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 kanni muslā sūphu gali dili kātī guṛu vāti.
bāhari disai cānaṇā dili andhiārī rāti.50.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1380
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the fiftieth stanza, Sheikh Farid says, there is a musalla on the shoulder, a robe around the neck, scissors in the heart, and jaggery in the mouth. Simplicity is highly valued in Islam, particularly among the Sufis. And in that simplicity, they might own or don a particular garb—a prayer mat and a robe of wool or cotton. But what happens when we have a particular garb? Sometimes that external image can become a way to avoid inner work. Sometimes it can encourage pretense. We might go through the motions of praying, wear the ‘pious’ clothes, and seem to live the life of a devotee of IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One). We may even speak sweetly! But within our hearts, we have scissors—we are cutting things. Inside of us, we are jealous, angry, greedy, cunning, and scheming. Inside, we feed our sense of duality or otherness, and we inflict harm on others.
Sheikh Farid says, outside appears to be light; in the heart is dark night. All that external presentation of piety and devotion and religiosity becomes worthless when our hearts are in ignorance. When we have not worked to remove the clipping from within, we are only pretending to be something we are not. Honesty and piety are internal. Virtues and principles, devotion for the beloved One, incredible wisdom, and love are the things we ought to be cultivating internally. Will we devote ourselves to removing scissors within? Will we become devotees in practice and not just in name?
