The Japji Sahib Guru Nanak's 15th Century Poem Transcript of A Bilingual Reading Translation by: Sant Kirpal Singh Reading by: Shauna Singh Baldwin © Shauna Singh Baldwin, 1991 Guru Nanak Guru Nanak, known today as the founder of the Sikh religion, was born to a Hindu family in the village of Talwandi on the Indian subcontinent in 1469. One of the most famous stories about his childhood recounts his rejection of Hindu thread ceremony at the age of ten. Dissatisfied with the formal Hinduism that was his heritage, he seems to have undertaken a very serious religious quest, critically examining both Hinduism and Islam. Ancient stories tell of his enlightenment (or at least a deeply transforming experience) at the age of thirty, at which time he pronounced, "There is neither Hindu nor Mussulman so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God's path. God is neither Hindu nor Mussulman and the path I follow is God's." From this point onwards, the stories describe him as a Guru (one who dispels ignorance or darkness gu, and brings enlightenment or light, ru) and recount stories of his pilgrimages to Mecca, Sri Lanka and Tibet and to the main centers of Hinduism. In most stories, Guru Nanak is seen as restoring both Hinduism and Islam from the formalism and ritual which had become ends in themselves, to the truths that lay within them. He can be seen as encouraging both Hindus and Muslims to perceive the truth which existed within themselves, to reach God without the aid of intermediaries such as the Brahmins and the Qazis, deploring and condemning the obscuring emphasis on ritual and superstition. Equally, it can be asserted that he was a defender of pure religion against superstition, or that in saying, "there is no Hindu and no Mussulman" he was condemning these faiths as ultimately futile. By most accounts, he was a reformer, speaking and acting against the caste system and for the uplift of women. Around 1521, Guru Nanak settled at Kartarpur, making a transition from a wandering teacher to the founder of a new faith. It was at this time that he, born a Kshatriya, expressly rejected the authority of the Brahmins and the Atharva Veda encourging the use of his own compositions, The Japji, the Sodar and the Arati and meditation in their place. He said he was not a God, but a simple human being but by then the community had become a permanent body of believers. Twenty days before his death on September 22, 1539 he appointed a successor, Guru Angad, who was to consolidate the beginnings of the Sikh religion by collecting Guru Nanak's poems and hymns into what is now the holy book of the Sikhs, the Adi Granth. [Adapted from The Sikhs - Their Religious Beliefs and Practices Cole and Sambhi, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979] i The Japji Sahib The Japji Sahib is the first hymn in the Adi-Granth, the 1430-page book whose teachings are followed by 17 million Sikhs the world over. The word "Jap" (pronounced 'Jup') means 'meditation'. 'Japji Sahib' is a term of respect. The poem, written in old Punjabi and recorded in Gurmukhi script reads as if Guru Nanak were being spoken to by a source of enlightenment and recording his own reactions and responses to the received ideas. It is truly Guru Nanak's manifesto, for in it he avows his strong monotheism, depicting the Hindu trinity of gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) as minor deities by contrast with the life force he is called to worship. He describes all ritual, renunciation, pilgrimage and reliance on intermediaries as fruitless for one desiring the grace of this formless Creator and says that a public mantra is available to all -- the Word being simply the name of God (Naam). Right conduct and sincere repetition and meditation are all that are required to progress through a series of spiritual planes, to the grace of the Almighty - an Almighty who has no attributes and is thus neither good nor bad, but simply Truth (Sat), before whom one should have no fear -- only awe. This translation of the Japji Sahib is by Sant Kirpal Singh. It is hoped that a bilingual reading will retain the beauty of the original Punjabi while introducing the listener to the meaning of Guru Nanak's teachings. About the Reader: Shauna Singh Baldwin was awarded India's International Nehru Award (Gold Medal) for Public Speaking (1973) and the Shastri Award (Silver Medal) for Journalism (1974). She is the producer of the East-Indian American radio show, Sunno!. She lives in Milwaukee, WI where she is working on her second book. iii The Japji Sahib Prologue Ek Onkar Sat Naam Karta Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal Moorat Ajooni Saebhang Gur Parsad Jap Aad Sach jugad sach Hai bhi sach Nanak hosi bhi sach There is One Reality, the Unmanifest-Manifested; Ever-Existent, He is Naam (Conscious Spirit), The Creator, pervading all; Without fear; without enmity The Timeless; the Unborn and the Self Existent Complete within Itself. Through the favor of His true Servant, the Guru,1 He may be realized. He was when there was nothing He was before all ages began; He existeth now, O Nanak, And shall exist forevermore. 1 Stanza III Stanza I Gavay ko taan hovay kise taan Sochay soch na hovaiyi Gavay ko daat janay nesan jai sochey lakh vaar Gavay ko gun vadiyaia chaar Chuppae chup na hovaiyi Gavay ko vidya vikham vechaar Jay laye raha liv taar Gavay ko saaj kare tan kheh Bhukhiya bhukh na utri Gavay ko jea lai phir deh Jai banna puriya bhaar Gavey ko jaapae disay door Sahas sianpa lakh hoiye Gavey ko vekhae haadra hadoor Kiv Koorae tutae paal Kathna Kathi na avae toat Hukam razai chalna Kath Kath Kathi koti kot kot Nanak likhiya naal. Denda De lainde thak pah Juga jugantar khahi khah One cannot comprehend Him through reason, even if one reasoned for Hukmi Hukam chalae raho ages; Nanak vigsae veparwaho. One cannot achieve inner peace by outward silence though one sat dumb for Some sing of His greatness, but only according to the power bestowed ages upon them; One cannot buy contentment with all the riches of the world, Some sing of His bounties, taking them as His signs; nor reach Him with all mental ingenuity. Some sing of Him as incomprehensible; How may one know the Truth and break through the cloud of falsehood? Some sing of Him, as transmitting dust into life and life into dust again: There is a Way, O Nanak, to make His Will our own, Creator and Destroyer, the Giver of life and His Will, which is already wrought in our existence. its Withdrawer, Some sing of Him as at once the nearest, and the most remote. Stanza II There is no end to His description. Countless have tried to describe him, but He still stands beyond all Hukmi hovan aakaar description. Hukam na kahiya jayee Ages upon ages, Man has fed upon it. Hukmi hovan jee His Will directs the world; Hukam milae vadiyaee And yet, O Nanak, He dwells beyond concern or care. Hukmi uttam neech Hukam likh dukh sukh paieh Stanza IV Ik-na hukmi bakhsis Ik hukme sada bhavae-eh Saacha Sahib saach nae Hukme ander sabh ko Bhakhiya bhao apar Bahir hukam na koye Aakheh mangeh deh deh Nanak hukme je bujhe Dat karey dataar Ta homaen kahay na koye. Pher Ke agae rakhiae Jit disae darbar All things are manifestations of his Will;2 Muhou ke bolan boliye But His Will is beyond description. Jit sun dhare piyar By His Will is matter quickened into life Amrit vela sach nao By His Will is greatness obtained; Vadiyae vechar By His Will some are born high and others low. Karmi aavay kapra By His Will are men's joys and sorrows ordained. Nadri Mokh duwar By His Will (the pious) obtain salvation. Nanak aiveh janiye By His Wlll (the impious) wander in endless transmigration. Sabh aapey sachiar. All exist under His Will, And nothing stands outside. True is the Lord, True His Holy Word; One attuned with His Will, O Nanak, is wholly freed from Ego. His love has been described as infinite 3 Men pray to Him for gifts, Stanza VI which he grants untiringly. When all is His: What can we offer at His feet? Teerath naava je tis bhaava What can we say to win His love? Vin Bhaaney ke nae karee At the ambrosial hour, of the early dawn, Jeti sirth upayee vekha Be you in communion with the Divine Word Vin karma ke milae layee And meditate on His Glory. Mat vich ratan jawahar manik Our birth is the fruit of our actions Je ik Gur ki sikh suni But salvation comes only from His Grace. Gura ik deh bujhayee O Nanak, know the True One as immanent in all. Sabhna jee-a ka ik datha So maen visser na jayee. Stanza V If I may only please Him, 'tis pilgrimage enough; If not, nothing -- no rites or toils -- avails; Thapia na jae keeta na hoeh Whichever way I look, I find that in His creation, Aape aap Niranjan soeh None has won salvation without his grace, regardless of Karmas. Jin sevia tin paya maan You can discover untold spiritual riches within yourself; Nanak gaviye guni nidhan If you but abide by the teachings of your Master. Gaviye Suniyeh mann rakhiye bhao My Master has taught me one lesson: Dukh par har sukh ghar lae jaye All living beings have one father, Him I may never forget.