Fifth Pauri (Step 5)

Concluding a series on five Pauri gurbani wallpapers, I present the last set. The Guru continues to explain what God is, and how to find Him.

Fifth Pauri, Part 1 Fifth Pauri, Part 2
Fifth Pauri, Part 3 Fifth Pauri, Part 4

Also available as a single image:

Fifth Pauri
Fifth Pauri

The word Naad has several interpretations by different people. For some, it refers to the unheard sound current that emanates from Him – it can only be heard by the spiritually uplifted. For others, the phrase “Gurmukẖ nāḏaʼn” refers to the fact that Knowledge about Him can only be obtained through the Guru’s word.

I released the first wallpaper in this series on March 8th last year. Strangely, this last one got completed around the same time this year. A total of 21 wallpapers, requiring around 50 hours of time at the computer completed over a year. Reading this if I have incited thirst for more in even a single believer, I would consider this work well worth (please post a comment).

For those interested further, I recommend Giani Sant Singh Maskeen’s commentary available easily on the net or can be purchased as CDs (nearly 20 hours). Another excellent resource is SriGranth.org – however, on the website I would encourage readers to switch on “Punjabi Bhai Manmohan Singh” to get a comprehensive view (just reading the English version doesn’t provide a lot of insight).

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Fourth Pauri (Step 4)

It is time to share the wallpapers for the fourth step with you all. This step is pivotal in the series, because here we obtain some of the answers to questions already promulgated, especially in the first step. The key thought is, how do we find God?

Fourth Pauri, Part 1
Fourth Pauri, Part 1
Fourth Pauri, Part 2
Fourth Pauri, Part 2
Fourth Pauri, Part 3
Fourth Pauri, Part 3
Fourth Pauri, Part 4
Fourth Pauri, Part 4

As one single image:

Fourth Pauri
Fourth Pauri

Click on the images to enlarge.

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Third Pauri (Step 3)

Moving ahead in the series of gurbani (the word of the Guru) wallpapers, below is the third pauri (third step).

The narrative to this step states that thoughts about God form a “rainbow of colors blending in white”. This can be applied to entire Japuji Sahib as well: there are so many different explanations, none of which can be labeled correct or incorrect. Each has its own bliss to read and know.

Enjoy, below in four parts:

Third Pauri, Part 1
Third Pauri, Part 1
Third Pauri, Part 2
Third Pauri, Part 2
Third Pauri, Part 3
Third Pauri, Part 3
Third Pauri, Part 4
Third Pauri, Part 4

One single wallpaper:

Third Pauri
Third Pauri

Click on the images to enlarge.

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First Pauri (Step 1)

To continue the series of Japuji Sahib wallpapers, I present the First Pauri (Japji Sahib) below. Japji Sahib shows us the way to uplift yourself from falsehood to Truth in 38 steps.

In the first lines of this Pauri ‘soch’ refers to the sanskrit work ‘shauch’ which means ‘to cleanse’.

There are two wallpapers of the same size as earlier, having the Pauri in two parts (click to enlarge):

Pauri 1 - part 1
Pauri 1 - part 1
Pauri 1 - part 2
Pauri 1 - part 2

Its also available as a single image:

Pauri 1
Pauri 1
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Ik Onkar wallpaper

Today I am sharing a wallpaper that can be used as the center piece of your screen. It explains the meaning of Ik Onkar. This is my own interpretation, apologies if I have got it wrong – please let me know through the comments section.

Ik Onkar

Click on the photo for a bigger version.

Excellent Punjabi explanation of Ik Onkar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI0YVfRGLBc

Central to the meaning of Ik Onkar is the following couplet from Gurbani:

ਏਕਮ ਏਕੈ ਆਪੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥
एकम एकै आपु उपाइआ ॥
At first existed the formless One without any manifestation, Who then became manifest.

ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਮਾਇਆ ॥
दुबिधा दूजा त्रिबिधि माइआ ॥
He created the sense of duality, and thereafter came the tri-phased Maya.

ਚਉਥੀ ਪਉੜੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਊਚੀ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਕਮਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੪॥
चउथी पउड़ी गुरमुखि ऊची सचो सचु कमावणिआ ॥४॥
||4||
By climbing the steps under the guidance of the Guru, and earning the Guru’s Order – one finally liberates oneself from the influence of Maya and reaches the Fourth State of Eternal Truth.


Maya is everything that we can see with our eyes and the emotions we feel. The True Lord is the underlying hidden entity.

So, within “Ik Onkar”, the “Onk” or the “Ong” stands for Maya and represents the “creation, preservation and destruction”. The “Ik”, which means “One” stands for the Lord in innate state. So first existed the formless Lord, Who then manifested as the visible universe (and universes beyond ours). Within the universe there is the positive energy of the Lord, which takes care of his Creation, and the negative energy of Maya which is responsible for sorrow: love, hate, anger etc. The suffix “Kar”, in Punjabi, means a boundary or demarcation (eg. the Punjabi word Raamkaar). Here, it means the demarcation of Divine Will. So, all creation-preservation-destruction happens under the Divine Will and is not random. One who grasps hold of this Divine Will, under the Guru’s instructions is liberated and reaches the highest zone of Eternal truth. He is not subject to Maya’s influence anymore.

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Chaupai Sahib

Chaupai sahib is Gurbani composed by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. This Bani is one of the five Banis recited by the initiated Sikh every morning.

Below is a beautiful rendering of Chaupai Sahib, with translation. Please listen; it is one of my favourite Banis Continue readingChaupai Sahib

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Gurpurab Celebrations

Gurpurab is a celebration or commemoration based on the lives of one of the Sikh spiritual gurus. They tend to be either birthdays or celebrations of Sikh martyrdom.
The Gurpurab of Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji is coming up, on 5th January. Tomorrow there is a procession in Delhi to mark the occasion. Many other initiatives are on to mark the occasion. Following photos show the decoration that is done daily at our local Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship):

The quote on the first one says “The moment is blessed, which is used to recite the name of the True Lord”. At the center of the flower is “Ik Onkar” which means “God is one”, or rather “Recite the name of the True Lord, One Who is the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer (all in One), and like Whom there is no other.
The second one says “No Deva (gods and goddesses) can equal the Guru. The one who has blessing on his forehead falls in selfless service to the Guru”.

I was at the Gurdwara Sahib on the New Year eve, and the thought that struck me was:

ਸਬਦਿ ਮਰਹੁ ਫਿਰਿ ਜੀਵਹੁ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਤਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਿ ਮੀਠਾ ਸਬਦੇ ਪਾਵੈ ਕੋਈ ॥੩॥


Through understanding and absorbing the Shabad, you will forget ‘yourself’ and became ‘dead’. Dying in the Word of the Shabad, you shall live forever, and you shall never die again (because you will not need to be born again). The Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord’s Name is ever-sweet to the mind; but how few are those who obtain the Shabad.

‘Shabad’ refers to the Word of the Guru, the hymns.

Have a Happy New Year 2009.

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