Shivpreet Singh

The United States Congress designates the first Thursday of May as the National Day of Prayer, an annual day of observance when individuals are encouraged "to turn to God in prayer and meditation." The President is legally obligated to issue a proclamation each year, urging all Americans to participate in this day of prayer. Living in a nation where the highest leader promotes such spiritual contemplation fills me with gratitude.

I did some reflection on the meaning of prayer using some poems as my guides. Whenever I think of prayer, I first think of Ardaas, literally meaning prayer, one of my earliest compositions and the title of my first album. Its beautiful how Gurbani reminds us that a prayer is actually the acknowledgement of oneness. I'm sharing in this blog some poems from Mary Oliver, Pope Francis and Alfred Noyes that are congruent with this definition and expand on the true meaning of prayer.

Ardaas

God, this is my humble petition:

that you are the true master

that you always protect me

and I meditate on You.

that all life and creatures are yours

and you permeate all

that one who slanders your servant

is vanquished completely

that renouncing my worries, I am carefree

at your feet

Reading Poetry by Mary Oliver, Alfred Noyes and Pope Francis

Prayer is a powerful force that can provide comfort, hope, strength in the midst of adversity, and a reason to be jubilantly in awe.

As Mary Oliver writes in her poem "The Summer Day," "I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day." Mary suggests that prayer can be about paying attention to nature, immersing oneself in the beauty of the natural world, and finding a sense of connection and peace through that experience.

Alfred Noyes' poem "A Prayer in Time of War" further emphasizes the importance of prayer as a means of finding strength and hope in times of adversity. Alfred writes, "Give us courage, give us faith, give us hope; strengthen us, oh God, that we may be strong in our faith and may resist the evil that surrounds us." The poem suggests that prayer can provide a sense of courage and resilience in the face of fear and uncertainty.

Pope Francis' poem "A Prayer for Our Earth" highlights the importance of gratitude and reverence for the natural world in our prayers. Pope Francis writes, "Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature." The poem emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of recognizing our responsibility as stewards of the earth.

Just like Gurbani, these poems suggest that while prayer can take many different forms, but its power lies in its ability to provide a sense of connection, strength, and compassion. Through prayer, we can find solace in nature, cultivate a sense of resilience in the face of adversity, and recognize our responsibility to protect and care for the natural world.

The Summer Day

Mary Oliver

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

I love Mary Oliver's poetry. This poem is a beautiful example of how a prayer can be about paying attention to nature. In the poem, she contemplates the natural world around her, observing the grasshopper, the swan, and the black bear. She marvels at the intricate details of the grasshopper's movements, the bear's strength and majesty, and the swan's grace and beauty.

As she watches the grasshopper, she reflects on the mystery of creation, wondering who made these creatures and the world they inhabit. She recognizes that there is much in the natural world that she doesn't understand, and she humbly accepts this mystery.

But despite her lack of understanding, she knows how to pay attention to the world around her. She knows how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down and be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields. In other words, she knows how to be fully present in the natural world, to immerse herself in its beauty and wonder.

This, to her, is a form of prayer. It is a way of expressing gratitude for the gift of life and for the beauty of the natural world. It is a way of acknowledging the mystery of creation and our place in it. And it is a way of connecting with something greater than ourselves.

Indeed, paying attention to nature can be a powerful form of prayer. When we take the time to observe the natural world around us, we can find a deep sense of peace and wonder. We can connect with something greater than ourselves, and we can feel a sense of gratitude for the gift of life.

In a world that is often chaotic and busy, paying attention to nature can be a way of finding stillness and calm. It can help us to slow down and appreciate the simple things in life, like the grasshopper, the swan, and the black bear. And it can remind us of our place in the natural world and our responsibility to care for it.

A prayer can be about paying attention to nature. By immersing ourselves in the beauty and wonder of the natural world, we can connect with something greater than ourselves and find a deep sense of peace and gratitude. And in a world that is often busy and chaotic, this kind of prayer can be a powerful way of finding stillness and calm.

A Prayer for our Earth

- Pope Francis

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives,

that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts

of those who look only for gain

at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united

with every creature

as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle

for justice, love and peace.

* This prayer is included in Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato si’

Pope Francis' poem "A Prayer for Our Earth" teaches us several important things about prayer. First and foremost, the poem emphasizes the importance of gratitude and reverence for the natural world. The poem implores us to recognize the beauty and complexity of the earth and to treat it with the respect and care it deserves.

The poem also teaches us that prayer can be a powerful tool for awakening our compassion and sense of interconnectedness with all living beings. Through prayer, we can cultivate a deep sense of empathy and concern for the well-being of all creatures, both human and non-human.

Additionally, the poem suggests that prayer is not just an individual act, but can be a collective effort that brings people together across borders and boundaries. The prayer acknowledges the impact of human actions on the earth and calls on people from all corners of the world to come together to address the environmental challenges we face.

The poem also highlights the importance of action as well as prayer. It encourages us to recognize our responsibility as stewards of the earth and to take concrete steps to protect and preserve the environment.

Prayer can be a powerful force for fostering gratitude, compassion, and action in relation to the natural world. It reminds us of the interconnection between all living beings and the importance of treating the earth with the respect and care it deserves.

A Prayer in Time of War

- Alfred Noyes

The war will change many things in art and life, and among them, it is to be hoped, many of our own ideas as to what is, and what is not, "intellectual."

Thou, whose deep ways are in the sea,

Whose footsteps are not known,

To-night a world that turned from Thee

Is waiting — at Thy Throne.

The towering Babels that we raised

Where scoffing sophists brawl,

The little Antichrists we praised —

The night is on them all.

The fool hath said . . . The fool hath said . ..

And we, who deemed him wise,

We who believed that Thou wast dead,

How should we seek Thine eyes?

How should we seek to Thee for power

Who scorned Thee yesterday?

How should we kneel, in this dread hour?

Lord, teach us how to pray!

Grant us the single heart, once more,

That mocks no sacred thing,

The Sword of Truth our fathers wore

When Thou wast Lord and King.

Let darkness unto darkness tell

Our deep unspoken prayer,

For, while our souls in darkness dwell,

We know that Thou art there.

"A Prayer in Time of War" by Alfred Noyes is a poignant poem that speaks to the power of prayer in times of great adversity. The poem begins with the speaker asking for a prayer that is strong enough to rise above the chaos and destruction of war. The speaker acknowledges the difficulty of praying in such a time, where fear and uncertainty reign.

The poem tells us that a prayer is a powerful force that can transcend even the most dire of circumstances. It can provide a sense of hope and comfort in the midst of chaos and despair. The speaker implores the reader to pray not only for their own safety but for the safety of all those affected by the war.

The poem also tells us that prayer is a deeply personal act. The speaker emphasizes that each person's prayer will be different, tailored to their own unique experiences and circumstances. He acknowledges that some may pray for victory, while others may pray for peace. But regardless of the specific content of the prayer, the act of praying itself is what is important.

Furthermore, the poem suggests that prayer is a way of connecting with something greater than ourselves. The speaker urges the reader to look beyond their own individual needs and desires and to pray for the greater good. He suggests that prayer is a way of aligning ourselves with a higher power and tapping into a source of strength and courage that goes beyond our own limited capabilities.

In terms of how to pray, the poem suggests that there is no one right way. The speaker acknowledges that each person will have their own approach, and that is perfectly valid. What is important is the act of praying itself, the intention behind it, and the sense of connection it provides.

Overall, prayer is a powerful force that can provide comfort, hope, and strength in the midst of adversity. It is a deeply personal act that can take many different forms, but the intention behind it is what is important. The poem suggests that prayer is a way of connecting with something greater than ourselves, and it is a way of tapping into a source of strength and courage that goes beyond our own limited capabilities.

Where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high;

- Rabindranath Tagore

Original Bengali version:

চিত্ত যেথা ভয়শূন্য উচ্চ যেথা শির,
জ্ঞান যেথা মুক্ত, যেথা গৃহের প্রাচীর
আপন প্রাংগণতলে দিবস-শর্বরী
বসুধারে রাখে নাই খণড ক্ষুদ্র করি,

যেথা বাক্য হৃদযের উতসমুখ হতে
উচ্ছসিয়যা উঠে, যেথা নির্বারিত স্রোতে,
দেশে দেশে দিশে দিশে কর্মধারা ধায়
অজস্র সহস্রবিধ চরিতার্থতায়,

যেথা তুচ্ছ আচারের মরু-বালু-রাশি
বিচারের স্রোতঃপথ ফেলে নাই গ্রাসি -
পৌরুষেরে করেনি শতধা, নিত্য যেথা
তুমি সর্ব কর্ম-চিংতা-আনংদের নেতা,

নিজ হস্তে নির্দয় আঘাত করি পিতঃ,
ভারতেরে সেই স্বর্গে করো জাগরিত ||

Devanaagari transliteration

चित्त जेथा भयशून्य ,उच्च जेथा शिर ,
ज्ञान जेथा मुक्त जेथा गृहेर प्राचीर
आपन प्रांगणतले दिवसशर्वरी
बसुधारे राखे नाइ खण्ड खण्ड क्षुद्रकरि,

जेथा वाकय हृदयेर उत् समुखहते
उच्छ्वसिया उठे , जेथा निर्वारित स्रोते
दशे देशे दिशे दिशे कर्मधारा धाय
अजस्र सहसबिध चरितार्थताय-

जेथा तुच्छ आचारेर मरुबालुराशि
बिचारेर स्रोतःपथे फेले नाइ ग्रासि,
पौरुषेरे करे नि शतधा-नित्य जेथा
तुमि सर्व कर्म चिन्ता आनंदेर नेता-

निज हस्ते निर्दय आधात करि पितः,
भारतेर सेइ स्वर्गे करो जागरित।

Hindi Translation - कवी शिवमंगल सिंह "सुमन" द्वारा

जहां चित्‍त भय से शून्‍य हो
जहां हम गर्व से माथा ऊंचा करके चल सकें
जहां ज्ञान मुक्‍त हो
जहां दिन रात विशाल वसुधा को खंडों में विभाजित कर
छोटे और छोटे आंगन न बनाए जाते हों

जहां हर वाक्‍य ह्रदय की गहराई से निकलता हो
जहां हर दिशा में कर्म के अजस्‍त्र नदी के स्रोत फूटते हों
और निरंतर अबाधित बहते हों
जहां विचारों की सरिता
तुच्‍छ आचारों की मरू भूमि में न खोती हो
जहां पुरूषार्थ सौ सौ टुकड़ों में बंटा हुआ न हो
जहां पर सभी कर्म, भावनाएं, आनंदानुभुतियाँ तुम्‍हारे अनुगत हों

हे पिता, अपने हाथों से निर्दयता पूर्ण प्रहार कर
उसी स्‍वातंत्र्य स्‍वर्ग में इस सोते हुए भारत को जगाओ

English Translation

Where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been
broken up into fragments by the tireless efforts of men;

Where words come out from
the depth of truth;
Where the currents of tireless striving originate
and flow without hindrance all over;

Where the clear stream of reason and thoughts has not lost its way into the dreary
desert sand of lowly habits and deeds;
Where the valour is not divided in 100 different streams;
Where all the deeds, emotions are blissfully given by you

My father, strike the sleeping India without mercy,
so that she may awaken into such a heaven.

This is part of Kirpa Dhaar project done to record uplifting tracks during the Pandemic of 2020. I am going to start a new project starting next week that will be focused on Bhagat Namdev.

Origin of the word "Ardaas"

Ardaas comes from the Arabic Ardzasht. It is also used in Farsi as Ardz. The meaning is the same: petition, supplication, prayer, request. It is also related to the Sanskrit verb ard (अर्द) which means "request, ask, beg".

This "z" in "Ardzasht is one of the 4 z's in Arabic ... and this one is derived from "d" and therefore in Punjabi and Hindi we say "Ardaas" (just like Ramadaan for Ramzaan, and Nadar for Nazar). It is pronounced like a mix of a soft "d" and "z" ... just like pizza is pronounced as Peetzaah with a "t" and "z".

Other Recordings

This is one of three recordings of this composition. I composed this in 1996. It was done in my last year when I was a student at Berkeley and used to live in the Sikh Ashram, 2 blocks north of the campus. It was included in the the first album I released in 1997. A second studio version was recorded with bansuri, piano, sax (Jeremy Marais) and cello (Suellen Primost) and released in 2014: https://youtu.be/AuboP0kQpMM

Where does the Shabad Come From?

The shabad comes from Guru Amardas and is part of a "vaar" ... a ballad, in Raag Gujri and can be found on Page 512. The heading (sirlekh) of the ballad can be found on GGS Page 508.

ਗੂਜਰੀ ਕੀ ਵਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਸਿਕੰਦਰ ਬਿਰਾਹਿਮ ਕੀ ਵਾਰ ਕੀ ਧੁਨੀ ਗਾਉਣੀ

गूजरी की वार महला ३ सिकंदर बिराहिम की वार की धुनी गाउणी

Gūjrī kī vār mėhlā 3 sikanḏar birāhim kī vār kī ḏẖunī gā▫uṇī

Goojaree Ki Vaar, Third Mehl, Sung In The Tune Of The Vaar Of Sikandar & Biraahim:

There must have been a popular tune that sang the praises of Sikandar and Ibrahim Lodi, the two rulers of the Lodi dynasty during the time of Guru Nanak. I have heard that Patiala university researchers under the direction of Dr. Gurnam Singh have done some research on this "tune."

Where does the quote in the beginning of the shabad come from?

This quote comes from the same vaar; it is a shloka written by Guru Amardas that is an introduction to the Pauri:

ਮਃ ੩ ॥

मः ३ ॥

Mėhlā 3.

Third Mehl:

ਮਿਠਾ ਸੋ ਜੋ ਭਾਵਦਾ ਸਜਣੁ ਸੋ ਜਿ ਰਾਸਿ ॥

मिठा सो जो भावदा सजणु सो जि रासि ॥

Miṯẖā so jo bẖāvḏā sajaṇ so jė rās.

That which is pleasing is sweet, and one who is sincere is a friend.

ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਆਪਿ ਕਰੇ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ॥੨॥

नानक गुरमुखि जाणीऐ जा कउ आपि करे परगासु ॥२॥

Nānak gurmukẖ jāṇī▫ai jā ka▫o āp kare pargās. ||2||

O Nanak, he is known as a Gurmukh, whom the Lord Himself enlightens. ||2||

Lyrics Transliterated in English

Prabh Paas Jan Ki Ardaas

Tu Sacha Saayin

Tu Rakhvaala Sadaa Sadaa

Haun Tudh Dhyaayin

Jee Jant Sab Tereya

Tu Raheya Samaayin

Jo daas Tere Ki Ninda Karai

Tis Maar Pachaayin

Chintaa Chad Achint Raho

Nanak Lag Paayin

My humble prayer to Prabhu

Prabhu, this is my humble petition:

that you are the true master

that you always protect me

and I meditate on You.

that all life and creatures are yours

and you permeate all

that one who slanders your servant

is vanquished completely

that renouncing my worries, I am carefree

at your feet

Sahib Singh Translation

ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਸੇਵਕ ਦੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਹਜ਼ੂਰੀ ਵਿਚ (ਇਉਂ ਹੁੰਦੀ) ਹੈ-(ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ!) ਤੂੰ ਸਦਾ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਮਾਲਕ ਹੈਂ, ਤੂੰ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਰਾਖਾ ਹੈਂ, ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਸਿਮਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਸਾਰੇ ਜੀਆ ਜੰਤ ਤੇਰੇ ਹੀ ਹਨ, ਤੂੰ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਹੈਂ। ਜੋ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਤੇਰੀ ਬੰਦਗੀ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਦੀ ਨਿੰਦਿਆ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਤੂੰ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ (ਆਤਮਕ ਮੌਤੇ) ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਖ਼ੁਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈਂ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਤੂੰ ਭੀ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਚਰਨੀਂ ਲੱਗ ਤੇ (ਦੁਨੀਆ ਵਾਲੀ) ਚਿੰਤਾ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਬੇ-ਫ਼ਿਕਰ ਹੋ ਰਹੁ।੨੧।

पद्अर्थ: जन = प्रभु का सेवक। हउ = मैं। पाई = पैरों में।21।

अर्थ: प्रभु के सेवक की अरदास प्रभु की हजूरी में (यूँ होती) है: (हे प्रभु!) तू सदा रहने वाला मालिक है, तू सदा ही रखवाला है, मैं तुझे स्मरण करता हूँ, सारे जीव-जंतु तेरे ही हैं, तू इनमें मौजूद है। जो मनुष्य तेरी बंदगी करने वाले की निंदा करता है तू उसको (आत्मिक मौत) मार के ख्वार करता है।हे नानक! तू भी प्रभु के चरणों में लग और (दुनियावी) चिंताएं त्याग के बेफिक्र रह।21।

Gurbani, Transliteration and Translation

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

पउड़ी ॥

Pa▫oṛī.

Pauree:

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪਾਸਿ ਜਨ ਕੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਤੂ ਸਚਾ ਸਾਂਈ ॥

प्रभ पासि जन की अरदासि तू सचा सांई ॥

Parabẖ pās jan kī arḏās ṯū sacẖā sāŉ▫ī.

O God, Your humble servant offers his prayer to You; You are my True Master.

ਤੂ ਰਖਵਾਲਾ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਹਉ ਤੁਧੁ ਧਿਆਈ ॥

तू रखवाला सदा सदा हउ तुधु धिआई ॥

Ŧū rakẖvālā saḏā saḏā ha▫o ṯuḏẖ ḏẖi▫ā▫ī.

You are my Protector, forever and ever; I meditate on You.

ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਤੇਰਿਆ ਤੂ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥

जीअ जंत सभि तेरिआ तू रहिआ समाई ॥

Jī▫a janṯ sabẖ ṯeri▫ā ṯū rahi▫ā samā▫ī.

All the beings and creatures are Yours; You are pervading and permeating in them.

ਜੋ ਦਾਸ ਤੇਰੇ ਕੀ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਾਰਿ ਪਚਾਈ ॥

जो दास तेरे की निंदा करे तिसु मारि पचाई ॥

Jo ḏās ṯere kī ninḏā kare ṯis mār pacẖā▫ī.

One who slanders Your slave is crushed and destroyed.

ਚਿੰਤਾ ਛਡਿ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਰਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਗਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੨੧॥

चिंता छडि अचिंतु रहु नानक लगि पाई ॥२१॥

Cẖinṯā cẖẖad acẖinṯ rahu Nānak lag pā▫ī. ||21||

Falling at Your Feet, Nanak has renounced his cares, and has become care-free. ||21||

Today as I travel to New York, President George H Bush's. I didn't really have a fond memory of him, but he seems to be getting a hero's farewell. So I'm reading and highlighting the lessons from one of President George H Bush's best speeches ... this is the first speech he gave after becoming president, his commencement address:

Mr. Chief Justice, Mr. President, Vice President Quayle, Senator Mitchell, Speaker Wright, Senator Dole, Congressman Michel, and fellow citizens, neighbors, and friends:

There is a man here who has earned a lasting place in our hearts and in our history. President Reagan, on behalf of our nation, I thank you for the wonderful things that you have done for America.

I've just repeated word for word the oath taken by George Washington 200 years ago, and the Bible on which I placed my hand is the Bible on which he placed his. It is right that the memory of Washington be with us today not only because this is our bicentennial inauguration but because Washington remains the Father of our Country. And he would, I think, be gladdened by this day; for today is the concrete expression of a stunning fact: our continuity, these 200 years, since our government began.

We meet on democracy's front porch. A good place to talk as neighbors and as friends. For this is a day when our nation is made whole, when our differences, for a moment, are suspended. And my first act as President is a prayer. I ask you to bow your heads.

Heavenly Father, we bow our heads and thank You for Your love. Accept our thanks for the peace that yields this day and the shared faith that makes its continuance likely. Make us strong to do Your work, willing to heed and hear Your will, and write on our hearts these words: "Use power to help people." For we are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people. Help us remember, Lord. Amen.

I come before you and assume the Presidency at a moment rich with promise. We live in a peaceful, prosperous time, but we can make it better. For a new breeze is blowing, and a world refreshed by freedom seems reborn. For in man's heart, if not in fact, the day of the dictator is over. The totalitarian era is passing, its old ideas blown away like leaves from an ancient, lifeless tree. A new breeze is blowing, and a nation refreshed by freedom stands ready to push on. There is new ground to be broken and new action to be taken. There are times when the future seems thick as a fog; you sit and wait, hoping the mists will lift and reveal the right path. But this is a time when the future seems a door you can walk right through into a room called tomorrow.

Great nations of the world are moving toward democracy through the door to freedom. Men and women of the world move toward free markets through the door to prosperity. The people of the world agitate for free expression and free thought through the door to the moral and intellectual satisfactions that only liberty allows.

We know what works: Freedom works. We know what's right: Freedom is right. We know how to secure a more just and prosperous life for man on Earth: through free markets, free speech, free elections, and the exercise of free will unhampered by the state.

For the first time in this century, for the first time in perhaps all history, man does not have to invent a system by which to live. We don't have to talk late into the night about which form of government is better. We don't have to wrest justice from the kings. We only have to summon it from within ourselves. We must act on what we know. I take as my guide the hope of a saint: In crucial things, unity; in important things, diversity; in all things, generosity.

America today is a proud, free nation, decent and civil, a place we cannot help but love. We know in our hearts, not loudly and proudly but as a simple fact, that this country has meaning beyond what we see, and that our strength is a force for good. But have we changed as a nation even in our time? Are we enthralled with material things, less appreciative of the nobility of work and sacrifice?

My friends, we are not the sum of our possessions. They are not the measure of our lives. In our hearts we know what matters. We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend; a loving parent; a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood, and town better than he found it. And what do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we're no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us? Or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better and stayed a moment there to trade a word of friendship?

No President, no government can teach us to remember what is best in what we are. But if the man you have chosen to lead this government can help make a difference; if he can celebrate the quieter, deeper successes that are made not of gold and silk but of better hearts and finer souls; if he can do these things, then he must.

America is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the Nation and gentler the face of the world. My friends, we have work to do. There are the homeless, lost and roaming. There are the children who have nothing, no love and no normalcy. There are those who cannot free themselves of enslavement to whatever addiction—drugs, welfare, the demoralization that rules the slums. There is crime to be conquered, the rough crime of the streets. There are young women to be helped who are about to become mothers of children they can't care for and might not love. They need our care, our guidance, and our education, though we bless them for choosing life.

The old solution, the old way, was to think that public money alone could end these problems. But we have learned that that is not so. And in any case, our funds are low. We have a deficit to bring down. We have more will than wallet, but will is what we need. We will make the hard choices, looking at what we have and perhaps allocating it differently, making our decisions based on honest need and prudent safety. And then we will do the wisest thing of all. We will turn to the only resource we have that in times of need always grows: the goodness and the courage of the American people.

And I am speaking of a new engagement in the lives of others, a new activism, hands-on and involved, that gets the job done. We must bring in the generations, harnessing the unused talent of the elderly and the unfocused energy of the young. For not only leadership is passed from generation to generation but so is stewardship. And the generation born after the Second World War has come of age.

I have spoken of a Thousand Points of Light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good. We will work hand in hand, encouraging, sometimes leading, sometimes being led, rewarding. We will work on this in the White House, in the Cabinet agencies. I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I'll ask every member of my government to become involved. The old ideas are new again because they're not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in.

We need a new engagement, too, between the Executive and the Congress. The challenges before us will be thrashed out with the House and the Senate. And we must bring the Federal budget into balance. And we must ensure that America stands before the world united, strong, at peace, and fiscally sound. But of course things may be difficult. We need to compromise; we've had dissension. We need harmony; we've had a chorus of discordant voices.

For Congress, too, has changed in our time. There has grown a certain divisiveness. We have seen the hard looks and heard the statements in which not each other's ideas are challenged but each other's motives. And our great parties have too often been far apart and untrusting of each other. It's been this way since Vietnam. That war cleaves us still. But, friends, that war began in earnest a quarter of a century ago, and surely the statute of limitation has been reached. This is a fact: The final lesson of Vietnam is that no great nation can long afford to be sundered by a memory. A new breeze is blowing, and the old bipartisanship must be made new again.

To my friends, and, yes, I do mean friends—in the loyal opposition and, yes, I mean loyal—I put out my hand. I am putting out my hand to you, Mr. Speaker. I am putting out my hand to you, Mr. Majority Leader. For this is the thing: This is the age of the offered hand. And we can't turn back clocks, and I don't want to. But when our fathers were young, Mr. Speaker, our differences ended at the water's edge. And we don't wish to turn back time, but when our mothers were young, Mr. Majority Leader, the Congress and the Executive were capable of working together to produce a budget on which this nation could live. Let us negotiate soon and hard. But in the end, let us produce. The American people await action. They didn't send us here to bicker. They ask us to rise above the merely partisan. "In crucial things, unity"—and this, my friends, is crucial.
To the world, too, we offer new engagement and a renewed vow: We will stay strong to protect the peace. The offered hand is a reluctant fist; once made—strong, and can be used with great effect. There are today Americans who are held against their will in foreign lands and Americans who are unaccounted for. Assistance can be shown here and will be long remembered. Good will begets good will. Good faith can be a spiral that endlessly moves on.

Great nations like great men must keep their word. When America says something, America means it, whether a treaty or an agreement or a vow made on marble steps. We will always try to speak clearly, for candor is a compliment; but subtlety, too, is good and has its place. While keeping our alliances and friendships around the world strong, ever strong, we will continue the new closeness with the Soviet Union, consistent both with our security and with progress. One might say that our new relationship in part reflects the triumph of hope and strength over experience. But hope is good, and so is strength and vigilance.

Here today are tens of thousands of our citizens who feel the understandable satisfaction of those who have taken part in democracy and seen their hopes fulfilled. But my thoughts have been turning the past few days to those who would be watching at home, to an older fellow who will throw a salute by himself when the flag goes by and the woman who will tell her sons the words of the battle hymns. I don't mean this to be sentimental. I mean that on days like this we remember that we are all part of a continuum, inescapably connected by the ties that bind.

Our children are watching in schools throughout our great land. And to them I say, Thank you for watching democracy's big day. For democracy belongs to us all, and freedom is like a beautiful kite that can go higher and higher with the breeze. And to all I say, No matter what your circumstances or where you are, you are part of this day, you are part of the life of our great nation.
A President is neither prince nor pope, and I don't seek a window on men's souls. In fact, I yearn for a greater tolerance, and easygoingness about each other's attitudes and way of life.

There are few clear areas in which we as a society must rise up united and express our intolerance. The most obvious now is drugs. And when that first cocaine was smuggled in on a ship, it may as well have been a deadly bacteria, so much has it hurt the body, the soul of our country. And there is much to be done and to be said, but take my word for it: This scourge will stop!

And so, there is much to do. And tomorrow the work begins. And I do not mistrust the future. I do not fear what is ahead. For our problems are large, but our heart is larger. Our challenges are great, but our will is greater. And if our flaws are endless, God's love is truly boundless.

Some see leadership as high drama and the sound of trumpets calling, and sometimes it is that. But I see history as a book with many pages, and each day we fill a page with acts of hopefulness and meaning. The new breeze blows, a page turns, the story unfolds. And so, today a chapter begins, a small and stately story of unity, diversity, and generosity—shared, and written, together.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

In a world obsessed with asking—asking for more time, for money, for blessings, for escape—we might pause to ask a deeper question: What should we ask of God?

Guru Arjan, in his radiant Shabad Jo Māṅgai Ṭhākur Apne Te, offers a startling invitation:

ਜੋ ਮਾਗੈ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਤੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੋਈ ਦੇਵੈ ॥
Jo māṅgai ṯẖākur āpṇe ṯe soī soī ḏevai.
Whatever one asks of the Lord, the Lord gives.

This line could easily be mistaken for a divine vending machine theology: just ask and receive. But Guru Arjan does not end there. He continues:

ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸੁ ਮੁਖ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਈਹਾ ਊਹਾ ਸਚੁ ਹੋਵੈ ॥
Nanak dās mukẖ ṯe jo bolai īhā ūhā sacẖ hovai.
Whatever the servant Nanak utters with his mouth becomes true in this world and the next.

Here, asking is not transactional—it is relational. The one who asks is a dās, a servant. A surrendered soul. The gift, then, is not merely in the asking, but in the transformation of the asker.

The Art of Asking: Simplicity Over Sophistication

Guru Nanak simplifies the act of asking even further. In the Prabhaati Shabad beginning with “Gur parsādi vidiaa veechaarai,” he describes the ideal request as something profoundly humble:

ਇਕ ਦਖਿਣਾ ਹਉ ਤੈ ਪਹਿ ਮਾਗਉ ਦੇਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮੁ ॥
Ik dakhiṇā ha-o ṯai pėh māga-o ḏėh āpṇā nām.
I ask for one offering alone: give me Your Name.

There is no grand petition here for kingdoms, wealth, or miracles. Just Naam—the Divine Name, the intimate remembrance of the Beloved.

This really is a core Gurbani principle. This idea is echoed in so many shabads. Here is one line from a Shabad by Guru Arjan:

ਜਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਮੰਗੀਐ ਸਾਈ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੇ ਨਾਮਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਈਐ ॥
Ji vasat mangīai sāī pāīai je nām chit lāīai.
One receives the thing one truly desires—if the mind is focused on the Naam.

The secret lies not in how much we ask, but how we ask. If the desire is rooted in remembrance, in humility, in surrender, then even the act of asking becomes worship.

Beyond Commodities: Asking for Qualities

Guru Nanak reframes prayer entirely by asking not for things, but for virtues, for inner wealth:

ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਚਾਵਲ ਦਇਆ ਕਣਕ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤਿ ਪਾਤੀ ਧਾਨੁ ॥
Make self-discipline and truth the rice; compassion the wheat on the leaf-plate of meditation.

ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਘੀਉ ਕਰਿ ਐਸਾ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਦਾਨੁ ॥
Let milk be good deeds, and ghee be contentment—these are the gifts I beg of You.

ਖਿਮਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਗਊ ਲਵੇਰੀ ਸਹਜੇ ਬਛਰਾ ਖੀਰੁ ਪੀਐ ॥
Let forgiveness and patience be my milk-cows, from which the calf of the mind gently drinks.

This is a beautiful economy of divine asking: not for what the world values, but for what makes the world meaningful. The entire Shabad turns the daily act of eating into a metaphor for the nourishment of the soul, begging God not for outcomes but for orientation. It does sound like we are in South India with the meals on leaves and the serving of rice.

A Hidden Conversation with the Guru

But make sure you have a conversation with God.

ਗੁਹਜ ਗਲ ਜੀਅ ਕੀ ਕੀਚੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਸਿ
Tell the secrets of your soul to the True Guru.

What we often ask for aloud—success, health, comfort—is rarely the real longing of the soul. The soul’s cry is quieter, more hidden. Guru Arjan encourages us to entrust that deepest yearning to the Satguru, not just as a listener, but as a physician of the spirit. The result?

ਤਾ ਸਰਬ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
Then, true peace is found.

When we dare to articulate our hidden hunger to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves, the need to ask vanishes. Hunger dissolves into satisfaction. Asking becomes union.

Conclusion: To Ask is to Align

In these Shabads, Guru Nanak and Guru Arjan do not reject asking; they sanctify it. They reorient it. Asking is not a failure of surrender—it is a doorway into it. But the object of asking is not to gain what the ego desires; it is to uncover what the soul already knows it needs.

So what should we ask of God?

We should ask for Naam.

We should ask to lose our inner thieves—lust, anger, greed, attachment, and ego.

We should ask for rice made of self-restraint, wheat made of kindness, and milk made of good actions.

We should ask for the courage to ask less for ourselves and more for the self to be quiet enough to listen.

Because, in the end, the true gift is not what is given.

It is who we become by asking.

The One Who Listens

Most days,
I keep things where no one can find them—
under the socks I never wear,
inside the teapot shaped like a duck,
in the second draft of a breakup poem
that never quite broke anything.

You wouldn’t know
that I worry about disappearing
the way soap does
in the last week of August.

Or that I once lied
to a dying plant,
whispering, you’ll be fine,
as I walked past with a glass of water
meant for myself.

But sometimes,
I sit down with the Shabad
like it’s the old friend
who never asks for small talk.

And I say it—
the thing even I didn’t know
was rattling in the drawer
marked unspoken.

The Shabad doesn’t flinch.
It has never judged.
It doesn’t correct my grammar
or ask if I’ve tried journaling.

It just listens—
like the inside of a mountain
so still
that when I stop speaking,
I can finally hear
where the wind goes next.

Reference Shabads

Jo Mange - Guru Arjan
Mangna Maangan Neeka

Je Vasst Mangiyeh Sayi

Je Vasst Mangiyeh

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

पउड़ी ॥

Pa▫oṛī.

Pauree:

ਸਭ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥

सभ वडिआईआ हरि नाम विचि हरि गुरमुखि धिआईऐ ॥

Sabẖ vaḏi▫ā▫ī▫ā har nām vicẖ har gurmukẖ ḏẖi▫ā▫ī▫ai.

All glorious greatness is in the Name of the Lord; as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord.

ਜਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਮੰਗੀਐ ਸਾਈ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੇ ਨਾਮਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਈਐ ॥

जि वसतु मंगीऐ साई पाईऐ जे नामि चितु लाईऐ ॥

Jė vasaṯ mangī▫ai sā▫ī pā▫ī▫ai je nām cẖiṯ lā▫ī▫ai.

One obtains all that he asks for, if he keeps his consciousness focused on the Lord.

ਗੁਹਜ ਗਲ ਜੀਅ ਕੀ ਕੀਚੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਸਿ ਤਾ ਸਰਬ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥

गुहज गल जीअ की कीचै सतिगुरू पासि ता सरब सुखु पाईऐ ॥

Guhaj gal jī▫a kī kīcẖai saṯgurū pās ṯā sarab sukẖ pā▫ī▫ai.

If he tells the secrets of his soul to the True Guru, then he finds absolute peace.

ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਦੇਇ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਈਐ ॥

गुरु पूरा हरि उपदेसु देइ सभ भुख लहि जाईऐ ॥

Gur pūrā har upḏes ḏe▫e sabẖ bẖukẖ lėh jā▫ī▫ai.

When the Perfect Guru bestows the Lord's Teachings, then all hunger departs.

ਜਿਸੁ ਪੂਰਬਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਸੋ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਈਐ ॥੩॥

जिसु पूरबि होवै लिखिआ सो हरि गुण गाईऐ ॥३॥

Jis pūrab hovai likẖi▫ā so har guṇ gā▫ī▫ai. ||3||

One who is blessed with such pre-ordained destiny, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||

Guru Nanak -

ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
प्रभाती महला १ ॥
Parbẖāṯī mėhlā 1.
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੈ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਮਾਨੁ ॥
गुर परसादी विदिआ वीचारै पड़ि पड़ि पावै मानु ॥
Gur parsādī viḏi▫ā vīcẖārai paṛ paṛ pāvai mān.
By Guru's Grace, contemplate spiritual knowledge; read it and study it, and you shall be honored.
ਆਪਾ ਮਧੇ ਆਪੁ ਪਰਗਾਸਿਆ ਪਾਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥
आपा मधे आपु परगासिआ पाइआ अम्रितु नामु ॥१॥
Āpā maḏẖe āp pargāsi▫ā pā▫i▫ā amriṯ nām. ||1||
Within the self, the self is revealed, when one is blessed with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||

ਕਰਤਾ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਜਜਮਾਨੁ ॥
करता तू मेरा जजमानु ॥
Karṯā ṯū merā jajmān.
O Creator Lord, You alone are my Benefactor.
ਇਕ ਦਖਿਣਾ ਹਉ ਤੈ ਪਹਿ ਮਾਗਉ ਦੇਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
इक दखिणा हउ तै पहि मागउ देहि आपणा नामु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Ik ḏakẖiṇā ha▫o ṯai pėh māga▫o ḏėh āpṇā nām. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I beg for only one blessing from You: please bless me with Your Name. ||1||Pause||

ਪੰਚ ਤਸਕਰ ਧਾਵਤ ਰਾਖੇ ਚੂਕਾ ਮਨਿ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥
पंच तसकर धावत राखे चूका मनि अभिमानु ॥
Pancẖ ṯaskar ḏẖāvaṯ rākẖe cẖūkā man abẖimān.
The five wandering thieves are captured and held, and the egotistical pride of the mind is subdued.
ਦਿਸਟਿ ਬਿਕਾਰੀ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਭਾਗੀ ਐਸਾ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੨॥
दिसटि बिकारी दुरमति भागी ऐसा ब्रहम गिआनु ॥२॥
Ḏisat bikārī ḏurmaṯ bẖāgī aisā barahm gi▫ān. ||2||
Visions of corruption, vice and evil-mindedness run away. Such is the spiritual wisdom of God. ||2||

ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਚਾਵਲ ਦਇਆ ਕਣਕ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤਿ ਪਾਤੀ ਧਾਨੁ ॥
जतु सतु चावल दइआ कणक करि प्रापति पाती धानु ॥
Jaṯ saṯ cẖāval ḏa▫i▫ā kaṇak kar parāpaṯ pāṯī ḏẖān.
Please bless me with the rice of truth and self-restraint, the wheat of compassion, and the leaf-plate of meditation.
ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਘੀਉ ਕਰਿ ਐਸਾ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਦਾਨੁ ॥੩॥
दूधु करमु संतोखु घीउ करि ऐसा मांगउ दानु ॥३॥
Ḏūḏẖ karam sanṯokẖ gẖī▫o kar aisā māŉga▫o ḏān. ||3||
Bless me with the milk of good karma, and the clarified butter, the ghee, of compassion. Such are the gifts I beg of You, Lord. ||3||

ਖਿਮਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਕਰਿ ਗਊ ਲਵੇਰੀ ਸਹਜੇ ਬਛਰਾ ਖੀਰੁ ਪੀਐ ॥
खिमा धीरजु करि गऊ लवेरी सहजे बछरा खीरु पीऐ ॥
Kẖimā ḏẖīraj kar ga▫ū laverī sėhje bacẖẖrā kẖīr pī▫ai.
Let forgiveness and patience be my milk-cows, and let the calf of my mind intuitively drink in this milk.
ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਰਮ ਕਾ ਕਪੜਾ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਵਤੁ ਰਹੈ ॥੪॥੭॥
सिफति सरम का कपड़ा मांगउ हरि गुण नानक रवतु रहै ॥४॥७॥
Sifaṯ saram kā kapṛā māŉga▫o har guṇ Nānak ravaṯ rahai. ||4||7||
I beg for the clothes of modesty and the Lord's Praise; Nanak chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||7||