Guru Nanak says that Hukam cannot be described. Whatever is significant in life cannot be said in words. And, Hukam is the most important thing. There is nothing beyond it. Words are utilitarian. They are useful in our day-to-day life. But there is no way to talk about the extraordinary in words. There are various reasons why it cannot be articulated in words.

First, the realisation of the divine happens in silence. And, that which is known in silence cannot be said in words. Words and silence are opposites. When the divine experience happens there are no words inside. There is absolute silence. In that absolute silence the realisation happens. Then how can you bind that experience in words which is known in silence? The medium has changed. Words are one medium and silence is another medium. Silence is a formless medium whereas words have form. All words make forms. So how can the formless be bound in a form?

Secondly, words are only pointers. Guru Nanak says Hukam cannot be said in words. However, hints can be given. The entire Gurbani is nothing but hints, symbols and maps. It is not saying anything. These words do not contain the Hukam. These words are like milestones with arrows pointing towards the goal. They tell you to go on and you will arrive at the goal. But a milestone is just giving you the direction. You have to walk on the path yourself. The milestone cannot help you walk and reach the destination. But, many people hold on to the milestone. They learn the Japjee by heart and recite it every morning. They are holding the milestone, whereas the japjee is telling you to set out on the journey. If you hold on to the milestone how will you walk? You have to make use of the milestone and move on. Religion is a journey. The journey has to be undertaken. Look at the milestone, follow the directions and move on. That is the only way you can move on. And, as you move on step by step the mysteries will be revealed to you. These words of Japjee are pointers. Look in the direction they are pointing at and follow the path.

Guru Nanak goes on to say that it cannot be said yet millions and millions of people have tried to say it in words. Some sing of his power, others of his compassion. Some sing of his beauty, others of his bounties. Some sing of his creations, others of his power to destroy. Some say he is nearby, others say he is far away. There is no end to what they say. He goes on giving while the takers tire of taking.

There are innumerable descriptions of God but they are all incomplete. Those who can sing have sung but the unknown remains unknown. How can the part describe the whole? God is beyond description and will always remain beyond description. All scriptures are incomplete. Have to be. Because all of them are man’s effort to describe the infinite.

Thirdly, words form thoughts. Thoughts are words. The mind is cluttered with myriads of thoughts. Thoughts are synonymous with words. That is why there is so much noise in the mind. Each thought is struggling to gain primacy. They move from one to another and another ad infinitum. You find yourself helpless in dealing with the multitude of thoughts. They overpower you. You become a slave of them. You go wherever they take you. In the outside world you use words and when you are alone these words become thoughts and at night when you dream these words become pictures. Words are everywhere and all around you. You cannot escape them. They have become bigger than you. These words lead you away from your goal.

Fourthly, words have different interpretations. You say something and I understand something quite different. It is bound to be. Each person will interpret according to his own understanding, his own perspective and through the prism of his own biases and prejudices. So, words can be very misleading. That is how scriptures have been misunderstood. After all, you will understand according to your capacity. Unless you are at the same level as the creators of the scriptures how can you understand them? No wonder there are hundreds and thousands of interpretations of the scriptures. It is evidence enough that each interpretter has explained the same scripture differently.

Fifthly, words are hollow. Words are names given to things. They cannot substitute the thing they are naming. For instance, the word apple can be understood by those who have tasted the apple. For someone who has never seen or tasted an apple, it means nothing. Moreover the word apple cannot replace the apple. It can only point towards the actual apple.

The sun has risen and a painter paints the sun. No matter how beautifully he paints the sun, the painting cannot give light. You can hold the painting to your heart and wait for the light to shine. A singer can sing about it in the most melodious tunes but it will not shine. All songs all idols and pictures of God are incomplete. They are like maps. The map is a symbol. It is not exactly like India but it throws light on the geography of India through lines. You can go all over India but you will not find anything like the map. Wherever you go you will see India but not the map. Yet, if you have the map, travelling becomes easier. However, you have to follow the map and travel in the direction it shows. Simply learning the words by heart and reciting them daily will get you nowhere. If you are thirsty the word ‘water’ cannot quench your thirst no matter how much you repeat it and remember it. Yet the word ‘water’ can communicate your thirst. And, if you meet someone who knows the source of water, he can show you the direction from where to get it. This is why the Guru becomes important. Even the guru will use words to point in the direction. Don’t hold on to his words. Look where he is pointing and start your journey. You have to walk all the way; the guru cannot walk for you. And, when you find the water you have to drink it; the guru cannot drink it for you. Even if he drinks it, it will quench his thirst, not yours.

Thus, words are necessary. They are useful because we don’t know the language of silence. Words are important to understand. But it is only in silence that you can put into practice what you have learnt from the words.

Silence is your basic nature. Words have only been imposed on the blank sky of your consciousness. They are like clouds floating in the blue sky. They hide the blue sky. If they were real you could do nothing about them. But, they are not. You can try to reduce them gradually. Then what will remain is your real nature of silence.

Silence is your true nature. You must have noticed that once in a while when you are overwhelmed by an emotion you can’t utter a word. You become speechless. Words fall short. They cannot capture the overwhelming emotion. Lovers don’t speak. They sit together in silence. Words seem too small to express what they are feeling. A hug or a handshake says more than words. They have nothing to say. Lovers become mute. Any talk appears shallow, petty. Even a single word can destroy the magic of silence. A single word will cause ripples in the ocean of silence.

Thus, you have known moments of silence. Those moments were not planned or created by you. They just happened. But they gave you a taste of silence. It is like finding your way in the dark. You cannot see anything. Then suddenly there is a flash of lightning. It illuminated the path for a split second and the darkness returned. But now there is a difference. You have seen the contours of the path. You can walk on it confidently. Bring them back in memory.

Begin from the beginning. The first step is to watch yourself talking. You will begin to notice that you cannot do both the things together. When you get carried away by the force of words you cannot watch yourself. And when you watch yourself you don’t feel the need to talk at all. When this is practised for some time and you have seen that you can reduce the intensity of words by just looking at them, then it is time to move in. Inside the thoughts are as overpowering as words. The remedy is the same. Look at the thoughts dispassionately. Neither fly with the thought nor condemn it. Don’t identify yourself with the thought. Don’t judge it. Just look at it. Gradually, you will find tiny spaces when there are no thoughts. Hold on to them and build on them. As the thoughts become weaker and infrequent you will get the first taste of silence. Allow yourself to float in this silence. In silence nature will reveal its secrets to you.