The Witness Does Not Die
The following is an excerpt from Guru Granth Sahib Ang. 152-153 (Raag Dakhni Gauri):
पउणै पाणी अगनी का मेलु
The body is a meeting of air, water, and fire. A compound. Borrowed from elements, held briefly, returned. It is not what you are.
चंचल चपल बुधि का खेलु
A play of restless intellect. In Advaita, buddhi belongs to prakriti — it moves, it reflects consciousness, but it is not the Self.
नउ दरवाजे दसवा दुआरु
Nine doors and the tenth gate. Nine are the bodily openings. The tenth gate is not physical. It is the turn inward — from outward perception to noticing the witness of all - the screen on which the movie of life plays.
बुझु रे गिआनी एहु बीचारु
O wise one, reflect on this.
कथता बकता सुनता सोई
The speaker, the talker, the listener — all the same One. Subject and object collapse. The same One appears as many, in every role.
आपु बीचारे सु गिआनी होई
The one who examines the Self is the wise one. Not ritual. Not belief. Inquiry.
देही माटी बोलै पउणु
The body is clay, that is matter. And life-force moves through it, makes it talk.
बुझु रे गिआनी मूआ है कउणु
O wise one, understand what really dies.
मूई सुरति बादु अहंकारु
What dies is a collection of likings, dislikings, the separate sense of self called ego.
ओहु न मूआ जो देखणहारु
The witness does not die.
जै कारणि तटि तीरथ जाही
For what you go searching at pilgrimage—
रतन पदारथ घट ही माही
—the jewel is already within.
पड़ि पड़ि पंडितु बादु वखाणै
The scholar reads and argues.
भीतरि होदी वसतु न जाणै
But does not know the thing within.
हउ न मूआ मेरी मुई बलाइ
(After knowing this) I did not die — my misfortune died.
ओहु न मूआ जो रहिआ समाइ
That which pervades all does not die.
कहु नानक गुरि ब्रहमु दिखाइआ
Nanak says, the Guru shows the Brahman. In Sikh understanding, Guru is not only a person. It is the light of understanding itself. Grace that removes the veil.
मरता जाता नदरि न आइआ
I do not see anyone truly dying or going. From the standpoint of water, waves rise and fall but water stays water.
The structure across these verses is a single movement:
Body → mind → ego → witness → all-pervading reality.
Body is elements. Mind is movement. Ego is mistaken identity. The witness is unborn. Pilgrimage is the inward turn. Guru is that which removes ignorance. Death is the collapse of false identification.
The deepest line, read non-dually:
ओहु न मूआ जो देखणहारु
The witness does not die. Know that to be the real Self. Not this temporary clump of matter and preferences.
This witness is same as Ik Onkar, or One Om-Doer. The individual ego dissolves in Naam (Name) through Nadar (Graceful glance) of the Guru (Light).
Naam is a pointer to the underlying Reality. To the Gold, not just the ornaments made out of Gold. To the water, not just the waves arising on the water.
The underlying Reality is the Sat-Guru, literally translated as Existence-Light. It is the witness underlying every single experience. Whose glance, or Nadar, is the grace that frees you effortlessly.
सुणि सुणि बूझै मानै नाउ
Hearing again and again, the intellect understands, and finally accepts Naam. Not blind belief, but repeated listening until clarity stabilizes.
ता कै सद बलिहारै जाउ
I surrender to such a one, who understands and lives by the Naam.
आपि भुलाए ठउर न ठाउ
If you forget your real Self, there is no refuge left, no stability.
तूं समझावहि मेलि मिलाउ
Only your understanding of the real Self can cause harmonious reconcillation.
नामु मिलै चलै मै नालि
When Naam is realized, it walks alongside. It is not a temporary understanding. The pointer to the reality is always present with you, you just need to notice it.
बिनु नावै बाधी सभ कालि
Without understanding of Naam, everything seems to be bound by Time. Like waves are bound by the laws of physics to come and go.
खेती वणजु नावै की ओट
Let farming and trade (all worldy action) rest on the Naam.
पापु पुंनु बीज की पोट
Sin and merit are a bundle of seeds. Actions done will grow into consequences. You reap what you sow.
कामु क्रोधु जीअ महि चोट
Lust and anger wound the being.
नामु विसारि चले मनि खोट
Forgetting Naam, the mind becomes crooked. Forgetting your real nature means falling back into ego-reference and selfish behaviour.
साचे गुर की साची सीख
तनु मनु सीतलु साचु परीख
True teaching of the ultimate Truth as Guru, makes your body and mind cool, calm and steady. As misidentification drops, agitation and grasping reduce.
जल पुराइनि रस कमल परीख
Like a lotus in water - blossoming in it, yet untouched by it. The waxy leaves protect it from dirt.
सबदि रते मीठे रस ईख
Those soaked in the Word, stay soaked in the juice of Sugarcane. They have a sweet temperament in all situations.
हुकमि संजोगी गड़ि दस दुआर
By Hukam (Reality’s Will), the fort of the ten doors, known as a body, is formed.
पंच वसहि मिलि जोति अपार
The five elements of matter are joined by the infinite Light (of awareness).
आपि तुलै आपे वणजार
It weighs and trades with itself.
नानक नामि सवारणहार
Nanak says, Naam is the one who adorns.
The thread across these verses:
Hearing truth repeatedly stabilizes understanding. Without knowledge of the Real, time and karma bind. Sin and merit operate only for the doer-ego. Mind purified by truth becomes cool and steady. Body and senses function in the light of one awareness.
The deepest non-dual pointer here is:
आपि तुलै आपे वणजार
Ultimately, there is only One trading with Itself. There is no independent individual. The same Reality appears as experiencer and experienced. When that is seen, bondage is understood as misidentification. Liberation is simply clear seeing.
This section is very beautifully rendered in Raag Dakhni Gauri on Gurjant Singh Khalsa Ji’s channel.
जातो जाइ कहा ते आवै
Where does one go? Where does one come from?
कह उपजै कह जाइ समावै
Out of what is one born? Where does one get dissolved?
किउ बाधिओ किउ मुकती पावै
How is one bound? How is one freed?
किउ अबिनासी सहजि समावै
How does one easily and naturally merge with the imperishable?
नामु रिदै अम्रितु मुखि नामु
नरहर नामु नरहर निहकामु
Keep the elixir of Naam in your heart. The recognition frees man from all troubles and desires.
सहजे आवै सहजे जाइ
It comes naturally, goes naturally.
मन ते उपजै मन माहि समाइ
It arises from mind, dissolves in mind.
गुरमुखि मुकतो बंधु न पाइ
One oriented towards the Guru, finds no bondage.
सबदु बीचारि छुटै हरि नाइ
By contemplating on the Word, one is free.
तरवर पंखी बहु निसि बासु
सुख दुखीआ मनि मोह विणासु
Happiness and suffering, attachment and loss, are like birds resting on a tree for a night.
साझ बिहाग तकहि आगासु
दह दिसि धावहि करमि लिखिआसु
According to the natural law (of Karma), at dawn these birds looks skyward, and scatter away in ten different directions.
नाम संजोगी गोइलि थाटु
काम क्रोध फूटै बिखु माटु
In a drought, people create a temporary shelter near a river. Uniting with the Naam is that shelter. It destroys desire and anger.
बिनु वखर सूनो घरु हाटु
गुर मिलि खोले बजर कपाट
(Those people that don’t realize the Truth) their shop and house (heart) is locked and completely empty of wares. Meeting the Guru unlocks the heavy gate and lets the Light inside.
साधु मिलै पूरब संजोग
सचि रहसे पूरे हरि लोग
Those who attain Sainthood because of their past good deeds, those who stay completely immersed and fulfilled in the Truth.
मनु तनु दे लै सहजि सुभाइ
Those who surrender their mind and body, attain divinity with natural ease.
नानक तिन कै लागउ पाइ
Nanak says: I fall at their feet.
The arc across these verses:
Sahaj is the key word. Not forced samadhi. Not effortful trance. Natural abidance in what one already is.
The deepest line, read non-dually:
मन ते उपजै मन माहि समाइ
All arising and dissolving happen in mind. There is nothing to grasp.
Naam is a pointer, a recognition, like hearing someone’s name instantly helps you know who is being talked about.
।। ੴ सति नामु श्री वाहेगुरु ।।