Anand Sahib

Guru Amardas Sahib

In the thirty-third pauri, the thirty-third step on the ladder, Guru Amardas conveyed a message of profound significance to his body. He emphasized that Hari, the All-Pervasive, the 1-Light, had not only graced our bodies with divine radiance but had also brought us into this world. Moving forward to the thirty-fourth pauri, the thirty-fourth step, Guru Amardas resonates with joy and exclaims; joy arose within my mind upon hearing the arrival of Prabhu. Prabhu, a name for IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One), represents the benevolent and majestic aspect of the One, capable of providing solace when no one else can. We pause to contemplate the origin of this joy. It springs from the profound understanding we gained in the previous step. We realize that Hari, the 1-Light, is the creator of each body, shaping our very existence. It is the 1-Light that serves as our guiding force, akin to both our father and mother, leading us into this world, which is a fleeting theatrical journey. The mind comprehends this, realizes this, and is excited about the news of the arrival of Prabhu, the One. Guru Amardas addresses us with warmth, referring to us as feminine friends. He urges us that this is the time to sing the joyful song of 1-Light, like a wedding song, because today, the body is about to transform into a temple. Sing that joyful song of the 1-Light daily. We ponder why daily, and the answer is that sorrows, pains, and worries cannot coexist in the body that has become a temple. Embracing the “feet” of the Wisdom within the body-temple, remembering the 1-Light, the days become beautiful and filled with good fortune. It is through this journey that the Divine-Husband becomes known. The symbolism of "feet" represents mentorship, humility, and the willingness to submit oneself entirely to the Wisdom-Guru. It signifies that the individual has surrendered their essence, is in remembrance, and is in awareness of the Wisdom-Guru. The Sabad (Teaching in word and sound) of the Wisdom-Guru is now acknowledged, comprehended, and assimilated. It resides within the Bani (Utterances of Infinite Wisdom), within the Unstruck Utterances, emanating from the source where the voice and the music that physical instruments cannot produce. Through Nam, the Identification with the 1-Light comes the enjoyment of the flavor of the 1-Light. We might question what is known in this journey. The answer is: Nam is the way to savor the essence of 1-Light. The meeting with the One, capable of everything and the orchestrator of all events, occurred through the agency of the One itself. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step by affirming that the capable Prabhu, the Cause of all causes, arrived and met by Own-Self.

We reflect with awe on the incredible transformation of our bodies into temples, much like the refinement of musical instruments that produce melodies transcending ordinary sounds. Just as a skilled musician plays an instrument to create harmonious vibrations resonating within the heart, we aspire to play the divine chords of Identifying with the One, remembering the One, and serving the One in the grand symphony of reuniting with the One. A moment unfolds when the One, by Own’s grace, orchestrates an encounter with the One, a meeting where words fail to encapsulate the experience. This is anand; this is the essence of bliss. Complete immersion in the One renders external sounds inconsequential, for the One now resides within. In this state, we hear the unspoken Utterances, like the silent notes in the grand composition of existence. We become attuned to the unstruck melodies, resonating within our core like the ethereal hum of an eternal song. In this profound connection, Nam, the divine sound and presence, flows continuously throughout the body. How, then, can the mind even entertain thoughts of pain and sorrow? The power of suffering, the grip of sorrow on the psyche and body, relinquishes its grip. All this and more transpires when we embrace the humble mentorship of the Wisdom-Guru. Are we prepared to embark on this mentoring journey? It is through this path that we come to meet the One. In this divine connection, we are able to listen to Utterances that defy conventional hearing, for they are the language of the heart, the intimate whispers of the spirit. Nam, a continuous river of divine consciousness, flows within us beyond the confines of physical description. It carries a flavor, a taste, an essence that transcends the limitations of mere words. Is there a bliss greater than this? This is the bliss, the true "entering the house." In the worldly sense, when we acquire a new home, we perform ceremonies symbolizing "entering the house." However, the journey of the temple-body is vastly different; it is profoundly distinct. It is about the body, divinely created by the One, resonating with the presence of the One, while the mind eagerly awaits the arrival of the Divine-Husband. This is how the body truly becomes the temple of the One. What are we willing to do for this to happen? 

We may ask ourselves: Are we prepared to embrace the mentorship of the Wisdom-Guru? We are being addressed as feminine friends; how does this resonate with us? Are we ready to welcome the Sabad and attune ourselves to the subtle frequencies of unspoken Utterances and the unstruck melodies resonating within our being? What steps can we take to make our minds eagerly anticipate the arrival of the Divine-Husband? Do we desire to transform our bodies into temples to establish a connection with the One?