bābā rovahi ravahi su jāṇīahi mili rovai guṇ sārevā.
rovai māiā muṭhṛī dhandhaṛā rovaṇhārevā.
dhandhā rovai mailu na dhovai supnantaru sansāro.
jiu bājīgaru bharmai bhūlai jhūṭhi muṭhī ahaṅkāro.
āpe māragi pāvaṇhārā āpe karam kamāe.
nāmi rate guri pūrai rākhe nānak sahaji subhāe.4.4.
-Guru Granth Sahib 581
This composition is based on the Panjabi folk poetic form Alahania related to death. The first stanza guides the being to realize the Creator as pervading everywhere and in everyone. The second stanza conveys that the birth and death of a being and their deeds are under the will of the Creator. The third stanza mentions the obstacles that a being engrossed in vices faces on the path hereafter. The fourth stanza distinguishes between the state of the being connected with Nam and the one devoid of Nam. The one connected receives honor in the Court, whereas those devoid of Nam gain nothing despite toiling away.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the fourth stanza, Guru Nanak again invokes the wisdom within us, as the message is one that might be harder for us to hear. The Guru says O Baba, O respected one! The beings who weep for and remember the Creator are known to be true. Having joined the congregation, the being who weeps and cares for the virtues receives honor. Again, we are asked to reflect on what we are crying about. Most of creation, most beings are deceived by Maya, or the allure of material things and relationships. Most of us weep for Maya and worldly affairs. But this only entangles us more in that trap—it does not wash away our filth. This is how we remain in the dream-like world, caught up in temporariness and illusion. Just as when we see a performer, we forget that they are engaging in a play, all of creation, deceived by the temporariness of creation, lives in great arrogance. We take pride in so much because we forget that all these things are temporary. The Guru reminds us that the Creator IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One) by Own-Self is the Who puts us on the path, and by Own-Self does the deeds. Those immersed in Nam, in Identification with IkOankar, are liberated through the Wisdom (Guru), through deep love. We are liberated through that Wisdom inherently or naturally protecting us.
In this stanza, the Guru again acknowledges our crying, never condemning us for our emotions but instead asking us to understand what we are crying about. The crying that is worth doing is that of remembrance, is that of praise, is that of enshrining the virtues of the One within. This is not easy to do, but it is happening in a congregation or community where we can support one another in this effort. If we can come together and sing of these virtues, we will begin to spend our time here fruitfully instead of crying out of attachment due to deception. We will begin to understand this world as a dream, and we will begin to wash away the filth of our attachment, deception, and ego. Let us not get caught up in the game! It is so momentary; it is only a blip. Instead, we can spend our time in community with other seekers who are struggling through this, who are devoting to the One, who are living in a relationship with the perfect Wisdom-Guru, imbued with Nam, ready to be freed by that Nam.
The ones who are drenched in Nam are liberated and protected because their lifestyles change. Their perspectives change. Their experiences change. Will we begin to walk that path? Will we seek the company of the virtuous ones who sing of the Creator, the Sovereign? Will we cry for the One? Will we seek to be drenched in Nam?
SUMMARY
In this composition, Guru Nanak asks us in stanza one to recognize the Sovereign Creator through the Sabad (hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom), to understand that this One is the One who has cast the ultimate net of Maya. In stanza two, the Guru urges us not to delay in cultivating a relationship with Nam and Sabad, knowing that these are things we tend to put off, convincing ourselves there is always more time. In the third stanza, the Guru describes the path to the hereafter as understood in popular paradigms. The haze and darkness of that path is ailed through the awareness of Nam, through the relationship with the Eternal as the Friend, our only companion, our only help. In the last stanza, the Guru urges us not to cry for material things but to instead cry for union with the Sovereign – to understand our crying for the material as transactional and further entangling. If we can develop love for the Friend instead, we can live fruitfully. The Wisdom-Guru shows us the way and protects us from that dreadfulness and entanglement that we fear.
In this stanza, the Guru again acknowledges our crying, never condemning us for our emotions but instead asking us to understand what we are crying about. The crying that is worth doing is that of remembrance, is that of praise, is that of enshrining the virtues of the One within. This is not easy to do, but it is happening in a congregation or community where we can support one another in this effort. If we can come together and sing of these virtues, we will begin to spend our time here fruitfully instead of crying out of attachment due to deception. We will begin to understand this world as a dream, and we will begin to wash away the filth of our attachment, deception, and ego. Let us not get caught up in the game! It is so momentary; it is only a blip. Instead, we can spend our time in community with other seekers who are struggling through this, who are devoting to the One, who are living in a relationship with the perfect Wisdom-Guru, imbued with Nam, ready to be freed by that Nam.
The ones who are drenched in Nam are liberated and protected because their lifestyles change. Their perspectives change. Their experiences change. Will we begin to walk that path? Will we seek the company of the virtuous ones who sing of the Creator, the Sovereign? Will we cry for the One? Will we seek to be drenched in Nam?
SUMMARY
In this composition, Guru Nanak asks us in stanza one to recognize the Sovereign Creator through the Sabad (hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom), to understand that this One is the One who has cast the ultimate net of Maya. In stanza two, the Guru urges us not to delay in cultivating a relationship with Nam and Sabad, knowing that these are things we tend to put off, convincing ourselves there is always more time. In the third stanza, the Guru describes the path to the hereafter as understood in popular paradigms. The haze and darkness of that path is ailed through the awareness of Nam, through the relationship with the Eternal as the Friend, our only companion, our only help. In the last stanza, the Guru urges us not to cry for material things but to instead cry for union with the Sovereign – to understand our crying for the material as transactional and further entangling. If we can develop love for the Friend instead, we can live fruitfully. The Wisdom-Guru shows us the way and protects us from that dreadfulness and entanglement that we fear.
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