Ik Oaṅkār: Diving Into The Concept Of Simultaneous Oneness and Multiplicity

Exploring the unique concept of Simultaneous Oneness and Multiplicity present within the concept of Ik Oaṅkār as bought forth by the Gurūs & commentated by Bhāī Maṇī Siṅgh.

Cosmos or the play of the Supreme Kāla

Within this Newsletter I have previously discussed Creation, Preservation, and Dissolution and their relations to the concept of Ik Oaṅkār propounded by Jagatgurū Srī Gurū Nānak Dev, The first master of the Sikh Tradition. Which I do recommend reading prior to this article. Within this article, I would like to comment further upon a verse from Amar Ṣahīd Bhāī Maṇī Siṅgh Jī within their commentary of Srī Japujī Sāhib found within their composed Janamsākhī, Specifically, the concept encapsulated within a short verse from their commentary upon Ik Oaṅkār -

ਤਾਂ ਬਾਬੇ ਕਹਿਆ ਏਕੰਕਾਰ ਇਕ ਜੋ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਚਾਹਿਆ ਜੋ ਮੈਂ ਏਕ ਦਾ ਅਨੇਕ ਹੋਵਾਂ
Tāṇ bābe kahiā ékaṅkār ik jó vāhigurū paramātmā hai jo us ne chāhiā jo mai ek da anek hovāṇ
From the one and non-dual Vahegurū who is Ekaṇkār or Ik Oaṅkār came the desire to manifest as multiplicity or as what we know as the manifold1 ( ik jó vāhigurū paramātmā hai jo us ne chāhiā jo mai ek da anek hovāṇ).

*For Further reading of Bhāī Maṇī Siṅgh’s commentary with an English Translation do check out my previous article

Here Bhāī Maṅī Siṅgh talks of Ik Oaṅkār being One and Non-Dual but simultaneously being many or being multiplicity itself. This concept or principle can be clearly seen throughout Gurbāṇī but is sadly often neglected even though it being central to the Sikh Philosophical/Philosophical System which can be seen vividly from the pen of the Tenth-Master, namely, Srī Gurū Gobiṅd Siṅgh Jī constituting the Srī Dasam Graṅth -

ਏਕ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਨੇਕ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੀਨ ਰੂਪ ਅਨੇਕ ॥ ਖੇਲ ਖੇਲਿ ਅਖੇਲ ਖੇਲਨ ਅੰਤ ਕੋ ਫਿਰਿ ਏਕ ॥੮੧॥
Ek mūrat anek darsan, Kīn rūp anek || Khel khel akhel khelan aṅt ko fir ek || 81 ||
O’ Akāl Purakh, You yourself being one manifest as multiplicity and you yourself perceive this multiplicity!
O’ Akāl Purakh, For the creation of the manifold you perform such a play which no one other than you can perform in which you being one expand into multiplicity known as the universe or manifold as none other than you can being one expand into multiplicity but when you complete/end your composed play you dissolve this multiplicity and return back to your state of absolute oneness and bliss.
(Srī Dasam Graṅth, Jāp Sāhib, Gurū Gobind Siṅgh Jī)

Originating from the pen of the Tenth-Master we find another verse enlightening further upon this -

ਕਾਲ ਸਬਨ ਕੋ ਪੇਖਿ ਤਮਾਸਾ ॥ ਅੰਤਹਕਾਲ ਕਰਤ ਹੈ ਨਾਸਾ ॥੨॥
ਕਾਲ ਸਭਨ ਕਾ ਕਰਤ ਪਸਾਰਾ ॥ ਅੰਤ ਕਾਲਿ ਸੋਈ ਖਾਪਨਿਹਾਰਾ ॥
ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਅਨੰਤਨ ਧਰਹੀ ॥ ਆਪਹਿ ਮਧਿ ਲੀਨ ਪੁਨਿ ਕਰਹੀ ॥੩॥
Kāl saban ko pekh tamāsā || aṅtahkāl karat hai nāsa ||2||
Kāl saban ko karat pasārā || Aṅt kāl soī khāpanhārā ||
Āpan rūp anaṅtan dharhī || Āpahi madh līn pun karhī ||3||
It is the supreme Kāl or Ik Oaṅkār who watches his composed play or Tamāṣa known as the universe/multiplicity, upon the completion of this play he destroys his play/Tamāṣa (Universe)| It is the Supreme Kāl who is also known as Akāl Purakh or Ik Oaṅkār which causes the expansion into multiplicity/world and at the end he himself destroys this expansion | He (The Supreme Kāla) takes upon enumerable forms (The Multiplicity/Universe) upon which he dissolves all those enumerable forms into himself.
(Srī Dasam Graṅth, Chaubīs Avtār, Srī Gurū Gobiṅd Siṅgh Jī)

We do not just find verses in regards to such a concept within just the Srī Dasam Graṅth we also find the Gurū Graṅth Sāhib replete of such verses -

ਆਪਹਿ ਏਕ ਆਪਹਿ ਅਨੇਕ ॥
Āpahi ek āpahi anek ||
He himself is one he himself is many/multiplicity referring to the universe.
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib, Aṅg/Limb (Page) 290, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥
Āpan khel āap vartījā ||
This multiplicity being experienced is none other the play of Akāl Purakh/Ik Oaṅkār and he himself is the one performing within this play, Srī Gurū Nānak Dev states that it is none other than this Akāl Purakh/Ik Oaṅkār who can compose such a play (Due to none other than Akāl Purakh being able to be one and simultaneously being the multiplicity/many)
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib, Aṅg/Limb (Page) 290, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ॥ ਖੇਲੁ ਸੰਕੋਚੈ ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੈ ॥੭॥
Āpan khel Āp kar dekhai || Khel saṇkochai tao nānak ekai ||7||
He (Akāl Purakh/Ik Oaṅkār) himself composes his play and himself perceives this play, Upon it’s end he himself dissolves this play/Tamāṣa or world into himself upon which there is nothing other than absolute oneness.
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib, Aṅg 290, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਦੂਜਾ ਕੋਇ ਨਾਹਿ ॥ ਸਭੁ ਤੇਰੋ ਖੇਲੁ ਤੁਝ ਮਹਿ ਸਮਾਹਿ ॥
Tujh bin dūja koe nāhi || Sabh tero khel tujh māhi samāhi ||
There is none other than you! All (Universe) is the play of yours and upon its end you dissolve all this within yourself!
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib, Aṅg 1181, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

At first sight it one may be baffled to observing seemingly self-contradicting statements,
How can one be one and non-dual and also exist as many or as multiplicity? This question can be answered by taking a glance upon the principles of the Sikh Philosophy, Firstly It should be understood that the Sikh Philosophy is a Non-Dualistic Philosophy which should be evident from the above referenced verses. Another principle which is noteworthy is that within the Sikh Tradition the world or manifold/multiplicity is understood as a Tamāṣa/Khel or Play which has been used in nearly all the above verses referenced and all know that a Play presented is never True/Real it is False/Mithyā or ‘That which appears to exist but in actuality does not exist’ [Not be confused with Asat or that which neither appears to exist and neither holds any existence] Just as a Play which is presented is never real it is imaginary but seems to be real. The closes equivalent of such a term within English is the term ‘Illusion/Illusionary’, an example to aid in understanding such an abstract concept is the example of a mirage within the desert, one perceives a fountain of water but when one comes in closer contact one comes to the realisation that in reality there is no fountain of water which exists! In the same sense one due to the superimposed ignorance or Avidyā or Ajnāna understands the world as being real and existent but when one comes to perceive the world from the light of the absolute reality one is brought to a realisation that in actuality the world does not exist, It only exists from a conventional/relative standpoint or reality!

Image which illustrates a dream-like realm

If we are to observe Gurbāṇī one finds Gurbāṇī to be replete of such verses elaborating upon this concept -

ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿਮਾਨ ਹੈ ਸਗਲ ਮਿਥੇਨਾ ॥
Dristmān hai sagal mithenā ||
All which is being perceived (The Multiplicity/Phenomenal Manifold) is Mithyā/Mithenā (That which seems to exists but in reality does not exist)
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib Jī, Aṅg 1082, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

We also find the Gurūs comparing the world/Manifold/Multiplicity with a dream which again appears to be True and existent but upon waking one realises it was all an illusion and the realms within that dream did not exist -

ਜਿਉ ਸੁਪਨਾ ਅਰੁ ਪੇਖਨਾ ਐਸੇ ਜਗ ਕਉ ਜਾਨਿ ॥
Jio Supnā Ar Pekhanā Aise Jag Kao Jān ||
Just like a Dream and play/Tamāṣa is Mithyā (Appearing to exist but doesn’t exist), so should one understand this perceived world!
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib Jī, Aṅg 1427, Gurū Arjan Dev Jī)

These statements and principles are further supported by the conceptualisation of God/Ik Oaṅkār being unchanging which can be understood from the following verses -

ਯਹਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਆਹਿ ਆਤਮਾ ਰਾਮ ॥ ਜਿਹ ਅਮਿਤ ਤੇਜਿ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਕਾਮ ॥
ਜਿਹ ਭੇਦ ਭਰਮ ਨਹੀ ਕਰਮ ਕਾਲ ॥ ਜਿਹ ਸਤ੍ਰ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸਰਬਾ ਦਿਆਲ ॥
ਅਨਭਉ ਸਰੂਪ ਅਨਹਦ ਅਕਾਮ
Yahi Braham āhi ātamā rām || Jih amit tej abigat akām ||
Jih bhed bharam nahī karam kāl || Jih satra mitra sarbā diāl ||
Anbhao sarūp anahad akāma ||
Atman (True-Self) is Brahm (Ik Oaṅkār/Akāl Purakh), And is indestructible, Illuminating, imperceptible and desireless It is without separated condition, unaffected by illusion, it does not act and is not affected by time, It is compassionate to all whether freind or foe, the essential form of Atman is consciousness, it is boundless and desireless -
(Srī Dasam Graṅth, Gyān Prabodha, Gurū Gobiṅd Siṅgh Jī)

Again this at first sight may seem to be in opposition to the idea that 'Ik Oaṅkār had the thought to expand into multiplicity known as the manifold’ but this is incorrect as from the conventional/Relative standpoint or reality (Vyavaharik) it is true that Ik Oaṅkār has changed/manifested as multiplicity, but, under the light of the absolute reality or knowledge of the absolute reality this phenomena has never occurred as Ik Oaṅkār is unchanging which can be understood clearly from the ‘Ik’ within the term Ik Oaṅkār referring to Akāl Purakh as ‘Ik Ras Rehan Vāla’ or that who exists unchanging this further proves the phenomenal manifold as nothing but Mithyā.

We find a similar concept present within the Upanishadic Doctrine in which a verse is found ‘Ekohaṃ Bahusyāmī’ or that ‘may I from one manifest as many in other words multiplicity’. Interestingly, There is a similar or arguably identical perspective of the verse which is presented by the Advaita Vedantins who argue this is an ‘illusory transformation’ or Vivarta (by presenting their Vivartavāda) and has in fact never occurred, to establish the idea that the world is illusory/Mithyā, One can see this vividly from the decelerations found within Gaudapāda’s Karikas upon the Manḍūkya Upaniṣad -

स्वप्नमाये यथा दृष्टे गन्धर्वनगरं यथा ।
तथा विश्वमिदं दृष्टं वेदान्तेषु विचक्षणः ॥ ३१॥
31. As are dreams and illusions or a castle in the air seen in the sky, so is the universe viewed by the wise in the Vedanta.
(Māndūkya Kārika, Chapter 2 Verse 31, Gauḍapāda, Translation by Svāmī Nikhilānaṇda)

We see further the supposed succeeder of Gauḍapāda, namely, Adī Saṃkarācharyā rephrasing such within his Brahma-jnāna-vālī-māla or ‘The Garland of Knowledge’ -

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः ।
Brahma Satyaṃ Jagaṅmithyā Jīvo Brahmaiva Nāparaha
Only Brahman (The Supreme) is Satyam/True and the world/multiplicity is Mithyā (That which appears to exist but in reality does not bare existence). The Jīva (Individual Soul) and Brahman are one and that there is nothing other than this Jiva/Brahman
(Brahma-jnāna-vālī-māla, Verse 20, Adī Saṃkarācharyā)

Do note Sikhi is not a Vedantic School neither does it belong or fit into any of the six schools of Hindu/Indian Philosophy which becomes evident from the first Vār/Ballad o Bhāī Gurdās (Contemporary of the Gurūs and scribe of Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib Jī) in which he elaborates upon the uniqueness of the Sikh Tradition/Darṣana, Note* it is recommended to read Gianī Balwant Siṅgh Koṭhāgurū’s ‘Gurbāṇī-Vedāṅt Nirṇai’ for further reading of the differences between Vedantic thought and Sikh thought. We also find Gurbāṇī replete of verses elaborating upon the uniqueness of Sikh Philosophical Tradition -

ਖਟੁ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਵਰਤਾਰਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
Khat darsan vartai vartārā || Gur kā darsan agam apārā ||
The Six Schools of Indian Thought (Khat Darṣan) are prevalent and being preached throughout the world but the Darṣana or Philosophical System founded by the Gurū or Gurdarṣan is unequalled and beyond the six other Darṣanas.
(Srī Gurū Graṅth Sāhib, Aṅg 360, Srī Gurū Amardās)

In the Vārs of Bhāī Gurdās we find mention dialogue between the young Gurū Nānak and the Sidhas in which the Sidhas attempt to convert the young Gurū Nānak into their philosophical fold -

ਸਿਧੀਂ ਮਨੇ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਆ ਕਿਵੈ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਏ ਲੇਵੈ ਬਾਲਾ। ਐਸਾ ਜੋਗੀ ਕਲੀ ਮਹਿ ਹਮਰੇ ਪੰਥੁ ਕਰੇ ਉਜਿਆਲਾ।
Sidhī mane bīchariā kivai darsan ai levai bala | Aisa jogī kalī mahi hamare paṅth kare ujiala ||
The congregation of Sidhas thought to themselves how can we persuade this child (Gurū Nānak) to join our fold as a Yogī like Gurū Nānak will illuminate the name of our sect [Propagate and make well known our tradition] within this Dark age of Kaliyuga.
(Bhāī Gurdās’s Vāran, Vār 1/31/1-2)

But Gurū Nānak did not play into the hands of the Sidhas and achieved victory over the Sidhas and placed the foundation of his unique path -

ਸਬਦਿ ਜਿਤੀ ਸਿਧਿ ਮੰਡਲੀ ਕੀਤੋਸੁ ਅਪਣਾ ਪੰਥੁ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ।
Sabad jitī sidh maṅdalī kītos apnā paṅth nirālā |
Gurū Nānak through the power of the Shabad (Divine Name) Gurū Nānak attained victory over the Sidhas and created his Nirāla Panth or Path unique to all other paths/traditions!
(Bhāī Gurdās’s Vāran, Vār 1/31/7)

Bhāī Gurdās elaborates further that this path of Sikhi is unique and can not be assimilated even if tried to! -

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪੰਥ ਨਿਰੋਲੁ ਨ ਰਲੇ ਰਲਾਈਐ।
Gurmukh paṅth nirol na rale ralaéai ||
The Path/Tradition of Gurmukhs (Sikhs) is unique and can not be assimilated into any other path or tradition/religion.
(Bhāī Gurdās’s Vāran, Vār 3/5/4)

I close this article with a Maṅgalācharaṇ or Salutation to The Supreme Gurū, Gurū Nānak -

Svastī Srī Gurū Nānakó Vijayaté, Vande Guruṃ Nānakaṃ, Gopyóhaṃ GurūNanakena Stattaṃ ṢrīNānakāyóṃ Namaḥ | Dasaḥ Sadgurunānaké Mam Ratis-Trāyasva Māṃ Nānak |