In Sikhism, the human body is regarded as the gateway to the realisation of the supreme truth. The body is the temple in which God resides. Hence, one has to be very careful about the way one treats it. Guru Amar Das says, “In the body are contained pearls and treasures, the storehouse of devotion. The nine regions of the earth, the nine treasures of naam, the divine are contained in this frame”.
Our body represents the whole creation. In fact, it is the model of the universe. Man is the microcosm of the cosmos. There is a similarity between the physical processes of the universe and the biological processes of the body. The study of the body or microcosm makes us understand the macrocosm. The only requirement is to look within. In addition to the nine visible gates — two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth and two lower apertures of the body — there is the tenth “invisible” gate (dasam dwar) where the shabad keeps resounding. This dasam dwar is the only door that leads to the path of God.
Only human beings are blessed with the opportunity to awaken the “tenth door”. Of all the species, human is the highest and most privileged. Guru Arjan says, “Of all the 84 lakh species, God gave superiority to man”. Human birth is attained because of good fortune and is therefore the right medium to attain salvation. Human body helps the self to merge with the Absolute. Guru Arjan says, “...now that you have got a human body, this is your turn to meet God”. Human body is regarded as a precious gift and a unique opportunity to “know oneself”. This is regarded as the true aim of life and the purpose of the human body.
The Creator is not different from His creation. Microcosm and macrocosm are complementary to each other. The self is the manifestation of the “absolute self”. The Gurus refer to the image of the Sun and the ray to define the relation of the Almighty and the individual self. Soul or atma is the ray through which the paramatma or the Ultimate Soul permeates individual selves.
To realise the Ultimate, the self is to be awakened through good deeds and meditation upon shabad. Guru Nanak says, “Listen, listen to my advice, O my mind; only good deeds will endure, and there may not be a second chance”. Good deeds can be done only if one is devoid of haumai or pride. Salvation lies in overcoming one’s ego and understanding one’s true self while owning a human form — a spark of the eternal light. No wonder human body is regarded as the temple of the living God. Hari mandaru ehu sariru hai (It is in this worthy temple that the Creator is to be realised and worshipped).
Kulbir Kaur teaches sociology at Shyama Prasad Mukherji College, Delhi University
