paüṛī.
ekam ekaṅkāru prabhu karaü bandanā dhiāi.
guṇ gobind gupāl prabh sarani paraü hari rāi.
tā kī ās kaliāṇ sukh jā te sabhu kachu hoi.
cāri kunṭ dahdisi bhramio tisu binu avaru na koi.
bed purān simriti sune bahu bidhi karaü bīcāru.
patit udhāran bhai haran sukh sāgar niraṅkār.
dātā bhugtā denhāru tisu binu avaru na jāi.
jo cāhahi soī milai nānak hari gun gāi.1.
gobind jasu gāīai hari nīt.
mili bhajīai sādhsaṅgi mere mīt.1. rahāu.
-Guru Granth Sahib 296
Guru Arjan Sahib depicts the all-pervasiveness of IkOankar (the Divine), the Creator of creation. Corresponding to the fifteen-day lunar calendar and each pauri (stanza) correlates to each day formed by the waxing and waning of the moon. The first pauri advises the being to abandon superstition and contemplate the virtues of IkOankar constantly. Only by taking the refuge of and singing the praises of IkOankar, can the being be liberated and content.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the first pauri (stanza), Guru Arjan says, O my friend! The praise of the Earth-Knower, of the 1-Light, should be sung daily. In the company of the Wisdom-oriented virtuous beings, one should always sing praises. Before the Guru even begins to address each day in the lunar calendar system, the purpose of these compositions is clarified. From the very beginning, we are shown that it is simpler than we have made it out to be. It does not matter if we are on a full moon or a new moon. It does not matter what phase of the moon’s waxing and waning because this calendrical system is ultimately unimportant. The only thing that matters is that we spend our time, regardless of the day or the condition of the moon or our own conditions, doing this one thing every day: singing of the glory of the Earth-Knower, the one who knows creation, the 1-Light. We ought to sing these praises in the company of the Wisdom-oriented, of the virtuous ones, of the ones who are constantly singing praises. In this statement, the Guru has extricated us from our complicated paradigms of being in the right or auspicious space, doing the right rituals in the right groups at the right or auspicious time. We have gamified our devotion and relationships with the Divine, but the Guru reminds us that the message and the work are the same regardless of the time. If we want to do something effective no matter our condition, we ought to sing praises of IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One). If we want to sing in the company of others, let that company be of the Wisdom-oriented ones. This is the devotion that matters.
O my friend! The praise of the Earth-Knower, of the 1-Light, should be sung daily. The Guru says, I have wandered all over, looked in all directions, listened to all the religious texts, contemplated in many ways. The Guru says, I have found that without that One, there is no one else. IkOankar is the One from whom all things happen; all comforts are received. The Guru continues, I salute IkOankar, who has one form. I sing praises of the Earth-Knower, the Earth-Nurturer, the Prabhu. I fall into the refuge of King Hari. The Guru invokes Prabhu as one of the many names of IkOankar. Prabhu is a name that invokes the royal and godlike nature of the One, whose nature is to fulfill a particular role of goodness and compassion. This is the One who is capable of helping us when no one else can.
The Guru also uses Hari, the 1-Light, the All-Pervasive, and the Remover of Suffering. In later lines, the Guru says IkOankar is the Emancipator of the fallen, the Dispeller of Fear, the Ocean of comforts, the Bestower, the Consumer, and the Giver. Together, these invocations refer to the One who knows creation, nurtures creation, has compassion for creation, and pervades creation. This is the One who frees us, makes us fearless and comforts us. This is the One whose refuge the Guru falls into, the One the Guru praises. Through this praise, we will find what we desire – a connection with IkOankar.
The Guru encourages us to extricate ourselves from our complicated paradigms, transactional relationships with the Divine, and designations of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. We are shown that the thing we have made complicated is quite simple — that singing praises of IkOankar at all times, in word, thought, and action, will help us to remember the One. It will eliminate the fear that motivates us to participate in these kinds of systems in the first place. What is our condition? We are the fallen ones waiting to be the risen ones, the ones immersed in fear rather than remembrance, who are without comfort and want freedom. Will we practice remembrance through praise? Will we exit our transactional systems and relationships with the One? Will we see each day as auspicious and sing praises of the Earth-Knower, the 1-Light, daily?
O my friend! The praise of the Earth-Knower, of the 1-Light, should be sung daily. The Guru says, I have wandered all over, looked in all directions, listened to all the religious texts, contemplated in many ways. The Guru says, I have found that without that One, there is no one else. IkOankar is the One from whom all things happen; all comforts are received. The Guru continues, I salute IkOankar, who has one form. I sing praises of the Earth-Knower, the Earth-Nurturer, the Prabhu. I fall into the refuge of King Hari. The Guru invokes Prabhu as one of the many names of IkOankar. Prabhu is a name that invokes the royal and godlike nature of the One, whose nature is to fulfill a particular role of goodness and compassion. This is the One who is capable of helping us when no one else can.
The Guru also uses Hari, the 1-Light, the All-Pervasive, and the Remover of Suffering. In later lines, the Guru says IkOankar is the Emancipator of the fallen, the Dispeller of Fear, the Ocean of comforts, the Bestower, the Consumer, and the Giver. Together, these invocations refer to the One who knows creation, nurtures creation, has compassion for creation, and pervades creation. This is the One who frees us, makes us fearless and comforts us. This is the One whose refuge the Guru falls into, the One the Guru praises. Through this praise, we will find what we desire – a connection with IkOankar.
The Guru encourages us to extricate ourselves from our complicated paradigms, transactional relationships with the Divine, and designations of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. We are shown that the thing we have made complicated is quite simple — that singing praises of IkOankar at all times, in word, thought, and action, will help us to remember the One. It will eliminate the fear that motivates us to participate in these kinds of systems in the first place. What is our condition? We are the fallen ones waiting to be the risen ones, the ones immersed in fear rather than remembrance, who are without comfort and want freedom. Will we practice remembrance through praise? Will we exit our transactional systems and relationships with the One? Will we see each day as auspicious and sing praises of the Earth-Knower, the 1-Light, daily?
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