Chapter 1

I’ve decided to summarize the book Pantha Prem Na Janae (forgetting the way of love) by Bhai Sewa Singh Tarmala, chapter by chapter. I think if we can learn to explain things to others then we also develop a better understanding of it ourselves. I’m going to assume you might not have read other past similar posts and just start from the beginning.

In Chapter 1, the game of life is summarized. When we are born into this world, we become separated from Truth (Waheguru). The 9 bodily doors open (9 physical openings of the body) and the 10^th (spiritual gate) closes. The mind enters the game of life. Maya is an illusion. Maya is made up of thoughts, and everything worldly. God has put this realm, Maya, under the supervision of a servant named Kaal, which is mentioned in Gurbani many times. Kaal has been given the direction (hukam) by God to keep the mind busy in this world- busy in thoughts, in collecting money, in our jobs, in thinking this body is ours, in forgetting the Truth. The game is in realizing God despite this. While the mind is under Kaal’s direction it suffers in pain. This suffering is described really well in the Bhagat Bani, especially the shabads of Bhagat Farid. In fact, as I am reminded of working in this burning world during Kaljug, I often say to people "I can see that you are suffering." It reminds me of that commonality that human beings have and makes people feel seen and validated. Even Bhagat Farid and Kabir, who go on to become enlightened, were in a state of this suffering at some point and wrote about it in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji so we can understand that it was written into our journey and we are not alone to feel in that state! Some people live in Kaal their whole lives without knowing the game of life, and their minds are reincarnated again. The veil of doubt (Param Da Parda) keeps us separated. In the separated state, the mind thinks it is awake, but it is actually asleep all the time. To be awake means that you must know none of this maya world is yours, hence why maya is called an illusion. We become attached to our identities as relatives of someone, as the partner of our loved one, as our job roles, as having this body, or this location or house, but that is all part of the illusion. The reality is that the mind doesn’t carry these things from one incarnation to the next, so it doesn’t belong to us. 

 

To merge into God and end suffering, the mind must cross the terrible ocean, bhavsagar. The bhavsagar is made up of three smaller oceans, Sukh sagar (ocean of peace), Agan sagar (ocean of fire) and Bikh Sagar (ocean of poison). The method of crossing and details of these oceans will be discussed further. The method of crossing is by using the Gurmantar/Shabad. It is by Guru’s guidance and support that we cross.

 

Where do we cross to? Our destination is our true home. This is called Thir ghar, Nij Mahal, Sehaj Ghar, Chautha Padh (4^th state), and Dasma Dwar (10^th gate) amongst other names in Gurbani. This “home” means that the mind has merged and united fully into Waheguru. It is free of maya, free of suffering, free of enmity and fear, and living in bliss (Anand). In this state the mind is awake to its reality 24/7. Here there is Anhad Bani (Naam) playing, which is the sound of the voice of God. It is playing for all of us right now- yes, even you while you are reading this have Anhad Bani playing in the background. We must learn how to quiet down the mind to be able to hear it. In the Dasam Dwar, the mind receives Amrit (Naam Ras). This is the not the physical amrit ceremony of the 5 Pyare with the 5 Kakkars. This journey after all, is not just for Sikhs but for the whole world. Amrit is the true food of the mind, it is a sweet taste in the mouth that comes when people get closer to this state. There are a series of stages of listening to Anhad Bani, tasting Amrit Ras and seeing Jot Prakash (seeing the light of God) that come as we get closer to this state. In this 10^th gate state, we will get Amrit Ras and Anhad Bani all the time. There is no more reincarnation because we will have achieved our purpose. Our Guru Jis were all living in this enlightened state. One of the most interesting shabads in this chapter was “One who is coming (to the house of the mind) is said to be going, one who is gone (entering the world from the house of the mind) is said to have come.” This means when a baby enters this world it is said to have entered the world, but it is actually entering the game of Maya. When someone dies we say they are gone, but they have actually just come home and ended their reincarnation. 

This chapter also brings up something else that is important. When we go to ask for things from our Guru Ji, we should ask for things like Naam, because if we are asking for things in maya, we are asking from Kaal. We must leave our thoughts aside, maya aside, and follow Guru Ji’s Hukam. That is the only way we can actually leave this ego aside.