Saturday, October 12, 2019

Purpose and benefits of chanting

Main points:
  1. Chanting includes repeating words which include Name of God, or words praising God, either repeating mentally or repeating aloud.
  2. God referred here is the Creator of all there is, and One who has no equal. I do not refer to other deities.
  3. An intangible mind, over time, gets infected by intangible parasitic thoughts. Thoughts of negative feelings, like fear, greed, and others. Intangible words are clean, as no dust or dirt sticks to a spoken word, except possibly its negative meaning. So repeating powerful clean words are best way to clean parasitic thoughts of the mind.
  4. Best and most powerful words are the words that refer to God, either the Name of God, or words praising God. I am not sure of the results of chanting words which have some other meaning, or which do not relate to One God. I would believe words with negative or lukewarm meaning, will have negative or lukewarm results respectively.
  5. Chanting also helps revealing the reality, beauty, and sharpness of the mind. Chanting has power to transform mind for the better. Like polishing a stone to reveal a diamond, or churning cream to transform it into butter, chanting causes similar transformation of mind.
  6. Chanting Name of God in a healthy state of mind, also helps a person receive the proverbial elixir (Amrit) for everlasting life of the soul (not the body). Soul is already eternal, and lack of everlasting life leads to transmigration or other undesirable consequences. The Name of God is the Elixir.
  7. A person should spent normal life doing work and actions which are healthy, and which do not create a feeling of unnecessary pride or guilt. This puts mind in a healthy condition conducive for effective chanting.
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ਕਰਮੀ ਸਹਜੁ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਵਿਣੁ ਸਹਜੈ ਸਹਸਾ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਨਹ ਜਾਇ ਸਹਸਾ ਕਿਤੈ ਸੰਜਮਿ ਰਹੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਏ ॥
ਸਹਸੈ ਜੀਉ ਮਲੀਣੁ ਹੈ ਕਿਤੁ ਸੰਜਮਿ ਧੋਤਾ ਜਾਏ ॥
ਮੰਨੁ ਧੋਵਹੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਲਾਗਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਰਹਹੁ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਸਹਜੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਇਹੁ ਸਹਸਾ ਇਵ ਜਾਇ ॥੧੮॥
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Translation:
Knowledge does not come from rituals, without knowledge doubt does not go.
Doubt does not go by any discipline, kept practicing rituals,
Soul is stained by doubt, what discipline can wash it,
Wash mind, attach to word, keep consciousness attached to God,
Nanak speaks, by Guru's grace, knowledge dawns, so this doubt goes.18.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 919:18-22]
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Commentary:

Different types of ritual and discipline do not bring knowledge. Without knowledge it is difficult to get rid of doubt. A primary hindrance to spiritual progress of a person is a doubting mind, which cannot be removed by practicing either rituals or disciplines. This verse recommends washing doubts of mind by attaching to words of a True Guru (ponder words of scripture which record the wisdom of a True Guru), and keep mind attached to remembrance of God. True knowledge dawns only by grace of True Guru (an aspect of God, which teaches and gives knowledge), and only with true knowledge can doubt in mind be removed.
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ਮਨ ਕੇ ਬਿਕਾਰ ਮਿਟਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਜਨਮ ਜਨਮ ਕੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਹਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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Translation:

Disease of mind are washed away by contemplating God, dirt of many births is effaced.1.pause.

[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 1152:19]
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Commentary:

Contemplating and remembering God removes sickness of the mind, and it also removes accumulated sins of many births. This verse gives two effects of remembering God either during chanting, or in prayer, or otherwise. Remembrance of God brings order to the mind, removing unwanted clutter, and is good for well-being and health of the mind. It also cleans the sin that mind (soul) has accumulated. As people seldom become a saint overnight, but keep sinning and accumulating unwanted thoughts, so regular chanting helps avoid the affects of accumulated dirt.
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ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਧੋਵਹਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
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Translation:

Wash mind and body by contemplating the word.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 1059:48]
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Commentary:

The verse recommends cleaning mind and body by contemplating words of wisdom (words of a True Guru). The words to be contemplated are the words of a mentor, the teachings and speech of a spiritual mentor. Simplest way to contemplate a speech is to repeat a verse or word or teaching, all the while pondering on its meaning. Chanting is an easy way to repeat and also contemplate.
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=4=======================================================================
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ਆਰਾਧਿ ਮਨ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਜਾਹਿ ਵਿਕਾਰ ॥
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Translation:
O Mind, worship God's Name, the defects of sin will go.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 959:39]
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Commentary:

Simplest and surest way to get rid of sins is to remember and worship the Name of God. Sins are transgressions of the mind and soul. Why would this method work? The power is in the Name of God, that if we believe in the Name, and repeat the Name with reverence, the Name of God has power to wipe clean all our sins.

I understand sin as an incorporeal account of our actions, which will in time result in undesirable fruit and suffering. Sin could also be understood as an act of disobedience to a scripture. I believe scripture teach us to avoid sin, because it will have a undesirable consequence for us, considering the natural laws that govern this world. From this perspective, sins to avoid are like rules of thumb for quick reference, so we know what to avoid. With either meaning of sin, the final effect of indulging in sin is an undesirable result.
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ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਈ ਹਰਿ ਭਜਿਆ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਿ ਪਰਾ ॥੪॥੩॥
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Translation:
Dirt of foolishness goes by Chanting God, O Nanak, people cross over.4.3.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 799:30]
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Commentary:

The verse tells that Chanting the Name of God removes foolishness. It also helps people cross over successfully from this life to the life hereafter. An important aspect of foolishness is inability to understand things and concepts around us, probably because of lack of capacity to think, or presence of simplistic preconceived notions in mind. Cleaning the mind with chanting will help in clearing the incorrect preconceived notions, and improve acuity.
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ਭਾਂਡਾ ਧੋਇ ਬੈਸਿ ਧੂਪੁ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਤਉ ਦੂਧੈ ਕਉ ਜਾਵਹੁ ॥
ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮ ਫੁਨਿ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਮਾਇਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਰਾਸ ਜਮਾਵਹੁ ॥੧॥
ਜਪਹੁ ਤ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮਾ ॥
ਅਵਰਿ ਨਿਰਾਫਲ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਈਟੀ ਹਾਥਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਫੁਨਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰਉ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥
ਰਸਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਤਬ ਮਥੀਐ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪਾਵਹੁ ॥੨॥
ਮਨੁ ਸੰਪਟੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਸਤ ਸਰਿ ਨਾਵਣੁ ਭਾਵਨ ਪਾਤੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਕਰੇ ॥ 
ਪੂਜਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਜੇ ਸੇਵੇ ਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਰਵਤੁ ਰਹੈ ॥੩॥
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Translation:
Wash vessel, anoint with fragrance, then go get milk,
Milk of actions, then rennet of consciousness, without hope let it curdle.1.
Chant the one Name,
Other actions are unfruitful.1.pause.
Make mind churning-stick handle, then churning-cord is not getting sleep,
Tongue chants Name, then churn, this way obtain elixir.2.
Make mind a container, where bathe in pool of truth, gives affection, honor, satisfaction,
Worships with breath, servant who serves, this way stay absorbed in God.3.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 728:2-9]
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Commentary:

This verse describes a method for chanting. This verse has a few difficult to understand metaphors, so I hope the interpretation is accurate. First recommendation is to wash vessel, anoint it with fragrance, get milk, add rennet and then wait.

Vessel stands for the vessel of body and mind, which contains our soul and thoughts. Fragrance stands for fragrance of good words. What flowers are to the physical world, words are to the spiritual world. Best and the most fragrant words are the Name of God, and words of God's praise. Milk of actions are actions which nourish our body, mind and soul. Milk is a nourishing, life-giving food, and a very nutritious food. Similarly milk of actions are actions which leave us feeling better about ourselves, without giving a tainted sense of pride, self-contempt or a lingering sense of guilt. Milk of actions would be healthy actions, not directed by our ego, which are constructive and nourishing for us and others. A clear, conscious and focused mind while doing an action is like a rennet, which helps in turning actions truly fruitful, help actions transform, like milk is transformed by rennet. And once an action is complete, it is time to move on, rather than hoping and waiting for results. Curdling is like giving time for actions to bear fruit. We don't need to forget or be careless about them, but give actions time to bear fruit. Results are important, but they come in their own time and an action is like a planted seed, which will bear results in proper time, much like farming.

So as per my understanding the first sentence of the verse, recommends a method to perform any action, spiritual or otherwise, or generally a recommendation of living our daily lives. Start with a clear mind and a bath, spend some time in remembering God (chant), and then go about the day doing healthy, fruitful actions, making effort to focus mind and consciousness on the action being performed (don't let the mind wander or hope of doing something else). And once an action is performed don't wait for results, but give time for results to appear in their own time (results will come in their own time, and we could be mindful when they come). This is also a recommended method to perform any action, including spiritual actions like worship, prayer, and others. And most important, if our actions are healthy, without invoking pride or guilt, nourishing like milk, then it will be easy to perform spiritual actions like chanting and prayer later, with a clear conscience.

The verse further recommends that chanting Name of God is the most fruitful action. I understand the word fruitful is applicable on an eternal time-frame. All actions bear some fruit, but most fruits would only last for a lifetime, and would disappear for a person when the person dies, making these actions ultimately unfruitful. But chanting Name of God is an action which will result in fruits which have an eternal value.

Next sentence continues with specifics of process of chanting. The milk of good actions has turned to curd, which is a person with a clear conscience, a healthy, satisfied, content mind and body, ready to practice chanting. Consider mind to be the churning stick, which is thinking over concepts being studied, remembered, and chanted. Churning-cord, which is used to move the churning stick, is not falling asleep. People sometimes fall asleep when performing activities of the mind, and falling asleep cuts the action of chanting or meditation mid-way, as if the churning cord is cut. So it is advised to make an effort to stay awake while chanting. Finally chant the Name of God with tongue, completing the process of churning to create butter, which spiritually is equivalent to creating elixir for the soul. This completes the metaphor of transforming milk to curd, and then churning to create butter, the elixir of God's Name.

Finally the mind itself is the container which will hold the elixir of chanted Name of God, and it is like a true pool, giving a person affection, honor, satisfaction here and hereafter. Chanting is a method of worship, in which a person offers breath for remembrance of God. Scriptures tell us that people have a limited number of breaths in a lifetime, and when a person uses few of the breaths to chant the Name of God then it is like making an offering to God, which helps a person stay absorbed in God's remembrance. Being in remembrance of God has many positive effects on a person, and some would be covered as part of other posts.
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ਸਿਮਰਉ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਕਰਤੇ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਤੇ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਨਾਸ ॥
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Translation:
Remembering pristine Name of Creator, all sins of mind and body are destroyed.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 716:33]
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Commentary:

This is perhaps one of the most important affects of chanting God's Name, because we all have sinned and continue to do so. Sin and transgression of mind and soul are the corrupted negative thoughts and feelings that we continue to harbor in our hearts and mind. People sin under the influence of five basic qualities: anger, lust, greed, attachment and ego. Our fears, hate, envy, scheming and other lusts or weakness of the mind, the load of countless sins that we have accumulated since lifetime of the soul (since the beginning of time), they are all removed by remembering Name of God.

Spoken words have a purity, that a physical thing lacks, and no dust or dirt can stick to a word. This makes the Name of God, one of the purest things that we have, and like clean water washes the physical body, the Name of God washes the mind, body and soul. This is also one of the reasons why spiritual healing works. Disease of the mind affects health of body, and opposite is also true, so fixing one helps in healing the other.

Think about it, there is no cloth that could clean the mind, and if anything could clean the mind it had to be as intangible and as subtle as the mind itself. And pure words and the wisdom contained in the words is the pure water that cleans the mind. A person, mind, soul and body frequently cleaned by the holy water of the remembrance of God's Name is fit and healthy to be at peace, to be happy, and to achieve what it is destined to achieve.

And as with everything, cleaning lasts as long as we do not spoil it again, and this is the reason of taking care of our thoughts, keep the mind uncluttered. Do not harbor ill-will or bad feelings, to keep mind healthy. Chant often to remove the undesirable condition of our mind and thoughts.
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ਨਾਮ ਤੇਰੈ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਧੋਵਣਾ ॥
ਜਪਿ ਜਪਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਭਰਮੁ ਭਉ ਖੋਵਣਾ ॥
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Translation:
Color of Your Name washes my folly,
Repeatedly chanting you God, removes my ignorance and fear.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 523:11-12]
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Commentary:

As we saw in the last verse, chanting cleans the mind, making it healthier. A healthy mind is sharper and less likely to be ignorant or act foolishly (as mind will be more aware and perceptive). Chanting also helps in removing fear from the mind (fear is also an undesirable condition of the mind, and is generally caused by attachment or lack of faith).
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ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗੁੰਫਹੁ ਮਨਿ ਮਾਲ ਹਰਿ ਸਭ ਮਲੁ ਪਰਹਰੀਐ ॥
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Translation:
Weave garland of qualities of God in mind, God removes all dirt.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 320:42]
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Commentary:

Many of the Names of God tell of the different qualities of God. Chanting the Names, singing praise of God is like weaving a garland in the mind. It too helps in cleaning the mind.
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ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਮਮਤਾ ਨਾਸੁ ਹੋਇ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਕਢੈ ਧੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਗੁਣ ਉਚਰੈ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਧੁਰਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥
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Translation:
God, God, God, Name of God some blessed believer receives,
Ego and attachment ends, folly is washed away by Name,
O Nanak, they speak the Name always, for whom it is destined.1.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 1313:10-12]
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Commentary:

Not many people would believe and chant the Name of God, and those who do, believing in the power of the Name are very lucky. Destiny is topic for another post, but people who receive the Name are destined for it. But anyone could pray to receive the same.

Destiny is a difficult topic to understand and explain, but what I have understood is that it is a combination of multiple variable factors. Destiny is more like a system of natural laws (physical and spiritual laws) which govern this world, combined with result of our actions (actions, thoughts and prayers). A lot of it is based on our past actions (mental and physical), which are responsible for our current position in life; and future destiny would continue in same trajectory unless we deliberately change the course.

Sudden luck and fortune is generally a result of some past seed planted by someone. It could be said that a person could be destined to plant the seed in the past, and continuing this line of thinking is recursive and does not explain how it started. Only consolation is that this not the only thing that the human mind does not understand, but I believe we have enough information to move forward. Just plant the right seeds now (seeds of prayer, thoughts and actions), that is the important thing.
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ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਧੰਨੁ ਧਨੋੁ ਧੰਨ ਧੰਨ ਧਨੋ ਜਿਤੁ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਬੁਲਗ ਬੁਲੋਗੀਆ ॥
ਸਭਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਬੋਲਤ ਸਭਿ ਪਾਪ ਲਹੋਗੀਆ ॥੧॥
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Translation:
True congregation, of True Guru, blessed wealth, blessed, blessed wealth, meeting which, recite words of God,
All chant with mouth, Har, Har, Haray, Har, Har, Haray, speaking Har, all sins are removed.1.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 1313:7-8]
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Commentary:

The company of true congregation, a gathering of people, who are gathered in Name of True Guru (True Guru is an aspect of God who instructs), to praise and remember God, is a wealth that a person should actively seek. Being part of such a congregation is same as being in possession of an intangible wealth (non-materialistic wealth). Characteristics of gathering of holy people is a topic of another article.

The verse instructs that on meeting such a congregation chant Name of God, recite words of God (scripture), and sing praise of God. Doing such actions will rid a person of all sins. Intangible sins are primarily a corruption of the intangible mind, and only way to clean them is by use of clean and powerful words, which are themselves as subtle and intangible as the mind, and are effective in getting rid of corruption in mind (sins).
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ਮਲੁ ਕੂੜੀ ਨਾਮਿ ਉਤਾਰੀਅਨੁ ਜਪਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥
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Translation:
Name removes muck of lies, Chant Name become truthful.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 951:1]
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Commentary:

A lie is something that is false and does not exist. On an eternal timeline, a lie is also something that will eventually cease to exist, a temporary thing. A truth is an eternally permanent thing. A human mind is enchanted by lies, promise of temporary things and experiences, and only way to remove the illusion of lies is to view with a clear mind. Chanting the Name of God helps clear the mind. A truthful person could be understood as a person who not only speaks truth, but also perceives truthfully (perceives truth).
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Mist of promising lies cloud the mind,
Chanting Name of God clears the mind.
A clear mind is truthful,
It appreciates the truth,
Not only speaks the truth,
But also perceives the truth.
Only that which is truly perceived,
Can then be truly explained.
A truthful person may still lie,
If the person fails to perceive the truth,
True mind sees though lies and their futility.
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ਬਸੰਤੁ ਚੜਿਆ ਫੂਲੀ ਬਨਰਾਇ ॥
ਏਹਿ ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਫੂਲਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇ ॥੧॥
ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਹਰਿਆ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੈ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਢੈ ਧੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
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Translation:
Spring comes, forests blossom,
This living being blossoms by remembering God in mind.1.
By this method, this mind enlivens,
God, Chanting Name of God, day and night, the blessed washes and removes ego.1.pause.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 1176:53-54, 1177:1-2]
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Commentary:

By remembering God, and chanting the Name of God, a living being enlivens and blossoms. Chanting the Name of God also removes ego and washes oneself clean.
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ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਸਹਜਿ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਜੈਸੇ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਬਿਲੋਈ ॥
ਇਸੁ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੰਜੋਈ ॥੨॥
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਮਨ ਕਾ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਧਾਰਾ ॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਜੇ ਮੀਰਾ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਲਗਿ ਉਤਰੇ ਤੀਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੧੦॥
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Translation:
Churn the Churn of God, my brother,
Spontaneously churn, so essence does not go.1.pause.
Make body the pot, churning stick in mind,
In this pot assimilate the word.2.
Churn of God is thinking of the mind,
Guru's grace gives stream of elixir.3.
Kabir says, when King gives grace,
Hold to God's Name, alight on shore.4.1.10.
[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 478:14-21]
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Commentary:

Deliberately thinking over concepts, pondering over words is a divine method of churning, which will produce knowledge, awareness, and higher consciousness. Words and concepts to be pondered need to relate to a scripture, or God, and not just be any word.

Body is like a churning pot which we use to collect words of knowledge by hearing, reading and discussing. Deliberate thinking is the churning stick in mind, which we use to assimilate meaning, shuffle thoughts, and extract knowledge contained in the words. We should make it a habit to spontaneously think over concepts and words of divine knowledge when we encounter them.

When we practice churning words of scripture, by God's grace we will receive elixir which will give soul everlasting life (everlasting life is one without transmigration). Soul holding fast to the Name of God will find salvation, which is referred to as alighting on a shore.
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ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਜਵਾਹਰ ਮਾਣਕੁ ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਮੋਲੁ ਅਫਾਰਾ ॥
ਮੋਲਿ ਕਿਤ ਹੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਾਹੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥੫॥
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Translation:
This mind is a precious gem, it is of great value,
Any price will not buy Name, Obtain Name by pondering over teachings of Guru.5.

[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 754:25-26] 
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Commentary:

Mind is like a precious gem, and like any precious gem it needs work to make it shine. Its true value can be estimated, by evaluating what happens when one loses one's mind. The verse goes on to tell that person can receive (and accept) the Name of God only by thinking over the teachings of a Mentor. Thinking over teaching helps people convince themselves of the true nature of teaching, and make acceptance of teachings more permanent.
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One who loses one's mind,
Loses almost everything else.
Children of unfulfilled promises,
Asylum tell their silent stories.
So do take care of your mind,
Do not feed it garbage,
Keep it in good company,
Of worthy words and worthy thoughts.
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ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਤਤੁ ਬੁਧਿ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਜਪ ਤਪ ਪੂਜਾ ॥

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Translation:
In the remembrance of God, there is wisdom, meditation, essence of intellect,
In the remembrance of God, there is chanting, penance, prayer.

[Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 262:44-45] 
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Commentary:

This verse tells us the essence of chanting and meditation. If we remember God, we get all the benefits of meditation and chanting. In fact, as I understand, remembrance of God is the real essence of meditation and chanting. The complete verse gives many other benefits of remembering God, but only the part related to meditation and chanting are highlighted here. I would encourage the reader to read the complete verse.
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Additional Comments: 

Declutter the mind

Repetitive speaking of words or verses is the simplest form of chanting. The words which comprise a chant could mean just about anything, like name of a deity, verse praising a deity, a prayer or an invocation, and specific words denoting a feeling or quality.
I do not know the science behind the chants, but present a layman's perspective. Everything in this world needs tidying up. Garden weeds need to be pulled, rust from iron needs to be scrapped, houses need to be dusted frequently, we need to bathe and brush our teeth frequently. All these actions clear the physical layers of unwanted stuff which keep the underlying object from being healthy. It is in the nature of things in this world to become messed up, if periodic cleaning and maintenance is not done.
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Everything is slowly dying,
Person begins moving closer to death,
Immediately after being born,
And some do die very young.

Dust starts to gather,
Immediately after it has been cleaned,
Cloths start getting crumpled,
Immediately after they have been ironed.

It is in the nature of things of this world,
To deteriorate with time,
To keep things healthy,
Regular maintenance is needed.

Weed your gardens occasionally,
Brush your teeth daily,
Bathe your body often,
Do not leave them as they are.

Civilization slowly descends into chaos,
If it is not cared for,
And so it is with the human mind too,
It takes regular effort to keep it from chaos.
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Similarly, during our day, words that we hear and speak, emotions that we feel during the day, good or bad, linger on in the mind. Cluttering the mind's capability to see, think and feel clearly. Much like a layer of dust covering our boots, or car, or furniture. Without cleaning the mental and emotional clutter, the mind becomes dull, and mental capabilities have difficulty in functioning at best possible level.

Chanting is like dusting the mental and emotional clutter from the mind. Specially the parasitic and negatives thoughts and words can stick to mind, and adversely affect mood and functioning of the mind.

Not much cleaning can be done by using a soiled cloth. Words and verses that we use for chanting are the dusting cloth for the mind, and the quality of cloth will affect the results. The most pristine and powerful words available to a human being are words that denote the Name of God, or words of praise of God (which many times are same words, as Names of God are actually praise of the various qualities of God).

Words with a negative connotation, if used, will be like a dusty cloth which soils the furniture or mind, rather than cleaning it. Words which express weak emotions or thoughts will be inefficient in de-cluttering the mind. Frivolous words may cause more problems than help.

We need to take bath regularly to keep the body clean, using repetitive almost ritualistic actions. Chanting does the same thing for the mind, cleaning any dirty parasitic thoughts that may be sticking to the mind. In a way chanting helps in maintaining good mental hygiene. If we apply attention while dusting furniture, it ensures quality of the resulting shiny furniture, similarly applying attention to the meaning of words, rather than mindless repetition, makes chanting more effective. Like a daily bath helps in keeping the body fresh and healthy, similarly few minutes of daily chanting of a positive verse will help to keep the mind fresh and healthy, by dislodging any unhealthy words or thoughts perched in our mind. To attain a proper mental state of mind for effective chanting, we need to perform healthy actions in our daily life, actions which do not create sense of pride or guilt in our mind.

Reveal the nature of mind 

Apart from maintaining mental hygiene, chanting also helps in revealing the quality of mind and spirit. It will not happen overnight, and will not be easily noticeable, but slowly and surely it will reveal the sparkle of the mind.
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Polishing a stone reveals the diamond within,
Churning cream turns it into butter,
Chanting will reveal the sparkle of the mind,
Words are like chisel to an open mind,
Morphing mind to reveal its true nature. 
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