion and Secularism; Animal and Saint; Mysticism and Politics; Postcolonial and Decolonial, animate his work. Glossary of Sikh Terms Aap-gavai Aasan Aasana Dhiaan Dubidhaa Gurmukh Guru Gur-sikhi Gur-Sikh Haumai Hukam Ikk Oankaar Jog Jogii-bhogii Karam Maaiaa Man Manmukh Mukti Naam Naam-simaran Naam-maarag Nadar Niaau Raaj-jog Sacaa-patishaah Saciaaraa Sahaj Sant-sipaahii Sevaa Shabad Sikh - Ego-loss; disciplining, decentering, deconditioning the ego-mind Seat of subjective liberation; inner sovereignty over the ego; Seat; posture; postures meditation as remembrance of the One in the Many duality; otherness; forgetting the One, remembering only the many He who shifts from “facing-Ego” to “facing-the-Guru” human guide; God; natural law; true and only Sovereign Guru-directed un/learning The tradition of the Sikh Gurus “I-mind”; ego; individuation Will, Order, Command; natural law; temporality One (before space-time); One as (space-time) Many Sikh critique of yoga; yoga is simaran and sahaj Ascetic-Sensuality; union of other-wordly asceticism with worldly pleasures action; grace delusion generated by the individuation (haumai); dualism mind; heart He who remains “facing-Ego” Release; enlightenment; inner liberation and outer and liberty Name of the Nameless, God, The One; the fabric of existence Constant awareness of the One in the Many; unconscious within conscious Way of the Name grace; favorable glance (of God); “Other-power” Justice; justice as love (never only as law) Royal-Yoga; political mysticism; rule of love as justice True Sovereign; sovereign as saint One who lives truthfully; performs true deeds Equipoise, effortless, natural, spontaneous (recollection of One in Many) Saint-Soldier; love and justice personified devoted care of the other; Selfless love Word; hymn; Word of the Guru; Word as Guru A being devoted to un/learning, listening, loving 26 Sikhism Sikhi(sm) Takhat Upaai, Upaavaa Vad-bhaagii Vismaad - Gur-Sikh tradition converted to a “religion” Decolonial Sikhism aimed at re-creating gur-sikhi Throne of objective liberty; outer sovereignty of many as part of the One stratagem; expedient means; contrivances; technique Great good fortune Wonder; life as an irresolvable, inexplicable wonder of the Guru Appendix of Quotes from Guru Granth Sahib GGS 1 Japu M1 shs isAwxpw lK hoih q iek n clY nwil ] GGS 3 Japu M1 suixAY lwgY shij iDAwnu ] GGS 4 Japu M1 qIrQu qpu dieAw dqu dwnu ] jy ko pwvY iql kw mwnu ] suixAw mMinAw min kIqw Bwau ] AMqrgiq qIriQ mil nwau ] GGS 6 Japu M1 jy ko AwKY boluivgwVu ] qw ilKIAY isir gwvwrw gwvwru ]26] GGS 8 Japu M1 jqu pwhwrw DIrju suinAwru ] Ahrix miq vydu hQIAwru ] Bau Klw Agin qp qwau ] BWfw Bwau AMimRqu iqqu Fwil ] GVIAY sbdu scI tkswl ] ijn kau ndir krmu iqn kwr ] nwnk ndrI ndir inhwl ]38] GGS 9 Aasaa M1 AwKw jIvw ivsrY mir jwau ] AwKix AauKw swcw nwau ] swcy nwm kI lwgY BUK ] auqu BUKY Kwie clIAih dUK ]1] 27 GGS 14 Siriiraagu M1 <> siqgur pRswid ] rwgu isrIrwgu mhlw pihlw 1 Gru 1 ] moqI q mMdr aUsrih rqnI q hoih jVwau ] ksqUir kuMgU Agir cMdin lIip AwvY cwau ] mqu dyiK BUlw vIsrY qyrw iciq n AwvY nwau ]1] hir ibnu jIau jil bil jwau ] mY Awpxw guru pUiC dyiKAw Avru nwhI Qwau ]1] rhwau ] DrqI q hIry lwl jVqI pliG lwl jVwau ] mohxI muiK mxI sohY kry rMig pswau ] mqu dyiK BUlw vIsrY qyrw iciq n AwvY nwau ]2] isDu hovw isiD lweI iriD AwKw Awau ] gupqu prgtu hoie bYsw loku rwKY Bwau ] mqu dyiK BUlw vIsrY qyrw iciq n AwvY nwau ]3] sulqwnu hovw myil lskr qKiq rwKw pwau ] hukmu hwslu krI bYTw nwnkw sB vwau ] mqu dyiK BUlw vIsrY qyrw iciq n AwvY nwau ]4]1] GGS 25 Siriiraagu M1 isrIrwgu mhlw 1 Gru 4 ] eykw suriq jyqy hY jIA ] suriq ivhUxw koie n kIA ] jyhI suriq qyhw iqn rwhu ] lyKw ieko Awvhu jwhu ]1] kwhy jIA krih cqurweI ] lyvY dyvY iFl n pweI ]1] rhwau ] GGS 60 Siriiraagu M1 mn ry ikau CUtih ibnu ipAwr ] gurmuiK AMqir riv rihAw bKsy Bgiq BMfwr ]1] rhwau ] ry mn AYsI hir isau pRIiq kir jYsI mCulI nIr ] ijau AiDkau iqau suKu Gxo min qin sWiq srIr ] ibnu jl GVI n jIveI pRBu jwxY AB pIr ]2] GGS 62 Siriiraagu M1 schu ErY sBu ko aupir scu Awcwru ]5]… nwnk nwmu n vIsrY CUtY sbdu kmwie ]8]14] GGS 67 Siriiraagu Guru Amar Das Ktu drsn jogI sMinAwsI ibnu gur Brim Bulwey ] siqguru syvih qw giq imiq pwvih hir jIau mMin vswey ] scI bwxI isau icqu lwgY Awvxu jwxu rhwey ]5] 28 GGS 68 Siriiraagu M3 shjy hir nwmu min visAw scI kwr kmwie ] sy vfBwgI ijnI pwieAw shjy rhy smwie ]4] mwieAw ivic shju n aUpjY mwieAw dUjY Bwie ] GGS 70 Siriiraagu M5 swsq isMimRiq byd cwir muKwgr ibcry ] qpy qpIsr jogIAw qIriQ gvnu kry ] Ktu krmw qy duguxy pUjw krqw nwie ] rMgu n lgI pwrbRhm qw srpr nrky jwie ]5] GGS 71 Siriiraagu M5 jwnau nhI BwvY kvn bwqw ] mn Koij mwrgu ]1] rhwau ] iDAwnI iDAwnu lwvih ] igAwnI igAwnu kmwvih ] pRBu ikn hI jwqw ]1] BgauqI rhq jugqw ] jogI khq mukqw ] qpsI qpih rwqw ]2] monI moinDwrI ] sinAwsI bRhmcwrI ] audwsI audwis rwqw ]3] Bgiq nvY prkwrw ] pMifqu vydu pukwrw ] igrsqI igrsiq Drmwqw ]4] iek sbdI bhu rUip AvDUqw ] kwpVI kauqy jwgUqw ] ieik qIriQ nwqw ]5] inrhwr vrqI Awprsw ] ieik lUik n dyvih drsw ] ieik mn hI igAwqw ]6] Gwit n ikn hI khwieAw ] sB khqy hY pwieAw ] ijsu myly so Bgqw ]7] sgl aukiq aupwvw ] iqAwgI srin pwvw ] nwnku gur crix prwqw ]8]2]27] GGS 114 Maajha M3 Awpy rMgy shij suBwey ] 29 GGS 139 Maajha M2 AKI bwJhu vyKxw ivxu kMnw sunxw ] pYrw bwJhu clxw ivxu hQw krxw ] jIBY bwJhu bolxw ieau jIvq mrxw ] nwnk hukmu pCwix kY qau KsmY imlxw ]1]… BY ky crx kr Bwv ky loiex suriq kryie ] (139-4, mwJ, mÚ 2) GGS 147 Maajha, M2 ivxu scy sBu kUVu kUVu kmweIAY ] GGS 153 Gaurii M1 aulitE kmlu bRhmu bIcwir ] AMimRq Dwr ggin ds duAwir ] iqRBvxu byiDAw Awip murwir ]1] ry mn myry Brmu n kIjY ] min mwinAY AMimRq rsu pIjY ]1] rhwau ] jnmu jIiq mrix mnu mwinAw ] Awip mUAw mnu mn qy jwinAw ] njir BeI Gru Gr qy jwinAw ]2] jqu squ qIrQu mjnu nwim ] AiDk ibQwru krau iksu kwim ] nr nwrwiex AMqrjwim ]3] Awn mnau qau pr Gr jwau ] iksu jwcau nwhI ko Qwau ] nwnk gurmiq shij smwau ]4]8] GGS 766 Suuhii M1 qMqu mMqu pwKMfu n jwxw rwmu irdY mnu mwinAw ] AMjnu nwmu iqsY qy sUJY gur sbdI scu jwinAw ]4] GGS 180 Gaurii Guaarerii M5 hir rs kw qUM cwKih swdu ] cwKq hoie rhih ibsmwdu ]1] GGS 184 Gaurii Guaarerii M5 mMqRü qMqRü AauKDu punhcwru ] pMnw 185 hir hir nwmu jIA pRwn ADwru ] swcw Dnu pwieE hir rMig ] duqru qry swD kY sMig ]3] GGS 196 Gaurii M5 AauKD mMqR qMq siB Cwru ] 30 krxYhwru irdy mih Dwru ]3] GGS 200 Gaurii M5 mukiq Bugiq jugiq hir nwau ] GGS 208 Gaurii M5 jog jugiq suin AwieE gur qy ] mo kau siqgur sbid buJwieE ]1] rhwau ] … pMc cyly imil Bey iekqRw eyksu kY vis kIey ] … jh Bau nwhI qhw Awsnu bwiDE isMgI Anhq bwnI ] GGS 219 Gaurii M9 swDo iehu mnu gihE n jweI ] cMcl iqRsnw sMig bsqu hY Xw qy iQru n rhweI ]1] rhwau ] kTn kroD Gt hI ky BIqir ijh suiD sB ibsrweI ] rqnu igAwnu sB ko ihir lInw qw isau kCu n bsweI ]1] jogI jqn krq siB hwry gunI rhy gun gweI ] jn nwnk hir Bey dieAwlw qau sB ibiD bin AweI ]2]4] GGS 234 Gaurii Puurabii M4 mn krhlw Aiq inrmlw mlu lwgI haumY Awie ] prqiK ipru Gir nwil ipAwrw ivCuiV cotw Kwie ]3] mn krhlw myry pRIqmw hir irdY Bwil Bwlwie ] aupwie ikqY n lBeI guru ihrdY hir dyKwie ]4] mn krhlw myry pRIqmw idnu rYix hir ilv lwie ] Gru jwie pwvih rMg mhlI guru myly hir mylwie ]5] mn krhlw qUM mIqu myrw pwKMfu loBu qjwie ] pwKMif loBI mwrIAY jm fMfu dyie sjwie ]6] mn krhlw myry pRwn qUM mYlu pwKMfu Brmu gvwie ] hir AMimRq sru guir pUirAw imil sMgqI mlu lih jwie ]7] mn krhlw myry ipAwirAw iek gur kI isK suxwie ] iehu mohu mwieAw psirAw AMiq swiQ n koeI jwie ]8] mn krhlw myry swjnw hir Krcu lIAw piq pwie ] hir drgh pYnwieAw hir Awip lieAw gil lwie ]9] mn krhlw guir mMinAw gurmuiK kwr kmwie ] gur AwgY kir jodVI jn nwnk hir mylwie ]10]1] GGS 236 Gaurii M5 swjnu dustu jw kY eyk smwnY ] jyqw bolxu qyqw igAwnY ] jyqw sunxw qyqw nwmu ] jyqw pyKnu qyqw iDAwnu ]2] shjy jwgxu shjy soie ] 31 GGS 239-40 Gaurii M5 gauVI mhlw 5 ] (239-15) iqsu gur kau ismrau swis swis ] guru myry pRwx siqguru myrI rwis ]1] rhwau ] gur kw drsnu dyiK dyiK jIvw ] gur ky crx Doie Doie pIvw ]1] gur kI ryxu inq mjnu krau ] jnm jnm kI haumY mlu hrau ]2] iqsu gur kau JUlwvau pwKw ] mhw Agin qy hwQu dy rwKw ]3] iqsu gur kY igRih Fovau pwxI ] ijsu gur qy Akl giq jwxI ]4] iqsu gur kY igRih pIsau nIq ] ijsu prswid vYrI sB mIq ]5] pMnw 240 ijin guir mo kau dInw jIau ] Awpunw dwsrw Awpy muil lIau ]6] Awpy lwieE Apnw ipAwru ] sdw sdw iqsu gur kau krI nmskwru ]7] kil klys BY BRm duK lwQw ] khu nwnk myrw guru smrwQw ]8]9] GGS 262 Gaurii Sukhamanii M5 srb inDwn nwnk hir rMig ]2] pRB kY ismrin iriD isiD nau iniD ] pRB kY ismrin igAwnu iDAwnu qqu buiD ] pRB kY ismrin jp qp pUjw ] pRB kY ismrin ibnsY dUjw ] pRB kY ismrin qIrQ iesnwnI ] GGS 274 Gaurii Sukhamanii M5 bIj mMqRü srb ko igAwnu ] chu vrnw mih jpY koaU nwmu ] jo jo jpY iqs kI giq hoie ]… srb rog kw AauKdu nwmu ] kwhU jugiq ikqY n pweIAY Drim ] nwnk iqsu imlY ijsu iliKAw Duir krim ]5] GGS 284 Gaurii Sukhamanii M5 rwj mih rwju jog mih jogI ] qp mih qpIsru igRhsq mih BogI ] GGS 324 Gaurii Bhagat Kabiir jii ngn iPrq jO pweIAY jogu ] 32 bn kw imrgu mukiq sBu hogu ]1] GGS 359 Aasaa M1 jo ikCu krY Blw kir mwnau shj jog iniD pwvau ]1] GGS 370 Aasaa M5 shj guPw mih Awsxu bwiDAw ] GGS 385 Aasaa M5 ijin qUM jwqw so igrsq audwsI prvwxu ] GGS 409 Aasaa Aasaavarii M5 iQr iQr icq iQr hW ] bnu igRhu smsir hW ]… rwjn jogu kir hW ] khu nwnk log AlogI rI sKI ]2]1]157] GGS 466 Aasaa M2 haumY dIrG rogu hY dwrU BI iesu mwih ] GGS 513 Guuarii kii Vaara M3 jogI jMgm sMinAwsI Buly En@w AhMkwru bhu grbu vDwieAw ] GGS 537 Bihaagaraa M9 rwgu ibhwgVw mhlw 9 ] hir kI giq nih koaU jwnY ] jogI jqI qpI pic hwry Aru bhu log isAwny ]1] rhwau ] GGS 556 Bihaagaraa M3 iqsu jogI kI ngrI sBu ko vsY ByKI jogu n hoie ] GGS 558 Vadhansu M3 min mYlY sBu ikCu mYlw qin DoqY mnu hCw n hoie ]… isDw ky Awsx jy isKY ieMdRI vis kir kmwie ] mn kI mYlu n auqrY haumY mYlu n jwie ]2] iesu mn kau horu sMjmu ko nwhI ivxu siqgur kI srxwie ] sqguir imilAY aultI BeI khxw ikCU n jwie ]3] Bxiq nwnku siqgur kau imldo mrY gur kY sbid iPir jIvY koie ] [ mmqw kI mlu auqrY iehu mnu hCw hoie ]4]1] ] 33 GGS 580 Vadahansu M1 kudriq qKqu rcwieAw sic inbyVxhwro ]2] GGS 641-2 Sorathi v.1-8, Pauri 2 M5 <> siqgur pRswid ] (641-16) pwTu piVE Aru bydu bIcwirE invil BuAMgm swDy ] pMc jnw isau sMgu n CutikE AiDk AhMbuiD bwDy ]1] ipAwry ien ibiD imlxu n jweI mY kIey krm Anykw ] hwir pirE suAwmI kY duAwrY dIjY buiD ibbykw ] rhwau ] moin BieE krpwqI rihE ngn iPirE bn mwhI ] qt qIrQ sB DrqI BRimE duibDw CutkY nwhI ]2] pMnw 642 mn kwmnw qIrQ jwie bisE isir krvq Drwey ] mn kI mYlu n auqrY ieh ibiD jy lK jqn krwey ]3] kink kwimnI hYvr gYvr bhu ibiD dwnu dwqwrw ] AMn bsqR BUim bhu Arpy nh imlIAY hir duAwrw ]4] pUjw Arcw bMdn fMfauq Ktu krmw rqu rhqw ] hau hau krq bMDn mih pirAw nh imlIAY ieh jugqw ]5] jog isD Awsx caurwsIh ey BI kir kir rihAw ] vfI Awrjw iPir iPir jnmY hir isau sMgu n gihAw ]6] rwj lIlw rwjn kI rcnw kirAw hukmu APwrw ] syj sohnI cMdnu coAw nrk Gor kw duAwrw ]7] hir kIriq swDsMgiq hY isir krmn kY krmw ] khu nwnk iqsu BieE prwpiq ijsu purb ilKy kw lhnw ]8] qyro syvku ieh rMig mwqw ] BieE ik®pwlu dIn duK BMjnu hir hir kIrqin iehu mnu rwqw ] rhwau dUjw ]1]3] GGS 649 Sorathi M3 siqgur kI syvw gwKVI isru dIjY Awpu gvwie ] sbid mrih iPir nw mrih qw syvw pvY sB Qwie ] GGS 662 Dhanaasarii M1 so jogI jo jugiq pCwxY ] gur prswdI eyko jwxY ] kwjI so jo aultI krY ] gur prswdI jIvqu mrY ] so bRwhmxu jo bRhmu bIcwrY ] Awip qrY sgly kul qwrY ]3] dwnsbMdu soeI idil DovY ] muslmwxu soeI mlu KovY ] piVAw bUJY so prvwxu ] ijsu isir drgh kw nIswxu ]4]5]7] GGS 685 Dhanaasarii M9 34 iqh jogI kau jugiq n jwnau ] loB moh mwieAw mmqw Puin ijh Git mwih pCwnau ]1] rhwau ] GGS 699 Jaitasarii M4 Awpy jogI jugiq jugwhw ] Awpy inrBau qwVI lwhw ] Awpy hI Awip Awip vrqY Awpy nwim Eumwhw rwm ]1] GGS 730 Suuhii M1 jogu n iKMQw jogu n fMfY jogu n Bsm cVweIAY ] jogu n muMdI mUMif mufwieAY jogu n isM|I vweIAY ] AMjn mwih inrMjin rhIAY jog jugiq iev pweIAY ]1 GGS 864 Gonda M5 gur gur gur guru kI mUriq mn mih iDAwnu ] kY sbid mMqRü mnu mwn ] ky crn irdY lY Dwrau ] pwrbRhmu sdw nmskwrau ]1] GGS 877 Raamakalii M1 suix mwiCMdRw nwnku bolY ] vsgiq pMc kry nh folY ] AYsI jugiq jog kau pwly ] Awip qrY sgly kul qwry ]1] so AauDUqu AYsI miq pwvY ] Aihinis suMin smwiD smwvY ]1] rhwau ] iBiKAw Bwie Bgiq BY clY ] hovY su iqRpiq sMqoiK AmulY ] iDAwn rUip hoie Awsxu pwvY ] sic nwim qwVI icqu lwvY ]2] nwnku bolY AMimRq bwxI ] suix mwiCMdRw AauDU nIswxI ] Awsw mwih inrwsu vlwey ] inhcau nwnk krqy pwey ]3] GGS 890-1 Raamakalii M5 rwmklI mhlw 5 ] koit jwp qwp ibsRwm ] iriD buiD isiD sur igAwn ] Aink rUp rMg Bog rsY ] gurmuiK nwmu inmK irdY vsY ]1] hir ky nwm kI vifAweI ] kImiq khxu n jweI ]1] rhwau ] 35 sUrbIr DIrj miq pUrw ] pMnw 891 shj smwiD Duin gihr gMBIrw ] sdw mukqu qw ky pUry kwm ] jw kY irdY vsY hir nwm ]2] sgl sUK Awnµd Arog ] smdrsI pUrn inrjog ] Awie n jwie folY kq nwhI ] jw kY nwmu bsY mn mwhI ]3] dIn dieAwl guopwl goivMd ] gurmuiK jpIAY auqrY icMd ] nwnk kau guir dIAw nwmu ] sMqn kI thl sMq kw kwmu ]4]15]26] GGS 907 Raamakalii Dakhanii M1 scY qKiq sc mhlI bYTy inrBau qwVI lweI ]8] moih gieAw bYrwgI jogI Git Git ikMgurI vweI ]9] GGS 908 Raamakalii M3 hukmu buJY so jogI khIAY eyks isau icqu lwey ] GGS 913 Raamakalii M5 sgly krm Drm jug soDy ] ibnu nwvY iehu mnu n pRboDy ] GGS 931 Raamakalii Dakhanii M1 jo dIsY so Awpy Awip ] Awip aupwie Awpy Gt Qwip ] Awip Agocru DMDY loeI ] jog jugiq jgjIvnu soeI ] kir Awcwru scu suKu hoeI ] nwm ivhUxw mukiq ikv hoeI ]15] GGS 941 Raamakalii M1 gurmuiK DrqI swcY swjI ]… gurmuiK Ast isDI siB buDI ]… gurmuiK privriq nrivriq pCwxY ] GGS 942 Raamakalii M1 gurmuiK lwgY shij iDAwnu ] GGS 949 Raamakalii M3 sBu scw hukmu vrqdw gurmuiK sic smwau ] 36 scw Awip qKqu scw bih scw kry inAwau ] sBu sco scu vrqdw gurmuiK AlKu lKweI ]6] GGS 966 Raamakalii Balavandi te Sattaa krih ij gur PurmwieAw isl jogu AlUxI ctIAY ] GGS 972 Raamakalii Bhagat Kabiir jii hir BieE KWfu ryqu mih ibKirE hsqMØI cuinE n jweI ] kih kmIr kul jwiq pWiq qij cItI hoie cuin KweI ]2]3]12] GGS 972 Raamakalii Bhagat Naamdeva jii AwnIly kwgdu kwtIly gUfI Awkws mDy BrmIAly ] pMc jnw isau bwq bqaUAw cIqu su forI rwKIAly ]1] mnu rwm nwmw byDIAly ] jYsy kink klw icqu mWfIAly ]1] rhwau ] AwnIly kuMBu BrweIly aUdk rwj kuAwir purMdrIey ] hsq ibnod bIcwr krqI hY cIqu su gwgir rwKIAly ]2] mMdru eyku duAwr ds jw ky gaU crwvn CwfIAly ] pWc kos pr gaU crwvq cIqu su bCrw rwKIAly ]3] khq nwmdyau sunhu iqlocn bwlku pwln pauFIAly ] AMqir bwhir kwj ibrUDI cIqu su bwirk rwKIAly ]4]1] GGS 983 Nata M4 pRIqm pRIiq lgI pRB kyrI ijv sUrju kmlu inhwry ] GGS 1018 Maaruu M5 AwrwDnw ArwDnu nIkw hir hir nwmu ArwDnw ]2] iqAwgnw iqAwgnu nIkw kwmu k®oDu loBu iqAwgnw ]3] mwgnw mwgnu nIkw hir jsu gur qy mwgnw ]4] GGS 1026 Maaruu M1 gur ky syvk siqgur ipAwry ] Eie bYsih qKiq su sbdu vIcwry ] qqu lhih AMqrgiq jwxih sqsMgiq swcu vfweI hy ]15] GGS 1039 Maaruu M1 kwieAw gV mhl mhlI pRBu swcw scu swcw qKqu rcwieAw ]12] GGS 1043 Maaruu M1 inaulI krm BuieAMgm BwTI ] 37 ryck kuMBk pUrk mn hwTI ] pwKMf Drmu pRIiq nhI hir sau gur sbd mhw rsu pwieAw ]14] GGS 1074 Maaruu M5 qU vf rsIAw qU vf BogI ] qU inrbwxu qUhY hI jogI ] GGS 1087 Maaruu M4 inhkMtk rwju BuMic qU gurmuiK scu kmweI ] scY qKiq bYTw inAwau kir sqsMgiq myil imlweI ] GGS 1092 Maaruu M3 AMdir rwjw qKqu hY Awpy kry inAwau ] GGS 1140 Bhairau M3 jogI igRhI pMifq ByKDwrI ] ey sUqy ApxY AhMkwrI ]1] mwieAw mid mwqw rihAw soie ] jwgqu rhY n mUsY koie ]1] rhwau ] GGS 1140 Bhairau M5 ibnu hau iqAwig khw koaU iqAwgI ] ibnu bis pMc khw mn cUry ] jo jo dIsY so so rogI ] rog rihq myrw siqguru jogI ]1] rhwau ] GGS 1156 Bhairau M5 ijsu nwmu irdY iqsu inhcl Awsnu ] ijsu nwmu irdY iqsu qKiq invwsnu ] ijsu nwmu irdY so swcw swhu ] GGS 1169 Basant M3 bsqR auqwir idgMbru hogu ] jtwDwir ikAw kmwvY jogu ] mnu inrmlu nhI dsvY duAwr ] BRim BRim AwvY mUV@w vwro vwr ]1] GGS 1188 Basantu M1 eyko qKqu eyko pwiqswhu ] GGS 1189-1190 Basantu M1 38 pMc mwir icqu rKhu Qwie ] jog jugiq kI iehY pWie ]5] haumY pYKVu qyry mnY mwih ] hir n cyqih mUVy mukiq jwih ]6] mq hir ivsirAY jm vis pwih ] AMq kwil mUVy cot Kwih ]7] pMnw 1190 gur sbdu bIcwrih Awpu jwie ] swc jogu min vsY Awie ]8] GGS 1237 Saaranga M1 n BIjY rwgI nwdI byid ] n BIjY surqI igAwnI joig ]… n BIjY kyqy hovih DUV ]… nwnk BIjY swcY nwie ]2] GGS 1240 Saaranga M1 nwie suixAY sB isiD hY iriD ipCY AwvY ] nwie suixAY nau iniD imlY mn icMidAw pwvY ] nwie suixAY sMqoKu hoie kvlw crn iDAwvY ] nwie suixAY shju aUpjY shjy suKu pwvY ] gurmqI nwau pweIAY nwnk gux gwvY ]7] GGS 1343 Prabhaatii M1 nwm ibnw Pokt siB krmw ijau bwjIgru Brim BulY ]1]… jh jh dyKw qh qh soeI ] ibnu siqgur Byty mukiq n hoeI ] ihrdY scu eyh krxI swru ] horu sBu pwKMfu pUj KuAwru ]6] duibDw cUkY qW sbdu pCwxu ] Gir bwhir eyko kir jwxu ] eyhw miq sbdu hY swru ]… sMq sBw gux igAwnu bIcwru ] mnu mwry jIvq mir jwxu ] nwnk ndrI ndir pCwxu ]8]3] GGS 1353 Sahasakritii M1 jog sbdM igAwn sbdM byd sbdM q bRwhmxh ] K ́qRI sbdM sUr sbdM sUdR sbdM prw ik®qh ] srb sbdM q eyk sbdM jy ko jwnis Byau ] [ nwnk qw ko dwsu hY soeI inrMjn dyau ]3]] GGS 1369 Salok, Bhagat Kabiir Jii 39 kbIr mnu mUMifAw nhI kys muMfwey kWie ] GGS 1397 Savaiie mahale cauthe ke, Kala nv iniD nwmu inDwnu iriD isiD qw kI dwsI ] GGS 1406 Savaiie mahale chauthe ke Sala isir Awqpqu scO qKqu jog Bog sMjuqu 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