paüṛī.
satiguru vaḍā kari sālāhīai jisu vici vaḍīā vaḍiāīā.
sahi mele tā nadrī āīā. jā tisu bhāṇā tā mani vasāīā.
kari hukamu mastaki hathu dhari vicahu māri kaḍhīā buriāīā.
sahi tuṭhai naü nidhi pāīā.18.
This pauri (stanza), revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib, is accompanied by three saloks. These saloks use satirical arguments to counter the so-called traditional belief of sutak (a superstitious practice done for a few days after the birth of a child) and redefine the practice itself. The first salok comprises six lines and depicts the pervasiveness of sutak while offering the wisdom of the Guru as its remedy. The second salok contains four lines and describes various immoral human acts as the sutak of the different sensory organs that causes human suffering. The third salok also comprises four lines and openly rejects the idea of sutak while establishing the supremacy and pervasiveness of the Command of IkOankar (the Divine). This pauri praises the greatness of the true Guru and encourages the individual to seek the sanctuary of the Guru to remove one’s shortcomings and faults.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
Guru Nanak ends by saying that we must praise the eternal Wisdom as the greatest of the great — because it is only through filling ourselves with the glory of eternal Wisdom that we are able to way to get rid of the illusion of sutak. The eternal Wisdom is how the grace comes into us, how our minds follow the Command, how the Command touches our foreheads, how we are able to eliminate our shortcomings. The eternal Wisdom is how we beat away our negativities, and get rid of these ideas about purity and impurity, receiving the nine treasures of life (according to Indic thought).
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