GURU SAHIB JI DE BACHAN: Three Nether Regions (planes) of spirituality: Three Khands as explained by Guru Nanak Ji in Japji Sahib

Saram Khand Beyond there is another world composed of material yet more suksham. This world is also known as Rupa. Guru Nanak Dev Ji writes, “Saram Khand ki bani rupe” Here only those people reach who have learnt to do without any motivating desire. Sharam Khand is essential for Bhagats before they can enter Karam Khand and Sach Khand. Sharam Khand is like prep Khand for entering Karam Khand and Sach Khand. This Khand is extremely beautiful. Everything there is just too beautiful to describe. At the lower end are those who cultivated affection and at the higher level those who possess besides affection, devotion also. Here every thought takes up a form as it is expressed. It is a world where pure knowledge, wisdom, intellect and understanding belong. Tithai ghariai surat mat man buddh Tithai ghairai sur sidha ki suddh. It is here that the skill of men of supernatural powers is fashioned.

Karam Khand. The next higher level is what Guru Nanak Dev Ji calls, Karam Khand. This is a place of formlessness, for here thoughts instead of forming shapes express themselves as formless radiating vibrations. It is these that Guru Nanak Dev Ji calls, “jor”, the force. Karam Khand ki bani jor. Karam Khand and Sach Khand exist in such fashion as a house and varaandaah exists. Varaandah is like the outskirts of a house but within the boundery of the property. Normally the top of the varandaah is ceiling. From Karam Khand one can view the inside of the house and know what is going on inside but can’t go inside. There is immense Anand (Bliss) in this Khand. Both Karam Khand and Sach Khand are eternal Khands. Here only the mighty can reach, this is the abode of the highest gods.

Tithai jodh maha bal sur Tim meh raam rehia bharpur Tithai sito sita mehma mahey. Ta kay rupe na kathne jahey Na oh mareh na thage jai Jin ke raam vasai man mahey Tithai bhagat vasah ke loe.. The words “Tithai jodh maha bal sur” refer to the mighty spiritual powers who battled with themselves and ultimately attained this level. These are those who are filled with God and the realisation of God. Here women of the highest virtue like Sita, reach their Rupa or form, although the form cannot be describes as in fact it is formless. Those who live here never die, nor can they ever be deceived, this being so because they are all, knowledge. Here live the saints of the highest order who guide the world and who are filled with His name and are perfectly at bliss.

Satch Khand. Higher still is the atmic plane, for his is where God, the Nirankar belongs. Since this plane cannot be described by the language of the world of three dimensional forms, Guru Nanak Dev Ji calls it simply as Satch Khand – the realm of Truth. This is where Nirankar himself dwells. Satch Khand is huge and the whole creation including other 4 Khands are within Satch Khand. Satch Khand surrounds the whole creation and is inside the whole creation. In essence Satch Khand is Waheguru himself. It is futile to write anything about it. Guru Nanak Sahib has written that to describe Sach Khand is like chewing iron (Nanak, Kathna KaraRaa Saar).

“Satch khand vasai Nirankar kar kar vehai nadhar nihaal Tithai khand mandal varbhand Je ko tathai ta ant na ant Tithai loa loa akar Jiv jiv hukam tivai tiv kar Vekhay vigsay kar vichaar Nanak kathna karara saar” Nirankar dwells here and looks upon his creation with benign attention. There are countless universes, planets and continents, all of which He sees and watches over. Al these are beyond ones power to explain, for how can formlessness be described through forms ?

It follows that a man of desires will never be able to reach the level of pure intellect, which is Saram Khand. The desire to renounce desire is also a desire, though of a higher kind, so long as even this exists one cannot spiritually evolve. The action of a man desires is always motivated . A man of desire has always fixed a goal which he wishes to accomplish. After fixing the goal, he lays down plans and schemes to realise this goal. This plan is the result of his own reasoning based upon is memories and experiences. No two person will approach a situation in the same way they will each judge it from their own viewpoint, no one will be able to comprehend the truth in its totality. Under such circumstances whatever plan one lays for the realisation of one’s aim, will be the line outside one will not be able to see. So long as one is possessed of the subtlest desire, the understanding in totality will be impossible for him to comprehend

After all desires a calmed one is transformed into a higher Khand. In order to attain God, desire and intellect itself needs to be renounced. But a man who renounces desire and cultivates thoughtlessness, is very much a victim of the desires and thoughts he is trying to renounce. Renunciation will not come by consciously cultivating it. It will come only one when one neither wants, nor not wants. Guru Nanak Dev ji expalins :

“Akhan jore chupai na jore Jore na mangan dane na jore Jor na jivan maran na jore Jore na raj maal man sore Jor na surti gian vichar Jore na jugti chhutai sansaar Jis hath jore kar vekhai soe Nanak Uttam neech na koe” I have neither the power to speak nor that to keep quite, I have neither the power to beg nor to give anything, I have power neither to live or die, I have no power to collect power or wealth which brings mental suffering. I have no sufficient knowledge to reason and have no strength to seek the path by which to renounce the world. One who professes to have the power to do all these things let his do his effort and see. Before Him, in fact, there is no superior or inferior.