paüṛī.
saptami sancahu nām dhanu ṭūṭi na jāhi bhanḍār.
santsaṅgati mahi pāīai antu na pārāvār.
āpu tajahu gobind bhajahu sarani parahu hari rāi.
dūkh harai bhavjalu tarai man cindiā phalu pāi.
āṭh pahar mani hari japai saphalu janamu parvāṇu.
antari bāhari sadā saṅgi karnaihāru pachāṇu.
so sājanu so sakhā mītu jo hari kī mati dei.
nānak tisu balihārṇai hari hari nāmu japei.7.
-Guru Granth Sahib 298
Guru Arjan Sahib depicts Wisdom-oriented (Guru-oriented) virtuous beings constantly singing praises of IkOankar (the Divine), through which their minds remain contented. 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 seventh pauri advises seekers always to remember Nam (Identification with IkOankar). This Nam is found in the company of Wisdom-oriented virtuous beings. By renouncing pride and remembering Nam, sorrows are dispelled, and the being departs from this world, having made their life fruitful.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the seventh pauri (stanza), the Guru urges us to gather the wealth of Identification with IkOankar, the storehouses of which never run out. We can keep collecting it without end, and we ought to. The work of accumulating Identification with the One happens in the company of the virtuous beings, and it is never done — the supply is unlimited but the desire also needs to be unlimited. In the company of the virtuous beings, we start to discover the One whose limits cannot be discovered. We start to renounce our sense of self and sing praises of the Earth-Knower. Renunciation of our sense of I-ness happens as devotion to the One who knows creation happens. We fall into the shelter of the Sovereign, the 1-Light. We enter the sanctuary of the Fear-Eliminator, who dispels our sufferings and helps us make our lives fruitful. We receive what our minds desire — connection and Identification with the One.
The Guru says that whoever lives in the constant recitation of the 1-Light, whoever’s mind is in constant remembrance, their life is acceptable and successful. They feel the companionship of the 1-Light, within and without, in personal and public life; they feel the constant presence of the One. They recognize the One who has caused everything. The Creator, the Doer, becomes recognizable to the devotee. In this paradigm, the noble or revered companion, the friend, is the one who helps us understand the 1-Light. The Guru says, may we be a sacrifice to this friend, this companion, who recites the Nam of the 1-Light, who Identifies with the One in word, thought, and action. This is about the company we keep and the community we choose to be in. Through this company, we can experience reverence, companionship, and friendship through the Wisdom of the One. The Wisdom creates adoration towards the One and helps us practice constant remembrance of and Identification with the One. These are the three elevated relationships: the noble or revered person, the companion, and the friend. Different relationships help us live in devotion and accumulate Nam.
The Guru shows us that we ought to go where we hear the utterance of the praise of the 1-Light. We ought to be in the company of those who help us accumulate Identification with the One. We ought to gather with the truth-exemplars and make an effort toward ridding ourselves of I-ness. We ought to live in constant desire for Identification and connection; we ought to engage in a constant effort to Identify and connect with the One. Will we stop debating trivialities and start voicing truths that help us develop a connection with the One? Will we live in constant devotion and recitation and remembrance? Will we make an effort to find the revered ones, the friends, and the companions?
The Guru says that whoever lives in the constant recitation of the 1-Light, whoever’s mind is in constant remembrance, their life is acceptable and successful. They feel the companionship of the 1-Light, within and without, in personal and public life; they feel the constant presence of the One. They recognize the One who has caused everything. The Creator, the Doer, becomes recognizable to the devotee. In this paradigm, the noble or revered companion, the friend, is the one who helps us understand the 1-Light. The Guru says, may we be a sacrifice to this friend, this companion, who recites the Nam of the 1-Light, who Identifies with the One in word, thought, and action. This is about the company we keep and the community we choose to be in. Through this company, we can experience reverence, companionship, and friendship through the Wisdom of the One. The Wisdom creates adoration towards the One and helps us practice constant remembrance of and Identification with the One. These are the three elevated relationships: the noble or revered person, the companion, and the friend. Different relationships help us live in devotion and accumulate Nam.
The Guru shows us that we ought to go where we hear the utterance of the praise of the 1-Light. We ought to be in the company of those who help us accumulate Identification with the One. We ought to gather with the truth-exemplars and make an effort toward ridding ourselves of I-ness. We ought to live in constant desire for Identification and connection; we ought to engage in a constant effort to Identify and connect with the One. Will we stop debating trivialities and start voicing truths that help us develop a connection with the One? Will we live in constant devotion and recitation and remembrance? Will we make an effort to find the revered ones, the friends, and the companions?
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