Anhad Shabad The Celistial Sound Within

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AnhadShabad:TheCelistialSoundWithin

The celestial sound within is known as naad and also as Anhad Shabad . Anhad mea
ns the sound that is not produced by striking of two objects . This sound is the
re as such and has devine origin. Listening to the Shabad is a spiritual jugat (
technique) of the saints who aim to reach the highest state of merger with their
origin – the creator Lord.This jugat can be appreciated only when the shabad is u
nderstood further. This practice was described by Guru Nanak (20th October 1469 –
7 May 1539), the founder of Sikhism, and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus during
his meeting with sidhas and the conversation account is described in Sidh Gosht
. The spirtual path through the Shabad ( celistial Sound) is described in the hy
mns in Shri Guru Granth Saheb ji – the only among the words those comes frequently
are ‘Naam’ and ‘Shabad’. These are also the words that have deep meaning and needs to b
e given much thought. Guru Sahebji says that :

gurmtI Gio canNa sbiw iml{ hir naxu .
‐ SGGS30

ThroughtheGuru sTeachings,illumination(knowledge)isreceived. AndthroughtheShaba
rdasNaam.
‐ SGGS30
The gurbani in the words of Guruji is ‘Braham Vichar’ – it expounds and presents spiri
tual knowledge. The gurbani meanings also change as per stage of the devotee who
then begins to perceive subtle meanings and explanations about the subtle spiri
tual realm. The same words which earlier had been read in a go suddenly begin to
hold the attention. Let us now look at the word ‘Shabad ‘which is commonly thought
to mean a hymn or sections of SGGSji. The shabad is sung as kirtan.

We listen to Guru’s shabad in kirtan (singing of hymns from SGGSji). But the word
shabad has a different meaning also. Let us try to the subtle hints in SGGSji. H
ere Guruji says:
mn r[ sbiw trhu ictu laie .
‐SGGS19
Omind,swimacross, byfocusingyourconsciousnessontheShabad. ‐ SGGS19

Here we are being asked to focus conscious attention on the shabad. And this is
what the focus does to the mind.
sc{ sbiw mnu m]ihAa pRiB Aap[ le[ imlaie .
‐ SGGS35 TheShabadoftheTrueonefascinatesthemind; AndthenGodHimselfarrangest
he secret of this ‘shabad’ that Guru ji says makes possible the merger,a devotee yea
rns for. Here is another explanation from SGGSji.

gurmuiK baNI bRhmu h{ sbiw imlava h]ie
.
‐ SGGS39 AsGurmukhweunderstandthatBani(Guru’sword)isBraham; throughshabadwem

Braham is the unchanging reality which is the aspect of oneness that is all matt
er, energy, time, space, beings and everything even beyond in this universe.

We as Sikhs (disciples) are well aware of Anhad Shabad being a shabad (celestial
sound) which is heard at the tenth gate and about hearing of which Guru Amardas
ji has uttered the Bani ‘ Anand Sahib’. He exhorts us to hear the shabad. This hear
ing of the shabad and keeping our focus on the heard shabad is the essence of ou
r effort for Surt - Shabad meeting.This is the effort we have to keep doing.Guru
ji tells us to do udham(effort).A sikh does not do any practice of simran. Ther
e is no skill to be perfected . The sikh’s simran is an effort at reconnection wit
h his divine origin. The Guru’s wisdom tells him that this world is real although
ever changing and HE is the World and the Player also. There is only HIM.Through
effort we have to go across the barrier of our ego .Through Simran which initia
lly is jap takes our awareness within and reachis a stage for surt to connect wi
th Shabad. The Shabad is ever there and so is the surt, only through repeated ef
fort we have to keep surt (conscious awareness) towards hearing of Shabad. This
effort is so pleasing and full of anand that a yearning begins to develop.In thi
s effort there is ever accompanying feeling of oneness and presence of ‘waheguru’.

mukit BeI b;Wn guir K]l\[ sbiw surit pit paeI .
‐ SGGS1255 LiberationiswhentheGuruuntiesthebonds;andthehonorisobtainedby fo
heShabad,
‐ SGGS1255
Shabad in physical form is the Guru’s bani and shabad is also within us. The Shaba
d within is the creator , the intelligence , the consciousness , the intuition ,
the wisdom, the creative vibration, … THE WAHEGURU HIMSELF as Shabad Guru Roop.

A sikh who does regular simran , hears within the shabad (celestial sound)inside
coming from the area of tenth gate. This celestial sound some say is like a HUM
MMM sound and even is compared with night sounds of insects. At the gross level
where our surt is generally the sound is heard as such by our inner ears. As we
keep our Surt focused on the shabad we gradually begin to get absorbed it in. On
further progress this celestial sound heard is very pleasant. This sound is Ana
hat meaning that which is formed without any object striking another. Gurbani th
erefore calls it Anhad Shabad. This shabad has quality of light also and this is
why many a devotee sees celestial light as well. The shabad is the one that pul
ls the Surt through the tenth gate known as Dasam Dwar. Here is how Guruji descr
ibes the importance of Shabad. Shabad is guru in the physical form of SGGSji. On
reading the shabad’s we get gyan and through recitation and kirtan our consciousn
ess is lifted and we become more ‘sato guni’. We then move more inward and hear the
shabad guru. Shabad is an aspect of Karta . The Guru is not a physical form. Onl
y the formless one can be our Guru who is ever present within and without.
guru m[r{ s;ig swa h{ nal[ . ismir ismir itsu swa sm\al[ .
-SGGS 394
My Guru is always with me, near at hand. Through simran and simran by rememberin
g Him, I keep Him with me ever.
-SGGS 394
Shabad as guru gives us intuitive understanding of spiritual realms and also gui
dance relevant to the physical life. As the physical guru guides us so also does
the Shabad Guru who is ever present.

iehu Bvjlu jgtu sbiw gur trIA{ . A;tr kI wuibWa A;tir jrIA{ . p;c baN l[ jm kxu
mar{ ggn;tir WNKu czaieAa .9. sakt nir sbw surit ikxu paeIA{ . sbwu surit ibnu A
aeIA{ jaeIA{ .
‐ SGGS1042 ThroughtheShabadGuru,onecrossesoverthisworld‐ocean. Theduality(se
twithin. Thefivecelestialsounds(panchshabads)beingthearrowandthedrawn bowi
,thedeathisbeaten. ThefaithlesscynicscannotattainenlightenedawarenessoftheSh
ftheShabad,theycomeandgoinreincarnation. ‐ SGGS1042 The duality is the feeling
at we have while living in the material world.We ever have doubt that ‘I’ and ‘HIM’ are
same. ‘I ‘ever strives to keep its self identity separate by keeping us ever in doub
t. The panch sounds referred in the above hymn are the five elements: Earth, Wat
er, Fire, Air and the Sky. These five have been created by the celestial shabad.
Gurbani explains that the ‘Nirankar’ has taken first as formless ‘Ekongkar’ (the onenes
s in the universe).This oneness is our origin and from the ‘Ekongkar’ has emanated ‘Br
aham’ swaroop. The Braham is also shabad roop. The shabad has given rise to the fi
ve elements and the material form in the universe. If we consider the scientific
view then the quantum physics is very near here, as it tells everything is vibr
ation. A question that comes in mind is that as to where the shabad is coming fr
om. Guruji has given a hint in these lines from SGGSji.

Anhw ruN JuNkaru swa Wuin inrBxu k{ Gir vaiewa .
‐SGGS1033
Thesweet,melodious,unstrucksoundcurrentvibratescontinuously inthehomeoftheNir
‐SGGS1033
Guru ji has explained in the mool mantar that the Ekongkar is also Nirbhau. When
Guruji talks about Nirbhau the word is used as an explanation in the sense that
we can understand and relate to. The world we live in a world of duality. It is
a world of relationship. The opposites exist so that the other is defined and e
xperienced. We can understand love if fear is there. We can understand big if sm
all is there. We can also understand Cold only if Hot is there. Look around and
this relationship is seen around in all existence whether material or abstract.
So also we have been created to live as if separate, in order that HE is experie
nced. Our houme (ego) ensures we feel and live as a distinct separate being. Whe
n this veil is lifted there is only HE. Nirbhau can be translated to mean ‘fearles
s’. HE is SAT meaning truth .Here the meaning is that HE is not a creation like th
is created world which is ever changes but is same SAT ever. It is only in the c
reated world that fear exists. The SAT swaroop is only love and anand. Fear does
not exist in SAT swaroop. IT is from this SAT swaroop Ekongkar that home of Nir
bhau that the shabad is originating. Guru ji has also explained in these lines :
xutpit prlxu sbw[ h]v{ . sbw[ hI iPir Xpit h]v{ .
‐‐SGGS117
CreationanddestructionhappenthroughtheShabad. ThroughtheShabad,creationhappens
‐‐SGGS117
This shabad has given rise to material world and this shabad is also the “thought
energy” in our mind that makes possible thinking. This shabad also takes the form
of words and language like everything else in the universe.

Here is an illustration to explain shabad :
The shabad is the creative blue print of existence. The hymns in SGGSji are call
ed also Shabad because their origin is the shabad and these makes possible our m
eeting with the shabad within. The ‘shabad roop hymns’ of SGGS ji give us gyan or sp
iritual wisdom. These ‘shabad roop hymns’ change our state of mind and lift our cons
ciousness. Listening to the ‘shabad roop hymns’ our Surt goes within. These ‘shabad ro
op hymns’ enable us to do Simran. We hear the Shabad within and our surt meets wit
h this shabad. The shabad then pulls the surt upward through Dasam Dwar in a sta
te of merger. Next is the question of relationship between Shabad and Naam. Naam
is our origin. Naam is received truly when we reach and become OUR ORIGIN inste
ad of living with a feeling of being separate. We have Naam when we live as jyot
e swaroop. This line from SGGSji clarifies much.
sbw[ namu iWAaeIA{ sbw[ sic smaie .
‐

SGGS67
Through the Shabad, meditate on the Naam; through the Shabad, you shall merge in
Truth.
‐ SGGS67

The form of Naam in the material world is the Name of the Lord or God. Gurbani H
E has many names. It is immaterial to call him by any name exclusively as any na
me would be only limited and cannot connect fully with the limitless. The knowle
dge of Naam can only be obtained from Guru.

sbw[ hI naxu xUpj{ sbw[ m[il imlaieAa . ibnu sbw{ sBu jgu bxurana ibrTa jnmu gva
ieAa . A;imRtu e[k] sbwu h{ nank gurmuiK paieAa .
‐

SGGSji644
ThroughtheShabadNaamblossomswithin andthroughshabadweembracetheNaam; Without
hewholeworldlivesasinsane,and theearthlifeislostinvain.TheShabadaloneisA
khobtainit. ‐ SGGSji644 We use names of God for the purpose of jap and simran. We use
me as ‘Guru Mantra’ also. When the purpose of a name ,a form of Naam in the physical
world, is served by arranging a meeting with Sat Saroop (the truth )within ther
e is no need for any name. Then we have Naam – our origin. We then see him existin
g every where and in everything.
j[ta kIta t[ta naxu . ivNu nav{ nahI k] Taxu .
‐ SGGS4
ThecreateduniverseisthemanifestationoftheNaam. WithouttheNaam,thereisnoplace
‐ SGGS4

We only have to ACCEPT and SEE and keep SEEING and the law of HIS Nadar (grace)
comes in operation to make us actually SEE and FEEL the oneness all around.We fe
el one with everything. Guru’s words are our ever guides. We keep coming across th
em in SGGSji. Here are some :
gurmtI Gio canNa sbiw iml{ hir naxu .2.
‐ SGGS30
ThroughtheGuru sTeachings,theheartisilluminated. ThroughtheShabad,theNaamLord
‐ SGGS30
nav{ A;wir hxu vsa: naxu vs{ min Aaie .5.
‐ SGGS55
IattempttodwelldeepwithintheNaam; AndtheNaamcomestodwellwithinthemind.||5
‐ SGGS55
vd{ Baig naxu paeIA{ gurmit sbiw suhaeI .
‐ SGGS69
Bygreatgoodfortune,theNaamisobtained.FollowingtheGuru s Teachings,throughtheS
ed.
‐ SGGS69

sbiw gurU Bv sagru trIA{ iet xut e[k] jaN{ . ichnu vrnu nhI CaieAa maieAa nank s
bwu pCaN{ .
‐SGGS944
TheShabadistheGuru,tocarryyouacrosstheterrifyingworld‐ocean. KnowtheOneLord
oformorcolor, shadoworillusion;ONanak,thisisrealizedthroughtheShabad.
‐SGGS944

ijxu l]ha tirX s;ig kaso lig sbiw gurU hir pav{g] .2.
‐SGGS1309
Asironiscarriedacrossifitisattachedtowood,onewhoisattachedtothe Wordofth
‐SGGS1309
sbiw iml{ s] imil rh{ ijs nxu Aap[ le[ imlaie .
‐SGGS27
MergingintheShabadistomergewiththeLord, HEHimselfarrangesthemerger
‐SGGS27
maJ mhla 3 .
xutpit prlxu sbw[ h]v{ . sbw[ hI iPir Xpit h]v{ . gurmuiK vrt{ sBu Aap[ sca gurm
uiK xupaie smaviNAa .1. hxu varI jIxu varI guru pUra m;in vsaviNAa . gur t[ sait
Bgit kr[ iwnu ratI guN kih guNI smaviNAa .1. rhaxu . gurmuiK WrtI gurmuiK paNI
. gurmuiK pvNu b{s;tru K[l{ ivdaNI . s] ingura j] mir mir j;m{ ingur[ AavN javiN
Aa .2. itin krt{ ieku K[lu rcaieAa . kaieAa srIr{ ivic sBu ikCu paieAa . sbiw B[
iw k]eI mhlu pae[ mhl[ mhil bulaviNAa .3.

sca sahu sc[ vNjar[ . scu vN;jih gur h[it Apar[ . scu ivhaJih scu kmavih sc] scu
kmaviNAa .4. ibnu rasI k] vTu ikxu pae[ . mnmuK BUl[ l]k sbae[ . ibnu rasI sB K
alI cl[ KalI jaie wuKu paviNAa .5. ieik scu vN;jih gur sbiw ipAar[ . Aaip trih s
gl[ kul tar[ . Aae[ s[ prvaNu h]e[ imil pRItm suKu paviNAa .6. A;tir vstu mUza b
ahru Bal[ . mnmuK A;W[ iPrih b[tal[ . ijT{ vTu h]v{ itThu k]ie n pav{ mnmuK Brim
BulaviNAa .7. Aap[ w[v{ sbiw bulae[ . mhlI mhil shj suKu pae[ . nank naim iml{
vidAaeI Aap[ suiN suiN iWAaviNAa .
‐SGGS117

MAAJH,THIRDMEHL: CreationanddestructionhappenthroughtheWordoftheShabad. Throu
appensagain. TheGurmukhknowsthattheTrueLordisall‐pervading. TheGurmukhunder
acrifice,mysoulisasacrifice,tothose whoenshrinethePerfectGuruwithintheirmin
anquility; worshipHimwithdevotion,dayandnight. ChantingHisGloriousPraises,mer
. ||1||Pause|| TheGurmukh(whoactsonGuru’swisdom)seestheLordontheearth,
iminwindandfire; suchisthewonderofHisPlay. OnewhohasnoGuru,diesoveran

OnewhohasnoGurucontinuescomingandgoinginreincarnation.||2|| TheOneCreator
ehumanbody,Hehasplacedallthings. ThosefewwhoarepiercedthroughbytheWordof
sPresence. HecallsthemintoHisWondrousPalace.||3|| TrueistheBanker,andt
thinfinitelovefortheGuru. TheydealinTruth,andtheypracticeTruth. Theyearn
stmentcapital,howcananyoneacquiremerchandise? Theself‐willedmanmukhs(whoacton
eastray. Withouttruewealth,everyonegoesempty‐handed; goingempty‐handed,theysu
,throughloveoftheGuru sShabad. Theysavethemselves,andsavealltheirancestors
ngofthosewhomeettheirBeloved andfindpeace.||6|| Deepwithintheselfisthe
dself‐willedmanmukhswanderaroundlikedemons; butwherethesecretis,there,theyd
edbydoubt.||7|| HeHimselfcallsus,andbestowstheWordoftheShabad. Thesou
ionoftheLord sPresence. SaysNanak,sheobtainsthegloriousgreatnessoftheNaam;
editatesonit.|| ‐SGGS117
Ekongkar

Worship , seeing Him ever-present ( within and about). SGGS 1173

HearingtheAnhadShabad

The Anhad Shabad is not a physical sound as such the hearing of it is through co
nsciousness when it is finely attuned.When there are gross feelings like fear ,
anxiety ,anger within us the acess to the Anhad Shabad is clouded. This is the r
eason it is heard by devouts who wake up during Amri Vela (ambrosial hour) early
morning for simran and recite gurbani during day time. In them well up the feel
ings of love ,devotion , helpfulness , cooperation , peace , confidence , trust
and tremendous positivity as they continue the simran. We within us have acess t
o both. It is our daily choices that determine what type of feelings and behavio
r is dominant.When love and peace dominates the surt is finely attuned. Simply s
hift surt inward and place awareness at the point on the upper palate of the mou
th where roughly the breath also strikes , the Anhad Shabad would begin to be he
ard. Hearing of Anhad Shabad and feeling of HIS presence go together.

ShreeGuruGranthSahebji InsideGoldenTemple,Amritsar,India

gurmitsingh
gurmit.mail@gmail.com
(Thisebookcanbesharedfreely.)

Anhad Shabad The Celistial Sound Within

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