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.
In the eighty-sixth stanza, Sheikh Farid says,
The long, long river flows to erode the bank. What can the storm do to the boat if it stays in the blessed remembrance of the boatman? Sheikh Farid continues with the imagery of the world as a vast river, where vices act as its strong currents and waves, causing us to waver. Our lives are akin to a boat navigating this river-like world, constantly moved by the currents of vices. This, at times, can feel helpless—the banks are eroded, the river exceeds the limits that it once was up against, and the currents get stronger. But, Sheikh Farid reminds us, no storm can do us harm if we stay in the blessed remembrance of the Wisdom-
Guru, if we become Wisdom-Guru-oriented and shed our vices.
The river of life flows fast and unpredictably. Just when we think the flow is controlled, the river becomes wider, longer, and more tumultuous. There are always new currents of things that can cause us to waver: vices, entanglements, and conflict. We become unsteady on these waters, and we worry that we might drown. But if we remain aware, conscious, and alert, if we seek the guidance of the Wisdom-Guru and follow it, we can take on any current, in any river. Will we get our boats ready? Will we heed the call of the boatman-like Wisdom-Guru taking us through the choppy waters of life?
