Archive for February 2023

Note to Parents and Kids

Feb 24, 2023: We all learned the first line of Jo Mange Thakur Apne Te in kirtan class last week. Please listen to this Shabad along with the family as much as you can before class on Sunday.

This blog post has shabad lyrics (English and Gurbani), a harmonium video, Western score (for kids who know western instruments and want to play along), and also a couple of versions of me singing this Shabad. You can leave any questions/comments you may have about this Shabad or the class on the blogpost above. I will address the questions on the same post or in class.

There are many other versions of this Shabad. Our plan is to learn the second line this week and sing the full Shabad the following week. Let’s share this beautiful gift from Guru Arjan with ourselves and our kids. May the guru be with all of us!

Lyrics in English

Jo mange thakur apne te, Soi soi devai
Nanak das mukh te jo bole, Eehaa oohaa sach hovai
Jo mange ...

Chatur disa kino bal apna, Sir upar kar dhareyo
Kirpa katakh avalokan kino, Das ka dukh bidaryo

Jo mange ...

Har jan rakhe gur govind, Raakhe gur govind
Kanth lae avguna sab mete, Dyaal purakh bakshand

Jo mange ...

Jo Mange (Harmonium)

Jo Mange in C (for western instruments)

Click Here for Score in PDF

Translation in English by Sant Singh Khalsa

Whatever I ask for from my Lord and Master, he gives that to me.
Whatever the Lord's servant Nanak utters with his mouth, proves to be true, here and hereafter.

He has extended His power in all four directions, and placed His hand upon my head.
Gazing upon me with his Eye of Mercy, He has dispelled the pains of His servant. ||1||

The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, has saved the Lord's humble servant.
Hugging me close in His embrace, the merciful, forgiving Lord has erased all my sins. ||Pause||

Gurbani: ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

ਚਤੁਰ ਦਿਸਾ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਲੁ ਅਪਨਾ ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਰੁ ਧਾਰਿਓ ॥

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਟਾਖ੍ਯ੍ਯ ਅਵਲੋਕਨੁ ਕੀਨੋ ਦਾਸ ਕਾ ਦੂਖੁ ਬਿਦਾਰਿਓ ॥੧॥

ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਰਾਖੇ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ॥

ਕੰਠਿ ਲਾਇ ਅਵਗੁਣ ਸਭਿ ਮੇਟੇ ਦਇਆਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਬਖਸੰਦ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਜੋ ਮਾਗਹਿ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਤੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੋਈ ਦੇਵੈ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸੁ ਮੁਖ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਈਹਾ ਊਹਾ ਸਚੁ ਹੋਵੈ ॥੨॥੧੪॥੪੫॥

Jo Mange Thakur Apne Te

I am meditating upon Guru Arjan's Jo Mange Thakur Apne Te today. The soulful singer and the deep listener of the shabad is empowered: "Whatever I ask, I receive. Whatever I say, becomes true."

This reminds me what Rilke says about the "power in me." (see poem below) The power of the self refers to the strength and influence that an individual has over their own thoughts, emotions, actions, and decisions. It encompasses the ability to determine one's own identity, set and achieve personal goals, and make meaningful choices in life. The singer of the shabad can become a better version of himself just by meditating on the shabad. Cultivating self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-discipline are key aspects of developing the power of the self.

This truth rings clear and sharp in his poem, and is adapted by Denise Levertov in another poem where the reader ends singing what he always knew: "I can." (see poem below) This reminds me of "I Think I Can," a children's story that conveys the message of determination and positive thinking. The story follows a small locomotive that is tasked with transporting a heavy load of toys and good over a mountain, despite its own doubts and the discouraging words of other engines. The little engine repeatedly says to itself "I think I can," and through its perseverance and determination, it successfully makes it over the mountain and delivers the goods.

The message of the story is that with enough willpower, effort, and a positive attitude, anyone can overcome obstacles and achieve their goals, no matter how difficult they may seem. The story teaches children that it's important to believe in themselves and to never give up, even in the face of challenges.

This is a song of oneness that once Emerson sang, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” This sage advice comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance," and it refers to the idea that every person has an innermost core of truth and integrity that they are drawn to and guided by. Emerson believed that this "iron string" is a universal principle that connects all people, and that it is the source of an individual's personal sense of morality, ethics, and purpose. He saw it as a kind of inner compass that can help people navigate their lives and make decisions that are true to themselves.

In this context, the "iron string" represents the power of the self and the inner voice that speaks to each individual, guiding them towards their own personal truth and purpose. By heeding this inner voice and following their own unique path, Emerson believed that people could live fulfilling and authentic lives.

The hour is striking so close above me

- Rainer Maria Rilke

English version by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy

Original Language German

The hour is striking so close above me,

so clear and sharp,

that all my senses ring with it.

I feel it now: there's a power in me

to grasp and give shape to my world.

I know that nothing has ever been real

without my beholding it.

All becoming has needed me.

My looking ripens things

and they come toward me, to meet and be met.

Variation on a Theme by Rilke

- Denise Levertov

A certain day became a presence to me;

there it was, confronting me—a sky, air, light:

a being. And before it started to descend

from the height of noon, it leaned over

and struck my shoulder as if with

the flat of a sword, granting me

honor and a task. The day's blow

rang out, metallic—or it was I, a bell awakened,

and what I heard was my whole self

saying and singing what it knew: I can.

Note to Parents and Kids

Lyrics in English

Jo Mange (Harmonium)

Translation in English by Sant Singh Khalsa

The hour is striking so close above me

Variation on a Theme by Rilke

SHIVPREET SINGH

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