7. Mahapurkhan de bachan kamaana tapan sirr tapp hai

(Following the words of the Holy is the highest form of meditation)

One can easily swim across the ocean of the world with the words of the Guru on his lips. He can elevate himself to a higher pedestal, if he is blessed by the holy men:

Santau saagar paar utaree-ei, Je ko bachan kamaav-ei santan kaa Sau Gurparsaadi taree-ei (747)

(O Saints, cross over the life’s turbulent ocean. One, who practices the teachings of the Saints, by Guru’s Grace, is carried across.) Bhai Lehna followed Guru Nanak in letter and spirit – so much so that he got transformed from an ordinary village trader to a God-conscious man. He became one with Him and attained a higher state of being. Finally, he has anointed Guru.

8. Hameshaa doosr-ei de gunn at-ei aapn-ei augunn dekhn-ei

(Always look for what is good in others and what is unsavory in your own self)

It is human nature to look for shortcomings in others:

Farida je tu akkal lateef kaale likh naa lekh Aapanre girbaan mein sirr neevan kar dekh (1378)

(Farid opines that a wise man should not find egoistic faults in others. He should look within his own self and see what he himself is, so that he overcomes all these faults.)

Hum nahee changae buraa nahee ko-ei Pranvat Nanak taar-ei so-ei (728)

(Anyone, who believes and practices that he is not good and none other is bad, Nanak says the grace of God helps him to overcome the turbulence of life.)

9.Sewa karan naal mann nirmal hund-aa hai, gareebee aundee hai at-ei mann shabad naal jurhdaa hai

(Selfless Service ennobles a man by purifying his mind. It imbues a man with humbleness and enjoins him to His Word)

Selfless service is of three types:

(i) To serve materially:

Ghaal khaaye kichh hathon de-i Nanak raah pachhane se-i (1245)

(The Guru ordains that a man must earn his livelihood honestly with hardwork and give some part of his earnings in charity. Only then will he find the spiritual path to tread on.)

(ii)Physical service:

Bin sewa dhrig hath pe-ir hor nehfal karni (Bhai Gurdas)

(If one does not render divine service, his hands and feet are

worthless. So also the deeds performed with them.)

Physical service is greater than material service. A man must always seek the company of God-conscious persons to do so. Didn’t Guru Amar Das render selfless service to his master at the age of sixty-two?

(iii)Inner service:

No doubt, the material and physical services purify a man’s mind. But a truly blessed person is one, who is completely immersed in his Lord through ‘Word’ (Shabad Guru), i.e., by reciting the Divine Name all the time.

How aptly Bhagat Namdev sums up man’s duties in the following words:

Haath paanv kar kaam sab Cheet niranjan naal (1376)

(Doing worldly deeds, always remaining in tune with the Divine Lord.)

He alone reaches the Pinnacle of spiritual bliss and keeps climbing the stairs of life step by step.

10. Guru ghar di sewa di pundd sirr taun nahee suttnee chaaheedee bhav-ein iss hei-thaan hee kyon naa kuchl-ei jaa-ee-ei

(Never shed the divine service even if you have to pay a heavy price)

One should not shed the divine service even if he is worldly crushed and rendered poor:

Tayree bhagat na chhoda-o ki-aa ko hasai. (1170)

(I shall not renounce Your worship, O Lord; what does it matter if people laugh at me?)

11.Saadaa nirbaah karnaa, saadaa bhojan chhaknaa at-ei saadaa pehnana

(Follow the principle of simple living and divine thinking)

Always lead a simple life by eating a portion of simple food and wearing a simple dress. Whenever food is served, even if it is tasteless, it should be taken as a divine gift considering it as His blessing. One should not be greedy for sumptuous food.

According to Gurbani, simple living means remaining humble and thankful to God, who provides everything for the basic needs of all. Thus one should lead life according to the divine law as enunciated in Guru Granth Sahib:

Chhaadan bhojan kee aas naa kar-ee Achint mil-ei so paa-ei (1013)

(One should not desire to wear costly attractive dresses and eating sumptuous foods. He should rather be grateful for whatever God provides and be merry.)

12. Pakarh naa rakh ke jo kaaraj sahmane aavey auh guru ka samajh ke utshaah naal kar-ei

(Render selfless service dutifully without desiring any rewards as if it is the divine order)

Whatever job is assigned to him, he should carry out the same by considering it to be his Divine Master’s command. Without having any attachment with it, he should perform the same with full devotion and without questioning the rationale of the assigned task, thinking that it is his divine duty:

Hau moorakh kaar-ei laa-ee-aa Naanak har kamm-ei. (449)

(I am just incompetent, O Nanak, but the Lord has appointed me to perform His service.)

This is the act of one’s divine humility. Leave the outcome of the assigned task to the Almighty and never desire the fruits in return:

Karam karat hovai nihkaram tis baisno kaa nirmal dharam (274)

(Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a devoted seeker of truth.)

After performing good deeds, one should pray to the Lord that he has not done anything, You have got it done by him.

According to Hindu philosophy, this is called Karma Yoga

as enunciated by Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Gita:

Karamanye vaadhikaraste maa phaleshu kadaachan

(One should do one’s duty and not  seek  or  get  concerned about the outcome or the reward from having truthfully- performed duty.)