Anand Sahib

Guru Amardas Sahib

In the thirty-eighth pauri, the thirty-eighth step on the ladder, Guru Amardas revealed a profound truth: Hari, the All-Pervasive, the 1-Light, lovingly infuses the body with the life-force. The mysterious tenth door opened through loving devotion and the grace of the Wisdom-Guru. Moving to the thirty-ninth pauri, Guru Amardas invites us to sing this true, joyful song of praise in the true house. The body where the tenth door has opened has become the sacred vessel for singing this eternal and delightful song. So, what is this true joyful song, known as “sohila?” It’s this entire composition—the Anand Sahib. Traditionally, "sohila" is a celebratory song conveying messages of happiness, joy, and bliss. In essence, this entire composition transforms into a sohila. The following line reiterates the importance of singing this joyful song of praise within a body immersed in continuous remembrance, contemplating the Eternal. This body becomes the true house, the inspired body where the internal singing is happening and the body is stepped in anand, in bliss. Those who constantly remember the Eternal One and are guided by the Wisdom-Guru become wisdom-oriented. They recognize that the Eternal One is the “Spouse” of every human-bride. However, not everyone can comprehend this. Only those who feel the grace receive the recognition of the “Spouse” even though the “Spouse” belongs to everyone. We pause to absorb this. The wisdom-oriented being realizes that the Eternal One is the “Spouse” of all. This realization surpasses being limited to only a particular person or group, affirming that the Eternal One is everyone’s “Spouse.” However, it’s crucial to understand that not everyone knows how to receive this precious gift. Those seekers who embrace the Eternal One as their spouse and owner are the ones who truly understand its significance. That seeker, that votary who has received the Eternal One as their “Spouse,” always sings this joyful song in their now truly awakened body. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step, emphasizing that the being sings the true joyful song of praise in the true house.

We reflect on whether our bodies are awakened to sing this joyful song in a true, eternal home. We sing this composition after various ceremonies—birth, initiation, weddings, funerals, and congregational gatherings. The question arises: Are we singing it ritualistically, or does it emanate from our core, from a place of bliss? Let’s delve into the emphasis on the word "sing” in this stanza. The seeker who sings, who contemplates, receives the "gift," and then, from the true body, genuinely sings this joyful song. Reflecting on this, many sing this composition, but who among us does so in a truly celebratory manner? Where does the actual celebration of the anand originate? The answer unfolds: When the seeker in this cave-body contemplates the Eternal One, is in constant remembrance, connected with the Eternal One, they sing this true joyful song. The seeker’s consciousness dives within the cave-body, where this song is sung, forever immersed in the Eternal One, with only the Eternal One operating within. The seeker comprehends that there is only the Eternal One and nothing else. This realization is a gift from the Eternal One—the thought, reflection, and remembrance of the Eternal One. The seeker becomes Eternal-like, an expansive experience within the body. Every part of the seeker’s body revels in bliss as the house-cave-body resonates with the song. This house-cave-body transforms into a "house-temple," the seeker within this sacred abode sings the joyful song. It emanates from within, not as a ritual. The seeker acknowledges that this singing happens with the grace of the Eternal One. Moreover, the seeker realizes that the Eternal One is not just their Spouse; the Eternal One is everyone’s Spouse. The seeker receives this insight from the eternal Wisdom and is perpetually in anand, in bliss. 

We ask ourselves: Who is the singer of this joyful song? Are we truly singing with that spirit resonating from our core? How does our understanding of the Eternal One as the spouse of all influence our connections with others and the world? From the depths of our being, which joyful song are we expressing? Is it the melody capable of unlocking the gates to eternal bliss?