This
pauri (stanza), revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib, is accompanied by two
saloks. The first salok, which comprises four lines, describes how inconsiderate behavior impacts all aspects of life by centering on the attribute of indifference in human behavior. The second salok, which contains nine lines, highlights truthful and deceitful characteristics by referring to a person’s inner and outer aspects. This pauri highlights the supreme status and all-pervasiveness of IkOankar (the Divine) while encouraging seekers to fulfill their life purpose by self-endeavor while keeping IkOankar in their hearts.
m: 1.
andarahu jhūṭhe paij bāhari dunīā andari phailu.
aṭhasaṭhi tīrath je nāvahi utrai nāhī mailu.
jin̖ paṭu andari bāhari gudaṛu te bhale sansāri.
tin̖ nehu lagā rab setī dekhan̖e vīcāri.
raṅgi hasahi raṅgi rovahi cup bhī kari jāhi.
parvāh nāhī kisai kerī bājhu sace nāh.
dari vāṭ upari kharacu maṅgā jabai dei ta khāhi.
dībānu eko kalam ekā hamā tum̖ā melu.
dari lae lekhā pīṛi chuṭai nānakā jiu telu.2.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
Guru Nanak then explores what these kinds of empty or tasteless and uninspired people are doing in the world. Those who remain engrossed in falsehood mentally, but put on a false show of honor and respect in the world through pretense or influence, can never be cleansed of their internal filth of vices, even if they go about bathing at sixty-eight pilgrimage sites (as prescribed in Hindu thought and practiced globally by many ideologies). These people are liars internally, but they are running around in the world with power and influence due to the performance of inspiration or purity. Despite their best efforts to cleanse themselves, their impurity stays with them, unable to be cleansed by rites or rituals. We see this with holy men and women, wellness gurus and social media influencers, people who tell us they can help us, that they know the secrets to feeling inspired and cleansing oneself, who perform and say all the right words but who do not mean what they say.
Those people who might look unclean from the outside, wear tattered clothes, inside they are like silk, and they are the good ones in this world. These are the people who have Nam in their hearts, who Identify with IkOankar — these are the people who are in love with IkOankar, who long for a vision of the One. These are the people who are joyous only in love of IkOankar, they yearn only in love of IkOankar, and in the love of IkOankar alone, they look inwards and become silent. Everything they do is in a state of being in love, and so they do not worry about what anyone else is thinking, they do not depend on anyone other than the Eternal, they seek sustenance only at the door of the Eternal, and beg for the provisions for love. There is only one Sovereign and only one Court for these people, only one Command.
Guru Nanak addresses the liars among us: look, all you saintly religious people, everyone will have their own unions in that Court where there is only one Command. The same pen writes the overarching Command, the same Court writes all of those accounts. If you want to go to that Court and cry, “this is mine” and “this is yours” there, if you want to hold fast to your belief in your religiosities and dualities and categories and hierarchies, then your pain will crush you.
