mūsan maskar prem kī rahī ju ambaru chāi.
bīdhe bāṁdhe kamal mahi bhavar rahe lapṭāi.4.
-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 fourth salok, Guru Arjan again addresses Musan and says, O Musan! The moonlight of love covers the sky-like heart of the lover. In that moonlight, their mind, pierced and bound in the lotus-like feet, are clinging to them like bumblebees. In larger Indic or global contexts, the moon or moonlight symbolizes the heart, while the sun is related to intellect or the mind. Guru Arjan describes the inner state of the lover who loves the Beloved, IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One). In that lover’s sky-like heart, the moonlight of love illuminates and cools all things. The coolness of that love spreads itself over the heat of the body. There is no worry, anxiety, or sadness in that heart — this love is such that all these things are eliminated. That cool moonlight of love enters the heart and spreads. The mind becomes like a bumblebee, wanting to be caught up in the lotus, immersed in love, excited and buzzing in love. The mind becomes pierced, bound, and clung to that lotus in humility, submission, and devotion. The mind remains immersed in the Nam (Identification with IkOankar) every moment. This is the nature of the one in love with the Beloved! Will we experience the coolness and illumination of love in our hearts? Will our minds become pierced in devotion? Will we immerse ourselves in the Nam?
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