A premi has asked this daas some questions by personally emailing me. With his permission, I am posting the answers, to the best of my meagre knowledge, on this forum so that other Gursikhs may benefit from them.

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1. You mentioned once that Sri Oankaar is the correct name for Sri Dakni Oankaar, please could jee elaborate on this, is this similar to the Sri Keertan Sohilaa / Sri Sohilaa Sahib?
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Oankar is normally used name for the nirgun saroop of Vaheguru. This baani is a master piece of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee Maharaj. It is addressed to a Pandit as it is evident from the Rahao Pankiti of this baani.

It contains many mystical secrets. Pankitis of this baani are not very long but in few words, so much mystical, Parmaarthi (spiritual) wisdom is filled in them that one gets amazed and awed. One finds oneself in loss of words when describing the greatness of this baani.

Bhai Sahib Vir Singh has done an amazing teeka of this baani and I recommend it to everyone. Another good Teeka of this baani is by Giani Narain Singh who has also done detailed vichaar after each pauri. Of course one should also refer to Professor Sahib Singh and Giani Harbans Singh while studying and doing vichaar of this baani.

But the truth of the matter is that even if a million such teekakaars do teeka (translation) of this baani and even if million insects like me analyse it still “Ik til nahi keemat paaye” i.e. we can’t realize even one bit of it. But whatever one bit or one iota of it we understand, it is good enough to provide so much gyaan (knowledge) and so much vismaad that it could last till eternity.

This baani is such that like Benti Chaupai Sahib, it readily and effortlessly becomes kanth or very saral. At first this baani becomes very saral (easy to read) but as one delves into what the baani is saying, one gets just amazed. One just wants to get sacrificed at each pankiti of this baani. Vaah! Vaah! Vaah! This is all one can say to praise this baani.

Coming back to your question on the correct name of this baani, the name is definitely “Oankaar”. Ramkali Dakhni is the name of Raag. Like we have “Gauri Poorbi” (Poorbi means Eastern, same way Dakhni means Southern). If we say Dakhni Oankaar, what would be the meaning? Southern Oankaar? Is there such an entity as Northern Oankaar or Southern Oankaar? Having said this, a lot of Gursikhs call this baani Dakhni Oankaar and it has become an acceptable name. We don’t need to make an issue out of it.


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2. Please could jee tell where can one get good quality sarbloh pandey and full utensils from in Panjab?
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The name of the village is Ghadua (ਘੜੂਆਂ) and it is in district Ropar of Punjab.


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3. What exactly are the nau/nav niddhs, and how does someone who has them manage them?
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These are 9 kinds of treasures. According to Mahan Kosh the 9 Nidhis are as follows:

Padam (gold, silver)
Maha Padam (diamonds and precious stones)
Shankh (good clothes, tasty food)
Makar (excellence in martial arts, respect in the world)
Kachhap (Good business)
Mukand (expertise in fine arts)
Kund ((more profitable business)
Neel (even more profitable business)
Varch (Don’t know)

Different scholars have listed different 9 Nidhis. The basic idea is that getting Nau Nidhi means have access to any kind of treasure. In Gurbani, Naam has been called the mean of Nau Nidhi. Having Naam or attaining Naam means one gets access to any kind of treasure.


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4. Regarding karams, as gursikhs we should do good karams, i.e. speak and behave nicely, give to charity, help others etc right? But at the same time we should be doing karam-free activity of Gurbani Paath and Simran, so does one still have to return to pay back the outstanding good karam? Or does a gursikh simply become karam-free even though they are actually doing good-karams?
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With Naam abhyaas all kind of Karma get eradicated and one does not have to come back to payback for good or bad karma. It makes sense to believe that first the negative karma get burned so that the Gursikh does not have to suffer the negative consequences of these Karma. Yes, Gursikhs who do sidhi of Naam become Karam-free because they reside not in the Trai-Gunns of Maya but reside in the Chautha Pad or Turiya Avastha where they are Karma free. Only through Gurmat Naam is this avastha possible.


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5. Also regarding this, I have heard people say that we must reach sachkhand whilst alive to ensure that we reach there when we die, does this mean if we do not this whilst living that after death we cannot reach sachkhand? Or can any rehatvaan gursikh who has guru jee’s pyaar go to sachkhand after death?
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One will get only so far in the next world as one gets in this world. If one does not achieve the Dasam Duaari avastha while living, how can one get to Sachkhand.

There is one exception. For some Gursikhs, especially who attain shaheedi, right at the time of their chalaana (leaving the body), Guru Sahib blesses them with the Jyot-vigaasi avastha, this way enabling them to reach Sachkhand. But this happens to Gursikhs who otherwise are totally tyaar bar tyaar, have Naam Abhyaasi jeevan but have not yet reached the Jyot-Vigaasi avastha. A puraatan chardi kala waley Gursikh of Bhai Sahib’s time told me this mystical secret.


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6. 12. What is correct name for Sri Asa Di Vaar / Sri Asa Ki Vaar? Is this a controversial topic?
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I think the official name is Asa ki Vaar but it’s not a big deal if we say Asa di Vaar. I believe in tatkara of puraatan saroops, its written Asa ki Vaar. It is not a controversial issue as far as I know.

The above answers are based on my meagre understanding of Gurmat. I would appreciate if some Gursikh finds error and corrects me.

Kulbir Singh

Q 6. 12. What is correct name for Sri Asa Di Vaar / Sri Asa Ki Vaar? Is this a controversial topic?





According to my understanding the correct term is neither Asaa Kee Vaar or Asaa Dee Vaar it is ਆਸਾਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਵਾਰ this is the way it is written in Gurbanee and also the way it is written in the Tathkara of old Guru Granth Sahib’s Birs which I have seen. In some only ਆਸਾਮਹਲਾਵਾਰ is written in the Tathkara. ਆਸਾਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਵਾਰ is the term that Master Jaswant Singh has used in his Lareedaar Pothi.

So it doesn’t really matter if you say Asaa Dee Vaar or Asaa Kee Vaar both do not appear in Gurbanee.

However Asaa Kee Vaar is the term I can recall that has been used in old literature of the 18th century. Asaa Kee Vaar also appears in the Sree Guru Granth Sahib Jee that I have at home in its Tatkara.

The phrase Asaa Dee Vaar too has been used widely within the Panth and even Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Jee has used this phrase in his books.

Below is the term that appears in the Tatkara of an Old Guru Granth Sahib Bir





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2009 08:17AM by admin.