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Sukhmani: The consoler of mind

ਸੁਖਮਨੀ ਸੁਖ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਨਾਮੁ॥

The bani Sukhmani signifies the soothing affects on mind; it is a song of peace, a divine direction to peace and happiness. Sukh literally means peace and Mani (gem) means Mind.

Day and night, we worship the Akal Purakh and pray to Him for the peace and happiness as our burning desire. This the disease of duality of our littered mind that remains beyond cure if we do not sincerely follow the message of our Guru expressed in gurbani. Guru Arjun has beautifully expressed this plight in Sukhmani; following one can find the kind of peace of mind or happiness everyone is looking for. Divine hymns of gurbani require devotion and dedication to enshrine, engross, and contemplate simultaneously. Concentration and consciousness of mind are the vital factors for total absorption. Without these the whole exercises is fruitless and has no merits in Sikhi.

As practiced by many as on today, just by reciting turn by turn the pauries of Sukhmani in group of several people or in congregation will not yield any result or benefit, no matter how many times we repeat this exercise. Gurbani requires individual attention all the way, so as to engross in it while contemplating with conscious mind. Those who are involved in such practice are just wasting their time and energy and collecting filth in their mind. If some one wants to achieve peace of mind with five virtues (Sat, Santokh, Dayaa, Dharam and Such - GGS: 822) as suggested by Guru Arjun, that is Truth, contentment, compassion, Dharmic faith and Purity, one will have to contemplate gurbani, with sincere efforts and genuine interest, leave aside the practice of repeating sukhmani for multiple time in a day, week or month. Gurmat has rejected all such kind of practice or exercise of counting by any Sikh. There are several of Sukhmani societies or kitty party style activities on going around the world in Gurdwaras, deras, between friends, relatives and within communality. Majority of our preachers convey wrong message to the Sangat, because none of them are spiritual but simply professional and do their job to earn living. Gurbani deals with mind, and cleans the filth by creating virtuous thoughts in it. Our mind being pressured by cultural influence often resists to Gurbani guidance, and it tries to make excuses to go along with stream. The cultural influence is the reason we often live in it and very rarely try to live in gurmat that we believe in.

Sukhmani presents a complete scheme of the teachings of the Sikh faith, with the unity of theme and perfection of mentally, morally and spiritually. The composition as a whole has a remarkable gripping quality reinforced by the striking imagery which in stanza after stanza brings home to the seeker the truths he must own. Proper attention, presence of mind and consciousness is very essential requirement.

Once peace of mind or happiness is attained by any spiritual warrior, it will stay till the last breath.

Mohan Singh
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Walia44@hotmail.com


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