Shivpreet Singh
Shivpreet Singh
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Light Through Nanak - Desipun (Insta)

On the eve of Guru Nanak's 552nd birthday, I have been listening to his mantra. If you ask Bhai Gurdas what his mantra is, he would say Satnam. He begins the story of Guru Nanak with Satnam as the mantra, and concludes the story with Satnam Waheguru. 

I am also viewing this art about a beautiful frozen moment in time: the guru coming out as an enlightened luminary. Encircling his serene countenance are two halos, one that is white, the other of radiant yellow, each an embodiment of his divine wisdom and boundless compassion. 

And this light is affecting everything.  Isn't it wonderful that the kali bein, the dark rivulet has turned sky blue, I imagine that the light from Nanak is impacting everything around him.  And everything around him is enveloping him fluidly.  Very aptly he wears a cloak of the river's own making.  Satnam has even also made his beard white at the age of 30. 

We can imagine him walking out of the river after an absence of 3 days.  Equally perplexed by the miracle of his disappearance, then appearance, but most of all by his new countenance: thoroughly drenched in the truest of all true names, satnaam: ekonkar. 

John Keats, in his 'Ode on a Grecian Urn,' writes, "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter." This line resonates deeply as I gaze upon this piece of art. The unheard melodies here are the silent revelations of Guru Nanak, the subtle ripples of enlightenment coursing through his being, the quiet hum of the universe whispering the mantra of "Ek Onkaar" - "All is One," into his awakened soul. 

The stillness of the painting, much like the frozen scenes on Keats' Grecian Urn, holds a dynamic truth. Keats muses, "What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels?" He is drawn into the stories etched onto the urn, the characters frozen in their pursuits. Similarly, the painting invites us to partake in Guru Nanak's spiritual journey, a journey that begins in the depths of the river and ascends towards the realm of oneness. 

This piece of art, like the ancient Grecian urn, is a silent form that teems with eloquent tales. The unfinished melody of Guru Nanak's enlightenment is a composition that inspires me to create music. The final notes might be unheard, but they echo within the chambers of the heart. 

The beauty of Guru Nanak's enlightenment and Keats' Grecian urn lies not in their physicality but in their profound ability to inspire, to incite a quest for knowledge, and to draw out the unheard melodies from the silence. They both unravel the mystery of beauty in their own unique ways – one through the spiritual enlightenment that acknowledges the oneness of existence and the other through art that captures the frozen moments of life.

Just as Guru Nanak emerged from the river, enlightened and ready to disseminate the ambrosial nectar of wisdom that he had discovered, so too does the music I intend to create. It will emerge, inspired by the Guru's grace, to sing of the oneness that he so profoundly perceived, becoming another way to see, feel, and appreciate the beauty inherent in the truth of oneness. 

Thus, frozen pieces of art, like the painting of Guru Nanak, and finished compositions of music, inspired by his divine grace, become bridges that connect us to the beauty that the Guru beheld in oneness. They serve as profound reminders of the eternal truth of 'Ek Onkaar', encapsulating the essence of life and existence in their silent eloquence. 

As this contemplative journey draws to a close, I am struck by a profound realization: a recording of a shabad, a holy hymn, is much like a painting. It is static, unchanging, frozen in time. Yet it is not the recording that embodies the Guru, nor does the painting embody the beauty. The beauty, the true essence, is awakened in the act of sensory perception.

The painting of Guru Nanak remains motionless, yet it stirs upon our gaze. It is not the canvas that moves, but our hearts and minds. The visual engagement awakens the Guru within us, the dormant wisdom, the latent understanding of the divine. It is the perception, the interaction, that breathes life into the static image, transforming it into a dynamic spiritual experience.

Much in the same vein, the recording of a shabad is not the Guru itself. It is but an echo of divine wisdom, a reverberation of spiritual enlightenment. Yet, when we listen to it with emotion, with an openness of heart and mind, it stirs something within us. It awakens the Guru within, the spiritual guide that leads us towards the path of enlightenment. It is this act of listening, this deep engagement with the hymn, that uncovers its true beauty.

And then, in that fleeting moment, we feel a glimpse of the oneness that the Guru experiences. The boundaries of self and the universe blur, and we feel interconnected with all that is around us. The Guru's wisdom, echoed in the shabad, resonates within us, connecting us to the divine oneness.

There is nothing truer than what we feel. Our emotions, our experiences, are the most honest reflections of our inner selves. And in this transcendental experience of perceiving the Guru's wisdom, of feeling the oneness, there is nothing more beautiful. The beauty is not in the painting or the recording, but in our interaction with them, in the emotions they stir, and in the spiritual enlightenment they invoke.

Thus, we find that the beauty of Guru Nanak's enlightenment, the essence of the oneness he perceived, is not confined to static forms of art or recorded hymns. It lives within us, waiting to be awakened by our sensory engagement, by listening to a shabad or gazing upon a painting. It is this awakening, this realization of oneness, that is the true beauty of enlightenment.




This is the couplet that I am meditating upon from Ashtapadi 16 as part of the weekly Sukhmani Sahib exploration (Live every Saturday on YouTube). For the full ashtapadi see SikhiToTheMax - I am working on a new composition on this pada and will share it on Saturday (Jan 25, 2025).

ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਾ ਸਦਾ-ਥਿਰ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਨਾਮ ਸੁਖ-ਦਾਤਾ ਹੈ ।
sat naam prabh kaa sukhadhaiee ||
The True Name of God is the Giver of peace.
सति नामु प्रभ का सुखदाई ॥

ਬਿਸ੍ਵਾਸੁ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਈ ॥੬॥
ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਜੀਵ ਨੂੰ) ਇਹ ਅਟੱਲ ਸਿਦਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਤੋਂ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ ।੬।
bisavaiaas sat naanak gur te paiee ||6||
Nanak has obtained true faith from the Guru. ||6||
बिस्वासु सति नानक गुर ते पाई ॥६॥


Satnam reminds me of Guru Nanak’s magic word: Satnam. Once on his trips to the Jogi’s, they asked Guru Nanak, show us your magic. And he said I don’t have any other magic other than the True Name. Satnam. Satnam was the main greeting when I used to live with the American Sikhs in Berkeley — as opposed to Sat Sri Akal, or Guru Fateh. I love this magical mantra.

Here is an audio recording of when Rajesh Prasanna visited me in the US many years ago — I invited a bunch of musicians (I think 8 of us) and we did a recording of this whole album in 2 hours. There was no planning of preparation. Most musicians had never played with each other. I love the organicness of this album (Guru Nanak’s Elemental Meditation — you can find it on Spotify, iTunes or YouTube music.

 Nothing Gold Can Stay

- Robert Frost

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
 
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.




Analysis - Nothing Gold Can Stay

"Nature's first green is gold,"
Here, Frost is likely referring to the first buds of spring, which often have a golden hue before they mature to a deeper green. Perhaps they are gold in the light of the rising sun. Or perhaps its nature's currency! In any case, this is a metaphor for the freshness and beauty of youth or the start of something. 

"Her hardest hue to hold."
The color gold is hard for nature to "hold" or maintain, because it is fleeting and soon turns to green. This is symbolic of the fleeting nature of beauty and perfection. Things start off perfect and then change, just as the golden buds mature and change color.

"Her early leaf's a flower;"
This line furthers the image of fresh spring growth. A leaf at its earliest stage can be as beautiful as a flower, but it doesn't stay that way. This could be seen as a metaphor for innocence and the inevitable loss of it with growth and maturity.

"But only so an hour."
The beauty of the early leaf, like the gold color, doesn't last. It's there only for an hour, which is a metaphor for a short period of time. This reinforces the theme of transience.

"Then leaf subsides to leaf."
The beautiful young leaf "subsides" or changes into an ordinary leaf. Here, Frost could be suggesting that the extraordinary becomes ordinary, the exciting becomes mundane as time passes.

"So Eden sank to grief,"
This line is a biblical allusion to the Garden of Eden, a paradise that was lost due to human sin. This can be seen as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and the fall from grace or perfection.

"So dawn goes down to day."
The dawn, with its beautiful, golden light, goes down or gives way to day. The beautiful, golden dawn is fleeting, just like the gold of the early leaf. This is a metaphor for the passing of time and the inevitability of change.

"Nothing gold can stay."
The final line wraps up the poem's theme. Nothing that is "gold" or perfect, beautiful, fresh, or young can stay that way. Everything changes, and all beauty and youth fade.

Overall, the poem is a reflection on the passage of time, the fleeting nature of beauty and youth, and the inevitability of change. It suggests a certain melancholy in the face of these facts, but also an acceptance of them as a natural part of life.


Embracing Satnam: Finding Inner Peace and Resilience

In the transient tapestry of nature, we find an exquisite metaphor for the impermanence of our existence. The changing seasons, the falling leaves, and the fading flowers—all serve as a poignant reminder that nothing gold can stay. Yet, amidst this impermanence, there exists something unchanging within us, a guiding light that transcends time and space. This essence, known as Satnam, represents the unshakable core of our being—the source of eternal peace, wisdom, and love.

As we immerse ourselves in the contemplation of nature's transient beauty, we are given an opportunity to turn inward and connect with our true essence. Just as the first green of spring gives way to the vibrant hues of life, we too must recognize the impermanence of the external world. This fleeting beauty, like the changing colors of nature, calls us to turn our gaze inward and seek union with our unchanging truth. Through this deep connection with Satnam, we find a stability that remains unshaken amidst life's inevitable changes.

When we anchor ourselves in Satnam, we cultivate a sense of inner peace that transcends the ebb and flow of life. We become attuned to the rhythm of the universe and learn to embrace each moment with gratitude and acceptance. This connection to our true essence allows us to navigate life's transitions with grace and resilience, drawing strength from the unwavering truth of our being.

Furthermore, Satnam allows us to transcend the limitations of the physical world. It is a timeless and boundless presence that connects us to all of creation, fostering compassion and empathy for all beings. Through this profound connection, we develop a deep awareness of our interconnectedness with the cosmos, recognizing the universal bond that unites us with all of existence.

In the face of life's trials and uncertainties, our connection to Satnam provides us with unwavering strength and fortitude. Like the steadfast mountains that endure the test of time, our true essence imbues us with resilience and courage, enabling us to navigate adversity with grace and steadfastness. As we draw upon the unchanging truth of Satnam, we find the inner resources to overcome obstacles and face life's challenges with unwavering determination.

In concluding our meditation on Satnam, let us carry the awareness of our unchanging truth with us into the world. May we embody the timeless qualities of Satnam—peace, compassion, and resilience—in all our interactions and endeavors. Let our connection to the unchanging truth serve as a guiding light, illuminating our path with wisdom and love.

In embracing Satnam, we find a profound source of inner peace and resilience, transcending the ephemeral nature of the external world. This unchanging truth at the heart of our existence provides us with a steady anchor amidst life's ever-changing landscape. As we embrace our true essence, may we find the strength, wisdom, and compassion to navigate the journey of life with grace and fortitude.
Video on YouTube || Spotify || Apple Music 


Shivpreet Singh · Navai Kai Rang

The words

This is the 20th pauri of Guru Nanak's long poem Japji Sahib. It is said that Guru Nanak composed this poem n Kartarpur on the right bank of the Ravi river towards the end of his travels. Many have called Japji Sahib the distillation of Guru Nanak's philosophy. From what I have experienced from listening to Japji over the years, Guru ji lays down a 40-step path for the soul bride to sing the essence of truth, Satnam. The initial and last steps are called shloka's and the 38 poems within are called pauris, which literally means steps. Devout sikhs like my grandfather and my parents recite Japji Sahib everyday in the morning. The lyrics and 3 alternative translations are below.

The music

I have been working on the music for this composition since several years. The idea was to interject the verses with chanting on Satnam. The harmonies are not computer generated as is for many arrangements these days; I took my sweet time and took over 100 takes for the different vocals in this track and layered them for the harmonies. So I want to especially thank my collaborators who had to wait a long long time before this was completed. In 2018, my friend and his wife David and Ana contributed some tracks to help with this. David Baynes (who also did the arrangement of Jo Mange from 2014, and played the guitar in Jin Prem Kiyo with me) played the guitar and bass for this track. Ana Milena Varona, a highly accomplished cellist, has played several cello tracks to make it sound like a string quartet. Both of them poured their hearts into this so if you enjoy the music, please send them your best wishes. 

Lyrics and Translation 

ਭਰੀਐ ਹਥੁ ਪੈਰੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਹ ॥
भरीऐ हथु पैरु तनु देह ॥
Bẖarīai hath pair ṯan ḏeh.
When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty,

ਪਾਣੀ ਧੋਤੈ ਉਤਰਸੁ ਖੇਹ ॥
पाणी धोतै उतरसु खेह ॥
Pāṇī ḏẖoṯai uṯras kẖeh.
water can wash away the dirt.

ਮੂਤ ਪਲੀਤੀ ਕਪੜੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
मूत पलीती कपड़ु होइ ॥
Mūṯ palīṯī kapaṛ hoe.
When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine,

ਦੇ ਸਾਬੂਣੁ ਲਈਐ ਓਹੁ ਧੋਇ ॥
दे साबूणु लईऐ ओहु धोइ ॥
Ḏe sābūṇ laīai oh ḏẖoe.
soap can wash them clean.

ਭਰੀਐ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ॥
भरीऐ मति पापा कै संगि ॥
Bẖarīai maṯ pāpā kai sang.
But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,

ਓਹੁ ਧੋਪੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ॥
ओहु धोपै नावै कै रंगि ॥
Oh ḏẖopai nāvai kai rang.
it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.

ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪਾਪੀ ਆਖਣੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
पुंनी पापी आखणु नाहि ॥
Punnī pāpī ākẖaṇ nāhi.
Virtue and vice do not come by mere words;

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਣਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਹੁ ॥
करि करि करणा लिखि लै जाहु ॥
Kar kar karṇā likẖ lai jāhu.
actions repeated, over and over again, are engraved on the soul.

ਆਪੇ ਬੀਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਹੁ ॥
आपे बीजि आपे ही खाहु ॥
Āpe bīj āpe hī kẖāhu.
You shall harvest what you plant.

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਆਵਹੁ ਜਾਹੁ ॥੨੦॥
नानक हुकमी आवहु जाहु ॥२०॥
Nānak hukmī āvhu jāhu. ||20||
O Nanak, by the Hukam of God's Command, we come and go in reincarnation. ||20||

Translation by Sant Kirpal Singh

More: https://www.shivpreetsingh.com/2012/10/guru-nanaks-japji-translation-by-sant.html

STANZA XX
When the hands, feet and the body are besmeared
they are washed clean with water;
When the clothes get dirty and polluted, they are cleansed
by soap;
When one's mind gets defiled by sin, it can be purified
only by communion with the Word.
Men do not become saints or sinners merely by words.
But they carry deeds with them wherever they go.
As one sows, so does one reap;
O Nanak, men come and go by the wheel(1) of birth and death
as ordained by His Will.

(1) The inexorable Law of Karma or the Law of Cause and Effect also works under His Will.
Good actions like acts of mercy and charity although commendable in themselves do not have an important bearing on the highest spiritual attainment. They cease to be of consequence once the soul begins its inner journey from the "Til" or the third eye: "If therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of Light." Matt 6:22. Borne along the Current of the Word, the soul reaches "Amrit-saar" or "Amritsar" or the Fount of Nectar, the Amritsar in man. There any impurities that may be still clinging to the soul are finally washed away. Thus the soul is made fit for the onward journey to the highest spiritual plane of "Sat Naam" which is of ineffable greatness and glory.

Rhyming Translation of Pauri 20 by Swami Raama 


For full Japji: https://www.shivpreetsingh.com/2011/02/guru-nanak-japji-rhyming-translation.html

The dirt from off the hands can clean
And face and feet may water glean.
When the garments have been stained,
With soap is stainlessness regained.
When sin and vice the mind may blight,
Love of Name will set it right.
A saint or sinner can’t be known
Merely by the speech he’s sown,
But language of the heart unveils
The action that a man travails.
“As you show, so shall you reap”
The fruits of action one may keep.
Nanak says:
A person comes and then he dies,
To order of the lord complies. ||20||

#GuruNanak #Japji #ShivpreetSingh #Satnam
 
Har Bin Jio Jal Bal Jao

In Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee, after Sri Japji Sahib, comes Sri Raag, written by Sri Guru Nanak Sahib, below is the first shabad.


Lyrics for Har Bin Jeo Jal Bal Jao

(for Punjabi/Hindi lyrics and translation see below)
 
Rāg sirīrāg mėhlā pahilā 1 gẖar 1. 

Moṯī ṯa manḏar ūsrėh raṯnī ṯa hohi jaṛāo.
Kasṯūr kungū agar cẖanḏan līp āvai cẖāo.
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||1||

Har bin jīo jal bal jāo.
Mai āpṇā gur pūcẖẖ ḏekẖiā avar nāhī thāo. ||1|| rahāo.

Ḏẖarṯī ṯa hīre lāl jaṛṯī palagẖ lāl jaṛāo.
Mohṇī mukẖ maṇī sohai kare rang pasāo.
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||2||

Siḏẖ hovā siḏẖ lāī riḏẖ ākẖā āo.
Gupaṯ pargat hoe baisā lok rākẖai bẖāo.
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||3||

Sulṯān hovā mel laskar ṯakẖaṯ rākẖā pāo.
Hukam hāsal karī baiṯẖā nānkā sabẖ vāo.
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||4||1||

Translation of Har Bin Jeo Jal Bal Jao


Raag Siree Raag, First Mehl, First House: 

If I had a palace made of pearls, inlaid with jewels, 
scented with musk, saffron and sandalwood, a sheer delight to behold - 
seeing this, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||1|| 

Without the Lord, my soul is scorched and burnt. 
I consulted my Guru, and now I see that there is no other place at all. ||1||Pause|| 

If the floor of this palace was a mosaic of diamonds and rubies, and if my bed was encased with rubies, 
and if heavenly beauties, their faces adorned with emeralds, tried to entice me with sensual gestures of love - 
seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||2|| 

If I were to become a Siddha, and work miracles, summon wealth 
and become invisible and visible at will, so that people would hold me in awe - 
seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||3|| 

If I were to become an emperor and raise a huge army, and sit on a throne, 
issuing commands and collecting taxes-O Nanak, all of this could pass away like a puff of wind. 
Seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||4||1|| 


Lyrics and Translation 

ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ਪਹਿਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
राग श्रीराग महला पहिला १ घर १ ॥
Rāg sirīrāg mėhlā pahilā 1 gẖar 1.

ਮੋਤੀ ਤ ਮੰਦਰ ਊਸਰਹਿ ਰਤਨੀ ਤ ਹੋਹਿ ਜੜਾਉ ॥
मोती त मंदर ऊसरह रतनी त होए जड़ाओ॥
Moṯī ṯa manḏar ūsrėh raṯnī ṯa hohi jaṛāo.
If I had a palace made of pearls, inlaid with jewels,

ਕਸਤੂਰਿ ਕੁੰਗੂ ਅਗਰਿ ਚੰਦਨਿ ਲੀਪਿ ਆਵੈ ਚਾਉ ॥
कसतूर कुंगू अगर चंदन लीप आवै चाओ ॥
Kasṯūr kungū agar cẖanḏan līp āvai cẖāo.
scented with musk, saffron and sandalwood, a sheer delight to behold -

ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੧॥
मत देख भूला वीसरै तेरा चित न आवै नाओ ॥१॥
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||1||
seeing this, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||1||


ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਜੀਉ ਜਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਉ ॥
हर बिन जीओ जल बल जाओ ॥
Har bin jīo jal bal jāo.
Without the Lord, my soul is scorched and burnt.


ਮੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਛਿ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਅਵਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਥਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मै आपणा गुर पूछ देखिआ अवर नाही थाओ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Mai āpṇā gur pūcẖẖ ḏekẖiā avar nāhī thāo. ||1|| rahāo.
I consulted my Guru, and now I see that there is no other place at all. ||1||Pause||



ਧਰਤੀ ਤ ਹੀਰੇ ਲਾਲ ਜੜਤੀ ਪਲਘਿ ਲਾਲ ਜੜਾਉ ॥
धरती ता हीरे लाल जड़ती पलंग लाल जड़ाओ ॥
Ḏẖarṯī ṯa hīre lāl jaṛṯī palagẖ lāl jaṛāo.
If the floor of this palace was a mosaic of diamonds and rubies, and if my bed was encased with rubies,
ਮੋਹਣੀ ਮੁਖਿ ਮਣੀ ਸੋਹੈ ਕਰੇ ਰੰਗਿ ਪਸਾਉ ॥
मोहणी मुख मणी सोहै करे रंग पसाओ ॥
Mohṇī mukẖ maṇī sohai kare rang pasāo.
and if heavenly beauties, their faces adorned with emeralds, tried to entice me with sensual gestures of love -

ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੨॥
मत देख भूला वीसरै तेरा चित न आवै नाओ ॥२॥
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||2||
seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||2||


ਸਿਧੁ ਹੋਵਾ ਸਿਧਿ ਲਾਈ ਰਿਧਿ ਆਖਾ ਆਉ ॥
सिध होवा सिध लाई रिध आखा आओ ॥
Siḏẖ hovā siḏẖ lāī riḏẖ ākẖā āo.
If I were to become a Siddha, and work miracles, summon wealth


ਗੁਪਤੁ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ਬੈਸਾ ਲੋਕੁ ਰਾਖੈ ਭਾਉ ॥
गुपत परगट होए बैसा लोक राखै भाओ ॥
Gupaṯ pargat hoe baisā lok rākẖai bẖāo.
and become invisible and visible at will, so that people would hold me in awe -


ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੩॥
मत देख भूला वीसरै तेरा चित न आवै नाओ ॥३॥
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||3||
seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||3||


ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਹੋਵਾ ਮੇਲਿ ਲਸਕਰ ਤਖਤਿ ਰਾਖਾ ਪਾਉ ॥
सुलतान होवा मेल लसकर तखत राखा पाओ ॥
Sulṯān hovā mel laskar ṯakẖaṯ rākẖā pāo.
If I were to become an emperor and raise a huge army, and sit on a throne,

ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹਾਸਲੁ ਕਰੀ ਬੈਠਾ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਭ ਵਾਉ ॥
हुकम हासल करी बैठा नानका सभ वाओ ॥
Hukam hāsal karī baiṯẖā nānkā sabẖ vāo.
issuing commands and collecting taxes-O Nanak, all of this could pass away like a puff of wind.


ਮਤੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਭੂਲਾ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਤੇਰਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੪॥੧॥
मत देख भूला वीसरै तेरा चित न आवै नाओ ॥४॥१॥
Maṯ ḏekẖ bẖūlā vīsrai ṯerā cẖiṯ na āvai nāo. ||4||1||
Seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||4||1||




Har Bin Jeo Jal Bal Jao

Raag Shree is also called Raag Shreerag, Shriraag, Sriraag, Shree, Shri, Sree, or Sri. In Guru Granth Sahib the name of this raag includes the word "raag" so it is called "Raag Sriraag,"



My Tattoo


I thought I wanted to wear
the Sacred Heart, to represent
education through suffering,

how we’re pierced to flame.
But when I cruised
the inkshop’s dragons,

cobalt tigers and eagles
in billowy smokes,
my allegiance wavered.

Butch lexicon,
anchors and arrows,
a sailor’s iconic charms –

tempting, but none
of them me. What noun
would you want

spoken on your skin
your whole life through?
I tried to picture what

I’d never want erased
and saw a fire ring corona
of spiked rays,

flaring tongues
surrounding – an emptiness,
an open space?

I made my mind up.
I sat in the waiting room chair.
then something (my nerve?

faith in the guy
with biker boots
and indigo hands?)

wavered. It wasn’t fear;
nothing hurts like grief,
and I’m used to that.

His dreaming needle
was beside the point;
don’t I already bear

the etched and flaring marks
of an inky trade?
What once was skin

has turned to something
made; written and revised
beneath these sleeves:

hearts and banners,
daggers and flowers and names.
I fled. Then I came back again;

isn’t there always
a little more room
on the skin? It’s too late

to be unwritten,
and I’m much too scrawled
to ever be erased.

Go ahead: prick and stipple
and ink me in:
I’ll never be naked again.

From here on out,
I wear the sun,
albeit blue.

–Mark Doty

Tattooed in Light: Reading Mark Doty, Remembering Bhai Nand Lal
by Shivpreet Singh

There’s a moment in Mark Doty’s poem My Tattoo that lingers like smoke in the chest:

“don’t I already bear / the etched and flaring marks / of an inky trade?”

He’s talking about grief, of course—how pain has already left its marks on the skin, on the heart, even before the tattoo needle ever hums to life. But reading that line, I found myself drifting not toward pain, but toward love. Not toward ink, but Naam—the sacred Name.

Because somewhere, centuries earlier, another poet wrote his own version of this idea. Bhai Nand Lal, the Persian-Sikh mystic and court poet of Guru Gobind Singh, once sang how the name of Guru Gobind Singh is written on his heart. 

Actually not written. Not whispered. Struck. As if the Divine Name were a blow to the heart, leaving a bruise of love that would never fade. Bhai Nand Lal's verse is filled with this radiant ache—the sense that remembering the Beloved isn’t just a mental act, but something physical, something permanent. The body becomes a page. The heart, a manuscript.

Reading Doty, I felt that same yearning. His tattoo isn’t ornamental. It’s a question. What belongs to me so deeply that I want it written on my skin forever? What name? What symbol? What silence?

And so I began a poem of my own. It's called The Smell of Your Tattoo, and though it's still taking shape, it begins with this idea:
I already have your name tattooed on my heart. I just didn’t need ink to prove it.

In my version, the Divine is not a thunderous force, but the presence behind everything—behind the light bending through steam, behind the silence playing in the grocery store aisle, behind even the scent of rain. I'm trying to write about that feeling. About how memory, longing, and grace carve themselves into us, more indelibly than any needle could. I don’t know when I’ll finish it. But maybe that’s the point.

Some poems, like some loves, are never really finished. They just keep writing us. 

Here is what I have for now: 

The Smell of Your Tattoo

by Shivpreet Singh


I have your name

tattooed on my heart,

in a script that looks suspiciously

like your handwriting—

though I’ve never seen you

hold a pen.


You tend to write

in thunder,

or the way the light bends

through steam rising from a teacup.


It’s not visible, of course.

Unless you count the way

my chest aches in elevators,

or how I flinch

when your silence plays

on the grocery store speakers

near the discount olives.


Your name’s in there—

between the scar from a bicycle fall

and the faint caffeine tremor

from the year I fell for espresso

and prayer at the same time.


Sometimes I wonder

if it’s a washable ink,

like the kind kids use

on valentines.


But no.

You wrote it in fire—

the kind that stays blue

even in rain,

like the smell of rain

that never quite

goes away.


A temporary thing

on another temporary thing.

Maya raining.

Older Posts Home

SHIVPREET SINGH

Singing oneness!
- Shivpreet Singh

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