How can I get closer to God

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How should one behave in this world to get closer to God?

According to Guru Arjan there is only one quality necessary to attain honour in God's domain, only one; and that is - well, just read this line by the great Guru: "ਪ੝ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਾਨੀ ॥ In the remembrance of God, one attains honour in the Court of the Lord" (SGGS p 262) - the remembrance of the Almighty Lord - that is all that one has to do to attain God; just by remembering the Lord one get honour in His Court; ones ultimate goal is achieved! That does not sound too bad does it? Really, it is not such a big deal, is it? - One thing only - Just remember God! The question then is, so why aren't you doing it?

Gurbani tells us clearly how to get to our ultimate destination; no more reincarnation as this and that; no more pain and hardship of births and deaths; no more having to tread the fires of Kaljug; no more agony of the enslavement in various kinds of bodies subject to the ups and downs of life in any type of body.

The fifth Guru goes on to explain how one goes round remembering God, the Supreme Soul; read this line, "Abiding in His Company, one chants the Lord's Praise, and reaches the Court of the Supreme Lord God" (SGGS p 262). It does not really get much easier than this. All you need to do is "be in His presence" or "consider Him right close to you" then sing His praises in your heart and mind even aloud, if you wish! If you can do that, the Guru assures us that we will reach the Court of the Supreme Lord God. Do I really need to say any more?

How does one remember the Lord?

Again the holy Granth comes to our assistance; though Gurbani, we learn how to mediate on and remember the Lord. Here, Guru Arjan instructs us to worship with whole-hearted devotion thus: "Worship the Lord with whole-hearted devotion. O Nanak, you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desire.(4)" (SGGS p 288) So, when we meditate on the Lord with devotion and love; the Guru tells us that all our mind's desires are fulfilled. But don't expect a Mercedes car to pop out of thin air! The God does not want you to get entangled with Maya and its many forms and guises; worldly goods, material possessions and personal relationships are just a temporary association which we play with for a few day; soon they will be gone! God does not want us entrapped in these props in the world drama.

Imagine a child asking its mother for chocolate every time it was meal time. A responsible mother knows that chocolate each meal time is not good for the child and so a good mother will not give the child chocolate with every meal. Now the child, not understanding about nutrition and the fact that too much sugar is bad for the body will deem the mother cruel and may even say so to the mother! However, as we understand the issues here we would agree with the responsible mother.

The same applies between humans and God; we, not understanding about Maya and the journey of the soul, keep asking God for Maya not knowing that we are asking for things which have no meaning in the bigger picture; just like the child who love chocolate, we love Maya in the form of cars, houses, beauty, gadgets, etc. But God know that what really matters is your dedication to the higher spiritual function in human life; God wants us to remember Him; to tread on his path; live to higher principles of human life; live a life of sewa and positive features.

Guru Amar Das, the third master warns us that attached to Maya, we forget our real Master and that this leads to misery and death thus: "In attachment to Maya, they have forgotten the Father, the Cherisher of the World. Without the Guru, all are unconscious; they are held in bondage by the Messenger of Death" (SGGS p 30) and when you forget your real Master, well then you are on the slippery slope; it is like a child forgetting his or her parents.

If you discard your parents who are the closest to you in this world then who else will ever become more closer to you - probably no one! If you can discard the closest human bond then you are not capable of bonding with anyone else who does not have that head start that you had with your parents. So, if you can discard and forget God, your ultimate Father and Mother, then you are indeed doomed!


Gurbani

ਜਾ ਪਿਰ੝ ਜਾਣੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਤਨ੝ ਮਨ੝ ਅਗੈ ਧਰੇਇ ॥ ਸੋਹਾਗਣੀ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਦੀਆ ਸੇਈ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇਇ ॥ ਸਹਜੇ ਸਾਚਿ ਮਿਲਾਵੜਾ ਸਾਚ੝ ਵਡਾਈ ਦੇਇ ॥੧॥
Jĝ pir jĝṇai ĝpṇĝ ṯan man agai ḝẖare▫e. Sohĝgaṇī karam kamĝvḝī▫ĝ se▫ī karam kare▫i. Sėhje sĝcẖ milĝvṛĝ sĝcẖ vadĝ▫ī ḝe▫e. (1)
If you know that He is your Husband Lord, offer your body and mind to Him. Behave like the happy and pure soul-bride.

With intuitive ease, you shall merge with the True Lord, and He shall bless you with true greatness.(1)

ਵੇਖਹ੝ ਭਾਈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਤਹ੝ ਸ੝ਆਮੀ ਅਪ੝ਨੇ ਕੀ ਜੈਸਾ ਕੋਈ ਕਰੈ ਤੈਸਾ ਕੋਈ ਪਾਵੈ ॥

ਝਹ੝ ਬ੝ਰਹਮ ਬੀਚਾਰ੝ ਹੋਵੈ ਦਰਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਅਗੋ ਦੇ ਜਨ੝ ਨਾਨਕ੝ ਆਖਿ ਸ੝ਣਾਵੈ ॥੨॥

vekẖhu bẖĝ▫ī vadi▫ĝ▫ī har sanṯahu su▫ĝmī apune kī jaisĝ ko▫ī karai ṯaisĝ ko▫ī pĝvai.

Ėhu barahm bīcẖĝr hovai ḝar sĝcẖai ago ḝe jan Nĝnak ĝkẖ suṇĝvai. (2)

O Siblings of Destiny, behold this, the glorious greatness of our Lord and Master, O Saints; as one behaves, so does he receive.

This shall be God's determination in His True Court; servant Nanak predicts and proclaims this. (2)