prānī kachū na cetaī madi māiā kai andhu.
kahu nānak binu hari bhajan parat tāhi jam phandh.26.
-Guru Granth Sahib 1427
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
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In the twenty-sixth stanza, Guru Teghbahadar says, blinded in the intoxication of entanglement, the being does not remember the 1-Light even a little bit. Without praise of the 1-Light, fear of death binds.
If we do not praise and remember the 1-Light, we will continue to be blinded in intoxication of entanglement. This is an effect of not understanding that life is a dream, of being caught up. We say we are doing things for our families or our friends or for success — we justify our entanglement. But we are so driven by our entanglements, by accumulating more, by maintaining what we have, by keeping our relationships and our things. But if we are that singularly focused, we cannot see what we really need to be doing. We are blinded in our behavior and our emotion — from remembrance, from praise. And we go astray. When we are caught up, high on entanglement, we live in constant fear and worry. We are worried about losing what we have, we are worried about our relationships, and we are scared of death.
What are the things that bind us? Are we able to see past them, or do they blind us? And do we try to justify our tunnel vision?
If we do not praise and remember the 1-Light, we will continue to be blinded in intoxication of entanglement. This is an effect of not understanding that life is a dream, of being caught up. We say we are doing things for our families or our friends or for success — we justify our entanglement. But we are so driven by our entanglements, by accumulating more, by maintaining what we have, by keeping our relationships and our things. But if we are that singularly focused, we cannot see what we really need to be doing. We are blinded in our behavior and our emotion — from remembrance, from praise. And we go astray. When we are caught up, high on entanglement, we live in constant fear and worry. We are worried about losing what we have, we are worried about our relationships, and we are scared of death.
What are the things that bind us? Are we able to see past them, or do they blind us? And do we try to justify our tunnel vision?
