ਗਿਆਨੀ (giaanee)
Meaning: noun: Gyani, knower, knowledgeable, wise, one who possesses the higher spiritual knowledge; a spiritually enlightened being, Gnostic.
Quote:
ਗਿਆਨੀ ਨਚਹਿ ਵਾਜੇ ਵਾਵਹਿ ਰੂਪ ਕਰਹਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ॥
ਗਿਆਨ-ਵਾਨ ਕਹਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ, ਨੱਚਦੇ ਹਨ, ਵਾਜੇ ਵਜਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਕਈ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਭੇਸ ਬਣਾਉਂਦੇ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੰਗਾਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ।
giaanee nachahi vaaje vaavahi roop karahi seegaar.
The gyanis dance, play the musical instruments, adopt many guises and adorn themselves with decorations. -Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 469
Message: The wise ones were engaging themselves in enacting scenes from epics by singing and dancing (rasa lila), playing instruments and mimicking great characters from past historic events, using make up and adornments.
Thus, they were relating heroic tales by loudly singing verses and lavishly entertaining spectators to make a living. Nothing educative or constructive was happening. The society was bogged down in a confusing situation.
A question that we need to ask ourselves is: “Do we have Gyanis today who indulge in and are guilty of such practices?”
Men are often capable of greater things than they perform. They are sent into the world with bills of credit, and seldom draw to their full extent. -Horace Walpole, an English author, 1717-1797
Etymology: From Sanskrit ǰaanin/jyanin, one who possesses higher, spiritual wisdom; Gnostic.
