Gurbani Word Of The Day: Dhun

ਧੁਨਿ (dhun)
Meaning: noun: Sound.
Quote:
ਕਾਸੀ ਤੇ ਧੁਨਿ ਊਪਜੈ   ਧੁਨਿ ਕਾਸੀ ਜਾਈ॥ ਕਾਸੀ ਫੂਟੀ ਪੰਡਿਤਾ   ਧੁਨਿ ਕਹਾਂ ਸਮਾਈ॥
kaasee te dhun oopjai   dhun kaasee jaaee.
kaasee phooṭee paňḍitaa   dhun kahaa samaaee.

The sound made from bronze vessel goes into the bronze vessel again. But, O pandit, when the bronze vessel is broken, where does the sound go then? -Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib, 857

Message: Mystery of the missing sound

In this verse Bhagat Kabir poses another question to the pandit and asks: why does no sound come out of the vessel when it is broken? Where does the sound go?

Answer to the question in the verse about the vessel: when the vessel is broken it becomes a part of the earth or the elements it was made of. The sound merges back into the space or void.

Likewise, we live with the delusion that we are entities separate from each other and from the Divine. But when the mind is spiritually awakened with the wisdom of the Guru, the delusion is debunked or overcome.

We come to know that the Divine Himself pervades in each and every one of us. We realise that our individual self, in fact, is the embodiment of the universal Self. We are spiritually united with the Divine

When we begin to live with this Divine consciousness, we realise that from the Divine we come and into the Divine we merge. The illusion of birth and death is gone. We are slowly detached from the temptations of the world. The mind is thus settled and spiritually satiated.

Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come. -Rabindranath Tagore, poet and author, Nobel laureate, 1861-1941

Note: To understand the mystery of the missing sound and thereby understand the message it is necessary to read the whole hymn from which the verse is taken.

ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਾ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ॥
janam maran kaa bhram ga-iaa gobid liv laagee.
I am attuned to the Lord of the universe and the illusion of birth and death is gone.

ਜੀਵਤ ਸੁੰਨਿ ਸਮਾਨਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜਾਗੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jeevat suňn samaaniaa gur saakhee jaagee.
The Guru’s teaching has awakened me and I am absorbed in the Void (the Absolute).Pause.

ਕਾਸੀ ਤੇ ਧੁਨਿ ਊਪਜੈ ਧੁਨਿ ਕਾਸੀ ਜਾਈ ॥
kaasee te dhun oopjai   dhun kaasee jaaee.
The sound made from bronze goes into the bronze again.

ਕਾਸੀ ਫੂਟੀ ਪੰਡਿਤਾ ਧੁਨਿ ਕਹਾਂ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੧॥
kaasee phooṭee paňḍitaa   dhun kahaaṅ samaaee.
But when the bronze is broken, O pandit, where does the sound go then?

ਤ੍ਰਿਕੁਟੀ ਸੰਧਿ ਮੈ ਪੇਖਿਆ ਘਟ ਹੂ ਘਟ ਜਾਗੀ ॥
trikuṭee saňdh mai pekhiaa ghaṭ hoo ghaṭ jaagee.
I have realised God pervading in the whole world; His light is lit in each and every heart.

ਐਸੀ ਬੁਧਿ ਸਮਾਚਰੀ ਘਟ ਮਾਹਿ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥੨॥
aisee budh samaacharee ghaṭ maahi tiaagee.
Such understanding is revealed to me that I have become detached within my heart.

ਆਪੁ ਆਪ ਤੇ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਤੇਜ ਤੇਜੁ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥
aap aap te jaaniaa tej tej samaanaa.
I have come to know my own self, and my light has merged with the light of the Divine.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਅਬ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਾ ॥੩॥੧੧॥
kahu kabeer ab jaaniaa gobid man maanaa.
Kabir says, now I have known the Lord of the universe, and my mind is satisfied.

Etymology: From Sanskrit dhvani (sound, echo).

 

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