“The thirteenth Pauree gives you the occult knowledge of infinity. It brings deep intuition.”

~from the teachings of the Siri Singh Sahib, Yogi Bhajan (1)

Reflections on the 13th Pauri from S.S. Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa:

In the 13th Pauree, Gurū Nānak begins to describe the incredible gifts that come with Manai – that come with trusting or obeying the inner command. This practice of listening and then trusting what you hear bestows immense knowledge and courage.

On the one hand, a person becomes wise through Manai. Direct perception of the truth happens through Manai. Manai creates a tremendous confidence within. We lack confidence because we do not think we know something. So we hesitate. We go back and forth. We look for other people to validate our path and our decisions.

But when we learn how to listen deeply (Suṉi-ai ) and then trust our intuitive sensitivity (Manai), we have access to everything we need. All realms of learning become visible. And our own psyche develops depth, a comprehensive understanding of life and reality.

Manai bestows an inner connectivity to knowledge. The more we trust that knowledge, the less powerful the outer world becomes. People’s insults have no meaning. Even death ceases to matter. Trusting yourself even in the face of tremendous opposition, even in the face of possible destruction, actually gives victory to the Spirit. A spark of Divine Light lives within each of our hearts. The purpose of the human incarnation is to see that Light within our minds, and trust where it would like to lead us. Even if it leads us into socially difficult circumstances. Even if it leads to dropping our physical bodies.

Flowing with the Inner Light constitutes the flowering of the human potential. In the Mūl Mantra, the term for this is Saibhang. Saibhang is when we live in the intuitive projection of our own Inner Light, regardless of the circumstances that surround us.

Manai cultivates the mind to that quality of Saibhang, where we can know what we need to know, and act on that knowing, regardless of what people say or think. Regardless of the outcome.

By trusting

What you hear

When you listen,

The Truth of your own Inner Consciousness

Will saturate your psyche

With wisdom and

Deep understanding.

By trusting

What you hear

When you listen,

You shall dwell

In all mansions

Of learning.

In trusting

What you hear

When you listen,

The blows and insults

Of others

Will not affect you.

By trusting

What you hear

When you listen,

Death will have

No power over you.

Such is

That True Spirit

Within me

That it makes me become

Pure, clear and sweet.

If you

Trust what you hear

When you listen,

Then you will know

What you see,

How to understand

And act.

~Gurū Nānak (as interpreted by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)

(1) Yogi Bhajan, The Aquarian Teacher, 80.

*This article was originally shared in a 40-Day Japji Sadhana hosted by Sikh Dharma International in partnership with other legacy organizations.

Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa

The year before Kundalini Yoga Master Yogi Bhajan, also known as the Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma, left his body, he personally worked with Ek Ong Kaar Kaur on a translation of Gurū Nānak’s Jap Jī Sāhib. In addition, he directed her to translate the writings of the Sikh masters into English.  She currently serves as the Program Manager for SikhNet.com.