Ik Oaṅkār: Exploring Creation, Preservation & Dissolution

Investigating the functions of Creation, Preservation and dissolution engrained within the concept of Ik Oaṅkār presented by Gurū Nānak Dev Jī.

Gurbānī is replete of verses in which Creation, Preservation and dissolution are attributed to Srī Akāl Purakh Ji or Ik Oaṅkār. In regards to which we find a beautiful verse from the pen of the Tenth Master, Namely, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji -

ਸਰਬ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਰਬ ਹਰਤਾ ਸਰਬ ਦ੍ਯਾਲ ਅਦ੍ਵੇਖ ॥
Sarab Kartā Sarab Hartā Sarab Dyāl Advaikh ||
He (Srī Akāl Purakh/Ek Oaṅkār) is the creator of all, He is the destroyer of all, He is without enmity and merciful to all.
(Sri Dasam Granth, Ang/Limb (Page) 33)

Here it becomes clear that this Srī Akāl Purakh or in other words Ik Oaṅkār is himself verily the creator and destroyer along with being the preserver of that which he has created for which reason he manifests in the world -

ਜਬ ਜਬ ਹੋਤਿ ਅਰਿਸਟਿ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
ਤਬ ਤਬ ਦੇਹ ਧਰਤ ਅਵਤਾਰਾ ॥
Jab Jab Hót Arist Apāra || Tab Tab Déh Dharat Avtārā
When enumerable tyrants which afflict pain upon others arise (Adharma Rises), At those times the lord himself incarnates into the manifold in an bodily form.
(Sri Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh, Ang 155)

Gurbānī in many places elucidates upon how Ik Oaṅkār/Srī Akāl Purakh is verily the producer of the play (Tamaṣa) which we have labelled as the Manifold -

ਸਕਲ ਕਾਲ ਕਾ ਕੀਆ ਤਮਾਸਾ ॥੩੮੩॥
Sakal Kāl Kā Kīyā Tamāsā ||383||
All (which is being perceived) is the play of Kāl (Srī Akāl Purakh).
(Sri Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh, Ang 1386)

Here it becomes vivid and clear that Srī Akāl Purakh is no doubt the creator, preserver & Destroyer of this multifarious manifold but this causes the question ‘How does or by what means does Srī Akāl Purakh or Ik Oaṅkār create, preserve and destroy this universe’ to arise, to answer this question we must contemplate on the meaning of Ik Oaṅkār, to do so I will be using the Tīkā or Commentary produced upon Ik Oaṅkār by a contemporaneous & close Sikh of the tenth master, namely, Bhaī Manī Siṅgh Jī Ṣahīd, Most famously known for his fearless martyrdom and great sacrifice to the Khalsa Panth. The reasoning behind choosing the Tīkā of Bhāī Manī Siṅgh is due to his closeness with the Tenth Master, Gurū Góbind Siṅgh Jī and also him being a credible contemporaneous source.
Bhāī Manī Siṅgh’s Commentary upon Ik Oaṅkār -

Tāṇ bābe kahiā ékaṅkār ik jó vāhigurū paramātmā hai jo us ne chāhiā jo mai ek da anek hovāṇ tāṇ Oaṅ āp dī dhun kītī tāṇ aradh chandrikā mayā hoī tāṇ māyā to tiṅ devte hoe | urhe vicho brahmā hoyā | āirhai vichoṅ biṣnūṅ hoyā | mame vicho mahā deó hoyā | brahme nūṅ rājsī guṇ de ke jagat de pālṇe vāsté lāyā | ar mahā deo nūṅ tāmas guṇ dei ke saṅghār karan vāsté layā hai ||

Here we see Bhāī Manī Siṅgh explaining how from 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). From this Ik Oaṅkār came the Dhun or resonance of Oaṅ from which came to being Māyā (Creative Potency/Magical Potency of Vaheguru) from which emerged three Devtas or Demi-Gods, namely, Brahmā from U or ūrhā, Viṣnū from A or Airhā & Ṣivā or Maha-Deo/Mahadev from M or Mamā (urhe vicho brahmā hoyā | āirhai vichoṅ biṣnūṅ hoyā | mame vicho mahā deó hoyā |). Brahmā was given the Rajo Guna and put to work on preserving the world and Mahadeva or Ṣivā was given the Tamo Guna and put on the duty of destroying the creation ( brahme nūṅ rājsī guṇ de ke jagat de pālṇe vāsté lāyā | ar mahā deo nūṅ tāmas guṇ dei ke saṅghār karan vāsté layā hai ||)².³

This interpretation of Bhāī Manī Siṅgh is further supported by verses from Gurū Nānak’s Srī Japujī Sāhib such as -

ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
ਇਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਲਾਏ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥
Ik Sansārī Ik Bhaṅḍārī Ik Lāe Dībaṇ ||
Ekā Maī Jugat Viaī Tin Chele Parvān ||
That Supreme associated with Māyā (Maī/Māyā Vālā)⁴ (and due to being related to Māyā comes to appear as/Emerges) Brahma (Creative Deity/Potency) who creates the world, Viṣnū (Preserving Deity/Potency) who preserves or sustains the world and Ṣivā (Destroying Deity/potency) who destroys the world.

Here it becomes clear that Srī Akāl Purakh creates, preserves and destroys the universe/world through three deities, namely, Brahmā, Viṣnū and Ṣivā which can also be understood to represent the three Guṇas, namely Rajo-Tamo-Sato Guṇas, Alongside this we can also observe their duties of acting as creative, sustaining and destroying potencies of Vaheguru but this leads us unto the following verse -

ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਚਲਾਵੈ ਜਿਵ ਹੋਵੈ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ॥
Jiv Tis Bhāvai Tivai Chlāvai Jiv Hovai Furmān
It is he (Ik Oaṅkār alias Srī Akāl Purakh Jī) who controls These three divine deities or potencies which act upon his Hukam or divine will.

Here it becomes vivid in which manner these Three Divine deities or potencies (Brahmā, Viṣnū and Ṣivā) act under the Hukam or Furmān of Vahegurū. We find further evidences of this within Gurbānī, An example of such is the following verse -

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਉਪਾਇਅਨੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਕਮਾਵਨਿ ਕਾਰਾ ॥
Brahmā Bisan Mahes Upāian Hukam Kamāvan Kārān ||
He (Ik Oaṅkār alias Srī Akāl Purakh Jī) has created Brahmā, Viṣnū & Ṣivā who act in accordance to his Hukam or Divine Will.
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 948)

It is also to be noted that even these deities/potencies are unable and unsuccessful in reaching the limits of Vaheguru as we find in Akāl Ustat -

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਇਓ ॥
Brahmā Bisan Aṅt Nahī Paeó ||
(Even Gods such as) Brahmā and Viṣnū have been unsuccessful and are unable to find his (Ik Oaṅkār alias Srī Akāl Purakh Jī) limits.
(Sri Dasam Granth, Akāl Ustat, Guru Gobind Singh, Ang 11)

Here I end my article with a Salutation to my Iṣṭā, namely, Srī Gurū Nānak Dév Jī with whose blessings I have come to compose this newsletter/publication -

—-— — — — — — ——- — — — —- —- —- ——— —-

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

1. This is extremely similar to the Upaniṣadic Declerations such as ‘Ekoham Bahu Syami’ in other words ‘From one may I become many/Expand into multiplicity‘ This has also been used to explain Ik Oaṅkār by the eminent Sikh Historian and Scholar, namely, Mahākavī Santokh Siṅgh Jī in his Garab Gaṅjanī Tīkā

2. It should be understood that within the Sikh Tradition, Brahma and Viṣnū are understood as the same as Brahmā is an Avatar of Viṣnū.

3. The Gurmukhi Version of the above extract can be found in the Darṣan Nirnai Tīkā produced by Gyānī Harbans Siṅgh

4. I have highlighted Maī as many interpret Māī as Māyā the mother of the Three Deities but it should be understood here as the Supreme who is associated with Māyā which can be understood in the sense how one who holds wealth or Dhan is labelled as Dhanī in the same sense that Supreme when wielding or associated with Māyā is understood as Māī.