I am meditating on Guru Arjan's Shabad Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi. It is a shabad about complete surrender to oneness. First the shabad; Lyrics, translation and my thoughts are below.
Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi - Raag Sarang
Surrendering to My Source, Sustenance and Sanctuary
This shabad by Guru Arjan is about the undying theme of surrender to oneness. While the Guru doesn't specifically talk about merging into the divine, this is a beautiful submersion.
In this version of the poem, the speaker articulates, "My tongue chants 'You alone' 'You alone.'" This repetition of the phrase "tuhi" or "You alone" emphasizes a singular focus on the divine presence, making it the sole object of veneration. All other distractions and attachments fade away. Only you is left. Just oneness. Only divinity.
The divine as not just the creator, but also its constant sustainer and in the end its final sanctuary. At every moment, and in every place, the singer is replete with this oneness. This oneness is closer than all relationships, even the closest ones, like that of a father, a mother, a sibling and a friend. The singer longs for a sense of belonging to truth, Satnam, the true home.
This oneness is also the true wealth. The divine is presented as a repository of treasures, symbolizing spiritual wealth and fulfillment. This ultimately leads to a state of bliss and contentment - "You fulfill all my desires; I am in bliss."
A deep and intimate connection with a divine presence serves as the source, sustainer and sanctuary of life. Oneness becomes the ultimate desire, the consistent bliss.
Rasna Japti Lyrics
Rasnā japṯī ṯūhī ṯūhī.
Māṯ garabẖ ṯum hī priṯpālak mriṯ mandal ik ṯuhī. ||1|| rahāo.
Ŧumėh piṯā ṯum hī phun māṯā ṯumėh mīṯ hiṯ bẖrāṯā.
Ŧum parvār ṯumėh āḏẖārā ṯumėh jīa prānḏāṯā. ||1||
Ŧumėh kẖajīnā ṯumėh jarīnā ṯum hī māṇak lālā.
Ŧumėh pārjāṯ gur ṯe pāe ṯao Nānak bẖae nihālā. ||2||
Rasna Japti Translations
My First Translation
My tongue chants "You only" "You only"
You only are the birthing mother, the sustaining father, the mortal world.
You are my Father, my Mother, my Loving Friend and Sibling.
You are my Family, my Support, the source of my life's breath.
You are my Treasure, my Wealth, my Gems and Jewels.
You fulfill all my wishes, so I am enraptured.
Current Working Translation:
My tongue chants
"You alone" "You alone"
My initial source, my ultimate home
you alone, you alone
You're my Father, my Mother, close friend and brother,
My Family and support, life's breath you alone!
You're my Treasure, my rubies and jewels
my desires, my bliss, you alone, you alone!
Meditation
Shabad Vichaar
Rasna - Tongue
Tuhi - You only
Mrit Mandal - Mortal World
Maat Garabh, Pritpaalak, Mrit Mandal - Trinity of creator, sustainer, emancipator
Paarjaat - One of the 14 gifts extracted from the mythological churning of the ocean by the devas and asuras.
Related Gurbani and Poetry
Everything is you
Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi: My tongue remembers only you
- Khudaaya - Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak says in this shabad in Farsi, "I just want this one life-giving thing, not the other poisons of the world." The remembrance of oneness is life giving. As long as the singer sings, he lives. As soon as he forgets he dies. This is the only ask of the singer.
- Tu Sarvar Tu Hans - Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak says, "You are the lake and you are the swan." We are not separate from the universe or from God. We are interconnected with all of creation and the presence of God within this oneness. You are in so many colors.
- Jalas Tuhi Thalas Tuhi ... Tuhi Tuhi Tuhi Tuhi - Guru Gobind Singh
In Akaal Ustat Guru Gobind Singh starts with elements, you are water, you are earth ... and ends with "Tuhi" 16 times in the end. It is said that, just like Guru Nanak couldn't stop saying Tera tera, Guru Gobind Singh couldn't stop saying Tuhi Tuhi.
In his beautiful ghazal "Har lehza ba shakl aan" Shams Mashraqi says You are yourself the clay, the clay flask, potter, and also the wine tippler. You too are the buyer of the flask and the one who breaks it.
- Gaahe Sufi Gaahe Zaahid - Bhai Nandlal
Somewhere as a mystic, somewhere you appear as a hermit, at other times you appear as an epicure. You have so many colors - mirroring Guru Nanak's sentiment.
- Iota Subscript - Robert Frost
In "Iota Subscript," Robert Frost's speaker humbly acknowledges their own insignificance, choosing to downplay their ego represented by the letter "I." Instead, they embrace the role of a "subscript" to the omnipresent "you." This transformation signifies a shift from self-importance to a more selfless and humble stance. The poem suggests that by diminishing the emphasis on the self, one can connect more deeply with others and the world around them.
You are my support
- Tu mera pita tuhai mera maata - Guru Arjan (Raag Maajh)
- Deen Dayaal Bharose Tere - Bhagat Kabir
I completely trust oneness. And I am ferried accross with my family.
I am you - you are my wealth
I am also you!
- Maati ek anek bhaant kar - Bhagat Kabir
We come from the same light. Divine Light. We all come from the same earth. The divine potter makes different vessels from the same clay.
- Mera Ghar Baneya - Guru Arjan
Obtaining the attributes of oneness, we find our true home.
- Sabh Main Jot Jot Hai Soi - Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak says in his Aarti: You are in every face, but none is like you. Within everyone's light is your glow.
- Maati ek anek bhaant kar - Bhagat Kabir
We come from the same light. Divine Light. We all come from the same earth. The divine potter makes different vessels from the same clay.
- Mera Ghar Baneya - Guru Arjan
- Sabh Main Jot Jot Hai Soi - Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak says in his Aarti: You are in every face, but none is like you. Within everyone's light is your glow.
- Tu tu karta Tu Hua - Bhagat Kabir
We do a meditation on you, so we can become you!
- To You - Walt Whitman
In this deeply personal Walt Whitman poem, the speaker addresses the reader directly, expressing a profound sense of love for the reader. The poem underscores the reader's intrinsic greatness, highlighting that they are a reflection of the grandeur of the universe. Through this poem Walt Whitman reaches out to every generations of humans who have a penchant for oneness.
- Tu tu karta Tu Hua - Bhagat Kabir
We do a meditation on you, so we can become you!
- To You - Walt Whitman
In this deeply personal Walt Whitman poem, the speaker addresses the reader directly, expressing a profound sense of love for the reader. The poem underscores the reader's intrinsic greatness, highlighting that they are a reflection of the grandeur of the universe. Through this poem Walt Whitman reaches out to every generations of humans who have a penchant for oneness.
Lyrics and Alternative Translation
ਸਾਰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
सारग महला ५ ॥
Sārag mėhlā 5.
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
ਰਸਨਾ ਜਪਤੀ ਤੂਹੀ ਤੂਹੀ ॥
रसना जपती तूही तूही ॥
Rasnā japṯī ṯūhī ṯūhī.
My tongue chants Your Name, Your Name.
ਮਾਤ ਗਰਭ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਕ ਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਮੰਡਲ ਇਕ ਤੁਹੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मात गरभ तुम ही प्रतिपालक म्रित मंडल इक तुही ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Māṯ garabẖ ṯum hī parṯipālak miṯar mandal ik ṯuhī. ||1|| rahāo.
In the mother's womb, You sustained me, and in this mortal world, You alone help me. ||1||Pause||
ਤੁਮਹਿ ਪਿਤਾ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਫੁਨਿ ਮਾਤਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਮੀਤ ਹਿਤ ਭ੍ਰਾਤਾ ॥
तुमहि पिता तुम ही फुनि माता तुमहि मीत हित भ्राता ॥
Ŧumėh piṯā ṯum hī fun māṯā ṯumėh mīṯ hiṯ bẖarāṯā.
You are my Father, and You are my Mother; You are my Loving Friend and Sibling.
ਤੁਮ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਆਧਾਰਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨਦਾਤਾ ॥੧॥
तुम परवार तुमहि आधारा तुमहि जीअ प्रानदाता ॥१॥
Ŧum parvār ṯumėh āḏẖārā ṯumėh jīa parānḏāṯā. ||1||
You are my Family, and You are my Support. You are the Giver of the Breath of Life. ||1||
ਤੁਮਹਿ ਖਜੀਨਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਜਰੀਨਾ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਮਾਣਿਕ ਲਾਲਾ ॥
तुमहि खजीना तुमहि जरीना तुम ही माणिक लाला ॥
Ŧumėh kẖajīnā ṯumėh jarīnā ṯum hī māṇik lālā.
You are my Treasure, and You are my Wealth. You are my Gems and Jewels.
ਤੁਮਹਿ ਪਾਰਜਾਤ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਏ ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਏ ਨਿਹਾਲਾ ॥੨॥੩੩॥੫੬॥
तुमहि पारजात गुर ते पाए तउ नानक भए निहाला ॥२॥३३॥५६॥
Ŧumėh pārjāṯ gur ṯe pāe ṯao Nānak bẖae nihālā. ||2||33||56||
You are the wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree. Nanak has found You through the Guru, and now he is enraptured. ||2||33||56||
Singing oneness!
