Anand Sahib

Guru Amardas Sahib

In the second pauri, the second step on this ladder, Guru Amardas turned his attention to his own mind and imparted the instruction to always remain in the company of Hari, the All-Pervasive, the 1-Light, the dispeller of sorrow. Moving on to the third pauri,  the third step on this ladder, Guru Amardas directed his words towards the eternal Sovereign with a rhetorical question: O eternal Sovereign! What is not present within Your house? What is not under Your command? What lies outside Your domain? The individuals to whom the Sovereign extends praise and glory witness the presence of Nam or Identification with the One. In those minds, the intricate, nuanced, complex Sabad (the hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom) resonates—Sabad is meant to be sung, recited, shared, and conveyed. Who possesses the capability to undertake this task? The answer lies in those whose minds reside in Nam when the intuitive wisdom of the 1Force is felt towards the 1Ness. We pause to absorb this profound notion. The gift of Nam, this Identification, this intuitive wisdom graces these minds through the praise and glory bestowed by the eternal Sovereign. In turn, these minds experience the resounding joyous chorus of the Sabad. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step, reiterating the rhetorical question, O eternal Sovereign! What is not within Your abode?

We reflect on the term "Sahib," which translates to Sovereign. We find ourselves privy to Guru Amardas’s conversation with his Sahib—the eternal One, the Sovereign extending beyond the confines of the universe. This realization invokes awe. Imagine engaging in a dialogue with Guru Amardas, who, in turn, converses with not just an embodiment of Sovereignty but with Sovereignty itself. What if we possessed the ability to converse with the eternal Sovereign? What would we seek from the abundant House of the Sovereign? This House encompasses everything, emanating ceaseless benevolence. Would our request be for Nam, the greatest treasure, to experience the Sabad’s musical nuances? Or would it gravitate towards material wealth, success, or acclaim? Are we prepared to delve into ourselves and respond candidly? What would it feel like to resonate with the melody of profound, boundless, ever-illuminating knowledge, with the Sabad echoing within us? What steps do we need to take to undergo this experience? We are being informed that those who share a relationship with the eternal Sovereign maintain a continuous remembrance, adoration, and glorification of the One. The eternal Sovereign bestows the gift of Nam to feel the 1Ness of the 1Force, and those who embrace this gift find their minds adorned with felicitations. They encounter joy; they encounter bliss. The clarity we gain from this reveals: in whose abode does Nam reside? Who confers the gift of Nam? And how does this process unfold?

We may ask ourselves: Do we harbor a desire for the gift of Nam? The Nam that emanates from the House of the eternal Sovereign. Who are we addressing as “Sahib”? Are these sahibs truly benefactors engaged in an unending distribution? Does the abode of these sahibs house Nam?