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Nitnem Other Books by the Author Th e other book s by the author, Dr. G.S. Ch auh an are: 1. Guru Nanak De v's Japji Sah ib. 2. Guru Arjan De v's Suk h m ani Sah ib 3. Bani of Bh agats 4. Th e Gospe l of the Sik h Gurus 5. Rah ras & Kirtan Soh ila All these book s are being distributed 'free of cost' am ong the general public by the All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society (Regd.), Am ritsar. NITNEM

Dr. G.S. Chauhan Dr. Meenakshi Rajan

Publish er : Dr. Inderjit Kaur Pres ide nt All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society (Regd.) Am ritsar NITNEM Translation by Dr. G.S. Ch auh an Dr. M eenak sh i Rajan B-202, Sh ri Ganesh Apartm ents Plot No. 12-B. Sector 7 Dw ark a New Delhi-110075 Tel- 011-25086357

February : 2012

ISBN: 978-81-9 23150-0-3

FREE OF COST

Publish er : Dr. Inderjit Kaur Pre s ide nt All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society (Regd.) Am ritsar

Printed at: Printwell 146, Industrial Focal Point, Am ritsar Dedication To the sacred m em ory of Sh ri Guru Nanak Dev ji and h is successors Contents Japji Sah ib 14 Jaap Sah ib 107 Tavprasaad Sw ayas 158 Ch aupai Sah ib 166 Anand Sah ib 178 Asa di war 220 R eh ras 29 7 Kirtan Soh ila 343

rR NITNEM Gurbani: The Daily Prayers In Gurm uk h i, Devnagri and Rom an Script w ith translation and com m entary in English of Japji Sah ib, Jaap Sah ib, Tavprasaad Sw ayas, Ch aupai, Anand Sah ib, Assa Di Vaar, Reh ras and Kirtan Soh ila

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Foreword O n this planet, Earth, there are always new s of w ars between different countries, tribes, religious groups, etc in the new s-papers. Som etimes big pow ers induce and encourage w ars between sm aller countries w ith a view to selling their w eapons and w ar-eq uipm ent. Som etimes big countries invent som e excuse or the other just to invade a sm aller country for the exploitation of its precious natural resources, such as oil, iron ore, etc. etc. Such confrontations and subseq uent destruction of the w ar-torn country further dam age its social, econom ic, cultural and religious fabric in the form of religious conversions, exploitation of w om en folk, loot of natural resources, etc. etc. M ain cause of such conflicts is one or m ore of the five legendry vices as enunciated by our religious leaders/seers i.e. lust, anger, greed, attach m ent and ego. W h en things go out of h and i.e. the plight of the w ar- affected people becom es unbearable, the Almigh ty sends h is m essengers to save the h um anity from the large-scale carnage and destruction. In 1469 C.E. Sri Guru Nanak Dev w as sent by the Lord to guide the people. H e w as an em bodim ent of love, com passion, faith, h um an brotherh ood, etc. W h en in com m union w ith God, h e w ould sing H is praises and give a lesson or two to his audience, w h ether it was Daulat Kh an Lodh i, M alik Bh ago, Sajjan Th agg, Kauda Rak h ash etc. H is teach ings and those of his successors and other saints (bh agats), bards, etc. from all over the country and of different faiths are contained in Sri Guru Granth Sah ib, an ocean of spiritual k now ledge. Th is spiritual k now ledge guides us as to Nitnem (9) h ow to live in the given social set-up, earn our living, sh are our earnings w ith the needy, live a truthful life, etc. Although the entire Gurbani contained in Sri Guru Granth Sah ib is eq ually beneficial and w orthy of recitation, but Sri Guru Nanak Dev and h is successors h ave prescribed Asa di Vaar, Japji Sah ib, Jaap Sah ib, Sw aiye, Ch aupai, Anand Sah ib, Rah ras and Kirtan Soh ila for daily recitation as a nitnem at various times of the day. Since these banis h ave h ardly been translated in languages other than Punjabi, Dr. G.S. Ch uah an h as done a com m endable job to bring out the original texts of these banis in Gurm uk h i, Devnagri and Rom an Scripts and their m eanings w ith appropriate explanations in English , for the benefit of the non- Gurm uk h i k now ing and non-Punjabi seek ers/devotees. Th e spread of Guru Nanak Dev’s m essage of love and h um an brotherh ood h as becom e all the m ore necessary in this strife-torn, m odern and m aterialistic age w h en clouds of w ar k eep on h overing on one part or the other of this planet. M ay the people of this beautiful planet live in peace! I w ish Dr. G.S. Ch auh an all the very best in h is life.

Dr. Inderjit Kaur President, All India Pingalwara Charitable Society (Regd.), Amritsar.

Nitnem (10) Preface Th e English translation of Japji Sah ib w ith trilingual Gurbani text in Punjabi, Devnagri and Rom an English w ritten by m e w as publish ed 10 years back and w as very w ell received. It w as followed by trilingual text and English translation of Suk h m ani Sah ib and now translation of Rah ras and Kirtan Soh ila h as also been publish ed. M y good friend Dr. Gurm uk h Singh Retd. Director Language Dept. Punjab, suggested that it w ould be a good idea if all Banis in Nit Ne m are com bined in one book . W h en I discussed w ith Sardar M uk h tar Singh H ony. Secretary All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society, h e encouraged m e to undertak e the w ork and prom ised h is assistance. As per tradition, Assa Di Vaar is sung early in the m orning before sunrise in all the Gurdw aras. Th is com position is prim arily by Sri Guru Nanak Dev in 24 paurie s. W h ile com piling Guru Granth Sah ib, Guru Arjan Dev added slokas, w h ich are on the sam e subject as the relevant Pauri. All pauris are by Guru Nanak Dev but the slokas are by both Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Angad Dev. Th ese slokas are before the Pauri. Assa Di Vaar deals w ith the m isconceptions and w rong practices prevalent in the society and aim s to enligh ten the devotee about the correct way of life. Singing and h earing of Assa Di Vaar early in the m orning prepares the devotee to h ave correct fram e of m ind during the day. There are five compositions which are recited during the Sikh baptism ceremony:- 1) Japji Sah ib. 2) Jaap Sah ib. 3) Tavprasaad Sw ayas. 4) Ch aupai and 5) Anand Sah ib. Th ese com positions are arranged in this order by Sri Guru Gobind Singh w ith a view to generate feelings of 1) Vivek or discrim ination by Japji Sah ib, 2) Nitnem (11) Vairagya or dispassion by Jaap Sah ib, 3) Feeling of surrender to the Almigh ty by listening to the Tavprasaad Sw ayas, 4) Ch aupai addresses the Lord w ith prayers to overcom e our problem s in the daily life and 5) Bliss by listening to Anand Sah ib. Th e devotees recite these com positions in the m orning. In the evening, following sunset, Reh ras Sah ib is recited and Kirtan Soh ila is recited just before retiring to the bed. All the com positions in the book are therefore arranged in the sam e order. Japji Sah ib is the first and a very profound com position. In fact, it is said that w h ole Guru Granth Sah ib is an explanation of the Japji Sah ib. Suk h m ani Sah ib is also an im portant and s elf-contained course of instructions by Guru Arjan Dev. It is available in a separate book publish ed by All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society. Teach ings of Sh ri Guru Nanak Dev and h is successors are of universal nature relevant in all times. Th is is the reason that Guru Nanak Dev traveled to far off lands, m et the leaders of all faiths and stressed at universal brotherh ood of h um anity irrespective of caste, country and religion. It is unfortunate that som e ignorant and selfish persons are trying to put limits to Sik h religion. Som e people refuse to accept prasad at congregations attended by non-sik h s. M ost do not appreciate the needs of Sik h s outside Punjab and w e do not find any Gurbani literature in languages other than Punjabi. Th ere are a large num ber of Sik h s in Karnatka, Assam and other areas w h o w ent w ith forces deputed by M ah araja Ranjit Singh to Tipu Sultan and those w h o accom panied Guru Tegh Bah adur to Assam and settled there. Th ese people h ave no literature to give to their ch ildren about Gurbani. M y friend sardar H anum an Singh a retired Railway officer w as president of Gurdw ara in Bangalore thirty years back . H e translated Japji Sah ib in Kanada language and publish ed the text and translation in Kanada and distributed it free. After that Nitnem (12) the new com m ittee m ostly from Punjab did not of bother. Sam e in the story in the other states in India and other foreign countries. M ost of the sch olars like Rabinder Nath Tagore as you w ill find in the com m entary of Guru Nanak Dev's com position "Dh anasari M ah alla 1 - Gagan M ai Th al…" in Kirtan Soh ila h as said that there can be no better "arti" in praise of the Lord's universe than this. Fam ous English sch olar G.B. Sh aw h as said, "Sik h ism is a universal religion, it is sad that there is no propagation". It is therefore urgent necessity for the present generation of Sik h s to rise above the limitation of state, caste and narrow selfish interests and serve the cause of Gurus by propagating Guru's teach ings in all languages of India and the w orld as needed. I am also grateful to Sardar M uk h tar Singh Goraya, Genral Secy. Pingalwara w h o h as gone through the draft of the book twice and m ade very useful suggestions. W e w ould like to express our grateful thank s to Bibi Dr Inderjit Kaur President All India Pingalwara Society w h o h as encouraged this w ork of translation and publication of Gurbani com positions and their circulation through Pingalwara outlets.

Dr.G.S Chauhan [email protected]

Nitnem (13) It w as indeed a great h onor for m e w h en m y father G.S Ch auh an req uested m e to co-author this book w ith h im . W ork ing on this book h as been an enlightening journey for m e. Th is book is aim ed at educating youth on the teach ings of Guru Nanak Dev and h is successors to ensure that the ph ilosoph y is safe and practiced correctly. W e h ope that all the readers tak e the k now ledge of the Gurus contained in this book and apply it to their lives. Th ough m any initiatives h ave been put forth by the Gurdw aras of the com m unity, m any young people find that they can not relate to the teach ings of the Adi Granth, the prim ary reason being the inability to read Gurm uk h i and understand the language of the H oly Book the Adi Granth. Th is is m ainly because teach ing of Gurm uk h i is limited to a very sm all part of India now new Punjab. Th e believers in Guru Nanak Dev are spread not only in India but all over the globe. English being m ost understood language; this book is only a beginning. I w ould be h appy if the believers in Guru Nanak Dev m anage translations in other w orld languages. O ur country needs to focus on the youth because, w ithin them , are the leaders of tomorrow . Th e youth of the m any Indian com m unities, experience a sense of disconnect with the teach ings of their ow n faith. Th e spiritual teach ings are a m ust to enable us to face m any of the trials and tribulations as today w e live in a society w h ich blindly apes the w est and is therefore h igh ly m aterialistic in its approach to life’s problem s. Regarding the Sik h com m unity q uite often, m edia representation and other contrary depictions create feelings of detach m ent from one’s com m unity. It is time therefore to h elp strengthen and develop the true identity and h eritage of the com m unity and reclaim it by ensuring that all h ave access to the beautiful teach ings of this universal faith contained in the Adi Granth

Dr. Meenakshi Rajan [email protected] Nitnem (14) JAPJI SAHIB At Kartar Pur, Guru Nanak Dev’s disciples w ould get up early in the m orning and recite h ym ns of Guru Nanak Dev. In the evening, they w ould recite Reh ras and Kirtan Soh ila at nigh t. Since there w as no specific com position for recitation in the m orning, Guru Ji ask ed Bh ai Leh na to prepare a com position for recitation in the m orning by culling h ym ns from h is w ork s. Guru Nanak gave all of h is w ork s to Bh ai Leh na and ask ed h im to select stanzas eulogizing God to be set apart. Bh ai Leh na began selecting the stanzas. H e used to recite the stanzas to Guru Nanak every m orning and Guru Ji w ould look very carefully. Th us Bh ai Leh na selected 38 stanzas and arranged them in a very interesting order so that the w h ole com position becom es a poem dealing with one q uestion wh ich is faced by every one in h is life i.e. “H ow to break the w all of falseh ood (M aya) and h ow to ach ieve Truth?” Before the first stanza, there is “M ool m antra” or the basic underlying m antra by w h ich or the concept in w h ich Guru Nanak Dev describes God w h ose praise in sung in w h ole of “Sh ri Guru Granth Sah ib”. Th is is followed by a Sloka w h ich explain, w h at is truth? At the end of 38 stanzas, there is another sloka w h ich is com position of Guru Angad Dev. Th is sloka gives the gist of Japji Sah ib. It is said that the M ool Mantra describes basic concepts relating to the Suprem e Being and Japji Sah ib describes the path to be traveled to attain H im . Th e nam e of this com position is “Jap” w h ich m eans rem em brance, devotion and m ediation. Th is is a very appropriate nam e as this com position deals w ith an extrem ely pertinent q uestion in h um an life, “H ow to break the w all of falseh ood (M aya) i.e. h ow to rem ove the obstruction of M aya w h ich prevents us from being finally absorbed in the Almigh ty Nitnem (15) Lord. Th e answ er is given by h im in the next line of first stanza is, “by following the w ill of the Lord w h ich h as been w ritten by H im for us.” Th is in turn is ach ieved by us by rem em bering H is Nam e, devotion and m ediation i.e. Jap. “Ji” is added to this nam e to sh ow respect. Th e full text deals w ith different stages in the progress of the adventurer from the first stage w h en one becom es aw are of one’s separation from God and after passing through different stages of purification, rem em brance, singing of praise, m editation, realisation of h is presence in all h is creation and ach ieves final absorption in the Lord. It is full course of instructions step by step. In the fourth stanza, Guru Ji says that m orning am brosial h our in the best time for m editating on the praise of the Lord. In the fifth stanza, it is stated that the Lord is indescribable and H e is in the universal sustainer and w e sh ould never forget H im . In the 8th to 11th stanzas, Guru Ji h as advised us to listen to w h at w e say in the m ediation. Th is is the easiest w ay to concentrate and becom e one m inded. W h en two senses i.e. speech and h earing are concentrated upon, the m ind does not vacillate and it h elps to gain a num ber of attainm ents listed in these stanzas. Th e next stage is to accept in the inner m ind and act on w h at w e are saying in the prayers in our daily lives. (M ere repetition of the h oly verses is like reading the prescription and form ula of the m edicine and not tak ing the m edicine itself.) Th e im portance of it is explained in stanzas twelve to fifteen. In the 16th stanza, it is stated that if one perfects the teach ings up to this stage, one attains full control of his senses and is accepted as “Panch ” or the “ch osen one”. In the stanzas 17 to 19 , Guru Ji explains the m ost sough t after q uestions like; w h y are people good or bad? W h y does God give m isery or sorrow ? Etc. Stanza no. 20 explains the “law of karm a i.e. cause and effect” and h ow to escape the cycle of cause and effect? In the 21st to 25th stanzas, Guru Ji h as described a num ber of im portant issues to enlighten the devotee Nitnem (16) about the Lord’s creation. In the 26th stanza, Guru Ji describes the Lord’s sh op and its w ares i.e. the things the saints distribute to enlighten the devotees. Th e Lord’s uniq ue court is described in the 27th stanza. In the 28th stanzas, the true significance of various religious sym bols of different religions are described to enlighten the devotee so that h e does not lay too m uch stress on the outward sym bols and thus forget the true objective. In the 34th to 37th stanzas, five im portant stages of spiritual progress or the inner development of the devotee are described. Th ese stages are :-

(1) Dh aram Kh and or the region of the w orldly duties. (2) Gyan Kh an or the region of k now ledge. (3) Saram Kh and or the region of earnest effort to im plem ent the k now ledge. (4) Karam Kh and or the region of Divine Grace. (5) Sach Kh and or the region of Truth, the h igh est stage. In the 38th stanza, Guru Ji has described the qualities which a true teacher has to acquire before one can be blessed by the Lord to teach His Divine message or become a prophet. Th us Japji Sah ib is a com plete course of instruction for an ordinary person to graduate to the h igh est level. Th is guide, though dealing w ith the m ost difficult subject, is put in very sim ple and understandable term inology and language. Th e idea of m ak ing this com position to be recited in the early m orning h ours is that it settles in the inner depth of the m ind of the devotee and h e acts on it. Mere recitation is like reading the prescription and not taking the m edicine. It h as no beneficial effect. In the last sloka, Guru Ji h as assured that such a pilgrim on h is path not only obtains h is ow n salvation and is accepted by H im w ith the devotee’s face sh ining, but h e carries m any w ith h im to the sam e goal. Th is is precisely the reason, w h y Nitnem (17) all the religions lay so m uch stress on the association with the saints. If one associates w ith the saints, there is every possibility that they w ill tak e h im across the ocean of M aya to m erge w ith God and attain salvation. Th ree things are im portant for any devotee (1) deep aspiration, (2) constant rem em brance of H is Nam e and (3) association w ith the saints w h o w ill guide h im at the critical stages of progress w h ere one is likely to falter and drop out.-

Nitnem (18) Japji Sahib M ool M antra literally m eans" Basic concepts relating to the Suprem e." As per tradition, in the beginning of all book s, there is praise of the Guru or the M aster. Th is is also Know n as "M angalach aran" i.e. offering at the feet of the Lord or the Guru. W h ile editing Guru Granth Sah ib, the h oly book of the Sik h s, Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Guru of the Sik h s, h as given first place to the M ool M antra. In these few w ords, Guru Nanak Dev h as attem pted to describe the un-describable, the almigh ty Suprem e Being, about w h om , the w h ole book is w ritten. Th is M ool M antra h as been given again in the beginning of each "Raga" and before im portant com positions of Guru Granth Sah ib. Reader w ill h ave an idea from the M ool M antra, the basic concepts relating to the Suprem e i.e. H e is beyond h um an limitations and H e is all, all…(ad infinitum) and is ach ievable w h en H is grace so desires and not as a m atter of righ t or rew ard for one's austerities, good or noble deeds.

< siq nwmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI sYBM gur pRswid ] 1 AoMkwr s iq n wmu krqw purKu inrBau inrvYru Akwl mUriq AjUnI s YBM gur pRswid] Ik onk ar, Satnam , Karta Purak h , Nirbh au, Nirvair, Ak al M urat, Ajooni Saibh ang, Gurprasadi. Ik onk ar : Th is consists of the m um eral "1" in the beginning w h ich m eans God is only one. M ool M antra is the explanation of "1" and Japji Sah ib is explanation of M ool M antra. It is also said that wh ole of Guru Granth Sah ib is explanation of Japji Sah ib. Nitnem (19) Th ere is lot of controversy about H is being, Unm anifest, m anifest or being both. Th e vedic literature is full of this controversy. Th e follwers of Adi Sh ank rach arya believe in "Advaitism " i.e. one God but those of M adh vach arya believe in "Dvaitism " i.e. H e is m anifest as w ell as unm anifest i.e. there are two Gods. Guru Nanak Dev h as followed a sim ple non- controversial path. H e says H e is one. H e is non-m anifest as w ell as m anifest but the sam e O ne is both form s or aspects. Th is is called "Vash ish t Advaitism ". O nk ar is m ade of two w ords, O m (un-m anifest) and Kar (m anifest). Th is m eans that though H e is both Un-m anifest as w ell as m anifest, in reality H e is one only. Satnam : H e is "Sat" (eternal i.e. H e does not undergo any ch ange). H is Nam e is also eternal. Guru Nanak Dev's path is h igh ly dependent on m editating on or rem em bering H is Nam e i.e. w h y in the beginning itself h e h as clarified that H is Nam e is eternal and by rem em bering H is Nam e, w e are rem em bering H im only. 'Sat' is a Sansk rit word w h ich m eans true or eternal. Since this is an im portant concept on w h ich the w h ole ph ilosoph y is based, Guru h as very k indly fully explained this concept in the sloka w h ich follows the M ool M antra. Karta Purak h : 'Karta' in Sansk rit m eans doer and 'Purak h ' m eans Atma or Spirit. Karta therefore m eans that H e is the Creator, Sustainer, M aintainer and Destroyer of this m anifest creation w h ich w e call universe. For any creation, the artist, say a potter needs clay, and the sk ill to m ak e the pot. But God creates the visible creation out of H im self, after creation H e m aintains it, supplies all the needed objects and also destroyes it at H is w ill. Karta is followed by Purak h . H e in H is m anifest form w h ile creating, does not loose any part of H im , as is our norm al conception i.e. the w h ole reduces w h en a part is tak en out of it, God is Infinite, O m nipotent and therefore rem ains w h ole. Th is is w h y there is another nam e for God i.e. "Parm atma" i.e. Nitnem (20) H igh est Atma or Infinite Atma. H e is therefore O m nipotent, O m nipresent and O m niscient. Purak h therefore m eans, h e is present in H is creation. Nirbh au : Nirbh au m eans w h o is devoid of fear. In various scriptures of different religions, som e gods are stronger than others and therefore som e gods are afraid of others. H ere Guru Nanak Dev explains that since H e is only one w ithout any other eq ual to H im , H e is not afraid of any body. Th us H e is devoid of fear. Incidentally, H e m ak es H is saints also devoid of fear w h en H e decides to bestow them w ith k now ledge or "Atam Gyan", they becom e fearless. Saint Kabir in h is sloka no 22 in Sri Guru Granth Sah ib h as said that he is h appy w ith death as it is only after death (i.e. dispassion from the ph ysical body) that one ach ieves the h igh est bliss. Nirvair : Nirvair m eans, devoid of enm ity towards anybody. Since H e is one, all creation is H is, and part of H im , w ith w h om w ill H e h ave enm ity? Som e religions teach about God getting angry at sinners and punish ing H is enem ies. Th is is illogical. H ow can God ever be angry w ith or an enem y of h is ow n creation i.e. H im self? H e is all m erciful, k ind, generous and always bestowing grace on everybody, good, bad or indifferent. Even w h en H e m ak es som e body suffer, it is foundation for som ething good or is trying to teach a lesson so that one m ay get rid of a bad h abit or m entality. Guru Nanak Dev h as very k indly clarified in the beginning itself that H e is never our enem y and w e need not be afraid of H im as such . H e is all m erciful. W e can always approach H im as our benefactor. Ak al M urat: Ak al is beyond time and M urat is the substance or Existence or Nam e of Lord. Ak al M urat m eans Existence w h ich is beyond the effect of time. Th is is natural corollary of "Sat" i.e. eternal. Anything w h ich is eternal, i.e. does not ch ange, is not affected by time and therefore is eternal. H ere Guru Nanak Nitnem (21) Dev h as stressed that H is existence is beyond time, space and causality i.e. H e is not bound by limitations of time, space and law of Karm a or "action and it's fruit" theory. Ajooni : Ajooni m eans w h o is not born i.e. H e is beyond the cycle of birth and death i.e. cycle of re-incarnations. H e is one of k ind and there is nobody eq ual to H im . Th ere is therefore no q uestion of H is being born as som ebody else. H ence H e is beyond births and deaths and re-incarnations. Saibh ang : After h aving stated that H e w as not born, the q uestion arises, h ow did h e com e into being? H ere Guru Nanak Dev answ ers this q uestion. H e created H im self. Nobody else created H im . H e is self-created and self-luminous. Unlike the w orld created by H im w h ich sh ines w ith H is light, H e sh ines w ith H is ow n light. Gur Prasadi : After h aving explained m ain q ualities or ch aracteristics of the Suprem e Being, natural q uestion w h ich arises in the m ind of a devotee is, h ow to reach H im ? Guru Nanak Dev answ ers this q uestion by saying that H e can be reach ed or approach ed only by w ith H is ow n grace. Th is is a very im portant issue. Lot of people try to obtain access to H im by good actions, visiting h oly places, tak ing bath in h oly rivers and tank s, varioius austerities, m editation and yogic asanas (postures) etc. Guru Nanak Dev says, these are all useless (these practices only h elp cleanse the m ind) and unless and until H is grace is upon you, you can not reach H im . God h as created this universe and all beings. All the w orld and created beings w ork as per H is light or "Jiva Atma". H e is beyond the reach of h um an faculties like senses, m ind an intellect. O ne h as therefore to rise above the faculties to perceive H im . Th is rising above the senses, m ind and intellect com es w ith H is grace. Nitnem (22) Guru Nanak Dev in the two slokas and 38 stanzas system atically develops the subject and explains step by step, h ow a devotee sh ould progress, avoid pit-falls and finally obtain the Ncetar of H is Grace and ach ieve final deliverance from the cycle of births and deaths. Such a devotee not only ach ievs the gift for h im self but carries m any others also w ith h im . Th is can be explained w ith an exam ple. Th e ocean is the depository of all w ater on this earth. Som e of the w ater evaporates w ith h eat of the sun, form s clouds and com es to plains, valleys and m ountains as rain. Som e w ater gets frozen as ice on the m ountains, som e w ater flows into rivers, back to ocean and yet som e w ater gets trapped in the cities, ponds and lak es. But the desire of all of the w ater is to return to its source i.e. the ocean. But only the luck y w ater com es back . Th is h as been beautifully explained by Guru Ram Das in "Rah ras":

aP. sigbjRp lF apN hg qjdh mm apN dWV sPuj w'hg Vjdh mm ugb u.a ldF a[ij t[vp mm dru'e dqv drApdCbj l.u'eg q[vp mm \bjlj qhvj 4| rq njhvkÅ lHk rq> gh ekfg AA rq> fcu nwtk dksbZ ukfg AA thv tUr lfHk rsjk [ksyq AA fotksx fey foNqfM+;k latksxh esyq AA (vklk egyk þ) Tu driyao sabh tujh h i m ah e. Tujh bin duja koi nah e. Jiya jant sabh tera k h el. Vijog m il vicuriya sanjogi m e. (Asa M ah alla 4) You are the ocean and every thing is in yourself only. You are the source. Except you there is nothing. All the creation and life is Your play. You are the O ne w h o separates som e beings from You and w ith Your grace, join them w ith Yourself again.

] jpu ] ] jpu ] ...Jap... Th e nam e of this com positon is Jap or rem em brance of Nitnem (23) H is Nam e. H aving described the Lord in Mool Mantra, now Sh ri Guru Nanak Dev states in the following sloka, H e is that w h ich is there at all times, past, present and future. O nly such Lord is to be rem ebered.

Awid scu jugwid scu ] hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI scu ]1] Awid s cu jugwid s cu ] h Y BI s cu n wnk h osI BI s cu ] 1] Adi Sach , Jugadi Sach , H ai bh i Sach Nanak h osi bh i Sach . (1) In this sloka, Guru Nanak Dev has explained and defined w h at is 'Sat' in the M ool M antra. 'Truth' or 'Sat' is that w h ich does not ch ange w ith time. Th is is the yard-stick to test w h ether som ething is 'Truth' or not. According to Guru Nanak Dev, only God or Suprem e Being is Truth i.e. H e w as true in the beginning w h en there w as nothing else, H e w as true w h en the ages or yugas started, H e is true today and H e sh all be true in the future also. As per this yard-stick , all the m aterial objects in the w orld, h um an body, senses, m ind, intellect, m an m ade gods, goddesses etc. fail to pass this test and are therefore not w orthw h ile objects to get attach ed to. W e sh ould therefore rem em ber, praise and approach for favours only the Eternal O ne and O ne only. Stanza 1 H ow to R ealise th e True O ne? Accept H is W ill.

socY soic n hoveI jy socI lK vwr ] cupY cup n hoveI jy lwie rhw ilv qwr ] BuiKAw BuK n auqrI jy bMnw purIAw Bwr ] shs isAwxpw lK hoih q iek n clY nwil ] ikv sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY pwil ] hukim rjweI clxw nwnk iliKAw nwil ]1] s ocY s oic n h oveI jy s ocI lK v wr ] cupY cup n h oveI jy lwie rh w ilv q wr ] BuiKAw BuK n auqrI jy bMn w purIAw Bwr] sh s isAwx pw lK h oih q iek n clY n wil ] ikv Nitnem (24) s icAwrw h oeIAY ikv kUVY q utY pwil ] h ukim rjweI clx w n wnk iliKAw n wil ] 1] 1) Soch e Soch na h ovai je soch i lakh var. 2) Ch upe ch up na h ovai je lai rah a liv tar. 3) Bh uk h ia bh uk h na utri je bana puria bh ar. 4) Sah as sianpa lakh h oh i ta ik na ch ale nal. 4) Kiv sach iara h oiae k iv k ure tute pal? 5) H uk an rajai ch alana Nanak Likh iya nal. (1) To understand the correct m eaning, it is necessary to get at the underlying concept of this stanza. All the creation on this earth including the h um ans are part of H im , h ave been separated from H im becuase of their actions in m illions of lives. O ur aim is to finally get absorbed in H im but there is separation or w h at Guru Nanak Dev describes as 'wall of untruth' w h ich is veiling H is view from us. H e h as raised a pertinent question in line no. (5) H ow can w e be suitable for daw n of Truth in us? and h ow the w all of untruth between us and H im be brok en? As per various traditions in spiritualism , there are different tech niq ues for preparation in ach ieving the goal of God realisation. Th ese are briefly, purity of m ind, calmness of m ind, contentment of m ind and obtaining w is dom by reading scriptures. Th ese are all preparatory m eans for ach ieving the goal. But w ith passage of time and due to ignorance, these m eans h ave been tak en as an end by som e devotees and they spend w h ole of their lives by stressing on any one of the aspects only. Guru Nanak Dev, in the first stanza itself h as cautioned the devotee to avoid this pit-fall and h as given the correct answ er to this q uestion i.e. accept the W ill of God w h ich H e h as ordained for us. 1) Som e people h ave obsession for ph ysical cleanliness. Th ey h ave m any baths, w ash their clothes everytime they touch som ebody and do not allow any one to touch their food. Th ey also think that m ere bath in a h oly place w ill m ak e them pure. H ere Guru Nanak Dev says that even if you tak e bath a lak h s of times, you do not becom e pure Nitnem (25) enough to m eet H im because im purity of m ind does not go by cleaning of the body. 2) Som e people think that by m erely k eeping q uiet, they m ay reach the goal of God realization. Guru Nanak Dev says that even if you m aintain constant, deep and long silence, it is not possible to silence evil propensities of m ind w h ich is essential pre-condition for God-realisation. 3) Som e people think that by collecting big treasures of possessions, they can satisfy their h unger and be content, w h ich is another pre-req uisite for God realization. Guru Nanak Dev describes h ere that by possessing innum erable possessions i.e. w ealth of all w orlds, one's h unger for m ore is not appeased. 4) Another m ethod em ployed by som e is to collect w isdom by studying h oly book s, scriptures etc. Guru Nanak Dev says that even if one h as a lot of w isdom s, nothing accom panies h im on h is final journey. W h ich m eans that no am ount of w isdom is h elpful in God realisation? 5) H ere two q uestions h ave been raised. O ne, h ow to becom e truthful i.e., pure enough to receive God? And h ow to break the w all of untruth w h ich separates us from H im ? 6) This line is answ er to these questions. H e says that you accept and follow the W ill of God w h ich is w ritten by H im for us. (1) Acceptance of Will of God does not mean that we sh ould not do anything and leave everything to H im because H e h as decided if for us. As you proceed further, the exact significance of acceptance and follow ing the W ill of God becom es clear. To illustrate this, w e h ave a story. O ne devotee ask ed Guru Gobind Singh to sh ow the exam ple of a Sik h w h o h as accepted God's w ill. Guru ji ask ed h im to go to Kabul and gave the nam e and address of the exalted Sik h there. W h en the devotee reach ed and located the address, h e found lot of h ustle and bustle at the Sik h 's h ouse. O n inq uiry h e w as told that the Sik h w as in the inner part of house and w as respectfully led to him . Th e visitor w as received w ith respect and w as ask ed to stay for Nitnem (26) a few days there. All arrangem ents w ere m ade for h is com fort. Actually, the Sik h 's son w as to get m arried and the festivities w ere going on. Everyone w as m erry and in celebration m ood but the Sik h w as peaceful, m editative and busy preparing a coffin. Th e visitor noticed this but ignored the observation. Th e m arriage w ent off h appily. Th e bride cam e to the groom 's h ouse. Th ere w ere celebrations all around.But, on the nigh t of m arriage, a cobra stung the bride-groom and h e died. Th e m ood in the h ouse ch anged to gloom. No body k new w h at to do. Th ere w as w eeping and crying all around but there w as no ch ange in the m ood of the Sik h . H e coolly took out the coffin prepared by h im earlier and the crem ation of the bride-groom w as perform ed. As the usual cerem onies after the death w ere perform ed and the life returned to near norm al, the visitor ask ed for perm ission to leave. Before departing, h e ask ed the Sik h that since as it appears, h e k new about h is son's death, w h y did h e not get the m arriage cancelled and saved h is daugh ter-in-law the w idow - h ood? And that in spite of the catastroph y of h is son's death being k now n to h im , h e w as absolutely calm, peaceful and not disturbed? Th e Sik h explained to the visitor that although h e k new God's W ill, but h e w ound not interfere in H is sch em e of things. It w as the destiny of his son and daugh ter-in-law and h e could not interfere w ith it. Secondly, h e accepted and followed H is W ill fully and w as therefore not disturbed. Th is is real Karam Yoga. Do your duty but leave the result to H im . Accept the fruit of your actions as you w ould accept Prasad (grace) from the tem ple i.e. do not q uestion the q uantity and q uality of the prasad or grace and accept as gracefully as you can. Th is is called "Prasad Bh aw na" or "grace m ood." Th e m ore time you are in "Prasad Bh aw na" better it is. Finally w h en you succeed to be in this stage all the time along w ith constant rem em brance of H is Nam e, that is the goal ach ieved. You h ave realized H im . Nitnem (27) Now Guru Nanak Dev tells us m ore about H is W ill in next stanzas. Stanza 2 Follow H is W ill and Get Rid of Ego

hukmI hovin Awkwr hukmu n kihAw jweI ] hukmI hovin jIA hukim imlY vifAweI ] hukmI auqmu nIcu hukim iliK duK suK pweIAih ] ieknw hukmI bKsIs ieik hukmI sdw BvweIAih ] hukmY AMdir sBu ko bwhir hukm n koie ] nwnk hukmY jy buJY q haumY khY n koie ]2] h ukmI h ovin Awkwr h ukmu n kihAw jweI ] h ukmI h ovin jIA h ukim imlY v ifAweI ] h ukmI auqmu n Icu h ukim iliK duK s uK pweIAih ] iekn w h ukmI bKs Is ieik h ukmI s dw Bv weIAih ] h ukmY AMdir s Bu ko bwhir h ukm n koie ] n wnk h ukmY jy buJY q h aumY kh Y n koie ] 2] 1) H uk m i h oven ak ar, h uk am na k ah ia jai. 2) H uk m i h ove jia, h uk am m ilai vadiai. 3) H uk m i utam neech , h uk am likh duk h suk h paiah . 4) Ik na h uk m i bak h sis, ik h uk m i sada bh aw aiah . 5) H uk m e under sabh k o, bah ar h uk am na k oi. 6) Nanak h uk m e je bujhe, ta haum e k ah e na k oi. (2) In this stanza,Guru Nanak Dev h as further dw elt on H is W ill to illustrate h ow unfathom able is H is W ill? It is incom preh ensible. W e h um ans, inspite of our extrem e limitations, think ourselves to be too big, pow erful and rich or w ise and do not stop telling others about it. Th is is all ego w h ich concerns only I, M E, and M INE. Th e ego is the greatest obstacle for h um ans to attain God. H ere Guru Nanak Dev h as very lucidly explained that it is God w h o does everything like creating all form s, lives; grants them greatness; m ak es them h igh , low; lets them enjoy h appiness, m isery; som e are released from the cycle of births and deaths w h ereas others continue in this unending cycle. W h en everything is controlled by H is W ill and nothing is outside, if one understands all about pow er of H is W ill, w h ere is the q uestion of a h um an h aving h is ego? 1) H is w ill is incom preh ensible, and indescribable. All Nitnem (28) creation of form s is done under H is w ill. All m anifestation in this universe is as per H is w ill. 2) All form s of life are created under H is W ill and it is as per H is W ill that the h um ans h ave been blessed w ith the glory of all existence. Th e creations are in different stages of evolution like insentient, vegetable, anim al and h um an. Th ese are blessed w ith different levels of consciousness. Th e first two stages h ave no m ind of their ow n. Th e anim als h ave m ind but it's expression is instinctive. Th e h um ans h ave in addition to m ind, intellect, reason and w ill and thus H e h as m ade h um ans the crow n of creation or h as granted them the glory of existence. 3) It is in H is W ill that som e becom e h igh and som e low and in the sam e W ill they reap pleasure or pain as per H is w rit. H ere Guru Nanak Dev explains that the Law of Karm a O perates under H is W ill. 4) It is in H is W ill that som e are blessed w ith m uk ti or liberation and som e are destined to go round and round in transm igration. 5) Th us, all are under H is w ill and nobody outside it. 6) Guru Nanak Dev says that one w h o understands that it is all H is W ill, sh all not h ave any sm all ego of h is ow n. H ow beautiful! W h at a w onderful rem edy for the m ost dreaded disease of this w orld! (2) Stanza 3 H ow Different People Visualize H im Differently as per M anifestation of H is W ill

gwvY ko qwxu hovY iksY qwxu ] gwvY ko dwiq jwxY nIswxu ] gwvY ko gux vifAweIAw cwr ] gwvY ko ividAw ivKmu vIcwru ] gwvY ko swij kry qnu Kyh ] gwvY ko jIA lY iPir dyh ] gwvY ko jwpY idsY dUir ] gwvY ko vyKY hwdrw hdUir ] kQnw kQI n AwvY qoit ] kiQ kiQ kQI kotI koit koit ] dydw dy lYdy Qik pwih ] jugw jugMqir KwhI Kwih ] hukmI hukmu clwey rwhu ] nwnk ivgsY vyprvwhu ]3] gwvY ko q wx u h ovY iks Y q wx u ] gwvY ko dwiq jwx Y n Iswx u] gwvY ko gux v ifAweIAw cwr ] gwvY ko ividAw ivKmu Nitnem (29) v Icwru] gwvY ko s wij kry q n u Kyh ] gwvY ko jIA lY iPir dyh ] gwvY ko jwpY ids Y dUir ] gwvY ko v yKY h wdrw h dUir] kQ n w kQ I n AwvY q oit ] kiQ kiQ kQ I kot I koit koit ] dydw dy lYdy Q ik pwih ] jugw jugMq ir KwhI Kwih ] h ukmI h ukmu clwey rwhu ] n wnk ivgs Y v yprvwhu ] 3] 1) Gave k o tan h ove k ise tan. 2) Gave k o dat jane nisan. 3) Gave k o gun vadiaia ch ar. 4) Gave k o vidya vikh am vich ar. 5) Gave k o saj k are tan k h eh . 6) Gave k o jia lai ph ir deh . 7) Gave k o jape dise dur. 8) Gave k o vaikh e h adra h adur. 9 ) Kathana Kathi no ave tot. 10) Kath k ath k athi k oti k ot k ot. 11) Dainda de lainde thak pah e. 12) Juga jugantar k h ah i k h ah e. 13) H uk m i h uk am ch alae rah u. 14) Nanak vigse veparvahu. (3) Th e idea of understanding H is W ill as given in the last line of stanza 2, is further am plified in this stanza. H e and H is W ill is un-fathom able and is m anifested in as m any aspects. H um an beings, because of limitations inh erent in them are able to h ave only limited view of H is limitless W ill and creation. Every one w ith h is limited vision, training, back ground, environm ent etc. sees one or a few aspects, of H is W ill and sings H is praise as per that particular aspect of gift h e h as received from H im . O nly the m ost perfect perceiver, a rare ph enom enon, can find Truth i.e. H is W ill in an unalloyed form . O thers distort it, through the im pact of their ow n ego. Th us m an interprets Truth in h is ow n level of unselfish ness, h is understanding and h is m ental mak e up. In fact m an even creates h is ow n gods, in h is ow n im age and these gods m ay som etimes be a m ere figm ent of h is im agination. A typical exam ple of this is im ages of Lords Buddh a and Ram a etc. found in different parts of the w orld. Although the sam e person is expressed in statues, but the features ch ange from typically Indian to Ch inese, Japanese or Tibetan depending upon the artists w h o visualize and m ak e them . Nitnem (30) In the last two lines of this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as again stressed that it is H is W ill that is carrying on the w orld process and in spite of the unfathom able com plexities of creation, carefree Lord enjoys H is play born out of H is bliss. 1) Th ose w h o h ave pow er, sing the praise of the Lord for the im m ense of pow er possessed by H im . 2) Som e sing in praise of H is gifts, tak ing the gifts as a sign of H is benevolence. 3) Som e sing about H is beauteous virtues and great q ualities. 4) Som e w h o h ave acq uired som e k now ledge, sing about m ost difficult though ts and w isdom possessed by H im . 5) Som e sing because H e creates the bodies and then destroys them , converting bodies into ash es. 6) O thers sing because H e tak es life from one body and puts into aother one i.e transm igration. 7) Som e sing because H e appears very far to them . 8) O thers sing because H e appears to be present everyw h ere and is seen in everything, every being and everyone. 9 ) Th ere is no end of descriptions w h ich people h ave given of H im . 10) And it is m illions and m illions that h ave given their ow n versions of H im . 11) H e gives so m any gifts and in such q uantities that the receivers get tired of receiving. 12) And they eat and consum e the gifts through ages and ages i.e. thousands of years like yugas (Satyug, Duapar, Treta and Kalyuga etc.) 13) All this w onderful h appenings are tak ing place only as per O rdainer's W ill. 14) Guru Nanak Dev says, H e, the care free Lord is enjoying H is play born out H is Bliss. (3) Stanza 4 H is Nam e and Intese Love for H im , Guru's Precept for Understanding H is W ill

swcw swihbu swcu nwie BwiKAw Bwau Apwru ] AwKih mMgih dyih dyih dwiq kry dwqwru ] Pyir ik AgY rKIAY ijqu idsY drbwru ] muhO ik Nitnem (31) bolxu bolIAY ijqu suix Dry ipAwru ] AMimRq vylw scu nwau vifAweI ivcwru ] krmI AwvY kpVw ndrI moKu duAwru ] nwnk eyvY jwxIAY sBu Awpy sicAwru ]4] s wcw s wihbu s wcu n wie BwiKAw Bwau Apwru ] AwKih mMgih dyih dyih dwiq kry dwqwru ] Pyir ik AgY rKIAY ijq u ids Y drbwru ] muhO ik bolx u bolIAY ijq u s uix Dry ipAwru ] AMimRq v ylw s cu n wau vifAweI ivcwru ] krmI AwvY kpV w n drI moKu duAwru ] n wnk eyvY jwx IAY s Bu Awpy s icAwru ] 4] 1)Saach a sah eb saach naae bh aak h ia bh ao apaar. 2)Aakh ae m angae deh deh daat k are daataar. 3)Ph er k e age rak h iae jit disae darbaar. 4) M uh on k e bolan boleeae jit sun dh aray piaar. 5) Am rit vela sach nao vadeaaee veech aar. 6) Karm ee aavae k apra nadree m ok h duaar. 7) Nanak aevae jaaneeae sabh aape sach eaar (4) Continuing the subject of understanding H is W ill, Guru Nanak Dev h as given a prescription in this stanza by following w h ich , H e w ill not only love us but also sh ow H is court and be gracious enough to grant us salvation. In the first and second line, Guru Nanak Dev h as given the q ualities of the Lord. Tw o answ ers to these q uestions and h is recipe are in line no. 5. Lines 6 and 7 are the effect of correct use of the recipe. 1) H e the Lord is the Truth and H is Nam e is also Truth. Th is is in fact repetition of 'Sat Nam ' of Mool Mantra. Repetition w as necessary because now Guru Nanak Dev is com ing to the subject of H is nam e. H is language is "intensive love". H e responds only to intense love. O therw ise h e is beyond the bounds of com preh ension. 2) All the people of this w orld are always ask ing and begging of H im for everything and H e, the generous benefactor is always giving. 3) Since H e is giving everything to us, then w h at is that we m ay offer H im , so that we m ay be able to see H is court? 4) W h at type of language or speech sh ould w e speak , after h earing w h ich , H e sh ould start loving us? Nitnem (32) 5) Guru Nanak Dev has given the answ er to these q uestions in this line. In the early m orning am brosial h ours, rem em ber the true Nam e (Line1) and m editate about H is excellent q ualities. 6) and 7) W ith the experience of rem em bering H is Nam e and m editating on H is Divine q ualities, w e w ill realize that it is H e the Truth, everyw h ere and in everything. Although it is possible to ach ieve a noble birth as a result of good actions or Karm a but the release from the cycle of transm igration and acceptance at H is court's door is only possible w ith H is grace w h ich follows realization of H is O m nipresence and O m nipotence. Th us the Nam e is not merely recitation or expressing the m ajesty of God h ead but translating H is q ualities in one's ow n life. So by dw elling on the Nam e, the result is that truth, love, goodness, h um ility, faith and service flow naturally and spontaneously, from the devotee, as they do from H im , because the devotee, becom es the im age of the Lord, h e m erges in H im . (4) Stanza 5 Som e M ore Glory of Th e Suprem e Being to H elp Understand H is W ill In the last stanza, line no. 5, Guru Nanak Dev h as em ph asized rem em brance of H is Nam e and m editation on H is Glory in the m orning h ours as a h elp in understanding H is W ill. In the next two stanzas, h e h as sung further glories w ith em ph asis that Nam e and Glory be sung only of one Suprem e Being and none other. Th e need of this em ph asis is w ith a view that most of the devotees, in the initial stages of spiritual pilgrim age need crutch es of som e visible form s and then they get stuck . Th ey do not rise above the stage of personal God to im personal God. W h en a devotee attains the stage of "Seh aj" or care free stage, all distinctions of nam e and form disappear. Even in the beginning, the devotee m ust understand that nam es and form s Nitnem (33) used by h im are m ere sym bols and the pow er beh ind these is the Suprem e Being only.

QwipAw n jwie kIqw n hoie ] Awpy Awip inrMjnu soie ] ijin syivAw iqin pwieAw mwnu ] nwnk gwvIAY guxI inDwnu ] gwvIAY suxIAY min rKIAY Bwau ] duKu prhir suKu Gir lY jwie ] gurmuiK nwdM gurmuiK vydM gurmuiK rihAw smweI ] guru eIsru guru gorKu brmw guru pwrbqI mweI ] jy hau jwxw AwKw nwhI khxw kQnu n jweI ] gurw iek dyih buJweI ] sBnw jIAw kw ieku dwqw so mY ivsir n jweI ]5] Q wipAw n jwie kIqw n h oie ] Awpy Awip inrMjn u s oie] ijin s yivAw iqin pwieAw mwnu ] n wnk gwvIAY gux I inDwnu ] gwvIAY s ux IAY min rKIAY Bwau ] duKu prh ir s uKu Gir lY jwie ] gurmuiK n wdM gurmuiK v ydM gurmuiK rihAw s mweI ] guru eIsru guru gorKu brmw guru pwrbq I mweI ] jy h au jwx w AwKw n whI kh x w kQ n u n jweI] gurw iek dyih buJweI ] s Bn w jIAw kw ieku dwqw s o mY ivs ir n jweI ] 5] 1) Th aapiya na jaye k eetaa na h oye. 2) Ape aap Niranjan Soi. 3) Jin savia tin paiya m ann. 4) Nanak gaviye guni nidh an. 5) Gaviye suniye m un rak h iye bh au. 6) Duk h parh ar suk h gh ar le jai. 7) Gurm uk h nadang gurm uk h vedang, gurm uk h rah iya sam ai. 8) Gur isar gur Gorak h Barm a gur Parbati M ai. 9 ) Je h au jana ak h a nah in k ah na k athan na jai. 10) Guran ik deh bujhai. 11) Sabh na jiyan k a ik data, so m ai visir na jai. (5) In the stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as introduced another practice i.e. singing H is praise w h o is the treasure of all the q ualities of excellence and h as further declared that if one sings H is praise, listens to it and h as love for everybody in one's h eart, all h is pain and suffering is dispelled and all h appiness w ill abide in h im . H e h as further em ph asized that for any spiritual effort to bear fruit, it m ust be related to Suprem e Being w h o is beyond m aterial conditions, treasures of all excellence and is O ne and only O ne, giver of all life and everything else. Another new thing brough t about in the 10th line is guru Nitnem (34) or teach er and h is teach ing. Guru consists of two syllables, 'gu' and 'ru'. Th is m eans one w h o dispels dark ness and brings light. As per Indian ph ilosoph y, w h en som ebody is sufficiently prepared on the spiritual path to receive guidance, God in the garb of guru appears on the scene. God provides guru and guru leads one to God. Th us w h en Guru Nanak Dev h as seen that the devotee w ith acceptance of H is W ill, repetition of H is Nam e, m editation on H is q ualities etc., h as sufficiently purified h im self, so guru's w ork can start, h as introduced the concept of guru and h is teach ings. 1) God can neither be restricted in one place or location like tem ple etc. nor can be created in the likeness of an im age etc. 2) H e, w h o is beyond m aya or m aterial conditions, created H im self (Saibh ang in M ool M antra). H e is beyond any limitation of q uality or q uantity. 3) W h o-so-ever serves H im is an exalted one. 4) Guru Nanak Dev says, let us sing the praise of such a treasure of excellence. 5) Let us sing and h ear H is glories and ensh rine H is love in our h earts. 6) W h o ever is able to do so, sh all dispel h is pain and find abiding h appiness in h is h eart. 7) And 8) Different disciplines in H induism follow different traditions and h ave different objects and Gods for w orsh ip. Th e Yogis are after celestial sounds k now n as "nadas'. Som e follow and w orsh ip "Vedas". Som e w orsh ip Sh iva, som e Gorak h Nath, som e Brah m a and others m other Parvati, consort of Sh iva in various form s as Durga or Kali etc. H ere Guru Nanak Dev w ants to em ph asize that it is guru of gurus i.e. Suprem e Being w h o is Nad, Ved, Sh iva, Gorak h , Brah m a, Parvati but also is all pervading, in everything and everyone. Th us h e w ants one to rise above H is im ages and m editate only on O ne suprem e Being. 9 ) H e is beyond description. Even if I k new , I can not say anything because H e is beyond w ords. Nitnem (35) 10) And 11) O m y Guru, please m ak e m e understand one thing that H e, the suprem e Being is only one and that H e is giver of all life i.e. H e is the creator, sustainer and protector of all type of life and that I sh ould never forget H im . (5) Stanza 6 Purification W ith Guru's Grace

qIriQ nwvw jy iqsu Bwvw ivxu Bwxy ik nwie krI ] jyqI isriT aupweI vyKw ivxu krmw ik imlY leI ] miq ivic rqn jvwhr mwixk jy iek gur kI isK suxI ] gurw iek dyih buJweI ] sBnw jIAw kw ieku dwqw so mY ivsir n jweI ]6] q IriQ n wvw jy iqs u Bwvw ivx u Bwx y ik n wie krI ] jyqI isriT aupweI v yKw ivx u krmw ik imlY leI ] miq ivic rqn jv whr mwix k jy iek gur kI isK s ux I ] gurw iek dyih buJweI ] s Bn w jIAw kw ieku dwqw s o mY ivs ir n jweI ] 6] 1) Tirath nava je tis bh ava, vin bh ane k e nai k ari. 2) Jeti sirth upai vek h an, vin k arm a k e m ile lai. 3) Mut vich ratan jawah ar m anik je ik gur k i sik h suni. 4) Gura ik deh bujhai. 5) Sabh na jia ka ik data so m ain visir na jai. (6) In this staza, Guru Nanak Dev h as brough t in the concept of pilgrim age to h oly places for purification and further education of the devotee to prepare h im for m ore im portant gifts of God. Great persons, w ould set up places of pilgrim age w h ere all the noble souls of those times w ould assem ble in large num bers like "Kum bh m elas" to exch ange view s, standardize the procedures for w orsh ip and provide guidance to the devotees. All such places w ere m ostly establish ed on the bank s of rivers, lak es and if this w as not possible, big tank s w ere constructed to provide place for bathing. H aridw ar, Varanasi, Allah abad, M athura, Nasik and Push k ar are typical exam ples. "Kum bh m ela" is h eld at definite intervals by rotation. O riginally, bathing w as for ph ysical cleanliness before the w orsh ip in the tem ple etc. But slow ly, bath becam e the only objective of pilgrim age. Th is is only pervertion of original Nitnem (36) objective but the proverb in line (1) i.e. "Tirath nava" i.e. bath at the h oly place is m eant to serve the original purpose of purification of soul, association w ith w ise m en assem bled at these places and not only the ritual bath. In this stanza reference is m ade to "k arm a" or pre-ordained W ill of the Lord and visit to the h oly places w h ere one m eets the saints. For liberation, Sri Guru Granth Sah ib h as described two sources "Poorab likh iya paiya, Nanak sant sah ai" i.e. one either gets liberated due to h is "Karm a" or w ith the h elp of saints. Th is is also explained by saint Kabir in h is sloka no. 231 in Sri Guru Granth Sah ib, According to h im , if it is pre-ordained for one, h e m eets the saints and ach ieves liberation. 1) I m ay visit h oly places (m ak e association w ith w ise m en and purify m yself) only if it is H is W ill. Purification of the devotee and provision of m eans for purification is dependent upon H is W ill. 2) All H is creation that I can appreh end, gets only w h at is destined for it by H is W ill. 3) In the above line, Guru Nanak Dev h as explained the law of Karm a. But there is som ething k now n as Grace w h ich is over-riding the Law of Karm a because God is Suprem e. It is H is rule but H e is above H is rule of k arm a. Th erefore in the next line, Guru Nanak Dev explains that if a devotee listens to the teach ings of h is guru, h is m ind and intellect w ill becom e very strong and rich as if these are full of precious stones like diam onds etc. W h at is that advice or teach ing is in the next two lines. 4) And 5) O m y Guru! Please m ak e m e understand one thing that H e, the Suprem e Being, is only O ne and that H e is giver of all life i.e. H e is the creator, sustainer and protector of all type of life and that I sh ould never forget H im . Stnaza 7 H is Grace is M ore W orth w h ile Th an All W orldly Possessions

jy jug cwry Awrjw hor dsUxI hoie ] nvw KMfw ivic jwxIAY nwil clY Nitnem (37) sBu koie ] cMgw nwau rKwie kY jsu kIriq jig lyie ] jy iqsu ndir n AwveI q vwq n puCY ky ] kItw AMdir kItu kir dosI dosu Dry ] nwnk inrguix guxu kry guxvMiqAw guxu dy ] qyhw koie n suJeI ij iqsu guxu koie kry ]7] jy jug cwry Awrjw h or ds Ux I h oie ] n v w KMfw ivic jwx IAY n wil clY s Bu koie ] cMgw n wau rKwie kY jsu kIriq jig lyie ] jy iqs u n dir n AwveI q v wq n puCY ky ] kItw AMdir kItu kir dosI dosu Dry ] n wnk inrguix gux u kry gux v MiqAw gux u dy ] q yhw koie n s uJeI ij iqs u gux u koie kry ] 7] 1) Je Jug ch are arja, h or dasuni h oi. 2) Nava kh anda vich janiye, nal ch ale sabh k oi. 3) Ch anga nau rak h ai k e jas k irat jag lei. 4) Je Tis Nadar na avai ta vat na puch h e k e. 5) Kita under k it k ar, dosi dos dh are. 6) Nanak nirgun gun k are gunw antian gun de. 7) Teh a k oi na sujhai je tis gun k oi k are. (7) Th ere are certain pit falls in the spiritual pilgrim age like love for a long life, good nam e and h igh rank etc. Th ese are not bad in them selves but sh ould not becom e the aim s. Th e final aim sh ould be to m erge in the Suprem e and one sh ould be indifferent to these pow ers and possessions. W h en a m an possesses the soul of a beggar, the m aterial w ell being can also h ave their utility and m eaning. It enables the spirit and flesh to w ork in unison. For instance, if a m an w as engaged in the service of the Lord and on that account got the w ealth, love and loyalty of the people and then h e uses the sam e to advance God's causes, h e w as fulfilling the h igh est destiny. O n the other h and, lust for pow er, possessions, titles, nam e or fam e, could k ill h um anity and corrupt the society. It is these two opposite aspects that are tak en up in this stanza. 1) If som ebody h ad a very long life eq ual to four ages (Sat Yuga, Treta Yuga, Duw apar Yuga and Kali Yuga) and even ten times of that, 2) If one h ad built such h igh reputation that, h e be k now n in all the nine continents of the w orld and that everybody in this w orld followed h is lead, Nitnem (38) 3) If one h ad earned such a good nam e that h e w as praised and h onoured in w h ole of the w orld. Note: Th ese are the h igh est ach ievem ents possible in the w orld but these pale into insignificance com pared to God's grace. 4) H e w ould still be w orth nothing if h e did not w in the grace of the Lord. 5) H e w ould just be a w orm am ong w orm s and w ould be adjudged a sinner am ong the sinners. 6) Guru Nanak Dev says, the Lord m ak es those w ithout virtue as virtuous and adds m ore virtues to those w h o already possess them . 7) Th ere is none w h atsoever w h o m ay add any m ore virtue to H is virtues. Note: From the 6th line, w e m ay note that h e h as re-assured that the sinners need not be disappointed for ever. Th e m erciful Lord is always there to redeem them . Stanzas 8 to 11 Listening to H is Nam e Products R ich ness of M ind Th e next eigh t stanzas are in glorification of H is Nam e. Th e first four are about listening and the next four are about those w h o accept and m ould H is Nam e in their life style or in other w ords get absorbed in H is Nam e. Listening to Nam e is not m ere process of h earing but includes singing praise, k irtan (m usical singing w ith instru- m ents), reading and recitation of scriptures etc. W h en one listens to w h at one says, the m ind is attuned to it and it goes into our consciousness. Th us the "w orld" and consciousness join w h ich is the object of our m editation practice. From the beginning, Guru Nanak D ev h as been explaining about accepting and follow ing H is W ill, repetition of H is Nam e in the m orning h ours. Now h e h as added listening to H is Nam e. So by now the devotee h as attained h is peace of m ind, poise and h appiness through the pow er of H is Nam e, w h o is O ne, Nitnem (39) source of absolute pow er, peace and bliss. Slow ly, the q ualities of the Lord start w earing on to the devotee. Th ese four stanzas are therefore description of one w h o is in this stage. W h en such a devotee lives w ith full faith in H is W ill, h e can h ave no fear of death. In fact, to destroy fear of death, is to live in h arm ony w ith the Lord of Death. Total fearlessness and preparation for ph ysical death is the object of all religions of the w orld. Saint Kabir h as correctly described w h en h e says, "Th e death, of w h ich the w orld is afraid, is a bliss to m y m ind, because it is only after facing death that one finds the eternal bliss". Such a devotee is exalted m orally and spiritually. In fact it is h is balance and eq uipoise, and the w ay h e looks at things on the ph ysical plane, that h as sprung from h is m oral stature. H e is possessed of peace, contentment and w isdom as against three gunas* of m aya or three q ualities of m aya i.e. peace, desire and passion (Sattvik, Rajsik and Tam sik gunas). H e engages h im self in the service of com m unity; as a spiritual guide, h e obtains understanding about various w orldly and spiritual truths. *Note: Guna in sansk rit m eans rope w h ich bindes one to m aya or illusion.

suixAY isD pIr suir nwQ ] suixAY Driq Dvl Awkws ] suixAY dIp loA pwqwl ] suixAY poih n skY kwlu ] nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]8] s uix AY isD pIr s uir n wQ ] s uix AY Driq Dv l Awkws ] s uix AY dIp loA pwqwl ] s uix AY poih n s kY kwlu ] n wnk Bgq w s dw ivgwsu] s uix AY dUK pwp kw n wsu ] 8 ] 1) Suniye sidh pir sur nath. 2) Suniye dh arat, dh aval ak as. 3) Suniye deep loa patal. 4) Suniye poh na sak e k al. 5) Nanak bh agra sada vigas. 6) Suniye dook h pap k a nas. (8) 1) By listening to H is Nam e, the devotee reach es the status and acq uires the pow ers of sidh as (H indu saints), pirs Nitnem (40) (M uslim saints), gods and naths (Yogi's gurus). 2) By listening to H is Nam e, the devotee understands all facts about the earth, the superstition of so called bull supporting the earth on it's h orns, and the sk ies etc. 3) By listening to H is Nam e, the devotee understands the pow er of the Lord pervading the islands, the w orlds and the underw orlds. 4) By listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is freed from the fear of death or the death can not approach h im , as h e is liberated from the cycle of births and deaths. 5) And 6.) Guru Nanak Dev says that such a devotee is always in a state of bliss because by listening to H is Nam e, all h is sins and sorrow s are destroyed. (8)

suixAY eIsru brmw ieMdu ] suixAY muiK swlwhx mµdu ] suixAY jog jugiq qin Byd ] suixAY swsq isimRiq vyd ] nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]9] s uix AY eIsru brmw ieMdu ] s uix AY muiK s wlwhx mMdu ] s uix AY jog jugiq q in Byd ] s uix AY s wsq isimRiq v yd ] n wnk Bgq w s dw ivgwsu] s uix AY dUK pwp kw n wsu ] 9 ] 1) Suniye Isar Barm a Indu. 2) Suniye m uk h salahan m und. 3) Suniye jog jugat tun bh ed. 4) Suniye sasat sim irit Ved. 5) Nanak bh agta sada vigas. 6) Suniye dook h pap k a nas. (9 ) 1) By listening to H is Nam e, the devotee com es to the full understanding of the God of Death (Sh iva) God of creation (Brah m a) and the k ing of Gods (Indra). (Th ese no longer rem ain a m ystry to h im .) 2) By the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, even those w h o are bad or unh oly persons, becom e h oly and gain such h igh status that every body praises them . ( In Indian h istory, story of Bhagat Valmik i is w ell know n. H e w as a robber and absolutely illiterate. But w ith the pow er of Ram Naam , h e becam e a great sage and w rote "Ram ayana". H e is k now n and respected for this.) 3) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is Nitnem (41) able to understand the secrets of finding union w ith God and the secret pow ers of various parts of our body, m ind and intellect (like ch ak ras and k undilini etc.) 4) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee understands the true im plications of h oly scriptures like Sastras, Sim rities and Vedas. 5) And 6. Guru Nanak Dev says that such a devotee is always in a state of bliss because by listening to H is Nam e, all h is sins and sorrow s are destroyed. (9 )

suixAY squ sMqoKu igAwnu ] suixAY ATsiT kw iesnwnu ] suixAY piV piV pwvih mwnu ] suixAY lwgY shij iDAwnu ] nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]10] s uix AY s q u s Mq oKu igAwnu ] s uix AY AT s iT kw ies n wnu ] s uix AY piV piV pwvih mwnu ] s uix AY lwgY s h ij iDAwnu ] n wnk Bgq w s dw ivgwsu ] s uix AY dUK pwp kw n wsu ] 10] 1) Suniye sut santokh Gyan. 2) Suniye ath sath k a isnan. 3) Suniye par par pavhi m aan. 4) Suniye lage sah aj dh yan. 5) Nanak bh agta sada vigas. 6) Suniye dook h pap k a nas. (10) 1) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee acq uires the q ualities of generosity, contentment and k now ledge. (Th is is a w onderful balance of q ualities, w ith full k now ledge of things and contentment, the devotee is enrich ed w ith generosity. Th e trouble w ith the w orld is that m ost of the people only w ant to tak e and not to give or even give back w h at they h ave to return. Th is beggar m entality of only tak ing and not giving arises because of lack of gratitude, contentment and k now ledge. Th is beggar m entality h appens to be one of the greatest curses of our times.) 2) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee gains the sam e m erit as is gained by tak ing bath at all the sixty eigh t h oly places in India. 3) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is Nitnem (42) able to understand inner m eaning of h oly book s and acq uires h onour and respect. 4) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is able to fix h is m ind on the Lord effortlessly. H e does not h ave to do various exercises, (asanas) and difficult practices adopted by Yogis etc. 5) And 6. Guru Nanak Dev says that such a devotee is always in a state of bliss because all h is sins and sorrow s are destroyed by listening to H is Nam e. (10)

suixAY srw guxw ky gwh ] suixAY syK pIr pwiqswh ] suixAY AMDy pwvih rwhu ] suixAY hwQ hovY Asgwhu ] nwnk Bgqw sdw ivgwsu ] suixAY dUK pwp kw nwsu ]11] s uix AY s rw gux w ky gwh ] s uix AY s yK pIr pwiqs wh ] s uix AY AMDy pwvih rwhu ] s uix AY h wQ h ovY As gwhu ] n wnk Bgq w s dw ivgwsu] s uix AY dUK pwp kw n wsu ] 11] 1) Suniye sara guna k e gah . 2) Suniye saik h pir patsah . 3) Suniye andh e pavahe rah . 4) Suniye h ath h ove asgah . 5) Nanak bh agta sada vigas. 6) Suniye dook h pap k a nas. (11)

1) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is able to fathom the oceans of virtues (i.e. h e acq uires oceans of virtues by H is Grace.) 2) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee becom es fit to serve as sh aik h s and pirs (Th ese are h igh positions as per M uslim tradition) and rulers. 3) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, even the ignorant find the path of spiritual progress. (exam ple of Bh agat Valmik i in line 2 of stanza 9 ). 4) W ith the pow er of listening to H is Nam e, the devotee is able to understand the endless ocean of m aya i.e. this w orld. (w h ich is not possible otherw ise.) 5) And 6. Guru Nanak Dev says that such a devotee is always in a state of bliss because all h is sins and sorrow s are destroyed by listening to H is Nam e. (11) Nitnem (43) Stanza 12 to 15 O ne W h o Accepts H is W ill is Accepted at H is Court By now the devotee h as m ade progress from listening to H is Nam e and collecting inform ation from the w ise and scriptures etc. to a stage w h ere h e accepts and believes in H is Nam e and h as m oulded H is Nam e in h is life. In other w ords, h e is not only repeating H is Nam e; h e is w h olly absorbed and becom es one w ith H is Nam e. Th is is a very exalted state. Guru Nanak Dev says that there are no w ords w h ich can describe the state of such a devotee. H e rises above the m aterial conditions and three q ualities of m aya and h as thus realized the Lord w h o is beyond m aya, Pure, Im m aculate "Niranjan". Th e process of absorption or conversion into the Divine is not sudden or easy. Th e devotee h as throw n aw ay h is sm all self i.e. ego w ith all its m anifestations in the form of w rath, lust, desires and other passions and conseq uently h is unh appiness too. It w ill h elp to express this process of conversion through four traditional stages of com m unication w ith the Lord (1) vaik h ari (2) m adh yam (3) pasyanti and (4) para. In the initial stages, our com m unication w ith the Lord, our Japa or repetition of H is Nam e is over our tongue. Th is stage is articulate and external. Th e w ords are in gross form . Th is is action form of Japa or vaik h ari. Th e next is m adh ayam or m iddle stage of Japa in w h ich both the vital and lower regions function. Som e effort is req uired for this stage. Th e next stage pasyanti, represents, Japa in lower joyous regions, inovolving illuminating vision and our m ind is m ore involved in this stage. Th e last stage of Japa i.e. para is transcendental, beyond m aya, beyond m aterial considerations i.e. Im m aculate, Pure "Niranjan". Th e devotee h as reach ed this stage by now w h ich is described in next four stanzas. In Gurbani, this is called "Ajapa Jap" i.e. Jap w h ich does not req uire any effort and is automatic and continuous. Mah arish i Ram ana of Tiruvannam alai Nitnem (44) h as described this Japa like continuous flow of clarified butter (gh ee) or a m ountain stream i.e. w ithout break . Th is is also called "Atut Ch intan" or continuous rem em brance. At this stage, the devotee h as risen above narrow loyalties of com m unity, race country or religion. H e sees Lord in everybody and every w h ere. Th is is actually the stage of liberation or m uk ti or h eaven, because h e is free from bondage of m aya. Th e concept of h eaven w h ere one enjoys juicy fruit, rich w ines, beautiful wom en and no w ork to do is a m isnom er and m isleading. Th e devotee is a m an of k now ledge as w ell as a servant of H is creation, serves and saves those w h o follow h im . H e is fit to w ork as a spiritual guide and need not go about seek ing guidance from outside, because the Suprem e Guide inside h im h as revealed everything to h im . mµny kI giq khI n jwie ] jy ko khY ipCY pCuqwie ] kwgid klm n ilKxhwru ] mMny kw bih krin vIcwru ] AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]12] mMn y kI giq kh I n jwie ] jy ko kh Y ipCY pCuqwie ] kwgid klm n ilKx h wru ] mMn y kw bih krin v Icwru ] AYsw n wmu inrMjn u h oie] jy ko mMin jwx Y min koie ] 12] 1) M ane k i gat k ah i na jai. 2) Je k o k ah e pich h e pach h tai. 3) Kagad k alam na likh an h ar. 4) M ane k a bah e k aran vich ar. 5) Aisa Naam Niranjan h oi. 6) Je k o m unn jane m un k oi. (12) 1) Th e state of one, w h o accepts and believes in H is W ill and Nam e, is in-describable. 2) If som e body m ak es an attem pt to describe, h e w ill be an utter failure and w ill there fore repent later for h aving m ade an attem pt. 3) No am ount of papers and pens can accom m odate and w rite the praise of such a devotee. 4) Th ose w h o try to assess such a devotee's state w ill sit and continue w ith the assessm ent and w ill not be able to com plete, because it is beyond assessm ent. Nitnem (45) 5) And 6. H is Nam e and H is Glory is Pure and im m aculate, it is ensh rined in devotee's h eart. It is only those w h o h ave truly believed in H is Nam e and experienced such a state can k now . But such devotees are rare. (12)

mMnY suriq hovY min buiD ] mMnY sgl Bvx kI suiD ] mMnY muih cotw nw Kwie ] mMnY jm kY swiQ n jwie ] AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]13] mMn Y s uriq h ovY min buiD ] mMn Y s gl Bv x kI s uiD ] mMn Y muih cot w n w Kwie ] mMn Y jm kY s wiQ n jwie ] AYsw n wmu inrMjn u h oie ] jy ko mMin jwx Y min koie ] 13] 1) Mane surat h ovai mun budh . 2) Mane sagal bh avan ki sudh . 3) M ane m uh ch ota na k h ai. 4) M ane jum k e sath na jai. 5) Aisa Naam Niranjan h oi. 6) Je k o m unn jane m un k oi. (13)

1) Th e devotee, w h o believes in H is Nam e, h as h is m ind and intellect opened up to H igh er Divine Consciousness. 2) Th e devotee, w h o believes in H is Nam e, h as aw areness extending to all sph eres of h um an and out-w orldly existence. 3) And 4.) Th e devotee, w h o believes in H is Nam e, does not face the God of Death because h e rises beyond birth and death and therefore does not h ave to face any giving of account, or punish m ent for h is k arm a, such an exalted soul rises above k arm a as w ell as the cycle of birth and death. 5) And 6.) H is Nam e and H is Glory is Pure and Im m aculate, it is ensh rined in devotee's h eart. It is only those w h o h ave truly believed in H is Nam e and experienced such a state can k now , But such devotees are rare. (13)

mMnY mwrig Twk n pwie ] mµnY piq isau prgtu jwie ] mµnY mgu n clY pMQu ] mMnY Drm syqI snbMDu ] AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]14] mMn Y mwrig T wk n pwie ] mMn Y piq isau prgt u jwie ] mMn Y mgu Nitnem (46) n clY pMQ u ] mMn Y Drm s yqI s n bMDu ] AYsw n wmu inrMjn u h oie] jy ko mMin jwx Y min koie ] 14] 1) M ane m arag thak na pai. 2) M ane put siu pargat jai. 3) Mane m ug na ch ale panth. 4) Mane dh aram seti sanbandh . 5) Aisa Naam Niranjan h oi. 6) je k o m unn jane m un k oi. (14) 1) Th e devotee w h o believes in H is Nam e, does not m eet any obstacle in h is spiritual path. It is said that if w e w alk one step toward God, H e com es ten steps towards us, therefore there is no q uestion for any obstacle in the path of such an exalted devotee. 2) Such a devotee com m ands respect in this w orld and goes w ith h onour to the next. 3) And 4.) Such a devotee does not follow any narrow creed, religion or think ing because h e is ass ociated w ith "Dh arm a", the True Religion of the Lord. 5) And 6.) H is Nam e and Glory is Pure and Im m aculate, it is ensh rined in devotee's h eart. It is only those, w h o h ave truly believed in H is Nam e and experienced such a state can k now . But such devotees are rare. (14)

mMnY pwvih moKu duAwru ] mMnY prvwrY swDwru ] mMnY qrY qwry guru isK ] mMnY nwnk Bvih n iBK ] AYsw nwmu inrMjnu hoie ] jy ko mMin jwxY min koie ]15] mMn Y pwvih moKu duAwru ] mMn Y prvwrY s wDwru ] mMn Y q rY q wry guru isK ] mMn Y n wnk Bv ih n iBK ] AYsw n wmu inrMjn u h oie ] jy ko mMin jwx Y min koie ] 15] 1) Mane pavahi m ok h duar. 2) Mane parvare sadh ar. 3) Mane tare taare gur sik h . 4) Mane Nanak bh aw eh na bh ik h . 5) Aisa Naam Niranjan h oi. 6) Je k o m unn jane m un k oi. (15) 1) Such a devotee w h o believe in H is Nam e finds acceptance in H is court i.e. h e gets salvation. 2) Such a devotee w h o believes in H is Nam e, h elps h is fam ily also in attaining spirituality. 3) Such a devotee w h o believes in H is Nam e, first saves Nitnem (47) h im self and later if he is a teach er, h e saves h is follow ers too. 4) Guru Nanak Dev says that such a devotee w h o believes in H is Nam e does not go about begging for guidance. (H e only seek s advice of God seated in h is h eart.) 5) And 6.) H is Nam e and Glory are Pure and Im m aculate, it is ensh rined in devotee's h eart. It is only those, w h o h ave truly believed in H is Nam e and experienced such as state can k now . But such devotees are rare. (15) Stanza 16, Th e Devotee is Now R eady for Next Stage, Discrim ination or "Vivek Now that the devotee's m ind is fully trained to think of God in every being and every w h ere, h is soul is elevated, h e is com plete in all respects, and is therefore accepted by the Lord as H is ow n and by the people as their leader. Guru Nanak Dev therefore calls h im "Panch ", one w h o is accepted by people as their representative. H e is involved in spiritual h um anism about w h ich the great sage Aurobindo h as said, "Th e fundam ental idea is that m ank ind is the God-h ead to be w orsh iped and served by m an and that the respect, the service and the progress of h um an beings and h um an life, are the ch ief duty and ch ief aim of the h um an sprit. No other idol, neither the nation, the state the fam ily, nor anything else ough t to tak e it's place, they are only w orthy or respect so far as they are im ages of the h um an spirit and ensh rine and add to its self m anifestation". Sim ilar sentiments w ere expressed by M r. M .K. Gnadh i "I am endeavouring to see God through the service of h um anity, for I k now that God is neither in h eaven nor dow n below but in every h eart." Th is very noble though t is expressed in the end of the stanza by Guru Nanak Dev. In the first four lines Guru Nanak Dev h as explained greatness of the devotee w h o h as reach ed the state of "Panch a". Nitnem (48) i.e. h as full control on h is five senses. Th en h e follows on to the Great Glory of Almigh ty and h as discussed certain very logical issues regarding H is creation i.e. universe, nature etc. H ere Guru Nanak Dev expects the devotee to graduate to be a m an of discrim ination i.e. "Vivek ". H e starts analyzing w h at is righ t and w h at is w rong. Parm ash nsa Ram ak rish na h as beautifully explained the m etam orph osis of a "m an of faith" to "m an of discrim ination" in a parable. H e says, God is a vast ocean encom passing everything on this universe. First the devotee, w h o is not able to com preh end "Nirguna" or unm anifest aspect of God, w orsh ips H im in a m anifest or "Sargun" aspect i.e. an idol, a nam e, a m antra or any other aspect. W h en h is faith becom es very intense, som e w ater of the vast ocean freezes to sh ow the m anifest form of "h is God" to h im as a "vision". Th is increases h is devotion and the God bles ses h im w ith pow er of discrim ination. Th e h eat of h is faith and discrim ination, m elts the ice of m anifest form back to w ater. Th en the devotee is able to appreh end w h ole of the ocean or the unm anifest aspect of God. Th is w ill be clear from the exam ple of saint Nam dev w h o w as an idol w orsh ipper earlier and ch anged over to a w orsh ipper of Un-m anifest God. Please refer to m y look, “Bani of Bah ats” publish ed by All India Pingalwara Ch aritable Society Am rtisar (INDIA) or send m e a req uest for E-copy. H ere Guru Nanak Dev is blessing the devotee w ith pow er of discrim ination. Th e "Panch a" w h o h as already ach ieved great em inence, goes on to dive deep into creation of universe, nature and then w ith full understanding of the inner secrets, serves m ank ind as per H is w ill. Guru Nanak Dev h as declared that only that w ork w h ich pleases H im is good.

pµc prvwx pµc prDwnu ] pµcy pwvih drgih mwnu ] pµcy sohih dir rwjwnu ] pµcw kw guru eyku iDAwnu ] jy ko khY krY ivcwru ] krqy kY krxY nwhI sumwru ] DOlu Drmu dieAw kw pUqu ] sMqoKu Qwip riKAw ijin sUiq ] jy ko bUJY hovY sicAwru ] DvlY aupir kyqw Bwru ] DrqI horu prY horu horu ] iqs qy Bwru qlY kvxu joru ] jIA jwiq rMgw ky nwv ] Nitnem (49) sBnw iliKAw vuVI klwm ] eyhu lyKw iliK jwxY koie ] lyKw iliKAw kyqw hoie ] kyqw qwxu suAwilhu rUpu ] kyqI dwiq jwxY kOxu kUqu ] kIqw pswau eyko kvwau ] iqs qy hoey lK drIAwau ] kudriq kvx khw vIcwru ] vwirAw n jwvw eyk vwr ] jo quDu BwvY sweI BlI kwr ] qU sdw slwmiq inrMkwr ]16] pNMc prvwx pMc prDwnu ] pMcy pwvih drgih mwnu ] pMcy s ohih dir rwjwnu ] pMcw kw guru eyku iDAwnu ] jy ko kh Y krY ivcwru] krqy kY krx Y n whI s umwru ] DOlu Drmu dieAw kw pUqu ] s Mq oKu Q wip riKAw ijin s Uiq ] jy ko bUJY h ovY s icAwru ] Dv lY aupir kyqw Bwru] DrqI h oru prY h oru h oru ] iqs q y Bwru q lY kv x u joru] jIA jwiq rMgw ky n wv ] s Bn w iliKAw v uVI klwm] eyhu lyKw iliK jwx Y koie ] lyKw iliKAw kyqw h oie ] kyqw q wx u s uAwilh u rUpu ] kyqI dwiq jwx Y kOx u kUqu] kIqw ps wau eyko kv wau ] iqs q y h oey lK drIAwau ] kudriq kv x kh w v Icwru ] v wirAw n jwvw eyk v wr ] jo q uDu BwvY s weI BlI kwr ] q U s dw s lwmiq inrMkwr ] 16] 1) Panch parwan, panch pardh an. 2) Panch e pawah e dargah e m aan. 3) Panch e soh ah e dur rajan. 4) Panch a k a Guru ek dh iyan. 5) Je k o k ah e k are vich ar. 6) Karte k e k arne nah i sum ar. 7) Dh aul dh aram , daya k a poot. 8) Santokh thap rak h iya jin soot. 9) Je ko bujhe h ove sach iar. 10) Dh aw le upar k eta bh ar. 11) Dh arti h ore pare h ore h ore. 12) Tis te bh ar tale k avan jore. 13) Jia jat rangan k e nav. Sabh na likh iya w udi k alam. 15) Eh lek h a likh jane k oi. 16) Lek h a likh iya k eta h oi. 17) Keta tan sualihu roop. 18) Keti daat jane k aun k oot. 19 ) Kita pasau ek o k avao. 20) Tis te h oi lakh dariyao. 21) Kudrat k aw an k ah a vich ar. 22) Variya na jawa ek var. 23) Jo tudh bh ave sai bh ali k ar. 24) Tu sada salamat Nirank ar. (16) 1) Th e saints are approved by the Lord and accepted by the people as their leaders, they also h ave the control of m aya. 2) Th e saints are also h onoured in the Lord's court. 3) Th e saints sh ine in the councils of rulers in this w orld. Nitnem (50) 4) Th e saints are always dw elling on O ne Lord w h o is their guru, guide and everything. Now from the praise of saints, Guru Nanak Dev h as sh ifted to appreciate grandeour or glory of God, H is creation and the m ysteries of nature. 5) And 6) If som e one w as to ponder over doings of the Lord, these are beyond assessm ent and beyond description. Th e next six lines i.e. (7) to (12) are devoted to the m yth that a bull is supporting the earth on it's h orns, w h en it gets tired, h e m oves h is h ours and thus causes earth q uak e. Guru Nanak Dev has exploded this m yth by arguing that there are so m any planets in the universe, w h at is the force under these planets? If the bull is supporting the earth, w h at the is w eigh t of the earth and w h at is the support for the bull? 7) And 8) Th e fabled bull is in fact, H is Law born out of H is m ercy. Th e m ercy of O ne w h o h ad setup perfect balance (h arm ony) to m ak e all things function in their respective places. (Th us the Law , born out of H is infinite m ercy and sustained by h arm ony is a great blessing.) 9 ) And 10) Let the believer in the bull m yth explain the truth i.e. the extent of burden on the bull to justify this theory. 10) And 12) Th ere are num erous planets, like earth in the universe, w h at is the force under these planets? Th is is a beautiful exam ple of discrim ination in action. Th e next exam ple Guru Nanak Dev h as tak en up is the story of creation of Universe. Th ere are so m any m yths according to different sch ools of though t. 13) And 14) Th ere are m any living objects of m any species, colours and nam es. Th ey are all like letters w ritten by continuously flow ing pen of the Almigh ty. 15) And 16) If som ebody m ak es effort to w rite all this account of different types of creations created by H im , just im agine h ow large w ill that account be? 17) H ow im m easurable is Your pow er, O Lord and h ow beautiful Your form as m anifested in this universe. Nitnem (51) 18) Nobody h as the capacity and capability to find out the gifts bestowed by the Lord on H is creation. 19 ) And 20) With only one com m and, You created the w h ole universe and m illions of rivers started flowing. 21) Your play is w onderful; no-body h as the pow er to describe the sam e. 22) I am too insignificant to be a sacrifice to you even once. 23) W h atever w ork pleases you, is good. (Th is is the h igh est stage w h en the devotee h as not only accepted H is W ill, but h as started praising H is W ill and totally be one w ith it. H e tak es all of H is creation as H is form and serves it.) 24) O unm anifest one, beyond m aya you abide forever. (Th is is sam e as "Sat" and the first saloka after M ool M antra.) (16) Stanza 17 to 19 In these three stanzas, Guru Nanak Dev goes deeper into the q uestions w h ich are on the m ind of almost everyone. W h y are people good or bad? W h y does God give m isery and sorrow ? Th ese q uestion and m any m ore are tack led in these stanzas. Stanza 17 Th e Unm anifested one is Beyond Senses, M ind and Intellect of H um ans In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as tak en the case of countless people w h o are doing repetition of Nam e, devotion, austeries, reading of Vedas, k eeping silence, giving ch arities and are valiant fighters in battles. Th ey are not able to appreh end the m ysteries of the unm anifested O ne because these are beyond the senses, m ind and intellect. All the activities m entioned in this stanza from Ist to 8th line are perform ed through body, m ind and intellect only. Th erefore these activities are not effective to perceive unm anifest God. Th is is am plification of "Gur Prasad" in M ool M antra.

AsMK jp AsMK Bwau ] AsMK pUjw AsMK qp qwau ] AsMK grMQ muiK vyd pwT ] AsMK jog min rhih audws ] AsMK Bgq gux igAwn vIcwr ] AsMK sqI AsMK dwqwr ] AsMK sUr muh BK swr ] AsMK moin ilv Nitnem (52) lwie qwr ] kudriq kvx khw ivcwru ] vwirAw n jwvw eyk vwr ] jo quDu BwvY sweI BlI kwr ] qU sdw slwmiq inrMkwr ]17] AsMK jp AsMK Bwau ] AsMK pUjw AsMK q p q wau ] AsMK grMQ muiK v yd pwT ] As MK jog min rh ih audws ] As MK Bgq gux igAwn v Icwr ] As MK s q I As MK dwqwr ] As MK s Ur muh BK s wr] As MK moin ilv lwie q wr ] kudriq kv x kh w ivcwru] v wirAw n jwvw eyk v wr ] jo q uDu BwvY s weI BlI kwr ] q U s dw s lwmiq inrMkwr ] 17] 1) Asank h jap, asank h bh au. 2) Asank h pooja, asank h tap tau. 3) Asank h granth m uk h Ved path. 4) Asank h jog m un rah e udas. 5) Asank h bh agat gun gyan vich ar. 6) Asank h sati asank h datar. 7) Asank h soor muh bh ak h sar. 8) Asank h m oni liv lai tar. 9 ) Kudrat k avan k ah a vich ar. 10) Variya na jawan ek var. 11) Jo tud bh ave sai bh ali kar. 12) Tu sada salamat Nirank ar. (17) 1) Countless are those w h o are doing m editation and countless are those w h o h ave love for others and devotion towards their objects of w orsh ip. 2) Countless are those w h o are indulging in cerem onial w orsh ip and countless are those w h o are undergoing punish ing austerities. 3) Countless are reading Vedas and other h oly texts. 4) Countless are doing Yogic practices and w h ose m inds are detach ed from the w orld. 5) Countless are the devotees w h o are reflecting on the virtues and w isdom of God. 6) Countless are those w h o are contented and generous givers of gifts and ch arity. 7) Countless are the brave fighters w h o are prepared to tak e blows of w eapons on their faces. 8) Countless are the practitioners of silence, engaged in unbrok en concentration of m ind. 9 ) O Lord! Your play is w onderful. I h ave no pow er to describe the sam e i.e. You h ave created countless people Nitnem (53) doing countless noble deeds. You are beyond com preh ension and description. 10) I am too insignificant to be a sacrifice to you even once, for you h ave put countless people on good w ork . 11) W h atever w ork pleases you is good. (Th is is the h igh est stage w h en the devotee not only accepts H is W ill, but h as started praising H is W ill and is totally w ith it. H e tak es all of H is creation as H is form and serves it.) 12) O un m anifested O ne, beyond m aya. You abide for ever. (This is sam e as "Sat" and the first slok a after M ool M antra) (17) Stanza 18 God is Ever M erciful. H e Never Punish es In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as tak en up the issue of people w h o, in the understanding of the com m on m an are bad, sinners, or a low level. Such a conviction arises out of our lack of understanding of the situation. So Guru Nanak Dev explains that it is all according to H is m aster plan. Everybody is doing w h at is expected of h im in the Lord's great plan. It is w rong to suppose that there can be any unm erited ineq uality or victimisation. M an's ow n vision is narrow . M an relates good and evil to h is ow n tastes, view s and desires. H e projects h is ow n subjective aim s and preferences into the objective universe. H e begins to im agine that all natural processes h ave only h im in view designed to serve h is needs. H e therefore tak es partial view of things and is ignorant of the order and h arm ony prevailing in Nature as a w h ole. M an does not realise that pain and suffering m ay in fact be the cure of h is ills and build h is ch aracter. God h as H is ow n w ays of opening the eyes of h um an beings. W h en people, as a result of thier ow n w eak ness of foolish ness, suffer, it is only then that they begin to look upon life from a new perspective. Left to them selves, they w ill not understand their sh ort com ings. W h en God's so-called w rath falls on them , it is time they looked w ithin them selves. It is like doctor's k nife. Although , in a surgical operation, the patient suffers acute pain, but the intention of the doctor is to h eal h im and the patient h appily Nitnem (54) goes to the h ospital, pays fees for the operation and thank s the doctor after the operation. If w e h ave the sam e attitude towards God's M ercy to correct us, w e w ill be m uch h appier. All h um ans are H is reflection and are therefore capable of attaining the h igh est state. As som e body h as said "Th ere is so m uch of good am ong the w orst and so m uch of evil in the best." Th ere are num erous exam ples of extrem ely bad people instantly transform ed into great souls by H is Grace delivered through sages and saints. To understand the play of the Lord, an exam ple w ould m ak e it easy. All the creation is like a big dram a. W e are all actors. Som e playing h eroes and other villains. Unfortunately through ignorance w e start think ing our stage life as real and label people as good and bad. For correct understanding, w e sh ould tak e the position before and after the dram a and ignore the role, as it w as only as per direction of the play-w riter and director. Tak ing the subject of discrim ination from the m yth of the bull supporting the earth, creation of the universe, good people on the path of spiritualism , in this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev deals w ith the so-called bad people. H e brings out that w h eatever w ork , even bad or cruel w ork , is given to us by the Almigh ty, is therefore good and sh ould be carried out by us as our duty or dh arm a. Th e so-called bad people are not bad. Th ey are only playing the role as such as given to them by the Lord in H is play of the w orld.

AsMK mUrK AMD Gor ] AsMK cor hrwmKor ] AsMK Amr kir jwih jor ] AsMK glvF hiqAw kmwih ] AsMK pwpI pwpu kir jwih ] AsMK kUiVAwr kUVy iPrwih ] AsMK mlyC mlu BiK Kwih ] AsMK inMdk isir krih Bwru ] nwnku nIcu khY ivcwru ] vwirAw n jwvw eyk vwr ] jo quDu BwvY sweI BlI kwr ] qU sdw slwmiq inrMkwr ]18] AsMK mUrK AMD Gor ] AsMK cor h rwmKor ] AsMK Amr kir jwih jor ] As MK glv F h iqAw kmwih ] As MK pwpI pwpu Nitnem (55) kir jwih ] As MK kUiVAwr kUVy iPrwih ] As MK mlyC mlu BiK Kwih ] As MK inMdk isir krih Bwru ] n wnku n Icu kh Y ivcwru ] v wirAw n jwvw eyk v wr ] jo q uDu BwvY s weI BlI kwr ] q U s dw s lwmiq inrMkwr ] 18 ] 1) Asank h m oorak h andh gh ore. 2) Asank h ch ore h aram k h ore. 3) Asank h am ar k ar jahe jore. 4) Asank h galwadh h atiya k am ah e. 5) Asank h papi pap k ar jahe. 6) Asank h k ooriar k oore ph irah e. 7) Asank h m alech h m al bh ak h k h ah e. 8) Asank h nindak sir karh e bh ar. 9) Nanak neech kah e vich ar. 10) Vaariya no jawa ek var. 11) Jo tudh bh ave sai bh ali k ar. 12) Tu sada salamat Nirank ar. (18) In this stnaza, Guru Nanak Dev h as described countless people w h o are doing so-called negative type of actions, but h e says that this is also due to H is play. 1) Countless are the fools w h o are drow ned in deep ignorance. 2) Countless are thieves w h o live on earnings w h ich are not due to them . 3) Countless are those w h o rule over others w ith unjust m igh t and depart from this w orld as such . 4) Countless are people w h o com m it m urders by cutting throats of others. 5) Countless are the sinners w h o depart from this w orld com m itting sins i.e. w ithout repentance. 6) Countless are the liars w h o w aste their lives by spreading falseh ood. 7) Countless are the evil persons w h o eat the filth and rubbish of unearned m oney. 8) Countless are the slanderers w h o carry the load of the sin of slander on their h ead. 9 ) And 10) Guru Nanak Dev says, h e is too low a person, w h o can not h ave any though t of the M ercy of the Lord w h o is w ork ing in these people for their final good. H e (Guru Nanak Dev) is too insignificant to be a sacrifice to such a Lord even once. Nitnem (56) 11) W h atever w ork pleases you O Lord, is good. (No w ork is bad and no person is bad.) 12) O Form less one, beyond m aya, you abide for ever. (18) Stanza 19 Th e Lord is Above All Scripts and Languages In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as brough t H is Nam e, sacred places, the scripts and the languages into the realm of discrim ination. H e says, there are countless Nam es of the Lord and there are countless places w h ich are sacred. All are H is Nam es and places w h ich are assigned to H im w ith full faith and devotion are H is and H e w ill respond to that. W e use alphabet and language to rem em ber H is Nam e and H is praise, H is k now ledge etc. All languages and scripts are H is but H e is above all languages and scripts. H e can not be confined to them . Som e people h ave a m isunderstanding that som e languages like 'Sansk rit' are only suitable for spiritual subjects. Th is is not correct. All languages are eq ually good. Th is w as precisely w h y Lord Budh a w rote in 'Pali' and not in 'Sansk rit'. Guru Nanak Dev and all saints of "Bh ak ti" m ovem ent h ave sung H is praise in the local languages. H e does w h atever pleases H im and H is nature can not be brough t under consideration by the m ortals.

AsMK nwv AsMK Qwv ] AgMm AgMm AsMK loA ] AsMK khih sir Bwru hoie ] AKrI nwmu AKrI swlwh ] AKrI igAwnu gIq gux gwh ] AKrI ilKxu bolxu bwix ] AKrw isir sMjogu vKwix ] ijin eyih ilKy iqsu isir nwih ] ijv Purmwey iqv iqv pwih ] jyqw kIqw qyqw nwau ] ivxu nwvY nwhI ko Qwau ] kudriq kvx khw vIcwru ] vwirAw n jwvw eyk vwr ] jo quDu BwvY sweI BlI kwr ] qU sdw slwmiq inrMkwr ]19] AsMK n wv AsMK Q wv ] AgMm AgMm AsMK loA ] AsMK kh ih s ir Bwru h oie ] AKrI n wmu AKrI s wlwh ] AKrI igAwnu gIq gux gwh ] AKrI ilKx u bolx u bwix ] AKrw isir s Mjogu v Kwix ] ijin eyih ilKy iqs u isir n wih ] ijv Purmwey iqv iqv pwih ] jyqw kIqw q yqw n wau ] ivx u n wvY n whI ko Q wau ] kudriq kv x kh w v Icwru] v wirAw n jwvw eyk v wr Nitnem (57) ] jo q uDu BwvY s weI BlI kwr ] q U s dw s lwmiq inrMkwr ] 19] 1) Asank h Nav asank h thav. 2) Agam agam asank h loi. 3) Asank h k ah ih sir bh ar h oi. 4) Ak h ri Naam ak h ri salah. 5) Ak h ri gyan geet gun gah . 6) Akh ri likh an bolan baan. 7) Akh ra sir sanjog vakh an. 8) Jin ih likh e tis sir nah i. 9 ) Jiv furm ae tiv tiv pah e. 10) Jeta k ita teta Nau. 11) Vin Nave nah i k o thau. 12) Kudrat Kaw an k ah a vich ar. 13) Variya na jawa ek var. 14) Jo tudh bh ave sai bh ali k ar. 15) Tu sada salamat Nirank ar. (19 )

1) Countless are H is Nam es and countless are places w h ich are considered by m an as H is abodes. Th is is further am plified in lines 10 and 11. 2) Countless are the w ords created by H im w h ich are beyond the appraisal and reach of m an. 3) Even to say that H e h as created countless w orlds is to express H is doings inadeq uately. 4) It is only by w ords that w e utter H is Nam e and praise H im . 5) It is only by w ords that w e relate H is w isdom , sing H is glories and com e to understand H is virtues. 6) It is only by m eans of w ords that the h oly w ord like "Gurbani" is w ritten and spok en by saints and proph ets. 7) It is only by w ords that w e express our relation w ith H im { som e pray to H im as M other, som e as Father, som e as M aster, som e as friend and som e as H usband or Lover etc.) Th e fate of h um an beings is beyond w ords as this is w ritten by H im . ( H e and H is actions are beyond w ords.)} 8) But H e w h o h as w ritten these w ords is beyond the w ords. W h en w e nam e anything like earth, sun, trees or som e person's nam e, these w ords represent that thing or person and w e are at once able to visualize the object. But this is not possible for H im as H e is beyond w ords. 9 ) Everybody gets only w h at is ordained by H im for that pers on. 10.) W h atever is created by H im is H is Nam e. Nitnem (58) 11.) So that there is no place w ithout H is Nam e. 12.) Guru Nanak Dev says that h e h as no pow er to describe H is play. 13.) H e is too insignificant to be a sacrifice to H im even once. 14.) W h atever w ork pleases you. O Lord is good. 15.) O form less one beyond m aya, you abide for ever. (19 ) Stanza 20 Law of Karm a and H ow to Escape th e Cycle of Cuase and Effect So far, w e h ave been dealing w ith H is W ill. In this stanza now Guru Nanak Dev h as clarified that H is W ill is sim ply Law of Karm a i.e. all good or bad actions h ave their effect and so every person enjoys the fruit of his actions. H is W ill is therefore not an arbitrary judgem ent. It is based on sum total of our actions spread over all the lives w e h ave lived since w e got separated from H im . Th is is called "Prarabdh a". Karm a is of three types. "Sanch ita" is the sum total of our Karm a through out of all our births in the past and present. "Agam i" is the Karm a w h ich w ill fructify in future. "Praralidh a" is the Karm a w h ich h as fructified and w e are experiencing it in our present life.

Th is is explained in detail by Guru Nanak Dev in the following couplet.

ss{ s'lp V s[RP dwl{@ s'lp wi.qj bjfdSbj mm u' q{ wgbj l' q{ fjdHbj s'lp V sgu[ bri uVj mm \bjlj qhvj 1| nnS nkslq u nsÅ fdlS] nkslq djaek vkif.kvk AA tks eS dhvk lks eS ijbZ;k nkslq u nhts voj tuk AA (vklk egyk û) Dadde dos na deu k ise, dos k aram an apniya. Jo m ain k iya so m ain paiya, dos na dije aw ar jana. (Assa M ah alla 1) W h y blam e others? I m ust blam e m y ow n deeds; for I h ave reaped the fruit of w h at I h ave sow n. No others m ust ever be blam ed for w h at is our fate. Nitnem (59) It m eans that every act h as it's effect on the doer, affecting h is ch aracter, state and rate of evolution. Every act leaves an im pression on one's m ental structure and if it is repeated and persisted on furthur, it becom es part of one's nature and in conseq uence one's futhre actions flow from it in a m ore spontaneous and easy flowing m anner. Th ese are h abits or latencies and cuase of our desires. In the long run, the m oral effect of one's doings, are thus w ork ed into one's ch aracter. Th e Law of Karm a lays dow n that every m an carries w ith h im h is w h ole past, in the form of ch aracter, through the accum ulated tendencies that ultimately becom e a part of h is nature. At death, the sam e nature is carried by the psych e along w ith the m ind into its next incarnation. God in H is m ercy ensures appropriate environm ent for w ork ing out the k arm a in the new life. Th e gross elem ents of the body get dissolved, but the self, w ith its m ental or psych ic elem ents, abides and seek s a new h om e, w h ere it can fulfill itself and evolve. Guru Nanak Dev in the 6th line of this stanza, h as given the solution as to h ow to get rid of accum ulated negative k arm a. H e says that if your psych e is filled w ith vicious or bad k arm a, it can be w ash ed w ith H is Nam e.

BrIAY hQu pYru qnu dyh ] pwxI DoqY auqrsu Kyh ] mUq plIqI kpVu hoie ] dy swbUxu leIAY Ehu Doie ] BrIAY miq pwpw kY sMig ] Ehu DopY nwvY kY rMig ] puµnI pwpI AwKxu nwih ] kir kir krxw iliK lY jwhu ] Awpy bIij Awpy hI Kwhu ] nwnk hukmI Awvhu jwhu ]20] BrIAY h Q u pYru q n u dyh ] pwx I DoqY auqrsu Kyh ] mUq plIqI kpV u h oie ] dy s wbUx u leIAY Aohu Doie ] BrIAY miq pwpw kY s Mig ] Aohu DopY n wvY kY rMig ] puµn I pwpI AwKx u n wih ] kir kir krx w iliK lY jwhu ] Awpy bIij Awpy h I Kwhu] n wnk h ukmI Awvh u jwhu ]20] 1) Bh ariye h ath pair tun deh . 2) Pani dh ote utras kh eh . 3) Moot paliti k apar h oi. 4) De saboon layie oh dh oi. 5) Bh ariye m ut papan ke sung. 6) Oh dh ope nave k e rung. 7) Puni papi akh an Nitnem (60) nah e. 8) Kar k ar k arna likh le jahu. 9) Ape bij aape h e k h ah u. 10) Nank h uk m i avahu jahu. (20) 1) And 2) If yours h ands, feet and the body becom e filthy, these can be m ade clean by w ash ing w ith w ater and all the dirt and ash es etc. w ill be rem oved. 3) And 4) If a cloth becom es polluted w ith urine etc., this can be w ash ed w ith soap. 5) And 6) On the sam e anology, if one's m ind or psych e is vicious or negative, it can also be cleansed w ith H is H oly Nam e. 7) Rem em ber carefully, the term s, virtuous and vicious are not only expressions or m ere talk. 8) W h atever you do, good or bad is recorded in your account in the psych e and you carry it's effects as fruit of action. (Law of Karm a) 9 ) W h atever you sow , the sam e you sh all reap and eat i.e. your rew ard for action is strictly on m erit. 10) Guru Nanak Dev says that, as a result of net total effect of your actions, as per H is W ill, you reincarnate again and again. As a result of the form ula for escaping the Law of Karm a given in line No. 6, w h en a devotee, h ow ever bad or vicious, w ith the effect of H is Nam e gets released from the cycle of births and deaths i.e. h e becom es self realized or a "Jiwan M uk ta", h e is automatically freed from h is past k arm a. (20) Stanza 21 Gath ering Virtues Th rough th e Virtuous Lord and M ystery of Creation Th is stanza is divided into two parts. Th e first eigh t lines discuss about gathering virtues through the Virtuous Lord and the next ten lines are about the time of creation of the universe. Th e Last stanza discusses h ow H is Nam e destroys the bondage of Karm a directly. Th e other virtues like visit to h oly places i.e. pilgrim ages, austerities, giving of alms and acts of ch arity etc. can also break the bonds of k arm a if they h elp to create awareness of the Name. Th e fact to be always k ept in m ind is that, ultim ately, it is H is Nam e only that saves. Nitnem (61) In the sam e w ay, every other devotional practice that fails to generate spiritual pow er through H is Nam e is not w orth m uch . Th is pow er com es through inner purification, virtuous life of truth, love, h um ility, com passion etc. w h ich the Nam e generates in the devotee. H ere, one sh ould be clear that these q ualities are to be generated for building ch aracter and not reputation. Th e difference between the two is explained in the following q uotation. "Reputation is w h at m en and w om en think of us, ch aracter is w h at God and the angels k now of us." Th us the virtues lik e pilgrim ages, ch arities etc. do h elp to build reputation but H is Nam e builds one's ch aracter. As per the creation of the Universe, Guru Nanak Dev is of the opinion that the O ne w h o created the Universe only k now s. Rest is all useless talk based on surm ises and therefore h e does not encourage such w asteful discussion. Spiritual theories, ph ilosoph ic doctrines and even m etaph ysical aspects of religion, that are not actually related to practical life are treated as airy things only m eant for m ental gym nastics, m ay be good in their ow n limited w ay. But aim less theorizing and m ere abstractions, divorced form life and lack ing practical values sh ould be discarded. Th e Guru is very im patient w ith m etaph ysics or persuit of ph ilosoph y that h as no practical bearing on life. H e h as therefore purposely avoided the q uestions like, h ow the universe w as created? (Stanza 16) and, w h en w as it created? (Stanza 21) and stresses that only God w h o created the Universe, k now s all. Let us concentrate upon praising the Lord w h ich w ill do us good and thus not indulge in w asteful ph ilosoph ical exercises.

qIrQu qpu dieAw dqu dwnu ] jy ko pwvY iql kw mwnu ] suixAw mMinAw min kIqw Bwau ] AMqrgiq qIriQ mil nwau ] siB gux qyry mY nwhI koie ] ivxu gux kIqy Bgiq n hoie ] suAsiq AwiQ bwxI brmwau ] siq suhwxu sdw min cwau ] kvxu su vylw vKqu kvxu kvx iQiq kvxu vwru ] kvix is ruqI mwhu kvxu ijqu hoAw Awkwru ] vyl n pweIAw pMfqI ij hovY lyKu purwxu ] vKqu n pwieE kwdIAw ij ilKin lyKu kurwxu ] Nitnem (62) iQiq vwru nw jogI jwxY ruiq mwhu nw koeI ] jw krqw isrTI kau swjy Awpy jwxY soeI ] ikv kir AwKw ikv swlwhI ikau vrnI ikv jwxw ] nwnk AwKix sBu ko AwKY iek dU ieku isAwxw ] vfw swihbu vfI nweI kIqw jw kw hovY ] nwnk jy ko AwpO jwxY AgY gieAw n sohY ]21] q IrQ u q pu dieAw dq u dwnu ] jy ko pwvY iql kw mwnu ] s uix Aw mMinAw min kIqw Bwau ] AMq rgiq q IriQ mil n wau] s iB gux q yry mY n whI koie ] ivx u gux kIqy Bgiq n h oie] s uAs iq AwiQ bwx I brmwau] siq suhwx u s dw min cwau] kv x u su v ylw v Kq u kv x u kv x iQ iq kv x u v wru ] kv ix is ruqI mwhu kv x u ijq u h oAw Awkwru ] v yl n pweIAw pMfq I ij h ovY lyKu purwx u ] v Kq u n pwieAo kwdIAw ij ilKin lyKu kurwx u ] iQ iq v wru nw jogI jwx Y ruiq mwhu n w koeI] jw krqw isrT I kau s wjy Awpy jwx Y s oeI] ikv kir AwKw ikv s wlwhI ikau v rnI ikv jwx w ] n wnk AwKix s Bu ko AwKY iek dU ieku isAwx w] v fw s wihbu v fI n weI kIqw jw kw h ovY ] n wnk jy ko AwpO jwx Y AgY gieAw n s ohY ] 21] 1) Tirath tap daiya dat dan. 2) Je ko pave til ka maan. 3) Suniya m aniya m un k ita bh au. 4) Antargat tirath m al nau. 5) Sabh gun tere main nah i k oi. 6) Vin gun kite bh agat na h oi. 7) Suast aath bani barm au. 8) Sat suh an sada m un ch au. 9) Kaw an su w ela, wak h at k aw an, kaw an thit kaw an var. 10) Kaw an se ruti, m ah k aw an jit h ow aakar. 11) Vel na payia panditi je h ove lek h puran. 12) Wak h at na paiyo k adia je likh an lek h Quran. 13) Th it w ar na jogi jane rut m ah no k oi. 14) Ja k arta sirthi k o saje, Aape jane soi. 15) Kiv kar aak h a, k iv salahi, k iv varni k iv jana. 16) Nanak aak h an sabh k o aak h e, ik du ik siana. 17) Wada Sah eb, w adi Nai, k ita ja k a h ove. 18) Nanak je k o aapo jane, age giya na soh e. (21) 1) And 2) Pilgrim ages, austerities, ch arities, deeds of com - passion etc., all devotional practices are to be h ailed but only if these enable one to acq uire, even a grain of h onour in H is court. (H ere Guru Nanak Dev is stressing that all devotional practices are good only if they generate H is Nam e in devotee's soul. Grow th of Nam e is a clear sign of devotee's spiritual grow th.) Nitnem (63) 3) And 4) W h o ever listens and believes in H is Nam e and ensh rines H is love in h is h eart, bathes at the inner sacred fountain of the Lord i.e. Atma, thus w ash es h is sins. (Please note lines 5 & 6 in stanza 5, they are sim ilar but at that sate, the devotee w as only at "singing of praise, listening and h aving H is Love in h eart" stage. So only h is sorrow s w ere dispelled. H ere the devotee h as finally believed in H is Nam e. So h is sins are w ash ed aw ay w h ich is m uch h igh er degree of H is Grace. Th is is the Glory of believing firm ly in H is Nam e.) 5) And 6) All virtues are Yours and com e from You only. None of these can be m y ow n. Th us unless you give m e virtues, there can not be any real devotion. (Because any devotional exercises h ow ever m eticulously followed, if they do not produce virtuous life are in vain.) 7) And 8) Blessed is Your w ord, ensh rining Your w isdom and indicating the w ay to virtuous life. (H ere Guru Nanak Dev is referring to Gurbani.) O Lord, you are Existence, Beauty and Eternal Joy. Th erefore you are to be dw elt upon for acq uiring Existence, Beauty and Joy. Th is is the w ay to spiritual enrich m ent. 9 ) W h at w as the time and w h at w ere the dates according to H indu and M uslim calendars i.e. solar on luner calendars? 10) W h at w ere the season and the m onth w h en the creation first cam e into existence? 11) Th e pundits h ave not found the time, otherw ise there w ould h ave been a record of this in the Puranas. 12) Nor h ave the quzis found the time, otherw ise it w ould h ave been m entioned in Quran Sh arif. 13) Th e Yogis do not k now the solar or luner dates. Nobody k now s the season or the m onth. 14) It is only the Creator alone w h o k now s as to w h en H e created this universe. 15) In this context, h ow can I (Guru Nanak Dev), w h o do not even k now h ow to speak about H im , praise H im or describe H im , m ore so, say about m ysteries of H is creation? Nitnem (64) 16) Yet, Guru Nanak Dev says that each considering h im self w iser than others, speak s of H is m ysteries. 17) Let us only say that the Lord and M aster is great. H is glory is great and w h atever com es to pass is due to H im . 18) H e w h o claim s to m easure the w ords of the Lord, by h is intellectual capacity is not judged favourably in H is court (21). Stnaza 22 M ystery of Creation, H ow M any W orlds? In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev continues w ith the subject of m ystery of creation started from line No. 9 of the last stanza w h ere h e dealt w ith the time of creation. In this stanza h e deals w ith, h ow m any w orlds? H ow m any sk ies? H ow m any underw orlds? And then h e goes into ecstasy or m ystic bliss and declares, "Let us praise H im and say H e is Great and H e alone k now s w h at H e h as created."

pwqwlw pwqwl lK Awgwsw Awgws ] EVk EVk Bwil Qky vyd khin iek vwq ] shs ATwrh khin kqybw AsulU ieku Dwqu ] lyKw hoie q ilKIAY lyKY hoie ivxwsu ] nwnk vfw AwKIAY Awpy jwxY Awpu ] 22] pwqwlw pwqwl lK Awgwsw Awgws ] AwyVk AwyVk Bwil Q ky v yd kh in iek v wq ] sh s AT wrh kh in kqybw AsulU ieku Dwqu] lyKw h oie q ilKIAY lyKY h oie ivx wsu ] n wnk v fw AwKIAY Awpy jwx Y Awpu ] 22] 1) Patala patal lakh agasa agas. 2) Orak orak bh al thak e, Ved k eh an ik vat. 3) Sah as athrah k ah an k ateba asulu ik dh at. 4) Lek h a h oi ta likh iye lek h e h oi vinas. 5) Nanak w ada ak h iye aape jane aap. (22) 1) Th ere are m illions and m illions of under w orlds and m illions and m illions of sk ies and upper w orlds. 2) Th e Vedas too proclaim the one undisputable truth, w h ich the people in search of under w orlds and upper w orlds h ave grow n w eary of finding the end of the count and h ave not been able to find the sam e. 3) But the h oly book s of the M uslims, Jew s and Ch ristians claim that there are eigh teen thousand w orlds are h aving Nitnem (65) their origin in one Lord or the God. 4) If the count w ere possible at all, then it m igh t be attam pted. H ow ever it is not possible, and m en m ak ing the attem pt h ave perish ed, w ithout ever com ing to the end of the count. (H ere Guru Nanak Dev is stressing that it is futile to m easure the im m easurable.) 5) So, Guru Nanak Dev says, let us praise H im and say H e is Great and H e alone k now s H im self (and H is creation) (22). Stanza 23 Sing H is Glories and M erge In H im Th e reader sh ould not get the im pression that God w ants, any praise for H im self. Guru Nanak Dev h as explained this point clearly as under:

u[ lF dqdv w{ bjtS fjdh mm rcj Vj h'r{ zjdB V ujdH mm \bjlj qhvj 1| ts lc fefy dS vk[k.k ikfg AA oMk uk gksoS ?kkfV u tk; AA (vklk egyk û) Je Sabh m ili ke ak h an pah e. W ada na h ove, gh at na jai. (Asa M oh alla 1) ""Even if the w h ole w orld w ere engaged in describing H is greatness, H e w ould neither be any m ore or any less great." Dw elling on H is praise, leads to m erging in H im as stream s and rivers m erge in the ocean. It is becom ing like H im , rich and pow erful, w h en that h appens, there is no point in m easuring H im , for one becom es part of H im and k now s all. Th en, truth, love, h um ility, w isdom and other m oral, spiritual and intellectual qualities start flowing into the devotee automatically. Th is is very beautifully explained by Guru Nanak Dev elsew h ere that it is like one m etal getting m erged in the sam e m etal. (If two pieces of copper are h eated, they m elt and becom e one. Th en it is not possible to tell them apart.) Nitnem (66) swlwhI swlwih eyqI suriq n pweIAw ] ndIAw AqY vwh pvih smuMid n jwxIAih ] smuMd swh sulqwn igrhw syqI mwlu Dnu ] kIVI quil n hovnI jy iqsu mnhu n vIsrih ]23] s wlwhI s wlwih eyqI s uriq n pweIAw ] n dIAw Aq Y v wh pv ih s muMid n jwx IAih ] s muMd s wh s ulq wn igrh w s yqI mwlu Dn u] kIVI q uil n h ovn I jy iqsu mn h u n v Isrih ]23] 1) Salahee salahi eti surat na payia. 2) Nadia ate vah paw ah e sam und na janieh . 3) Sam und sah sultan girh a seti m al dh an. 4) Kiri tul na h ovni je tis m anh u na visrah i. (23) 1) Th e devotees praise the Lord, till they m erge in H im and yet they do not k now that they h ave becom e one w ith H im . 2) As stream s and rivers w h en they fall into ocean, m erge into it and lose their identity and becom e indistinguish - able. 3) And 4) Th ose k ings and em perors, w h o rule the oceans and h ave m ountains of w ealth and other possessions, are not eq ual to an ant, if such an ant has not forgotten the Lord (23). Stanza 24 Union W ith th e Infinite Only Possible in Super- Conscious State In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev tak es discrim ination to greater h eigh ts, describes the Lord and H is praise, gifts, creation etc. as endless. H e h as described H im to be not only great, but H e goes on becom ing greater as one starts k now ing H is greatness. Th en the q uestion arises, h ow to k now such a great O ne? Guru Nanak Dev says only one w h o is as great as H im can k now H im . Next q uestion is h ow to becom e as great as H im ? Get m erged in H im through H is Nam e w h ich is still greater. Th is m erger in the ocean by the rivers theory h as been explained by h im in the last stanza. And this m erger is only possible through the devotee's k arm a and H is grace. For absorption into H im , one does not h ave to go to another w orld. It is h ere and in this body only. Guru Nanak Dev h as explained this very succinctly as follows: Nitnem (67) Vr zi ojdf qhvp zip RPyRp@ dVu zi rjl qpiji[ \aptjig qhvj 1| uo ?kj Fkkfi egy ?kj Åpm fut ?kj okl eqjkjs (rq[kkjh egyk û) Nav Gh ar thap, m ah al gh ar uch au, nij gh ar w as m urare. (Tuk h ari M ah all 1) God h as created h um an body w ith nine doors (openings). But at the h igh est location of this body, (the "crow n" or the sah asrara ch ak ra w h ich is located in the h igh est point in the h um an sk ull and is considered to be residence of Atma) is the in-m ost self w h ere H e resides."

AMqu n isPqI khix n AMqu ] AMqu n krxY dyix n AMqu ] AMqu n vyKix suxix n AMqu ] AMqu n jwpY ikAw min mMqu ] AMqu n jwpY kIqw Awkwru ] AMqu n jwpY pwrwvwru ] AMq kwrix kyqy ibllwih ] qw ky AMq n pwey jwih ] eyhu AMqu n jwxY koie ] bhuqw khIAY bhuqw hoie ] vfw swihbu aUcw Qwau ] aUcy aupir aUcw nwau ] eyvfu aUcw hovY koie ] iqsu aUcy kau jwxY soie ] jyvfu Awip jwxY Awip Awip ] nwnk ndrI krmI dwiq ]24] AMq u n isPq I kh ix n AMq u ] AMq u n krx Y dyix n AMq u ] AMq u n v yKix sux ix n AMq u ] AMq u n jwpY ikAw min mMq u ] AMq u n jwpY kIqw Awkwru ] AMq u n jwpY pwrwvwru ] AMq kwrix kyqy ibllwih ] q w ky AMq n pwey jwih ] eyhu AMq u n jwx Y koie ] bh uqw kh IAY bh uqw h oie ] v fw s wihbu aUcw Q wau ] aUcy aupir aUcw n wau ] eyvfu aUcw h ovY koie ] iqs u aUcy kau jwx Y s oie] jyvfu Awip jwx Y Awip Awip] n wnk n drI krmI dwiq ] 24] 1) Ant na sifti k ah an na ant. 2) Ant na k arne den na ant. 3) Ant na vek h an sunan na ant. 4) Ant na jape k iya m un m unt. 5) Ant na jape kita aakar. 6) Ant na jape parawar. 7) Ant karan k ete billahe. 8) Ta k e ant na paye jahe. 9) Aih ant na jane k oi. 10) Bah uta k ah iye, bah uta h oi. 11) Wada Sah eb, uch a thau. 12) Uch e ooper uch a Nau. 13) Aiwad uch a h ove k oi. 14) Tis Nitnem (68) uch e ko jane soi. 15) Jew ad aap jane aap aap. 16) Nanak nadri k arm i daat (24).

1) Endless is His praise, and endless is its description. 2) Endless are His acts of benevolence and endless are His gifts. 3) He is endless; His ends can not be reached by the faculty of vision or hearing (senses). 4) There is no end to the speculations as to what is in His mind (Here Guru Nanak Dev refers to astrology.) 5) And 6) His creation of the world and the beings is endless. It is not possible to reach the two shores of His creation. 7) And 8) How many are desperately toiling to reach His ends? But they have not been able to reach them. 9) And 10) Nobody knows His ends, more you reach, greater He becomes. 11) The Lord is great, His abode is higher still. 12) Higher still is His Name. (He is therefore approachable through His Name). 13) And 14) When the Lord is great, only one who is great enough can know Him. (Here Guru Nanak Dev is explaining that one who is absorbed in His Name which is higher still can only know Him.) 15) The Lord Himself, He alone knows how exalted He is. 16) Guru Nanak Dev says, those who have His compassion and Grace will be given the gift of knowing Him. (Because they are one with Him. This does not contradict line. 15.) (24) Stanza 25 Th ank For Gifts and H e Sh all M eet Your Needs In the last stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as advised the devotee to seek H is Nam e from the M aster of Gifts. Th is brings us to the subject of prayer. Th e Lord h as variety of people at H is Door begging various types of gifts. In the line 14 of this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev says, "H e k now s w h at w e need and H e gives the sam e to us." Th us, strictly speak ing, w e need not ask for anything from H im , except H is Nam e. But as our faith Nitnem (69) is not so ripe yet, so long w e h ave body consciousness. (w e feel that w e are the body and not Atma) W e feel the needs of our body and the relations of this body. So in this situation, it is best to thank the Lord for H is Gifts already bestowed on us and not ask for anything. Since w e do not know w h at is good for us, w e m ay m istak enly ask for som ething w h ich is in the long run h arm ful for us. Th erefore it w ould be safest to leave unto the Lord w h at H e sh ould give to us. Guru Nanak Dev describes in this stanza that there are so m any people w h o get gifts from H im and w aste them , over- indulge in enjoym ents and others out-righ t deny them . If w e rem em ber that all w h at w e enjoy are H is gifts, and thank the Lord for them , w e w ould be saved from the situation of being ungrateful. Prayer is very pow erful. Th is prayer sh ould be addressed only to the Almigh ty Lord and no one else. True prayer is m eant to satisfy the need of the soul. It is laying bare one's h eart, it is an h onest dialogue w ith God, a sort of conversation w ith H im , as a troubled m ind finds a consoler in a friend to w h om all is surrendered in com plete confidence. It is h um an soul speak ing to Universal Soul. M ost im portant pre-req uisite for a prayer is sincerity. Unless one bares one's soul in this entire nak edness, it can not be an h onest prayer. For this, one m ust learn to see one-self in true light. Norm ally, w e see our virtues as bigger and our failings as sm aller. It is reverse in case of others. W ith such a distorted view point, prayer h as no m eaning. Th e Soul m ust com e out in all sincerity and h um ility. Th e prayer, in addition to H is Nam e, sh ould include association w ith saints, h um ility, peace, truth and contentment. Th ese q ualities h elp strengthen the effect of Nam e.

bhuqw krmu iliKAw nw jwie ] vfw dwqw iqlu n qmwie ] kyqy mMgih joD Apwr ] kyiqAw gxq nhI vIcwru ] kyqy Kip qutih vykwr ] kyqy lY lY mukru pwih ] kyqy mUrK KwhI Kwih ] kyiqAw dUK BUK sd mwr ] Nitnem (70) eyih iB dwiq qyrI dwqwr ] bMid KlwsI BwxY hoie ] horu AwiK n skY koie ] jy ko Kwieku AwKix pwie ] Ehu jwxY jyqIAw muih Kwie ] Awpy jwxY Awpy dyie ] AwKih is iB kyeI kyie ] ijs no bKsy isPiq swlwh ] nwnk pwiqswhI pwiqswhu ]25] bh uqw krmu iliKAw n w jwie ] v fw dwqw iqlu n q mwie ] kyqy mMgih joD Apwr ] kyiqAw gx q n h I v Icwru ] kyqy Kip q utih v ykwr ] kyqy lY lY mukru pwih ] kyqy mUrK KwhI Kwih ] kyiqAw dUKBUK s d mwr ] eyih iB dwiq q yrI dwqwr ] bMid KlwsI Bwx Y h oie] h oru AwiK n s kY koie ] jy ko Kwieku AwKix pwie ] Aohu jwx Y jyqIAw muih Kwie ] Awpy jwx Y Awpy dyie ] AwKih is iB kyeI kyie] ijs n o bKs y isPiq s wlwh ] n wnk pwiqs whI pwiqs whu]2 5] 1) Bah uta karam likh iya na jaye. 2) Vada data til na tamai. 3) Kete m angah e jodh apaar. 4) Katia ganat nah i vich ar. 5) Kete k h ap tutahe vek ar. 6) Kete le le m uk ar pah e. 7) Kete m oorak h k h ah i k h ah e. 8) Ketia dook h bh ook h sad m ar. 9) Aih bh i daat teri dataar. 10) Band k h alsi bh ane h oi. 11) H or aak h na sak e k oi. 12) Je k o k h aik aak h an pah e. 13) Oh jane jetia m ooh k h ae. 14) Aape jane aape dei. 15) Aak h e se bh e k ei k e. 16) Jis no bak h se sift salah. 17) Nanak patsah i patsah . (25) 1) H is benevolence is so abundant, it can not be described in w ords. 2) H e is such an exalted giver that H e does not expect anything in return. 3) H ow m any w arriors of un-surpassed valour are begging at H is door? 4) Th e num ber of beggars at H is door defies count or calculation. 5) M any are those w h o destroy them selves through over indulgence in the gifts H e h as bestowed on them . 6) M any receive bounties but deny the Giver. 7) M any fools h ave learnt nothing beyond consum ing and enjoying H is gifts. 8) M any are there w h o are always suffering from h unger and pain. Nitnem (71) 9 ) Yet, O Benefactor, it is Your Grace on them for it is Your w ay of sh ow ing them correct path or teach ing them the lesson they are to learn. (All suffering is m eant to teach us the lesson w e are supposed to learn for our evolution.) 10) It is only as per Your w ill that one is freed from bondage of m aya or illusion. 11) No one can claim anything contrary to this i.e. nobody can claim that h e got freedom from m aya w ith h is ow n capability and effort and not H is Grace. 12) If there is a fool to m ak e such a claim . 13) O nly h e w ill k now , h ow m any blows h e w ill receive on h is face. 14) O nly H e alone k now s our real needs and fulfills them . 15) Th ere are very rare people w h o k now this and say so because they h ave full faith in H im . (Th ey are the saints, w h o k now the Truth.) 16) And 17) So Guru Nanak Dev says, h e w h ose h eart is filled w ith H is praise is m ade the k ing of k ings by H im (25). Stanza 26 Priceless is th e Sh op of th e Lord, It's W ares and Th e Dealers in W ares (Saints) Guru Nanak Dev is continuing the subject of discrim ination. After dealing w ith the m ysteries of H is creation, H is gifts, H is greatness etc., now h e com es to those w h o deal, distribute and obtain H is Nam e, Praise and Grace i.e. the saints and devotees. H e says that all these are priceless. Even Gods and Vedas etc. h ave not been able to assess their w orth. Saint Kabir in h is sloka no. 162 in Sri Guru Granth Sabh ib h as said that the Lord's Nam e is a precious jew el and h is saints are the jew ellers. Th ey deisclose their w ares only w h en a w orthy person approach es them for H is Nam e.

Amul gux Amul vwpwr ] Amul vwpwrIey Amul BMfwr ] Amul Awvih Amul lY jwih ] Amul Bwie Amulw smwih ] Amulu Drmu Amulu dIbwxu ] Amulu qulu Amulu prvwxu ] Amulu bKsIs Amulu nIswxu ] Amulu krmu Amulu Purmwxu ] Amulo Amulu AwiKAw n jwie ] AwiK AwiK rhy ilv lwie ] AwKih vyd pwT purwx ] AwKih pVy krih viKAwx ] AwKih Nitnem (72) brmy AwKih ieMd ] AwKih gopI qY goivMd ] AwKih eIsr AwKih isD ] AwKih kyqy kIqy buD ] AwKih dwnv AwKih dyv ] AwKih suir nr muin jn syv ] kyqy AwKih AwKix pwih ] kyqy kih kih auiT auiT jwih ] eyqy kIqy hoir kryih ] qw AwiK n skih kyeI kyie ] jyvfu BwvY qyvfu hoie ] nwnk jwxY swcw soie ] jy ko AwKY boluivgwVu ] qw ilKIAY isir gwvwrw gwvwru ]26] Amul gux Amul v wpwr ] Amul v wpwrIey Amul BMfwr ] Amul Awvih Amul lY jwih ] Amul Bwie Amulw s mwih ] Amulu Drmu Amulu dIbwx u] Amulu q ulu Amulu prvwx u ] Amulu bKs Is Amulu n Iswx u ] Amulu krmu Amulu Purmwx u ] Amulo Amulu AwiKAw n jwie ] AwiK AwiK rh y ilv lwie ] AwKih v yd pwT purwx ] AwKih pV y krih v iKAwx ] AwKih brmy AwKih ieMd ] AwKih gopI q Y goivMd ] AwKih eIsr AwKih isD ] AwKih kyqy kIqy buD ] AwKih dwnv AwKih dyv] AwKih s uir n r muin jn s yv] kyqy AwKih AwKix pwih ] kyqy kih kih auiT auiT jwih ] eyqy kIqy h oir kryih ] q w AwiK n s kih kyeI kyie ] jyvfu BwvY q yvfu h oie] n wnk jwx Y s wcw s oie ] jy ko AwKY boluivgwVu] q w ilKIAY isir gwvwrw gwvwru ] 26] 1) Am ul gun am ul w apar. 2) Am ul w apariye am ul bh andar. 3) Am ul aw ah e am ul lai jahe. 4) Amul bh ai amula sam ah e. 5) Amul dh aram am ul deban. 6) Amul tul amul parw an. 7) Amul bak h sis am ul nisan. 8) Am ul karam am ul phurm an. 9 ) Am ulo Am ul aak h iya na jaye. 10) Aak h aak h rah e liv laye. 11) Aak h e ved path puran. 12) Aak h e pare k are vikh yan. 13) Aak h e Barm e aak h e Ind. 14) Aak h e gopi te Govind. 15) Aak h e Isar ak dh e sidh . 16) Aak h e kete k ite Budh . 17) Aak h e danav aak h e dev. 18) Aak h e suri nar m uni jan sev. 19 ) Kete aak h h e, aak h en pah e. 21) Aite k ite h ore k are. 22) Ta aak h na sak e k ei k e. 23) Jew ad bh ave tew ad h oi. 24) Nanak jane Sach a soi. 25) je k o aak h e bole w igar. 26) Ta likh iye sir gaw ara gaw ar (26). 1) Priceless are H is virtues and priceless is the business in these virtues. Nitnem (73) 2) Priceless are the traders in these virtues (Saints) and priceless is their stock of virtues (Nam e). 3) Priceless are the customers in virtues (devotees) and priceless are those devotees w h o go back enrich ed w ith these virtues. 4) Priceless are the devotees in love w ith H im and priceless are those devotees w h o h ave m erged in H im . 5) Priceless is the m oral law of the Lord and priceless is H is court w h ere this law is adm inistered. 6) Priceless is H is balance and priceless are H is w eigh ts or m easures used for the assessm ent of virtues. 7) Priceless is H is Grace and priceless is H is m ark of acceptance or approval. 8) Priceless is H is benevolence and priceless is com m and that bestows H is benevolence. 9 ) H ow priceless is the Lord? Th is is beyond description. 10) Th ose w h o h ave attem pted description are rendered m ute in w onder and adm iration. 11) Yet m any h ave attem pted H is description through Vedas and Puranas. 12) And the learned persons describe H im and h old discourses about H im . 13) Th e Brah m as and Indras describe H im . 14) Lord Krish na and gopis describe H im . 15) Lord Sh iva and sidh as describe H im . 16) So m any Budh as describe H im . 17) Th e dem ons and gods describe H im . 18) Th e Godly m en, practitioners of silence and the devotees in H is service describe H im . 19 ) M any m ore describe H im and m any m ore are attem pting to describe H im . 20) M any m ore depart from the w orld describing H im . 21) If H e h ad created as m any m ore beings. 22) Even then they could not h ave described H im . 23) Th e Lord can be as great as H e w ills. 24) Guru Nanak Dev says, the True O ne only k now s h ow great H e is. Nitnem (74) 25) If an idle talker h appens to be bold enough to claim 26) H e sh ould be recorded as m ost ignorant of fools. (26) Stanza 27 Th e Unique Court of Th e Lord Th is stanza is continuation of teach ing to the devotee about discrim ination or "vivek a". It can be divided into three parts. Th e first sixteen lines describe grandeur of the Lord's Court and the type of personalities that are paying obeisance to the Lord by singing H is praise. Th is is m eant to teach the devotee to rise above any personal God if one h as been w orsh ipping, and im press on h im that all the gods and goddesses are created by H im and are w ork ing under H is W ill. O ne sh ould therefore w orsh ip only H is Nam e and sing only H is prais e. Th e second part of next four (17th to 20th line) are in praise of the Lord that H e is Eternal, Creator, w ork s indepen- dently as per H is W ill and that it is only H e, ever true and H is Nam e is true. Th e third part is the last two lines. Th ese lines describe that the Lord can not be told by any body, H e is the final Lord and that w e sh ould abide in H is W ill. Th is is in fact reassertion of last line of first stanza i.e. follow only H is W ill.

so dru kyhw so Gru kyhw ijqu bih srb smwly ] vwjy nwd Anyk AsMKw kyqy vwvxhwry ] kyqy rwg prI isau khIAin kyqy gwvxhwry ] gwvih quhno pauxu pwxI bYsMqru gwvY rwjw Drmu duAwry ] gwvih icqu gupqu iliK jwxih iliK iliK Drmu vIcwry ] gwvih eIsru brmw dyvI sohin sdw svwry ] gwvih ieMd iedwsix bYTy dyviqAw dir nwly ] gwvih isD smwDI AMdir gwvin swD ivcwry ] gwvin jqI sqI sMqoKI gwvih vIr krwry ] gwvin pMifq pVin rKIsr jugu jugu vydw nwly ] gwvih mohxIAw mnu mohin surgw mC pieAwly ] gwvin rqn aupwey qyry ATsiT qIrQ nwly ] gwvih joD mhwbl sUrw gwvih KwxI cwry ] gwvih KMf mMfl vrBMfw kir kir rKy Dwry ] syeI quDuno gwvih jo quDu Bwvin rqy qyry Bgq rswly ] hor kyqy gwvin sy mY iciq n Awvin nwnku ikAw vIcwry ] soeI soeI sdw scu swihbu swcw swcI nweI ] hY BI hosI jwie n jwsI rcnw ijin rcweI ] rMgI rMgI BwqI kir kir ijnsI mwieAw Nitnem (75) ijin aupweI ] kir kir vyKY kIqw Awpxw ijv iqs dI vifAweI ] jo iqsu BwvY soeI krsI hukmu n krxw jweI ] so pwiqswhu swhw pwiqswihbu nwnk rhxu rjweI ]27] s o dru kyhw s o Gru kyhw ijq u bih s rb s mwly ] v wjy n wd An yk As MKw kyqy vwvx h wry ] kyqy rwg prI isau kh IAin kyqy gwvx h wry] gwvih q uhn o paux u pwx I bYsMq ru gwvY rwjw Drmu duAwry ] gwvih icq u gupq u iliK jwx ih iliK iliK Drmu v Icwry ] gwvih eIsru brmw dyvI s ohin s dw s v wry ] gwvih ieMd iedwsix bYT y dyviqAw dir n wly] gwvih isD s mwDI AMdir gwvin s wD ivcwry ] gwvin jq I s q I s Mq oKI gwvih v Ir krwry ] gwvin pMifq pV in rKIsr jugu jugu v ydw n wly] gwvih mohx IAw mn u mohin s urgw mC pieAwly] gwvin rqn aupwey q yry AT s iT q IrQ n wly ] gwvih joD mh wbl s Urw gwvih Kwx I cwry] gwvih KMf mMfl v rBMfw kir kir rKy Dwry] s yeI q uDuno gwvih jo q uDu Bwvin rqy q yry Bgq rswly ] h or kyqy gwvin s y mY iciq n Awvin n wnku ikAw v Icwry ] s oeI s oeI s dw s cu s wihbu s wcw s wcI n weI] h Y BI h osI jwie n jwsI rcn w ijin rcweI ] rMgI rMgI BwqI kir kir ijn s I mwieAw ijin aupweI ] kir kir v yKY kIqw Awpx w ijv iqs dI v ifAweI] jo iqs u BwvY s oeI krsI h ukmu n krx w jweI] s o pwiqs whu s whw pwiqs wihbu n wnk rh x u rjweI ] 27] 1) So dar k eh a so gh ar k eh a jit bah sarab sam ale. 2) Waje nad anek asank h a k ete vavanh are. 3) Kete rag pari siu kah ian k ete gaw an h are. 4) Gavahe tuh no paun pani baisantar gave raja dh aram duare. 5) Gavahe Ch it Gupat likh janh e likh likh Dh aram vich are. 6) Gaveh e Isar Barm a Devi, soh an sada saw are. 7) Gavahe sidh sam adh i under gavan sadh vich are. 9 ) Gavan jati sati santokh i gavahe vir k arare. 10) Gavan pandit paran rak h isar jug jug veda nale. 11) Gavahe m oh nian m an m oh an surga m ach h payiale. 12) Gavan ratan upaye tere ath sath tirath nale. 13) Gavahe jodh m ah a bal soora, gavahe k h ani ch are. 14) Gavahe k h and m andal varbh anda, k ar k ar rak h e dh are. 15) Sei tudh no gavahe, jo tudh bh aw an, rate tere bh agat rasale. 16) H ore k ete gavan se m ai ch it na aw an, Nanak k iya vich are. 17) Soi soi sada Sach Sah ib sach a sach i Nitnem (76) Nai. 18) H ai bh i h osi jai na jaasi, rach na jin rach ai. 19) Rangi rangi bh ati k ar k ar, jinsi m aya jin upai. 20) Kar k ar w aik h e k ita aapna, jiv tis di wadiyai. 21) Jo tis bh aw ai soi karsi, h uk am na k arna jai. 22) So patsah sah a patsah ib Nanak rah an rajai. (27). Som ebody ask s this q uestion from Guru Nanad Dev.

1) H ow grand is the entrance and h ow grand is the m ansion, w h ere the Lord sits and tak es care of all H is creation? Guru Nanak Dev replies and explains the grandeur of the place. 2) Countless are the m usical instrum ents and countless are those w h o play upon these instrum ents. 3) Countless ragas (m usical m odes and m easures) are sung by countless m usicians in glory of the Lord. 4) All the elem ents like air, w ater, fire etc. sing H is praise, so also Dh aram Raj (God of justice) is singing H is praise at H is door. 5) Th e m ythical scribe, (Ch itra Gupt w h o records every one's deeds, based on w h ich Dh aram Raj tak es decision about their future after death) also sings H is praise. 6) Th e incarnations like Sh iva, Brah m a and Parvati Devi w h o h ave been exalted by H im and look so beautiful also sing H is praise. 7) Th e k ing of gods, Indira sitting on h is throne, along with other gods sings H is praise at H is door. 8) Th e sidh yogis in their m editation and the sadh us in their though ts are singing H is praise. 9 ) Th ose w h o h ave w on their em otions, the zealots and those, the contented ones along w ith h eroes are singing H is prais e. 10) Th e pundits, great rish is (seers) along w ith Vedas of respective ages w h ich they study are singing H is praise. 11) Th e beauties of the h eavens, earth and other w orlds w h o entice the m inds of m en are also singing H is praise. Nitnem (77) 12) Th e m ost precious objects like jew els, as also the 68 places of pilgrim age created by the Lord also sing H is praise. 13) Th e w arriors and the brave, of great m igh t and all those created through the four sources of life (birth through w om b, egg, sw eat and by seed germ ination in the earth or cell bifurcation) sing H is praise. 14) Th e w h ole universe, its regions and all its parts created and sustained by H im , sing H is praise. 15) Th ose, w h o are fully absorbed in H is Love and w h o please H im sing H is praise. 16) In addition to the above categories, m any m ore are singing H is praise, w h om I do not k now , W h at can I (Guru Nanak Dev) say about them ? 17) H e and H e alone is the Truth. Yes, the M aster is True and so is H is glory. 18) H e is, H e sh all be, H e sh all ever be, H e w h o h as created the Universe is eternal. (Sat of M ool M antra) 19 ) H e created m aya and produced varieties of colours, k inds and species. 20) H e tak es care of H is creation as becom ing of H is greatnes s. 21) H e only does w h at pleases H im . No one else can tell H im w h at sh ould be done or w h at sh ould not be done. 22) H e is the k ing of k ings. Guru Nanak Dev says, the righ t thing is to live as per H is W ill and Com m and. Stanza 28 to 31 True R eligion and Significance of Sym bols It w ould be noticed that in stanzas 16th to 19 th, the last lines are pointing to one them e, i.e. the Lord is the only Truth w h ich is ever the sam e, age after age, H e is, and ever sh all be. H e is k ing of k ings and H is w ill is suprem e. In the next four stanzas also, the last two lines are repeated. It w ould be interesting to note that at m ost of the places, the essence of M ool M antra is stressed upon to bring h om e the Truth to the devotee. Guru Nanak Dev is repeating again and again that the Nitnem (78) abiding Truth is sam e in all ages. Since religion or dh arm a is to deal w ith the sam e Abiding Truth, it m ust be the sam e for all h um anity. Although there are differences of race, colour, sex nationality and the circum stances under w h ich people live and w ork , yet the spirit in them is sam e and therefore their spiritual needs are also the sam e. Since religion h as to deal with h um an beings, therefore religions of various h um an beings can not be essentially different. M ost people fail to realize this basic fact and w h ile setting up or following different religions cut them selves aw ay from each other, in narrow w ater-tight com partments leading to conflicts and disputes. Th is h appens because people forget that the basic purpose of religion is to bring all hum an beings together and not to split them apart. As it h appens, w h en som e exalted soul sh ow s the path to fellow h um ans for their deliverance, the true religion is expounded and spiritual principles are stated. Slow ly, during the period of consolidation of the religion or sect, certain sym bols, cerem o- nies and dress code etc. are prescribed. Although in the begining, these h ave som e significance, but gradually, the true significance is lost and these outward s ym bols becom e suprem e. Th e followers of religions at such stage w h o are ignorant of basic truth, fight blindly for defending the sym bols. H ence the m ost of conflicts today are the result of this narrow m entality. Religious principles can be divided into two parts i.e. (a) Principles relating to relation between m an and God. Th e principles in category (a) are the eternal religion and those in (b) are the religion of a particular age or time. W h ere as (a) is eternal, (b) goes on ch anging w ith time and circum stances. Th e troubles arise w h en som e un-self-realized leaders not fully understanding their ow n religion, confuse their followers and instigate for fights and conflicts w ith the followers of other religions. If they h ad understood the Truth of their ow n religion, such conflicts could h ave been avoided. Guru Nanak Dev h as explained this beautifully in the following two lines. Nitnem (79) h[w' fjZip h[wp sip epi fRpCg dVu ojV mm iPC[ njwpip VjVwj ldF lptp ljyRp Vjq mm \qvji qhvj 1| gsdks ik/jq gsdq njq xqj imM+h fut Fkku AA :M+s Bkdqjq ukudk lfc lq[kq lkpm uke AA (eykj egyk û) H ek o padh ar h ek dar, Gur pauri nij than. Rure Th ak ur Nanak a, sabh suk h sach au Naam . (M alar Mah alla 1) Th ere is only one road, leading to the O ne door. Guru is the ladder w ith the h elp of w h om our True Self inside us is reach ed, Guru Nanak Dev says that the Beautiful M aster resides there, and all bliss is in H is True Nam e.

Th e point Guru Nanak Dev h as m ade is that "Know thyself". Th is is the w h ole religion. Self realization is the m ain aim of h um an life. Self of all selves resides in our h eart, the w ay to it is through H is Nam e. Th is our ow n Atma the "one road", leading to O ne door, the Guru being the ladder to enable one to rise h igh , so as to reach the Suprem e Self.

If a m an reach es the h eart of h is ow n religion, h e reach es the h eart of other religions too. It is the inner development through the Nam e w h ich tak es one to reach the h eart of h is ow n religion. All religions prescribe that the seek er sh ould view all H is creation w ith eq ui-vision. Th en the followers of other paths or religions can not be view ed differently since they are as m uch part of H is creation. Stanza 28 Put O n R eal Sym bols of a Yogi Th is stanza is part of dialogue w ith H ath Yogis, follow ers of Patanjali Rish i w h o is believed to be founder of Yoga. Th ey believed that the w orld w as a source of sin and suffering and it w as therefore correct for them to get free from w h at they called the "curse" of w orldly life. Guru Nanak Dev totally disapproved of people sink ing into selfish individualism . Th e Yogis, on their Nitnem (80) part h ad h ow ever felt that m undane m atters w ere of little conseq uence and they therefore engaged in m ediation alone. In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as described the preparation for real m editation i.e. h ave contentment, put in labour w ith love, purity of m ind and body, contem plation, true faith in the Lord and view everybody w ith eq uanim ity. Th en w in your ego and m ind. W ith this preparation, m editate on the Lord w h o is the beginning of all, pure, endless and ch angeless through ages i.e. eternal. Guru Nanak Dev therefore advocated Yoga of action w h ich ch anged a m an from static to dynam ic force vitalizing every nerve, w h ich w ere to be controlled and sublimated, by turning them into h ealthy ch annels but not extinguish ed as done by yogis. Th e yogis h ave twelve lineages and "Ayi" is one of them w h ich is supposed to be the h igh est in the order of precedence. Th ere is a reference to this in line No. 3.

muµdw sMqoKu srmu pqu JolI iDAwn kI krih ibBUiq ] iKµQw kwlu kuAwrI kwieAw jugiq fMfw prqIiq ] AweI pMQI sgl jmwqI min jIqY jgu jIqu ] Awdysu iqsY Awdysu ] Awid AnIlu Anwid Anwhiq jugu jugu eyko vysu ]28] muMdw s Mq oKu s rmu pq u JolI iDAwn kI krih ibBUiq ] iKMQ w kwlu kuAwrI kwieAw jugiq fMfw prqIiq ] AweI pMQ I s gl jmwqI min jIqY jgu jIqu ] Awdysu iqs Y Awdysu ] Awid An Ilu An wid An whiq jugu jugu eyko v ysu ] 28 ] 1) M unda santokh , saram pat jholi dh yan k i k arh e bibh ut. 2) Kh intha k al k uari k aya jugat danda partit. 3) Ayi panthi sagal jamati, mun jite jug jit. 4) Aades Tise aades. 5) Aadi Anil Anadi Anah ati jug jug ek o ves. (28) Guru Nanak Dev is explaining true significance of the sym bols of the yogi's tradition in this stanza. 1) O Yogi, you m ak e contentment your ear-rings, ph ysical w ork be m ade into your begging bow l and your sh oulder Nitnem (81) bag and instead of sm earing your body w ith ash es, fix your m ind on the Lord. 2) Th ough t of death be your patch ed q uilt, ch aste (pure) body be your guiding rule in life and faith in the Lord be your stick . 3) Now you are considering "Ayi Lineage" as the h igh est order of Yogis . Ins tead of this, all h um an beings considered as belonging to Ayi order and thus belonging to sam e class (treat the w h ole h um an race as eq ual and class-less). Conq uer your m ind and you sh all conq uer the w h ole w orld. 4) And 5.) Yogis h ave a greeting slogan of "Adesh ", w h ich m eans" Adi-Isar" i.e. Lord from the beginning. Guru Nanak Dev tells the Yogis to greet the Lord w h o is Pure O ne, Im m aculate (beyond m aya), w h o is truly the beginning of all things and H im self w ithout beginning, w h o never dies, and is the sam e in all ages. (28) Stanza 29 Aim for Th e Lord and Not Th e Psych uic Pow ers In the last stanza, Guru Nanak Dev has advised the Yogis to prepare them selves for joining w ith the Suprem e. In this stanza, h e h as revealed the "Divine k now ledge" w h ich sh ould be the food of the Yogi. Th is "Divine k now ledge" h as been served by the Lord through H is com passion is that the Lord in the form of "Atma" is ringing celestial m usic in everybody's h eart. So look for the Lord in every person's h eart. Do not run after psych ic pow ers. Th ey are distractions. In the cam p of the Yogis, their routine includes distribution of food. O ne Yogi is inch arge of the store, another arranges the rations and still another w h o distributes food to each according to individual's need. At the time of m eals, they blow a conch (a sea sh ell) to announce the m eal time. Guru Nanak Dev in this stanza h as explained to them the true q ualities to enable disch arge these duties in life so that they can reach the Lord. Th e Yogis follow eigh t fold yogic path, (Ash tang yoga). Th ese parts are as under: Nitnem (82) 1. Yam a-restraints one sh ould practice. 2. Niyam a-the m oral discipline or principles. 3. Asanas-body postures, there are 64 of them (for ph ysical fitness). 4. Pranayam a-rh ythm of respiration. ( to control breath and m ind) 5. Pratyah ara- em ancipation of sensory activity from dom i- nation by exterior objects. 6. Dh arna-concentration of m ind. 7. Dh ayana-Yogic m editation. 8. Sam adh i-absorption into object of m editation so as to lose body consciousness. In the beginning, the yogis w ere m ainly concerned w ith Yoga i.e. "joining w ith God". But slowly, they w ere m ore and m ore attracted towards psych ic pow ers (sidh is). Th ese pow ers h elp them to ach ieve dom inance over others, give them opportunity to sh ow their superiority over others and conse- q uently feed their ow n ego. H ence these pow ers are counter productive. Th ere are eigh t types of im portant sidh is as under: 1. Anim a-pow er to reduce one self to as sm all in size as a speck of dust. 2. Lagh im a-to becom e very light by reducing w eigh t. 3. Prapti-Pow er to produce anything. 4. Prak arm aya-To m ak e others do w h atever the Yogi w ants and no body to oppose h im . 5. M ah im a-Yogi can m ak e h im self as big as h e likes. 6. Ish itav-to get nam e and fam e. 7. Vash itav-to get control over others. 8. Kam avasaita-to get pow er to control desires. In the spiritual journey, the Lord gives tests to the devotee to judge h is sincerity. Th ese sidh is or pow ers are the test. If a devotee is delighted to enjoy these pow ers and forgets the real aim of uniting w ith the Lord (Yoga), h is further progress is stalled at that point only. Th ese pow ers are also lost in due course. Th e devotee sh ould therefore sh un these pow ers and follow h is real object of God-realization steadfastly. Nitnem (83) Bugiq igAwnu dieAw BMfwrix Git Git vwjih nwd ] Awip nwQu nwQI sB jw kI iriD isiD Avrw swd ] sMjogu ivjogu duie kwr clwvih lyKy Awvih Bwg ] Awdysu iqsY Awdysu ] Awid AnIlu Anwid Anwhiq jugu jugu eyko vysu ]29] Bugiq igAwnu dieAw BMfwrix Git Git v wjih n wd ] Awip n wQ u n wQ I s B jw kI iriD isiD Av rw s wd ] s Mjogu ivjogu duie kwr clwvih lyKy Awvih Bwg ] Awdysu iqs Y Awdysu ] Awid An Ilu An wid An whiq jugu jugu eyko v ysu ] 29 ] 1) Bh ugat gyan daya bh andaran gh at gh at vajhe naad. 2) Aap Nath, nathi sabh jaaki ridh i sidh i aw ara sad. 3) Sanjog vijog dui k ar ch alaveh lek h e aw ah e bh ag. 4) Aades Tise aades. 5) Aadi, Anil, Anadi, Anah at jug jug aik o ves. (29 ). 1) (O Yogi,) in God's great design, Divine Know ledge is food, H is com passion is the stew ard w h o serves and divinity ringing in every h eart is the conch (this is h eard only by those w h o are attuned towards God.) 2) Th e Nath (M aster) of this design is the Lord H im self, w h o h as strung the w orld in a perfect order w ith H im as per H is W ill. Th e psych ic pow ers are undesirable objects, as these only result in attach m ent to w orldly objects (m aya) and com e in the w ay of following H is W ill and inflate one's ego. 3) Th e two law s of union and dis-union are carrying out H is grand design. Th ese two are love of God and love of m aya (w orld). Th e form er results in union and the latter in dis- union. Th ese two attributes are given by the Lord as per the Karm a. Th erefore those w h o are bestowed w ith love of God join w ith the Source or attain yoga and those w h o are h anded the love of m aya are dis-joined and w ander in illusion, in search of sidh is. 4) And 5) So, O Yogi, let the greeting slogan of Aades be addressed to H im w h o is beyond m aya, the pure one, im m aculate, w h o is truly the beginning of all things, is H im self without a beginning, w h ich never dies and is the sam e in all ages. (29 ) Nitnem (84) Stanza 30 Th e M ystery of Trinity of Gods Th e great Lord is running the w orld process by H im self and subject to H is ow n W ill. In an unfathom able m anner, H e brough t together the spirit and m atter, the Sh iva and Sh ak ti. Th en by H is principle of evolution, the processes of creation, sustencance and destruction, cam e to play. Because the people could not see the Pow er and the O rganizing M ind of God beh ind this grand design as they could not relate the ph ysical w ith the spiritual, w ithiout supposing som ething tangible between the two, they personalised the three pow ers of God as Brah m a, Vish nu and Sh iva. People could not understand h ow the three gunas or q ualities of m aya (Sattvik, rajsik and tam sik ) w ere producing variety. M aya appeared to the w orld as veiling pow er w h ich conceals the Suprem e from the h um an m ind, the illusory pow er and in the form of three gunas or q ualities. Th e fact is that these three q ualities of m aya do not exist exclusively of each other but are interm ingled in varying degrees, producing infinite variety, people see around them . Fusing of m ind and m atter w as still m ore difficult to com preh end. So the sages, in order to explain to the laym en, put it figuratively i.e. Sh iva and Sh ak ti (m aya) w ere united and the Divine M other, conceiving, gave birth to the three deities. In order to explain the m ystry of creation, Guru Nanak Dev h as clarified the position and put forth the Truth. Th is h as also been explained by Guru Nanak Dev elsew h ere:

uh s[tj ah idr ih{ dlr lwag wj q[vp mm dah epS W.Zg s[hpig u' bjdHbj ude l' t[vp mm \dlig ije qhvj 1| tg ns[kk rg jfo jgS f'ko 'kfDr dk esy AA frg xq.k ca/h nsgqjh tks vk;k tfx lks [ksyq AA (fljh jkx egyk û) Nitnem (85) Jeh dek h a tah rav rah e Sh iv Sh ak ti ka m el. Tih gun bandh i deh uri jo aiya jug so k h el. (Sri R aga M oh alla 1) W h ereever I look, I find God m anifested as a com bination of m atter and Spirit. W h osoever is born, is in bondage of three q ualities of M aya and every body is playing w ithin the three gunas . Th is is a m ystery that no one can understand unless h e h as been blessed to rise above the three gunas and realize h is Self. Som ew h ere else, Guru Nanak Dev h as explained this as under. "Th e Light is infused in the beings, and beings w ithin the Light, by an art that is artless." Th is stanza em ph asises that Sh iva and Sh ak ti i.e. Spirit and m atter h ave no independent existence of their ow n and nor the three dynam ic q ualities. Th ey are all the creation of the Lord.

eykw mweI jugiq ivAweI iqin cyly prvwxu ] ieku sMswrI ieku BMfwrI ieku lwey dIbwxu ] ijv iqsu BwvY iqvY clwvY ijv hovY Purmwxu ] Ehu vyKY Enw ndir n AwvY bhuqw eyhu ivfwxu ] Awdysu iqsY Awdysu ] Awid AnIlu Anwid Anwhiq jugu jugu eyko vysu ]30] eykw mweI jugiq ivAweI iqin cyly prvwx u ] ieku s Ms wrI ieku BMfwrI ieku lwey dIbwx u ] ijv iqsu BwvY iqv Y clwvY ijv h ovY Purmwx u ] Awyhu v yKY Awynw n dir n AwvY bh uqw eyhu ivfwx u] Awdysu iqsY Awdysu] Awid An Ilu An wid An whiq jugu jugu eyko v ysu ] 30 ] 1) Aik a m ai jugat viai Tin ch ele parw an. 2) Ik sansari, ik bh andari, ik lai deban. 3) Jiv tis bh ave Tive ch alave jiv h ove ph urm an. 4) Oh vaikh e ona nadar na ave, bah uta eh vidan. 5) Aades Tise aades. 6) Aadi, Anil, Anadi, Anah at jug jug aik o ves. (30) 1) O Yogi, O ne Pursh a (Self) and H is Creative Pow er (i.e. Spirit and the m atter) cam e together, and in a m ysterious w ay, the Divine M other conceived and gave birth to three sons (the three deities. Th is is only a figurative w ay to Nitnem (86) explain the m ystery). Th e three sons w ere approved and appointed to do specific w ork s by the Lord. 2) O ne of them Brah m a the creator, the second Vish nu, the sustainer and the third Sh iva w h o h olds court to judge h um an's body's actions & death. 3) (But the m atter and Spirit do not h ave any independent existence, nor do Brah m a, Vish nu and Sh iva as such .) It is God alone w h o carries on the w orld process, according to H is ow n W ill and as per H is com m and. (Th is h as been restated to stress that above is only figurative.) 4) Th e m ystery or strange thing is that w h ereas H e sees all, no body can see H im (Th e real reason w h y people set up deities to represent H is pow ers is to have a visible form ). 5) And 6) So, O Yogi, let the greeting slogan of Aades be addressed to H im w h o is beyond m aya, the Pure one, Im m aculate, w h o is truly the beginning of all things, is H im self w ithout a beginning, w h o never dies and is the sam e in all ages. (30). Stanza 31 Th e True O ne is O m nipresent and H is Stock s are Unlim ited Som e people are under the im pression that God lives in the h eavens etc. and not in som e of the w orlds. O n this earth itself, som e people are of the view that God resides in som e specific places. Sim ilarly, the God's store h ouse is located at som e planets and not in others. Th ese doubts are clarified in this stanza. Guru Nanak Dev h as said in the second line that God h as put into the store h ouse everything once for all. Th is fact h as also been given in Albert Enistein's "Th eory of Relativity" i.e. sum total of m ass and energy is constant. Th ese two sim ply go on ch anging from one to the other.

Awsxu loie loie BMfwr ] jo ikCu pwieAw su eykw vwr ] kir kir vyKY isrjxhwru ] nwnk scy kI swcI kwr ] Awdysu iqsY Awdysu ] Awid AnIlu Anwid Anwhiq jugu jugu eyko vysu ]31] Nitnem (87) Awsx u loie loie BMfwr ] jo ikCu pwieAw s u eykw v wr] kir kir v yKY isrjx h wru ] n wnk s cy kI s wcI kwr] Awdysu iqs Y Awdysu] Awid An Ilu An wid An whiq jugu jugu eyko v ysu]31] 1) Aasan loi loi bh andar. 2) Jo k ich payia so ek a var. 3) Kar k ar vaikh e Sirjanh ar. 4) Nanak Sach e k i sach i k ar. 5) Aades Tise aades. 6) Aadi Anil Anadi Anah at jug jug aik o ves. (31) 1) O Yogi, the great Lord is seated in every region (Th ere is no particular region like h eaven or Sh iva puri w h ere H e resides.) H is store h ouse is also in every region. 2) H e h as put into the store h ouse everything that was to be put, once and for all. 3) H e, the Creator first creates and then looks after H is creation H im self. 4) Guru Nanak Dev says, the w ork s of True O ne are also True. 5) And 6) So, O Yogi, let the greeting slogan of Aades be addressed to H im w h o is beyond m aya, the Pure one, Im m aculate, w h o is truly the beginning of all things, is H im self w ithout a beginning, w h o never dies and is ever the sam e in all ages. (31) Stanza 32 Th e Nam e Flow ers O nly in a Loving and Ego- Less H eart Th ere is w ide spread belief that if a certain Nam e of God or a m antra is repeated a certain num ber of times, one can ach ieve God. For this purpose, people k eep a rosary and k eep an account of the num ber of repetitions. Th ese days, som e people k eep electronic counters. A rosary sh ould serve the purpose of rem inding one of the Lord and to bring back one's distracted m ind back to m editation on the Lord. (Account k eeping is likely to feed the ego w h ich can be counter productive) In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as brough t out that it is not true. No num ber of repetitions, unless one becom es ego- Nitnem (88) less can bear fruit. It will be som ething like an insect trying to reach sk ies. God can only be ach ieved through God's Grace and H is Grace com es to and ego-less m ind. Rest is all idle gossip.

iek dU jIBO lK hoih lK hovih lK vIs ] lKu lKu gyVw AwKIAih eyku nwmu jgdIs ] eyqu rwih piq pvVIAw cVIAY hoie iekIs ] suix glw Awkws kI kItw AweI rIs ] nwnk ndrI pweIAY kUVI kUVY TIs ]32] iek dU jIBO lK h oih lK h ovih lK v Is ] lKu lKu gyVw AwKIAih eyku n wmu jgdIs ] eyqu rwih piq pv V IAw cV IAY h oie iekIs ] s uix glw Awkws kI kIt w AweI rIs ] n wnk n drI pweIAY kUVI kUVY T Is] 32] 1) Ik du jibh o lakh h oh e, lakh h ove lakh vis. 2) Lakh Lakh gera aak h iye ek Naam Jagdis. 3) Ait rah pat pawria ch arie h oi ik is. 4) Sun gala aak as k i k ita aai ris. 5) Nanak nadri payieh k uri k ure thees. (32) 1) If, in place of one h um an tongue, there be h undred thousand tongues for each h um an being and further each of these be turned into twenty h undred thousand tongues. 2) Th en each of these tongues repeat the Nam e of the Lord in a cycle, each of h undred thousand times. 3) All the above effort is fruitless. Th e real m ethod to reach our M aster the God is no doubt in steps, but these steps are to be m ounted only after losing one's ego i.e. in total surrender and deep love for H im . 4) After h earing from others, the celestial beings, the pow er and ach ievem ents of H is Nam e, som e sm all m inded self seek ing people w ill try to im itate repetition of H is Nam e w ithout self surrender. Th is is sim ply like insects trying to reach sk ies. 5) But Guru Nanak Dev says, God is realized through H is Grace only, (w h ich com es automatically w h en one longs and w ork s for it). M ere talk of false m en is only a vain boast. (32)

Nitnem (89) Stanza 33 No Body is H igh or Low of H is O w n Accord, It is only as per H is W ill Th e h um an beings h ave no pow er over their actions, they can neither speak nor k eep q uiet, they can neither ask nor give. Neither live nor die of their ow n accord. Th ey cannot ach ieve either w orldly w ealth nor spiritual attainm ents and be liberated of their ow n accord and effort. No body is h igh or low as per h is ow n w ish es. It is only the Lord w h o is om nipotent and H e exercises H is pow ers. Guru Nanak Dev h as stated in this stanza that no body can force h is w ill upon God. Th erefore best is to follow h is advice given in the earlier stanzas i.e. w in H is Grace by self surrender, deep love and rem em brance of H is Nam e.

AwKix joru cupY nh joru ] joru n mµgix dyix n joru ] joru n jIvix mrix nh joru ] joru n rwij mwil min soru ] joru n surqI igAwin vIcwir ] joru n jugqI CutY sMswru ] ijsu hiQ joru kir vyKY soie ] nwnk auqmu nIcu n koie ]33] AwKix joru cupY n h joru ] joru n mMgix dyix n joru ] joru n jIvix mrix n h joru ] joru n rwij mwil min s oru] joru n s urqI igAwin v Icwir ] joru n jugq I CutY s Ms wru ] ijs u h iQ joru kir v yKY s oie] n wnk auqmu n Icu n koie ] 33] 1) Ak h an jor ch upe nah jore. 2) Jor na m angan den na jore. 3) Jore na jiwan m aran na jore. 4) Jore na raj m al m un sore. 5) Jore na surti gyan vich ar. 6) Jore na jugti ch h ute sansar. 7) Jis h ath jore, k ar waik h e soi. 8) Nanak uttam nich na k oi. (33). 1) H um ans h ave no independent absolute pow er to either speak or to k eep q uiet. 2) Th ere is no pow er in one to dem and anything from others, nor to give anything to others. 3) Th ere is no pow er to force one's living nor one's dying. 4) O ne can h ave no pow er to perpetuate one's rule or one's possessions for w h ich there is so m uch vanity and noise in our m ind. 5) No one can force spiritual aw ak ening nor can one force Nitnem (90) w isdom and k now ledge. 6) Nobody h as pow er to obtain liberation from this w orld (w ith h is ow n effort). 7) It is H e w h o h as all the pow ers. H e first creates all the universe then looks after it. 8) Guru Nanak Dev says, no one can be high or low by one's own pow ers. It is all H is Will that decides everybody's station in this life. Th is is elucidation of "Parsadi" of Mool Mantra. (33) Stanzas 34 to 37 Th e Five R egions in Spiritual Progress In these four stanzas, Guru Nanak Dev m aps the stages in spiritual progress of the devotee. Th is is a sum m ary of all the previous stanzas. W h en God's grace descends on a person, it gives rise to strong aspiration for w alking on the spiritual path and one starts rising above the routine w orldly state of living. O ne starts inq uiring "W h o am I?" "From w h ere h ave I com e?" "W h o is this God people w orsh ip?" etc. Th e five stages given in these four stanzas are the stages of inner development of the devotee and sh ould not be confused w ith any outwardly signs. Th ese four stanzas describe, h ow h um an being's m ind is diverted from w orldly desires and enjoym ents and one starts looking inw ard to one's soul or Atma and starts investigating into the true purpose of h um an life. Th is is the stage w h en one com es to realize one's duties and responsibilities towards h im self, fam ily and society etc. Th is is "Dh aram Kh and" or "regions of dh arm a or duty". Th e devotee w ork s to disch arge h is duties towards fam ily like looking after parents, raising ch ildren, h elping other fam ily m em bers, looking after the society in general and also h is ow n liberation. Th is state w ork s for the general im provem ent say ch aracter building and creating suitable environm ent for spiritual progress. In this region, the devotee develops m oral principles and h ealthy desires and generally progresses towards spirituality and starts following H is W ill. Th is stage is described in stanzas 1 to 7. Next stage after this com es w h en the devotee starts seriously associating w ith the w ise, listens to their advice and Nitnem (91) illuminating discourses, reads the h oly book s w ritten by self- realized souls. (Reading a book is also listening to the w riter). In this region, the devotee gains k now ledge about the Lord's creation, h ow the elem ents like air, w ater, fire etc. w ork , h ow m any Gods and Goddesses, h ow m any planets, suns, m oons and h oly personages w h o h ave attained h igh est spiritual pinnacles. Th e devotee's selfish ness and personal desires reducer gradually. Th is w as explained by Guru Nanak Dev in stanzas 8 to 11 on the subject of "suniye". First the devotee's love w as restricted to h is fam ily only. Slowly this so called fam ily w ill expand and a stage w ill com e w h en h e w ill realize that the w h ole w orld is h is fam ily (stanza 28 line 3). Th us w ith broadening of the outlook, the grace of the saints and reading m ore and m ore h oly book s, there is a storm of know ledge and w ith this the doubts and superstitions are blown aw ay. Th is stage is the "Gyan Kh and" or the region of k now ledge. Th e devotee, w h en fortified w ith k now ledge, realizes that m ere borrow ed k now ledge is not enough . H e m ust w ork h im self to control h is m ind, desires, latencies, and delve deep into m ysteries of spiritual truths. Th is is the stage of h ard labour involving rising early in the m orning, sitting in dh yan or m editation and exercising discrim ination, Repetition of Nam e, accepting Will of God and other spiritual disciplines of course continue along side. Th is is the stage of "Saram Kh and" or "region of h ard w ork or labour". Th is is described in stanza 12 to 15. In this region, the devotee's body m ind and intellect are all properly m oulded and given beautiful sh ine. H is consciousness and m ind are raised to m uch h igh er and purer levels. Th ere is general aw ak ening tow ards h igh er levels and one is converted into a celestial being and a sidh a purush a. W h en a w ork er sincerely labours for the w h ole day, the m aster is pleased and generously rew ards the w ork er at the end of the day. Sim ilarly, the Lord and M aster is also pleased w ith the devotee w h en h e is ripe in "Saram Kh and" as explained above and is pleased to bestow H is grace on the devotee. Th is is called "Karam Kh and" or the "region of Grace". Th is state, Nitnem (92) w h en God is pleased to bestow Grace is sim ply beautiful and is beyond description. Th e devotee is gifted w ith all the pow ers of the Lord. H e never deviates from the noble path w h atever the inducem ent or provocation. Th e devotee sees the Lord everyw h ere and in every being. H is m ind is always attach ed w ith the Lord. H e is not afraid of birth and death because h e is freed from the cycle of reincarnations. H is m ind is always filled w ith h appiness and bliss. In all the above regions, the devotee though h aving glimpses of the unm anifest Lord, is still h aving connection w ith m anifest aspect i.e. m aya. After progress in the "Karam Kh and", the devotee is fully absorbed into the unm anifest aspect of the Lord or "Nirank ar or Nirgun" aspect. Th is is "Sach Kh and" or the "region of True Lord". Th is is the h igh est region w h ere every thing is present and is controlled as per H is w ill. Guru Nanak Dev h as, in the last line of stanza 37 said that any description of Sach Kh and is extrem ely difficult and h ard like steel. Som e sch olars describe these five k h ands as five w orlds like H eaven etc. Th is is not correct because Guru Nanak Dev h as clearly explained in Japji (stanza 31) that H e is living on every part of the universe, therefore allotting a particular planet or region to the stage of spiritual progress does not appear to be correct. Stanza 34 R egion of Dh arm a (Dh aram Kh and) As the Lord is pleased w ith a person, H e m ak es h im realize the true purpose of h is com ing in the h um an form , h is responsibilities to fam ily, society and h im self. So the ordinary person is converted into a devotee and starts perform ing good actions and disch arging h is responsibilities dutifully. Everybody's actions are evaluated and Lord is aw arding judgem ent as per the sum total of actions. Th ose w h o h ave done good actions are praised and decorated w ith approval. It is no use assum ing that one is great or good. Th e judgem ent on w h ether one is true or false is only given by the Lord w h en one goes to H im . Nitnem (93) rwqI ruqI iQqI vwr ] pvx pwxI AgnI pwqwl ] iqsu ivic DrqI Qwip rKI Drm swl ] iqsu ivic jIA jugiq ky rMg ] iqn ky nwm Anyk Anµq ] krmI krmI hoie vIcwru ] scw Awip scw drbwru ] iqQY sohin pµc prvwxu ] ndrI krim pvY nIswxu ] kc pkweI EQY pwie ] nwnk gieAw jwpY jwie ]34] rwqI ruqI iQ q I v wr ] pv x pwx I Agn I pwqwl ] iqs u ivic DrqI Q wip rKI Drm s wl ] iqs u ivic jIA jugiq ky rMg ] iqn ky n wm An yk An Mq ] krmI krmI h oie v Icwru ] s cw Awip s cw drbwru] iqQ Y s ohin pMc prvwx u ] n drI krim pv Y n Iswx u ] kc pkweI AwyQ Y pwie ] n wnk gieAw jwpY jwie ] 34] 1) Rati ruti thiti var. 2) Paw an pani agni patal. 3) Tis wich dh arti thap rak h i dh aram sal. 4) Tis w ich jia jugat k e rang. 5) Tin k e nam anek anant. 6) Karm i karm i h oi vich ar. 7) Sach a Aap sach a darbar. 8) Tithe soh an panch parw an. 9 ) Nadri k aram paw ai nisan. 10) Kach pak ai othe pai. 11) Nanak gayia jape jai. (34)

In this stanza, in the first three lines, Guru Nanak Dev explains the conditions and environm ent in w h ich , a h um an being is to carry out h is duties or dh arm a. In the next two lines, h e explains, the variety of beings w h o do duties. Th e following lines deal w ith H is justice as per each one's action, that H is court is True and Just. To clear any doubt, h e em ph asises in the last two lines that it is no use for any one to assum e greatness because all truth and flalseh ood is correctly decided only in H is Court (If one understands this fact, h is ego w ill be expelled). 1) God m ade day and nigh t, seasons, lunar and solar rh ythm w h ich decide the calendars. 2) Air, w ater, fire and other elem ents in the lower regions. 3) Am ong these, the earth is located, w h ich is m eant as an abode for the h um ans to enable them disch arge their duties and responsibilities under H is M oral Law s. 4) O n this earth, H e created different living beings of diverse form s and lives of various colours and types, 5) And h aving countless nam es. Nitnem (94) 6) All these beings are judged by H im , according to their deeds . 7) By H im w h o is True and H is court is True. 8) (In this court) the saints (the ch osen ones) w h o h ave fully controlled their sens es , look beautiful as they are h onoured and accepted by H im are decorated. 9 ) Visited by H is Grace, they are anointed w ith h is m ark of acceptance. 10) W h o is true and w h o is false? It w ill be judged there according to H is im m aculate Law . 11) Guru Nanak Dev says that it is only after reach ing there, one com es to k now of this truth. (34) Stanza 35 R egion of Know ledge (Gyan Kh and) W ith the understanding of one's true duty in the region of Dh arm a, one's m ind becom es very broad. Instead of only think ing of one's sm all im m ediate fam ily, the w h ole creation of the Lord s tarts appearing as one unit. Th us selfish ness disappears. O ne realizes the greatness of this expanded fam ily unit i.e. all creation of the Lord in m anifest from including all the elem ents, deities, planets, great sages and incarnations, beings of variety of species, k ings, oceans, m ountains etc. w ithout and end to be H is m anifestation only. H is creation is as limitless as is H is greatness.

Drm Kµf kw eyho Drmu ] igAwn Kµf kw AwKhu krmu ] kyqy pvx pwxI vYsMqr kyqy kwn mhys ] kyqy brmy GwViq GVIAih rUp rMg ky vys ] kyqIAw krm BUmI myr kyqy kyqy DU aupdys ] kyqy ieMd cMd sUr kyqy kyqy mµfl dys ] kyqy isD buD nwQ kyqy kyqy dyvI vys ] kyqy dyv dwnv muin kyqy kyqy rqn smuMd ] kyqIAw KwxI kyqIAw bwxI kyqy pwq nirMd ] kyqIAw surqI syvk kyqy nwnk AMqu n AMqu ]35] Drm KMf kw eyho Drmu ] igAwn KMf kw AwKh u krmu] kyqy pv x pwx I v YsMq r kyqy kwn mh ys ] kyqy brmy GwViq GV IAih rUp rMg ky v ys ] kyqIAw krm BUmI myr kyqy kyqy DU aupdys ] kyqy ieMd cMd s Ur kyqy kyqy mMfl dys ] kyqy isD buD n wQ kyqy kyqy dyvI v ys] kyqy dyv dwnv muin kyqy kyqy rqn s muMd ] kyqIAw Nitnem (95) Kwx I kyqIAw bwx I kyqy pwq n irMd ] kyqIAw s urqI syvk kyqy nwnk AMq u n AMq u ]35] 1) Dh aram Kh and k a eh o dh aram . 2) Gyan Kh and k a ak h ah u k aram . 3) Kete pawan pani vaisanter k ete Kan Mah es. 4) Kete Barm e gh arat gh arieh roop rang ke ves. 5) Ketia karam bh um i m er k ete k ete Dh u updes. 6) Kete Ind ch and sur k ete k ete m andal des. 7) Kete sidh budh nath k ete k ete devi ves. 8) k ete dev danav m uni k ete k ete rattan sam und. 9 ) Ketia k h ani k etia bani k ete pat narind. 10) Ketia surti sew ak k ete Nanak ant na ant. (35). 1) Th is then is the Law , ch aracterizing the region of Dh arm a or duty (reference is to the last stanza). 2) Now I w ill explain w h at is in the region of Know ledge or Gyan k h and. 3) Th ere are num erous elem ents like air, w ater and fire etc. and num erous are the Krish na and Sh ivas. 4) Th ere are num erous Brah am as w h o are creating beings of various form s, colours and sh apes. 5) Th ere are num erous regions for disch arging one's duties (like this earth), num erous golden m ountains (like Sum er), and num erous Dh ruvas (m ythological saint after w h om the pole star is nam ed) and their eternal teach ings. 6) Th ere are num erous Indras, m oons, suns, regions and lands . 7) Th ere are num erous sidh as, budh as, nathas and num erous goddesses in diverse form s. 8) Th ere are num erous gods and dem ons, num erous practitioners of silence and num erous oceans and their jew els. 9 ) Th ere are num erous sources of life, num erous form s of speech , num erous k ings and rulers. 10) Th ere are num erous beings of h igh sensibility and num erous are those w h o are engaged in service of others. Guru Nanak Dev says-there is no end to this great variety. In the region of k now ledge, the devotee becom es aw are of all this k now ledge. (35) Nitnem (96) Stanza 36 R egion of Earnest Effort (Saram Kh and) From the previous stanza, it is seen that the devotee, on understanding vastness of h is fam ily, w ith the rem oval of narrow ness of h is m ind, listening to the discourses of w ise sages and reading of h oly book s, collects vast am ount of k now ledge. But this k now ledge is only w orldly k now ledge. Now a stage h as com e w h en one realizes that the w orldly k now ledge is w orthless, the real k now ledge is Divine k now ledge. For obtaining Divine k now ledge the devotee h as to put in earnest effort to earn the Lord's Grace. In this region, the devotee, as a result of h is sincere and h onest (egoless) effort gets transform ed into an, indescribable beauty. H is body, m ind and intellect are all m oulded and m ade fit to receive H is Grace.

igAwn KMf mih igAwnu prcMfu ] iqQY nwd ibnod kof Anµdu ] srm Kµf kI bwxI rUpu ] iqQY GwViq GVIAY bhuqu AnUpu ] qw kIAw glw kQIAw nw jwih ] jy ko khY ipCY pCuqwie ] iqQY GVIAY suriq miq min buiD ] iqQY GVIAY surw isDw kI suiD ]36] igAwn KMf mih igAwnu prcMfu ] iqQ Y n wd ibn od kof An Mdu] s rm Kµf kI bwx I rUpu ] iqQ Y GwViq GV IAY bh uqu An Upu] q w kIAw glw kQ IAw nw jwih ] jy ko kh Y ipCY pCuqwie] iqQ Y GV IAY suriq miq min buiD ] iqQ Y GV IAY s urw isDw kI s uiD ] 36] 1) Gyan Kh and mah i gyan parch and. 2) Tithe naad binod kode anand. 3) Saram Kh and k i bani roop. 4) Tithe gh arat gh ariye bah ut anoop. 5) Ta kiya gala kathia na jahe. 6) Je k o k ah e pich h e pach h utai. 7) Tithe gh ariye surat mut mun budh . 8) Tithe gh arie sura sidh a k i sudh . (36) 1) In the region of k now ledge, the k now ledge s h ines res plendent. 2) Th ere is untold bliss as if em anating from celestial m usical instrum ents, beautiful sigh ts and other enjoym ents. 3) Th e region of earnest spiritual effort, of course expresses itself in the beauty of spirit w h ich is designed in unm atch ed beauty. Nitnem (97) 4) Th ere, the devotee's personality is m oulded into undescribable beauty. 5) In fact, w h at m eets the eye is not capable of being said in w ords. 6) If som e body attem pts to describe it, h e w ill only repent it afterw ards on h is failure. 7) Th e devotee's consciousness, understanding, m ind and intellect is m oulded in an extrem ely exalted state. 8) Th e consciousness is m oulded to the lofty levels of gods and Self realized sidh as (36) Stanza 37 Regions of Grace and Truth (Karam Kh and and Sach Kh and) W ith the steady progress of the devotee through h is ow n earnest effort, Grace of the Lord is bestowed in Karam Kh and. Now the Lord w ith H is unlimited generosity bestows all the pow ers in the spiritual regim e. Th e devotee, as a result becom es fully steadfast, h is faith and devotion are unsh ak eable. Till the stage of Saram Kh and, the devotee is dealing w ith m anifest aspect of the Lord i.e. the w orld, beings inh abiting the w orld, elem ents lik e air, fire, w ater etc. In Karam Kh nad, w h en H is pow ers are fully bestowed on the devotee, h e gets glimpses of unm anifest Lord and rests in both i.e. the m anifest and unm anifest aspects. In "Sach Kh and", it is totally the static or the unm anifest aspect of the Lord, w h ere H e resides, m anages the task of running the affairs of the universe as per H is W ill. Although in Sach Kh and, the devotee is fully abosorbed in the unm anifest Lord, but som e of the exalted personages still w ant to m aintain a relation w ith the Lord lik e Parm ah ansa Ram ak rish na w orsh ipped H im as M other and Guru Nanak Dev h as also described H im as M aster. Parm ah ansa Ram ak rish na h as explained this situation lik e this. H e says, that w h en an ant eats sugar, it does not w ant to becom e sugar but w ants to enjoy the sw eetness of sugar. So, on the sam e anology, h e does not w ant to becom e sugar (Lord), but w ants to rem ain an ant and enjoy the relationsh ip w ith the Lord i.e. the sw eetness of sugar. Th us Nitnem (98) w h en a saint w orsh ipping the Lord in m anifest aspect even w h en h e is Self realized, (h as attained Sach Kh and), h e m ay h ave h is ow n reasons for this. It is im possible to describe nature of an exalted Self realized saint. Th is region can not be described in h um an language as it is beyond senses, m ind and intellect. Th e first 10 lines of the stanza are dealing w ith Karam Kh and and the next 8 lines w ith Sach Kh and. We sh all therefore, deal w ith the two k h ands separately.

krm KMf kI bwxI joru ] iqQY horu n koeI horu ] iqQY joD mhwbl sUr ] iqn mih rwmu rihAw BrpUr ] iqQY sIqo sIqw mihmw mwih ] qw ky rUp n kQny jwih ] nw Eih mrih n Twgy jwih ] ijn kY rwmu vsY mn mwih ] iqQY Bgq vsih ky loA ] krih Anµdu scw min soie ] sc KMif vsY inrMkwru ] kir kir vyKY ndir inhwl ] iqQY KMf mMfl vrBMf ] jy ko kQY q Aqµ n AMq ] iqQY loA loA Awkwr ] ijv ijv hukmu iqvY iqv kwr ] vyKY ivgsY kir vIcwru ] nwnk kQnw krVw swru ]37] krm KMf kI bwx I joru ] iqQ Y h oru n koeI h oru ] iqQ Y joD mh wbl s Ur ] iqn mih rwmu rihAw BrpUr ] iqQ Y s Iqo s Iqw mihmw mwih ] q w ky rUp n kQ n y jwih ] n w Eih mrih n T wgy jwih ] ijn kY rwmu v s Y mn mwih ] iqQ Y Bgq v s ih ky loA ] krih An ñ du s cw min s oie ] s c KMif v s Y inrMkwru] kir kir v yKY n dir inh wl] iqQ Y KMf mMfl v rBMf ] jy ko kQ Y q AMq n AMq ] iqQ Y loA loA Awkwr] ijv ijv h ukmu iqv Y iqv kwr] v yKY ivgs Y kir v Icwru] n wnk kQ n w krV w s wru ] 37] 1) Karam kh and ki bani jore. 2) Tithe h ore na koi h ore. 3) Tithe jodh m ah abla soor. 4) Tin m e Ram rah iya bh arpoor. 5) Tithe sito sita m ah im a m ah e. 6) Ta k e roop na k athne jahe. 7) Na oh marh e na thage jah e. 8) Jin ke Ram vase mun mah e. 9) Tithe bh agat vase k e laoi. 10) Karh e anand Sach a m un soi. 11) Sach Kh and vase Nirank ar. 12) Kar kar vaik h e nadar nih al. 13) Tithe Kh and mandal varbh and. 14) Je ko kathe ta ant na ant. 15) Tithe loa loa aak ar. 16) Jiv jiv h uk am tive tiv kar. 17) Vaik h e vigse k ar vich ar. 18) Nanak k athna k arara sar. (37) 1) Th e region of Grace, expresses itself in the Lord's spiritual pow er. (W h en H is Grace descends on the devotee, h e Nitnem (99) becom es so strong that no desire or tem ptation can sh ak e h im from the steadfast spiritual path. In Saram Kh and, it w as the beauty of spirit, now it is the Lord's grace or pow er that h as descended on the devotee.) 2) Th ere is nothing but the Lord's pow er that dw ells in devotee's m ind in this region. 3) Th ere are great w arriors and h eroes of great pow ers. (Th is does not refer to w orldly w arriors and h eroes but to those spiritual pilgrim s w h o h ave fought the tem ptations of the w orld, controlled their m inds and m ade progress to reach this stage.) 4) Th ese w arriors and h eroes' m inds are full w ith love of the Lord. 5) Th ere are countless devotees of the Lord, sh ining in their splendour and com pletely inter-w oven w ith H im and H is prais e. 6) Th eir beauty can not be expressed in w ords. 7) Th ey neither die nor can be deceived by any other distraction from their path. 8) Th is is because Lord Ram (the Lord w h o is pervading every w h ere) is residing in their h eart. 9 ) In the region of Grace, saints of m any w orlds are also residing. 10) Th ey are always in bliss because the True Lord resides in their h eart. Sach Kh and is the description of Region of Truth w h ere the Lord in the unm anifest form resides. Th is is the stage w h ere the devotee h as reach ed h is destination and is absolutely absorbed in the Lord like a drop of w ater w h ich started from the m ountains and passing through various stream s and rivers falls into the ocean and gets m erged in it. Since the Lord in the static aspects is realized by the devotee, h e becom es part of it and thus becom es aw are of all regions, universes, form s etc. and becom es fully aw are of the fact as to h ow the Lord is running the w orld play and is pleased w ith H is play. But since H e is beyond senses, m ind, intellect Nitnem (100) and m aya, it can not be expressed in a language spok en and understood by h um an faculties. 11) In the region of Truth, the Lord in the unm anifest or static form resides. 12) From h ere, H e tak es care of H is creation w ith H is Benevolent Grace and is always in bliss. 13) In this region are various universes, planets and satellites. 14) If one w ere to describe these, one w ould not find an end to these descriptions. 15) In this region there are w orlds and w orlds w ith their ow n form s and form ations. 16) And 17) In all those w orlds, planets and universe, the w ork goes on according to H is W ill. Th e devotee, after arriving in this region is fully aw are that the Lord is looking after everything w ith H is pleasure as per H is Will. In this region, the devotee fully understand H is W ill. 18) Guru Nanak Dev says that it is very difficult to describe the essence of this region. H e says, it is as h ard as steel. (37) Stanza 38 M ak ing of a Teach er, Blessed w ith Th e "W ord of Th e Lord" Th is is the last stanza and in this, Guru Nanak Dev h as brough t out the subject of m ak ing of a teach er or guru or a proph et, w h o is to com m unicate the Lord's "W ord" to h um an beings for their salvation. To understand true essence of this s tanza, the follow ing parable told by Sri Parm ah ans a Ram ak rish na m ay h elp. O nce, three m en w ere going in a very big field w h ere they cam e across a large w ell. Th e w ell w as surrounded by a very h igh w all and beautiful celestial sounds w ere com ing out of the w ell. Th e three m en stopped and listened to the m usic and w ere ench anted by it. Th ey though t of finding the secret and the source of the m usic. At last, after lot of effort one m an located a ladder, put it up on the w all and w ent up. H e w as intoxicated by the scene inside, jumped in and did not return. Th e other two m en w ere surprised at h is beh aviour, since h e did not com m unicate anything to them before jumping in. Nitnem (101) After som e time, the second m an w ent up the ladder to find the truth for h im self and after seeing w h at w as inside, w as so m uch affected that h e also jumped in w ithout saying a w ord to the third m an. Now it w as the turn of the third m an to go up the ladder and find the secret for h im self. W h at h e saw inside w as sim ply m ystifying. H e saw beautiful fairies and angels singing h eavenly songs on celestial instrum ents and a large num ber of people enjoying the sam e. H e w as very h appy, h e though t that h e m ust sh are this k now ledge of heavenly gift of m usical well w ith the other h um an beings. So h e got dow n from the ladder, w ent back to h is village and told everybody to com e and enjoy this h eavenly m usic in the w ell. Th us h e becam e the guide or teach er or guru for others. It appears that in this parable, the abode of the Lord as described by Guru Nanak Dev in stanza 27 h as been ch anged to a m usical w ell by Parm ah ansa Ram ak rish na to m ak e the story easy to understand. Th e spirit of sh aring bliss exh ibited by the third m an is very m uch a norm al tradition am ong sages of m ost religions. All the great proph ets and exalted sages, w h o spent their lives in the service of h um anity belong to the category of the third m an. W h ere as m ost people of the w orld are of the type of first two m en. Th e laugh ing Buddh a of Ch ina is Very w elknow n exam ple of the third person type. Th e laugh ing Buddh a represents one of the incarnations of Lord Sidh artha, the Buddh a. W h en h e w as offered m uk ti or salvation i.e. absorption in the Lord, h e refused and ch ose to be back in the w orld to h elp needy and distressed h um anity. Even in Upnish das, it is m entioned that it is selfish to asprie for m uk ti. Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Guru in succession to Guru Nanak Dev, h as also expressed the sam e sentim ent. H e said that, h e does not w ant to rule the w orld nor does h e w ant m uk ti, all theat h e w ants is the love of Lord's lotus feet and to be able to serve H is creation. Th is is a state wh en even renunciation is renunciated. As per Vedanta, this is called "Turia Atit" or beyond the fourth state." Nitnem (102) Th e other states being w ak ing state, dream ing state, deep sleep state and the fourth state w h ich is beyond these three states w h en one realizes h is Atma or self. W h en a sage h as no desire even for liberation and h as love for H im and H is creation only, h e is said to be in "Turia Atit" state w h ich is beyond the four stages. A q uestion m ay arise as to w h y all Self-realized persons do not fall in the category of the third person in the parable? Th is h as been answ ered by Mah arish i Ram ana of Tiruvannam alai (Tam il Nadu, India). H e says, the state of a devotee w h o h as realized h is Self (i.e. reach ed "Sach Kh and" of stanza 37) can not be described. Th e state of this Self-realized saints is as per the W ill of the Lord. Som e like to rem ain absorbed in the Lord, som e enter into service of relieving the suffering of h um anity and yet others, in the eyes of com m on m an go m ad. Th ey rem ain in seclusion and throw stones at anybody w h o w ould disturb them . Yet they are very m uch in control of their m ind and are always one w ith the Lord. Th ere are several exam ples of such sages in all parts of the w orld. Th e role and the tem peram ent of the sage is allotted by the Lord as per H is W ill. Th e sam e is expressed in Sri Guru Granth Sah ib "Rang h asah e , rang row e h e , ch up bh i k ar jahe . Parwah nah i k isi k e ri, bajh Sach e nah e ." i.e. such as person w h o is in love w ith the Lord m ay either laugh , w eep or k eep q uiet. H e does not care for any one except the Lord. Th e h igh est am ong the Self realized are the ones w h o are blessed by the Lord w ith H is Word as per stanza 38. Till stanza 37, Guru Nanak Dev h as gradually developed the personality of the devotee till h e is fully absorbed in the unm anifest aspect of the Lord w h ere h e understands everything and H is W ill. Th e devotee m ay rest there perm anently or h e m ay be further blessed by the Lord to go back to the w orld w ith H is W ord and com m unicate the sam e to the h um an beings as done by Guru Nanak Dev and h is successors and m any other proph ets. Th is h as been confirm ed by Guru Nanak Dev in Vaar Raga M ajh, sloak on page 150 of Sri Guru Granth Sah ib "H au dh adi vaikar k are laia…Nanak sach salah poora paia." H ere Guru Nitnem (103) Nanak Dev h as described that h e w as called to H is presence and given a robe of h onour in the form of h is praise and the food in the form of Nectar of Naam . Th e Lord directed h im to distribute this Nectar of Naam in the w orld and m ak e it h appy. In this stanza, Guru Nanak Dev h as explained w ith a parable of preparing a gold vessel out of gold m etal after process of purification, in w h ich the Lord pours Nectar of "H is W ord" m anufactured in H is True m int. O nce this greatest gift is given by the Lord out of H is com passion and Grace, such devotees are always in bliss because of H is m ercy and k indness.

jqu pwhwrw DIrju suinAwru ] Ahrix miq vydu hQIAwru ] Bau Klw Agin qp qwau ] BWfw Bwau AMimRqu iqqu Fwil ] GVIAY sbdu scI tkswl ] ijn kau ndir krmu iqn kwr ] nwnk ndrI ndir inhwl ]38] jq u pwhwrw DIrju s uinAwru ] Ah rix miq v ydu h Q IAwru ] Bau Klw Agin q p q wau ] BWfw Bwau AMimRqu iqq u Fwil ] GV IAY s bdu s cI t kswl ] ijn kau n dir krmu iqn kwr ] n wnk n drI n dir inh wl] 38 ] 1) Jat pah ara dh iraj suniar. 2) Ahran mati Ved h athiar. 3) Bh au k h ala agan tup tau. 4) Bh anda bh aau Amrit tit dh al. 5) Gh arie Sabad Sach i taksal. 6) Jin k au nadar k aram tin k ar. 7) Nanak nadri nadar nih al. (38) 1) And 2) If continence (pow er to restrict senses from w orldly enjoym ents) be the jew eller's sh op; patience, the gold sm ith; intellect be the anvil and Divine k now ledge of H oly Book s like Vedas be the h am m er and other instrum ents of gold sm ith. 3) And 4) Th e fire of the forge is the egoless earnest effort put in w ith disciplined life and this fire is strengthened constantly by the blower of fear of the Lord. 4) And 5) In such a jew eller's forge a receptacle or vessel of Lords Love is m anufactured. In this precious vessel, the Lord pours Nectar of "H oly Word" m inted in the True M int of the Lord. 6) O nly those on w h om the Lord's special com passion and Nitnem (104) Grace as stated above is sh ow ered are given the task of com m unicating the "W ord of the Lord" (Gurbani) to other h um an beings and bestowing k indness on them . (Th is m eans the devotee is turned a teach er to teach the h um anity, H is W ord.) 7) Guru Nanak Dev says that such h igh souls are always in eternal bliss under H is k indness and m ercy. (38) Th e Closing Slok a Th e Jap is closed by a saloka (of Guru Angad Dev, the successor to Guru Nanak Dev). It refers to h um an life in general. It describes that God in h is k indness h as created the w orld, the elem ents and the time (since God is beyond time, space and action) w h ere h um ans are to play their part and try to strive for ach ieving H is Grace as stated in M ool M antra (Gur Prasad and Dh aram Kh and of 34th stanza) W h atever actions are com m itted by h um ans in this life, they are evaluated in the Lord's court. Th en depending upon the k arm a of each , they are destined the places, i.e. som e go closer to the Lord and others go still further aw ay (please see line 3 of stanza 29 ). Th ose w h o dw ell on H is Nam e, h ave com pleted their toil, they not only go from this w orld w ith brigh t faces, but carry m any m ore w ith them to final salvation. Th is sloka is in fact sum m ary of Japji. It im presses on the devotee that if h e carries out h is duties (as explained in Dh aram Kh and, stanza 34) and other instructions, h e w ill find union w ith the Lord and h e not only w ill h im self be liberated, but w ill guide and liberate m any m ore along w ith h im . sloku ] pvxu gurU pwxI ipqw mwqw Driq mhqu ] idvsu rwiq duie dweI dwieAw KylY sgl jgqu ] cMigAweIAw buirAweIAw vwcY Drmu hdUir ] krmI Awpo AwpxI ky nyVY ky dUir ] ijnI nwmu iDAwieAw gey mskiq Gwil ] nwnk qy muK aujly kyqI CutI nwil ]1] s loku ] pv x u gurU pwx I ipq w mwqw Driq mh q u ] idv s u rwiq duie dweI dwieAw Nitnem (105) KylY s gl jgq u ] cMigAweIAw buirAweIAw v wcY Drmu h dUir] krmI Awpo Awpx I ky n yVY ky dUir ] ijn I n wmu iDAwieAw gey ms kiq Gwil] n wnk q y muK aujly kyqI CutI n wil ] 1] Salok. 1) Paw an Guru pani pita m ata dh arat m ah at. 2) Diw as rat dui dai daia k h ele sagal jagat. 3) Ch angiaia buriaia vach e dh aram h adoor. 4) Karm i aapo aapni ke nade ke dur. 5) jini Naam dh iaiya gaye musak at gh al. 6) Nanak te muk h unale keti ch h uti naal. (1) 1) Air is the teach er, w ater the father and the great sacred earth is the m other. (Th e Lord created all elem ents to nurse and nurture life on this earth.) 2) Day and nigh t are fem ale and m ale nurses in w h ose lap, the w h ole w orld is playing (i.e. h um ans are perform ing the good and bad actions depending upon their nature as explained in stanza 34 Dh aram Kh and). 3) Th e good and bad deeds of h um an beings are adjudged by Dh aram raj (god of justice) in the presence of the Lord in H is Court. 4) According to the deeds perform ed by each , they are brough t either nearer to H im or are throw n further aw ay from H im . (stanza 29 line 3) 5) Th ose w h o dw ell on H is Nam e h ave success fully com pleted their task or labours. 6) Guru Nanak Dev (all successors to Guru Nanak Dev h ave used the nam e 'Nanak ' in their com positions in the H oly Guru Granth Sah ib) says that such (as given in line 5) h ave brigh t faces i.e. they are approved and accepted by the Lord in H is court and they carry m any m ore w ith them across the ocean of m aya to salvation i.e. freedom from birth and death. (1)

Nitnem (106)