gāthā gumph gopāl kathaṅ mathaṅ mān mardanah.
hataṅ panc satreṇ nānak hari bāṇe prahāraṇah.6.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1360
Guru Arjan Sahib describes a flaw-riddled body and the futile nature of pride in material attachment to the physical world. The seeker is encouraged to connect with the eternal IkOankar (the Divine), who removes diseases, sorrows, and sufferings, making way for a fruitful life. The precious gift of Nam is received in the company of virtuous beings and makes the seekers’ lives fruitful. This saloks encourages seekers to welcome the company of virtuous beings to unite with the all-pervasive IkOankar and find eternal comfort and happiness.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the sixth salok, Guru Arjan says that the tale of the Earth-Nurturer, Gopal, is woven into Gatha. By uttering this composition and contemplating it, our pride is destroyed. The praise of IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One) is contained within this composition. Through remembrance of this praise, the five internal adversaries — lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride — are destroyed. The Guru describes this destruction of the five enemies as something that occurs with the stroke of Hari’s Nam-like arrow. Hari refers to the 1-Light, the All-Pervasive, IkOankar, whose house is the house of great virtues, whose arrow of Identification and remembrance can pierce through all the vices we struggle with (all the vices we convince ourselves are beyond destruction).
When we Identify with the One and remember the One, and sing praises of the One, those internal adversaries are eliminated, and we make room for something else to enter our bodies. We make room for praise to enter us, for virtues to enter us, for humility to enter us. That praise can pierce even the most stubborn of us, even those who are like bamboo trees, hard and arrogant and stubborn, unable to soak up the fragrance of the virtues. That praise pierces us because it is associated with the One who is all-pervasive. And so this all-pervading praise of the All-Pervasive changes the way we think and speak and live. The question is, do we want to be pierced in this way? Are we willing to rid ourselves of that which ails us to make room for that which nurtures and changes us?
When we Identify with the One and remember the One, and sing praises of the One, those internal adversaries are eliminated, and we make room for something else to enter our bodies. We make room for praise to enter us, for virtues to enter us, for humility to enter us. That praise can pierce even the most stubborn of us, even those who are like bamboo trees, hard and arrogant and stubborn, unable to soak up the fragrance of the virtues. That praise pierces us because it is associated with the One who is all-pervasive. And so this all-pervading praise of the All-Pervasive changes the way we think and speak and live. The question is, do we want to be pierced in this way? Are we willing to rid ourselves of that which ails us to make room for that which nurtures and changes us?
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