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Brahm means God and Prakash means illumination or light. Brahm
Prakash means divine light or divine illumination. This small
Granth of Pir Shams (r.a.), likely date 13th century AD,
consists of 150 couplets out of which we have selected here 125
couplets. For the text we relied on the Khojki version from “12
Granths 105 Ginans”, published by Mukhi Lalji Bhai Devraj from
Khoja Sindhi Chhapkhanu, Mumbai, in Savant 1960/AD1903. The term
Granth normally refers to a long Ginan with a title.
The language of this Granth is primarily Hindi. The central
theme consists of attainment of bliss (sukh, anand) through
sabad (shabd, Word or Name); prescription for dhikr or
meditation; spiritual experience; spectacles and miracles, and
the indescribable nature of the spiritual world. It also
contains a long section on losers on this path or those who
failed to attain the bliss; and an equally long section on
achievers or those who succeeded in attaining the bliss.
Couplets 1 to 5 talk of method of attaining bliss including
importance of Sat sabad (shabd) i.e. the True Word or Name for
repetition, which the world does not realize; dhikr of Pir Shaha
which, according to the Ginanic teaching, is the dhikr of last
era.
Couplets 6 to 11 narrate the inner experience after verbal
repetition for three months with experience of Love, rapture and
ecstasy. With the repetition of the Name love releases and
conviction comes in heart. Then the author talks of the essence
of love, revelation of secret, ripple of love and release of
sweetness from mouth; how the ascetic remains engrossed and
intoxicated in love and rapture and utters fearless claims. He
also says that the divine happiness is inexplicable.
Then there is a sudden change in tone from couplets 12 to 40
when the author turns to the losers, i.e. those who could not
attain this bliss (sukh) and criticizes pandits, sadhus, yogis
and sanyasis from whom this bliss remained illusive because they
are not aware of this Name. Then in the same way he talks of the
achievers from couplets 41 to 60 and lists 40 odd names saying
that there are many more. It must be noted however, that this
segment of the Granth requires further research to ascertain the
identities of these people and also their time or period as it
contains specific names.
Returning back to the topic he says that the concentration now
remains in heart for six months. Then suddenly it moved to naval
and stayed there for nine months in the same bliss. Then it
ascended to sky (skull) from west and witnessed there wonders
like thunder without cloud; place without space; rain without
cloud; a person without a body; incessant thunder; and the focus
at the trikuti (the meeting point of ingla, pingla and sukhmana).
Rain pours at sukhmana, where the Unseen resides; there is no
instrument but music, no sun but sun; no flow but Ganges, no
companion but company. Then he explains that the sound of
incessant dhikr is the music; the light is sun; Sukhmana is the
Ganges; Surti and sabad (concentration and word) are the
company. The nature of this world cannot be described.
From couplets 78 to 93 he explains the nature of sabad (shabd)
and from couplets 94 to 105 he elaborates on mukti (salvation).
Describing the nature of sabad (Word) he says that it is akhand
(that which cannot be broken); amar (immortal, that which does
not die); ajar (indigestible) which is digested by
concentration); akal (timeless); alekh (that which cannot be
written); adol (unwavering, immovable); atol (unique); atha
(unfathomable); akhar (indestructible); and apar (boundless).
Then he talks of the relationship between surti (concentrations)
and sabad (Word or Name) and says that the miracle of this
relationship is indescribable; it goes beyond this bodily life;
it can only be understood by experiencing it. He says that he
narrated what he witnessed; he does not believe without
reaching.
Couplets 106 to 117 tell us that the base of author’s knowledge
is personal experience and not hearsay. From couplet 120 word
saheb is introduced and the blessings of repeating saheb nam
(name of the Lord) are emphasized. Then four yugas and their
bhagats (bhaktas) have been mentioned culminating at the
manifestation of Nakalanki (Nishkalanki i.e. impeccable).
Name of Pir Shams (r.a.) appears in three time: in paths 141,
143 and 149. The name of the Granth Brahm Prakash (in fact Brahm
Dhiyan Parkasa) appears at the last path.
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