Second Nanak literally learned about Guru Nanak’s mission after living with him for a while; before that, he had been a devotee of a Hindu Devi; his writings clearly state that he, after becoming one with Guru Nanak, prefers the Universal Creator to the rest of all those who were worshipped in his or before his time. Let us know how he shares his divine knowledge with his followers. His slokas on 1239, SGGS explicitly point out that only the Creator deserves all the praise:
ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿਆ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਕਰੇ ਸੋਇ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੀ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਦਾਤਾ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
Mėhlā 2. Kīṯā ki-ā salāhī-ai kare so-e sālāhi.
Nānak ekī bāhrā ḏūjā ḏāṯā nāhi.
Second Nanak.
In essence: Why to praise the created one; praise the Creator, who creates. Oh Nanak! There is only One Beneficent Creator, there is none other.
Except the all-pervading Creator, rest what we see is His creation; therefore, He is above the Creation and should be praised.
ਕਰਤਾ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਦਾਤਾ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿ ਸਭਸੈ ਦੇ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥
Karṯā so salāhī-ai jin kīṯā ākār. Ḏāṯā so salāhī-ai jė sabẖsai ḏe āḏẖār.
That Creator, who has fashioned the creation, should be praised. That Beneficent Creator, who supports all the lives, should be praised.
The universal Creator is the source of all that we see; in our minds, His praise must be imprinted.
ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਿ ਸਦੀਵ ਹੈ ਪੂਰਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੁ ॥ ਵਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਰਾਵਾਰੁ ॥2॥
Nānak āp saḏīv hai pūrā jis bẖandār. Vadā kar salāhī-ai anṯ na pārāvār. ||2||
Oh Nanak! Prabh is eternal and brimful are His treasures; deeming Him as the greatest, praise Him, who is beyond limits.
Thus, His treasures are perfect and He is forever. He should be praised.
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਿਉ ਕੈਸਾ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਜਾਣੁ ॥
ਚੀਰੀ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਨਾ ਫਿਰੈ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ ਚੀਰੀ ਜਿਸ ਕੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਮੀਰ ਮਲਕ ਸਲਾਰ ॥
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥ ਜਿਨ੍ਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਹਥਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਉਠੀ ਕਰਲੈ ਪਾਹਿ ॥ ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥1॥
Salok mėhlā 2. Ŧis si-o kaisā bolṇā jė āpe jāṇai jāṇ.
Cẖīrī jā kī nā firai sāhib so parvāṇ. Cẖīrī jis kī cẖalṇā mīr malak salār.
Jo ṯis bẖāvai nānkā sā-ī bẖalī kār. Jinĥā cẖīrī cẖalṇā hath ṯinĥā kicẖẖ nāhi.
Sāhib kā furmāṇ ho-e uṯẖī karlai pāhi. Jehā cẖīrī likẖi-ā ṯehā hukam kamāhi.
Gẖale āvahi nānkā saḏe uṯẖī jāhi. ||1||
Slok of Second Nanak.
In essence: What to say to Akalpurakh, who himself knows everything? Only that Master is worthy to be Master whose order cannot be challenged. All kings, nobles, and commanders are subject to His ordnance. Oh Nanak! Only that deed is good, which pleases Akalpurakh. Those persons who are subject to His (about death) ordinance have nothing in their hands. As per the Master’s ordinance, the people take the road and as per His ordinance, they act. Oh Nanak! The mortals come here when Akalpurakh sends them and they depart as He calls them back.
In this sloka, the Guru stresses that we all including the powerful rulers live under His ordinance, which is unquestionable. Our destiny is under His ordinance; He sends us here, and as he calls us back, we go. No one can challenge His authority.
ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਜਿਨਾ ਕਉ ਬਖਸੀਐ ਸੇਈ ਪੋਤੇਦਾਰ ॥
ਕੁੰਜੀ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਮਿਲੇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥
Mėhlā 2. Sifaṯ jinā ka-o bakẖsī-ai se-ī poṯeḏār.
Kunjī jin ka-o ḏiṯī-ā ṯinĥā mile bẖandār.
Second Nanak.
In essence: Those persons whom Akalpurakh blesses with His praise become treasurers. Those persons who are blessed with the key of the treasures (His name) get the treasure (His name).
One can praise Him only if one is blessed to do so; thus, a blessed one involves in His name praise.
ਜਹ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਹੂ ਗੁਣ ਨਿਕਲਹਿ ਤੇ ਕੀਅਹਿ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
ਨਦਰਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਕਉ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਿਨ੍ਾ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥2॥
Jah bẖandārī hū guṇ niklahi ṯe kī-ah parvāṇ.
Naḏar ṯinĥā ka-o nānkā nām jinĥā nīsāṇ. ||2||
Those persons in whose treasures are virtues are called the accepted devotees. Oh Nanak! Har’s grace is on those persons, who are blessed with His name-pass.
In the above Slok, the Guru now makes it clear that as we must praise Him, but we also gather virtues to be worthy of praising Him. The virtues we have make us accepted in His court. So, those whom He blesses obtains His name entry to be with Him.
Wishes
G. Singh
