Barah Maha (Mahala 5)

Guru Arjan Sahib

Delivering the message through the month of Poh (mid-December to mid-January), Guru Arjan encourages us to reflect as winter reaches its peak—the harshness of the season affects everything in nature. Message through the month of Poh: The frost does not affect the seeker-bride who Hari, the Groom, has embraced to the bosom. The cold becomes so intense that even the tree sap freezes, and the once-vibrant plants begin to wither. Humans, birds, and all living beings feel the sting of this extreme weather. But despite the severity of the cold and how it influences the body and mind, some are untouched. Those who are united with Hari, the beloved Divine-Groom, IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One), despite facing the same physical challenges, remain unperturbed. Their minds are not burdened by the stress of the weather, for they draw their strength from the love and connection with their beloved One. The question arises: In such harsh freezing conditions, what shelters the bride? The answer is the ever-stable, ever-sovereign shelter of #Gobind of Gopal, the only Sovereign, who we can understand as the sovereign IkOankar, the Knower, Nurturer, and Owner of the universe. Even when the body experiences discomfort, the pain does not reach the heart, for the hearts are embraced wholly by the bliss of divine love. In such times, when the world feels harsh and unyielding, the sovereign One stands as the ultimate protective One. Whether in union or separation, the One’s protection is always there. When the mind is no longer in separation and united with the One, nothing external can disturb within. Even the most extreme physical and mental conditions cease to matter, for the mind rests in the warmth of the beloved One. The month of Poh, as described by Guru Arjan, focuses on mental fortification. The external world may be harsh, but the key to navigating it without being lost is to remain with the One through the company of virtuous beings. We listen closely to the voice of the seeker-bride in chorus with the virtuous beings singing the virtues of the beloved One. When we sing the praises of the Divine-Groom together with the virtuous beings, through the Wisdom (Guru), the beloved One cradles us tenderly. In this state, we begin to break from the mental shackles and physical discomforts with ease. The presence of the Transcendent Being, the One, becomes the seeker-bride’s refuge—it becomes our refuge. In this state, no external forces—no poisons of the world—can harm us. When one longs for the One and turns the heart toward the One who loves unconditionally, our honor is safeguarded by the Narayan, the primal and all-pervasive One. The more we sing the virtues of the One, the more we embody the divine virtues within. This elevated singing of praise in love reduces the distance between the seeker-bride and the beloved One, ultimately ending separation and exalting her into an eternal and unbreakable union. When the One, the infinite One who exists beyond the limits of time and space, catches our hand and reassures us that we will never be lost again, the weather of life, no matter how cold or harsh, becomes warm and filled with joy. The focus shifts from external conditions to the internal connection with the One who sustains all. Guru Arjan uses deeply personal and positional language to emphasize the importance of this union with the Sovereign of all, the One. Through the voice of the seeker-bride, we reflect on this eternal union, where the protection of the eternal One becomes an impenetrable shield. It is through this connection, this surrender to the One, that we are fulfilled. 

The connection to the One transforms everything. The once-harsh winter becomes a season of warmth, contentment, and freedom. In a world where each being is already struggling with their mental shackles, can we truly rely on them in times of distress when we face the symbolic winter? Or do we need to turn to eternally free from such chains?