THE UNDERSTANDING OF RAAG MALA - PART 2

THE UNDERSTANDING OF RAAG MALA - PART 2

Q: How to get rid of doubt?

duqIAw mwlkausk Awlwpih ]

A: Duteeaa Maalkousak Aalaapehi

Duteeaa = duality, Maal = rub/knead, Kao = why, Sak = doubt

Explanation: Those who knead their duality (destroy it), why would they be doubtful; meaning doubt ceases to exist.

Q: How to stop the five organs of actions?

sµig rwgnI pwcau Qwpih ]

A: Sang Raagnee Paacho Thaapehi

Sang = with, Raagnee = love, Paacho = five action organs, Thapehi = stop, a state of stillness

Explanation: (The Gurmukhs) stop or bring under control the five organs of actions by way of love.

Personal Note: The five action organs (karm indryia) are 

1) Mouth -organ of speech

2) Hands

3) Feet

4) Reproductive organ

5) Anus-Organ of excretion. Humans create karma with these five organs, hence the reason why they are called karm indriya. These five work under the leadership of the mind, which plans  and schemes all activities. They cannot work independently of the mind.

Q: How does the fragrance of devotional worship arise/appear?

gofkrI Aru dyvgµDwrI ]

A: Gondakaree Ar Devgandhaaree

Gond = ponder/contemplate, Karee = the act of doing, Dev = light, luminance, Gandharee = fragrance

Explanation: Those who contemplate, they are the Limitless Light Form’s (God’s) fragrant ones (referring to devotional worship as the fragrance).

Personal Note: The Vaishanavs believe intuitive /divine knowledge to be the cause of devotional worship. For example, knowing a person’s qualities and physical appearance helps to love the person. Similarly if we know of God’s qualities, it is then easier to devotionally worship Him. Hence, the knowledge of God is a prerequisite to love for God. The knowledge is only obtained through contemplation of Shabad.

Q: (Can you) Give us some narration on (Divine) Knowledge?

gµDwrI sIhuqI aucwrI ]

A: Gandhaaree Seehutee Ouchaaree

Gandhaaree = enemy of the bad smell, Seehutee = the act of doing, Oucharee = to speak

Explanation: Divine Knowledge which is the enemy of the bad smell like five senses; The saint’s intellect (intuitive intelligence) used to speak of it (in the past), speaks of it (present) and will speak of it (future).

Q: How can the intellect or intuitive intelligence be free of the unending thirst for worldly things?

DnwsrI ey pwcau gweI ]

A: Dhanaasaree Eae Paacho Gaaee

Dhanaasare (Dhan + Aasaree) = dependant on wealth, Paacho = to destroy, Gaaee = by singing

Explanation: The intuitive intelligence which was dependent on worldly things; its thirst has been destroyed by singing the True Naam.

Q: Tell us (how to) get rid of the attachment to Maya?

mwl rwg kausk sµig lweI ]

A: Maal Raag Kousak Sang Laaee

Maal = elephants, horses etc, Raag = attachment, Sang = together, Laaee = has been removed

Explanation: (The Gurmukhs) have removed the doubt of the attachment for Maya’s (elephants, horses etc) altogether. Meaning they are convinced that worldy things are fake.

Q: How to make the mind carefree?

mwrU msqAMg myvwrw ]

A: Maaroo Mastaang Maevaaraa

Maaroo = kill, destroy, Mast = carefree, Ang = loved one, Mae = Inside the heart, Vaaraa = prohibit

Explanation: (Those who) prohibit their minds from the five senses, destroy their desires and unite with God who is the Loved One; they have become carefree.

Personal Note: A carefree state can only be achieved when one is intoxicated with something. It can be drugs or alcohol. In the spiritual context the cause of intoxication is Naam which makes the person carefree of worldly problems, pains and anxieties. However the Nam Ras or Har Ras is only obtainable from the Guru.

Q: Narrate to us the benefits of Aprokh (Perceptible) Knowledge?

pRblcµf kausk auBwrw ]

A: Prabalachand Kousak Oubhaaraa

Prabal = strong, Chand = intense, Kao = who, Sak = doubt, Oubhaaraa = to raise

Explanation: Who can raise doubt on the presence of extremely strong and intense Guru’s Knowledge? Meaning (no one) has the ability to describe or narrate it.

Personal Note: There two types of Intuitive or Divine Knowledge.

1) Prokh knowledge-This type refers to concealed knowledge. The knowledge that Brahm (God) is Truth, Conscious Being and Blissful State is Prokh Gian. This Knowledge is obtained by having faith in the Guru’s Word (Shabad).

2) Aprokh Knowledge-This type refers to perceptible knowledge which is clearly known. The knowledge that I am that Brahm which is Truth, Conscious and Blissful is called the Aprokh or the perceptible Knowledge. This Knowledge is obtained through the listening and contemplation of the principles contained in the Guru’s Mahavaks (Guru’s Shabads). Hence the attainment of both types of the above stated Knowledge is only possible from the True Guru.

Q: Whose sensualities have been destroyed?

KauKt Aau Baurwnd gwey ]

A: Khoukhatt Ao Bhouraanad Gaaeae

Khau = destroy, Khatt = six, Ao = then, Bhou = true seekers, Aanad = bliss, Gaaeae = narrate

Explanation: The gurmukhs have destroyed their five sensualities and sixth the mind; then they narrate to the truth seekers about the Blissful Form (God)

Personal Note: Sensulaities here refer to the five vices Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Ego which occur through the five senses. The mind controls all of these senses. Therefore all six need to be destroyed or controlled. This can only happen through the worship of God and subsequent attainment of God Realisation.

Q: How to obtain virtues?

Ast mwlkausk sµig lwey ]1]

A: Astt Maalakousak Sang Laaeae

Astt = eight, Kao = why, Sak = doubt, Laaeae = bring on/have

Explanation:Those who have made the eight virtues as their possessions, why (do you) have doubts in meeting them?

Personal Note: To obtain the eight different virtues mentioned above, one has to meet those Saints (Brahm Gianis, Enlightened Ones) who already possess them. It is by associating with them that their blessings are obtained and one starts to sing the praises of Lord who himself is a treasure of virtues.

Eight virtues

Sat, Santokh, Daya, Dharam, Veechaar, Sat, Chetan, Anand