Mystic Mantra: Gurparsad - The grace of God
Guru Nanak gave the foremost importance to the conduct and character of a person.
Ik Onkar Satnam Karta-Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akal Murat Ajuni Sahibang Gurparsad Jap (There is but one God, the only truth, The creator, without fear, without enmity, omnipresent, self-existent, The one who can be realized through the grace of the Guru.)
In the Mool-Mantra, the basic statement of the creed, Guru Nanak defines the nature of the Supreme Being as the ultimate reality who can be comprehended and embraced only through the mehar or nadar (favour) of the guru. Only a true guru can give you the gift of self-realization. The Guru is Satguru — the true one who can guide the person to the path of Satnam-True Name. He is the spiritual guide and with great fortune one acquires favour (parsad) of his company. Only by the grace of the guru the Supreme Being is remembered and dwelt upon.
“The true Guru is the boatman and the word (gurbani/shabad) the oars to ferry one to the other shore where there is neither wind, nor fire, nor water, nor form and where abides ourt lord dispensing the true name...Yes, through the Guru’s wisdom, poise wells up in one who merges in the truth,” says the Guru. The supreme being, Akal Purakh, is all pervasive and resides in every human being. But it remains dormant and silent till the consciousness is stirred by the touch and grace of the guru and the disciple, through the journey of self-purification, awakens to a higher level of realization and bliss.
The ordinary mind fails to understand the hukam (divine law) of the Almighty. With our limited faculties and haumai (egotism), we remain ignorant of the light within our body and self. Only through the guru the mind can be cleansed and purified. It is by meeting with the guru that one conquers one’s weaknesses and devotes him/herself to the higher path. How to get His (Almighty) grace becomes an objective for the Sikhs as no one is redeemed without the grace of God.
The simplest way is naam-simran. To remember the name of god in the form of word (Gurbani or Shabad) is the way of salvation. Shabad is the guru, Shabad is the way and Shabad is the goal. It is the ultimate reality and the only Truth. Gurdwara (the gateway to the guru) is the place where the Sikhs can merge themselves in the naam (Shabad) of the Guru, that too, in the company of the sangat. Sikhism is a congregational religion and gives utmost importance to the company of the people attuned to the naam of the guru. Recitation of the bani in the form of kirtan takes the person to another level of bliss and happiness.
By remembering the attributes of the Almighty who is all merciful and fearless, one tries to imbibe the same traits. Self-purification leads to self-realization. Guru Nanak gave the foremost importance to the conduct and character of a person. It does not matter to which religion one belongs, what really matters is truthful living. Guru Nanak says, “Truth is higher than everything but higher still is truthful living.” With the grace of the God, man embarks on a journey of truth, realization and of utmost happiness. No wonder, the Sikhs happily sing and recite, lakh khushian patshahian je Satguru nadar kare (one can get prestige and millions of joys if one has God’s grace).