<siqnwmukrqwpurKuinrBauinrvYruAkwlmUriqAjUnIsYBMgurpRswid]jpu]Awidscujugwidscu]hYBIscunwnkhosIBIscu]1] jpujI swihb Japji Sahib Part 1: Gurmukhi with Transliteration and Synopsis of eight different English Translations Introduction Translations Literature Introduction Motivation This collection of hymns uttered and preserved by Indian gurus, Simran: Model for the process of understanding by remembrance: Complication and confusion are signs of our infamous iron age of mystics, devotees and sufis has a special distinction among the darkness, the Kalijug. We have adorned and worshiped maya (the 1 question (con) tama negative mind literally (intellectual) A jewel of supreme quality demands to be looked at from all sacred scriptures of the world: It has been given eternal spiritual tempting illusion of the outside world to which our five senses relate directions to have its beauty and radiance fully enjoyed and leadership and is therefore referred to as "Gurbani" or "Shabad 2 position (pro) raja positive mind inner (disciple, student) eagerly) to such an extent that the fog of artificiality and the arousal appreciated. If a layman wants to acquire profound expertise about a Guru". This signifies guidance for the human being to realise the true of needs and desires have won the better part of our mental, sophisticated subject, he will ask for the advice of more than just one identity and origin of the Self while still physically alive. This process 3 synthesis satva neutral mind inner of the inner emotional and physical bodies. Today, simplicity is often understood expert. A blind man who desires to know how a certain famous and state seem to be hard to describe to someone who has not (saint, master) as fast-food instead of home-grown vegetables, social media apps painting looks like will enjoy listening to the descriptions of a variety actually experienced them, like "the subtle fragrance of a spiritual 4 transcendent turīa no mind beyond, indescribable and gadgets instead of meeting people ("Sat Sangat"), pills instead of of people with various tastes, references and backgrounds. This will flower." Hence the use of enchanting poetry instead of intellectual (Guru, Divinity, Soul) healing. enable him to "see" more clearly with his inner eye, gives him a more philosophy to convey message and effect: complete idea and allows greater intimacy. Simplicity does not mean that meditating on the Divine essence kkw ikrix kml mih pwvw ] sis ibgws sMpt nhI Awvw ] Aru jy qhw kusm rsu within and living in Divine Will is easy, but it makes a statement about Poetry as such, but especially poetry about the most Jap: Model for the process of recitation to achieve remembrance: pwvw ] Akh khw kih kw smJwvw ] priorities: Make meditation (the continuous attempt to master activity incomprehensible and limitless subject of the nature of existence and 1 loud physical body audible speech bhekhri, khant and direction of the mind and to purify and raise consciousness) the the purpose of life, uses inner language and metaphors and stays "When the rays of Divine Light come into the heart-lotus, the moon- essence of your life. This may be difficult enough to achieve, but it is mostly ambiguous for the logical mind. It might be a valid question to light of Maya [illusion] cannot enter the basket of the mind. And if one 2 silent mental body thoughts, emotions hirdai a simple point of reference to keep in mind and live by. ask what it actually means to "understand" a composition like Japji obtains the subtle fragrance of that spiritual flower, he cannot 3 ajapa causal body resonance, simran anahat Sahib or similar writings. It seems clear that "understanding" Japji describe the indescribable. He could speak, but who would Sahib is very different from understanding a mathematical proof or understand?" - Kabeer, ang 340 even a human emotion. Translations - Limitation and Bias It is said that the One Source of everything is permeating the entire This process could be compared to swimming and diving: Thinking, The aim of this document is to enable the reader to see how creation, and that the nature of this "Divine Essence" has been as we know it, is like swimming on the surface of a lake, but In the valid and necessary attempt to "understand" Japji Sahib knowledgeable people of different backgrounds have used different identified by both mystics and modern science as some form of meditating with the aim of connecting to deeper levels of the being through translation, we need to consider some important aspects like words and sentence structures to translate or interpret one and the vibration or sound ("naada brahma," "big bang," "string-theory"). This through repeated and continuous focus on a sacred sound, our cultural-historical background, the scope and nature of different same line of Japji Sahib from Gurmukhi to English language. One unstruck, unbroken and endless sound-current of rejoicing about the breath, a deity or other suitable object, is like diving down into the languages and the purpose of the scripture and its translation. example of a line with its various translations: unspeakable origin and essence of everything which carries the only cool and dark depth and requires ideally suspension or complete dis- Above all, we need to keep in mind that the Guru often says that He power of creation and destruction is called "Naad." identification from usual mental activity. srm KMf kI bwxI rUpu ] is singing about the inexpressible, uttering the unutterable: Saram khand kī bānī rūp. Git Git vwjih nwd ] "The word reaches as far as where is comes from." - Hazrat Inayat jy hau jwxw AwKw nwhI khxw kQnu n jweI ] Khan, The Mysticism of Sound and Music ● Next comes spiritual achievement, where beauty guides and directs all speech, "In every heart and vessel plays the Divine sound-current of Naad." "Even if I knew, I cannot speak, it cannot be said in words." ecstatic and glorious beyond words to express. - Japji, Pauri 29 "What is received through the ears goes deeper into the soul than - Japji, Pauri 5 ● The language of those reaching the realm of spiritual happiness is beautiful. what is received through any other way." - Hazrat Inayat Khan, The It is both cause and effect of every phenomenon we experience, Mysticism of Sound and Music Awvhu sMq ipAwirho AkQ kI krh khwxI ] ● Modesty is the expression of the realm of humility. physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. In other words, everything ● Next, the realm of ecstasy, where the word is enrapturing. sings, everything communicates eternally. "Come, beloved Saints, let us tell the unspeakable story." - Guru Amardas, Anand, Pauri 9 ● In the realm of humility, the word is beauty. gwvih quhno pauxu pwxI bYsMqru gwvY rwjw Drmu duAwry ] Baba Nanak Shah Fakeer, ● In the realm of spiritual achievement, the word is beauty. Hindu Ka Guru, Musalman Ka Pir However, until we can redeem and dissolve our duality within this "The elements of water, wind and fire sing of You; the king of paradox and stand as one Name, we cannot but approach it also ● In the Realm of Realization the word is Beauty! Dharma, god of death, sings at Your door." To celebrate holidays as given by the rhythms of nature rather than intellectually and emotionally: ● In the realm of effort, the Divine word becomes form. - Japji, Pauri 27 (read also the entire Pauris 26 and 27) man-made calendars is out of fashion. Since it is inconvenient if the day of the week and the number of the date of a holiday change 1. For better understanding, it is helpful to get familiar with the Therefore, the human being can connect, experience, realign and This document wants to serve the context and process of every year, most holy days have been fixed according to our cultural-historical background of the used metaphors. Obviously, the merge back with his or her true identity of Divine origin - a process understanding and, in turn, raise the desire to learn the original calendar - with few exceptions. writer would choose metaphors which are most familiar to the Gurmukhi language and work on one's own "impersonally personal" from which the word "religion" derives its meaning - through the majority of his listeners. Since this changes with time, culture and translation, which should be seen as an eternal work in progress with application of a sound ("Naad") that originates from the Divine It seems more than appropriate that Guru Nanak's birthday did not region, we need to understand the metaphors of the time and region allowance for dynamic and patience as our experience and intimacy essence and identity ("Naam"). It is said that therein lies the only key get fixed in this way, but is still celebrated on the full moon in of Guru Nanak. with all aspects of Japji Sahib grow and mature. to cross the (terrible) world ocean and find liberation and fulfilment in November. This should be very pleasing to Guru Nanak, who was a the dark and confused time of Kaliyug. This is the reason for the Divine rebel against the smallness and arrogance of the human mind 2. When mapping words from Gurbani to English, we need to This process also demands the abandoning of expectations, extensive use of sacred hymns, sutras and mantras constructed from when in service of worldly fear, hate or selfishness. consider that the Indian languages which contribute to Gurbani have concepts, preconceptions and believes, and the opening up to a primordial sounds which contain, express and manifest the "Naad of a greater sophistication in describing spiritual subjects like the Surrender to Divine Will is what he embodied and shared. The Divine continuously fresh and innocent perspective, full of wonder, humility, the Naam," the sound of Divine identity.