There is the widespread misception prevailing in us about interpretation of verse of section 5 of Guru Nanak Dev Jee's Composition in Sri Rag, page 62 SGGS. The verse is, "sacho urai sabh ko, opar sach achar", which is commonly interpreted as - "Truth is High, yet Higher is Truthful Living." this is completely wrong interpretation; rather nullification of Sikh Teachings, completely. Let us examine this carefully.
In section 1, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee stated that when I consider God is my sole Support and my mind is through and through saturated with His Love, then what else is needed.
In section 1 Pause, which is the Gist of this Astpadi, the Guru stated that Will of God is Eternal. Focus your love on God alone.
In sectons 2 & 4 and part of 5, the Guru mentioned various ways of undergoing austerities such as, cutting the body into pieces and burning them; also getting one cut by a saw into two; thousands and millions of other religious rituals; making charities of all kinds, reading and contemplating on Vedas and other sacred books, all these are not equal to Love of the Lord.
In section 5, the Guru stated, "God is Highest Reality, all else is perishable. Also Higheest deed is contemplation on God" - "sacho urai sabh ko, opar sach achar" There is only One Truth, which is Eternal i.e. God, all else is perishable. Also contemplation on God is Highest meritorious deed, none else. "Prabh ka simran sabh tai oocha" - Sri Guru Arjan Dev, in Sukhmani Sahib, and such numerous assertions in the Holy Book.
Now let us read, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee's whole of Astpadi in Sri Rag -
"My mind is pierced through by the Name of the Lord. What else should I contemplate? Focusing on the Sabda, God in us, the Source of Supreme comforts, and happiness wells up. Attuned to God, the most excellent peace is found. As it pleases You, please save me, Lord. The Name of the Lord is my Support. 1 .
O mind, the Will of our Lord and Master is Eternal. Focus your love upon the One who created and adorned your body and mind. 1 . Pause .
If I cut my body into pieces, and burn them in the fire, and if I make my body and mind into firewood, and night and day burn them in the fire, and if I perform hundreds of thousands and millions of religious rituals-still, all these are not equal to the Name of the Lord. 2 .
If my body were cut in half, if a saw was put to my head, and if my body were frozen in the Himalayas-even then, my mind would not be free of disease. None of these are equal to the Name of the Lord. I have seen and tried and tested them all. 3 .
If I made a donation of castles of gold, and gave lots of fine horses and wondrous elephants in charity, and if I made donations of land and cows-even then, pride and ego would still be within me. The Name of the Lord has pierced my mind; the Guru has given me this true gift. 4.
There are so many stubborn-minded intelligent people, and so many who contemplate the Vedas. There are so many entanglements for the mind. Only as Gurmukh do we find the Gate of Liberation. God is Highest Reality, all else is perishable. Also Higheest deed is contemplation on God. 5 .
Call everyone exalted; no one seems lowly. The One Lord has fashioned the vessels, and His One Light pervades the three worlds. By His Grace, we live with God. No one can erase His Primal Blessing or Writ. 6 .
When one Holy person meets another Holy person, they abide in contentment, through the Love of the Lord abiding in them. They contemplate the Unperceiable, merging in absorption in God abiding in them. Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, they are contented; they go to the Court of the Lord in robes of honor. 7 .
In each and every heart the Unstruck Music of the Lord's Flute vibrates, night and day, with sublime love for the Lord abiding in them, The SABDA. Only those few who become Gurmukh understand this by instructing their minds. O Nanak, do not forget the Naam. Loving the Lord in us, SABDA, you shall be saved. 8 .14"
(Page 62, Sri Rag M.1, Astpadi 14)