The following shabda at 830, SGGS is all about seeking Ekankaar within with extreme longing. Fifth Nanak expresses the plight of a seeker, who is utterly sincere in his goal. As the seeker progresses, a big change comes within and the Seeker’s ultimate wish materializes. It starts with very sincere hope of envisioning Ekankaar within. The company of that person who has experienced the union with Ekankaar is deemed as an initial and necessary need. Let us together go though the path the Guru has shown to us:
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੧੩ ਪੜਤਾਲ
Rāg bilāval mėhlā 5 gẖar 13 paṛ▫ṯāl
Raag Bilawal, the bani of Fifth Nanak,
house thirteen “Partaal/ repeated rhythm”
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
There is only one all pervading Akalpurakh, who is known through the Satiguru’s blessings.
ਮੋਹਨ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਹਾਵੈ ਹਾਰ ਕਜਰ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਅਭਰਨ ਕੀਨੇ ॥
ਉਡੀਨੀ ਉਡੀਨੀ ਉਡੀਨੀ ॥ ਕਬ ਘਰਿ ਆਵੈ ਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Mohan nīḏ na āvai hāvai hār kajar basṯar abẖran kīne.
Udīnī udīnī udīnī. Kab gẖar āvai rī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
In essence: Oh my enticing Prabh! I cannot sleep without you though I am adorned with necklace, ornaments and collyrium (though I have decorated myself to meet you.). I cannot hold back my sobbing, and I am very sad. When will you be home? Pause
In the above verses, the Guru expresses a sad plight of the soul – bride, who is eager to see Akalpurakh. In helplessness, she is in anxiety; she is eager to meet Him but cannot. We are not like that soul – bride, because we are happy with what we have or what we do. We take pleasure to feed our own conceit, and we are involved in our affairs and entanglements in a way that we lack that strong longing for Prabh. The Guru, through these verses, asks us to develop such longing that can awaken us from the Maya slumber. If we do not develop that kind of longing for Prabh, we are not going anywhere; we are stuck in duality.
ਮੋਹਨ = ਹੇ ਮੋਹਨ! ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਹਾਵੈ = ਹਾਹੁਕੇ ਵਿਚ। ਕਜਰ = ਕੱਜਲ। ਅਭਰਣ = ਆਭਰਣ, ਗਹਿਣੇ। ਉਡੀਨੀ = ਉਦਾਸ, (ਉਡੀਕ ਵਿਚ)। ਘਰਿ = ਘਰ ਵਿਚ। ਰੀ = ਹੇ ਭੈਣ! ਹੇ ਸੁਹਾਗਣ ਭੈਣ!।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।
ਹੇ ਮੋਹਨ-ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! (ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਵਿਛੁੜੀ ਹੋਈ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਜੀਕਰ) ਹਾਰ, ਕੱਜਲ, ਕਪੜੇ, ਗਹਿਣੇ ਪਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ, (ਪਰ ਵਿਛੋੜੇ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਨ) ਹਾਹੁਕੇ ਵਿਚ (ਉਸ ਨੂੰ) ਨੀਂਦ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ, (ਪਤੀ ਦੀ ਉਡੀਕ ਵਿਚ ਉਹ) ਹਰ ਵੇਲੇ ਉਦਾਸ ਉਦਾਸ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ, (ਤੇ ਸਹੇਲੀ ਪਾਸੋਂ ਪੁੱਛਦੀ ਹੈ-) ਹੇ ਭੈਣ! (ਮੇਰਾ ਪਤੀ) ਕਦੋਂ ਘਰ ਆਵੇਗਾ (ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ, ਹੇ ਮੋਹਨ! ਤੈਥੋਂ ਵਿਛੁੜ ਕੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ)।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।
ਸਰਨਿ ਸੁਹਾਗਨਿ ਚਰਨ ਸੀਸੁ ਧਰਿ ॥
ਲਾਲਨੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਮਿਲਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਕਬ ਘਰਿ ਆਵੈ ਰੀ ॥੧॥
Saran suhāgan cẖaran sīs ḏẖar.
Lālan mohi milāvhu. Kab gẖar āvai rī. ||1||
I take refuge in a fortunate soul – bride humbly and ask her to help me to meet my enticing Prabh. (My anxiety is) When will Prabh come home?
Now the Guru suggests us to meet Prabh’s real devotee who is with Him, and who has envisioned Him. (Suhagan is a lady whose Spouse is alive and remains with her; even if sometimes, she is not physical with her spouse, still she is known to be wife of a spouse, who is alive. Here the word “suhagan” is used as a metaphor to express oneness with the Creator. Suhagan is the Guru, and Suhagan is His devotee. Why cannot we be Suhagans? Answer: We are divorced to Him because of our liaisons with Maya. We are not fortunate enough to realize our spouse Prabh.
As they say to become an expert, one should ask another expert (602, 1410, SGGS). What can I tell you about His union if I do not have the experience? In the same way, what others can tell you if they lack such experience? The experienced one is the Guru; who can guide us perfectly.
ਸੁਹਾਗਨਿ = ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਹੇਲੀ, ਗੁਰੂ। ਸੀਸੁ = ਸਿਰ। ਧਰਿ = ਧਰ ਕੇ। ਲਾਲਨੁ = ਸੋਹਣਾ ਲਾਲ। ਮੋਹਿ = ਮੈਨੂੰ। ਘਰਿ = ਹਿਰਦੇ-ਘਰ ਵਿਚ।੧।
ਹੇ ਮੋਹਨ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਂ ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਸੁਹਾਗਣ ਦੀ ਸਰਨ ਪੈਂਦੀ ਹਾਂ, ਉਸ ਦੇ ਚਰਨਾਂ ਉਤੇ (ਆਪਣਾ) ਸਿਰ ਧਰ ਕੇ (ਪੁੱਛਦੀ ਹਾਂ-) ਹੇ ਭੈਣ! ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸੋਹਣਾ ਲਾਲ ਮਿਲਾ ਦੇ (ਦੱਸ, ਉਹ) ਕਦੋਂ ਮੇਰੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ-ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਆਵੇਗਾ।੧।
In the following verses, the Guru advises his followers:
ਸੁਨਹੁ ਸਹੇਰੀ ਮਿਲਨ ਬਾਤ ਕਹਉ ਸਗਰੋ ਅਹੰ ਮਿਟਾਵਹੁ ਤਉ ਘਰ ਹੀ ਲਾਲਨੁ ਪਾਵਹੁ ॥
ਤਬ ਰਸ ਮੰਗਲ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਆਨਦ ਰੂਪ ਧਿਆਵਹੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਆਇਓ ॥ ਤਉ ਮੈ ਲਾਲਨੁ ਪਾਇਓ ਰੀ ॥੨॥
Sunhu saherī milan bāṯkaha▫o sagro ahaʼn mitāvhu ṯa▫o gẖar hī lālan pāvhu.
Ŧab ras mangal gun gāvhu. Ānaḏ rūp ḏẖi▫āvahu.
Nānak ḏu▫ārai ā▫i▫o. Ŧa▫o mai lālan pā▫i▫o rī. ||2||
Oh Friend! Listen to me! I am telling you how the Beloved is met: eliminate your entire self – conceit and find my Spouse Prabh within. Then, you sing His praises. You meditate on Prabh, who is embodiment of bliss. I, Nanak, have come to this door (I have settled within after eliminating “self – conceit”) and I have found the beloved.
Our Self – conceit makes us aware that we are very intelligent; we see things and only believe in those things, which are convincing to our own mind – set. Anything that goes against our rational measure, we reject it. That is why Fifth Nanak says to his followers to leave their wisdom aside and take the Guru’s refuge humbly: 43 SGGS.
Direct advice is passed on to us. If we intend to envision Prabh, the conceit that guides our every day behavior must go. If this conceit is there, there is no chance to realize Him. This part is the hardest part to put in practice. We have dug many ditches around us with this conceit; therefore, our walking with the Guru has become impossible. We have friends to take their sides regardless their being right or wrong. We have to keep our honorable names. We have strong thirst of getting compliments; in fact, we are addicted to them. We have other so many interests that create ditches on our way. It is not possible to have Prabh’s memory in our hearts because of our involvement into such Maya temptations (First Nanak states about it on 15 SGGS, but still we ignore it and keep letting our minds direct us. We keep saying: we are learning). You know how the things are! Well, the Guru warns us that we cannot get both ways. Make a pick. There is a dilemma that tears us apart. We find different ways to obey our Guru; we get up early in the morning and do Gurbani – path; not a bad habit. There is one thing missing in this act though; for that reason, it is not acceptable to the Guru. What is that and why it is not acceptable to the Guru? Answer: We keep our filth of Maya and conceit sealed within. What the Gurbani path will do then? That seal is like bullet – proof glass. That must be shattered to follow the Guru and to clean the filth of conceit and the Maya attachment. Are you with me to make right pick? If you are, please read on the following, and see what miracle occurs if we get ready to follow the Guru:
ਸਹੇਲੀ = ਹੇ ਸਹੇਲੀ! ਮਿਲਨ ਬਾਤ = ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ। ਕਹਉ = ਕਹਉਂ, ਮੈਂ ਦੱਸਦੀ ਹਾਂ। ਸਗਰੋ = ਸਾਰਾ। ਅਹੰ = ਅਹੰਕਾਰ। ਤਉ = ਤਦੋਂ। ਘਰ ਹੀ = ਘਰਿ ਹੀ, ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ {ਲਫ਼ਜ਼ ‘ਘਰਿ’ ਦੀ ‘ਿ’ ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ਣ ‘ਹੀ’ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਨ ਉੱਡ ਗਈ ਹੈ}। ਰਸ-ਆਨੰਦ। ਮੰਗਲ = ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀ। ਆਨਦ ਰੂਪੁ = ਉਹ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਜੋ ਨਿਰੋਲ ਆਨੰਦ ਹੀ ਆਨੰਦ ਹੈ। ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਇਓ = ਨਾਨਕ ਆਇਆ ਹੈ। ਦੁਆਰੈ = ਦਰ ਤੇ।੨।
(ਸੁਹਾਗਣ ਆਖਦੀ ਹੈ-) ਹੇ ਸਹੇਲੀਏ! ਸੁਣ, ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਮੋਹਨ-ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਸੁਣਾਂਦੀ ਹਾਂ। ਤੂੰ (ਆਪਣੇ ਅੰਦਰੋਂ) ਸਾਰਾ ਅਹੰਕਾਰ ਦੂਰ ਕਰ ਦੇ। ਤਦੋਂ ਤੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ-ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਉਸ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਲਾਲ ਨੂੰ ਲੱਭ ਲਏਂਗੀ। (ਹਿਰਦੇ-ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਦਰਸਨ ਕਰ ਕੇ) ਫਿਰ ਤੂੰ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀ ਆਨੰਦ ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਰਿ-ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇਆ ਕਰੀਂ, ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਾ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰਿਆ ਕਰੀਂ ਜੋ ਨਿਰਾ ਆਨੰਦ ਹੀ ਆਨੰਦ-ਰੂਪ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਭੈਣ! ਨਾਨਕ (ਭੀ ਉਸ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ) ਦਰ ਤੇ ਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, (ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਦਰ ਤੇ ਆ ਕੇ) ਮੈਂ (ਨਾਨਕ ਨੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ-ਘਰ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ) ਸੋਹਣਾ ਲਾਲ ਲੱਭ ਲਿਆ ਹੈ।੨।
ਮੋਹਨ ਰੂਪੁ ਦਿਖਾਵੈ ॥ ਅਬ ਮੋਹਿ ਨੀਦ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ ॥
ਸਭ ਮੇਰੀ ਤਿਖਾ ਬੁਝਾਨੀ ॥ ਅਬ ਮੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਨੀ ॥
ਮੀਠੀ ਪਿਰਹਿ ਕਹਾਨੀ ॥ ਮੋਹਨੁ ਲਾਲਨੁ ਪਾਇਓ ਰੀ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥੧੨੮॥
Mohan rūp ḏikẖāvai. Ab mohi nīḏ suhāvai.
Sabẖ merī ṯikẖā bujẖānī. Ab mai sahj samānī.
Mīṯẖī pirėh kahānī. Mohan lālan pā▫i▫o rī. Rahā▫o ḏūjā. ||1||128||
My enticing Prabh has shown me His vision, and now the sleep has become soothing to me. My all thirst is quenched. My mind is stilled now, and the talk of my spouse has become sweet. I have obtained my beloved. Pause second.
What happened here?
The Guru continues the story of the soul – bride, who gets counseling and succeeds in eradicating her conceit. When her conceit is gone, her Spouse Prabh’s vision becomes apparent. Thus Prabh is realized. The dominant change that was brought in by the soul – bride was the elimination of her conceit. As we go through the Gurbani, it becomes obvious that there is no place for the conceit in the Guru’s house (560 SGGS). It is the first thing we should do with when we go to the Guru. If it lurks around, it will play very negative roles. The Gurus and the Bhagatas repeatedly say that if this conceit exists, Prabh’s vision becomes impossible. Loaded with conceit, longing for judging others and involving in much more negativity, we dream to realize Prabh in our own way; it is our own trap that won’t let us move to have a bit of spiritual progression.
Partial interpretation is by Dr Sahib Singh
Humbly
G Singh
