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.
pharīdā vekhu kapāhai ji thīā ji siri thīā tilāh.
kamādai aru kāgadai kunne koiliāh.
mande amal karediā eh sajāi tināh.49.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1380
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the forty-ninth stanza, Sheikh Farid says, O Farid! Look what has happened to the cotton, and what has happened on the head of sesame-seeds. Look what has happened to the sugarcane and paper, to the earthen pot and coals. We have been given a list of various things that undergo a destructive process to produce something. We can draw this extended metaphor in parallel to the Qur’anic idea of the Day of Judgment, on which severe punishments are meted out. We are reminded of the consequence. The cotton goes through the cotton gin. The sesame seeds are squeezed and crushed to extract oil. The sugarcane is cut with a blade and crushed in a roller. The paper must be shredded, beaten, and drowned in water. All of these objects undergo immense suffering when they are ginned, crushed, heated, and burned.
Sheikh Farid says, Those who commit immoral deeds, this is the punishment that they receive. Their actions inevitably lead to consequences, just as the natural materials undergo their respective transformative processes. The punishment is not arbitrary; it is a direct result of their deeds, a law woven into the moral fabric of existence. The metaphor underscores the certainty and severity of what awaits those who act unjustly or unethically. What will happen to us? What will be our condition? What will we do to lessen the consequences of our past deeds? What future deeds will we engage in?
