भनि दास सु आस जगत्र गुरू की पारसु भेटि परसु कर्यउ ॥
Bẖan ḏās so ās jagṯar gurū kī pāras bẖet paras karyao.
So speaks the Lord's slave: Guru Raam Daas placed His Faith in Guru Amar Daas, the Guru of the World; touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone.
Guru Ramdas story is that of an unparalleled union, a royal union. One that was seen with Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amardas. One that served all the lovers of Oneness. A union that was won by the spear of wisdom and protected by truth. A union of all ages, past and future — under the tent pitched by the true guru. So, a union that is truly royal because it is timeless.
That is what is described in this shabad. This is a shabad that was composed last week. I recorded the vocals live and then recorded some instruments for backing up.Enjoy!
-Shivpreet
Eho Raaj Jog Gur Ramdas - Lyrics and Traditional Translation
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਖੇਮਾ ਤਾਣਿਆ ਜੁਗ ਜੂਥ ਸਮਾਣੇ ॥
सतिगुरि खेमा ताणिआ जुग जूथ समाणे ॥
Saṯgur kẖemā ṯāṇiā jug jūth samāṇe.
The Guru has pitched the tent; under it, all the ages are gathered.
ਅਨਭਉ ਨੇਜਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਟੇਕ ਜਿਤੁ ਭਗਤ ਅਘਾਣੇ ॥
अनभउ नेजा नामु टेक जितु भगत अघाणे ॥
Anbẖao nejā nām tek jiṯ bẖagaṯ agẖāṇe.
He carries the spear of intuition, and takes the Support of Naam, the Name of the Lord, through which the devotees are fulfilled.
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਅੰਗਦੁ ਅਮਰੁ ਭਗਤ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਣੇ ॥
गुरु नानकु अंगदु अमरु भगत हरि संगि समाणे ॥
Gur Nānak angaḏ amar bẖagaṯ har sang samāṇe.
Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Daas, through devotional worship, have merged into the Lord.
ਇਹੁ ਰਾਜ ਜੋਗ ਗੁਰ ਰਾਮਦਾਸ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਹੂ ਰਸੁ ਜਾਣੇ ॥੧੨॥
इहु राज जोग गुर रामदास तुम्ह हू रसु जाणे ॥१२॥
Ih rāj jog gur Rāmḏās ṯumĥ hū ras jāṇe. ||12||
O Guru Raam Daas, You alone know the taste of this Raja Yoga. ||12||
You wear a prayer cap, but still you harbour ill intent So what good is wearing a cap on your head?
You spend time in recitation over prayer beads,but don't feel it in Your heart, So what do you get out of holding prayer beads in your hands?
You performed all your rituals, but didn't find god What good will observing such rituals do?
You can't curdle milk without rennet, Even if you make it red by trying.
Jaag here can be "Guru" or "Love"
Thanks to my father, S. Preet Mohan Singh who sketched this Guru Nanak portrait in pencil for this project:
Shloks of Guru Nanak and Guru Angad on Guru:
ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੧ ॥
सलोकु मः १ ॥
Salok mėhlā 1.
Shalok, First Mehl:
ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਗੁਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਿਉਹਾੜੀ ਸਦ ਵਾਰ ॥
बलिहारी गुर आपणे दिउहाड़ी सद वार ॥
Balihārī gur āpṇe ḏi▫uhāṛī saḏ vār.
A hundred times a day, I am a sacrifice to my Guru;
ਜਿਨਿ ਮਾਣਸ ਤੇ ਦੇਵਤੇ ਕੀਏ ਕਰਤ ਨ ਲਾਗੀ ਵਾਰ ॥੧॥
जिनि माणस ते देवते कीए करत न लागी वार ॥१॥
Jin māṇas ṯe ḏevṯe kī▫e karaṯ na lāgī vār. ||1||
He made angels out of men, without delay. ||1||
ਮਹਲਾ ੨ ॥
महला २ ॥
Mėhlā 2.
Second Mehl:
ਜੇ ਸਉ ਚੰਦਾ ਉਗਵਹਿ ਸੂਰਜ ਚੜਹਿ ਹਜਾਰ ॥
जे सउ चंदा उगवहि सूरज चड़हि हजार ॥
Je sa▫o cẖanḏā ugvahi sūraj cẖaṛėh hajār.
If a hundred moons were to rise, and a thousand suns appeared,
ਏਤੇ ਚਾਨਣ ਹੋਦਿਆਂ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਘੋਰ ਅੰਧਾਰ ॥੨॥
एते चानण होदिआं गुर बिनु घोर अंधार ॥२॥
Ėṯe cẖānaṇ hiḏi▫āʼn gur bin gẖor anḏẖār. ||2||
even with such light, there would still be pitch darkness without the Guru. ||2||
Sometime last year I heard this haunting melody from Nirinjan Kaur ... and fell in love with it. Since then I have been singing it and recording it and adding instruments to it gradually. Thanks to Rajesh Prasanna for his bansuri, Kimberly Foree for her oboe and Christine Linge for background vocals.
A note about the translation on the video -- it is not possible to translate gurbani so these are just my feelings while singing this shabad. These can change depending on the day I sing it. It is just a snapshot of what my thinking was one day. If you really want to understand the meaning of the shabad, I encourage you to do your own interpretation ...
ਸਮਰਥ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਿਰਿ ਹਥੁ ਧਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
समरथ गुरू सिरि हथु धर्यउ ॥
Samrath gurū sir hath ḏẖaryao.
The All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon my head.
भनि दास सु आस जगत्र गुरू की पारसु भेटि परसु कर्यउ ॥
Bẖan ḏās so ās jagṯar gurū kī pāras bẖet paras kar▫ya▫o.
So speaks the Lord's slave: Guru Raam Daas placed His Faith in Guru Amar Daas, the Guru of the World; touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone.
We look for the true Guru because the true Guru brings us close to God and farther from worries. Guru Arjan Dev ji describes this in Sukhmani Sahib in the following lines:
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸੁਨਿ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ॥
पूरे गुर का सुनि उपदेसु ॥
Pūre gur kā sun upḏes.
Listen to the Teachings of the Perfect Guru;
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਪੇਖੁ ॥
पारब्रहमु निकटि करि पेखु ॥
Pārbarahm nikat kar pekẖ.
see the Supreme Lord God near you.
ਸਾਸਿ ਸਾਸਿ ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ॥
सासि सासि सिमरहु गोबिंद ॥
Sās sās simrahu gobinḏ.
With each and every breath, meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe,
ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਉਤਰੈ ਚਿੰਦ ॥
मन अंतर की उतरै चिंद ॥
Man anṯar kī uṯrai cẖinḏ.
and the anxiety within your mind shall depart.
What is Guru?
Before I share some of my readings in Gurbani about "pura guru" or complete or true guru, its good to know that the term "guru" is popularly hypothesized to be based on the syllables gu (गु) and ru (रु), which stand for "darkness" and "light", respectively. The guru, thereby, is seen as the one who "dispels the darkness of ignorance." This theory likely originated form the Advayataraka Upanishad, Verse 16:
गुशब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः ।
अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते ॥१६॥
The syllable gu means darkness, the syllable ru, he who dispels them,
Because of the power to dispel darkness, the guru is thus named.
Complete Person
Guru Nanak defines a complete person as the one who has absorbed good virtues. One who abandons wrongful deeds and becomes a slave of good virtues attains peace; that according to gurmat is "pura" or complete. Good virtues are ones that raise the value of oneness. In Raag Shri Raag, Guru Nanak says:
ਮੁੰਧੇ ਗੁਣ ਦਾਸੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
मुंधे गुण दासी सुखु होइ ॥
Munḏẖe guṇ ḏāsī sukẖ hoe.
O young bride, be a slave to virtue, and you shall find peace.
ਅਵਗਣ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਸਮਾਈਐ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अवगण तिआगि समाईऐ गुरमति पूरा सोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Avgaṇ ṯiāg samāīai gurmaṯ pūrā soe. ||1|| rahāo.
Renouncing wrongful actions, following the Guru's Teachings, you shall be absorbed into the Perfect One. ||1||Pause||
Complete Guru
The complete Guru is beyond the complete person. Guru Amardas implies it's not enough to just be absorbed for the complete guru. It's important to show this path to others. The Complete Guru is one who is fully absorbed and shares the path of oneness through his words:
The need for Holy Company
Guru Arjan Dev further implies in the following Shabad in Raag Gauri that it is possible to become "complete" yourself by being in the company of the "complete". If oneness resides in your heart, you are complete and everything becomes complete:
ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
गउड़ी महला ५ ॥
Gaoṛī mėhlā 5.
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
ਪੂਰਾ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਇਸਨਾਨੁ ॥
पूरा मारगु पूरा इसनानु ॥
Pūrā mārag pūrā isnān.
Perfect is the path; perfect is the cleansing bath.
ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥
सभु किछु पूरा हिरदै नामु ॥१॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ pūrā hirḏai nām. ||1||
Everything is perfect, if the Naam is in the heart. ||1||
ਪੂਰੀ ਰਹੀ ਜਾ ਪੂਰੈ ਰਾਖੀ ॥
पूरी रही जा पूरै राखी ॥
Pūrī rahī jā pūrai rākẖī.
One's honor remains perfect, when the Perfect Lord preserves it.
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਿ ਜਨ ਤਾਕੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
पारब्रहम की सरणि जन ताकी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Pārbarahm kī saraṇ jan ṯākī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
His servant takes to the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God. ||1||Pause||
ਪੂਰਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ॥
पूरा सुखु पूरा संतोखु ॥
Pūrā sukẖ pūrā sanṯokẖ.
Perfect is the peace; perfect is the contentment.
ਪੂਰਾ ਤਪੁ ਪੂਰਨ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੨॥
पूरा तपु पूरन राजु जोगु ॥२॥
Pūrā ṯap pūran rāj jog. ||2||
Perfect is the penance; perfect is the Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||2||
ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪਤਿਤ ਪੁਨੀਤ ॥
हरि कै मारगि पतित पुनीत ॥
Har kai mārag paṯiṯ punīṯ.
On the Lord's Path, sinners are purified.
ਪੂਰੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਪੂਰਾ ਲੋਕੀਕ ॥੩॥
पूरी सोभा पूरा लोकीक ॥३॥
Pūrī sobẖā pūrā lokīk. ||3||
Perfect is their glory; perfect is their humanity. ||3||
ਕਰਣਹਾਰੁ ਸਦ ਵਸੈ ਹਦੂਰਾ ॥
करणहारु सद वसै हदूरा ॥
Karanhār saḏ vasai haḏūrā.
They dwell forever in the Presence of the Creator Lord.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ॥੪॥੪੫॥੧੧੪॥
कहु नानक मेरा सतिगुरु पूरा ॥४॥४५॥११४॥
Kaho Nānak merā saṯgur pūrā. ||4||45||114||
Says Nanak, my True Guru is Perfect. ||4||45||114||
The Result: Samrath Guru - Shivpreet Singh
Magical things happen when the true guru, the pura guru, the samrath guru, places his hand on your head. As this shabad describes:
ਸਮਰਥ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਿਰਿ ਹਥੁ ਧਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
समरथ गुरू सिरि हथु धर्यउ ॥
Samrath gurū sir hath ḏẖar▫ya▫o.
The All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon my head.
भनि दास सु आस जगत्र गुरू की पारसु भेटि परसु कर्यउ ॥
Bẖan ḏās so ās jagṯar gurū kī pāras bẖet paras kar▫ya▫o.
So speaks the Lord's slave: Guru Raam Daas placed His Faith in Guru Amar Daas, the Guru of the World; touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone.
रामदासु गुरू हरि सति कीयउ समरथ गुरू सिरि हथु धर्यउ ॥७॥११॥
Rāmḏās gurū har saṯ kī▫ya▫o samrath gurū sir hath ḏẖar▫ya▫o. ||7||11||
Guru Raam Daas recognized the Lord as True; the All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon His head. ||7||11||
More on True Guru
The following is an interesting take (and mostly synchronous with the teachings of Guru Nanak) on what a true Guru is ...
Are you tired of hearing about yoga teachers behaving in “less than yogic” ways?
The problem is as old as power itself, and is lived out in almost any religious, spiritual or political context you can imagine.
If you're looking for a guru or a spiritual teacher, you may want to have this checklist in hand before you commit your spiritual life to one:
1. True gurus don't expect anything in return.
They might take payment for their classes, they might take donations for their cause, but they will give you their best, regardless. Beware of teachers who demand great sacrifices (economic or otherwise) to be in their presence.
2. True gurus are not attached.
They are not attached to your getting any results, to you following them, or to you liking them. Therefore, they won't be angry or disappointed with you, regardless of your actions. Beware of controlling, demanding, forceful or manipulating impostors.
3. True gurus help you find your own way.
They may have a specific path to recommend, but fully acknowledge that there are many routes to enlightenment, and you should follow or even create the one that most suits you. Remember: the truth is ONE, the paths are many.
4. True gurus empower your own inner guru.
They will always help you see, understand and tap into your own power, grace, and beauty. When you've been with a true guru, your own light will shine brighter, and you'll believe more in yourself.
5. True gurus want your freedom and independence.
If they're the real deal, they will urge you to create a life that works well when they're not around. If they're a charlatan, they will want to make you feel lost and needy when not in their presence.
6. True gurus don't need to be affirmed by others.
They don’t need an entourage, nor a following. So forget about phonies who demand your dedication, offerings and allegiance to them and their cause, or who are constantly in need of new devotees. Remember, it’s not about them; it’s about you!
7. True gurus walk their talk.
It is easy to teach divine living, but very hard and rare to live divinely. Thus the true guru will teach by example, and will be non-materialistic, fair, grounded, peaceful, strong, generous, humble, and whatever else we would consider universally good.
8. True gurus are positive.
Beware of gurus who make people look and feel wrong, have causes against something rather than for something, and look for punishment rather than compassion.
9. True gurus look content.
This doesn’t mean that a guru may not experience sadness or grief. But seriously, can you imagine a guru who lives in a state of despair, depression, anger or anxiety?
10. True gurus live inside us all.
Many true masters have been their own gurus (the Buddha being just one example). No matter what anyone says, you don’t need ONE guru, because the real guru resides in every one of our hearts.
Singing oneness!
