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Sukh
and Sikhee
Sadhu Singh*
Sukh
is the summum bonum of all laws of nature, which include
in it all the mundane and spiritual yearnings of the human
beings. All living creatures yearn for Sukh. According to
the Dictionary, Sukh means comfort, pleasure, happiness,
facility, amenity, delight, welfare and well-being. Sukh
in Gurmat not only includes all the above-mentioned meanings
but also adds to it the peace and grace of the Almighty.
Sikhee has been defined as discipleship and studentship.
A follower of Sikhee is a life-long learner of Sikh Dharam.
The Great Guru grants life-long prosperity and sound health
to the Sikh. If a Sikh is unhappy, depressed, poor and suffering
from diseases, then he/she has not understood and followed
the Sikh way of life. A Sikh helps others and gets help
from others in his/her endeavours. A Sikh showers love and
affection on others, which gets reciprocated.
One is blessed with the Happiness, worry is banished.1
Many persons do not get Sukh because they seek it in the
outside world. Sukh is a state of mind. As John Milton says
in Paradise Lost, “The mind is its own place, and
in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”
The giver of peace shall abide in thy mind.2
Sukh cannot be obtained from the material things alone but
one has to adapt oneself to the inner contemplative life.
There is no peace in earning much wealth.
There is no peace in beholding dance and drama.
There is no bliss in conquering many countries.
All the pleasures are obtained by hymning the Lord’s
Praise.3
One has to follow the Gurmat way of life which has been
practically lived by the Gurus and their devotees. The three
cardinal virtues – Kirat Karna (honest labour), Nam
Japna (devotion of God), Wand Chhakana (sharing with the
needy) of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji are a patent guarantee to
Sukh. Balanced views of living worldly as well as spiritual
life ultimately leads to Sukh. This is not only a hypothesis
but also a living reality. It has been demonstrated by Guru
Sahiban by living a life according to these principles.
This is within the reach of everyone.
The home, mansion and pleasures are there,
Where Thou art heartily remembered.
Nanak! The worldly grandeurs are like evil friends.4
When one enjoys Sukh at home he will surely enjoy Sukh in
the world. In order to spread Sukh in the world one should
not become impediment to the Sukh of others.
The Sikh Dharam was conceived as a dynamically evolving
faith. The same spirit energised the ten Gurus and they
made their contribution in its evolution:
Same is the Divine Light and same the department.
The king (Nanak) has merely changed his body.5
Guru Gobind Singh consecrated the Khalsa Panth and gave
it the responsibility to evolve further. The Gurus infused
in the Khalsa Panth intense love for freedom – political,
social, intellectual and spiritual. Thus, the Sikh Dharam
accomplished the outstanding landmarks of spiritual advancement.
The Sikh ideal of spiritual life is not only a saint-at-peace
but also to be Guru’s knight-at-arms. Sri Guru Granth
Sahib covers full five centuries of India’s spiritual
treasure. Mankind has found peace, liberation and answers
to the ultimate destiny, i.e., Sukh. Persons who delve deep
into the study of Sri Guru Granth Sahib have realized an
amazing life full of mystique and grace, i.e., the Parm
Sukh. The following shabads have been selected from Sri
Guru Granth Sahib for the realization of Sukh.
In Thine service is eternal peace.6
Happiness is obtained by service.7
An ocean of peace is in the Name of God.8
The dispenser of peace is the one Lord.9
Joy has welled up and the bugles of joy play incessantly.10
I am blessed with comfort, peace and celestial bliss.11
I have obtained Peace and wealth in God’s name.12
The Creator, the Embodiment of mercy confers all comforts.13
After perusing the above-mentioned shabads from Sri Guru
Granth Sahib and many more, we come to the conclusion that
the quintessence of Sukh are Seva, Simran and the Grace
of the Guru.
~~~
References
1 ;[y fsj e' gqkgs G:' fustB rJh gokfJ
.. d;w rqzE 892-2
2 ;[y dksk s/o? wB .. Guru Granth
Sahib, p 851
3 ;[y Bkjh pj[s? XfB ykN/ .. ;[y[ Bkjh
g/y/ fBofs BkN/ ..
;[y[ Bkjh pj[ d/; ewkJ/ .. ;op ;[yk jfo jfo r[D rkJ/ ..
Guru Granth Sahib, p 1147
4 xo wzdo y[;hnk sjh ij s{ nktfj fufs
..
d[Bhnk ehnk tfvnkJhnk BkBe ;fG e[fws .. Guru Granth
Sahib, p 319.
5 i’fs Ujk i[rfs ;kfJ ;fj ekfJnk
c/fo gbNhn? .. Guru Granth Sahib, p 966.
6 ;[y ;/tk nzdfo ofyn? .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 72
7 ;[y j't? ;/t ewkDhnk .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 25
8 ;[y ;kro[ jfo Bkw[ j? .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 29
9 ;[y dksk jfo J/e[ j? .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 1132
10 ;[y T[gi/ pki/ nBjd .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 806
11 ;[y ;Kfs ;ji nkBd.. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 819
12 ;[y ;zgfs jfo Bkw .. Guru
Granth Sahib, p 402
13 ;[y ;w{j eo[Dk w? eosk ..
Guru Granth Sahib, p 1218
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