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 je tū akali latīphu kāle likhu na lekh.
āpanṛe girīvān mahi siru nīṁvāṁ kari dekhu.6.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1378
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the sixth stanza, Sheikh Farid addresses himself and says, O Farid! If you are of fine intellect, do not write black accounts. This is both a personal and general statement. Many of us fall into this—who have knowledge and intellect, but who find ourselves using that knowledge and intellect to find flaws in others. We do this to make ourselves feel better, to feed our egos. Sheikh Farid urges himself and all of us to use this intellect not for accounting for others, for judging them and assessing them, but instead for internal reflection.
He says, having lowered your head, look underneath your own collar. We all wear clothes that cover our bodies. People look at our clothes, but are unaware of the body. They do not know what is happening in our minds or our hearts. Sheikh Farid urges himself and all of us to lower our heads—to become humble and stop looking at others. We use our intellects to cite others’ nonvirtues. We judge their piety! We judge all we can. Instead of this, we ought to look within ourselves, in our own minds and hearts, under our own collars. It is not that intellect is bad; rather, cleverness can create problems. We are urged to rid ourselves of ego and cleverness and jealousy and hatred, to look underneath even the ways we present ourselves to the world, to reflect on our own genuineness. Will we lower our heads? Will we look under our own collars? Will we reflect on our deeds?
