pūrī āsā jī mansā mere rām.
mohi nirguṇ jīu sabhi guṇ tere rām.
sabhi guṇ tere ṭhākur mere kitu mukhi tudhu sālāhī.
guṇu avguṇu merā kichu na bīcāriā bakhasi līā khin māhī.
naünidhi pāī vajī vādhāī vāje anhad tūre.
kahu nānak mai varu ghari pāiā mere lāthe jī sagal visūre.4.1.
-Guru Granth Sahib 577
Guru Arjan Sahib expresses the joy and bliss experienced through the union with IkOankar (the Divine). This Sabad (composition) describes how the union with IkOankar happened through the Wisdom (Guru), bringing the mind into bliss, the following pauris (stanzas) describe the glory and blessings of IkOankar’s Nam received through the Wisdom.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the fourth stanza, Guru Arjan says, O Beautiful One! The hope and desire of my mind have been fulfilled. I was virtue-less. All virtues are Yours, dearest! The Guru directly addresses IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One) in celebration of this feeling of fulfillment. All expectations and desires have been met, and it is not because of anything the human-bride has done — it is all due to the grace of the one with all virtues, the dearest Spouse, IkOankar.
Again, the Guru repeats, all virtues are Yours, O my Owner! With which mouth can I praise You? The Guru speaks from the register of the human-bride, of the seeker who is intimately in relationship with the One. The word for Master or Owner is invoked in reference to the Beloved, but the use of “my” is important. This is a relationship the seeker has chosen. The Beloved is of the seeker just as much as the seeker is of the Beloved. This ownership displayed by even the Owner is a deeply intimate thing. It is a kind of address that only one in deep love can give beyond the formalities of the initial stages of love. And still, there is great humility. How can the virtueless one, the seeker, praise the One who has all the virtues? The Guru presents a way to understand our own to describe the One we love. We are trying, we are seeking, and we are virtueless. All we can do is be grateful for the Grace of the One. This is a celebration of that Grace in that we no longer ask for anything. We simply state that the Beloved did not even consider our virtues or non-virtues. The Beloved was graceful and forgiving in a split second. This is true and unconditional Love.
Through this grace and Love of the One, the seeker has been able to find the Nine Treasures. The Nine Treasures in Hindu mythology refer to the treasure of Kuber, the deity of wealth, which is said to have nine jewels within it, encompassing all that the heart could desire. The Nine Treasures represent an idea invoked in all kinds of Indic spiritual, philosophical, and religious contexts associated with “gods” of wealth. However, here, we can understand this as a metaphor for what would fulfill us. In this context, the Nine Treasures are invoked to refer to Nam of IkOankar, or Identification with IkOankar, which fulfills all desires of the mind. Due to experiencing this great treasure of Nam, congratulations are resounding everywhere, and the unstruck sound is resounding within and without. The Guru, in the voice of the human-bride continues, I have found You, the Divine-Husband, in my heart-home. All my worries have been shed. The Divine is present in the mind, in the body, in the heart. When the seeker feels that presence, they also experience the dissipation of all anxieties, pangs of separation, fears, and anything else that causes a sense of instability, fixation, or unease. In this state, where presence is felt within, bliss resounds within, and we enter into a state of humility. This is where the celebration of that experience is colored in gratitude because the seeker understands that they do not have this ability on their own. This experience is entirely due to the greatness and grace of the Beloved. It is in this understanding, in this gratitude, that the seeker celebrates. Will we feel the grace of the Beautiful One? Will we experience the presence within? Will we feel deep humility at the greatness of the Grace? Will we shed our worries?
In this composition, Guru Arjan takes us through experiences that we seek to have as human-brides. The seeker speaks in the first stanza of the greatness of the Wisdom, of the incredible happiness they feel at their own development, which takes place through Identification with the One and the Grace of the One. In the second stanza, the Guru shows us that anyone can receive this teaching of the Wisdom. Anyone can practice devotion. Those who have experienced this bring other seekers into this experience. The individual has gotten to that experience not on their own but through the grace of the One, through the guidance of the eternal Wisdom, and through the support of other devotees who have experienced this. In the third stanza, the experience is described as taking place when IkOankar bestows grace. This state of connection satiates us, quenches all our thirsts, and causes us to seek only union with the beloved. We ask to become devotees. Our only supplication is: may we practice devotion. We ask for nothing else. In the fourth stanza, the one who receives the treasure of Identification and the experience of steadiness and joy resounding within describes this state in celebration and gratitude. There is no ask here, only gratitude that what has been received has been received. There is humility in our virtue-lessness and enjoyment in the grace of the One with all virtues. The joy of this experience is cherished and reveled in. Will we seek these experiences? Will we make an effort to develop through Praise and Identification with the One? Will we form communities around this experience, around this relationship? Will we become devotees? Will we feel the presence and the grace? Will we remain bowled over in humility, in awe of that grace?
Again, the Guru repeats, all virtues are Yours, O my Owner! With which mouth can I praise You? The Guru speaks from the register of the human-bride, of the seeker who is intimately in relationship with the One. The word for Master or Owner is invoked in reference to the Beloved, but the use of “my” is important. This is a relationship the seeker has chosen. The Beloved is of the seeker just as much as the seeker is of the Beloved. This ownership displayed by even the Owner is a deeply intimate thing. It is a kind of address that only one in deep love can give beyond the formalities of the initial stages of love. And still, there is great humility. How can the virtueless one, the seeker, praise the One who has all the virtues? The Guru presents a way to understand our own to describe the One we love. We are trying, we are seeking, and we are virtueless. All we can do is be grateful for the Grace of the One. This is a celebration of that Grace in that we no longer ask for anything. We simply state that the Beloved did not even consider our virtues or non-virtues. The Beloved was graceful and forgiving in a split second. This is true and unconditional Love.
Through this grace and Love of the One, the seeker has been able to find the Nine Treasures. The Nine Treasures in Hindu mythology refer to the treasure of Kuber, the deity of wealth, which is said to have nine jewels within it, encompassing all that the heart could desire. The Nine Treasures represent an idea invoked in all kinds of Indic spiritual, philosophical, and religious contexts associated with “gods” of wealth. However, here, we can understand this as a metaphor for what would fulfill us. In this context, the Nine Treasures are invoked to refer to Nam of IkOankar, or Identification with IkOankar, which fulfills all desires of the mind. Due to experiencing this great treasure of Nam, congratulations are resounding everywhere, and the unstruck sound is resounding within and without. The Guru, in the voice of the human-bride continues, I have found You, the Divine-Husband, in my heart-home. All my worries have been shed. The Divine is present in the mind, in the body, in the heart. When the seeker feels that presence, they also experience the dissipation of all anxieties, pangs of separation, fears, and anything else that causes a sense of instability, fixation, or unease. In this state, where presence is felt within, bliss resounds within, and we enter into a state of humility. This is where the celebration of that experience is colored in gratitude because the seeker understands that they do not have this ability on their own. This experience is entirely due to the greatness and grace of the Beloved. It is in this understanding, in this gratitude, that the seeker celebrates. Will we feel the grace of the Beautiful One? Will we experience the presence within? Will we feel deep humility at the greatness of the Grace? Will we shed our worries?
In this composition, Guru Arjan takes us through experiences that we seek to have as human-brides. The seeker speaks in the first stanza of the greatness of the Wisdom, of the incredible happiness they feel at their own development, which takes place through Identification with the One and the Grace of the One. In the second stanza, the Guru shows us that anyone can receive this teaching of the Wisdom. Anyone can practice devotion. Those who have experienced this bring other seekers into this experience. The individual has gotten to that experience not on their own but through the grace of the One, through the guidance of the eternal Wisdom, and through the support of other devotees who have experienced this. In the third stanza, the experience is described as taking place when IkOankar bestows grace. This state of connection satiates us, quenches all our thirsts, and causes us to seek only union with the beloved. We ask to become devotees. Our only supplication is: may we practice devotion. We ask for nothing else. In the fourth stanza, the one who receives the treasure of Identification and the experience of steadiness and joy resounding within describes this state in celebration and gratitude. There is no ask here, only gratitude that what has been received has been received. There is humility in our virtue-lessness and enjoyment in the grace of the One with all virtues. The joy of this experience is cherished and reveled in. Will we seek these experiences? Will we make an effort to develop through Praise and Identification with the One? Will we form communities around this experience, around this relationship? Will we become devotees? Will we feel the presence and the grace? Will we remain bowled over in humility, in awe of that grace?
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