Sach Khand

This is the final stage in the five realms or domains discussed by Guru Nanak in the final stages of the first bani in the Guru Granth Sahib called the Japji Sahib.The Five Realms described in the Bani are:

• 1. Dharam Khand: the realm of righteous action (pauri 34),

• 2. Gian Khand: the realm of knowledge (pauri 35),

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

• 4. Karam Khand: the realm of grace, and

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

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. One can only experience it, but not describe it, for here words cease to have any meaning and no analogies can help in describing the Unique. Here in the Divine Court, the perfect ones rejoice in His presence. It is from here that His Will (hukam) goes out to the universe, and the liberated, grace-filled souls perform it joyously and effortlessly. The devotee becomes one with Him and realizes Him as a unifying force working through all objects of His creation. This way he attains to the non-spatial sach khand and to the Dweller therein, the Nirankar, who is nowhere outside his own heart.

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

“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. Al these are beyond ones power to explain, for how can formlessness be described through forms ?

It follows that a man 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 as even this exists one cannot spiritually evolve. The action of a man desires is always motivated . A man of desire has always fixed a goal which he wishes to accomplish. After fixing the goal, he lays down plans and schemes to realise this goal. This plan is the result of his own reasoning based upon is memories and experiences. No two person will approach a situation in the same way they will each judge it from their own viewpoint, no one will be able to comprehend the truth in its totality. Under such circumstances whatever plan one lays for the realisation of one’s aim, will be the line outside one will not be able to see. So long as one is possessed of the subtlest desire, the understanding in totality will be impossible for him to comprehend

After all desires a calmed one is transformed into a higher Khand. In order to attain God, desire and intellect itself needs to be renounced. But a man who renounces desire and cultivates thoughtlessness, is very much a victim of the desires and thoughts he 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)

ਸਚ ਖੰਡਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ੝ ॥
Sacẖ kẖand vasai nirankĝr.
In the realm of Truth, the Formless Lord abides.

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥
Kar kar vėkẖai naḝar nihĝl.
Having created the creation, He watches over it. By His Glance of Grace, He bestows happiness.

ਤਿਥੈ ਖੰਡ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਰਭੰਡ ॥
Ŧithai kẖand mandal varbẖand.
There are planets, solar systems and galaxies.

ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਥੈ ਤ ਅੰਤ ਨ ਅੰਤ ॥
Jė ko kathai ṯa anṯ na anṯ.
If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end.

ਤਿਥੈ ਲੋਅ ਲੋਅ ਆਕਾਰ ॥
Ŧithai lo­a lo­a ĝkĝr.
There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation.

ਜਿਵ ਜਿਵ ਹ੝ਕਮ੝ ਤਿਵੈ ਤਿਵ ਕਾਰ ॥
Jiv jiv hukam ṯivai ṯiv kĝr.
As He commands, so they exist.

ਵੇਖੈ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਕਰਿ ਵੀਚਾਰ੝ ॥
vėkẖai vigsai kar vīcẖĝr.
He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices.

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਥਨਾ ਕਰੜਾ ਸਾਰ੝ ॥੩੭॥
Nĝnak kathnĝ karṛĝ sĝr. ||37||
O Nanak, to describe this is as hard as steel! ||37||