Barah Maha (Mahala 5)

Guru Arjan Sahib

Delivering the message through the month of Harh (mid-June to mid-July), Guru Arjan paints a vivid picture of the intense heat of the season, using it as a poetic metaphor for the inner restlessness that arises from separation with the One, IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One). The month of Harh seems scorching to that seeker bride with whom Hari, the Groom, is not present. Just as the earth fumes under the scorching sun this season, so too does the heart of the one who feels separated from Hari, the Divine-Groom. It is not just the body that feels the heat, but the heart too—those without the Divine-Groom feel consumed by this internal fire, as hot as the sweltering summer sun. The juxtaposition that Guru Arjan creates here reminds us that the One is the ultimate Source of all life. When we forget the One, we are left in duality, caught in another love, an illusion that keeps us separated from the true Source of life and inner harmony. In this state of forgetfulness, we operate in worldly desires and attachments, while the true life force, the life-giving One, seems absent to us. Just as a body without water can become parched and restless, without the beloved One, we are bound to experience discomfort and longing within. In Harh, when the world seems heavy with the heat of separation, the ones unaware of their disconnection from the One feel suffocated with the fear of the weight of death. Addressing our deeds again, we are told that what we sow is what we reap, and it is through our actions, our thoughts, and our devotion that our fate is shaped. Lost in the illusions of Maya (the attachment to transient things and relationships), we regret when death arrives, for the precious night of our life—like a couple’s first serene night together—was spent chasing after the fleeting distractions of materialism. We listen carefully and delicately to the feminine voice singing our reality back to us. A vignette unfolds before us—a bride who turns her thoughts to another love on the night of union loses the chance to be as one with her spouse. In this way, we also squander our opportunity to unite with the Divine-Groom during our lifetime. Once the night passes, the moment of union slips farther and farther away, and with it, the chance for true fulfillment. When we are consumed by another love, a second love, the pain and discomfort continue. The protagonist, feeling the unbearable heat of separation, recognizes that without the One, life is wasted. We may regret it later, but time will have passed by then, and nothing can reverse the time lost. We remain trapped in the afterlife as we were trapped in our existence. As a newly married woman might seek advice from her sisters and sisters-in-law, we find direction and guidance from the Wisdom (Guru), illuminated from within, who knows the way even in the darkest of nights. Instead, we as seekers open ourselves to the guidance of the virtuous beings, who, through the Wisdom (Guru), lead the way back to the One. Those who embody the teachings of the truth and eternality live in harmony with the One, free from the shackles of worldly anxieties, fear, and irritability. Harh, for the devoted ones, can become a time of inner transformation. The ones who cultivate inner discipline, who align themselves with the One, find stability even amid external turmoil. Inspired by these beings, we make a supplication, not for material wealth or worldly possessions, but rather for a heart that thirsts for and longs for even a glimpse of Prabhu, the sovereign and beloved One among the moonbeams. Guru Arjan guides us in this stanza to reflect on coping with life’s challenges. As the external world changes, seasons shift, and social landscapes evolve, we are reminded that unfading stability comes from our connection to the beloved One, the Divine-Groom. When we align with the One, the heat of life—be it emotional, mental, fiscal, physical, or spiritual—becomes bearable. The true measure is how we train our hearts to align with the beloved One, which helps us accept the changing world with grace and calm. 

Just as we physically prepare ourselves to endure the heat of Harh and its challenges on the human body, how do we prepare ourselves to withstand the deeper trials that gnaw on us within? In this existential journey, if we seek to cultivate eternal endurance, what kind of inner training must we undertake, and with whom do we choose to walk this path?