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.
enī loiṇī dekhdiā ketī cali gaī.
pharīdā lokāṁ āpo āpaṇī mai āpaṇī paī.94.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1382
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the ninety-fourth stanza, Sheikh Farid says, seeing with these eyes, so many people have gone. If we continue from the previous stanza, there is an exploration of the last stage of life, where there is still a deep aspiration to see IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One), though the realization of the One is not happening within us. There are so many of us who may at some point know what our purpose in life is, but even as we know, we are not able to fulfill that purpose. Even as we know and see things with our own eyes, we still do not internalize an understanding. Sheikh Farid is witnessing the departure of so many. How many more will leave? We all witness this, too! Instead of it serving as a constant reminder of our limited time, this reality of birth and death, comings and goings, stresses us out. The reality of our inevitable exit from the world stage and the inability to fulfill our purpose of remembrance haunts us. Something is not sticking.
Sheikh Farid continues, to other people, their own worry troubles them; to me, my own worry troubles me. Even after this witnessing, even after seeing so many leave this world, we are all only concerned with our own affairs. We worry about so much. We worry about our jobs, our families, our money, our legacies. We worry about so much and it consumes us. But no one is concerned with these larger questions: how will we practice devotion and remembrance of IkOankar? How will we be freed without this devotion? Sheikh Farid’s worry is about being in IkOankar’s presence. His worry is about ‘meeting’ IkOankar. Sheikh Farid is saying I am clear about what I need to pursue, and asks us to redirect our worry or concern, too. What will we do with the time we have left, here and now? What face will we show in the hereafter?
