Battle of Bhagats in Mystical Realms

ਸੈਨਾ ਸਾਧ ਸਮੂਹ ਸੂਰ ਅਜਿਤੰ ਸੰਨਾਹੰ ਤਨਿ ਨਿੰਮ੍ਰਤਾਹ ॥
ਆਵਧਹ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਰਮਣੰ ਓਟ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਕਰ ਚਰਮਣਹ ॥
ਆਰੂੜਤੇ ਅਸ੍ਵ ਰਥ ਨਾਗਹ ਬੁਝੰਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਾਰਗਹ ॥
ਬਿਚਰਤੇ ਨਿਰਭਯੰ ਸਤ੍ਰੁ ਸੈਨਾ ਧਾਯੰਤੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਕੀਰਤਨਹ ॥
ਜਿਤਤੇ ਬਿਸ੍ਵ ਸੰਸਾਰਹ ਨਾਨਕ ਵਸ੍ਯ੍ਯੰ ਕਰੋਤਿ ਪੰਚ ਤਸਕਰਹ ॥੨੯॥

Gursikhs can never lose a battle because both fateh and Gursikhs belong to Waheguru. Fateh of Gursikhs is actually the Fateh of Waheguru Himself. The greatest battles or wars are the wars that go on within as opposed to without (outside). The result of the wars that are fought outside in the seen world is not that severe; at the most, one gets physical death but the result of losing the war that goes on inside between the Gurmukhs and Bikaars (vices) is much more devastating. One who loses the battle to Bikaars ends up committing many sins and that in return results in a cycle of countless deaths and births.

Sri Guru Ji on ang 1356 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji has written briefly about the battle that takes place between Bhagats and the Bikaars. These bikaars that number 5 in count, are so strong that the whole world is under their control. Sri Guru Ji starts the shabad by declaring that the army of Sant Gursikhs is unbeatable - ਸੈਨਾ ਸਾਧ ਸਮੂਹ ਸੂਰ ਅਜਿਤੰ ...|| The army of Saadh jan is unbeatable. Here is how battle ensues and why Gursikhs are unbeatable in this battle:

1) These Gursikhs wear the armour of humility on their bodies - ਸੰਨਾਹੰ ਤਨਿ ਨਿੰਮ੍ਰਤਾਹ ॥.

2) The ਆਵਧਹ i.e. weapons they wear are ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਰਮਣੰ i.e. singing the praises of Gobind Waheguru i.e. doing kirtan of Gurbani.

3) The shield that they wear on their hands or hold with their hands is ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਕਰ ਚਰਮਣਹ i.e. the Shabad of Guru i.e. Gurmantra of Guru. This is their ਕਰ ਚਰਮਣਹ i.e. shield in their hands.

4) Finding the path of Waheguru is for them riding horses and elephants in the battlefield. How do Gursikhs find the path of Waheguru? We will refer to another shabad for this question - ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਬੋਲਿ ਬੋਲਿ ਖੋਜਤੇ ਬਡਭਾਗੀ ॥ By chanting Naam again and again, they find Waheguru.

5) In the spiritual battlefield that goes on inside, they walk around without fear and attack the enemies by doing kirtan of Gopal.

6) They win over the whole world, by bringing under control the five powerful thiefs i.e. Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh and Ahankaar.

Please ponder upon the second pankiti of this Salok that goes as follows:

ਆਵਧਹ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਰਮਣੰ ਓਟ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਕਰ ਚਰਮਣਹ ॥

In this pankiti Sri Guru Ji is stating that while battling Vikaars, the weapons are ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਰਮਣੰ i.e. Getting absorbed in Gurbani paath/Kirtan whereas the protection/shield against attacks of Vikaars is Gur-Shabad i.e. Naam Gurmantra. This provides us the guidance that when we are faced with attacks from Kaam, Krodh and other bikaars, we should immediately take up Naam Gurmantr and when we want to do a pre-emptive strike against these vikaars, then get absorbed in Gurbani.

A Gursikh of Bhai Sahib Ji's times explained to me that Puratan Ranglay Sajjans of Bhai Sahib's times used to tell that good spiritual avastha is considered to be when a Gursikh japps Naam with Rasna and within his mind of this Gursikh Gurbani too paath too goes on in full force. When doing paath using Rasna, then Gurmat Naam goes on in full force within the Gursikh. Such Gursikhs are fortunate and have kirpa of Guru Sahib who can do both at the same time. I recalled that Bhai Sahib has written about the same thing in several of his books.

Another advice from Gurmukhs is that while a Gursikh should use rasna to do paath everyday; by the same token, some paath should be done purely in surthee. This makes the surtee balvaan (strong). So if you are doing more than one Sri Sukhmani Sahib, it would be a good idea to do at least one of the Sri Sukhmani Sahib or few Sri Jap Ji Sahibs a day, purely in surthee. This was the advice of Bhai Atma Singh Panjokhra Sahib.

May Guru Sahib bless us with victory in our individual spiritual battles that are going on our inside.

Kulbir Singh

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