On 418, SGGS, Shri Guru Nanak Sahib reminds us to be aware of our limited time span on this earth. Basically, the Guru asks us to praise our Creator by understanding this fact that here is none permanent. Let us ponder over it:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik-oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
There is only one all-pervading Akalpurakh, who is known with the blessings of the Satiguru.
ਆਸਾ ਕਾਫੀ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ਘਰੁ 8 ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ ॥
Āsā kāfī mėhlā 1 gẖar 8 asatpaḏī-ā.
ਜੈਸੇ ਗੋਇਲਿ ਗੋਇਲੀ ਤੈਸੇ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥ ਕੂੜੁ ਕਮਾਵਹਿ ਆਦਮੀ ਬਾਂਧਹਿ ਘਰ ਬਾਰਾ ॥1॥
Jaise go-il go-ilī ṯaise sansārā. Kūṛ kamāvėh āḏmī bāʼnḏẖėh gẖar bārā. ||1||
Raag Asa Kafi, the bani of First Nanak, house eighth, Ashtpadeean.
In essence: This world is temporary like the stay of herdsman on a bank of a river; the man practices falsehood by building houses as if he would live here forever (building and expanding the homes and deeming them as permanent).
ਜਾਗਹੁ ਜਾਗਹੁ ਸੂਤਿਹੋ ਚਲਿਆ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jāgahu jāgahu sūṯiho cẖali-ā vaṇjārā. ||1|| Rahā-o.
Oh people in slumber! Wake up. Look the dealer (of Maya expansions) is departing from here. Pause.
This is the Guru’s wake up call to his followers not to get attached with anything save for living in this world as a guest modestly.
ਨੀਤ ਨੀਤ ਘਰ ਬਾਂਧੀਅਹਿ ਜੇ ਰਹਣਾ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਵੈ ਜੀਉ ਚਲਸੀ ਜੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਈ ॥2॥
Nīṯ nīṯ gẖar bāʼnḏẖī-ah je rahṇā ho-ī. Pind pavai jī-o cẖalsī je jāṇai ko-ī. ||2||
Permanent house should be built if we can stay in them permanently. I hope they would realize this: when the body crumbles, the soul has to go.
ਓਹੀ ਓਹੀ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹੁ ਹੈ ਹੋਸੀ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਤੁਮ ਰੋਵਹੁਗੇ ਓਸ ਨੋ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਹ ਕਉ ਕਉਣੁ ਰੋਈ ॥3॥
Ohī ohī ki-ā karahu hai hosī so-ī. Ŧum rovhuge os no ṯumĥ ka-o ka-uṇ ro-ī. ||3||
Why are you crying over the dead? There is only Akalpurakh, who is now and who will be ever. You cry over the dead, but who will bewail for you (you will face the same end)?
ਧੰਧਾ ਪਿਟਿਹੁ ਭਾਈਹੋ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਹ ਕੂੜੁ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਓਹੁ ਨ ਸੁਣਈ ਕਤ ਹੀ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਹ ਲੋਕ ਸੁਣਾਵਹੁ ॥4॥
Ḏẖanḏẖā pitihu bẖā-īho ṯumĥ kūṛ kamāvahu. Oh na suṇ-ī kaṯ hī ṯumĥ lok suṇavhu. ||4||
Oh brothers! You are into entanglement and you practice falsehood, because one, for whom you bewail, doesn’t hear you; therefore, you are showing only to the people.
ਜਿਸ ਤੇ ਸੁਤਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜਾਗਾਏ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਜੇ ਘਰੁ ਬੂਝੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਤਾਂ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥5॥
Jis ṯe suṯā nānkā jāgā-e so-ī. Je gẖar būjẖai āpṇā ṯāʼn nīḏ na ho-ī. ||5||
Only Akalpurakh who has caused the mortal to be in the Maya slumber, awakens him. If one recognizes one’s “inner self”, then one doesn’t sleep in Maya.
ਜੇ ਚਲਦਾ ਲੈ ਚਲਿਆ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੰਪੈ ਨਾਲੇ ॥ ਤਾ ਧਨੁ ਸੰਚਹੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਕੈ ਬੂਝਹੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੇ ॥6॥
Je cẖalḏā lai cẖali-ā kicẖẖ sampai nāle. Ŧā ḏẖan sancẖahu ḏekẖ kai būjẖhu bīcẖāre. ||6||
Oh mortal! Think and reflect on this: If at the time of departing, you can take wealth with you, then you can gather it. See if you can!
ਵਣਜੁ ਕਰਹੁ ਮਖਸੂਦੁ ਲੈਹੁ ਮਤ ਪਛੋਤਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਅਉਗਣ ਛੋਡਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਰਹੁ ਐਸੇ ਤਤੁ ਪਰਾਵਹੁ ॥7॥
Vaṇaj karahu makẖsūḏ laihu maṯ pacẖẖoṯāvahu. A-ugaṇ cẖẖodahu guṇ karahu aise ṯaṯ parāvahu. ||7||
Deal in that (Akalpurakh’s name praising) which is profitable; don’t deal in that which makes you repent afterwards. Get rid of demerits and adopt virtues; this is the way Akalpurakh is obtained.
ਧਰਮੁ ਭੂਮਿ ਸਤੁ ਬੀਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਐਸੀ ਕਿਰਸ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਤਾਂ ਵਾਪਾਰੀ ਜਾਣੀਅਹੁ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੈ ਜਾਵਹੁ ॥8॥
Ḏẖaram bẖūm saṯ bīj kar aisī kiras kamāvahu. Ŧāʼn vāpārī jāṇī-ahu lāhā lai jāvhu. ||8||
You sow the truthful conduct in the soil of your faith; this is the way, you work rightful way. Only then you can be called a trader, if you take profit with you.
ਕਰਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੈ ਸੁਣੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਾਮੇ ਬਿਉਹਾਰਾ ॥9॥
Karam hovai saṯgur milai būjẖai bīcẖārā. Nām vakẖāṇai suṇe nām nāme bi-uhārā. ||9||
If Ekankar graces the mortal, he/she meets the Satiguru and reflects on these thoughts: he/she utters Ekankar’s name, hears it, and deals only in it.
ਜਿਉ ਲਾਹਾ ਤੋਟਾ ਤਿਵੈ ਵਾਟ ਚਲਦੀ ਆਈ ॥ ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਾਈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥10॥13॥
Ji-o lāhā ṯotā ṯivai vāt cẖalḏī ā-ī. Jo ṯis bẖāvai nānkā sā-ī vadi-ā-ī. ||10||13||
The way of the world is that some people get profit and some endure loss. Oh Nanak! Ekankar’s greatness lies in what pleases Him.
Wishes.
G.Singh
www.gursoch.com
