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 galīṁ su sajaṇ vīh iku ḍhūṁḍhedī na lahāṁ.
dhukhāṁ jiu māṁlīh kāraṇi tinn̖ā mā pirī.87.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1382
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the eighty-seventh stanza, Sheikh Farid says, In words, there are twenty friends; upon searching, no one is found. I smolder like dried cow dung, for the sake of those, my beloved ones. Sheikh Farid talks of friends and companions who claim to be supportive and true, but who have taken no such action that exhibits this nature. In fact, they are simply talkers, not doers. We have each experienced this in different hues: we may find many friends and companions to speak to in life, to spend time with, but it is rare to find someone who will stand by us through difficult times. Sheikh Farid reflects and concludes that he has found no such friend.
There is a kind of exhaustion and anxiety here, as Sheikh Farid expresses the lament of still not being able to find companions like this. He is longing for them, he is looking for them, but he has had no good fortune in that search. Sheikh Farid says, in search of those steadfast companions, I smolder from within like the leftovers of dried dung cakes. The dung cakes burn slowly in a kind of aching. Sheikh Farid is quietly bearing this burden, burning and waiting, continuously tormented by the absence of such steadfast companions in his life. I am waiting for you! Sheikh Farid, in his reflections, is implicitly asking us to reflect on whether we have found true beloveds, true companions in this life, or whether we have found people who are full of pretense. With whom are we getting through this life? With whom are we forming companionship and community? And who have we found to be genuine in thought, word, and action?
