Q AND A: CREATION AND PURPOSE OF LIFE
Question: What existed before the
creation?
Answer:
Gurbani
(scripture) says:
ਅਰਬਦ ਨਰਬਦ ਧੁੰਧੂਕਾਰਾ ॥
ਧਰਣਿ ਨ ਗਗਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
ਨਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਨ ਚੰਦੁ ਨ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਇਦਾ ॥੧॥
ਧਰਣਿ ਨ ਗਗਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
ਨਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਨ ਚੰਦੁ ਨ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਇਦਾ ॥੧॥
ar-bad
nar-bad dhundhoo-kaaraa.
dharan
na gaganaa hukam apaaraa.
naa
din rain na chand na sooraj, sun
samaadh lagaaendaa. ||1||
“(Before the
creation of the world) for endless time, there was only utter darkness. There
was no earth or sky; there was only the infinite Law (Hukam). There was no day
or night, no moon or sun; the Lord was sat in profound undisturbed meditation. (1)”
(SGGS - Ang
1035)
Question: Scientists believe the
world began from the ‘Big Bang’. What existed before the creation?
Answer:
Scientists
came to the conclusion of the Big Bang Theory in the 1940s of centuries of
scientific exploration. Centuries before the creation of the telescope, Guru
Nanak Dev Ji told us about the ‘Big Bang’. In ‘Jap Ji Sahib’ it states:
ਕੀਤਾ ਪਸਾਉ ਏਕੋ ਕਵਾਉ ॥
ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਲਖ ਦਰੀਆਉ ॥
keetaa pasaa-o, eyko kavaa-o.
tis te ho-e, lakh dareeaa-o.
“You created the vast
expanse of the Universe from the vibration of One Word. From this, hundreds and
thousands of rivers of life began to flow.”
(SGGS – Ang 3)
Guru Nanak Dev Ji
describes God causing the first atom to explode, from which creation progressed:
ਆਪੇ ਸਚੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਰ ਜੋੜਿ ॥ ਅੰਡਜ ਫੋੜਿ ਜੋੜਿ ਵਿਛੋੜਿ ॥
ਧਰਤਿ ਅਕਾਸੁ ਕੀਏ ਬੈਸਣ ਕਉ ਥਾਉ ॥ ਰਾਤਿ ਦਿਨੰਤੁ ਕੀਏ ਭਉ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਏ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖਣਹਾਰਾ ॥ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ਸਿਰਜਣਹਾਰਾ ॥੩॥
aap-e sach kee-aa kar jorr.
an-ddaj, forr jorr vichhorr.
dharat a-kaash kee-e bai-san ko thaa-o.
raat dinant
kee-e bho bhaa-o.
jin kee-e
kar vekhan-haaraa.
avar na
doojaa sirjan-haaraa. ||3||
“The
True Lord Himself created the universe, creating a shell (atom) like that of an
egg. He broke the egg, put it together and separated it again –
and creation came into being – with galaxies moving away. He made the earth and
the sky as the place for life to exist and made night and day for the
creatures to carry out their duties and work to attain union with Himself. The Lord
Creator who created the creation, having created it also watches; there is no
other creator. (3)”
(SGGS – Ang 838)
Question: According to Sikhi
what was the first life created in the world?
Answer:
ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਵਨਾ ਭਇਆ ਪਵਨੈ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਇ ॥
ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਨਾ ਥੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਤੇ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥
saach-e
te pavnaa bheyaa, pavnai te jal ho-e.
jal te tri-bhavan saaji-aa, ghatt ghatt
jyot samo-e.
nirmal mailaa naa thhee-ai, shabad rat-e pat ho-e. ||3||
“From the True Lord came the gases, and from
the gases came water. From water, He created the world and all within;
in each and every heart He infused His Light. One who is connected with the
Word of God remains pure and free from the filth of sins and corrupt thoughts,
and get honour and respect (in this world and beyond). (3)”
(SGGS – Ang
19)
Question: Who created
the Creator, i.e. who created God?
Answer:
Gurbani (scripture)
tells us:
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਸੋ ਸਿਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਲੇਖਾ ॥
ਆਪਿ ਅਲੇਖੁ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਹੈ ਦੇਖਾ ॥
ਆਪਿ ਅਤੀਤੁ ਅਜੋਨੀ ਸੰਭਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੋ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੧੨॥
nirbho so, sir naahee lekhaa.
aap a-lekh, kudrat hai dekhaa.
aap a-teet a-joonee sun-bho, naanaak gurmat so paayaa. ||12||
“God alone is fearless, who has no destiny written
on His head. God Himself is unseen and reveals Himself through His wondrous
creative power. He Himself is unattached, unborn, and self-existent. O Nanak,
through the Guru’s Teachings, He is found. (12)”
(SGGS - Ang 1042)
Questions: What is the
purpose of earth and human life?
In ‘Jap Ji Sahib’ Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:
ਰਾਤੀ ਰੁਤੀ ਥਿਤੀ ਵਾਰ ॥
ਪਵਣ ਪਾਣੀ ਅਗਨੀ ਪਾਤਾਲ ॥
ਤਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਧਰਤੀ ਥਾਪਿ ਰਖੀ ਧਰਮ ਸਾਲ ॥
raatee rutee, thitee vaar.
pavan paanee, agnee paataal.
tis vich dhartee thaap rakhee dharam saal.
“The Lord created the
nights, days, weeks and seasons, wind, water, fire, and underworlds. In the
midst of these, He made the earth a ‘Dharam-saal’, a spiritual school and
rest-house where one can practice spirituality.”
(SGGS – Ang 7)
Gurbani (scripture)
tells us:
ਸੰਤ ਹੇਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਧਾਰੇ ॥
sant heyt prabh tri-bhavan dhaar-e.
“Because of love for
the saints, the Lord created the whole world.”
(SGGS – Ang 224)
Elsewhere in Gurbani
(scripture) it says:
ਜਹ ਪਸਰੈ ਪਾਸਾਰੁ ਸੰਤ ਪਰਤਾਪਿ ॥
jeh pas-rai paasaar sant partaap.
“Where ever the Lord
creates creation, He does so for the glory of the saints.”
(SGGS – Ang 292)
Guru Ji describes the
world and our lives as a play of Vaheguru (God). The saints and devotees of God
always win against the distractions of the material world, called ‘Maya’. In
another verse, Guru Ji makes it clear that in this play, Vaheguru loves when
his saints and devotees win and break away from the shackles of Kaam (lust),
Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (attachment), etc.
ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਤੁਮੑ ਚਉਪੜਿ ਸਾਜਹੁ ਸਤੁ ਕਰਹੁ ਤੁਮੑ ਸਾਰੀ ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਜੀਤਹੁ ਐਸੀ ਖੇਲ ਹਰਿ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥੨॥
karam dharam tum chau-parr saaj-hu, sat kar-hu tum saaree.
kaam krodh lobh moh jeet-hu, aisee keyl har pyaaree. 2.
“Let righteous actions
be your game board, and let the truth be your dice. Win over lust, anger,
greed, and attachment; such play is very dear to the Lord. (2)"
(SGGS - Ang 1185)
Any game, sport, or competition has difficulties and challenges. Nothing is easy. However, people still choose to pursue these games, whether it be working out in the gym, or training to be a footballer. Even though one endures pain, the individual who understands the game realises that the pain will lead to greater pleasure and happiness of winning. The end goal of human life is to become united with the Creator, to become absorbed in the Creator through letting go of our ego with the instructions of the Guru. In accordance with Gurbani (scripture) meeting and experiencing the Creator is possible in this life whilst alive:
ਭਈ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਦੇਹੁਰੀਆ ॥
ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਮਿਲਣ ਕੀ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਰੀਆ ॥
ਅਵਰਿ ਕਾਜ ਤੇਰੈ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਕਾਮ ॥
ਮਿਲੁ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਨਾਮ ॥੧॥
bheyee paraapat maanukh de-hureeaa.
gobind milan kee eh teree baree-aa.
avar kaaj terai kit-ai na kaam.
mil saadh-sangat bhaj keval naam ||1||
“This human body has
been given to you. This is your chance to meet the Lord of the Universe. No
other spiritual acts will work, other than joining the Saadh Sangat (the
Company of the Holy) and meditating on the Jewel of God’s Name. (1)"
(SGGS – Ang 12)
The way to please
Vaheguru is to live life in accordance to the infinite wisdom of the Guru. The devotee of God lives to the standards of God, instead of standards of the
temporary material world.
Question: What
importance do humans have in the creation?
Answer:
Gurbani (scripture)
says:
ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਜੋਨਿ ਸਬਾਈ ॥
ਮਾਣਸ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਦੀਈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥
ਇਸੁ ਪਉੜੀ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਚੂਕੈ ਸੋ ਆਇ ਜਾਇ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਦਾ ॥੨॥
lakh
chauraa-seeh jon sabae-ee.
maanas
kau prabh de-ee vaddi-aaee ||
eis
pauRee te jo nar chookai
so aae
jaae dukh pai(n)daa ||2||
“Out of all the 8.4
million species of beings created, God blessed humans with glory (because as a
human, you can connect and meet with God). That human who misses this valuable
chance will end up coming and going in reincarnation in regret. (2)"
(SGGS – Ang 1075)
