kamal nain anjan siām candra badan cit cār.
mūsan magan maramm siu khanḍ khanḍ kari hār.10.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1364
The love of IkOankar (the Divine) cannot be inculcated through wealth, pilgrimages, recitations, austerities, or disciplines. The being who connects with IkOankar consciously becomes worthy of IkOankar’s love. Their mind remains immersed in the Nam of IkOankar in every moment; they do not go anywhere else in search of bliss. They remain in a constant state of joy due to their humility. Worldly comforts and praise received because of various practices like recitations and austerities are worthless before the love of IkOankar. On the other hand, a being entangled in attachment to the material world and relationships remains miserable despite having attained worldly comforts.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the tenth salok, Guru Arjan says, IkOankar is the One with lotus-like eyes, with black kohl, with a moon-like face, with a beautiful mind. O Musan! Immerse yourself in the mystery of IkOankar. Break the necklace and adornments into pieces and pieces. Just as in the previous salok, Guru Arjan juxtaposes pride and humility, in this salok, the Guru juxtaposes the beauty of IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One) with the adornments that we collect and wear. The immanent form of the One is wonderfully described here. The One with qualities is adorned with black eyeliner, has beautiful eyes, a face like a moon, and a supreme consciousness. These physical descriptions are helpful when we are trying to talk about and describe the one we love! They excite us and enthrall us. But we are urged to move beyond the mere physical embodiment into something much more resonant. We are encouraged to know the wisdom of IkOankar – to know the mystery of union with IkOankar and to immerse ourselves in that beautiful Beloved. While we can adorn ourselves physically and wear beautiful clothes, makeup, and necklaces, when we discover the mystery of that One, all of these will become secondary to us. We are no longer infatuated by that which glitters and entices our minds. We begin to focus on the internal virtues — adorning ourselves with virtues and virtuous behavior that are eternal. We come to understand that external beauty has nothing to do with this deep love – nothing to do with the deep excitement and enthusiasm of being in love. Will we cultivate our inner beauty? Will we adorn ourselves with virtues? Will we immerse in the mystery of IkOankar?
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