Simran is the Key
One Pooranmashi, Baba Nand Singh Ji shared these bachans with Sangat – ” Gaaviaa suniaa thin kaa har thhaae paavai, jin sathigur kee aagiaa sath sath kar maanee” Their singing and listening is approved by the Lord; they accept the Order of the True Guru as True, totally True. – Guru Ram Das Ji, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 669
A husband who lived in a distant land, once wrote a letter to his wife and family, asking them to ensure certain tasks he instructed were complied with. Everyone in the family read and listened to what was written in the letter, but the letter was neatly folded away into a corner in the cupboard. Twice daily, the wife would respectfully ensure the letter was well kept and would read it over and over. In affection of her husband, she would even pay her respects to the letter by burning incense, like one would do before the image of a deity. Day and night, she would wrap the letter in a beautiful, clean cloth and would bow to the letter.
When the husband returned after many many years, and asked his family whether they had received his letter, they all replied that they did. The head of the house went on further to ask whether the tasks he had asked had been complied with. But the family replied that they had taken great care of his letter and reverently paid their respects of love. The husband then told his family that the purpose of sending the letter was not to be kept reverently in safety, but had sent to ensure that the tasks asked were to be done without fail. The family had failed to comply with even a single instruction written in the letter. In disappointment, the man of the house stated that their taking of his letter was of no use to him
This is exactly the message in what Guru Ram Das Ji says in the above shabad. In the complete writings of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, man is instructed over and over, to recite the Name of Waheguru.
bhajahu guobi(n)dh bhool math jaahu maanas janam kaa eaehee laahu
Vibrate, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe, and never forget Him.
This is the blessed opportunity of this human incarnation. – Bhagat Kabir Ji, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1159
What Bhagat Kabir Ji is saying in the above shabad is that the human birth has been blessed to us for the sole purpose of remembering Waheguru in meditation. Every sant, mahapursh, gyani and other spiritually elevated beings remind us, ‘Naam Jappo’ as this is the first instruction of Guru Nanak Dev Ji”
Like the family that merely preserved and respected the letter from the head of the family but did not heed what was being instructed to them, likewise, we need to look unto ourselves and see if that is what we are doing too. If we are merely reading Gurbani and not trying to understand what the Guru is asking of us to do, it is to no avail. There is no use of covering Guru Granth Sahib Ji in all its expensive and royal coverings and bowing down in obeisance when we take little or no heed of even doing our Nitnem and going to the Gurudwara to earn the blessings of the Guru in Sadh Sangat
Acknowledgement: http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/