Brahm Prakash of Pir Shams
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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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