The word Dharamsaal literally means the home of dharma, or a temple.  Just like paathsaal means house of education or school.  Guru Amardas says, "Your beautified the earth like a temple" in the following line: 

ਹੁਕਮੇ ਧਰਤੀ ਸਾਜੀਅਨੁ ਸਚੀ ਧਰਮ ਸਾਲਾ ॥

By the Hukam of His Command, He created the earth, the true home of Dharma.

The concept of the earth being a temple originates from Guru Nanak who says the following in the 34th pauri of Japji Sahib:


Why is earth being a temple important. Its important because of what happens in a temple.  Guru Arjan Dev describes what happens in a temple in a Chhant in Raag Gauri:

ਮੋਹਨ ਤੇਰੇ ਊਚੇ ਮੰਦਰ ਮਹਲ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥

O Mohan, your temple is so lofty, and your mansion is unsurpassed.

ਮੋਹਨ ਤੇਰੇ ਸੋਹਨਿ ਦੁਆਰ ਜੀਉ ਸੰਤ ਧਰਮ ਸਾਲਾ ॥

O Mohan, your gates are so beautiful. They are the worship-houses of the Saints.

ਧਰਮ ਸਾਲ ਅਪਾਰ ਦੈਆਰ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਸਦਾ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਗਾਵਹੇ ॥

In these incomparable worship-houses, they continually sing Kirtan, the Praises of their Lord and Master.

ਜਹ ਸਾਧ ਸੰਤ ਇਕਤ੍ਰ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਤਹਾ ਤੁਝਹਿ ਧਿਆਵਹੇ ॥

Where the Saints and the Holy gather together, there they meditate on you.

Places of worship are made so saints can get together, meditate upon the one and sing the ONE's praises.  The purpose of life is to sing and the earth has been designed to be a place where this singing can be done.  The earth has been designed by God to come together and sing. Earth becomes beautiful when we come together and sing.  

What is singing other than just following the command of the ONE.  Gurbani says Sabhai Ghat Raam Bolai or Every heart is singing in the temple of the earth. 

3. Rijak: Why do we need to worry when we know we will have food!

ਸਭਨਾ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸੰਬਾਹਿਦਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ॥

You give sustenance to all; how wonderful and unique is the Hukam of Your Command!

ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

Raag Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:

ਕਾਹੇ ਰੇ ਮਨ ਚਿਤਵਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਜਾ ਆਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਪਰਿਆ ॥

ਸੈਲ ਪਥਰ ਮਹਿ ਜੰਤ ਉਪਾਏ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਆਗੈ ਕਰਿ ਧਰਿਆ ॥੧॥

ਮੇਰੇ ਮਾਧਉ ਜੀ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਸੁ ਤਰਿਆ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਸੂਕੇ ਕਾਸਟ ਹਰਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਜਨਨਿ ਪਿਤਾ ਲੋਕ ਸੁਤ ਬਨਿਤਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕਿਸ ਕੀ ਧਰਿਆ ॥

ਸਿਰਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸੰਬਾਹੇ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਾਹੇ ਮਨ ਭਉ ਕਰਿਆ ॥੨॥

ਊਡੇ ਊਡਿ ਆਵੈ ਸੈ ਕੋਸਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਪਾਛੈ ਬਚਰੇ ਛਰਿਆ ॥

ਤਿਨ ਕਵਣੁ ਖਲਾਵੈ ਕਵਣੁ ਚੁਗਾਵੈ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਕਰਿਆ ॥੩॥

ਸਭਿ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਦਸ ਅਸਟ ਸਿਧਾਨ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਰ ਤਲ ਧਰਿਆ ॥

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਸਦ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਰਾਵਰਿਆ ॥੪॥੫॥

Tu Aape Aap Vartada, Aap Banat Banaii

Tudh Bin Dooja Ko Nahin, Tu Raheya Samaii

Sabh Aape Aap Vartada Aape Bharmaaya

Gur Kirpa Te Boojhiyeh Sabh Brahm Samaayaa

At the time of Guru Arjan Dev, Bhai Gurdas explained in detail what this really meant using many different examples in his second Vaar.  This vaar has 20 pauris or poems that each end with the phrase "Aape Aap Vartada".  This must have been an important topic of discussions. Perhaps a lot of questions were asked about God permeating everything.  That's why Bhai Gurdaas has given this concept so much importance.   Bhai Gurdaas's Vaar 2. 


Two Shabads With Similar Meanings:

Guru Nanak's Pauri from Asa Ki Vaar talks about throne ("Aasan" instead of "Takhat"), about him creating himself (Aapina Aap Saajeyo) also about giving/taking nature of God (De Laiseh):


Guru Nanak's Shabad in Raag talks about this in this beautiful shabad in Raag Sri:

I am excited that this is first of many recordings that I am releasing which will feature Ustad Ahsan Ali, one of the leading Sarangi players from North India.  Ahsan Bhai, a seventh generation musician from the Kirana Gharana, is not just a sarangi player and vocalist with intimate knowledge of Indian ragas, who has traveled worldwide and performed live at prestigious locales, he is an amazing composer with a great ear and penmanship for western harmonies and has composed music for Sardool Sikandar ji and Abida Parveen ji.

A note on the raag - Raag Asa

Raag Asa is named because of the feelings of "hope" it exudes; some suggest that it was created by Guru Nanak during his travels to a region called "Asa".  Compared to other raags in Hindustani classical music it is a relatively new raag - approximately 500 years ago.  Therefore the versions of raag Asa have not been codified by musicologists; perhaps I will do it sometime. Unlike other raags which generally have one time for singing during the day or night, Asa has two.  In general there are two major forms of the raag - one that includes komal Ni and one that does not include a komal Ni.  From what I have heard from researchers at the Patiala university, the Asa version that has the komal Ni (like the one in this shabad) is sung in the evening time. Komal Ni is generally not used in the version that is sung in the morning.

In this shabad, while the melody adheres to Raag Asa, the instrumentalists took liberties to go beyond the scope of the raag. Historically I would have not included tracks that did not adhere to the pure raag, but as I mentioned in a recent interview, I have been more accepting of deviations as long as the general mood of the shabad remains unchanged.  For the vocalist at one point sings "Re Ga Ma Ga" as part of the background music - that is not allowed in Raag Asa but I still included it in this recording. Acceptance within the hukam is often liberating I have realized.

Free Ringtone:

Shabad

ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥

Reflection (June 2017)

Six teachings

And Six the houses of wisdom

Even though appearances differ

the teacher of all teachers 

remains ONE

Several Indian intellectual traditions were codified during the medieval period into a standard list of six orthodox systems or ṣaḍdarśanas (literally "good views"). The credit for codifying these "visions" is generally given to six different Gurus or Rishis as mentioned below: