What's the purpose of life ?

[chinu]

What is the purpose of life ?
Well, am just putting some quotes from respected Shri "GURU-GRANTH-SAHIB" with its translation.
You can also click on this link: Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib

ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਭਏ ਕੀਟ ਪਤੰਗਾ ॥
In so many incarnations, you were a worm and an insect
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਗਜ ਮੀਨ ਕੁਰੰਗਾ ॥
In so many incarnations, you were an elephant, a fish and a deer.
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਪੰਖੀ ਸਰਪ ਹੋਇਓ ॥
In so many incarnations, you were a bird and a snake.
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਹੈਵਰ ਬ੍ਰਿਖ ਜੋਇਓ ॥੧॥
In so many incarnations, you were yoked as an ox and a horse.
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਸੈਲ ਗਿਰਿ ਕਰਿਆ ॥
In so many incarnations, you were rocks and mountains;
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਗਰਭ ਹਿਰਿ ਖਰਿਆ ॥
In so many incarnations, you were aborted in the womb;
ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ਸਾਖ ਕਰਿ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥
In so many incarnations, you developed branches and leaves;
ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਜੋਨਿ ਭ੍ਰਮਾਇਆ ॥
You wandered through 8.4 million incarnations.
ਚਿਰੰਕਾਲ ਇਹ ਦੇਹ ਸੰਜਰੀਆ ॥੧॥
After so very long, this human body was fashioned for you.


NOW WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE ACCORDING TO THE AUTHOR OF THIS STANZA ?

ਮਿਲੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ਮਿਲਨ ਕੀ ਬਰੀਆ ॥
Meet the Lord of the Universe - now is the only time to meet Him.


Discuss..

 

[Treks]

Thanks for a new thread, but why did you take the Rahao (pause) line out and then only paste half of it at the end?

The author, Fifth Nanak Sahib Ji, goes on with the verse:

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਭਇਓ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ॥

Sāḏẖsang bẖa▫i▫o janam parāpaṯ.

Through the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you obtained this human life.


ਕਰਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਭਜੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ॥

Kar sevā bẖaj har har gurmaṯ.

Do seva - selfless service; follow the Guru's Teachings, and vibrate the Lord's Name, Har, Har.


ਤਿਆਗਿ ਮਾਨੁ ਝੂਠੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥

Ŧi▫āg mān jẖūṯẖ abẖimān.

Abandon pride, falsehood and arrogance.


ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਹਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥੩॥

Jīvaṯ marėh ḏargėh parvān. ||3||

Remain dead while yet alive, and you shall be welcomed in the Court of the Lord. ||3||


ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਸੁ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਹੋਗੁ ॥

Jo kicẖẖ ho▫ā so ṯujẖ ṯe hog.

Whatever has been, and whatever shall be, comes from You, Lord.


ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਰਣੈ ਜੋਗੁ ॥

Avar na ḏūjā karṇai jog.

No one else can do anything at all.


ਤਾ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਜਾ ਲੈਹਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥

Ŧā milī▫ai jā laihi milā▫e.

We are united with You, when You unite us with Yourself.


ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ॥੪॥੩॥੭੨॥

Kaho Nānak har har guṇ gā▫e. ||4||3||72||

Says Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||72||

​

Through the Sadh Sangat you obtained this human life... this verse speaks to me not of physical reincarnation, but of reinvention of the self in this one life. How many changes a person goes through in their life, changing their mind, thinking up schemes, being lazy, trying to cheat others, being in love, being hungry, being absent; we go through so many states of mind throughout life. The different creatures and things are metaphors for these.

When we learn the wisdom from the Guru (being in Sadh Sangat with It) we can transcend those various states and find stability (remain dead while yet alive).

The rest of the verse is relatively self-explanatry.

Is simply "meeting the Lord of the universe" the purpose of life? I would say no, for a Sikh must actually live that connection (that's the seva part).

 

[Sees]

Thanks for a new thread, but why did you take the Rahao (pause) line out and then only paste half of it at the end?

The author, Fifth Nanak Sahib Ji, goes on with the verse:

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਭਇਓ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ॥

Sāḏẖsang bẖa▫i▫o janam parāpaṯ.

Through the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you obtained this human life.


ਕਰਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਭਜੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ॥

Kar sevā bẖaj har har gurmaṯ.

Do seva - selfless service; follow the Guru's Teachings, and vibrate the Lord's Name, Har, Har.


ਤਿਆਗਿ ਮਾਨੁ ਝੂਠੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥

Ŧi▫āg mān jẖūṯẖ abẖimān.

Abandon pride, falsehood and arrogance.


ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਹਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥੩॥

Jīvaṯ marėh ḏargėh parvān. ||3||

Remain dead while yet alive, and you shall be welcomed in the Court of the Lord. ||3||


ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਸੁ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਹੋਗੁ ॥

Jo kicẖẖ ho▫ā so ṯujẖ ṯe hog.

Whatever has been, and whatever shall be, comes from You, Lord.


ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਰਣੈ ਜੋਗੁ ॥

Avar na ḏūjā karṇai jog.

No one else can do anything at all.


ਤਾ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਜਾ ਲੈਹਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥

Ŧā milī▫ai jā laihi milā▫e.

We are united with You, when You unite us with Yourself.


ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ॥੪॥੩॥੭੨॥

Kaho Nānak har har guṇ gā▫e. ||4||3||72||

Says Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||72||

​

Through the Sadh Sangat you obtained this human life... this verse speaks to me not of physical reincarnation, but of reinvention of the self in this one life. How many changes a person goes through in their life, changing their mind, thinking up schemes, being lazy, trying to cheat others, being in love, being hungry, being absent; we go through so many states of mind throughout life. The different creatures and things are metaphors for these.

When we learn the wisdom from the Guru (being in Sadh Sangat with It) we can transcend those various states and find stability (remain dead while yet alive).

The rest of the verse is relatively self-explanatry.

Is simply "meeting the Lord of the universe" the purpose of life? I would say no, for a Sikh must actually live that connection (that's the seva part).

Great reply...I think you summed up the heart of religion very well at the end

 

[chinu]

Thanks for a new thread, but why did you take the Rahao (pause) line out and then only paste half of it at the end?

That just because this thread is about the Purpose of life.

 

[Treks]

I understand the purpose of the thread (ahaha..), but I still don't understand why you would modify the shabad.

 

[chinu]

but I still don't understand why you would modify the shabad.

Simply I just put it as the way I look it.. at.

 

[Treks]

Simply I just put it as the way I look it.. at.

Ah, so you change the scripture around depending on how you personally look at it?

 

[ShivaFan]

Thanks for sharing! Thought provoking.

 

[chinu]

Ah, so you change the scripture around depending on how you personally look at it?

No, I didn't changed the words.