Guru Nanak – Heer Ranjha Painting by Sobha Singh

Excerpt from a lecture by Siri Singh, Sahib Yogi Bhajan

We can prove scientifically that our Guru is living. It is not a philosophy, though it is a complete philosophy; it is not a Ved, it is not a human being, though it is a surmounted, pure, vibratory human being. Even John said in the Bible, “In the beginning there was the Word, Word was with God, and Word was God.” Word is the highest value, and we the Sikhs worship Word. We do not worship a man. God is personal and impersonal. We do not worship duality. Let this be on record so that five thousand years from now we may not misunderstand what our Guru said about God.

It is true that the Mul Mantra has been spoken by Guru Nanak, and Guru was speaking it to the disciple. It is very simple. Guru said, “Ek Ong Kar” – you are One. Ek Ong – the One Creator. Kar – the Creation, which includes us. Therefore your destiny in this time and space is to rise above the time and space. Kartaa Purkh, Nirbhao, Nirvair – there are three bodies in you: the physical body, the mental body and the spiritual body. The spiritual body knows no fear, Nirbhao, Nirvair.Your mental body is what creates revenge or goes beyond revenge. Man is created in the image of God, Akaal Moorat – you are the very picture of God on both a micro and macro level. As God made us, so we are. Guru Gobind Singh gave us the rahit (the basic code of conduct) but Guru Nanak told us the most basic rahit, of all, Akaal Moorat, be as God made you.

We all talk about the Will of God; we all talk about the beauty of God. But we don’t believe in God, because we make-up. We believe in our own beauty. What hypocrites we are. It has reached the annoying point. We feel that if we trim our beard and color our hair we will look young and pretty. But we don’t understand, that is not Akaal Moorat.

Ajoonee – you are not born and you are not dead. You are you. This coming and going is time and space and the human being is above time and space.

Sai Bhang – by thy own grace. You have come to face the reality, to experience the reality. You are Sai Bhang. Why so? Why are you “by thy own grace?” Because: Gur Prasad. Gurbaanee is very complete.

And then, the most beautiful part, the part of all parts. There is a decree, a Hukam: Jap (meditate). If it is a Guru, then Guru must give a Gurmantra. Guru must give the direction, this is the faculty of the Guru. Instruction must be complete. Whereas the Guru explained the faculty of the human being in the image of God, Guru gives the faculty of the human being in the purity of the Khalsa. Then he gives the orders, too: Jap (meditate).

Aad sach, Jugaad sach, Haibee sach, Nanak hose bhee sach

You should meditate on, “Truth is, Truth was before time, Truth is now, and Nanak, Truth shall ever be.” And there’s nothing to be confused about except rituals, non-experience.

Why do we chant, “Sat Nam?” My Guru says, “Sat Nam.” This whole manifestation is the blessing of only one word: Sat Nam.

America has danced to the tune of perversion, but now we have developed a very simple methodology to keep us attached to the Guru’s feet. Siri Guru Granth is not a “holy book” for us. It is not a “Bible.” It is not a chronicle of our times. It is truthfully, honestly and ultimately a living Guru for us in the essential form of the Word. We have experience with this Dharma. And that experience is that our past karmas have been washed off. To keep it that way, we must admit meditatively, mentally, physically, in action, in reaction, in our conscious concept and in our abstract concept, the supremacy of our Guru, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Any denying that will bring us back into the rigmarole in which many brethren of ours are suffering.

What is a Guru? Is Guru a man? No. The one who possesses or professes to be a Guru has to speak. And sarota, the disciple has to hear. And those words should be so computed that when he hears or she hears, it should change the consciousness.

What we have got is a very living Guru. It can exist without pages and paper. Siri Guru Granth Sahib is the only one Guru which you can have in your heart. I can recite my Guru by heart. I don’t need paper. I don’t need a pencil, I don’t need to open anything, I don’t need to close anything. Every other Guru you have to go to; I don’t have to go to any Guru. Tell me, is there another Guru you can keep in your heart, who describes the gates and doors and the pleasures and the music?

So Dar Kehaa so ghar Kehaa hit beh sarab samaaleh
O where is Thy house and how to open Thy Door?

You talk of bliss and my Guru says:

Anand Bhaiaa meri maae Satguru mai paiaa;
Sat gur taa paaiaa sahaj setee man wajeeaa vaadhaaeeaa

O my mother, I am in ecstasy for I have found the True Guru;
Yes, in a flash I found my Lord and my mind is filled with the song of bliss.

Oh, my dear young Khalsa, the time has come when you must walk on your own feet unto the Guru, and onto the path of the meditative word, where you may have a meditative mind. Few or many does not count in the court of the Guru. What shall count is your spirit, which has been described very well ascherdi kalaa. The spirit should be so rising, so endless, that nothing on this planet through time and space can stop it. And that is the gift of the meditative walk with a meditative mind unto the One who gives the power to meditate.

In the scientific times of today, those who by their own faith and virtue want to keep Guru in their hearts and achieve the state of God through the blessing of Guru, need only recite Gurbani in perfect notes. You need not go and bow to any person….