Supremacy of Gurmat

There are many Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike that are confused by the message of Sikhi. A lot people have misconstrued or misunderstood what Gurmat is and what it stands for. Gurmat offers something new, something better. Contrary to popular belief, Sikhi does not believe all religions are equal or different paths to God. Throughout Gurbani, Guru Sahib has criticized the other religions that were prevalent in India at that time. Gurbani makes it clear that the only way to be truly saved is through Gurmat and Satguru. Only after receiving Naam from Satguru can a soul truly be saved. No one else can be saved. This article will explore the need for Akaal Purakh to send Guru Nanak Sahib and to start a new religion. It will then prove using Gurbani that one can only truly be saved through Sikhi.

Gurbani is clear that Akaal Purakh sent Guru Nanak to this world to save it. The world was on fire and Guru Nanak was sent to put out the fire of Kalyug.

ਸੁਣੀ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਗ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਇਆ ।

Akaal Purakh heard the cries of humanity and sent Guru Nanak.

Furthermore, Guru Nanak was sent to save humanity from the dark age of Kalyug:

ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਇਆ ।੨੩।

In Bachittar Natak, Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes of a conversation between himself and Akaal Purakh:

ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਬਾਚ ਇਸ ਕੀਟ ਪ੍ਰਤਿ ॥

ਮੈ ਅਪਨਾ ਸੁਤ ਤੋਹਿ ਨਿਵਾਜਾ ॥ ਪੰਥੁ ਪ੍ਰਚੁਰ ਕਰਬੇ ਕਹ ਸਾਜਾ ॥

ਜਾਹਿ ਤਹਾ ਤੈ ਧਰਮੁ ਚਲਾਇ ॥ ਕਬੁਧਿ ਕਰਨ ਤੇ ਲੋਕ ਹਟਾਇ ॥੨੯॥

Guru Gobind Singh in complete humility writes that these are the words of Akaal Purakh to this insect: I have adopted you as my son. You have been ordered to create the Panth, spread Dharam and to stop evil.

Guru Sahib accepted Akaal Purakh’s Hukam and replied that the Panth would be created only with Akaal Purakh’s assistance.

If we pause to reflect on this it becomes clear that Akaal Purakh saw a need to send Guru Sahib to earth and to create a new path. If the other paths (religions) were sufficient Guru Sahib would not have needed to create a Tisar Panth (third path). Therfore, we can come to the conclusion that Gurmat and Sikhi offer something different and new than the religions that came before it. The fact is that Gurmat is supreme and above all other religions.

To make this point even more evident we must examine a few more lines from Bachittar Natak:

ਸਭ ਅਪਨੀ ਅਪਨੀ ਉਰਝਾਨਾ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥…

They all places their own interests first, they did not recognize the Supreme Parbrahm

ਜੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪਰਮ ਪੁਰਖ ਉਪਜਾਏ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਤਿਨ ਅਪਨੇ ਰਾਹ ਚਲਾਏ ॥…

All the great Purushas created by me started their own paths

ਜਿਨਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਤਨਿਕਿ ਸਿਧ ਕੋ ਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਤਿਨਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਅਪਨਾ ਰਾਹੁ ਚਲਾਯੋ ॥

Whosoever attained a little spiritual power, he started his own path

ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰ ਨ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਪਹਿਚਾਨਾ ॥ ਮਮ ਉਚਾਰਿ ਤੇ ਭਯੋ ਦਿਵਾਨਾ ॥੧੬॥…

None of them could recognize the Supreme Lord, and instead they went insane with their own ego

ਪਰਮ ਤਤ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਉਰਝਾਨਾ ॥…

They did not recognize Akaal Purakh, they were lost in their own egos

ਸਭ ਤੇ ਅਪਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਯੋ ॥੨੭॥

They all made others recite their own name, no one gave the True Naam

Akaal Purakh is clear here that he created the various prophets and avtars, all of whom started the worship of their own name and none gave Sat Naam, or the True Naam to anyone. If one reads this entire Shabad it becomes evident that all religions fall short of the glory of Akaal Purakh. It is Sikhi and Gurmat alone that reign supreme.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji started a new path, it is the Nirmal Panth. This line from Bhai Gurdas Ji is very significant as it shows that Guru Nanak created a distinct religion. One that is considerd to be pure, and supreme:

ਮਾਰਿਆ ਸਿਕਾ ਜਗਤ੍ਰਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੰਥ ਚਲਾਇਆ।

Bhai Gurdas Ji continues on in his Kabits by saying the service of other gods and godesses will not bring true and ever lasting bliss. Only serving the True Guru (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji) will bring Amrit Ras for eternity. One can only be saved through Gurmat:

ਤੈਸੇ ਆਨ ਦੇਵ ਸੇਵ ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਚਪਲ ਫਲ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਨਿਸ ਪ੍ਰਾਤ ਹੈ ।੪੪੬।

In Akaal Ustat Guru Gobind Singh Ji says to recognize all other actions (other than Naam) as useless, to know that all other faiths are fruitless. Without the support of the one Naam, everything else is an illusion:

ਸਭ ਕਰਮ ਫੋਕਟ ਜਾਨ ॥ ਸਭ ਧਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਮਾਨ ॥

ਬਿਨ ਏਕ ਨਾਮ ਅਧਾਰ ॥ ਸਭ ਕਰਮ ਭਰਮ ਬਿਚਾਰ ॥੨੦॥੫੦॥

Gurbani says that Naam is above everything. Of all religious paths, the Path of Gurmat Naam or Sat Naam is supreme:

ਸਰਬ ਧਰਮ ਮਹਿ ਸ੍ਰੇਸਟ ਧਰਮੁ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਕਰਮੁ ॥

Sat Naam was brought to this world by no one other than Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Guru Sahib conquered the 9 regions of the world and established Sat Naam:

ਜੀਤੇ ਨਵ ਖੰਡ ਮੇਦਨੀ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਾ ਚੱਕ੍ਰ ਫਿਰਾਇਆ ।

Without Satguru we cannot recieve Naam. Without Naam we cannot be saved. In order to be saved one needs to adopt Gurmat and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji as their Guru:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਨਾਉ ਪਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਖਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੨॥

Without serving Satguru, you cannot be saved:

ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੇ ਮੋਖੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ॥੩॥

By doing an analysis of Gurbani it becomes apparent that because of the failures of other avtars and prophets, Akaal Purakh sent Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Earth in order to create a new path. This new path, called the Nirmal Panth or the Pure Path alone can save humanity. No other religion has the ability to truly liberate souls.