ghaṭ ghaṭ mai hari jū basai santan kahio pukāri.
kahu nānak tih bhaju manā bhaü nidhi utrahi pāri.12.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1426
Guru Teghbahadar Sahib reminds beings of the purpose of life, which is to remember and reflect on the virtues of IkOankar (the Divine). The saloks describe how life is wasted in the entanglements of familial and material attachments distracting from the purpose of life. They inspire seekers to search for deeper meaning beyond the attachment to family and temporary material things and develop a relationship with IkOankar. These saloks gently nudge seekers to live in awareness of IkOankar and see the entire world from that place of realization.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the twelfth stanza, Guru Teghbahadar says, Dearest 1-Light is dwelling in every body; saintly-beings having proclaimed this again and again. Remember the 1-Light, and you will cross the ocean of fear.
The Guru reminds us that we have been hearing this! We have heard this from so many enlightened beings that the 1-Light lives in every heart, in every body. So if we know that, if we know Someone else, the One, is living in our bodies, then we ought to remember that One. If we live in remembrance of the 1-Light who lives within us, we will be able to feel the presence. That presence will help us deal with our fear and with this dreadful life, this world ocean. We have been hearing again and again that the presence is within us. The deer musk is within the deer, but it keeps looking for that fragrance somewhere outside its own self. The deer run around looking for it. Similarly, we look and look for the 1-Light outside of ourselves, but we do not feel it within us. Where are we running looking for the One? We go to particular places — pilgrimage sites, rivers, mountains, and religious spaces. But the Guru is gently shaking us out of that constant frantic search: You are still not getting it! You are smarter than this. Every truth-exemplar has been telling you this, and the awareness has not come within you.
Instead of running around, we ought to live in remembrance. If we are able to do that, if we can understand this daily, if we begin to feel the presence of the 1-Light within our bodies, we will know how to live this life with all that distracts and hurts us.
The Guru reminds us that we have been hearing this! We have heard this from so many enlightened beings that the 1-Light lives in every heart, in every body. So if we know that, if we know Someone else, the One, is living in our bodies, then we ought to remember that One. If we live in remembrance of the 1-Light who lives within us, we will be able to feel the presence. That presence will help us deal with our fear and with this dreadful life, this world ocean. We have been hearing again and again that the presence is within us. The deer musk is within the deer, but it keeps looking for that fragrance somewhere outside its own self. The deer run around looking for it. Similarly, we look and look for the 1-Light outside of ourselves, but we do not feel it within us. Where are we running looking for the One? We go to particular places — pilgrimage sites, rivers, mountains, and religious spaces. But the Guru is gently shaking us out of that constant frantic search: You are still not getting it! You are smarter than this. Every truth-exemplar has been telling you this, and the awareness has not come within you.
Instead of running around, we ought to live in remembrance. If we are able to do that, if we can understand this daily, if we begin to feel the presence of the 1-Light within our bodies, we will know how to live this life with all that distracts and hurts us.
