In these
savaiyas, Guru Arjan Sahib awakens beings to their negligence and ingratitude. Entangled in worldly attachments, the beings stray from the path of connecting with IkOankar (the Divine). Absorbed in the pleasures of the material world, they depart empty-handed, leaving everything behind. This negligence condemns them to endless wandering through countless cycles of birth and death. In contrast, a being who connects with the
Nam of IkOankar is freed from attachment to worldly things and departs this world having made their life fruitful. The true purpose of life is to be accepted at IkOankar’s court through devotion. Those who remember the Nam have all their flaws, faults, and the weight of their sorrows lifted.
In this tenth stanza (
Savaiya), Guru Arjan describes the unshakeable strength and stability of those imbued with
Nam (Identification with
IkOankar, the One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One). In essence, this stanza illustrates the foundational change that occurs within a being who the all-powerful Nam has transformed in the ways described in the last stanza. Guru Arjan invokes two of the most powerful elements in our physical world—fire and water—forces beyond human control. Rope and weapons are also invoked, representing tools used to strip people of their sovereignty. Yet, Guru Arjan says none of these four forces can overpower one who is connected with
Hari, the all-pervasive, fear-eliminating One, through Identification.
As in the previous stanza, the
lotus-feet are invoked again. The love inspired by the enticing lotus-feet of Identification is so strong that any weapon cannot cut those imbued with it—their relationship with IkOankar, built on love, is unbreakable. Guru Arjan then references the rope: those absorbed in the glimpse of the all-pervasive One cannot be restrained, for their connection with IkOankar cannot be limited. He reminds us of the importance of the company of devoted beings—those whose love for IkOankar is strengthened in such company cannot be burned, even by the fiercest fire. Finally, Guru Arjan emphasizes that any amount of water cannot drown those walking this Truthful path toward union.
These statements highlight the necessity of the many elements of devotion. Each contributes to the others, and together they imbue IkOankar’s devotees with the virtues of IkOankar. The message is also deeply personal, as these elements hold resonance beyond their literal meanings. Weapons, ropes, fire, and water all have manifestations in our lives. The non-physical weapons of slander and gossip cannot break the spirit of a devotee. Attachments to transient things, like a noose, cannot bind a devotee who is unattached to worldly things. The heat of inner desires and lust does not faze a devotee, nor do the turbulent waves of the unpredictable world come close to drowning them. A devotee, abounding in love and Identification, is indestructible, like IkOankar’s Own-Self.
As people in the world, we can each relate to at least one of these binding forces. One person may be weighed down by slander, another by lust, another by attachment. People try many paths to overcome these bondages, but Guru Arjan offers wisdom to set us free. Only Identification with IkOankar cuts through all forms of bondage, like an all-powerful sword—since IkOankar’s Own-Self cannot be cut or bound, nor does IkOankar have any flaw. To become like this, we must place our efforts wisely and walk the path shown by devoted beings. When we receive the grace of IkOankar’s glimpse, the presence of IkOankar becomes evident to our minds, and we are filled with love for IkOankar—love that, once experienced, nothing can destroy.
Are we seeking liberation from our bondages, and if so, how? Will we recognize that the only thing powerful enough to cut our bondages is Identification with IkOankar? Will we walk that path of praise, love, and devotion which transforms us, imparting IkOankar’s all-powerfulness onto us?
