In this eighth stanza (
savaiya), Guru Arjan describes the dark future ahead on a path devoid of praise, love, and devotion. This foresight offers us a chance to course-correct, positioning ourselves to receive a glimpse of
IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One), as mentioned in the previous stanza
. Guru Arjan begins plainly:
The colors of Maya are colorless—they create illusions; in this haze, the being lies in the pit of attachment. He highlights a major aspect of this illusion: the pride and arrogance that engulf those captivated by
Maya, the allure of transient things and relationships. Guru Arjan underscores the depth of this illusion by contrasting it with reality, describing how the human body is filled with bones, waste, and worms. Yet, one caught in this illusion harbors so much pride that even the sky cannot contain it. The being wanders in all ten directions—the four cardinal, the four sub-cardinal, as well as up and down—mired in this illusion. This wandering is a pursuit of fleeting pleasures. Not only is time and energy wasted, but moral integrity also erodes, leading one to steal from others in pursuit of desire.
Spending life in this way, it passes by in the blink of an eye. Youth fades, and the ailments of old age emerge. Guru Arjan invokes
Yama, the figure in Indic culture who delivers justice according to one’s deeds and determines fate—whether that means heaven, hell, or the bondage of further reincarnation rather than union with the Divine. The key point is that our actions are accounted for, and forgetfulness has painful consequences. Yet, the stanza’s final line, like a ray of sunshine, shows the way forward. Guru Arjan returns to the importance of love, praise, and devotion, invoking the centrality of IkOankar’s grace. He reminds us that by grace, those who live with love, praise, and devotion are freed. Grace replaces transaction with surrender—there is no calculation. Love, praise, and devotion are needed, but when grace is received, it is IkOankar’s alone to decide. By grace, those who have lovingly praised and devoted themselves become truthful, and their lives are made fruitful in this world.
The colors of Maya that Guru Arjan invokes are those things that tantalize our senses and minds. They promise contentment and gratification, but quickly lose their luster, and we soon fixate on the next desire. We might imagine these illusions as the tentacles of an octopus: as soon as we let go of one attachment, another sneaks up from behind. There are so many that we cannot pry them all off at once. If we slow down and reflect, we can recognize their impermanence. When we truly see through the illusion of these pleasures, we become less susceptible to their pull and step more firmly into freedom. Remembering our limited time here must inspire us to contemplate and see through these attachments. While today’s comforts may distract us, we will eventually wake up to the pain and consequences they bring. Changing behavior is difficult, but grace is available to all: through love, praise, and devotion, we open ourselves to IkOankar’s grace, and these tentacle-like attachments begin to lose their grip.
Will we recognize that we are under the illusion of transient things and relationships? Will we recognize that there will always be consequences of our forgetfulness? Will we position ourselves to receive Grace through love, praise, and devotion?
