Shabads that implore you to understand

• Sun mundhe harnakhiye goodha vain apaar, Pehlan vast siyaniyeh taan keejai vapaar - Guru Nanak

Shabads that implore you to discover your mind: 

• Khoj dil har roj - Bhagat Kabir
• Is Man Ko Koi Khojo Bhai - Bhagat Kabir
• Jo Prabh Ko Milbo Chahai, Khoj Shabad Mai Leh - Guru Gobind Singh
• Kat Jaiye Re Man Lago Rang - Bhagat Ramanand
• Āp kẖoj kẖoj mile kabīrā - Bhagat Kabir

• Jo Prabh Ko Milbo Chahai - Guru  
• Shabad - keeta pasao eko kavao
• First there was the word. Bible 
• waiting for my clothes - Leanne O’Sullivan

Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala, Bura Naa Milya Koye
Jo Munn Khoja Apnaa, To Mujhse Bura Naa Koye



Translation

I searched for the crooked, met not a single one
When searched myself, "I" found the crooked one
ਮਹਲਾ ੨ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਪਰਖੇ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਤਾ ਪਾਰਖੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥ ਰੋਗੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਦੋਵੈ ਬੁਝੈ ਤਾ ਵੈਦੁ ਸੁਜਾਣੁ ॥
ਵਾਟ ਨ ਕਰਈ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਮਿਹਮਾਣੁ ॥ ਮੂਲੁ ਜਾਣਿ ਗਲਾ ਕਰੇ ਹਾਣਿ ਲਾਏ ਹਾਣੁ ॥
ਲਬਿ ਨ ਚਲਈ ਸਚਿ ਰਹੈ ਸੋ ਵਿਸਟੁ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
ਸਰੁ ਸੰਧੇ ਆਗਾਸ ਕਉ ਕਿਉ ਪਹੁਚੈ ਬਾਣੁ ॥
ਅਗੈ ਓਹੁ ਅਗੰਮੁ ਹੈ ਵਾਹੇਦੜੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥੨॥

Mėhlā 2.

Nānak parkẖe āp ka-o ṯā pārakẖ jāṇ.
Rog ḏārū ḏovai bujẖai ṯā vaiḏ sujāṇ.
Vāt na kar-ī māmlā jāṇai mihmāṇ. Mūl jāṇ galā kare hāṇ lā-e hāṇ.
Lab na cẖal-ī sacẖ rahai so visat parvāṇ.
Sar sanḏẖe āgās ka-o ki-o pahucẖai bāṇ.
Agai oh agamm hai vāheḏaṛ jāṇ. ||2|| (SGGS148)

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.

Reservoirs and rivers are overflowing as storms have pounded California this winter, and after years of drought that should be good news. The problem is that misguided environmentalism is wasting the water windfall and failing to store it for a non-rainy day.

On the Halloween when Dwight D. Eisenhower was ten years old, his parents let his two older brothers go trick-or-treating, but told Ike he was too young to accompany them. Having eagerly anticipated a night of fun and freedom, Dwight was crushed. He argued his case for why he should be allowed to go out, begging and pleading with his parents to change their minds until his brothers at last headed off into the night without him. Completely beside himself with rage, Ike went into the yard and starting pounding away at the trunk of an apple tree, pummeling the bark until his fists bled. His father finally pulled the boy away, gave him a few swats with a hickory stick, and sent him off to bed. Ike sobbed into his pillow, feeling like the whole world was against him.

After an hour, Eisenhower’s mother came into his room and sat down in the rocking chair beside his bed. She rocked silently for awhile, and then began to talk to young Dwight, telling him she was concerned about his anger, and that of all her boys, he had the most to learn about getting his temper under control. But striving to do so and gaining self-mastery, Mrs. Eisenhower continued, was vital. “He that conquereth his own soul is greater than he who taketh a city,” she told her son, paraphrasing the Bible. Then, Ike remembered, she offered him a piece of life-changing advice:

“Hating was a futile sort of thing," she said, "because hating anyone or anything meant that there was little to be gained. The person who had incurred my displeasure probably didn’t care, possibly didn’t even know, and the only person injured was myself.”

Emily Dickinson 

The Mind lives on the Heart
Like any Parasite —
If that is full of Meat
The Mind is fat.

But if the Heart omit
Emaciate the Wit —
The Aliment of it
So absolute.

This poem reminds me of Allama Iqbal's Aql O Dil.