Prayers

An Invitation to Pray for the Inter-Connectedness of All Creation

Please see our compilation of Sikh Gurbani, or hymns, on nature: how we are connected with it and why we should protect it.

Reflections

The Sikh view is that spirit and matter are not antagonistic. Guru Nanak declared that the spirit was the only reality and matter is only a form of spirit. Spirit takes on many forms and names under various conditions.

When I saw truly, I knew that all was primeval. Nanak, the subtle (spirit) and the gross (material) are, in fact, identical. – (Guru Granth Sahib, page 281)

That which is inside a person, the same is outside; nothing else exists; By divine prompting look upon all existence as one and undifferentiated; The same light penetrates all existence.- (Guru Granth Sahib, page 599)

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੧ ॥
ਘੜੀਆ ਸਭੇ ਗੋਪੀਆ ਪਹਰ ਕੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਗੋਪਾਲ ॥
ਗਹਣੇ ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਚੰਦੁ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਅਵਤਾਰ ॥
ਸਗਲੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਮਾਲੁ ਧਨੁ ਵਰਤਣਿ ਸਰਬ ਜੰਜਾਲ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਮੁਸੈ ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣੀ ਖਾਇ ਗਇਆ ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ॥੧॥

Every minute the Creator is adding numberless beings in His creation. The air, water, fire, moons and earths are jewels of His creation. The world continuously is engaging itself in the earthly wealth and relations, and without a lovable connection with the Creator and His creation the life goes to waste. – (Guru Granth Sahib, page 465)

ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥
ਪਵਣੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਣੀ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਧਰਤਿ ਮਹਤੁ ॥
ਦਿਵਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੁਇ ਦਾਈ ਦਾਇਆ ਖੇਲੈ ਸਗਲ ਜਗਤੁ ॥
ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਬੁਰਿਆਈਆ ਵਾਚੈ ਧਰਮੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਕਰਮੀ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੇ ਨੇੜੈ ਕੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all. Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the world is at play. Good deeds and bad deeds-the record is read out in the Presence of the Lord of Dharma. According to their own actions, some are drawn closer, and some are driven farther away. O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and they only can bless the world around them with their presence and bliss, who depart the world in union with God and His creation ||1||- (Guru Granth Sahib, page 8)

ਆਪੇ ਦਾਨਾ ਆਪੇ ਬੀਨਾ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਆਪੁ ਉਪਾਇ ਪਤੀਨਾ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੩॥
ਆਪੇ ਸਸਿ ਸੂਰਾ ਪੂਰੋ ਪੂਰਾ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਧਿਆਨਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਸੂਰਾ ॥
ਕਾਲੁ ਜਾਲੁ ਜਮੁ ਜੋਹਿ ਨ ਸਾਕੈ ਸਾਚੇ ਸਿਉ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੪॥
ਆਪੇ ਭਵਰੁ ਫੁਲੁ ਫਲੁ ਤਰਵਰੁ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਜਲੁ ਥਲੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸਰਵਰੁ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਮਛੁ ਕਛੁ ਕਰਣੀਕਰੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਲਖਣਾ ਜਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੬॥
ਪਉਣੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਣੀ ਪਿਤ ਜਾਤਾ ॥
ਉਦਰ ਸੰਜੋਗੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਮਾਤਾ ॥
ਰੈਣਿ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਦੁਇ ਦਾਈ ਦਾਇਆ ਜਗੁ ਖੇਲੈ ਖੇਲਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੧੦॥

The world, like all creation, is a manifestation of God. Every creature in this world, every plant, every form is a manifestation of the Creator. Each is part of God and God is within each element of creation. God is the cause of all and the primary connection between all existences.

“The Creator created Himself…… And created all creation in which He is manifest. You Yourself the bumble-bee, flower, fruit and the tree. You Yourself the water, desert, ocean and the pond. You Yourself the big fish, tortoise and the Cause of causes. Your form can not be known. – (Guru Granth Sahib, Maru Sohele, page 1016)