Sach Khand: Difference between revisions

This is the final stage in the five realms or domains discussed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the final stages of the first bani in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji called the Japji Sahib. "Sach" means "true" so "Sach Khand" means "the realm of Truth". The final stage of spiritual ascent, i.e. "Sach khand" (the realm of the Truth), defies description. “Hard as steel is the story of this state to narrate.” Described as the abode of the Nirankar, the Formless One, Sach Khand is not a geographical spot, but the final state of the evolution of human consciousness.

Says Guru Nanak

This is the realm of God, the Nirankar. Since this plane cannot be described by the language of the world of three dimensional forms, Guru Nanak Dev Ji refers to it simply as Satch Khand – the realm of Truth. This is where the Nirankar himself dwells. Satch Khand is huge and the whole creation including the other 4 Khands are within Satch Khand. Satch Khand surrounds the whole of creation and is inside the whole of creation. In essence, Satch Khand is Waheguru himself. It is futile to write anything about it. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has written that to describe Sach Khand as chewing iron (Nanak, Kathna KaraRaa Saar).

The Five Realms described in the Bani are:

• 1. Dharam Khand: the realm of righteous action (pauri 35),

• 2. Gian Khand: the realm of knowledge (pauri 36),

• 3. Saram Khand: the realm of spiritual endeavour (pauri 36),

• 4. Karam Khand: the realm of grace, (pauri 37) and

• 5. Sach Khand: the realm of Truth (pauri 37).

“Satch khand vasai Nirankar, kar kar vehai nadhar nihaal Tithai khand mandal varbhand, Je ko tathai ta ant na ant
Tithai loa loa akar, Jiv jiv hukam tivai tiv kar
Vekhay vigsay kar vichaar, Nanak kathna karara saar”

Nirankar dwells here and looks upon his creation with benign attention. There are countless universes, planets and continents, all of which He sees and watches over. All these are beyond one's power to explain, for how can formlessness be described through forms?

It follows that an individual of desires will never be able to reach the level of pure intellect, which is Saram Khand. The desire to renounce desire is also a desire, though of a higher kind, so long desires exist, one cannot spiritually evolve. The action of an individual’s desires is always motivated. An individual of desire has always fixed a goal which he or she wishes to accomplish. After fixing the goal, he or she lays down, plans, and schemes to realise this goal. This plan is the result of his or her own reasoning based upon his or her memories and experiences. No other person will approach a situation in the same way he or she would. Each person woukd judge it from his or her own viewpoint and no one will be able to comprehend the truth in its totality.

Under such circumstances, whatever plan one lays out for the realization of a goal, the plan will be layed inside the 'box' in which one lives (personal memories and experiences) outside of which one will not be able to see. So as long as one is possessed of the subtlest desire, understanding in totality will be impossible for an individual to comprehend.

After all desires are calmed, one is transformed into a higher Khand. In order to attain God, desires and intellect need to be renounced. But an individual who renounces desire in an attempt to cultivate thoughtlessness, is very much a victim of the desires and thoughts he or she is trying to renounce. Renunciation will not come by consciously cultivating it. It will come only one when one neither wants, nor not wants.

Guru Nanak Dev ji explains: (SGGS page 8)

Pauri 37

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