Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Bani on Useless Yogic Practices

The verses of Ramkalee Mehla Pehla collectively emphasize the importance of inner purity, devotion, and following the Guru's teachings for spiritual fulfillment and liberation. It shuns arbitrary practices like fasting, pilgrimages, unnecessary yogic postures and rituals which do not cause any upliftment. It emphasises on the importance of naam (Naam Mantra from a True Guru) in attaining spiritual enlightenment and thus salvation.

Raamkalee, First Mehla 1 (ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥) Page 905 SGGS

ਹਠੁ ਨਿਗ੍ਰਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਇਆ ਛੀਜੈ ॥
ਵਰਤੁ ਤਪਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਭੀਜੈ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਸਰਿ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਪੂਜੈ ॥੧॥

Translation: "By doing harsh practices and self-restraint, the body withers away,
By fasting and austerity, the mind is not softened.
Other than the Name of Lord (Ram naam), nothing else is worth worshipping."

ਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਿ ਮਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸੰਗੁ ਕੀਜੈ ॥
ਜਮੁ ਜੰਦਾਰੁ ਜੋਹਿ ਨਹੀ ਸਾਕੈ ਸਰਪਨਿ ਡਸਿ ਨ ਸਕੈ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਰਸੁ ਪੀਜੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Translation: "Serve the Guru, O mind, and keep the company of God's devotees.
The fearsome messenger of death will not be able to look at you, nor will the serpent of worldly attachments bite you if you drink in the essence of God."

ਵਾਦੁ ਪੜੈ ਰਾਗੀ ਜਗੁ ਭੀਜੈ ॥
ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੀਜੈ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਦੂਖੁ ਸਹੀਜੈ ॥੨॥

Translation: World is drenched in conflict and arguments. 
There are three qualities (trai gun) - Satva (attachment), Rajas (lust), and Tamas (anger). It implies that life is born and dies ensnared in these qualities, often leading to suffering.
Without the Name of God (Ram Naam), one endures pain and suffering. ||2||

ਚਾੜਸਿ ਪਵਨੁ ਸਿੰਘਾਸਨੁ ਭੀਜੈ ॥
ਨਿਉਲੀ ਕਰਮ ਖਟੁ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੀਜੈ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਸਾਸੁ ਲੀਜੈ ॥੩॥

Translation: A Yogi draws the breath upwards and places himself on a metaphorical throne (representing high spiritual achievements), performs yogic practices (like "ਨਿਉਲੀ ਕਰਮ", a specific yogic technique) and other 6 types of rituals/practices. But without the Lord’s Name, all his breaths are being wasted. ||3||

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਪੰਚ ਅਗਨਿ ਕਿਉ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਧੀਜੈ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਚੋਰੁ ਕਿਉ ਸਾਦੁ ਲਹੀਜੈ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਇ ਕਾਇਆ ਗੜੁ ਲੀਜੈ ॥੪॥

Translation: Within the body, the five fires burn; how can one remain calm?" These five fires (ਪੰਚ ਅਗਨਿ) refer to the five vices: lust, anger, greed, attachment, and ego. The line expresses the difficulty of maintaining inner peace amidst these burning desires.
How can one find pleasure when the thief is within?" Here, the "thief" represents these vices and negative qualities that steal away one's peace and happiness.
By becoming Gurumukh (one who acquires a True Guru), one conquers the fortress of the body." This line suggests that by adhering to the Guru's guidance, one can gain control over their physical and spiritual self, overcoming the internal vices.

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਤੀਰਥ ਭਰਮੀਜੈ ॥
ਮਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਸੂਚਾ ਕਿਆ ਸੋਚ ਕਰੀਜੈ ॥
ਕਿਰਤੁ ਪਇਆ ਦੋਸੁ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਦੀਜੈ ॥੫॥

Translation: Within is filth, yet one wanders on pilgrimages. The mind is not pure, how can the thoughts be clean. One receives according to their deeds; there is nothing else to blame ||5||

ਅੰਨੁ ਨ ਖਾਹਿ ਦੇਹੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਦੀਜੈ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਥੀਜੈ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਜਨਮੈ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੀਜੈ ॥੬॥

Translation: One observes fast and inflicts suffering to the body.
Without the Guru's wisdom, true contentment is not attained. This emphasizes that true contentment and spiritual satisfaction cannot be achieved through physical austerities; it requires the guidance and wisdom imparted by the Guru.
The self-willed person is born and dies repeatedly. This line highlights the concept of being a "Manmukh" (one who follows their own mind rather than the Guru's teachings) leading to the cycle of birth and death.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪੂਛਿ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਜਨ ਕੀਜੈ ॥
ਮਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਚੈ ਨਹੀ ਜਨਮਿ ਮਰੀਜੈ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਮੁ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੭॥

Translation: Seek the advice of the True Guru and join the company of the devotees.
If the mind is absorbed in the Lord, one does not suffer the cycle of birth and death. Here, it’s stressed that when the mind is fully immersed in God (Hari) after taking naam mantra from a Guru, it transcends the cycle of reincarnation.
Without the Name of the Lord, what use are any actions?" This line underscores that actions apart from the remembrance of God's name (Ram Naam) are futile.

ਊਂਦਰ ਦੂੰਦਰ ਪਾਸਿ ਧਰੀਜੈ ॥
ਧੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਵੀਜੈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੮॥੫॥

Translation: Set aside all worldly distractions and doubts.
Engage in the service of the primal (original) Lord and sing the praises of the Divine.
O Nanak, by God’s grace, one receives the Name (or it can also be - O Nanak, through the True Mantra - naam - of God, one receives His grace.)

रामकली महला १ ॥ - Hindi

हठु निग्रहु करि काइआ छीजै ॥
वरतु तपनु करि मनु नही भीजै ॥
राम नाम सरि अवरु न पूजै ॥१॥
गुरु सेवि मना हरि जन संगु कीजै ॥
जमु जंदारु जोहि नही साकै सरपनि डसि न सकै हरि का रसु पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
वादु पड़ै रागी जगु भीजै ॥
त्रै गुण बिखिआ जनमि मरीजै ॥
चाड़सि पवनु सिंघासनु भीजै ॥
राम नाम बिनु दूखु सहीजै ॥२॥
निउली करम खटु करम करीजै ॥
राम नाम बिनु बिरथा सासु लीजै ॥३॥
अंतरि पंच अगनि किउ धीरजु धीजै ॥
अंतरि चोरु किउ सादु लहीजै ॥
गुरमुखि होइ काइआ गड़ु लीजै ॥४॥
अंतरि मैलु तीरथ भरमीजै ॥
मनु नही सूचा किआ सोच करीजै ॥
किरतु पइआ दोसु का कउ दीजै ॥५॥
अंनु न खाहि देही दुखु दीजै ॥
बिनु गुर गिआन त्रिपति नही थीजै ॥
मनमुखि जनमै जनमि मरीजै ॥६॥
सतिगुर पूछि संगति जन कीजै ॥
मनु हरि राचै नही जनमि मरीजै ॥
राम नाम बिनु किआ करमु कीजै ॥७॥
ऊंदर दूंदर पासि धरीजै ॥
धुर की सेवा रामु रवीजै ॥
नानक नामु मिलै किरपा प्रभ कीजै ॥८॥५॥

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