As Sikhs we seriously try to pay attention to Akalpurakh; however, intoxicating- Maya keeps us dragging away from Him. Bit by bit we lose precious time of our lives. Maya loots us all the time, very rarely we realize about this robbery that takes place within us. Youth is taken over by middle age as time lapses and eventually it starts getting enveloped in old age. End seems closer. If truly self analysis is done, repentance of not attaining His union surges up. Any warning may turn us around. May be with Guru’s blessing, we get imbued to Him and possibility we may have gleam of His grace. This kind of story is told by Bhagat Kabir ji in Rag Soohi.. Some one sang it melodiously; it just goes through the heart. Here is that Shabada.
ਸੂਹੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਥਰਹਰ ਕੰਪੈ ਬਾਲਾ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਨਾ ਜਾਨਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਸੀ ਪੀਉ ॥੧॥ ਰੈਨਿ ਗਈ ਮਤ ਦਿਨੁ ਭੀ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਭਵਰ ਗਏ ਬਗ ਬੈਠੇ ਆਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਕਾਚੈ ਕਰਵੈ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਪਾਨੀ ॥ ਹੰਸੁ ਚਲਿਆ ਕਾਇਆ ਕੁਮਲਾਨੀ ॥੨॥ ਕੁਆਰ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਜੈਸੇ ਕਰਤ ਸੀਗਾਰਾ ॥ ਕਿਉ ਰਲੀਆ ਮਾਨੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਭਤਾਰਾ ॥੩॥ ਕਾਗ ਉਡਾਵਤ ਭੁਜਾ ਪਿਰਾਨੀ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਥਾ ਸਿਰਾਨੀ ॥੪॥੨॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 792}
Here is the situation, life is wasted, a little realization occurs about that fact. There is a disturbing idea which pierces through reader's mind.
ਥਰਹਰ ਕੰਪੈ ਬਾਲਾ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਨਾ ਜਾਨਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਸੀ ਪੀਉ ॥੧॥
In essence: my soul awfully trembles. Since life will be over soon, I don’t know how my Husband Lord will treat me (because I remained unfaithful to Him so long (1)
It is all about repentance, and still it is a better state of mind than being lost in Maya and remained unaware of the important wealth that is lost. It is a close warning about passing away without Naam(The Creator). This is the way Gurbani takes us very close to that moment when not much time is left and with a hint, about our being asleep in Maya- intoxication, it tries to awake us.
ਰੈਨਿ ਗਈ ਮਤ ਦਿਨੁ ਭੀ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਭਵਰ ਗਏ ਬਗ ਬੈਠੇ ਆਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
In essence: Black hairs are replaced by gray hairs as time lapses. Youth is passed, and I don’t want this old age be gone without His Praise( night reflects intoxicated youth with black hair and day reflects wearisome old age with gray hair] 1 Pause
The facts of wasted long life without being in love with our Creator are enormous. There is no time to miss the only chance available to do something to meet Him because every moment it inches towards the end. Here stress is given on the present since past is over.
ਕਾਚੈ ਕਰਵੈ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਪਾਨੀ ॥ ਹੰਸੁ ਚਲਿਆ ਕਾਇਆ ਕੁਮਲਾਨੀ ॥੨॥
In essence: It is well understood fact that water leaks through unbaked clay pot. Same way, this body won’t be able to hold the soul forever. So when Soul-Swan departs, body will go flaccid (2.]
It is an awakening about limited life-spans. Giving in to conceit, running a cat -race for wealth and harboring a desire to own every thing, will not be helpful at that moment. Under illusion.
Self -centered calls fallacy an actual achievement, for a Gurmukh, truly it is all wastage of life because only love for Him is helpful in the end and all rest is transitory.
ਕੁਆਰ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਜੈਸੇ ਕਰਤ ਸੀਗਾਰਾ ॥ ਕਿਉ ਰਲੀਆ ਮਾਨੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਭਤਾਰਾ ॥੩॥
In essence: we are performing religious rituals which have nothing to do with love for our Creator; it is just like a unmarried virgin decorates herself without having a husband, what is the use of it? How she can enjoy with it without her spouse? it is all wastage (3).
In a very beautiful mataphoric expression, Bhagat Kabir ji exposes worthlessness of religious ritualism which is merely a ceremonious behavior to satisfy one's own desires, because love for Him is above all. It is easy to do ritual but very hard to change Maya- enveloped mind for nourishing love for Him. It is a battle; it needs resolute courage unlike doing ritual.
ਕਾਗ ਉਡਾਵਤ ਭੁਜਾ ਪਿਰਾਨੀ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਥਾ ਸਿਰਾਨੀ ॥੪॥੨॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 792}
In essence It is pitiable to see one gets tired of doing something which is futile in the end, like sitting idle and driving crows away. The story of life is over as end nears and last breath is inevitable.)
It is a call from an enlightened one to utilize this life by pursuing the ultimate goal of life to be with the Creator by making a choice, a choice of His love over Maya and through True Guru, eventually achieve this goal with His grace.
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good site
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