kakai kāmi krodhi bharamiohu mūṛe mamtā lāge tudhu hari visariā.
paṛahi guṇahi tūṁ bahutu pukārahi viṇu būjhe tūṁ ḍūbi muā.8.
-Guru Granth Sahib 435
The Patti by Guru Amardas Sahib comprises eighteen stanzas (couplets), each containing two lines. The first stanza is followed by the rahau, which informs that the study of mere worldly accounting and writing systems is futile unless they help the being to introspect about their deeds in life. The remaining stanzas are addressed to the Pandit, the teacher, and it is stated: O foolish Pandit, you never remember IkOankar. You will regret wasting your life when you depart from this world. You are not on the path and are also leading your students astray. Though you read religious texts, you do not put them into practice. You are consumed by material attachment. This life is an opportunity to connect with the all-pervading IkOankar, but you live in ignorance. Whereas those who connect with the Wisdom (Guru) and sing praises of IkOankar settle all their accounts and are honored in the court of IkOankar.
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Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
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Guru Amardas places the spotlight on the scholars and subject-matter experts in us all, the Pandit and pretension again. O mind! What kind of account have you studied that giving the account of your deeds has remained hanging over your head? Delivering the message through the letter ਕ (‘kakkā,’ #6), we are told that we might not all hold high societal roles, but we channel our inner Pandit-like tendencies when we pretend to be saintly or act self-righteous. Mentally, we may be lustful or easily angered, yet outwardly, we preach ethics and morals to feel good about ourselves. Guru Amardas tells us all that despite our incessant reading and studying, imparting, teaching, and preaching, this worldly knowledge alone has no positive impact on our mentality. Accumulating knowledge does not carry any value if the wisdom is zilch. Consumed by the vices, we lose the presence of Hari (1-Light), a synonym for IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One) within. This Pandit in us is like a clown in a circus tangled in a balancing act of juggling new desires daily. Negativities hover over us, alienating us from harmony. We are eluded from joy because we participate in the mere performative recitation of the names of IkOankar, which makes no difference until an authentic, personal, and loving connection is recognized and nurtured. It is pertinent to reflect on what we seek. We are also called to reflect on our roles as advisors. Before leading others to any path, we may want to ask, are we really experienced in guiding?
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