Every person reaps as he sowed in the previous life. According to Hindu Mythology; if a person did good deeds(karma) then he lives good life in this birth and if he did bad karma he suffers in this life. No deed is unsuccessful. If this is true than every person makes his life himself, based on the deeds he does. But this is half-truth; because Brahmins took advantage of this principle of deeds and created caste system. So taking this principle as whole truth actually makes a person atheist; because he does not recognize the power that Waheguru ji plays in making a person’s life – good or bad.
Guru Sahib revealed to us that both are prevalent in making a person’s life – karma of previous birth as well as Akal purkh’s hukum. Guru Sahib asked us to do Naam Simran to wash our karma of previous births, to seek His Kirpa. Good karma makes the human mind clean and hence helps in Naam simran and that is dooway to salvation.
Let us contemplate on what Guru Sahib says on getting out of this vicious circle of past misdeeds.
ਕਰਮੀ ਆਵੈ ਕਪੜਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
karmee aavai kaprhaa nadree mokh du-aar. By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found.
(Japji Sahib, SGGSJ Ang 2)
In this life one does Naam-Kamai according to one’s previous good karam, it is not due to one’s own efforts(uddam).
They act according to their pre-ordained destiny, which no one can erase.
ਪੂਰਬਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੩॥
(Sri Raag Mahalla 3 SGGSJ ang 27)
The pre-ordained destiny, based on our past deeds determines how long we are going to live, how much we will be honored in this world and when/where/how we are going to die. Not a single moment can be altered by one’s efforts.
ਲਿਖਿਅੜਾ ਸਾਹਾ ਨਾ ਟਲੈ ਜੇਹੜਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 582)
The call of our pre-ordained destiny cannot be altered; it follows from our past actions.
Guru Sahib says, one has to pay back for one’s karam, no one can erase that from his forehead.
ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਰਤਿ ਪਇਐ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੨॥ (SGGSJ ang 594)
O Nanak, he acts according to the karma of his past actions, which no one can erase.
It is not in human’s control to erase past deeds & under influence of previous misdeeds, he continues to commit bad deeds and that is how the circle of death and birth continues. That is how soul goes through never-ending journey. Then who else is to blame for this?
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਕੋ ਲੇਖੁ ਨ ਮਿਟਈ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੈ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਦੋਸੁ ਧਰੇ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 1014)
Mostly we see if a person has worldly prosperity then he thinks that it is result of his hard work but when there is disease, suffering or accidents; the same person blames it on Waheguru. But Guru Sahib says that why blame anyone it is result of your own past actions. There is reaction to every action.
ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਨਿੰਦਸਿ ਕਾਇ ਭੂਲੀ ਗਵਾਰੀ ॥
ਦੁਕ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸੁਕ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਥਾਰੋ ਕਰਮੁ ਰੀ ॥੧॥ (SGGSJ ang 695)
Why do you slander the Lord? You are ignorant and deluded
Let us take an example of monkey. A monkey is captured by putting chhole in the pitcher with small neck. Attracted by the smell of food, a monkey squeezes its hand through the neck, grabs the food, and then discovers it cannot pull its enlarged fist out of the neck. The greedy monkey doesn't want to let go of the food and gets captured. Like the monkey, we can become prisoners of our own greed, slaves of our own addictions. We've got to learn to let go of greed that gives birth to moh-maya.
ਜਿਉ ਕਪਿ ਕੇ ਕਰ ਮੁਸਟਿ ਚਨਨ ਕੀ ਲੁਬਧਿ ਨ ਤਿਆਗੁ ਦਇਓ ॥
ਜੋ ਜੋ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਏ ਲਾਲਚ ਸਿਉ ਤੇ ਫਿਰਿ ਗਰਹਿ ਪਰਿਓ ॥੧॥ (SGGSJ ang 336)
The person who came in this world is bound to leave this world one day. The ever-existent Waheguru has written one’s destiny according to one’s deeds.
ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਸਚੜੈ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੋਵਾ ॥
ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਦੀਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੀਆ ਸੋ ਨਿਬਹੈ ਜੀਅ ਨਾਲੇ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 581)
He does those deeds which the Creator Lord causes him to do; he attempts no other actions.
Mostly people ask for wordly wealth from Waheguru ji and Guru Sahib says that one can attain it too as per one’s deeds
ਸੰਪੈ ਕਉ ਈਸਰੁ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥ ਸੰਪੈ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਲਿਖੇ ਕੀ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 937)
For wealth, some meditate on the Lord. By pre-ordained destiny, wealth is obtained.
Where as Gurbani talks about not altering past deeds by one’s efforts, Guru Sahib also tells us how one can erase one’s past deeds. No one can get rid of one’s karam without Guru. Only Guru can wash those misdeeds.
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਕਰਮ ਨ ਛੁਟਸੀ ਕਹਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੁ ॥੭॥ ਸਭਿ ਗੁਣਵੰਤੀ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਮੈ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥
Without the Guru, they are not released from their karma, although they speak and listen and preach and explain. 7
They all call themselves virtuous, but I have no virtue at all.
Guru Sahib revealed to us that both are prevalent in making a person’s life – karma of previous birth as well as Akal purkh’s hukum. Guru Sahib asked us to do Naam Simran to wash our karma of previous births, to seek His Kirpa. Good karma makes the human mind clean and hence helps in Naam simran and that is dooway to salvation.
Let us contemplate on what Guru Sahib says on getting out of this vicious circle of past misdeeds.
ਕਰਮੀ ਆਵੈ ਕਪੜਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
karmee aavai kaprhaa nadree mokh du-aar. By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found.
(Japji Sahib, SGGSJ Ang 2)
In this life one does Naam-Kamai according to one’s previous good karam, it is not due to one’s own efforts(uddam).
They act according to their pre-ordained destiny, which no one can erase.
ਪੂਰਬਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੩॥
(Sri Raag Mahalla 3 SGGSJ ang 27)
The pre-ordained destiny, based on our past deeds determines how long we are going to live, how much we will be honored in this world and when/where/how we are going to die. Not a single moment can be altered by one’s efforts.
ਲਿਖਿਅੜਾ ਸਾਹਾ ਨਾ ਟਲੈ ਜੇਹੜਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 582)
The call of our pre-ordained destiny cannot be altered; it follows from our past actions.
Guru Sahib says, one has to pay back for one’s karam, no one can erase that from his forehead.
ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਰਤਿ ਪਇਐ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੨॥ (SGGSJ ang 594)
O Nanak, he acts according to the karma of his past actions, which no one can erase.
It is not in human’s control to erase past deeds & under influence of previous misdeeds, he continues to commit bad deeds and that is how the circle of death and birth continues. That is how soul goes through never-ending journey. Then who else is to blame for this?
ਪੂਰਬ ਜਨਮ ਕੋ ਲੇਖੁ ਨ ਮਿਟਈ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੈ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਦੋਸੁ ਧਰੇ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 1014)
Mostly we see if a person has worldly prosperity then he thinks that it is result of his hard work but when there is disease, suffering or accidents; the same person blames it on Waheguru. But Guru Sahib says that why blame anyone it is result of your own past actions. There is reaction to every action.
ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਨਿੰਦਸਿ ਕਾਇ ਭੂਲੀ ਗਵਾਰੀ ॥
ਦੁਕ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸੁਕ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਥਾਰੋ ਕਰਮੁ ਰੀ ॥੧॥ (SGGSJ ang 695)
Why do you slander the Lord? You are ignorant and deluded
Let us take an example of monkey. A monkey is captured by putting chhole in the pitcher with small neck. Attracted by the smell of food, a monkey squeezes its hand through the neck, grabs the food, and then discovers it cannot pull its enlarged fist out of the neck. The greedy monkey doesn't want to let go of the food and gets captured. Like the monkey, we can become prisoners of our own greed, slaves of our own addictions. We've got to learn to let go of greed that gives birth to moh-maya.
ਜਿਉ ਕਪਿ ਕੇ ਕਰ ਮੁਸਟਿ ਚਨਨ ਕੀ ਲੁਬਧਿ ਨ ਤਿਆਗੁ ਦਇਓ ॥
ਜੋ ਜੋ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਏ ਲਾਲਚ ਸਿਉ ਤੇ ਫਿਰਿ ਗਰਹਿ ਪਰਿਓ ॥੧॥ (SGGSJ ang 336)
The person who came in this world is bound to leave this world one day. The ever-existent Waheguru has written one’s destiny according to one’s deeds.
ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਸਚੜੈ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੋਵਾ ॥
ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਦੀਆ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੀਆ ਸੋ ਨਿਬਹੈ ਜੀਅ ਨਾਲੇ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 581)
He does those deeds which the Creator Lord causes him to do; he attempts no other actions.
Mostly people ask for wordly wealth from Waheguru ji and Guru Sahib says that one can attain it too as per one’s deeds
ਸੰਪੈ ਕਉ ਈਸਰੁ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥ ਸੰਪੈ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਲਿਖੇ ਕੀ ਪਾਈਐ ॥ (SGGSJ ang 937)
For wealth, some meditate on the Lord. By pre-ordained destiny, wealth is obtained.
Where as Gurbani talks about not altering past deeds by one’s efforts, Guru Sahib also tells us how one can erase one’s past deeds. No one can get rid of one’s karam without Guru. Only Guru can wash those misdeeds.
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਕਰਮ ਨ ਛੁਟਸੀ ਕਹਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੁ ॥੭॥ ਸਭਿ ਗੁਣਵੰਤੀ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਮੈ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥
Without the Guru, they are not released from their karma, although they speak and listen and preach and explain. 7
They all call themselves virtuous, but I have no virtue at all.
Comments
That Sikh was really confused ke je lekh mitt ni sakde phir dharam karam te guru di ki lorr. Guru Said it is like a stamp. The text printed on a rubber stamp is always reversed ... just like when the stamp touches the paper all the text prints out correctly ... in the same way when our mind connects with the Guru, Our lekhs are sorted out too.
:D