The
saloks of Sheikh Farid
Ji guide the seeker towards life’s true purpose, the devotion to the one absolute Divine, IkOankar. In these saloks, he reminds us that our time in this world is finite; therefore, one must turn to IkOankar without delay. Yet, attachment to transient possessions and relationships causes many to forget this truth, becoming entangled in vices that lead to restlessness and inner turmoil. In contrast, those who cultivate virtues such as love, humility, patience, contentment, selfless service, and righteousness experience the bliss of connection with IkOankar even while living a householder’s life. Their life becomes serene and suffused with inner joy.
hansā dekhi tarandiā bagā āiā cāu.
ḍubi mue bag bapuṛe siru tali upari pāu.122.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1384
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the one hundred and twenty-second stanza, Guru Amardas says, having seen the swans swimming, excitement arose in the cranes. Having drowned, the poor cranes died, head down, feet up. In the scene that is being set, we witness the relationship between swans and cranes as an extended metaphor for the genuine seekers and pretenders. The crane is a pretender, often confused for a swan due to their similar white feathers and tendency toward bodies of water. In Indic poetry, the swan is often associated with the self or the being or the spirit within. We too, are crane-like, convinced that we have time to indulge, convinced that we are swan-like until we realize how little we have worked to become swan-like. We are all crane-like and want to transform. We want to change. When we see those who are swan-like, we get excited. We see great individuals who are walking the path toward IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One), and want to rise up to become like them. But if we refuse to change our behaviors, if we are still pretending, if we are not putting in effort and discipline and devotion, if we are only mimicking those we observe, our love is superficial, and we end up drowning.
Guru Amardas is urging us to dedicate ourselves to true transformation. We might think that it is enough to present ourselves externally as devotees without cultivating virtues. But in this pretense we drown in vices and waste our lives in vain. If we want to become swan-like, if we want to be people who are in relationship with IkOankar rather than performing that relationship, this will require commitment. We ought to dedicate ourselves to this devotion. Will we pursue true transformation? Will we become swan-like?
