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 khāku na nindīai khākū jeḍu na koi.
jīvdiā pairā talai muiā upari hoi.17.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1378
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the seventeenth stanza, Sheikh Farid addresses himself and says, O Farid! The dust should not be slandered. No one is as great as the dust. He continues with the line of thought from the previous stanza on the importance of humility. In Islam, humility is considered the foundation of all other virtues, as it is through humility that one surrenders to the Divine. In the Qur’an, the framing around dirt or dust is that the earth is a splendid place of the Divine, the earth being primarily of dirt and water.
When Muslims die, they are buried in the same dirt they once walked on, and that same dirt is placed above them. Dirt is an element of life created by IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One). It is the thing we build things out of, the thing we grow things in, the thing we may end up buried under, or merging with, even as we are cremated. This dirt takes us within it when we die, absorbing us back into the elements from which we are made. How can we speak poorly of dirt? What pride or sense of self do we have that has convinced us that we are better than this dirt? People walk all over it, and still it has humility, still it has greatness, still it takes care of and provides for people. Sheikh Farid is asking himself and all of us to reflect more on our own egos. When we talk about virtuous beings, they have this kind of humility—a dust-like or dirt-like humility that is a necessary prerequisite for vastness and greatness. Will we become like that dirt? Will we emulate that generosity and humility? Will we become vast in our compassion, in our grace, in our giving, in our forgiveness?
