The Sikh New Year | Chet | The Barah Maha Series - #1

Congratulations to everyone
on celebrating the Sikh new year.

The Sikh new year falls on
Sangrand of the month of Chet.

The first day of the first month
in the Sikh calendar

which is Chet.

In this video we are going to be
looking at the Pauree

of the Chet month
in the Bani of Barah Maha

by Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji is going to guide us

and give us teachings
for this month of Chet.

At the end of this video
I will be sharing three things

that we need to do in this month.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji starts off
the Pauree by saying

Chet Govind Araadheeae
Hovae Anand Ghana

Everybody in this world seeks peace,

Anand, the state of bliss, of Sukh.

Even in English calendar
in the month of January

when a new year comes

we all have our new year resolution

and one of that is always
seeking for happiness.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji says
that for us to seek for that Sukh,

that Anand, the permenant Sukh

is through Araadhana,
is through Naam Simran,

meditation on Parmatama.

We might ask this question

that Sache Paatshah, where can we get
inspiration and that guidance

or directions to do Naam Simran?

Also to ensure continuity when we do it?

Guru Sahib then continues
in the next Pankti,

They say,

It is through the sangat of the Saints,

the Mahapurakhs, the Gurmukhs

that we are inspired to do Naam Simran,

we are blessed and guided
to do Naam Simran.

Sangat ji, especially walking
on the path of Sikhi as a new person

it is very important to get that
inspiration and that guidance.

Just like someone in this world

who seeks to become a doctor

or a businessman or a business woman,

what do we do?

We read the life story, the biography,

we watch videos of the person

who is a successful doctor
or a successful business person.

Then being inspired by them

we also try to walk
on the same path as well.

It is the same thing
here as well Sangat ji.

Seeking for that inspiration
and guidance from the saints.

Raja Shiv Nabh
during the time of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,

he was the king of Sangladeep
which is now modern Sri Lanka.

Raja Shiv Nabh got inspiration
to do Naam Simran from Bhai Mansukh Ji

who has done Sangat of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,

who has learned so much
from Guru Nanak Dev Ji

and was doing Bhagti
from the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Raja Shi Nabh listened to the
Saakhiyaan of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,

was so inspired that he too
started doing Naam Simran

he too started remembering
Guru Nanak Dev Ji

and one day the time came
when through that remembrance,

through that Araadhana
Guru Sahib Themselves

came to Sangladepp to bless
Raja Shiv Nabh with Their darshan.

Guru Ji says in the next Pankti,

That those who have found Parmatama

those saints, those Gurmukhs

who have through Naam Simran
found Parmatama,

their coming into this world
is fortunate, is fruitful.

Guru Sahib says that
this too can be our situation as well.

Where through Naam Simran,
through meditation, Bhagti

we also can find Parmatama

and our coming into this
world will also become fruitful.

Remember what Guru Sahib says

That we have come here to gain a profit.

Profit of what?

Through Naam Simran, union with Vaheguru.

In the next two Panktiaan
Guru Sahib is giving us advice

on after getting inspiration
and guidance to do Naam Simran

how should we be doing Naam Simran.

Guru Sahib says,

That even for a moment,

Khin here means the moment
taken for a blink of an eye.

It is so instant,

Guru Sahib says even for an instant
if we forget Parmatama,

we do not remember Vaheguru Ji

then that moment,
that breath that we have taken

has become useless,
our life has become useless infact.

Then we ask this question
again to Sache Paatshah that

Vaheguru Ji, Sache Paatshah,

Guru Sahib, You have guided us,

You have told us to do Kirat Kamaaee,

to live in a Griht Jeevan

and in this world
we have our families to take care,

we have to earn money,

we have to provide education

we have to go to work.

There are so many things
that we have to do.

How is it that through all of this
we can still do Your Naam Simran?

Guru Sahib then says in the next Pankti,
They say,

Understand this, know this
and realise this

that Parmatama, Akaal Purakh is where?

Is not just somewhere in space

or in Heaven that the world has made such.

Guru Sahib is saying that Parmatama

is in the Jal - in the water,

in the Thal - in the Earth,

in the space - in the Sky

everywhere

is even in the jungles,

even in the blade of grass that we see.

Parmatama is basically in every
core of every single atom, cell

** that we can see and
we cannot see in this world as well.

Sangat Ji, to be able to come this state

where we can remember Parmatama

through everything we see
with our physical eyes

it really requires us to be conscious,

to be in the present moment.

Think about it.

The Araadhana, the Simran of Akaal

can only be done in the present moment.

Because past is gone
and the future no one knows.

So all we have is this present moment

which we have to be very conscious about.

Once we are conscious and
aware about our surrounding,

about the people we are with

and we are so aware that
Sache Paatshah You are in the air,

You are in the Pani,
You are in this building

I can even hear You from
the sound of the traffic life

from the sound of the rain,
the river flowing.

Every moment then we are
constantly reminded

to say Vaheguru Vaheguru.

We are in that awe,

we are in that state of Vismaad
where we constantly just say Vah

and we remember Vaheguru then.

Gurbani says,

That the creator is within the creation

and the creation is within the creator.

So it is basically us having
the eyes to see that.

It is human nature Sangat ji,

that we only believe what we see
with these physical eyes.

When we look at a glass of milk,
all we see is milk

but we cannot see the ghee in that milk.

We cannot taste it, we cannot feel it,

we cannot smell it.

But we cannot deny the fact as well

that from this milk that ghee is produced.

So what do we need to do?

We churn the milk, we put so much effort,

so much time and energy

and then finally from the milk
we get ghee.

Similarly Sangat ji,

what we see with these eyes given to us

is the creation of Akaal Purakh

but it will take a lot of effort,

a lot of Naam Simran,

Araadhana, meditation and
constant reminder,

being conscious and being
in the present moment,

for us to see and realise
that the essence,

the core of every being
in this world is Parmatama.

Just because we cannot see that
Nirgun Saroop Parmatama

we cannot deny the fact that
They are everywhere.

Gurbani says,

So that is the state
of all these Gurmukhs,

all the saints who have done
so much of Naam Simran

that where ever they look,

who ever they see, where ever they go

they only can experience Parmatama.

Through this message Guru Arjan Dev Ji
then says and tells us

that there are two types
of people in this world.

One who do Simran and
one who do not do Simran.

The first type of people Guru Sahib says,

Those who do not do Naam Simran,

who do not remember Parmatama

they go through so much of pain,

so much of Dukh.

Even though we might say that
this person is wealthy,

his life is amazing

but again, that is what we see
with these physical eyes.

We do not know what is going
through the person's mind.

Maybe that person is going through Dukh.

Bhai Randhir Singh Ji says,

they share their Sakhi in their book;

they say that they had one cousin

and his whole life his cousin
has not done any Bhagti

and when his time of death came,

he was on his death bed,

and he was struggling, he was in pain

because he had that fear of death,
the fear of Jamdoots

who were circling around him,
pulling him and torturing him

and it was only through reading Gurbani

and doing Simran with him
that he felt at peace.

and that is how he left this wold.

The second type of people
Guru Arjan Dev Ji says

those who could do Simran.

Guru Sahib says,

That those who have enjoyed Parmatama,

those who have found Parmatama
through Naam Simran

they are so fortunate,
they are so blessed.

Even though they might go
through so much of pain,

Bhai Mati Daas Ji, Bhai Dayaala Ji,
Bhai Taru Singh Ji,

they went through so much of physical pain

but they were still that
state of Chardikala,

in the state of high spirit.

They were not bothered by the pain
that they were going through

because they were already
in the state of Anand,

in the state of bliss.

Gurbani says,

That the Bhagats,
the Gurmukhs are so blessed

who recite the Name of Parmatama

with their mouth, with their tongue.

In the end of this Pauree
Guru Arjan Dev Ji does this benti

They say,

Guru Sahib tells us, and this is the
Ardaas that we should do as well

that I am so thirsty,
I am yearning to have Your Darshan

and in this month of Chet
I will touch the feet

I will bow down to them,

I will kiss the feet of those

who untie me with You

who guide me to do Your Naam Simran,
to remember You

and eventually unite me
with You Parmatama.

Just like when we feel hungry Sangat Ji,

when we feel thirsty

and someone comes and gives us pani,
gives us food

at that point we are filled
with the sense of gratitude to Parmatama,

and to the person who has
brought us food and pani.

Just like food and water is necessary
for this physical body

similarly, for the spiritual body,
the aatama

Naam Simran and Gurbani
is the khuraakh - the food for the aatama

and is equally important as well.

So Sangat ji, coming to en end

what are the three things
that we need to do in this month of Chet?

The first thing we need to do is
start doing Ardaas to Parmatama everyday

to please bless us with the true Sangat,

with the right Sangat that will guide us,

and inspire us to do Naam Simran,

to read Gurbani,

to walk on the path towards Vaheguru Ji.

The second thing we need to do

is that along side our Ardaas
we need to put in effort as well.

Watch videos, Kathas,
listen to Kathas about Sangat,

about what is true Sangat,
where do we find Sangat?

There are so many Saakhiyan
in our Itihaas

that speak about Sangat.

Infact Sangat ji, let's start reading
the life stories, the biographies

of all the saint and the Gurmukhs

who through Naam Simran
have found Parmatama.

We have so many of these Gursikhs
and all these resources,

Maharaj di Kirpa de naal
it is available to us.

All we have to do is
put that effort and read them.

We have life story of
Bhai Randhir Singh Ji,

Bhai Rama Singh Ji, Baba Anand Singh Ji,
Baba Harnaam Singh Ji,

Sant Giyaani Gurbachan Singh Ji
and many many more.

They are even available
both in Punjabi and in English as well.

Physical books, audio books, PDF.

So reading them and getting
inspiration from their life

will really help us to walk
on their path as well.

The third thing
we need to do in this month

is reflect on our surrounding,

our environment and our own Sangat.

Ask ourelf this question,

the Sangat that I am in right now,

is it guiding me,

is it inspiring me
to do Naam Simran,

to walk on the path towards Vaheguru

or is it taking me away from that path?

If it is guiding and inspiring you,
it is positive then its good

but if it is negative Sangat,

it is taking you away
from your very core,

your very purpose of life

then we need to evaluate
the type of Sangat that we are in

and start doing Ardaas

and putting in that effort
to find right Sangat.

Once you are able to do that
Sangat ji in this month

do share with us in the comment below

how your journey has been

in finding the true Sangat,
putting in that effort,

did you go through any challenges

when you were finding for that Sangat

or evaluating your current Sangat now?

So don't forget to like,
share with your family and friends

so that other people too
can get the message of the month of Chet

and don't forget to subscribe
to our channel as well.

Forgive me for any mistakes
that I have made.