Tere Gun Gaavaan in Raag Bilawal
Gurpreet Bhaji was visiting me from Sacramento and called me. We had no plans so I just sang this shabad because it was on my mind. Its my second recording of it; the first was part of an album released as a celebration of Guru Nanak's 550th Gurpurab.
The melody is inspired by Bhai Samund Singh's composition. However, I have made many changes to it.
Alternate Translation:
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
raag bilaaval mahalaa pehilaa chaupadhe ghar pehilaa ||
Raag Bilaaval, First Mehla, Chau-Padhay, First House:
ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥
too sulataan kahaa hau meeaa teree kavan vaddaiee ||
You are the Emperor, and I call You a chief - how does this add to Your greatness?
ਜੋ ਤੂ ਦੇਹਿ ਸੁ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥
jo too dheh su kahaa suaamee mai moorakh kahan na jaiee ||1||
As You permit me, I praise You, O Lord and Master; I am ignorant, and I cannot chant Your Praises. ||1||
ਤੇਰੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਾ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
tere gun gaavaa dheh bujhaiee ||
Please bless me with such understanding, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.
ਜੈਸੇ ਸਚ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਉ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jaise sach meh rahau rajaiee ||1|| rahaau ||
May I dwell in Truth, according to Your Will. ||1||Pause||
ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਅਸਨਾਈ ॥
jo kichh hoaa sabh kichh tujh te teree sabh asanaiee ||
Whatever has happened, has all come from You. You are All-knowing.
ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਮੈ ਅੰਧੁਲੇ ਕਿਆ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥੨॥
teraa a(n)t na jaanaa mere saahib mai a(n)dhule kiaa chaturaiee ||2||
Your limits cannot be known, O my Lord and Master; I am blind - what wisdom do I have? ||2||
ਕਿਆ ਹਉ ਕਥੀ ਕਥੇ ਕਥਿ ਦੇਖਾ ਮੈ ਅਕਥੁ ਨ ਕਥਨਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
kiaa hau kathee kathe kath dhekhaa mai akath na kathanaa jaiee ||
What should I say? While talking, I talk of seeing, but I cannot describe the indescribable.
ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਆਖਾ ਤਿਲੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥੩॥
jo tudh bhaavai soiee aakhaa til teree vaddiaaiee ||3||
As it pleases Your Will, I speak; it is just the tiniest bit of Your greatness. ||3||
ਏਤੇ ਕੂਕਰ ਹਉ ਬੇਗਾਨਾ ਭਉਕਾ ਇਸੁ ਤਨ ਤਾਈ ॥
ete kookar hau begaanaa bhaukaa is tan taiee ||
Among so many dogs, I am an outcast; I bark for my body's belly.
ਭਗਤਿ ਹੀਣੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜੇ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਤਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਨਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥
bhagat heen naanak je hoigaa taa khasamai naau na jaiee ||4||1||
Without devotional worship, O Nanak, even so, still, my Master's Name does not leave me. ||4||1||
Pondering upon some of Guru Nanak's words: Bujhai, Asnaai, Jaayi:
1 Hour Meditation on this shabad
Gurpreet was visiting me from Sacramento and called me. We had no plans so I just sang this shabad because it was on my mind. Its my second recording of it; the first was part of an album released as a celebration of Guru Nanak's 550th Gurpurab.
The melody is inspired by Bhai Samund Singh's composition. However, I have made many changes to it.
Alternate Translation:
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
raag bilaaval mahalaa pehilaa chaupadhe ghar pehilaa ||
Raag Bilaaval, First Mehla, Chau-Padhay, First House:
ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥
too sulataan kahaa hau meeaa teree kavan vaddaiee ||
You are the Emperor, and I call You a chief - how does this add to Your greatness?
ਜੋ ਤੂ ਦੇਹਿ ਸੁ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥
jo too dheh su kahaa suaamee mai moorakh kahan na jaiee ||1||
As You permit me, I praise You, O Lord and Master; I am ignorant, and I cannot chant Your Praises. ||1||
ਤੇਰੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਾ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
tere gun gaavaa dheh bujhaiee ||
Please bless me with such understanding, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.
ਜੈਸੇ ਸਚ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਉ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jaise sach meh rahau rajaiee ||1|| rahaau ||
May I dwell in Truth, according to Your Will. ||1||Pause||
ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਅਸਨਾਈ ॥
jo kichh hoaa sabh kichh tujh te teree sabh asanaiee ||
Whatever has happened, has all come from You. You are All-knowing.
ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਮੈ ਅੰਧੁਲੇ ਕਿਆ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥੨॥
teraa a(n)t na jaanaa mere saahib mai a(n)dhule kiaa chaturaiee ||2||
Your limits cannot be known, O my Lord and Master; I am blind - what wisdom do I have? ||2||
ਕਿਆ ਹਉ ਕਥੀ ਕਥੇ ਕਥਿ ਦੇਖਾ ਮੈ ਅਕਥੁ ਨ ਕਥਨਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
kiaa hau kathee kathe kath dhekhaa mai akath na kathanaa jaiee ||
What should I say? While talking, I talk of seeing, but I cannot describe the indescribable.
ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਆਖਾ ਤਿਲੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥੩॥
jo tudh bhaavai soiee aakhaa til teree vaddiaaiee ||3||
As it pleases Your Will, I speak; it is just the tiniest bit of Your greatness. ||3||
ਏਤੇ ਕੂਕਰ ਹਉ ਬੇਗਾਨਾ ਭਉਕਾ ਇਸੁ ਤਨ ਤਾਈ ॥
ete kookar hau begaanaa bhaukaa is tan taiee ||
Among so many dogs, I am an outcast; I bark for my body's belly.
ਭਗਤਿ ਹੀਣੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜੇ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਤਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਨਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥
bhagat heen naanak je hoigaa taa khasamai naau na jaiee ||4||1||
Without devotional worship, O Nanak, even so, still, my Master's Name does not leave me. ||4||1||
Singing oneness!
