The
saloks of Sheikh Farid
Ji guide the seeker toward the devotion of the one absolute IkOankar (the Divine), which is the true purpose of life. In these saloks, Farid Ji shares that our time in this world is finite, and thus, one should immediately turn to the devotion of IkOankar without delay. However, due to attachment to transient things and relationships, many forget this truth and become entangled in vices, leading to a perpetually restless and uneasy life. However, the being who embraces virtues such as remembrance of IkOankar, love, humility, tolerance, patience, contentment, selfless service, and righteous living, experiences the bliss of connection with IkOankar even while leading a householder’s life. Their life becomes comfortable and peaceful.
pharīdā jin̖ loiṇ jagu mohiā se loiṇ mai ḍiṭhu.
kajal rekh na sahdiā se paṅkhī sūi bahiṭhu.14.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1378
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the fourteenth stanza, Sheikh Farid says, O Farid! The eyes that had captivated the world, I have seen those eyes. Those which did not bear even a line of kohl, they became a seat for bird hatchlings. Reflecting on the physical body, he says, I have lived through those enjoyments of getting enticed and attached and excited! Even those eyes which captivated the world and were captivated by the world, which were caught up in the phenomena and the play and the colors of creation’s expanse, even they are temporary. What happens to those eyes? We spend our lives taking pride in the physical body; we beautify it, we treat it as delicate, and we imagine that we can preserve it for an impossibly long time. Those eyes, which were so sensitive that they could not even be adorned with kohl, are now serving as a nest for birds in their skeletal form. No one knows how life will end or what will happen to these bodies. These bodies will become skeletons and bones and be used by someone else for something else.
We are being urged to look at what has happened to the things we treated as precious, sensitive, and delicate. These beautiful bodies can one day be used for anything. These beautiful bodies are temporary. These beautiful bodies are not ours. The pride we take in these bodies and their various parts is futile. Why don’t we use these eyes for things other than being captivated? Why don’t we cultivate humility within and a keen understanding of our own temporality?
