First Nanak explains how to become worthy in the eyes of the Creator in Japji, on 1, SGGS:

ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥

Kiv sachiaaraa hoeeai kiv koorrai thuttai paal ||

How can one be truthful and how can be the veil of falsehood torn away?

               If by purifying one’s body, getting in deep meditation and going in pursuit of satisfaction or having fasts, Akalpurakh cannot be realized, then what is the way out to realize Him and how it is possible to be truthful in His consideration? Answer comes in the following verse:

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

hukam rajaaee chalanaa naanak likhiaa naal ||1||

Oh Nanak! We should obey the Creator’s ordinance already put in force (according to which the world runs).

             To be truthful is to remain in harmony with Akalpurakh’s ordinance; it means to understand His ordinance and to remain aligned to it. In other words, to take it as it comes by without any complain. There is no need of doing rituals and playing intellectual games but living in His ordinance; this is the essence to tear down the wall of illusions of falsehood. In next Stanza, the Guru starts defining Akalpurakh’s Ordinance so that it could be understood first.

In 4th Stanza, on 2, SGGS, the Guru explains how the Creator comes close: he says:

ਮੁਹੌ ਕਿ ਬੋਲਣੁ ਬੋਲੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਧਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

muha k bolan boleeai jith sun dhharae piaar ||

What words can we speak to evoke His Love?

             What should we say by hearing which He bestows His grace/love on us? Then the Guru comes with a clear answer in the following verse:

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਵੇਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਉ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

anmrith vaelaa sach naao vaddiaaee veechaar ||

In the Amrit Vaelaa,( the ambrosial hours before dawn), contemplate the eternal Name of the Creator and His glorious greatness.

             To evoke His love, in the early wee hours, His Name and virtues should be reflected on.

             Why wee hours are recommended?  As we wake up, our fresh minds need to be infused with His memory before walking in to the world of Maya, because His memory can keep us on a virtuous path. For those, who work during night, their “Amrit Veala” can be different. Literally it hints at a time when we wake up after a good sleep; after that sound sleep, our minds are not involved in anything and if our minds are filled with His memories and His virtues, they can deal with the Maya inflicted world without getting affected it negatively and they keep feeling Him close. Further the Guru states that liberation from Maya comes only through the Creator’s grace:

ਕਰਮੀ ਆਵੈ ਕਪੜਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥

karamee aavai kaparraa nadharee mokh dhuaar ||

By His grace, the robe of His praise is obtained. By His Grace, the gate of Liberation is found.

ਨਾਨਕ ਏਵੈ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਸਭੁ ਆਪੇ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥੪॥

Nanak eaevai jaaneeai sabh aapae sachiaar ||4||

Oh Nanak! This is the way eternal Prabh, who is All Pervading, is known. ||4||

             With Prabh’s blessings, one involves in His praise and with His grace, one is liberated from the Maya influences. In the Gurbani, liberation is defined to go above the Maya influences. After death, liberation is not actually advocated as it is explained in Hindu religion. It is achieved being- alive. Karmee should not be taken as “luck” or Karma widely known as the fruit of previous actions. In the Gurubani, such kind of Karma theory is questioned by asking what were the deeds to be done when there was nothing in existence; therefore, Karma commonly used in the Hindu religion has no place in Sikhi. Bhai Sahib Veer Singh also interprets Karma as deeds, but he suggests that through deeds we get things useful for the body, but deeds don’t trigger liberation, because liberation is only obtained through Prabh’s grace. Stress is on following Prabh’s ordinance and praising Prabh: It is also said:

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਆਤਮ ਹਿਤਾਵੈ ॥

ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਸੋਊ ਕਹਾਵੈ ॥

Parabẖ kī āgi▫ā āṯam hiṯāvai

Jeevan mukt so-öu kahaavai॥

He, who in his heart loves Prabh’s ordinance, is said to be the one having salvation while alive. (275, SGGS)

             Prabh, who permeates all, is known by praising and contemplating His name. All other efforts of charities, physical austerities or rituals and so on do not help in realizing Prabh. We must remember that Akalpurakh is the only giver; therefore, we should not claim about what we give anything to anyone. Only doing efforts to remain in harmony with His Will can take us to that happiness, which is also His gift. And, happiness cannot be bought or obtained through the worldly achievements as they remain temporary. True happiness is that which lasts forever; once that is obtained, the mind remains in peace.

             It is a well known fact that if peace and stability of the mind are obtained, everlasting bliss is also obtained; however, the Gurbani advises its follower to get rid of lust, wrath, attachment, greed and conceit to reach to such a state of mind, also known as “sehaj”. In other words, it is a state of mind which takes away all the interests in the worldly entanglement. While living in this world, when one succeeds in such a goal, one is looked upon with a different attitude, because becoming such a human doesn’t fit well in any society. The people start calling such a person a failure, or misfit or a delusional person. First Nanak endured such ridicule behavior at the hands of the people of his times.

ਕੋਈ ਆਖੈ ਭੂਤਨਾ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਬੇਤਾਲਾ ॥ (SGGS, 991)

Ko▫ī ākẖai bẖūṯnā ko kahai beṯālā.

Some call me a ghost and some say that I am a demon.

             Why is such a state of mind that brings such great happiness ignored? The answer lies in the compromise of the people with temporary pleasures that come and go.  In the Gurbani, it is suggested repeatedly to obtain such a state of mind without becoming a sanyassi (recluse) as it is popular in Hindu culture; how? To know that, please go over the following shabda and see how without abandoning everything, such a state of mind becomes easy to obtain

ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੨ ॥  

ਗੋਇਲਿ ਆਇਆ ਗੋਇਲੀ ਕਿਆ ਤਿਸੁ ਡੰਫੁ ਪਸਾਰੁ ॥  

ਮੁਹਲਤਿ ਪੁੰਨੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਤੂੰ ਸੰਮਲੁ ਘਰ ਬਾਰੁ ॥੧॥  

Sirīrāg mėhlā 5 gẖar 2.  

Go▫il ā▫i▫āgo▫ilī ki▫ā ṯis damf pasār.  

Muhlaṯ punnī cẖalṇā ṯūʼnsammal gẖar bār. ||1||  

Sree Raag, Bani of Fifth Nanak, house second:

In essence: A herdsman takes cows to the grazing lands to graze them for some time, what can he establish there? (Nothing, he has to go back). Oh mortal! In the same way, you are given short time; after it is over, you have to go; it is better to take care of the home you have (life/soul).

              (ਔੜ ਦੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਥੋੜੇ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਲਈ) ਗੁੱਜਰ (ਆਪਣਾ ਮਾਲ-ਡੰਗਰ ਲੈ ਕੇ) ਕਿਸੇ ਚਰਨ ਵਾਲੀ ਥਾਂ ਤੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉੱਥੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਵਡੱਪਣ ਦਾ ਵਿਖਾਵਾ-ਖਿਲਾਰਾ ਸੋਭਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ। (ਤਿਵੇਂ, ਹੇ ਜੀਵ! ਜਦੋਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਇੱਥੇ ਜਗਤ ਵਿਚ ਰਹਿਣ ਲਈ) ਮਿਲਿਆ ਸਮਾ ਮੁੱਕ ਜਾਇਗਾ, ਤੂੰ (ਇਥੋਂ) ਤੁਰ ਪਏਂਗਾ। (ਇਸ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਆਪਣਾ ਅਸਲੀ) ਘਰ ਘਾਟ ਸੰਭਾਲ (ਚੇਤੇ ਰੱਖ)।੧।

             The above verses instruct the seeker to think about a given short span of life; this life is supposed to be spent in the Creator’s love and praise as per the Gurrbani; on 72, SGGS:

ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥

Ėko nām hukam hai Nānak saṯgur ḏī▫ā bujẖā▫e jī▫o. ||5||

To praise only Naam is an ordinance of Prabh and this ordinance is made understood by the Satiguru.

The Guru counsels the follower to get attached through the Guru guidance:

ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਉ ਮਨਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਿ ਪਿਆਰਿ ॥  

ਕਿਆ ਥੋੜੜੀ ਬਾਤ ਗੁਮਾਨੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥  

Har guṇ gā▫o manā saṯgur sev pi▫ār.  

Ki▫ā thoṛ▫ṛī bāṯ gumān. ||1|| rahā▫o. 

Oh my mind! Serve the Satiguru by singing Har’s praises in love. Why to have pride in a trivial thing? Pause

             Please note that the Guru defines what the service of the Guru is; praising Har is what the Guru wants from a follower. Loving Guru is listening and obeying the Guru. It can be done sincerely only if conceit and interest of the mind in trivial things are eradicated and the mind is involved in Naam praise. Offering flowers and other things or merely worshiping the Guru will do nothing, because that is not obeying the Guru; any physical service of the Guru is easier to do than offering one’s mind to the Guru guidance. One, who doesn’t become what the Guru wants, falls short of receiving the Guru blessings.

             ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ! ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇਆ ਕਰ। ਪਿਆਰ ਨਾਲ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ (ਦੱਸੀ) ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰ। ਥੋੜੀ ਜਿਤਨੀ ਗੱਲ ਪਿੱਛੇ (ਇਸ ਥੋੜੇ ਜਿਹੇ ਜੀਵਨ-ਸਮੇਂ ਵਾਸਤੇ) ਕਿਉਂ ਮਾਣ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈਂ?।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।

             The Guru continues reminding the follower to live here as a guest who stays for a short time; the guest doesn’t get attached to anything and never claims anything, because his or her goal is just to pass the given time for a stay. Reminding through the guest – analogy, the Guru makes aware the follower that nothing is permanent; therefore, avoid attaching to anything.

ਜੈਸੇ ਰੈਣਿ ਪਰਾਹੁਣੇ ਉਠਿ ਚਲਸਹਿ ਪਰਭਾਤਿ ॥  

ਕਿਆ ਤੂੰ ਰਤਾ ਗਿਰਸਤ ਸਿਉ ਸਭ ਫੁਲਾ ਕੀ ਬਾਗਾਤਿ ॥੨॥  

Jaise raiṇ parāhuṇe uṯẖ cẖalsahi parbẖāṯ.  

Ki▫ā ṯūʼnraṯā girsaṯ si▫o sabẖ fulā kī bāgāṯ. ||2||  

Oh mortal! Just as a guest for a night departs in the morning (after a night’s stay), you will also go. Why are you drenched in the attachment of your family? It is just like a garden of flowers.

             The garden of followers looks beautiful; when we pass by it; it attracts our minds; however, it is short lived, we know that. Having family is very much encouraged in the Gurbani; however, losing virtues to feed it, or to make it happy is simply called wastage of life. Without virtuous living and without fixing heart on the Creator’s praise, one’s life, as per the Gurbani, is a sheer wastage of time. Please remember that nothing is said against any responsibility toward the family; in other words, it is advised to perform one’s responsibility toward the family through the Guru guidance, and performing it perfectly does not demand abandonment of virtues. When virtues are mortgaged for the welfare of the family, one loses everything.

             ਜਿਵੇਂ ਰਾਤ ਵੇਲੇ (ਕਿਸੇ ਘਰ ਆਏ ਹੋਏ) ਪਰਾਹੁਣੇ ਦਿਨ ਚੜ੍ਹਨ ਤੇ (ਉਥੋਂ ਉੱਠ ਕੇ ਚੱਲ ਪੈਣਗੇ (ਤਿਵੇਂ, ਹੇ ਜੀਵ! ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਰਾਤ ਮੁੱਕਣ ਤੇ ਤੂੰ ਭੀ ਇਸ ਜਗਤ ਤੋਂ ਚੱਲ ਪਏਂਗਾ)।ਤੂੰ ਇਸ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਸਤ ਨਾਲ (ਬਾਗ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਨਾਲ) ਕਿਉਂ ਮਸਤ ਹੋਇਆ ਪਿਆ ਹੈਂ? ਇਹ ਸਾਰੀ ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਹੀ ਬਗ਼ੀਚੀ (ਸਮਾਨ) ਹੈ।੨।

ਮੇਰੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਦੀਆ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਲੋੜਿ ॥  

ਸਰਪਰ ਉਠੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਛਡਿ ਜਾਸੀ ਲਖ ਕਰੋੜਿ ॥੩॥  

Merī merī ki▫ā karahi jin ḏī▫ā so parabẖ loṛ.  

Sarpar uṯẖī cẖalṇā cẖẖad jāsīlakẖ karoṛ. ||3||

Oh mortal! Why are you shouting with claims? Seek Prabh who has given what you have. One day, you will certainly depart leaving thousands of millions right here.

             Again advice is given to eliminate claims and conceit; whatever is gathered is left behind, because nothing can be taken as one departs. If the seeker wants to realize the Creator, the responsibility toward the Creator and the Guru should always be bigger than anyone or any interest, because whatever one possesses is a gift of the Creator. And, then why the Creator should be put on a second place?

             ਇਹ ਚੀਜ਼ ਮੇਰੀ ਹੈ, ਇਹ ਜਾਇਦਾਦ ਮੇਰੀ ਹੈ-ਕਿਉਂ ਅਜੇਹਾ ਮਾਣ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈਂ? ਜਿਸ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਲੱਭ। ਇਥੋਂ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਕੂਚ ਕਰ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। (ਲੱਖਾਂ ਕ੍ਰੋੜਾਂ ਦਾ ਮਾਲਕ ਭੀ) ਲੱਖਾ ਕ੍ਰੋੜਾਂ ਰੁਪਏ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਚਲਾ ਜਾਇਗਾ।੩।

ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਭ੍ਰਮਤਿਆ ਦੁਲਭ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਾਇਓਇ ॥  

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਮਾਲਿ ਤੂੰ ਸੋ ਦਿਨੁ ਨੇੜਾ ਆਇਓਇ ॥੪॥੨੨॥੯੨॥  

Lakẖ cẖa▫orāsīh bẖarmaṯi▫āḏulabẖ janam pā▫i▫o▫e.  

Nānak nām samāl ṯūʼn so ḏin neṛā ā▫i▫o▫e. ||4||22||92||  

After wandering through eighty four existences, you have found this birth which is hard to find. Oh Nanak! Remember Naam as your end is nearing.

             In the Gurbani, wandering through many existence should never be interpreted as “many stages of life” as many do under the influence of western thoughts or other own beliefs, because the reference of various existences are repeated so much in numerous times and in numerous ways in the Gurbani that it is not possible to take “lakh Churasee Fer” as temporary stages of life . I personally tried to see if such idea can be true in any way, but I end up accepting it as “numerous existences”. And, it is this human life through which the Creator and His creation are understood and Prabh’s staged show is comprehended; therefore, it should not be wasted in trivial accomplishments.

             (ਹੇ ਭਾਈ!) ਚੌਰਾਸੀ ਲੱਖ ਜੂਨਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਭੌਂ ਭੌਂ ਕੇ ਤੂੰ ਹੁਣ ਇਹ ਮਨੁੱਖਾ ਜਨਮ ਬੜੀ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲ ਨਾਲ ਲੱਭਾ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦਾ) ਨਾਮ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਵਸਾ, ਉਹ ਦਿਨ ਨੇੜੇ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ (ਜਦੋਂ ਇਥੋਂ ਕੂਚ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ)।੪।੨੨।੯੨।

             Achieving everlasting bliss is very hard; through the Satiguru’s shabda, it becomes possible. A Sikh, who fails in this pursuit, he or she may realize it or not, the entire life is wasted in trivial things, establishments, haughty claims and futile debates. It is hard in this glittering Maya attraction – net  to follow the Guru as the Guru also states on 918 SGGS:

ਖੰਨਿਅਹੁ ਤਿਖੀ ਵਾਲਹੁ ਨਿਕੀ ਏਤੁ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਜਾਣਾ ॥

Kẖanni▫ahu ṯikẖī vālahu nikī eṯ mārag jāṇā.

The path of Sikhi is sharper than a two-edged sword and finer than a hair.

             A Sikh is a learner, and improving through learning should be his or her aim; falling down on this path is not cursed by the Guru, instead it is advised to continue on the Guru shown path with relentless determination till the goal is achieved. Running a business honestly or performing one’s assignments diligently for the financial rewards is not discouraged in the Gurbani; it is stressed to remain honest and detached to anything which takes away from the Creator. This path shown by the Guru certainly leads to everlasting ecstasy.

Interpretation in Punjabi is by Dr Sahib Singh

Humbly
G Singh

The Guru shabda, I am going to elaborate is by Third Nanak, who shares his personal experience with us through it.  It is very important to know how one gets enlightened through the Guru teachings. In the most of the shabdas in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the follower is advised to prefer Har Naam to all religious rite or rituals. Before involving with Naam, the follower must understand the concept of that Creator, whose Naam is taken as the support of life. Is it merely uttering Naam, which lifts the seeker to liberation or also a thorough change in  thinking is needed to be brought as per the Guru’s advice? In the Gurbani, it is advised to live as the Guru directs; in a nutshell, the Guru advises the followers to be one with that Creator, who exists in all and who exists independently as well. No difference is defined particularly between the Creator and His Naam (Jap Ji). The basic principle is to understand Har’s presence in all friends or foes equally; no one can exist without Har’s existence. There are people, who deny the existence of the Creator, and there are others, who strongly believe in a kind of power ruling the universes. There are those, who are known as believers, but their ways of identifying the Creator differ significantly. For the Guru followers, it doesn’t matter who is who and who believes in what; what is important to the Guru follower is to tread on a path that helps him or her in blending with the Creator, who is the source of all existence. The Gurbani clearly states that self conceit, lust, anger, greed and attachment have become a strong wall between Akalpurakh and the seeker. If the seeker remains under these negative forces and remembers Akalpurakh, he or she is simply trying to catch the wind. The following shabda can help us in this regard if we understand its vast application. No game or hair splitting is needed in following the Guru; all influences taken from other sources should be abandoned while following the Guru; the Gurbani states that seeing the Guru or sitting close to the Guru is useless if the Guru is not followed in full surrender; the Guru path is a guided path, which has no place for the follower’s own intellect or reasoning; if the Guru followers keep bringing their own intellect for further guidance, they really don’t need the Guru; they can follow their own pursuits leaving the Guru alone for those, who are ready to surrender unconditionally to the Guru.

                The Guru starts with miraculous – aspect of the Guru shabda; first it is important to know the Guru shabda and then it  should be practiced without any doubt; in this shabda, the Guru points at those persons, who simply follow their own minds; the Guru doesn’t approve their way of living in context of obtaining union with the Creator. Let us look at the shabda, it is on 601, SGGS.

ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥ 

ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੁਧੁ ਨੋ ਸਦਾ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹੈ ਸਾਸਾ ॥ 

ਇਕੁ ਪਲੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਵਿਸਰਹਿ ਤੂ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਜਾਣਉ ਬਰਸ ਪਚਾਸਾ ॥

ਹਮ ਮੂੜ ਮੁਗਧ ਸਦਾ ਸੇ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸਾ॥੧॥  

Soraṯẖ mėhlā 3.  

Har jī▫o ṯuḏẖ no saḏā sālāhī pi▫āre jicẖar gẖat anṯar hai sāsā. 

Ik pal kẖin visrahi ṯū su▫āmī jāṇa▫o baras pacẖāsā.  

Ham mūṛ mugaḏẖ saḏā se bẖā▫ī gur kai sabaḏ pargāsā. ||1|| 

Raag Sorath: Bani of Third Nanak:

In Essence: Oh Har! Oh dear! As long as I breathe I shall keep praising you. Oh Master! If I forget you for a moment, it appears I haven’t remembered you for fifty years (it is an expression about the tensed time spent without remembering Har). Oh brother! It is the Guru shabda, which has enlightened me; otherwise, I have been always a great fool.

                Now we should think about the Guru shabda. What is that Guru shabda that enlightens the mind? Is it words of Har praise or more than that? If we pay attention to the remaining shabda, we will learn that.

                ਸਾਲਾਹੀ = ਸਲਾਹੀਂ, ਮੈਂ ਸਾਲਾਹੁੰਦਾ ਰਹਾਂ। ਜਿਚਰੁ = ਜਿਤਨਾ ਚਿਰ। ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ = ਸਰੀਰ ਵਿਚ। ਸਾਸਾ = ਸਾਹ, ਜਿੰਦ। ਜਾਣਉ = ਜਾਣਉਂ, ਮੈਂ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਮੁਗਧ = ਮੂਰਖ। ਸੇ = ਸਾਂ।੧।

                ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਜੀ! (ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ) ਜਿਤਨਾ ਚਿਰ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਰੀਰ ਵਿਚ ਜਿੰਦ ਹੈ, ਮੈਂ ਸਦਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹਾਂ। ਹੇ ਮਾਲਕ-ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਜਦੋਂ ਤੂੰ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਇਕ ਪਲ-ਭਰ ਇਕ ਛਿਨ-ਭਰ ਵਿੱਸਰਦਾ ਹੈਂ, ਮੈਂ ਪੰਜਾਹ ਸਾਲ ਬੀਤ ਗਏ ਸਮਝਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਅਸੀਂ ਸਦਾ ਤੋਂ ਮੂਰਖ ਅੰਞਾਣ ਤੁਰੇ ਆ ਰਹੇ ਸਾਂ, ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਬਰਕਤਿ ਨਾਲ (ਸਾਡੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦਾ) ਚਾਨਣ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ।੧।

ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੁਮ ਆਪੇ ਦੇਹੁ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥  

ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੁਧੁ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਵਾਰਿਆ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥  

Har jī▫o ṯum āpe ḏeh bujẖā▫ī.  

Har jī▫o ṯuḏẖ vitahu vāri▫ā saḏ hī ṯere nām vitahu bal jā▫ī. Rahā▫o.  

O Har! Bless me with an understanding of knowing you. I sacrifice to you and I sacrifice to your Naam. Pause

                The Guru expresses gratitude toward Har for His grace through which he has learned an understanding of Har. The Guru has blessed the follower with Har’s grace to understand Har and to remember Har Naam.  In these verses Har Naam is to be kept in the mind to understand the Guru shabda that enlightens the mind of the follower; In the below verses, the Guru explains how he progressed through the Guru guidance.

                ਬੁਝਾਈ = ਸਮਝ। ਵਿਟਹੁ = ਤੋਂ। ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈ = ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈ, ਮੈਂ ਸਦਕੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।ਰਹਾਉ।

                ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਜੀ! ਤੂੰ ਆਪ ਹੀ (ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਣ ਦੀ ਮੈਨੂੰ) ਸਮਝ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼। ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਂ ਤੈਥੋਂ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਕੇ ਜਾਵਾਂ, ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੋਂ ਕੁਰਬਾਨ ਜਾਵਾਂ।ਰਹਾਉ।

ਹਮ ਸਬਦਿ ਮੁਏ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਜੀਵਾਲੇ ਭਾਈ ਸਬਦੇ ਹੀ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥  

ਸਬਦੇ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹੋਆ ਹਰਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਮਨਿ ਆਈ ॥  

ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰ ਦਾਤਾ ਜਿਤੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੨॥  

Ham sabaḏ mu▫e sabaḏ mār jīvāle bẖā▫ī sabḏe hī mukaṯ pā▫ī.  

Sabḏe man ṯan nirmal ho▫ā har vasi▫ā man ā▫ī.  

Sabaḏ gur ḏāṯā jiṯ man rāṯā har si▫o rahi▫ā samā▫ī. ||2|| 

Oh brother! I have become detached and conceit free through the Guru shabda and it is the shabda that has made me live rightfully; through it, I have got liberation. Through the shabda, my mind and body have become pure (from Maya filth) and Har has come to abide in me; this shabda is a gift of the Guru, who remains drenched in Har’s love and who remains absorbed in Har.

                The Guru doesn’t give a detail of the Guru instructions through this shabda; however, he refers to “detachment, void of self conceit and the gift of Naam.” Detachment is obtained from what? It is about the attachment from Maya filth (the bonds of worldly attractions), which makes the mortal forget Har Naam.. Second one is the conceit, which binds the mortal’s mind to Maya filth. The Guru shabda, after generating the feelings of detachment and eliminating self conceit, gives a new life to the follower, a life of liberation from all bonds through Naam. When worldly attractions are stopped to influence the mind, Har Naam takes over the mind. When Har Naam takes over the mind, one’s world is changed. What is that Guru shabda, which enlightens the mind, is already explained above.

                ਮੁਏ = (ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਵਲੋਂ) ਮਰ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ। ਜੀਵਾਲੇ = ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਮੁਕਤਿ = ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਖ਼ਲਾਸੀ। ਆਈ = ਆਇ, ਆ ਕੇ। ਦਾਤਾ = ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ। ਜਿਤੁ = ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ।੨।

                ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਅਸੀਂ (ਜੀਵ) ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ (ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਵਲੋਂ) ਮਰ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ, ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਹੀ (ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਵਲੋਂ) ਮਾਰ ਕੇ (ਗੁਰੂ) ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਵਿਚ ਜੁੜਿਆਂ ਹੀ ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਵਲੋਂ ਖ਼ਲਾਸੀ ਹਾਸਲ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਹੀ ਮਨ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਸਰੀਰ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਅਤੇ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਮਨ ਵਿਚ ਆ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਗੁਰੂ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਬਦ (ਹੀ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਦਾਤਿ) ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ, ਜਦੋਂ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਵਿਚ ਮਨ ਰੰਗਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਵਿਚ ਲੀਨ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।੨।

On 651, SGGS, Third Nanak explains what is the Guru shabda:

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥  

ਰੇ ਜਨ ਉਥਾਰੈ ਦਬਿਓਹੁ ਸੁਤਿਆ ਗਈ ਵਿਹਾਇ ॥  

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਨ ਜਾਗਿਓ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਨ ਉਪਜਿਓ ਚਾਉ ॥  

Salok mėhlā 3.  

Re jan uthārai ḏabi▫ohu suṯi▫ā ga▫ī vihā▫e.  

Saṯgur kā sabaḏ suṇ na jāgi▫o anṯar na upji▫o cẖā▫o.

Sloka of Third Nanak:

In essence: Oh mortal! You are oppressed by the night mare of (Maya attachment)! Your life is spent in slumber; you haven’t awakened by listening to the Satiguru’s shabda and no excitement to utter Naam has developed in you.

ਸਰੀਰੁ ਜਲਉ ਗੁਣ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਜੋ ਗੁਰ ਕਾਰ ਨ ਕਮਾਇ ॥  

ਜਗਤੁ ਜਲੰਦਾ ਡਿਠੁ ਮੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥  

ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਾਈ ਉਬਰੇ ਸਚੁ ਮਨਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਧਿਆਇ ॥੧॥  

Sarīr jala▫o guṇ bāhrā jo gur kār na kamā▫e.  

Jagaṯ jalanḏā diṯẖ mai ha▫umai ḏūjai bẖā▫e.  

Nānak gur sarṇā▫ī ubre sacẖ man sabaḏ ḏẖi▫ā▫e. ||1|| 

Let that body be burned, which has no virtues and which doesn’t do what the Guru instructs; I have seen the world burning because of conceit and love of Maya. Oh Nanak! By contemplating eternal Prabh through the Guru shabda in the Guru’s refuge, one is saved.

The Shabda continues:

ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਸੇ ਅੰਨੇ ਬੋਲੇ ਸੇ ਕਿਤੁ ਆਏ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥  

ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਵਾਰੋ ਵਾਰਾ ॥  

ਬਿਸਟਾ ਕੇ ਕੀੜੇ ਬਿਸਟਾ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਣੇ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੁਗਧ ਗੁਬਾਰਾ ॥੩॥  

Sabaḏ na jāṇėh se anne bole se kiṯ ā▫e sansārā.  

Har ras na pā▫i▫ā birthā janam gavā▫i▫ā jamėh vāro vārā.  

Bistā ke kīṛe bistā māhi samāṇe manmukẖ mugaḏẖ gubārā. ||3|| 

In Essence: Those, who do not get attached to the Guru shabda, are blind (in ignorance) and deaf; their coming to this world is useless. They don’t obtain essence of Har love and waste their lives in vain; they get born again and again. The mind slaves are foolish and ignorant and remain in the filth of Maya as the ordure worms remain absorbed in it.

                The Guru is talking about those persons, who don’t care what the Guru says about Har and what is the importance of living in Har’s love by eliminating self conceit and obtaining detachment; they don’t take interest in the Guru, they don’t obtain the magical love of Har, and their coming to this world is wasted in wrong pursuits without Har. Without Har love, in the eyes of the Guru, the life is wasted. While loving Har and living in Har’s love, the liberation from Maya bonds is achieved and the mind becomes free from worries. The Guru follower starts believing that there is none other than the Creator out there; good or bad things are a fair share of one’s life. He or she takes the life as it comes in Har’s love. iNo attachment can affect negatively then. This is the way, while alive, a Sikh obtains liberation. While alive, the Sikh becomes one with Har, the source of everything. Forgetting Har, the mind leads to soaring tides of pains and anxieties. The freedom given by the Guru is mortgaged to temporary pleasures, which lead to insatiable plight of the mind.

                ਸੇ = ਉਹ ਬੰਦੇ। ਕਿਤੁ = ਕਾਹਦੇ ਲਈ? ਵਾਰੋ ਵਾਰਾ = ਮੁੜ ਮੁੜ। ਮਨਮੁਖ = ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਤੁਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ। ਗੁਬਾਰਾ = ਹਨੇਰਾ।੩।

                ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਜੇਹੜੇ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਨਾਲ ਸਾਂਝ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਾਂਦੇ ਉਹ (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੇ ਮੋਹ ਵਿਚ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਲੋਂ) ਅੰਨ੍ਹੇ ਬੋਲੇ ਹੋਏ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਸੰਸਾਰ ਵਿਚ ਆ ਕੇ ਉਹ ਕੁਝ ਨਹੀਂ ਖੱਟਦੇ। ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਦਾ ਸੁਆਦ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦਾ, ਉਹ ਆਪਣਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਿਅਰਥ ਗਵਾ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹ ਮੁੜ ਮੁੜ ਜੰਮਦੇ ਮਰਦੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਜਿਵੇਂ ਗੰਦ ਦੇ ਕੀੜੇ ਗੰਦ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਟਿਕੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਤਿਵੇਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਤੁਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਮੂਰਖ ਮਨੁੱਖ (ਅਗਿਆਨਤਾ ਦੇ) ਹਨੇਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ (ਮਸਤ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ)।੩।

ਆਪੇ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਲਾਏ ਭਾਈ ਤਿਸੁ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥  

ਜੋ ਧੁਰਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਸੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟੈ ਭਾਈ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਈ ॥  

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸਿਆ ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਭਾਈ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ਕੋਈ ॥੪॥੪॥  

Āpe kar vekẖai mārag lā▫e bẖā▫ī ṯis bin avar na ko▫ī.  

Jo ḏẖur likẖi▫ā so ko▫e na metai bẖā▫ī karṯā kare so ho▫ī.  

Nānak nām vasi▫ā man anṯar bẖā▫ī avar na ḏūjā ko▫ī. ||4||4||  

In essence: Oh brother! The Creator does everything and watches over it; there is none other than the Creator. No one can erase the preordained destiny (Prabh’s Will), because what Prabh does, comes to pass. Oh Nanak!  When Naam abides within, one doesn’t see any other than Prabh.

                Not seeing other than Prabh is a state of mind; it comes after experiencing Prabh personally; we can talk about it, but cannot experience it unless we don’t follow the Guru guidance. The Guru makes this experience practicable. Tenth Nanak created Khalsa and guided the khalsa not to forget Prabh even in the war; the Khalsa was advised to engage in war in self defense only and spare that person who runs away from the field. That was great example of seeing nothing but Prabh even in those, who turn hostile. Seeing in them Prabh doesn’t mean to bow to them and get killed; instead, it was taught by the Guru that, in Prabh’s play, negativity must be fought to keep positivity. That is what is said in the above verses.

                ਆਪੇ = ਆਪ ਹੀ। ਕਰਿ = ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰ ਕੇ। ਵੇਖੈ = ਸੰਭਾਲਦਾ ਹੈ। ਧੁਰਿ = ਧੁਰ ਦਰਗਾਹ ਤੋਂ। ਕਰਤਾ = ਕਰਤਾਰ।੪।

                ਪਰ, ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! (ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਭੀ ਕੀਹ ਵੱਸ?) ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਆਪ ਹੀ (ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ) ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਆਪ ਹੀ (ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇ ਸਹੀ) ਰਸਤੇ ਪਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ (ਜੋ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਰਾਹ ਦੱਸ ਸਕੇ)। ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਕਰਤਾਰ ਜੋ ਕੁਝ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਹੀ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਧੁਰ ਦਰਗਾਹ ਤੋਂ (ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਮੱਥੇ ਤੇ ਲੇਖ) ਲਿਖ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ (ਹੋਰ) ਮਿਟਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਕਦਾ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਆਖ-) ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! (ਉਸ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਮੇਹਰ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਉਸ ਦਾ) ਨਾਮ (ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦੇ) ਮਨ ਵਿਚ ਵੱਸ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਈ ਹੋਰ ਇਹ ਦਾਤਿ ਦੇਣ ਜੋਗਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ।੪।੪।

                In the end, the Guru makes the follower realize that nothing is in our hands; if it were, we would have attached to Har Naam in the first place; we need the grace of our Creator, whose Will prevails. We think sometimes that we can make our destiny, in reality, we cannot. We don’t even exist without our Creator’s presence in us, how can we make our destiny? It is our Creator who leads us to that peak. How many times we have heard our Guru? Are we changed? Our sincere answer can make us understand what our Guru is saying in the last verses. Prabh exists in us, but we live without experiencing His presence. By merely saying that Prabh is in us, we cannot experience Him. The Guru paves a path with a perfect procedure; when it is followed with sincerity, experiencing Prabh’s presence within becomes certainty. When it occurs, we realize how our Creator becomes our Guru.

Interpretation in Punjabi is by Dr Sahib Singh

Humbly

G Singh