Sukhmani Sahib: Consoler of the mind
The Fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev's life and achievements played a key role in shaping Indian history and spiritual traditions. Preaching Guru Nanak Dev's mission, Guru Arjan Dev propagated humility, devotion, and surrender to God's will. He imparted several teachings on important issues, such as acceptance of God's will, trust, kindness, tolerance, and humility. The cornerstone of his teachings was having faith in one Creator.
At a physical level, one of his great tasks was the completion of the tank at Amritsar's Golden Temple. Being truly secular, he had invited a Muslim saint, Mian Mir, to lay the temple's foundation stone. With secularism being of paramount importance, his take on the subject is priceless. Through his life and teachings, the guru promoted universal brotherhood and religious tolerance.
Collecting hymns of the first four Sikh gurus and adding his own verses and those of Farid, Kabir, Raidas, Jaidev, and Bhikham, his greatest work was the compilation of the holy Adi Granth. Today, the Granth Sahib is revered by millions worldwide.
A priceless legacy bequeathed to us by the Guru is the Sukhmani Sahib prayer. Universally hailed as the 'consoler of the mind' and the 'jewel of peace', Sukhmani Sahib's wealth of positive powers has won the faith of millions. Devotees recite it in devotion to the Guru as an expression of gratitude and faith; it is an invocation for physical and mental well-being and health.
In an environment dominated by significant turbulence and violence, the guru wrote the prayer to calm and heal, and he is omnipresent throughout its verses. He poured his very spirit, peace, into this composition.
A powerful prescription for peace, calm, and bliss, prayer is undertaken by the devotee with the Guru's generosity, mentorship, and guidance.
With 'Sukh', comfort, and 'Mani', mind, the prayer fulfils several goals. It refreshes the mind, soothes frayed nerves and rejuvenates the soul. It also banishes sorrow and removes anguish through sincere remembrance of God. In the third astapadi, canto, the Guru states that any study of holy texts, performance of austerities, etc, cannot compare with reading or listening to the Sacred Word.
Above all, Sukhmani Sahib helps one become a better person. It enables one to reach a high spiritual state through meditation and Self-realisation. Guru Arjan Dev believed that 'men who stand for truth have to suffer, and their suffering strengthens the cause of truth'.
Amidst upheaval, he found time to encourage trade and industry among the Sikhs, which created a surge in business transactions. He favoured widow remarriage, which hugely impacted contemporary life, and condemned the use of intoxicants. His opening of a leprosy centre in Tarn Taran is a noble reference point in relation to this disease.
Almost everything Guru Arjan Dev did was directed at being tolerant, good, and progressive. Today's ravaged, troubled, and fractured world must realise the depth and wisdom of the Guru's philosophy and follow in his footsteps. Guru Arjan Dev created a roadmap for us, and now the onus is on us to follow it.
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