To have something ‘kant’ is to be able to recite/remember something off the top of your head. For those of us that have ever sat exams, we know that after reading our notes over and over again, eventually we are able to remember what is written in our notes without reading them. In the same way, Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj is saying that a True Sikh of the Guru would be able to read Gurbani off by heart. This is because the only way you could ever hope to have any Gurbani ‘kant’ is by reading it consistently. Somebody who reads Gurbani ‘here and there’ or ‘whenever they get a chance’ would struggle to be able to recite Gurbani off by heart.
But why read Gurbani? Maharaj Ji says:
ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਗਾਵਹ ਭਾਈ ॥
Sing the Word of the Guru’s Bani, O Siblings of Destiny.
ਓਹ ਸਫਲ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਈ ॥
That is always rewarding and peace-giving.
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥
Nanak has meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਪੂਰਬਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨॥੧੭॥੮੧॥
He has realized his pre-ordained destiny. ||2||17||81||
(Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Ang 628)
Gurbani is the nucleus of Sikhi, we believe that the light of all 10 Guru’s is held within Gurbani. All blessings and goodwill are obtained through the recitation of Gurbani. Anytime we feel in doubt or feel like life is getting on top of us, Gurbani is the answer. There is a message in Gurbani for all situations and it enables a Sikh to remain steadfast and humble in their beliefs. Gurbani points individuals towards the meditation of Akaal Purakh’s (God’s) Name. It removes all anxieties and suffering by getting rid of the inward filth we have accumulated through lifetimes of sin. The Shaheed’s(matyrs) and GurSikh’s of the past read vast amount’s of Gurbani, they would spend any free time that they had reading Gurbani. Even to this day, if you go to the Panjva Takht in Punjab, they begin reciting Gurbani at 1am in the morning and don’t stop until 8pm at night.
ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬੋਲੇ ਗੁਣ ਬਾਣੀ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥੪॥੫॥
Servant Nanak chants the Glorious Words of the Guru’s Bani; through them, one is absorbed into the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||5||
(Guru Ram Das Ji, Ang 494)
As well as spiritual gain, there are also practical applications of having Gurbani kant. For example, for those of us that do Nitnem (daily prayers) we may not have a Gutka Sahib to read off. So, does this mean we should not do our Nitnem? Well, if we had our Nitnem kant then we would be able to maintain our daily discipline. Its very easy to fall into the habit of reading Gurbani but having your thoughts elsewhere. With your tongue, you are saying the prayers of Guru Nanak Dev Ji but in your mind you are thinking about something completely different. The Guru says this kind of prayer is not accepted in the court of the Lord. Having Gurbani kant will force you to use your concentration whilst reading Gurbani which is exactly what the Guru wants us to do. Having Gurbani kant is to be ‘tyaar bur tyaar’ which translates to ready in any instance. You never know what situation you may be in so Maharaj Ji gave the command for Sikhs to have atleast the daily prayers off by heart. We must also always remember that as Sikh’s we should always strive to do better than the bare minimum.
There are also those GurSikhs who have all 1430 Angs of Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji kant. They are able to do full Akhand Paat’s in one sitting (which takes 3 days) with nothing in front of them. This is the rich Sikhi that Maharaj Ji wants us to immerse ourselves in. This is the Sikhi that enabled Baba Deep Singh Ji to lift their head up off the floor and place it back on their body. This is the Sikhi that gave the strength to those Singhniya in mir mannu’s jails that had their children killed and placed around their necks. Recite Gurbani, fall in love with Gurbani & ultimately, aim to read as much Gurbani as possible so that we can stay in line with Maharaj’s command.
ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
ਹਰਿ ਭਾਉ ਲਗਾ ਬੈਰਾਗੀਆ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਹਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਰਾਖੁ ॥
Detached from the world, I am in love with the Lord; by great good fortune, I have enshrined the Lord within my mind.
ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਸਰਧਾ ਊਪਜੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਚਾਖੁ ॥
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, faith has welled up within me; through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, I taste the sublime essence of the Lord.
ਸਭੁ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਹਰਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਭਾਖੁ ॥੧॥
My mind and body have totally blossomed forth; through the Word of the Guru’s Bani, I chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
(Guru Ram Das Ji, Ang 997)
