The groups of stanzas deal with one topic at a time, for example, Listening to the Holy Name (Suniyai) in stanzas 8 to 11, Faith in the Holy Nams (Mannei) in 12 to 15, the discipline of Yoga in 28 to 31, or the steps of spiritual ascent (Khands) in stanzas 34 to 37. Its stanzas are clustered in groups which then lead to unity of idea. Its unity is obtained by its consistent drive toward a basic vision or goal. The overall excellence of the Japji is not structural or literary, nor is it the step-by-step progression of an argument for a planned thesis. The last Verse (Salok) of Japji is repeated by Guru Angad in his Manjh-ki-var on page 146 of the Guru Granth Sahib. Finally, Guru Nanak describes the five planes of spiritual progress by which man may come to GodвЂ™s abode-in the realm of the Eternal. The infinity of the creation and manifestation, is beyond count or measure. There are millions of lower and upper worlds. No one knows the expanse of the LordвЂ™s creation. Thirdly the concept of the Creation, which the Guru explains, is the result of GodвЂ™s command or word (and the world came into being instantly). Devotion and the singing of GodвЂ™s Name and His praises are also essentials for deserving this grace or blessing. Grace does not come merely by doing good deeds. ManвЂ™s effort to live a holy and virtuous life may be rewarded by a divine grace which may lead to his salvation. This law brings grace as the fruit of good action, and divine retribution as that for bad action. Secondly Hukam-Divine Law or Will-that which controls and governs the universe, sometimes also thought of as Cosmic Law. The best time for devotional prayer or meditation is during the ambrosial hours-about dawn. Japji describes the basic concepts of Sikhism: Firstly, Bhakti or Simran (devotional worship) is given as the best way to God realisation. Hence the need for Dharma and the discipline of morality.вЂ™ There is a constant inner urge of the human soul for Oneness with God, for every person has a Divine Spark within himself. Seshadri explains it thus: The quest is inward and the goal, God-realisation! The sacred shrine is within the heart of man, but the essential precondition for the success of manвЂ™s earthly pilgrimage is to overcome his own Ego. The goal is to elevate ordinary people to the mystic vision of God. How can one be a man of The Truth? How can one break down the wall of falsehood? He supplies the answer very briefly in the following line.

In the very first verse, Guru Nanak states its whole theme in question form:

It favours manвЂ™s participation in the affairs of the world, combined with an integration of wisdom and selfless activity. It does recommend passive contemplation or living an isolated life. Its theme covers a suggested course of training for an average family-man that would enable him to attain spiritual perfection. The whole prayer concerns itself with the problems of ordinary. It is a treasury of secular and spiritual wisdom and deserves detailed study. For these reasons it occupies the opening place in the Guru Granth Sahib. It contains the basic teachings of Guru Nanak. Japji Sahib contains the whole essence of Sikh philosophy.

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