Shivpreet Singh
Shivpreet Singh
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I prepared some adlib recordings to be used for a play enacted at a ONENESS USA event in New Jersey. These can be downloaded here:

https://www.pastemagazine.com/noisetrade/music/shivpreetsingh/guru-nanak-adlibs-for-oneness-drama

On January 11, 1989 President Reagan gave his farewell address. What he said in the beginning teaches us a great lesson on leadership:
One of the things about the Presidency is that you're always somewhat apart. You spend a lot of time going by too fast in a car someone else is driving, and seeing the people through tinted glass - the parents holding up a child, and the wave you saw too late and couldn't return. And so many times I wanted to stop, and reach out from behind the glass, and connect. 
Even if you put yourself in Reagon's shoes, despite being the leader of the free world, you realize that you are not in charge. In small things and large.  When you travel in a car, you are not driving; someone else is.  And often you are going too fast. Out of your control.  You see people flashing too fast.

You can't even see clearly because there is a tinted glass that paints your view. You do not have the power to remove this glass. A semi-clear view is a compromise for your own security.

If the president sees someone hold up a child who is waving at you, you don't have the time to wave back even though you really want to.  You don't seem to have the power. This is similar to what Obama said about not having control. Both presidents remarked on this towards the end of the presidency.  What is beautiful is that there is truth in this humility. And because it is true, it has lasting power, it has the touch of greatness.

#MatDekhBhoola

There is one other thing that is apparent in this quote. That is that Reagan misses the connection; you seem to be "somewhat apart." There is a distance between you and the world. There is a separation between you and oneness.  And inevitably, you start to miss the connection.  You want to reach out from behind the glass and connect. What is incredible is that even after having all the power in the world, what you are missing is the ability to connect. You yearn to connect with people.

Consider two branches from a tree. The one that is connected to the tree remains green. It will have flowers and fruits.  The one that is not connected to the tree will shrivel and dry. It will never have flowers or fruits.

#SaghanBaasKoole

At the outset of Reagan's speech he says, may be he can change some of that missing connectivity in his speech. He said, "Well, maybe I can do a little of that tonight." His speech is his song. And this is a song of oneness because it has many of the traits of it: humility, connection and hope. The reason why these words live with us even now is because the songs of oneness never die.

#AakhanJeewan
#AakhanJor



Here is a transcript of Reagan's entire farewell address:

My fellow Americans, this is the 34th time I'll speak to you from the Oval Office, and the last. We've been together eight years now, and soon it'll be time for me to go. But before I do, I wanted to share some thoughts, some of which I have been saving for a long time.

It's been the honor of my life to be your President. So many of you have written the past few weeks to say thanks, but I could say as much to you. Nancy and I are grateful for the opportunity you gave us to serve.

One of the things about the Presidency is that you're always somewhat apart. You spend a lot of time going by too fast in a car someone else is driving, and seeing the people through tinted glass - the parents holding up a child, and the wave you saw too late and couldn't return. And so many times I wanted to stop, and reach out from behind the glass, and connect. Well, maybe I can do a little of that tonight.

People ask how I feel about leaving, and the fact is parting is "such sweet sorrow." The sweet part is California, and the ranch, and freedom. The sorrow? The goodbyes, of course, and leaving this beautiful place.

You know, down the hall and up the stairs from this office is the part of the White House where the President and his family live. There are a few favorite windows I have up there that I like to stand and look out of early in the morning. The view is over the grounds here to the Washington Monument, and then the Mall, and the Jefferson Memorial. But on mornings when the humidity is low, you can see past the Jefferson to the river, the Potomac, and the Virginia shore. Someone said that's the view Lincoln had when he saw the smoke rising from the battle of Bull Run. Well, I see more prosaic things: the grass on the banks, the morning traffic as people make their way to work, now and then a sailboat on the river. Reflections at a Window

I've been thinking a bit at that window. I've been reflecting on what the past eight years have meant, and mean. And the image that comes to mind like a refrain is a nautical one - a small story about a big ship, and a refugee, and a sailor.

It was back in the early Eighties, at the height of the boat people, and the sailor was hard at work on the carrier Midway, which was patrolling the South China Sea. The sailor, like most American servicemen, was young, smart and fiercely observant. The crew spied on the horizon a leaky little boat - and crammed inside were refugees from Indochina hoping to get to America. The Midway sent a small launch to bring them to the ship, and safety. As the refugees made their way through the choppy seas, one spied the sailor on deck, and stood up and called out to him. He yelled, "Hello, American sailor - Hello, Freedom Man."

A small moment with a big meaning, a moment the sailor, who wrote it in a letter, couldn't get out of his mind. And, when I saw it, neither could I.

Because that's what it has to - it was to be an American in the 1980's; We stood, again, for freedom. I know we always have but in the past few years the world - again, and in a way, we ourselves - rediscovered it.

It's been quite a journey this decade, and we held together through some stormy seas. And at the end, together, we are reaching our destination.

The fact is, from Grenada to the Washington and Moscow summits, from the recession of '81 to '82 to the expansion that began in late '82 and continues to this day, we've made a difference. Two Great Triumphs

The way I see it, there were two great triumphs, two things that I'm proudest of. One is the economic recovery, in which the people of America created - and filled - 19 million new jobs. The other is the recovery of our morale: America is respected again in the world, and looked to for leadership.

Something that happened to me a few years ago reflects some of this. It was back in 1981, and I was attending my first big economic summit, which was held that year in Canada. The meeting place rotates among the member countries. The opening meeting was a formal dinner for the heads of government of the seven industrialized nations. Well, I sat there like the new kid in school and listened, and it was all Francois this and Helmut that. They dropped titles and spoke to one another on a first-name basis. Well, at one point I sort of leaned in and said, "My name's Ron."

Well, in that same year, we began the actions we felt would ignite an economic comeback: cut taxes and regulation, started to cut spending. Soon the recovery began.

Two years later, another economic summit, with pretty much the same cast. At the big opening meeting, we all got together, and all of a sudden just for a moment I saw that everyone was just sitting there looking at me. And then one of them broke the silence. "Tell us about the American miracle," he said.

Well, back in 1980, when I was running for President, it was all so different. Some pundits said our programs would result in catastrophe. Our views on foreign affairs would cause war, our plans for the economy would cause inflation to soar and bring about economic collapse. I even remember one highly respected economist saying, back in 1982, that "The engines of economic growth have shut down here and they're likely to stay that way for years to come."

Well, he - and the other "opinion leaders" - were wrong. The fact is, what they called "radical" was really "right"; what they called "dangerous" was just "desperately needed." 'The Great Communicator'

And in all that time I won a nickname - "The Great Communicator." But I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference - it was the content. I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn't spring full bloom from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation - from our experience, our wisdom, and our belief in the principles that have guided us for two centuries.

They called it the Reagan Revolution, and I'll accept that, but for me it always seemed more like the Great Rediscovery: a rediscovery of our values and our common sense.

Common sense told us that when you put a big tax on something, the people will produce less of it. So we cut the people's tax rates, and the people produced more than ever before. The economy bloomed like a plant that had been cut back and could now grow quicker and stronger. Our economic program brought about the longest peacetime expansion in our history: real family income up, the poverty rate down, entrepreneurship booming and an explosion in research and new technology. We're exporting more now than ever because American industry became more competitive, and at the same time we summoned the national will to knock down protectionist walls abroad instead of erecting them at home.

Common sense also told us that to preserve the peace we'd have to become strong again after years of weakness and confusion. So we rebuilt our defenses - and this New Year we toasted the new peacefulness around the globe. Not only have the superpowers actually begun to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons - and hope for even more progress is bright - but the regional conflicts that rack the globe are also beginning to cease. The Persian Gulf is no longer a war zone, the Soviets are leaving Afghanistan, the Vietnamese are preparing to pull out of Cambodia and an American-mediated accord will soon send 50,000 Cuban troops home from Angola. 'We Changed a World'

The lesson of all this was, of course, that because we're a great nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours.

And something else we learned: once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it'll end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world.

Countries across the globe are turning to free markets and free speech - and turning away from the ideologies of the past. For them, the Great Rediscovery of the 1980's has been that, lo and behold, the moral way of government is the practical way of government. Democracy, the profoundly good, is also the profoundly productive.

When you've got to the point where you can celebrate the anniversaries of your 39th birthday you can sit back sometimes, review your life and see it flowing before you. For me, there was a fork in the river, and it was right in the middle of my life.

I never meant to go into politics: it wasn't my intention when I was young. But I was raised to believe you had to pay your way for the blessings bestowed on you. I was happy with my career in the entertainment world, but I ultimately went into politics because I wanted to protect something precious. 'We the People'

Ours was the first revolution in the history of mankind that truly reversed the course of government, and with three little words: "We the People."

"We the People" tell the Government what to do, it doesn't tell us. "We the people" are the driver - the Government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world's constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which "We the People" tell the Government what it is allowed to do. "We the people" are free.

This belief has been the underlying basis for everything I tried to do these past eight years.

But back in the 1960's when I began, it seemed to me that we'd begun reversing the order of things - that through more and more rules and regulations and confiscatory taxes, the Government was taking more of our freedom. I went into politics in part to put up my hand and say, "Stop!" I was a citizen-politician, and it seemed the right thing for a citizen to do.

I think we have stopped a lot of what needed stopping. And I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts. Actions Based on Deeds

Nothing is less free than pure communism, and yet we have, the past few years, forged a satisfying new closeness with the Soviet Union. I've been asked if this isn't a gamble, and my answer is no, because we're basing our actions not on words but deeds.

The detente of the 1970's was based not on actions but promises. They'd promise to treat their own people and the people of the world better, but the gulag was still the gulag, and the state was still expansionist, and they still waged proxy wars in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Well, this time, so far, it's different: President Gorbachev has brought about some internal democratic reforms and begun the withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has also freed prisoners whose names I've given him every time we've met.

But life has a way of reminding you of big things through small incidents. Once, during the heady days of the Moscow Summit, Nancy and I decided to break off from the entourage one afternoon to visit the shops on Arbat Street - that's a little street just off Moscow's main shopping area.

Even though our visit was a surprise, every Russian there immediately recognized us, and called out our names and reached for our hands. We were just about swept away by the warmth - you could almost feel the possibilities in all that joy. But within seconds, a K.G.B. detail pushed their way toward us and began pushing and shoving the people in the crowd. It was an interesting moment. It reminded me that while the man on the street in the Soviet Union yearns for peace, the Government is Communist - and those who run it are Communists - and that means we and they view such issues as freedom and human rights very differently. 'Keep Up Our Guard'

We must keep up our guard - but we must also continue to work together to lessen and eliminate tension and mistrust.

My view is that President Gorbachev is different from previous Soviet leaders. I think he knows some of the things wrong with his society and is trying to fix them. We wish him well. And we'll continue to work to make sure that the Soviet Union that eventually emerges from this process is a less threatening one.

What it all boils down to is this: I want the new closeness to continue. And it will as long as we make it clear that we will continue to act in a certain way as long as they continue to act in a helpful manner. If and when they don't - at first pull your punches. If they persist, pull the plug.

It's still trust - but verify.

It's still play - but cut the cards.

It's still watch closely - and don't be afraid to see what you see.

I've been asked if I have any regrets. Well, I do.

The deficit is one. I've been talking a great deal about that lately, but tonight isn't for arguments, and I'm going to hold my tongue.

But an observation: I've had my share of victories in the Congress, but what few people noticed is that I never won anything you didn't win for me. They never saw my troops; they never saw Reagan's Regiments, the American people. You won every battle with every call you made and letter you wrote demanding action. Much to Be Done

Well, action is still needed. If we're to finish the job, of Reagan's Regiments, we'll have to become the Bush Brigades. Soon he'll be the chief, and he'll need you every bit as much as I did.

Finally, there is a great tradition of warnings in Presidential farewells, and I've got one that's been on my mind for some time.

But oddly enough it starts with one of the things I'm proudest of in the past eight years; the resurgence of national pride that I called "the new patriotism." This national feeling is good, but it won't count for much, and it won't last unless it's grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge.

An informed patriotism is what we want. And are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world?

Those of us who are over 35 or so years of age grew up in a different America. We were taught, very directly, what it means to be an American, and we absorbed almost in the air a love of country and an appreciation of its institutions. If you didn't get these things from your family you got them from the neighborhood, from the father down the street who fought in Korea or the family who lost someone at Anzio. Or you could get a sense of patriotism from school. And if all else failed, you could get a sense of patriotism from the popular culture. The movies celebrated democratic values and implicitly reinforced the idea that America was special. TV was like that, too, through the mid-Sixties. Ahead, to the Nineties

But now we're about to enter the Nineties, and some things have changed. Younger parents aren't sure that an unambivalent appreciation of America is the right thing to teach modern children. And as for those who create the popular culture, well-grounded patriotism is no longer the style.

Our spirit is back, but we haven't reinstitutionalized it. We've got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise - and freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs protection.

We've got to teach history based not on what's in fashion but what's important: Why the pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant. You know, four years ago, on the 40th anniversary of D-Day. I read a letter from a young woman writing to her late father, who'd fought on Omaha Beach. Her name was Lisa Zanatta Henn, and she said, we will always remember, we will never forget what the boys of Normandy did. Well, let's help her keep her word.

If we forget what we did, we won't know who we are. I am warning of an eradication of that - of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit.

Let's start with some basics - more attention to American history and a greater emphasis of civic ritual. And let me offer lesson No. 1 about America : All great change in America begins at the dinner table. So tomorrow night in the kitchen I hope the talking begins. And children, if your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American - let 'em know and nail 'em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.

And that's about all I have to say tonight. Except for one thing.

The past few days when I've been at that window upstairs, I've thought a bit of the shining "city upon a hill." The phrase comes from John Winthrop, who wrote it to describe the America he imagined. What he imagined was important, because he was an early Pilgrim - an early "Freedom Man." He journeyed here on what today we'd call a little wooden boat, and, like the other pilgrims, he was looking for a home that would be free.

I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind, it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind swept, God blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace - a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors, and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.

That's how I saw it, and see it still. How Stands the City?

And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure and happier than it was eight years ago. But more than that: after 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm.

And she's still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the Pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.

We've done our part. And as I "walk off into the city streets," a final word to the men and women of the Reagan Revolution - the men and women across America who for eight years did the work that brought America back:

My friends, we did it. We weren't just marking time, we made a difference. We made the city stronger - we made the city freer - and we left her in good hands.

All in all, not bad. Not bad at all.

And so, goodbye.

God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
Per Emily Dickinson, life is a cycle of separation followed by everlasting love life with marble tea ....

The grave my little cottage is,
Where, keeping house for thee,
I make my parlor orderly,
And lay the marble tea,

For two divided, briefly,
A cycle, it may be,
Till everlasting life unite
In strong society.

- Emily Dickinson





इथां मैं मुठड़ी जिन्द जान बलब ।ओतां ख़ुश वसदा मुलक अरब्ब ।
हर वेले यार दी तांघ लगी ।सुंजे सीने सिक दी सांग लगी ।
डुखी दिलड़ी दे हत्थ टांघ लगी ।थै मिल मिल सूल समोले सब ।
तती थी जोगन चौधार फिरां ।हन्द सिंध पंजाब ते माड़ फिरां ।
सुंज बार ते शहर बाज़ार फिरां ।मतां यार मिलम कही सांग सबब ।
जैं डेंह दा नेंह दे शीह फट्ट्या ।लगी नेश डुखादी ऐश घट्या ।
सब जोबन जोश खरोश हट्ट्या ।सुख सड़ गए मर गई तर्हा तरब ।
तोड़ धकड़े धोड़े खांदड़ी हां ।तैंडे नाम तों मुफ़त वकांदड़ी हां ।
तैंडी बांदियां दी मैं बांदड़ी हां ।है दर द्यां कुत्यां नाल अदब ।
वाह! सोहना ढोलन यार सजन ।वाह सांवल होत हजाज़ वतन ।
आ डेख फरीद दा बैत हज़न ।हम रोज़ अज़ल दी तांघ तलब ।


This is a kafi written by Ghulam Farid. I have tried to transcribe the recordings to get the lyrics; as much as possible I have tried to transcribe this to the original Multani (Siraiki).

Ishq anokhari peerh 
seh seh sool andar de
nain vahaiyom neer 
alare zakhm jigar de

birhoon bakhera sakht avaira 
khesh kabila laayam jhera
maaryan maa pyoo veer 
dushman lok shehar de

AVAIRA - Ill-tempered 

taang avallari saang kulalari
jindri jalari dilari galari
tan man de vich teer 
maare yaar hunar de

Ishq anokhari peerh 
seh seh sool andar de
nain vahaiyom neer 
alare zakhm jigar de

ghamze sehri ramzaan vairi 
ankhiyan jaadu deed luteri
zulmi zulf zanjeer 
pechee pech kehar de

preet punnal di sik pal pal di 
maaruthal di ret azal di
dukh laawan tadbheed
jo sarde so karde

Ishq anokhari peerh 
seh seh sool andar de
nain vahaiyom neer 
alare zakhm jigar de

yaar fareed na payam phera
laya dardan dil vich dera
sar gayom sees sareer
nesaan dagh qabr de


इशक अनोखड़ी पीड़ ।सौ सौ सूल अन्दर दे ।
नैन वहायम नीर ।अल्लड़े ज़खम जिगर दे ।

बिरहों बखेड़ा सख़त आवैड़ा ।खवेश कबीला लाविम झेड़ा ।
मारग मा प्यु वीर ।दुसमन लोक शहर दे ।

तांग अवल्लड़ी सांग कलल्लड़ी ।जिन्दड़ी जलड़ी दिल्लड़ी गलड़ी ।
तन मन दे विच्च तीर ।मारे यार हुनर दे ।

ग़मजे सेहरी रमज़ां वैरी ।अक्खियां जादू दीद लुटेरी ।
जुलमीं ज़ुलफ़ ज़ंजीर ।पेची पेच कहर दे ।

पीत पुन्नल दी सिक पल पल दी ।मारूथल दी रत अज़ल दी ।
डुक्ख लाविन तड़भीड़ ।जो सरदे सो करदे ।'

puñal Noun - kaṭār, gupt 
कटार noun f.
गुप्त adj.
साहस, रहस्य आदि से युक्त कुचक्र प्रधान adj.

सिक - Sik. ਰੁਚੀ, ਚਾਹ, ਤੀਬਰ ਚਾਹ। longing, yearning. ਉਦਾਹਰਨ: ਜੇ ਤਉ ਪਿਰੀਆ ਦੀ ਸਿਕ ਹਿਆਉ ਨ ਠਾਹੇ ਕਹੀ ਦਾ ॥ Salok 14, 130:2 (P: 1384).

तड़भीड़ s. f. -- تڙڀيڙ -- Dunning, importuning, distress, difficulty, want.

तुल नेहाली डेन डिखाली ।सबर आराम दी विसरिअम चाली ।
लूं लूं लक्ख लक्ख चीर ।कारी तेग़ तबर दे ।

यार फ़रीद न पायम फेरा ।लाया दरदां दिल विच्च देरा ।
सर ग्युम सीस सरीर ।नैसां दाग़ कबर दे ।
Walt Whitman's "To the Garden, the World," is a celebration of life, love, and the cyclical nature of existence. It explores themes of renewal, resurrection, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

In the poem, the speaker addresses "Potent mates, daughters, sons," referring to the diverse and vital individuals in the world. The speaker feels a deep connection to the world and its inhabitants, emphasizing the love and life found in their bodies. The phrase "after slumber" suggests a period of rest or dormancy, followed by a reawakening or rebirth.

The poem also touches upon the idea of time and the cycles of life, with the "revolving cycles" bringing about a sense of renewal and maturity. The speaker finds everything in the world beautiful and wondrous, including their own body and the mysterious "quivering fire" within them.

Ultimately, the poem conveys a sense of contentment with the present and a recognition of the eternal connection between the speaker and nature, symbolized by the presence of Eve, who can be seen as a symbol of life and companionship. The poem celebrates the continuous journey of existence and the profound joy found in being a part of the natural world. 

It reminds me of Kabir's Gao Gao Ri Dulhani:




To the Garden, the World
- Walt Whitman

To the garden, the world, anew ascending,
Potent mates, daughters, sons, preluding,
The love, the life of their bodies, meaning and being,
Curious, here behold my resurrection, after slumber;
The revolving cycles, in their wide sweep, have brought me again,
Amorous, mature—all beautiful to me—all wondrous;
My limbs, and the quivering fire that ever plays through them, for reasons, most wondrous;
Existing, I peer and penetrate still,
Content with the present—content with the past,
By my side, or back of me, Eve following,
Or in front, and I following her just the same.

Guru Nanak's Baba Jugta Jio
Concept Composition: 19006 
New Raag

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
आसा महला १ ॥
Āsā mėhlā 1.
Aasaa, First Mehl:

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਮਨੈ ਮਹਿ ਮੁੰਦ੍ਰਾ ਖਿੰਥਾ ਖਿਮਾ ਹਢਾਵਉ ॥
गुर का सबदु मनै महि मुंद्रा खिंथा खिमा हढावउ ॥
Gur kā sabaḏ manai mėh munḏrā kẖinthā kẖimā hadẖāva▫o.
Let the Word of the Guru's Shabad be the ear-rings in your mind, and wear the patched coat of tolerance.

ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਰੈ ਭਲਾ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਉ ਸਹਜ ਜੋਗ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥
जो किछु करै भला करि मानउ सहज जोग निधि पावउ ॥१॥
Jo kicẖẖ karai bẖalā kar mān▫o sahj jog niḏẖ pāva▫o. ||1||
Whatever the Lord does, look upon that as good; thus you shall obtain the treasure of Sehj Yoga. ||1||

ਬਾਬਾ ਜੁਗਤਾ ਜੀਉ ਜੁਗਹ ਜੁਗ ਜੋਗੀ ਪਰਮ ਤੰਤ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਗੰ ॥
बाबा जुगता जीउ जुगह जुग जोगी परम तंत महि जोगं ॥
Bābā jugṯā jī▫o jugah jug jogī param ṯanṯ mėh jogaʼn.
O father, the soul which is united in union as a Yogi, remains united in the supreme essence throughout the ages.


ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਗਿਆਨ ਕਾਇਆ ਰਸ ਭੋਗੰ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अम्रितु नामु निरंजन पाइआ गिआन काइआ रस भोगं ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Amriṯ nām niranjan pā▫i▫ā gi▫ān kā▫i▫ā ras bẖogaʼn. ||1|| rahā▫o.
One who has obtained the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Immaculate Lord - his body enjoys the pleasure of spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||

ਸਿਵ ਨਗਰੀ ਮਹਿ ਆਸਣਿ ਬੈਸਉ ਕਲਪ ਤਿਆਗੀ ਬਾਦੰ ॥
सिव नगरी महि आसणि बैसउ कलप तिआगी बादं ॥
Siv nagrī mėh āsaṇ baisa▫o kalap ṯi▫āgī bāḏaʼn.
In the Lord's City, he sits in his Yogic posture, and he forsakes his desires and conflicts.

ਸਿੰਙੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਦਾ ਧੁਨਿ ਸੋਹੈ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਨਾਦੰ ॥੨॥
सिंङी सबदु सदा धुनि सोहै अहिनिसि पूरै नादं ॥२॥
Sińī sabaḏ saḏā ḏẖun sohai ahinis pūrai nāḏaʼn. ||2||
The sound of the horn ever rings out its beautiful melody, and day and night, he is filled with the sound current of the Naad. ||2||

ਪਤੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ਗਿਆਨ ਮਤਿ ਡੰਡਾ ਵਰਤਮਾਨ ਬਿਭੂਤੰ ॥
पतु वीचारु गिआन मति डंडा वरतमान बिभूतं ॥
Paṯ vīcẖār gi▫ān maṯ dandā varaṯmān bibẖūṯaʼn.
My cup is reflective meditation, and spiritual wisdom is my walking stick; to dwell in the Lord's Presence is the ashes I apply to my body.

ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਰਹਰਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪੰਥੁ ਅਤੀਤੰ ॥੩॥
हरि कीरति रहरासि हमारी गुरमुखि पंथु अतीतं ॥३॥
Har kīraṯ rahrās hamārī gurmukẖ panth aṯīṯaʼn. ||3||
The Praise of the Lord is my occupation; and to live as Gurmukh is my pure religion. ||3||

ਸਗਲੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਸੰਮਿਆ ਨਾਨਾ ਵਰਨ ਅਨੇਕੰ ॥
सगली जोति हमारी समिआ नाना वरन अनेकं ॥
Saglī joṯ hamārī sammi▫ā nānā varan anekaʼn.
My arm-rest is to see the Lord's Light in all, although their forms and colors are so numerous.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਣਿ ਭਰਥਰਿ ਜੋਗੀ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਲਿਵ ਏਕੰ ॥੪॥੩॥੩੭॥
कहु नानक सुणि भरथरि जोगी पारब्रहम लिव एकं ॥४॥३॥३७॥
Kaho Nānak suṇ bẖarthar jogī pārbarahm liv ekaʼn. ||4||3||37||
Says Nanak, listen, O Bharthari Yogi: love only the Supreme Lord God. ||4||3||37||
I am participating in an event organized by Oneness USA at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Nov 23. The organizers requested me to sing Satgur Nanak Pargateya for a portion of the program, so I made a composition yesterday and recorded it. Bhai Gurdas' love for Guru Nanak shines through this one.


Sathguru Nanak pargateya miti dund jag chanan hoya 
With the emergence of the true Guru Nanak, the mist cleared and the light scattered all around. 

Jiou(n) kar sooraj nikaliaa thaarae shhapae a(n)dhhaer paloaa

As if at the sun rise the stars disappeared and the darkness dispelled. 

Si(n)gh bukae miragaavalee bha(n)nee jaaeae n dhheer dhharoaa
With the roar of the lion in the forest the flocks of escaping deer now cannot have endurance. 

Jithhai baabaa pair dhharai poojaa aasan thhaapan soaa
Wherever Baba put his feet, a religious place was erected and established. 

Sidhh aasan sabh jagath dhae naanak aadh mathae jae koaa
All the siddh-places now have been renamed on the name of Nanak. 

Ghar ghar a(n)dhar dhharamasaal hovai keerathan sadhaa visoaa
Everyhome has become a place of dharma where singing. 

Baabae thaarae chaar chak na kha(n)dd prithhamee sachaa dtoaa
Baba liberated all four directions and nine divisions of earth. 

Guramukh kal vich paragatt hoaa 
Gurmukh (Guru Nanak) has emerged in this kaliyug, the dark age.


I am participating in an event organized by Oneness USA at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Nov 23. The organizers requested me to sing Satgur Nanak Pargateya for a portion of the program, so I made a composition yesterday and recorded myself practicing it (video below).

This is the 157th composition for this year; most of the compositions are that of or about Guru Nanak. Its been a wonderful year of singing!





Bhai Gurdas' love for Guru Nanak shines through this one.

Sathguru Nanak pargateya miti dund jag chanan hoya 
With the emergence of the true Guru Nanak, the mist cleared and the light scattered all around. 

Jiou(n) kar sooraj nikaliaa thaarae shhapae a(n)dhhaer paloaa

As if at the sun rise the stars disappeared and the darkness dispelled. 

Si(n)gh bukae miragaavalee bha(n)nee jaaeae n dhheer dhharoaa
With the roar of the lion in the forest the flocks of escaping deer now cannot have endurance. 

Jithhai baabaa pair dhharai poojaa aasan thhaapan soaa
Wherever Baba put his feet, a religious place was erected and established. 

Sidhh aasan sabh jagath dhae naanak aadh mathae jae koaa
All the siddh-places now have been renamed on the name of Nanak. 

Ghar ghar a(n)dhar dhharamasaal hovai keerathan sadhaa visoaa
Everyhome has become a place of dharma where singing. 

Baabae thaarae chaar chak na kha(n)dd prithhamee sachaa dtoaa
Baba liberated all four directions and nine divisions of earth. 

Guramukh kal vich paragatt hoaa 
Gurmukh (Guru Nanak) has emerged in this kaliyug, the dark age.

In this shabad, Guru Gobind Singh gives the same message as Guru Nanak in Japji Sahib. The highest spirituality and the deepest self is not found by searching in the wilderness; it is found by perfecting one's mind. The one who win's their own mind, conquers the world.  Lyrics and Translation of the Shabad are below.  For a deeper dive into this shabad see A Deeper Dive into Guru Gobind Singh's 'Sanyasa'



This collaboration was done with the help of one of world's best fingerstyle guitarists Muriel Anderson. You can find Muriel's amazing music on youtube and iTunes. For more info visit her website https://www.murielanderson.com.

The shabad is sung in Raag Jansammohini which is similar to Kalavati but a "Re" is added in the Avroh.  This tune was made immortal by the voice of Asha Bhosle and the composition of S. Mohinder in the movie Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai.

Video footage is from the day of the recording in Highland Studios in Santa Cruz in January 2018.  The vocal recording is primarily from the one-take live recording of this shabad. The guitar track was re-mixed to conform to the new arrangement.  Piano and some synths was added later in my home studio.


Lyrics and Translation of the Shabad are below.  For a deeper dive into this shabad see A Deeper Dive into Guru Gobind Singh's 'Sanyasa'

ਰਾਗ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਪਾਤਸਾਹੀ ੧੦ ॥
Raaga Raamkalee Paatasaahee 10 ॥
RAMKALI OF THE TENTH KING

ਰੇ ਮਨ ਐਸੋ ਕਰਿ ਸੰਨਿਆਸਾ ॥
Re Man Aaiso Kari Saanniaasaa:
O mind ! the asceticism be practised in this way :

ਬਨ ਸੇ ਸਦਨ ਸਬੈ ਕਰ ਸਮਝਹੁ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ਉਦਾਸਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥Ban Se Sadan Sabai Kar Samajhahu Man Hee Maahi Audaasaa ॥1॥ Rahaau ॥
Consider your house as the forest and remain unattached within yourself…..Pause.

ਜਤ ਕੀ ਜਟਾ ਜੋਗ ਕੋ ਮਜਨੁ ਨੇਮ ਕੇ ਨਖੁਨ ਬਢਾਓ ॥
Jata Kee Jattaa Joga Ko Majanu Nema Ke Nakhuna Badhaao ॥
Consider continence as the matted hair, Yoga as the ablution and daily observances as your nails,

ਗਿਆਨ ਗੁਰੂ ਆਤਮ ਉਪਦੇਸਹੁ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਭੂਤ ਲਗਾਓ ॥੧॥
Giaan Guroo Aatama Aupadesahu Naam Bibhoota Lagaao ॥1॥
Consider the knowledge as the preceptor giving lessons to you and apply the Name of the Lord as ashes.1.

ਅਲਪ ਅਹਾਰ ਸੁਲਪ ਸੀ ਨਿੰਦ੍ਰਾ ਦਯਾ ਛਿਮਾ ਤਨ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥Alapa Ahaara Sulapa See Niaandaraa Dayaa Chhimaa Tan Pareeti ॥
Eat less and sleep less, cherish mercy and forgiveness

ਸੀਲ ਸੰਤੋਖ ਸਦਾ ਨਿਰਬਾਹਿਬੋ ਹ੍ਵੈਬੋ ਤ੍ਰਿਗੁਣ ਅਤੀਤ ॥੨॥
Seela Saantokh Sadaa Nribaahibo Havaibo Triguna Ateet ॥2॥
Practise gentleness and contentment and remain free from three modes.2.

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਹੰਕਾਰ ਲੋਭ ਹਠ ਮੋਹ ਨ ਮਨ ਮੋ ਲਯਾਵੈ ॥Kaam Karodha Haankaara Lobha Hattha Moha Na Man Mo Layaavai ॥
Keep your mind unattached from lust, anger, greed, insistence and infatuation,

ਤਬ ਹੀ ਆਤਮ ਤਤ ਕੋ ਦਰਸੈ ਪਰਮ ਪੁਰਖ ਕਹ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੩॥੧॥Taba Hee Aatama Tata Ko Darsai Parma Purkh Kaha Paavai ॥3॥1॥
Then you will visualize the supreme essence and realise the supreme Purusha.3.1.


This album is in celebration of the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free access for the lovers of Guru Nanak to go from India to the Pakistani town of Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life. Much thanks to Janapriyan Levine who helped arrange a couple of the shabads in this album, and also to Jeremy Marais and Abhijit Chakraborty for playing the Saxophone and Bass respectively in one shabad each.

Notes in preparing for a talk in NY this weekend -


Do well by doing good is an English idiom that has been used since the 19th century. Sometimes it is attributed to Benjamin Franklin but its true origins are not known. 

Listening to the songs of the wind. Or hearing oneness. If you would ask Gurbani's perspective on this it would be, be ecstatic by remembering the essence. 

Remembrance of the essence is the most important thing. Thinking precedes speech and action. We think we can be well by doing good, but there is no guarantee. There are so many who have done good that are not preceded by being well.  There are so many good things you may have done, and these things haven't led to. 

Maanu ghalai, Uthi chalai
Saad Naahi, Ehevi galai

The tasteful life is not to come here and work hard. 

Work hard. Share. Remember Naam. 

I am ambivalent if this is a good starting point. But I am confident that this is not where we want to end up. 

Kal Meh Raam Naam Saar
Naam is the source of illumination in dark times

Aakhan Aukha Saacha Nao - 
If you want to say the true name, it is hard
It is difficult to do go good deeds

Because there are competing deeds
Because you may require courage. 


From Sukhmani Sahib:

Sarab Dharam meh saraysat Dharam.
Of all religions, the best religion
Har ko naam jap nirmal karam.
is to chant the Name of the Lord and do good deeds.
... Complete Shabad


Businesses -

Ethics
Morality
Social Responsibility

Doing Well by Doing Good - Business
https://hbr.org/2012/06/a-brief-history-of-doing-well


An inspiring speech by a Sikh Graduate from the Haas School of Business
https://shivpreetsingh.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-business-of-doing-good.html
Today Mexicans are celebrating Día de Muertos ... the day of the dead. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. In Mexican culture, as it is in many cultures, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them.

Altardediademuertos.jpg
I like the fact that we can devote one day for the departed souls so we can get on with life the rest of the year, versus celebrating different days for every person you know. In our family, we started doing a thanksgiving kirtan a few years ago in remembrance of our departed elders. Its amazing how the love for ancestors appears in different cultures.

I am also especially fascinated by the similarities between words in languages.  Dia, day and divas/din in Spanish, English, Punjabi/Hindi/Sanskrit are similar. And meurtos and mrityu are again similar in Spanish and Punjabi/Hindi/Sanskrit. And of course, we have mortal in English potentially using the same root. To me it is obvious that some of the roots of these words come from an ancient language that was common between humans.

So many words are then made from these words. For example, in Punjabi/Hindi/Sanskrit, Amrit, or the nectar of life is A-mrit ... not dying! The city established by Guru Arjan is called Amritsar, A-mrit-sar ... the sarovar of A-mrit ... or the lake of perpetual life.

The common roots of words, the commonality of human experience and then using those building blocks and developing languages and related culture is truly amazing. The soul is compelled in amazement, to say, Wow! Waheguru!



Following is a playlist of shabads for Antim Sanskar/Death/Funeral Services:

These are notes for katha on Oct 27, 2019 on Diwali. Also continuing the 2 year long Guru Nanak 550 project.



Guru Nanak composed Bani (974 shabads) in 19 Raags: Sri raag, Majh, Gauri, Asa. Gujri, Wadhans, Sorath, Dhanasri, Tilang, Suhi, Bilawal, Ramkali, Tukhaari, Bhairav, Basant, Sarang, Malhaar and Prabhati.

We have covered Sri Raag or Shri Raag through Dhanasri until last time, but for Diwali it is apt to do Shri and Dhanasri once more.  It also marks a half way point through all the raags of Guru Nanak. These will continue through next year. 

One shabad in Dhanasri and one in Sri -

ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥

ਗਗਨ ਮੈ ਥਾਲੁ ਰਵਿ ਚੰਦੁ ਦੀਪਕ ਬਨੇ ਤਾਰਿਕਾ ਮੰਡਲ ਜਨਕ ਮੋਤੀ ॥
ਧੂਪੁ ਮਲਆਨਲੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਚਵਰੋ ਕਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬਨਰਾਇ ਫੂਲੰਤ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੧॥

ਕੈਸੀ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
ਅਨਹਤਾ ਸਬਦ ਵਾਜੰਤ ਭੇਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤੋੁਹੀ ॥
ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥

ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥

ਹਰਿ ਚਰਣ ਕਵਲ ਮਕਰੰਦ ਲੋਭਿਤ ਮਨੋ ਅਨਦਿਨੋੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਆਹੀ ਪਿਆਸਾ ॥
ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਜਲੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਰਿੰਗ ਕਉ ਹੋਇ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਇ ਵਾਸਾ ॥੪॥੩॥


ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ਪਹਿਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥

ਮੋਤੀ ਤ ਮੰਦਰ ਊਸਰਹਿ ਰਤਨੀ ਤ ਹੋਹਿ ਜੜਾਉ ॥
ਕਸਤੂਰਿ ਕੁੰਗੂ ਅਗਰਿ ਚੰਦਨਿ ਲੀਪਿ ਆਵੈ ਚਾਉ ॥
ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੧॥

ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਜੀਉ ਜਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਉ ॥
ਮੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਛਿ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਅਵਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਥਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਧਰਤੀ ਤ ਹੀਰੇ ਲਾਲ ਜੜਤੀ ਪਲਘਿ ਲਾਲ ਜੜਾਉ ॥
ਮੋਹਣੀ ਮੁਖਿ ਮਣੀ ਸੋਹੈ ਕਰੇ ਰੰਗਿ ਪਸਾਉ ॥
ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੨॥

ਸਿਧੁ ਹੋਵਾ ਸਿਧਿ ਲਾਈ ਰਿਧਿ ਆਖਾ ਆਉ ॥
ਗੁਪਤੁ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ਬੈਸਾ ਲੋਕੁ ਰਾਖੈ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੩॥

ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਹੋਵਾ ਮੇਲਿ ਲਸਕਰ ਤਖਤਿ ਰਾਖਾ ਪਾਉ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹਾਸਲੁ ਕਰੀ ਬੈਠਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਭ ਵਾਉ ॥
ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੪॥੧॥


ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਕੋਟਿ ਕੋਟੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਆਰਜਾ ਪਵਣੁ ਪੀਅਣੁ ਅਪਿਆਉ ॥
ਚੰਦੁ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਦੁਇ ਗੁਫੈ ਨ ਦੇਖਾ ਸੁਪਨੈ ਸਉਣ ਨ ਥਾਉ ॥
ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੧॥

ਸਾਚਾ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ਨਿਜ ਥਾਇ ॥
ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਖਣੁ ਆਖਣਾ ਜੇ ਭਾਵੈ ਕਰੇ ਤਮਾਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਕੁਸਾ ਕਟੀਆ ਵਾਰ ਵਾਰ ਪੀਸਣਿ ਪੀਸਾ ਪਾਇ ॥
ਅਗੀ ਸੇਤੀ ਜਾਲੀਆ ਭਸਮ ਸੇਤੀ ਰਲਿ ਜਾਉ ॥
ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੨॥

ਪੰਖੀ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਜੇ ਭਵਾ ਸੈ ਅਸਮਾਨੀ ਜਾਉ ॥
ਨਦਰੀ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਆਵਊ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਪੀਆ ਨ ਖਾਉ ॥
ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੩॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਾਗਦ ਲਖ ਮਣਾ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਕੀਚੈ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਮਸੂ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਲੇਖਣਿ ਪਉਣੁ ਚਲਾਉ ॥
ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੪॥੨॥




ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਜੀਉ ਜਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਉ ॥
Guru Nanak talks about what is important to remember. The name of the lord. 


It is very difficult - hearing is difficult ... it is difficult to ascertain your value. 
ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੧॥

ਤਮਾਇ 
Tama - means Desire and also means Night

How to remember ... he starts

Dear friends ... my celebration for #GuruNanak550 continues as I release a new colorful album today, "Rang Rataa," which has five shabads in five different colors. Rang means color, and rataa means imbued.


The first shabad, Rang Rataa, which was released earlier this year as a single, features one of the best finger guitarists in the US and my wonderful friend, Muriel Anderson. This is one of the two compositions of this shabad ... the other one in Raag Shri is still in the making. The other four shabads are in the raag that Guru Nanak used to sing in.

My special gratitude to my dear friend Ahsan Ali for pouring his immense love and co-producing Mere Laal Rangeele in Raag Tukhari (a raag that Guru Nanak composed himself). In Mera Prabh Raang Guru Nanak uses Rajasthani and is sung in Raag Parbhati.

Kusambhare is a Baba Sheikh Farid shabad about the impermanence of life like the color of a flower, which Guru Nanak used to sing in Raag Suhi Lalit. This is a new take on this raag and I will explain at some point why I believe Guru Nanak sang it like this. The last shabad, "Manjeethra" in Raag Suhi is a direct response of Guru Nanak to the previous shabad "Kusambhare" and talks about how the color of Name is "Manjeethra" or permanent despite the impermanence of life.

You should be able to find the audio versions of this shabad on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube and many other platforms.

May you all be imbued in the color of love. Now I can continue on the celebration ...

Links to Music: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Google Music, YouTube Music

Mir Taqi Mir Websites

https://www.rekhta.org/poets/meer-taqi-meer/miiriyaat
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00garden/radif_index.html
https://www.sadpoetry.org/category/urdu-poets/mir-taqi-mir-poetry/
https://www.sabrangindia.in/column/mir-taqi-mir-romancer-delhi
https://www.ranjish.com/shayari/urdu-poets/meer-taqi-meer
http://www.uramamurthy.com/mir.html#Mir2
https://www.hindi-kavita.com/HindiMirTaqiMir.php


So Dar Keha is a poem written by Guru Nanak. It is the largest poem among the Japji Sahib Canon.  I believe it is the poem that crystalizes Guru Nanak's key message that one's highest state (God) can be attained through singing.  Hopefully sometime I will do a translation of this. I have derived purpose from this poem. Like the Guru says, “I was just merely a singer, you give me purpose.” When I say, “The purpose of life is to sing,” people think I came up with this. This is untrue. This is something I have learned directly from the Guru. This is nothing but a message of the Guru. And So Dar is one of the poems that helped me crystallize this message of the Guru. 

Here is a translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa. More writings on Where God Lives. 

Translation of So Dar Keha by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa: 

Where is that Gate, and where is that Dwelling, in which You sit and take care of all?

The Soundcurrent of the Naad vibrates there, and countless musicians play on all sorts of instruments there.
So many Ragas, so many musicians singing there.

The praanic wind, water and fire sing; the Righteous Judge of Dharma sings at Your Door.
Chitr and Gupt, the angels of the conscious and the subconscious who record actions, and the Righteous Judge of Dharma who judges this record sing.
Shiva, Brahma and the Goddess of Beauty, ever adorned, sing.
Indra, seated upon His Throne, sings with the deities at Your Door.
The Siddhas in Samaadhi sing; the Saadhus sing in contemplation.
The celibates, the fanatics, the peacefully accepting and the fearless warriors sing.
The Pandits, the religious scholars who recite the Vedas, with the supreme sages of all the ages, sing.
The Mohinis, the enchanting heavenly beauties who entice hearts in this world, in paradise, and in the underworld of the subconscious sing.
The celestial jewels created by You, and the sixtyeight holy places of pilgrimage sing.
The brave and mighty warriors sing; the spiritual heroes and the four sources of creation sing.
The planets, solar systems and galaxies, created and arranged by Your Hand, sing.
They alone sing, who are pleasing to Your Will. Your devotees are imbued with the Nectar of Your Essence.
So many others sing, they do not come to mind. O Nanak, how can I consider them all?

That True Lord is True, Forever True, and True is His Name.
He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe which He has created departs.
He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya.
Having created the creation, He watches over it Himself, by His Greatness.
He does whatever He pleases. No order can be issued to Him.
He is the King, the King of kings, the Supreme Lord and Master of kings. Nanak remains subject to His Will. ||27||



Lyrics in Gurmukhi

ਸੋ ਦਰੁ ਕੇਹਾ ਸੋ ਘਰੁ ਕੇਹਾ ਜਿਤੁ ਬਹਿ ਸਰਬ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥
ਵਾਜੇ ਨਾਦ ਅਨੇਕ ਅਸੰਖਾ ਕੇਤੇ ਵਾਵਣਹਾਰੇ ॥
ਕੇਤੇ ਰਾਗ ਪਰੀ ਸਿਉ ਕਹੀਅਨਿ ਕੇਤੇ ਗਾਵਣਹਾਰੇ ॥

ਗਾਵਹਿ ਤੁਹਨੋ ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਗਾਵੈ ਰਾਜਾ ਧਰਮੁ ਦੁਆਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਲਿਖਿ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਧਰਮੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਈਸਰੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਦੇਵੀ ਸੋਹਨਿ ਸਦਾ ਸਵਾਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਇੰਦ ਇਦਾਸਣਿ ਬੈਠੇ ਦੇਵਤਿਆ ਦਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਸਿਧ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਗਾਵਨਿ ਸਾਧ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਨਿ ਜਤੀ ਸਤੀ ਸੰਤੋਖੀ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਵੀਰ ਕਰਾਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਨਿ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਪੜਨਿ ਰਖੀਸਰ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਵੇਦਾ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਮੋਹਣੀਆ ਮਨੁ ਮੋਹਨਿ ਸੁਰਗਾ ਮਛ ਪਇਆਲੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਨਿ ਰਤਨ ਉਪਾਏ ਤੇਰੇ ਅਠਸਠਿ ਤੀਰਥ ਨਾਲੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਜੋਧ ਮਹਾਬਲ ਸੂਰਾ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਖਾਣੀ ਚਾਰੇ ॥
ਗਾਵਹਿ ਖੰਡ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਰਭੰਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਖੇ ਧਾਰੇ ॥
ਸੇਈ ਤੁਧੁਨੋ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵਨਿ ਰਤੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਗਤ ਰਸਾਲੇ ॥
ਹੋਰਿ ਕੇਤੇ ਗਾਵਨਿ ਸੇ ਮੈ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਨਿ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੇ ॥

ਸੋਈ ਸੋਈ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਚੀ ਨਾਈ ॥
ਹੈ ਭੀ ਹੋਸੀ ਜਾਇ ਨ ਜਾਸੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਰਚਾਈ ॥
ਰੰਗੀ ਰੰਗੀ ਭਾਤੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਿਨਸੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਉਪਾਈ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸ ਦੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਕਰਸੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਰਣਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
ਸੋ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੁ ਸਾਹਾ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਹਣੁ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੨੭॥



I'm reading this poem by Victor Hugo today and it reminds me of Guru Nanak's words So Dar Keha So Ghar Keha.

When there is no distraction and I am alone under the night sky and at the shore listening. Without the world's distraction, I can really hear; when the clouds are not hiding the stars, and sails are not dotting the sea, I start hearing louder,  I start seeing deeper. The forests, mountains and nature are asking an important question to the waves of the sea and the fires of the sky; and the waves of the sea and the fires of the skies respond, "It is the Lord, the Lord our God."  The creator, the doer.

When there is no distraction and you can really hear, when the clouds are not hiding the stars, and sails are not dotting the sea, I start hearing louder,  I start seeing deeper. The creator, the doer.



Rapture

And then I heard a loud voice.
- Revelations

Alone with all the stars above and ocean under me,
Not a cloud in heaven, not a sail on the sea,
I started seeing deeper than the real world rushing by.
And the forests, the mountains, nature, everything,
Seemed to speak and question, in confused murmuring,
    The waves of the sea, the fires in the sky.

And the infinite legions of stars that one sees,
In a loud voice, a deep voice, a thousand harmonies,
Were singing, and their fiery coronas seemed to nod;
And the breakers, which can never be chained and never rest,
Were singing, curling back the foaming on their crest:
   ‘It is the Lord, the Lord our God!’

Victor Hugo. Selected Poetry


He put the Belt around my life—
I heard the Buckle snap—
And turned away, imperial,
My Lifetime folding up—
Deliberate, as a Duke would do
A Kingdom's Title Deed—
Henceforth—a Dedicated sort—
A Member of the Cloud—

Yet not too far to come at call—
And do the little Toils
That make the Circuit of the Rest—
And deal occasional smiles
To lives that stoop to notice mine—
And kindly ask it in—
Whose invitation, know you not
For Whom I must decline?

- Emily Dickinson



The supreme giver of the creative powers gives me my purpose, and he holds me to it. He holds me in my place as if it were belt with its buckle snapped. I am such enslaved by the master. The activities of my life are constrained to my gift. Even though I might appear near these earthly beings, I have become a dedicated member of a higher realm, an ethereal member of the cloud. 

When the giver of the creative power remains imperial and turns away, why do other people care what I do with them. These other people do their little toils and want me to be a part of their circuit. They invite me into their realms. But all I have for them is a non-committal smile. 

Don't get me wrong. I am thankful for their kindness. For allegedly stooping down to notice my lowly existence. But they don't know me. They don't know my stratospheric flight of creativity. And they don't know wherefrom this comes from. I must decline their invitations.

The world wants to force their circuits upon me. But I must resist. I must realize that I am a member of the cloud. And I must realize that I am entitled to be there from the imperial creator. I am entitled to write my poems, to sing my songs. I am not to be the slave of any one else. It is absolutely OK for me to remain a member of the cloud.

The purpose of life is to sing!

Misinterpretation of Guru Nanak’s Teachings, Part I
Baldev Singh
316 R Glad Way, Collegeville, PA 19426 USA




ABSTRACT
Professor W. H. McLeod has claimed that Guru Nanak accepted the theory of karma and transmigration, but Aad Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS), which is the only authentic source of Guru Nanak’s teachings, rejects these beliefs unequivocally.

INTRODUCTION
Misinterpretation of gurbani (sacred hymns of AGGS) and misrepresentation of Sikhism is not a new thing in the history of the Sikhs. It started right during the time of the Sikh Gurus and is still going on. It is not only the non-Sikh scholars, but many Sikh scholars are doing so either ignorantly or innocently or for personal reasons.1 Recently, while browsing through the religious section of a library, reviewer’s comments on the cover of McLeod’s Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion caught my attention.2

“W. H. McLeod is widely known as being among the foremost scholars of Sikh studies in the world. In his analysis and comparison of his sources Dr McLeod’s touch is so sure, his critical faculty so acute, his zest in unraveling the truth so patent and the sheer scholarly honesty of the enterprise so palpable that the turgid and sometimes the puerile fables acquire a new interest, and the very process of exact scholarship which can be so tedious becomes fascinating and absorbing.”

Notwithstanding this laudatory review, I found several statements and the elucidation of many verses in Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion to be inconsistent with teachings of AGGS, 3 which is the only authentic source of Nankian philosophy (Guru Nanak’s teachings, Gurmat). McLeod is widely known for his controversial views regarding Sikhism. His works have received in-depth scrutiny from many Sikh scholars. However, to my knowledge his interpretation of gurbani has gone unnoticed. This article examines his interpretation of gurbani on the touchstone of Nankian philosophy enshrined in the AGGS.

DISCUSION

Karmi and Karma
While elaborating on the differences between Sufis and Guru Nanak, McLeod remarks, “The obvious example of this is his acceptance of the doctrines of karma and transmigration.”4 But later on he says that Guru Nanak rejected the caste system. “Guru Nanak emphatically condemned pride based upon caste status, notions of purity and contamination arising out of caste distinction, and above all any suggestion that caste standing was either necessary or advantageous in the individual’s approach to God.”5

How did he reach the conclusion that Guru Nanak accepted the doctrines of karma and transmigration? Why would Guru Nanak accept the doctrine of karma, which justifies the caste system? It is difficult to believe that a “skeptical historian” like McLeod is not familiar with the history of caste system? May be it is McLeodian way of expressing gratitude to his research supervisor⎯A. L. Basham, the author of The Wonder that was India 6⎯who knew nothing about Guru Nanak and little about Punjabi language. 7

Caste system was originally imposed on the dark complexioned natives as Varna Ashrama Dharma (color, place and duty) by the Caucasian conquerors of the Indus Valley. This was similar to the Apartheid system of South Africa based on racial superiority and segregation. Later on, Varna Ashrama Dharma was changed into the caste system by dividing the Indian society into four castes.8 And it was designed to serve the interests of Brahmans⎯the uppermost caste⎯at the expense of a vast majority of people belonging to lower castes⎯the bulk of whom were Shudars (lowest caste). Religious sanction was invoked in order to perpetuate the caste system for eternity. Hindu scriptures proclaimed that God sanctioned the caste system.8 Strict observance of caste rules and regulations was made the essence of Hindu religion and transgressors were severely punished.

Later on came the doctrines of karma and transmigration to desensitize people’s sense of justice and compassion against the atrocities committed on the masses to enforce the caste system.9 According to the laws of karma and transmigration, one reaps the fruit in this life for the deeds performed in the past life. So, if a person is subjected to injustice and cruelty in this life, it is the due to one’s own actions in the previous life, not due to the perpetrators of cruelty and injustice. By observing the caste rules strictly and serving the superior castes faithfully one can earn the reward for next life. Even modern Hindu leaders like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi believed in the validity and sanctity of the Varna Ashrama Dharma / caste system.

“There is something in caste, so far as it means blood: such a thing as heredity there is, certainly. Now try to [understand]—why do you not mix blood with the Negroes, the American Indians? Nature will not allow you. Nature does not allow you to mix your blood with them. There is unconscious working that saves the race. That was the Aryan’s caste…. The Hindus believe—that is a peculiar belief, I think; and I do not know, I have nothing to say to the contrary, I have not found anything to the contrary—they believe there was only one civilized race: the Aryan. Until he gives the blood, no other race can be civilized.”…

From a speech delivered by Swami Vivekananada on February 2, 1900, in Pasadena, California. Singh, G. B. Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity, 2004 p 239-240.

“I do not believe the caste system to be an odious and vicious dogma. It has its limitations and defects but there is nothing sinful about it.
Mahatma Gandhi, Harijan, 1933.
“I believe in Varnasharma (caste system) which is the law of life…. The law of Varna (color and / or caste is nothing but the law of conservation of energy. Why should my son not be a scavenger if I am one?”
Mahatma Gandhi, Harijan, March 6, 1947.
“He Shudra (lowest caste) may not be called a Brahman (uppermost caste) though he (Shudra may have all the qualities of a Brahman in this birth. And it is good thing for him (Shudra) not to arrogate a Varna (caste) to which he is not born. It is a sign of true humility.”
Mahatma Gandhi, Young India, November 24, 1927.

On the other hand Guru Nanak preached universal love, respect, justice and equality and proclaimed solidarity with the lowest of lowest

sBu ko aUcw AwKIAY nIcu n dIsY koie ]
ieknY BWfy swijAY ieku cwnxu iqhu loie ]
Consider everyone high as I don’t see anyone low. One, Whose light permeates the entire creation, creates all.
AGGS, M 1, p 62.

schu ErY sBu ko aupir scu Awcwru ]
Truth is higher than every thing but still higher is truthful living.
AGGS, M 1, p 62.

kQw khwxI bydI AwxI pwpu puMnu bIcwru ]
dy dy lyxw lY LyY dyxw nrik surig Avqwr ]
auqm miDm jwqI ijnsI Birm BvY sMswru ]
It is the teachings of Vedas, which has created the concepts of sin and virtue, hell and heaven, and karma and transmigration. One reaps the reward in the next life for the deeds performed in this life⎯goes to hell or heaven according to the deeds. The Vedas have also created the fallacy of inequality of caste and gender for the world.
AGGS, M 2, p 1243.

jwiq kw grbu n kir mUrK gvwrw ]
iesu grbu qy cilh bhuqu ivkwrw ] 1 ] rhwau ]
cwry vrn AwKY sBu koeI ]
bRhmu ibMd qy sB Epiq hoeI ]
O ignorant fool, don’t be arrogant about your high caste as it can lead to degeneration. Pause. Everyone talks about the four castes without realising that all are created from the seed of God.
AGGS, M 3, p 1128.

eyku ipqw eyks ky hm bwirk qU myrw gur hweI ]
There is one Father and we are His progeny and you are my fellow disciple.
AGGS, M 5, p 611.

nIcw AMdir nIc jwiq nIcI hU Aiq nIcu ]
nwnku iqn kY sMig swiQ vifAw isau ikAw rIs ]
ijQY nIc smwlIAin iqQY ndir qyrI bKsIs ]
Nanak will stand by the lowest of the lowest, not with the elite. Where there is compassion and care for the downtrodden, there is Divine grace.
AGGS, M1, p 15.

Contrary to Mcleod’s views, Guru Nanak rejected all the essentials of Hinduism and the moral authority of Hindu sacred texts. 10, 11, and 12
Some examples from Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion have been selected for discussion in this article to demonstrate misinterpretation of Guru Nanak’s thoughts.

On page 205 karmi aavai kpra nadri mokh duar (krmI AwvY kpVw ndrI moKu duAwru) has been interpreted as: “karma determines the nature of our birth (lit. cloth), but it is through grace that the door of salvation is found.”

There are three mistakes in this interpretation. First, a single verse from a stanza of seven verses, which are interconnected, has been interpreted out of context. Second, karmi (krmI) is not derived from karam (Punjabi) or karma (Sanskrit) meaning actions, it is derived from karam (Persian) meaning kindness or favor. Third, though, kapra (kpVw) has been used as a metaphor for human body in the AGGS, but in this verse it means cloth or clothing, a metaphor for God’s love. Moreover, there are numerous verses in AGGS in the form of questions and answers. Lack of attention to such verses could result in their misinterpretation.

In contrast to McLeod, almost a century ago, Macauliffe interpreted this verse accurately.13

swcw swihbu swcu nwie BwiKAw Bwau Apwru]
AwKih mMgih dyih dyih dwiq kry dwqwru]
Pyir ik AgY rKIAY ijqu idsY drbwru]
muhO ik bolxu bolIAY ijqu sux Dry ipAwru]
AMimRq vylw scu nwau vifAweI vIcwru]
krmI AwvY kpVw ndrI moKu duAwru]
nwnk eyvY jwxIAY sBu Awpy sicAwru
True is the Lord, true is his name; it is uttered with endless love.
People pray and beg, ‘Give us, give us’; the Giver giveth His gifts.
Then what can we offer Him whereby His court may be seen?
What words shall we utter with our lips, on hearing which He may love us?
At the ambrosial hour of morning meditate on true Name and God’s greatness.
The Kind One will give us a robe of honour, and by His favuor we shall reach the gate of salvation.
Nanak, we shall thus know that God is altogether true.
AGGS, M 1, P 2.

The examination of the stanza reveals that the first two verses describe the greatness of God. God’s bounty is unlimited and whatever we posses is God’s gift to us. The third and fourth verses are questions: then what should we do or offer to God to win His love? The fifth and sixth verses are answers to the third and fourth verses: if we meditate on God constantly then He will love us resulting in union with Him. In this stanza there is no mention of past or future life. Karma (actions) is described in the fifth verse.

Professor Sahib Singh has also interpreted this verse the same way as Macauliffe has done.15 (This way) the Gracious One gives a scarf of (meditating on His greatness). (The wall of falsehood) is eliminated by God’s kindness and the door of salvation is opened to the devotee [(ies qrHwN) pRBU dI imhr nwl ‘isPq’-rUp ptolw imldw hY, ausdI ikrpw-idRStI nwl ‘kUV dI pwl’ qoN KlwsI huMdI hY qy r`b dw dr pRwpq ho jwNdw hY[].

Both, Macauliffe and Sahib Singh have interpreted kapra (kpVw) as cloth. However, due to cultural differences one calls it a robe of honor and the other calls it a scarf of love. Both robe and scarf are metaphor for God’s love.
Additionally, the meaning of kapra (kpVw) as cloth becomes abundantly clear from Guru Nanak’s use of this word in another stanza. For example, in his discussions with yogis Guru Nank said:

hau FwFI vykwru kwrY lwieAw]
rwiq idhY kY vwr Durhu PurmwieAw]
FwFI scY mihl Ksim bulwieAw]
scI isPiq swlwh kpVw pwieAw]
I was an unemployed minstrel (dhadi), but the Master gave me an occupation. He called me to His abode of Truth and ordered me to sing His praises day and night. And honored me with a robe (kapra paya, kpVw pwieAw) of “propagating His true glory.”
AGGS, M 1, p 150.

On several other pages 42, 398, 470, 962, 1094, 1098 of the AGGS, kapr (kpV, kpiV, kpVu) has been used for clothes. Thus using the correct meaning of karmi (krmI) and kapra (kpVw) the verse karmi aavai kpra nadri mokh duar (krmI AwvY kpVw ndrI moKu duAwru) should be interpreted as:
Then the Bounteous One will reward us with His love and by His grace the door of salvation will open for us.

Moreover, Pashaura Singh has cited the interpretation of this verse by Giani Badan Singh as follows:

“Through the Lord’s gracious glance one achieves the robe of honor in the form of loving devotion (bhakti), by means of which one reaches the door to liberation in the form of knowledge [(ndrI) hrI kI ikRpw idRStI sy (kpVw) BgqI rUp isrpwau imlqw hY AOr iqs sy moK kw dvwrw gXwn pRwpq hoqw hY[].”
Commenting on McLeod’s interpretation of this verse, Pashaura Singh points out: “Here there is no mention of the role of the past actions (karmi) in the interpretation of this line from Japji. Rather, the emphasis is placed on the dual function of divine grace which paves the way for the loving devotion in the first place and then for the knowledge of the door to liberation.”15
The claim that Guru Nanak accepted the theory of karma and transmigration is contrary to Guru Nank’s teachings. In the beginning of his composition of Japu on the opening page of AGGS, Guru Nanak has described God as Sach, meaning Everlasting or Truth. Then in the first stanza of Japu on the same page he has enunciated the purpose of human life.

ikv sicAwrw hoeIAY ikv kUVY qutY pwl]
hukm rjweI clxw nwnk iliKAw nwil]
How could one become a sachiara (Godlike), a God-centered being (gurmukh) and how could one get rid of ignorance and falsehood? “By living in harmony with Hukam (Divine Law),” says Nanak.
AGGS, M 1, p 1.

How could one get rid of ignorance and falsehood? Through knowledge based on truth. When the yogis asked Guru Nanak, “Who is your Guru or whose disciple are you?” “Word (Divine knowledge) is the Guru and my mind, which comprehends the Word is the disciple,” replied Guru Nanak.16 What is needed to understand Hukam? It is tue knowledge. So a sachiara is one who understands the Hukam.

Who understood the Hukam, Galileo or the Pope? In our opinion it was Galileo who understood the Hukam, which makes him a sachiara.

Furthermore, according to Nankian philosophy mankind is supreme among the living beings as it is endowed with discerning intellect and free will. One can choose to be a sachiara or a reprobate⎯self-centered being (manmukh). According to their deeds, some are drawn closer to God whereas others move away from God.

Avr join qyrI pinhwrI ]
iesu DrqI mih qyrI iskdwrI ]
O man other living beings are at your service and you are their leader in the world.
AGGS, M, 5, p 374.

mn qUM joiq srUp hY Awpxw mUlu pCwxu ]
mn hir jI qyry nwil hY gurmqI rMgu mwxu
O, my mind recognize your roots⎯the Cosmic Light. That Light is within you, enjoy yourself by reflecting on the Word.
AGGS, M, 3, p 441.

kir krqY krxI kir pweI ]
ijin kIqI iqin kImiq pweI ]

The Creator created mankind and let it free to do as it wills. But how it was accomplished, only the Creator knows.
AGGS, M 1, p, 932.

mwtI kw ly dyhurw kirAw ]
aukiq joiq lY suriq prIiKAw ]
The Creator fashioned human body from the earthy elements and by some method endowed it with life, wisdom and discerning intellect.
AGGS, M 5, p 913.

jYsw kry su qYsw pwvY ]
Awip bIij Awpy hI KwvY ]
One gets reward according to what one does and what one sows, so shall one reap.
AGGS, M 1, p 662.

idnu rYin Apnw kIAw pweI ]
iksu dos n dIjY ikrqu BvweI ]
We earn what we do day and night. Why blame others, it is our own doings that lead us astray.
AGGS, M 5, p 745.

nwnk Aaugx jyqVy qyqy glI jMjIr ]
jy gux hoin q ktIAin sy BweI sy vIr ]
Nanak, vices are like chains around our necks and they can be cut only with virtues, which are our only loved ones.
AGGS, M 1, p 595.

cMigAweIAw buirAweIAw vwcY Drmu hdUir ]
krmI Awpo AwpxI ky nyVy ky dUir ]
Good and bad deeds determine the relationship with God. According to their deeds some are drawn closer to God, whereas others move away.
AGGS, M 1, P, 8.

sMjogu ivjogu duie kwr clwvih lyKy Awvih Bwg ]
There are two types of human activities, the ones that bring about union with God and others that cause separation from God.
AGGS, M 1, p 6.

The one who realizes union with God is called jiwan mukt, the liberated one (gurmukh), the other who is separated from God is called reprobate (manmukh), the self-centered being.

Besides, Guru Nank’s composition on creation makes it clear that gods and goddesses, karma and transmigration, hell and heaven and reincarnation are the inventions of man, not the creation of God.17

Moreover, AGGS clearly rejects the theory of transmigration based on karma by asking its proponents:

jb kCu n sIE qb ikAw krqw kvn krm kir AwieAw]
Apnw Kylu Awip kir dyKY Twkuir rcnu rcwieAw]
When there was no creation, how did the first being inherit karma? Or who created karma initially? The reality is that it is God, Who created the world. For Him creation is a game and He continues to play.
AGGS, M, 5, P 748.

pMc qqu imil kwieAw kInI qqu khw qy kInu ry]
krm bD qum jIau kihq hO krmih ikin jIau dIn ry]

You say that the body is made of five elements, from where were the elements created? You say that the law of karma determines man’s fate, but who created the law of karma?
AGGS, Kabir, P 870.

mwie n hoqI bwpu n hoqw krmu n hoqI kwieAw ]
hm nhI hoqy qum nhI hoqy kvnu khw qy AwieAw]
swsqu n hoqw byd nw hoqw krmu khw qy AwieA]
When there was neither mother, nor father, nor body, nor karma, or when neither I was there, nor you were there, what came from where? When there was no Veda or Shastra, there was no karma? How did the karma originate?
AGGS, Namdev, P 973.

The idea of creativity and growth are an integral part of life and morality according to the Gurus. Besides, the Gurus did not talk about the past life or the life after death, what they talked about and laid stress on is the present life. For example:

iehI qyrw Aausru ieh qyrI bwr]
Gt BIqir qU dyKu ibcwir]
This is your opportunity, this is your turn to meet God, ponder and seek within.
AGGS, Kabir, P 1159.

BeI prwpiq mwnuK dyhurIAw]
goibMd imlx kI ieh qyrI brIAY]
Take advantage of your human birth, as this is your opportunity to meet God.
AGGS, M, 5, P 378.

Awgwhw kU qRwiG ipCw Pyir nw muhfVw]
nwnk isiJ ievyhw vwr bhuiV nw hovI jnmVw]
“Don’t look to the past, make efforts to move ahead. This is the only chance to meet God because you won’t be born again,” says Nanak.
AGGS, M, 5, P 1096.

gur kI swKI AMimRq bwxI pIvq hI prvwxu BieAw ]
dr drsn kw pRIqmu hovY mukiq bYkuMTY krY ikAw]
Guru’s teaching is like nectar that imparts immortality; one who imbibes it receives Divine grace.
Why should one, who wants to have a glimpse of the Beloved bother about paradise through salvation.
AGGS, M I, P 360.

These verses clearly emphasize that one’s current life is the only chance to realize God. On the other hand according to the theory of karma and transmigration there could be many chances to meet God, theoretically unlimited chances.

Transmigration
Based on his views that Guru Nanak accepted the doctrines of karma and transmigration, MacLeod has interpreted expressions like ‘avan jan (Awvix jwx), ava java (AwvY jwvY)’ and bhavaya (BvweIAY) as cycle of birth and death or cycle of transmigration. However, in the AGGS these and other related expressions are used as metaphors for spiritual death and regeneration or they represent the belief of Hindus. According to Nankian philosophy there are two types of people, gurmukhs (God-centered beings) and manmukhs (self-centered beings). A gurmukh is a person who dwells on God’s attributes constantly and does every thing according to God’s Will. Such a one achieves perfect union with God. Whereas a manmukh is a degenerate person who does every thing according to his own will under the influence of haumai (self-centeredness). He is entangled in maya (material world) and leads a life of duality. He is separated from God. His mind is unsteady and he can’t decide to choose between God and maya. Thus he keeps experiencing spiritual death and spiritual regeneration.

On page 170 McLeod has interpreted the following verses as:

BwxY so shu rMglw isPiq rqw guixqws jIau]
BwxY shu BIhwvlw hau Awvix jwix mueIAws jIau]
If it pleases Thee Thou art a Lord of joy and I am rapt in Thy praises, Thou storehouse of excellences. If it pleases Thee Thou art a fearsome Lord and I go on dying in the cycle of transmigration.
AGGS, M 1, P 762.

These lines are from a shabad (stanza) about God’s Will (Bwxw). Keeping this in mind, the appropriate interpretation of these verses is as follows:
Understanding of Your Will makes You a Lord of joy and I am completely absorbed in Your praises, O the Storehouse of virtues. Whereas ignorance of Your Will makes You a fearsome Lord and I keep suffering from the cycle of spiritual death and birth.

On page 177 he has translated a whole shabad except the first two lines to explain the nature of unregenerate man. However, his interpretation of the two lines following rahau (Pause) described below is incorrect and inconsistent with the rest of the shabad:

Many times I was born as a tree, many times as an animal, many times I came in the form of a snake, and many times I flew as a bird.

kq kI mweI bwpu kq kyrw ikdU Qwvhu hm Awey]
Agin ibMb jl BIqir inpjy kwhy kMim aupwey]
myry swihbw kauxu jwxY gux qyry]
khy n jwnI Aaugx myry] rhwau]
kyqy ruK ibrK hm cIny kyqy psU aupwey]
kyqy nwg kulI mih Awey kyqy pMK aufwey]
ht ptx ibj mMdr BMnY kir corI Gir AwvY]
Aghu dyKY ipChu dyKY quJ qy khw CpwvY]
qt qIrQ hm nv KMf dyKy ht ptx bwjwrw]
LY kY qkVI qolix lwgw Gt hI mih vxjwrw]
jyqw smuMdu swgru nIir BirAw qyqy Aaugx hmwry]
dieAw krhu ikCu imhr aupwvhu fubdy pQr qwry]
jIAVw Agin brwbir qpY BIqir vgY kwqI]
pRxviq nwnku hukmu pCwxY suKu hovY idn rwqI]

This shabad is about a sinful man. He is separated from God due to his haumai (self-centeredness) and preoccupation with maya. However, he has recognized his folly. He is repentant and is beseeching God with humility for forgiveness. He starts out by asking the purpose of his life. The gist of the shabd is contained in the two lines before rahau (pause): “O my Lord, who can comprehend Your virtues! None can count my sins.” Guru Nanak advises this man to recognize God’s Hukam (Divine Law) and live in harmony with it. The sinful man acknowledges his faults by saying that other creatures like trees, animals, snakes and birds do not commit sin because they live in harmony with God’s Hukam, whereas he is accumulating sin after sin due to his haumai.

Now let us look at the meaning of the whole shabad line by line.

When did someone become my mother or father and where did I come from? I was conceived and nurtured in the amniotic fluid in the womb, what was the purpose of my coming to this world? O my Lord, who can comprehend Your virtues? None can count my sins. Pause. I have seen numerous trees, animals, snakes and birds, who do not commit sin whereas I break into city shops and fortified buildings and bring home the stolen goods. I look around to make sure that no body sees me, but how can I hide it from You? To wash my sins I go to sacred shores, places, cities, markets and shops all over the world. While weighing my merits and demerits in my heart, I realized that my sinfulness is as immense as the water in the ocean. Dear God, please take mercy on me, with Your grace stonehearted beings can cross the ocean of worldly temptations. My mind is burning with the fire of (haumai) and the temptations of maya are cutting it like a knife. Nanak prays that those who live in harmony with the Divine Law attain eternal bliss.
AGGS, M 1, P156.

On page 204 he says, “Why so few have a vision of God? One explanation is that karma determines the issue. Those who in their previous existences have lived lives of relative merit acquire thereby a faculty of perception, which enables them to recognize the Guru. This theory has a logical consistency and in one place it would appear to be explicitly affirmed.” He quotes the lower verse of the following couplet in support of his views.

jividAw lwhw imlY gur kwr kmwvY]
pUrib hovY iliKAw qw siqguru pwvY]
If it is inscribed in the record of one’s former deeds then one meets the True Guru.

As already discussed, the deterministic Hindu view of karma is rejected in the AGGS. Thus the two verses are explained as:

One profits in life by performing righteous deeds. It is the merit of such deeds, which brings about one’s union with the true Guru (God).
AGGS, M 1, p 421.

On page 212 he has interpreted the following couplet addressed to a Muslim as:

imhr msIiq isdku muslw hk hlwlu kurwxu]
srm suMniq sIlu rojw hohu muslmwxu]
Make mercy your mosque, faith your prayer-mat, and righteousness your Quran. Make humility your circumcision, uprightness your fasting, and so you will be a (true) Muslim.
AGGS, M, 1, p 140.

Here he has interpreted saram (srm) as humility, which is incorrect. Saram (srm) means sharam (Srm, shame). Since the discussion is about male circumcision, it is about sexual morality of man. Therefore, the correct interpretation should be “make fidelity your circumcision.”
Guru Nanak has used saram in the same sense in his description of the degeneration of Khatris and horrors of the attack on Saidpur by Babur.

srm Drm kw fyrw dUir ]
They have no shame and sense of duty.
AGGS, M 1, p 471.

srmu Drmu duie Cip Kloey kUVu iPrY prDwnu vy lwlo ]
O Lalo, both shame and sense of duty have disappeared and falsehood has overtaken.
AGGS, M 1, p 722.

Interpretation of Gurbani.

My understanding of AGGS indicates that generally the Gurus didn’t debate with Hindu and Muslim masses the validity of their beliefs. Instead, they emphasised the importance of moral living to achieve spiritual objectives. Their advice was that Nam Simran (constant devotion to God’s attributes) purifies the mind and earns God’s love (grace), which in turn overcomes the obstacles--of karma, transmigration, hell (narak or dozakh), record of deeds kept by Chitr and Gupt, and the fear of Yam and angel Ajraeel. But it does not mean that the Gurus themselves believed in karma, transmigration, hell (narak or dozakh), Chitr and Gupt, Yam and angel Ajraeel. For instance, in Asa Di Var Guru Nanak has described the religious beliefs of Hindus about what happens when one dies.

pauVI ] AwpInY Bog Boig kY hoie BsmiV Bauru isDwieAw ]
vfw hoAw dunIdwr gil sMglu Giq clwieAw ]
AgY krxI kIriq vwcIAY bih lyKw kir smJwieAw]
Qwau n hovI paudIeI huix suxIAY ikAw rUAwieAw ]
min AMDY jnmu gvwieAw ]

When one dies after enjoying the pleasures of the material world, the soul leaves the earthy body. The god of death (Yam) puts a chain around the neck of a dead person’s soul and drags it to the court of Dharamraj, who decides its fate on the basis of the record of dead person’s deeds kept by Chitr and Gupt, who are Dharamraj’s assistants. There is no escape from punishment, it cries for mercy but there is no help. These are Hindu beliefs, not of Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak’s own thought is expressed in the last verse. The ignorant fool has wasted his life (min AMDY jnmu gvwieAw), as the purpose of life is to become one with God by becoming a gurmukh.
AGGS, M1, p 464.

Similarly, Guru Nanak has commented on Muslim beliefs about death.

nwnku AwKY ry mnw suxIAY isK shI ]
lyKw rbu mMgysIAw bYTw kF vhI ]
qlbw pausin AwkIAw bwkI ijnw rhI ]
AjrweIlu Prysqw hosI Awie qeI ]
Awvxu jwxu n suJeI BIVI glI PhI ]
kUV inKuty nwnkw EVik sic rhI ]

Nanak says, “ O my mind pay attention to a true advice. It is God who asks for account of one’s deeds. The derelict ones with deficient accounts are taken to task. The angel of death, Ajraeel is ready to punish them. They don’t know what to do when he forces them through a narrow lane of suffering. The reality is that it is the truth that triumphs in the end and falsehood fails.”
Here the second, third and sixth lines are compatible with Guru Nanak’s philosophy. That is why he calls it a true advice. According to Nanakian philosophy it is God, Who is the cause of creation and it is God’s Hukam (Divine Law) which controls every aspect of its working. The fourth and fifth lines refer to Muslim beliefs. In the sixth line Guru Nanak makes it clear that it is “truthful living” that matters. One, who lives a truthful life, need not fear Angel Ajraeel or the narrow lane of suffering.
AGGS, M 1, p 953.

However, with learned people like Yogis, Brahmans, and Muslims, Guru Nanak and his successors did discuss and debate their own thoughts and the beliefs of others.18 For example, Guru Nanak, advised a Muslim how to be a true Mulim19 by explaining him the true meaning of five prayers. Similarly, he advised Yogis20 and Brahmans21 how to be a true Yogi and a true Brahman, respectively. Whenever he had the opportunity to meet artisans22 or farmers, 23 who could grasp his thoughts, Guru Nanak explained to them his thoughts using their terminology.

Name of Sikh Scripture.

Throughout his works McLeod has used the name “Adi Granth” for the current Sikh scripture which is incorrect. Here is a chronological development of the Sikh scripture, which was declared as eternal Guru of the Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh.

Guru Arjan Dev compiled the first Sikh Scripture by incorporating the compositions of his predecessors, his own and that of bhagats (devotees) and Sufis and the resulting codex is called Adi Granth (Awid grMQ). It is also known as Pothi (sacred text) and Kartarpuri Bir (sacred text of Kartarpur) as it in the possession of a Sodhi family of Kartarpur. Bir means Jilad -- binding of a book. Since the Adi Granth was a bound manuscript, it acquired the name Adi Bir. Later on Guru Gobind Singh added the composition of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, to the compositions of Adi Granth and the resulting sacred text was (is) called Damdami Bir, as according to Sikh traditions it was prepared at Damdama. It is Damdami Bir, which was consecrated as Guru by Guru Gobind Singh. The current Sikh Scripture is a copy of Dadami Bir. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) manages the historical Gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himacchal Pardesh, and Sikh-religious affaires. It is also responsible for the printing and distribution of the current Sikh scripture and it has named it as “Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Awid sRI gurU grMQ swihb jI).” In literature it is referred as Guru Granth Sahib or Guru Granth or Granth or Sikh Scripture or even Sikh Bible. However, quite often people not only call it Adi Granth but also pronounce it as Adee Granth (AwdI grMQ), erroneously. From the time of Gurus, the Punjabi language has undergone evolutionary change in pronunciation. For example the vowel i (sihari) of Awid (Adi) in modern pronunciation is de-emphasized and Awid (Adi) is pronounced as Awd (Aad). In Adi, i denotes i (sihari). In my writings I use the name, Aad Guru Granth Sahib, as Aad (Awid) which means eternal and primal is very important to distinguish it from other Granths or Guru Granths. Recently, some malicious people have started calling Dasam Granth as Guru Granth. I have dropped Sri (Mr.) and Ji (yes, Sir) as the use of Sri before Guru and Ji after Sahib is redundant.

McLeod has justified his interpretation of Guru Nanak’s teachings and Sikhism in the following way:
“The pattern that I devised was never intended to represent the teachings of Guru Nanak in the form in which they had been delivered in the early decades of the sixteenth century. It was, however, a pattern that could be understandable to readers educated in Western manner. 24 I have always maintained that I am a Western historian and if that status deprives me of reasonable understanding of Sikhism then so be it. My primary objective has been to communicate an understanding of the Sikh people and their religion to educated Western readers and that consequently it is important that I speak to their mode of understanding. 25

How could anyone justify the propagation of distorted understanding of the Sikh people and their religion to educated Western readers? Does Western methodology of historical research permit it? The object of research in any field is to find the truth for the benefit of all! Commercial or prejudicial writings are targeted to a particular segment of the population.


CONCLUSIONS

McLeod’s assumption that Guru Nanak accepted the doctrines of karma and transmigration is not supported by the teachings of AGGS. The discussion in this article unequivocally demonstrates that Sikh Gurus rejected ancient Indian beliefs of karma and transmigration. It is not only in McLeod’s book, such misinterpretations are found in many Punjabi and English translations of the AGGS found in the prints, on compact discs, and on many Internet sites in these days. While interpreting the compositions AGGS one must keep in mind that Hindu and Muslim beliefs are not the beliefs of Sikh Gurus. Besides, Adi Granth is not the proper name for the modern Sikh scripture (Aad Guru Granth Sahib).

References.

1 Chahal, D. S. Causes of misinterpretation of Gurbani and misrepresentation of Sikhism. Understanding Sikhism Res. J. 2001, 3 (1), 12-23 & 39.
2 McLeod, W. H. Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion, 1996.
3 AGGS: Aad Guru Granth Sahib. 1983 CE (Reprint). Pp 1430. Publishers: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar. (M = Mahla, i.e. succession number of the Sikh Gurus to the House of Nanak, for the composition of bhagats, M is substituted by the name of the bhagat, P = page of the AGGS).
4 McLeod, W. H. Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion, 1996, p 159.
5 Ibid., p 209-210.
6 McLeod, W. H. Discovering the Sikhs: Autobiography of a Historian, 2004, p 36-37.
7 Ibid., p 39.
8 Singh, J. The Sikh Revolution, 4th reprint, 1998, p 8-12, 19, 28, 30-34, 38, 40, 50, 53-55, 266, 274.
9 Ibid., p 34, 38, 40, 54, 86.
10 Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs of the Punjab, 1994, p 31.
11 Singh, J. The Sikh Revolution, 4th reprint, 1998 p 105.
12 Singh, S. The Sikhs in History, 4th ed., 2001, p 19.
13 Macauliffe, M. A. The Sikh Religion, Vols. I, 1990, 197.
14 Singh, S. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Darpan (Punjabi), Vol. 1, 1972, p 58-59.
15 Singh, P. The Text and the meaning of Adi Granth, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Toronto, 1991, p 225-226.
16 AGGS, M 1, p 942- 943: qyrw kvxu GuruUu ijs kw qU cylw ] sbdu gurU suriq Duin cylw ]
17 Massey, J. Guru Nanak’s concept of Creator and creation, Abstracts of Sikh Studies, January 1994, p, 43-57.
18 AGGS, M 1, p 662.
19 Ibid., 141.
20 Ibid., p 6.
21 Ibid., p 471.
22 Ibid., p 8.
23 Ibid., p 595.
24 McLeod, W. H. Discovering the Sikhs: Autobiography of a Historian, 2004, p 38.
25 Ibid., p 129.
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SHIVPREET SINGH

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