Philosophy and Beliefs
There is only One God. He is the same God for all people of all religions.
The soul goes through cycles of births and deaths before it reaches the human form. The goal of our life is to lead an exemplary existence so that one may merge with God. Sikhs should remember God at all times and practice living a virtuous and truthful life while maintaining a balance between their spiritual obligations and temporal obligations.
The true path to achieving salvation and merging with God does not require renunciation of the world or celibacy, but living the life of a householder, earning a honest living and avoiding worldly temptations and sins.
Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc.
Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It teaches the full equality of men and women. Women can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer.
There is only one God, he is the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer.
"You are the Creator, O Lord, the Unknowable. You created the Universe of diverse kinds, colours and qualities. You know your own Creation. All this is your Play." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"The Formless Supreme Being abides in the Realm of Eternity. Over His creation He casts His glance of grace. In that Realm are contained all the continents and the universes, Exceeding in number all count. Of creation worlds upon worlds abide therein; All obedient to His will; He watches over them in bliss, And has each constantly in mind." (Guru Nanak, Japji)
God cannot take human form.
"He neither has father, nor mother, nor sons nor brothers." (Guru Nanak, Maru)
"Burnt be the mouth that asserts, the Lord takes birth. He is neither born nor dies; neither enters birth nor departs. All pervasive is Nanaks Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Raga Bhairon)
The goal of human life is to break the cycle of birth's and deaths and merge with God. This can be accomplished by following the teachings of the Guru, meditation on the Holy Name and performance of acts of service and charity.
Without devotion to the Name Divine is birth in the world gone waste. Such consume poison, poisonous their utterance; Without devotion to the Name, without gain they die, and after death in transmigration wander." (Guru Nanak, Raga Bhairon)
"True life is life in God, contemplation on the Name and the society of the saints" (Guru Arjan Dev, Dhanasari)
"I shall merge in the Lord like the water in the sea and the wave in the stream. The soul will merge in God and like air I shall look upon all alike. Then why shall I come again? The coming and going is under the Will of the Lord and Realising This Will, I shall merge in the Lord" (Bhagat Kabir, Maru)
"The disciple of the True Guru (God) dwells upon the Lord through the teaching of the Guru and all his sins are washed away" (Guru Ram Das, Var Gauri)
"Our service in the world gets us a seat in the Court of the Lord" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag)
"One known as disciple of the holy Perceptor must, rising at dawn, on the Name Divine meditate" (Guru Ram Das, Raga Gauri)
The five cardinal vices are; Kam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (worldly attachment) and Ahankar (pride). If one can overcome these, they will achieve salvation.
"Five thieves who live within this body are lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. They rob us of ambrosia, but the egocentrics do not understand it and no one listens to their cries" (Guru Amar Das, Sorath)
"I am in the Refuge of the Lord; Bless me, O Lord with your Grace, so that the lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego may be destroyed" (Guru Arjan Dev, Gauri Sukhmani)
Narm Marg; emphasizes daily devotion to the remembrance of God.
"Meditation of the Lord is the highest of the deeds, through which myriads obtain release, through which the thirst (of desires) is quenched, through which one becomes all knowing, through which the fear of death goes away, through which all the desires are fulfilled, through which the dirt of the mind is cleansed and the Nectar of the Name of God is absorbed in the mind" (Guru Nanak, Gauri Sukhmani)
Rejection of all forms of blind rituals such as fasting, religious vegetarianism, pilgrimages, superstions, yoga, as well as any form of idol worship.
"Let good conduct be thy fasting." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"You keep the fast to please Allah, but slay life for your relish..But you do not reflect on the Lord, Who is within you" (Bhagat Kabir, Asa)
"Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non vegetarian?" (Guru Nanak, Var Malar)
"The world is in agony because of the filth of ego, the word is filthy because of duality; The filth of ego cannot be washed away, even if one bathes at one hundred holy places." (Guru Amar Das, Sri Raga)
"They go to holy places for a bath, Their minds are impure and bodies are like thieves; If by bath their dirt drops down, they got on themselves twice as much dirt and ego." (Guru Nanak, Var Suhi)
"Whosover controls the mind, he is a pilgrim" (Guru Arjan Dev, Maru Solhe)
"You calculate the auspicious moments, but do not realise, That God is far above the effects of these auspicious moments." (Guru Nanak, Ramkali)
"Good omens and ill omens stick to him Who does not remember the Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa)
"The way to true yoga is found by dwelling in God and remaining detached in the midst of worldly attachments." (Guru Nanak, Suhi))
"Pandits are busy studying Puranas, Yogis are busy in yogic meditations; Sannyasis are intoxicated with ego, Tapsis are intoxicated with secrets of Tapas; All are intoxicated, none is awake, With them are thieves robbing them." (Bhagat Kabir, Basant)
"Five are the Muslim prayers; five their appointed hours, Five their names. These be the true prayers: The first is Truth, the second is lawful earning and the third is to beg the Graces of God for all, The fourth is the right intention in the mind and the fifth is the praise of the Lord." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"He reads the holy books with commentaries, He does not remember God, his way of living is not flowless. He instructs and makes other people firm, But does not practise, whatever he says. Understand the substance of the Vedas, O Pandit!" (Guru Arjan Dev, Ramkali)
"The stone he calls his god, in the end, drowns him with itself... Know that a boat of stone carries one not across" (Guru Arjan Dev, Suhi)
"The stone neither speaks nor gives anything. Therefore its service is fruitless and its worship is of no avail." (Bhagat Kabir, Bhairo)
Normal Family life (Grasth) is encouraged, celibacy or renunciation of the world is not necessary to achieve salvation. The devotee must live in the world yet keep his mind pure. He must be a soldier, a scholar, a saint.
"Beauteous lady! hast not heard with thy ears, To the husband's home must thou come, nor for ever canst thou in the parental home abide" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag)
"I that in the parents home on the Lord meditated, In the husband's home bliss have found. Blessed is the entire life of such." (Guru Ram Das, Sri Rag)
"Those known as celibates knowing not the right device, discard house and home." (Guru Nanak, Asa)
"Forsaking the household, one's mind took him to the forest, but it could not get peace even for a moment; but when it sought the refuge of the Saint of the Lord, its wanderings ceased and it returned to its own home. One abandoned his relatives and became a Sannyasi, but the craving of the mind did not cease. One's desires are not finished without the Word of the Guru, which alone can bring peace. When hatred for the world wells up in ones mind, he becomes a naked recluse, but the mind wanders ceaselessly and these wanderings do not end his desires, but when he meets the saints, he reaches the House of Mercy. Siddhas learn numerous Yogic poses; but their mind only after miraculous powers yearns. Thereby comes not to them fulfilment, content and peace of mind." (Guru Ram Das, Bilaval)
The Sikh Holy Book (Guru Granth Sahib) is the perpetual Guru, there is no place in Sikhism for a living Guru today.
"The bani is the preceptor and the preceptor is the bani, All the nectars are present in the bani: If the faithful follows the bani of the preceptor, The preceptor himself helps him in the realisation of his ideal." (Guru Ram Das, Nat)
Sikhism rejects all distinctions of caste, creed, race or sex.
"All are created from the seed of God. There is the same clay in the whole world, the potter (God) makes many kinds of pots." (Guru Amar Das, Bhairo)
"Recognise the light (of God) and do not ask for the caste, There is no caste in the next world." (Guru Nanak, Asa)
The Guru's stressed the full equality of women, rejecting female infanticide, sati (wife burning), permitting widow remarriage and rejects purdah (women wearing veils).
"We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak, Var Asa)
"They cannot be called satis, who burn themselves with their dead husbands. They can only be called satis, if they bear the shock of separation. They may also be known as satis, who live with character and contentment and always show veneration to their husbands by remembering them." (Guru Amar Das, Var Suhi)
Honest labour and work (Kirat Karna) are the approved way of living ones life. It is considered honourable to earn ones daily bread through honest work and not by begging or dishonest means.
"He who eats what he earns through his earnest labour and from his hand gives something in charity; he alone, O Nanak, knows the true way of life" (Guru Nanak Dev, Rag Sarang, pg. 1245)
Vand Chhakna, sharing with others is also a social responsibility. The individual is expected to help others in need through charity.
Seva, community service is also an intergral part of Sikhism. The free community kitchen (langar) found at every gurdwara and open to people of all religions is one expression of this community service.
There is only One God. He is the same God for all people of all religions. The soul goes through cycles of births and deaths before it reaches the human form. The goal of our life is to lead an exemplary existence so that one may merge with God. Sikhs should remember God at all times and practice living a virtuous and truthful life while maintaining a balance between their spiritual obligations and temporal obligations. The true path to achieving salvation and merging with God does not require renunciation of the world or celibacy, but living the life of a householder, earning a honest living and avoiding worldly temptations and sins. Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc. Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It teaches the full equality of men and women. Women can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer.
History and Practices
The founder of the Sikh religion was Guru Nanak who was born in 1469. He preached a message of love and understanding and criticized the blind rituals of the Hindus and Muslims. Guru Nanak passed on his enlightened leadership of this new religion to nine successive Gurus. The final living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh died in 1708.
During his lifetime Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa order (meaning 'The Pure'), soldier-saints. The Khalsa uphold the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and a social conscious. The Khalsa are men and women who have undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear the prescribed physical articles of the faith. One of the more noticeable being the uncut hair (required to be covered with a turban for men) and the Kirpan (ceremonial sword).
Before his death in 1708 Guru Gobind Singh declared that the Sikhs no longer needed a living and appointed his spiritual successor as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, his physical successor as the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh felt that all the wisdom needed by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives could be found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in the world of religious scriptures because not only is it accorded the status of being the spiritual head of the Sikh religion, but besides the poetry of the Gurus, it also contains the writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were consistent with those of the Sikh Gurus.
Sikhism does not have priests, which were abolished by Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru felt that they had become corrupt and full of ego. Sikhs only have custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib (granthi), and any Sikh is free to read the Guru Granth Sahib in the Gurdwara (a Sikh temple) or in their home. All people of all religions are welcome to the Gurdwara. A free community kitchen can be found at every Gurdwara which serves meals to all people of all faiths. Guru Nanak first started this institution which outline the basic Sikh principles of service, humility and equality.
The most significant historical religious center for the Sikhs is Harmiandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) at Amritsar in the state of Punjab in northern India. It is the inspirational and historical center of Sikhism but is not a mandatory place of pilgrimage or worship. All places where Sri Guru Granth Sahib are installed are considered equally holy for Sikhs.
There is only one God, he is the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer."You are the Creator, O Lord, the Unknowable. You created the Universe of diverse kinds, colours and qualities. You know your own Creation. All this is your Play." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"The Formless Supreme Being abides in the Realm of Eternity. Over His creation He casts His glance of grace. In that Realm are contained all the continents and the universes, Exceeding in number all count. Of creation worlds upon worlds abide therein; All obedient to His will; He watches over them in bliss, And has each constantly in mind." (Guru Nanak, Japji)
God cannot take human form."He neither has father, nor mother, nor sons nor brothers." (Guru Nanak, Maru)
"Burnt be the mouth that asserts, the Lord takes birth. He is neither born nor dies; neither enters birth nor departs. All pervasive is Nanaks Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Raga Bhairon)
The goal of human life is to break the cycle of birth's and deaths and merge with God. This can be accomplished by following the teachings of the Guru, meditation on the Holy Name and performance of acts of service and charity.Without devotion to the Name Divine is birth in the world gone waste. Such consume poison, poisonous their utterance; Without devotion to the Name, without gain they die, and after death in transmigration wander." (Guru Nanak, Raga Bhairon)
"True life is life in God, contemplation on the Name and the society of the saints" (Guru Arjan Dev, Dhanasari)
"I shall merge in the Lord like the water in the sea and the wave in the stream. The soul will merge in God and like air I shall look upon all alike. Then why shall I come again? The coming and going is under the Will of the Lord and Realising This Will, I shall merge in the Lord" (Bhagat Kabir, Maru)
"The disciple of the True Guru (God) dwells upon the Lord through the teaching of the Guru and all his sins are washed away" (Guru Ram Das, Var Gauri)
"Our service in the world gets us a seat in the Court of the Lord" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag)
"One known as disciple of the holy Perceptor must, rising at dawn, on the Name Divine meditate" (Guru Ram Das, Raga Gauri)
The five cardinal vices are; Kam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (worldly attachment) and Ahankar (pride). If one can overcome these, they will achieve salvation."Five thieves who live within this body are lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. They rob us of ambrosia, but the egocentrics do not understand it and no one listens to their cries" (Guru Amar Das, Sorath)
"I am in the Refuge of the Lord; Bless me, O Lord with your Grace, so that the lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego may be destroyed" (Guru Arjan Dev, Gauri Sukhmani)
Narm Marg; emphasizes daily devotion to the remembrance of God."Meditation of the Lord is the highest of the deeds, through which myriads obtain release, through which the thirst (of desires) is quenched, through which one becomes all knowing, through which the fear of death goes away, through which all the desires are fulfilled, through which the dirt of the mind is cleansed and the Nectar of the Name of God is absorbed in the mind" (Guru Nanak, Gauri Sukhmani)
Rejection of all forms of blind rituals such as fasting, religious vegetarianism, pilgrimages, superstions, yoga, as well as any form of idol worship."Let good conduct be thy fasting." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"You keep the fast to please Allah, but slay life for your relish..But you do not reflect on the Lord, Who is within you" (Bhagat Kabir, Asa)
"Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non vegetarian?" (Guru Nanak, Var Malar)
"The world is in agony because of the filth of ego, the word is filthy because of duality; The filth of ego cannot be washed away, even if one bathes at one hundred holy places." (Guru Amar Das, Sri Raga)
"They go to holy places for a bath, Their minds are impure and bodies are like thieves; If by bath their dirt drops down, they got on themselves twice as much dirt and ego." (Guru Nanak, Var Suhi)
"Whosover controls the mind, he is a pilgrim" (Guru Arjan Dev, Maru Solhe)
"You calculate the auspicious moments, but do not realise, That God is far above the effects of these auspicious moments." (Guru Nanak, Ramkali)
"Good omens and ill omens stick to him Who does not remember the Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa)
"The way to true yoga is found by dwelling in God and remaining detached in the midst of worldly attachments." (Guru Nanak, Suhi))
"Pandits are busy studying Puranas, Yogis are busy in yogic meditations; Sannyasis are intoxicated with ego, Tapsis are intoxicated with secrets of Tapas; All are intoxicated, none is awake, With them are thieves robbing them." (Bhagat Kabir, Basant)
"Five are the Muslim prayers; five their appointed hours, Five their names. These be the true prayers: The first is Truth, the second is lawful earning and the third is to beg the Graces of God for all, The fourth is the right intention in the mind and the fifth is the praise of the Lord." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh)
"He reads the holy books with commentaries, He does not remember God, his way of living is not flowless. He instructs and makes other people firm, But does not practise, whatever he says. Understand the substance of the Vedas, O Pandit!" (Guru Arjan Dev, Ramkali)
"The stone he calls his god, in the end, drowns him with itself... Know that a boat of stone carries one not across" (Guru Arjan Dev, Suhi)
"The stone neither speaks nor gives anything. Therefore its service is fruitless and its worship is of no avail." (Bhagat Kabir, Bhairo)
Normal Family life (Grasth) is encouraged, celibacy or renunciation of the world is not necessary to achieve salvation. The devotee must live in the world yet keep his mind pure. He must be a soldier, a scholar, a saint."Beauteous lady! hast not heard with thy ears, To the husband's home must thou come, nor for ever canst thou in the parental home abide" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag)
"I that in the parents home on the Lord meditated, In the husband's home bliss have found. Blessed is the entire life of such." (Guru Ram Das, Sri Rag)
"Those known as celibates knowing not the right device, discard house and home." (Guru Nanak, Asa)
"Forsaking the household, one's mind took him to the forest, but it could not get peace even for a moment; but when it sought the refuge of the Saint of the Lord, its wanderings ceased and it returned to its own home. One abandoned his relatives and became a Sannyasi, but the craving of the mind did not cease. One's desires are not finished without the Word of the Guru, which alone can bring peace. When hatred for the world wells up in ones mind, he becomes a naked recluse, but the mind wanders ceaselessly and these wanderings do not end his desires, but when he meets the saints, he reaches the House of Mercy. Siddhas learn numerous Yogic poses; but their mind only after miraculous powers yearns. Thereby comes not to them fulfilment, content and peace of mind." (Guru Ram Das, Bilaval)
The Sikh Holy Book (Guru Granth Sahib) is the perpetual Guru, there is no place in Sikhism for a living Guru today."The bani is the preceptor and the preceptor is the bani, All the nectars are present in the bani: If the faithful follows the bani of the preceptor, The preceptor himself helps him in the realisation of his ideal." (Guru Ram Das, Nat)
Sikhism rejects all distinctions of caste, creed, race or sex."All are created from the seed of God. There is the same clay in the whole world, the potter (God) makes many kinds of pots." (Guru Amar Das, Bhairo)
"Recognise the light (of God) and do not ask for the caste, There is no caste in the next world." (Guru Nanak, Asa)
The Guru's stressed the full equality of women, rejecting female infanticide, sati (wife burning), permitting widow remarriage and rejects purdah (women wearing veils)."We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak, Var Asa)
"They cannot be called satis, who burn themselves with their dead husbands. They can only be called satis, if they bear the shock of separation. They may also be known as satis, who live with character and contentment and always show veneration to their husbands by remembering them." (Guru Amar Das, Var Suhi)
Honest labour and work (Kirat Karna) are the approved way of living ones life. It is considered honourable to earn ones daily bread through honest work and not by begging or dishonest means."He who eats what he earns through his earnest labour and from his hand gives something in charity; he alone, O Nanak, knows the true way of life" (Guru Nanak Dev, Rag Sarang, pg. 1245)
Vand Chhakna, sharing with others is also a social responsibility. The individual is expected to help others in need through charity. Seva, community service is also an intergral part of Sikhism. The free community kitchen (langar) found at every gurdwara and open to people of all religions is one expression of this community service.O Primal Lord God, You Yourself are the Creator, the Cause of all causes. You are All-pervading everywhere, totally filling all hearts. You are seen pervading the world; who can know Your State? You protect all; You are our Lord and Master. O my Imperishable and Formless Lord, You formed Yourself. You are the One and Only; no one else is like You. O Lord, You have no end or limitation. Who can contemplate You? You are the Father of the world, the Support of all life. Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue? I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. || 1 || Streams of Ambrosial Nectar flow; Your Treasures are unweighable and overflowing in abundance. You are the Farthest of the far, Infinite and Incomparably Beautiful. You do whatever You please; You do not take advice from anyone else. In Your Home, creation and destruction happen in an instant. No one else is equal to You; Your Light is Immaculate and Pure. Millions of sins are washed away, chanting Your Name, Har, Har. Your devotees are at Your Door, God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue? I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. || 2 || You established all the worlds from within Yourself, and extended them outward. You are All-pervading amongst all, and yet You Yourself remain detached. O Lord, there is no end or limit to Your Glorious Virtues; all beings and creatures are Yours. You are the Giver of all, the One Invisible Lord.
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He Himself supports the Universe, revealing His All-powerful Creative Potency. He has no color, form, mouth or beard. Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue? I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. || 3 || You are the Treasure of all virtue; who can know the value of Your spiritual wisdom and meditation? O God, Your Place is known as the highest of the high. Mind, wealth and the breath of life belong to You alone, Lord. The world is strung upon Your Thread. What praises can I give to You? You are the Greatest of the great. Who can know Your Mystery? O Unfathomable, Infinite, Divine Lord, Your Power is unstoppable. O God, You are the Support of all. Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue? I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. || 4 || O Formless, Formed, Undeceivable, Perfect, Imperishable, Unchanging, Blissful, Unlimited, Beautiful, Immaculate, Blossoming Lord: Countless are those who sing Your Glorious Praises, but they do not know even a tiny bit of Your extent. That humble being upon whom You shower Your Mercy meets with You, O God. Blessed, blessed, blessed are those humble beings, upon whom the Lord, Har, Har, showers His Mercy. Whoever meets with the Lord through Guru Nanak is rid of both birth and death. || 5 || The Lord is said to be True, True, True, True, the Truest of the True. There is no other like Him. He is the Primal Being, the Primal Soul. Chanting the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, the mortal is blessed with all comforts. Those who taste it with their tongues, those humble beings are satisfied and fulfilled. That person who becomes pleasing to his Lord and Master, loves the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Whoever meets with the Lord through Guru Nanak, saves all his generations. || 6 || True is His Congregation and His Court. The True Lord has established Truth. Sitting upon His Throne of Truth, He administers True Justice. The True Lord Himself fashioned the Universe. He is Infallible, and does not make mistakes. The Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord, is the jewel. Its value cannot be appraised - it is priceless. That person, upon whom the Lord of the Universe showers His Mercy obtains all comforts. Those who touch the Feet of the Lord through Guru Nanak, do not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation ever again. || 7 || What is the Yoga, what is the spiritual wisdom and meditation, and what is the way, to praise the Lord? The Siddhas and seekers and the thirty-three million gods cannot find even a tiny bit of the Lord's Value. Neither Brahma, nor Sanak, nor the thousand-headed serpent king can find the limits of His Glorious Virtues. The Inapprehensible Lord cannot be apprehended. He is pervading and permeating amongst all. Those whom God has mercifully freed from their nooses - those humble beings are attached to His devotional worship. Those who meet with the Lord through Guru Nanak are liberated forever, here and hereafter. || 8 || I am a beggar; I seek the Sanctuary of God, the Giver of givers. Please bless me with the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints; grasping them, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
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This body is frail and transitory, and bound to emotional attachment. I am foolish, stone-hearted, filthy and unwise. My mind wanders and wobbles, and will not hold steady. It does not know the state of the Supreme Lord God. I am intoxicated with the wine of youth, beauty and the riches of Maya. I wander around perplexed, in excessive egotistical pride. The wealth and women of others, arguments and slander, are sweet and dear to my soul. I try to hide my deception, but God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of Hearts, sees and hears all. I have no humility, faith, compassion or purity, but I seek Your Sanctuary, O Giver of life. The All-powerful Lord is the Cause of causes. O Lord and Master of Nanak, please save me! || 1 || The Praises of the Creator, the Enticer of the mind, are potent to destroy sins. The All-powerful Lord is the boat, to carry us across; He saves all our generations. O my unconscious mind, contemplate and remember Him in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Why are you wandering around, enticed by the darkness of doubt? Remember Him in meditation, for an hour, for a moment, even for an instant. Chant the Name of the Lord with your tongue. You are bound to worthless deeds and shallow pleasures; why do you spend millions of lifetimes wandering in such pain? Chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, through the Teachings of the Saints. Meditate on the Lord with love in your soul. || 2 || The little sperm is planted in the body-field of the mother, and the human body, so difficult to obtain, is formed. He eats and drinks, and enjoys pleasures; his pains are taken away, and his suffering is gone. He is given the understanding to recognize mother, father, siblings and relatives. He grows day by day, as the horrible specter of old age comes closer and closer. You worthless, petty worm of Maya - remember your Lord and Master, at least for an instant! Please take Nanak's hand, O Merciful Ocean of Mercy, and take away this heavy load of doubt. || 3 || O mind, you are a mouse, living in the mousehole of the body; you are so proud of yourself, but you act like an absolute fool. You swing in the swing of wealth, intoxicated with Maya, and you wander around like an owl. You take pleasure in your children, spouse, friends and relatives; your emotional attachment to them is increasing. You have planted the seeds of egotism, and the sprout of possessiveness has come up. You pass your life making sinful mistakes. The cat of death, with his mouth wide-open, is watching you. You eat food, but you are still hungry. Meditate in remembrance on the Merciful Lord of the World, O Nanak, in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
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Know that the world is just a dream. || 4 || Neither body, nor house, nor love last forever. You are intoxicated with Maya; how long will you be proud of them? Neither crown, nor canopy, nor servants last forever. You do not consider in your heart that your life is passing away. Neither chariots, nor horses, nor elephants or royal thrones shall last forever. In an instant, you will have to leave them, and depart naked. Neither warrior, nor hero, nor king or ruler last forever; see this with your eyes. Neither fortress, nor shelter, nor treasure will save you; doing evil deeds, you shall depart empty-handed. Friends, children, spouses and friends - none of them last forever; they change like the shade of a tree. God is the Perfect Primal Being, Merciful to the meek; each and every instant, meditate in remembrance on Him, the Inaccessible and Infinite. O Great Lord and Master, servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; please shower him with Your Mercy, and carry him across. || 5 || I have used up my breath of life, sold my self-respect, begged for charity, committed highway robbery, and dedicated my consciousness to the love and pursuit of acquiring wealth. I have kept it secretly hidden from my friends, relatives, companions, children and siblings. I ran around practicing falsehood, burning up my body and growing old. I gave up good deeds, righteousness and Dharma, self-discipline, purity, religious vows and all good ways; I associated with the fickle Maya. Beasts and birds, trees and mountains - in so many ways, I wandered lost in reincarnation. I did not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, for a moment, or even an instant. He is the Master of the meek, the Lord of all life. The food and drink, and the sweet and tasty dishes became totally bitter at the last moment. O Nanak, I was saved in the Society of the Saints, at their feet; the others, intoxicated with Maya, have gone, leaving everything behind. || 6 || Brahma, Shiva, the Vedas and the silent sages sing the Glorious Praises of their Lord and Master with love and delight. Indra, Vishnu and Gorakh, who come to earth and then go to heaven again, seek the Lord. The Siddhas, human beings, gods and demons cannot find even a tiny bit of His Mystery. The Lord's humble servants are imbued with love and affection for God their Beloved; in the delight of devotional worship, they are absorbed in the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. But those who forsake Him, and beg from another, shall see their mouths, teeth and tongues wear away. O my foolish mind, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, the Giver of peace. Slave Nanak imparts these teachings. || 7 || The pleasures of Maya shall fade away. In doubt, the mortal falls into the deep dark pit of emotional attachment. He is so proud, even the sky cannot contain him. His belly is filled with manure, bones and worms. He runs around in the ten directions, for the sake of the great poison of corruption. He steals the wealth of others, and in the end, he is destroyed by his own ignorance. His youth passes away, the illnesses of old age seize him, and the Messenger of Death punishes him; such is the death he dies. He suffers the agony of hell in countless incarnations; he rots away in the pit of pain and condemnation. O Nanak, those whom the Saint mercifully takes as his own, are carried across by their loving devotional worship. || 8 || All virtues are obtained, all fruits and rewards, and the desires of the mind; my hopes have been totally fulfilled.
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The Medicine, the Mantra, the Magic Charm, will cure all illnesses and totally take away all pain. Lust, anger, egotism, jealousy and desire are eliminated by chanting the Name of the Lord. The merits of cleansing baths, charity, penance, purity and good deeds, are obtained by enshrining the Lotus Feet of God within the heart. The Lord is my Friend, my Very Best Friend, Companion and Relative. God is the Sustenance of the soul, the Support of the breath of life. I have grasped the Shelter and Support of my All-powerful Lord and Master; slave Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. || 9 || Weapons cannot cut that person who delights in the love of the Lord's Lotus Feet. Ropes cannot bind that person whose mind is pierced through by the Vision of the Lord's Way. Fire cannot burn that person who is attached to the dust of the feet of the Lord's humble servant. Water cannot drown that person whose feet walk on the Lord's Path. O Nanak, diseases, faults, sinful mistakes and emotional attachment are pierced by the Arrow of the Name. || 1 || 10 || People are engaged in making all sorts of efforts; they contemplate the various aspects of the six Shaastras. Rubbing ashes all over their bodies, they wander around at the various sacred shrines of pilgrimage; they fast until their bodies are emaciated, and braid their hair into tangled messes. Without devotional worship of the Lord, they all suffer in pain, caught in the tangled web of their love. They perform worship ceremonies, draw ritual marks on their bodies, cook their own food fanatically, and make pompous shows of themselves in all sorts of ways. ||2 || 11 || 20 ||
Meditate single-mindedly on the Primal Lord God, the Bestower of blessings. He is the Helper and Support of the Saints, manifest forever. Grasp His Feet and enshrine them in your heart. Then, let us sing the Glorious Praises of the most exalted Guru Nanak. || 1 || I sing the Glorious Praises of the most exalted Guru Nanak, the Ocean of peace, the Eradicator of sins, the sacred pool of the Shabad, the Word of God. The beings of deep and profound understanding, oceans of wisdom, sing of Him; the Yogis and wandering hermits meditate on Him. Indra and devotees like Prahlaad, who know the joy of the soul, sing of Him. Kal the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. || 2 || King Janak and the great Yogic heroes of the Lord's Way, sing the Praises of the All-powerful Primal Being, filled with the sublime essence of the Lord. Sanak and Brahma's sons, the Saadhus and Siddhas, the silent sages and humble servants of the Lord sing the Praises of Guru Nanak, who cannot be deceived by the great deceiver. Dhoma the seer and Dhroo, whose realm is unmoving, sing the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the ecstasy of loving devotional worship. Kal the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. || 3 || Kapila and the other Yogis sing of Guru Nanak. He is the Avataar, the Incarnation of the Infinite Lord. Parasraam the son of Jamdagan, whose axe and powers were taken away by Raghuvira, sing of Him. Udho, Akrur and Bidur sing the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the Lord, the Soul of All.
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Kal the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. || 4 || The four castes and the six Shaastras sing His Glorious Praises; Brahma and the others contemplate His Virtues. The thousand-tongued serpent king sings His Praises with delight, remaining lovingly attached to Him. Shiva, detached and beyond desire, sings the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the Lord's endless meditation. Kal the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. || 5 || He mastered Raja Yoga, and enjoys sovereignty over both worlds; the Lord, beyond hate and revenge, is enshrined within His Heart. The whole world is saved, and carried across, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Sanak and Janak and the others sing His Praises, age after age. Blessed, blessed, blessed and fruitful is the sublime birth of the Guru into the world. Even in the nether regions, His Victory is celebrated; so says Kal the poet. You are blessed with the Nectar of the Lord's Name, O Guru Nanak; You have mastered Raja Yoga, and enjoy sovereignty over both worlds. || 6 || In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, You deceived Baal the king. In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yuga, You were called Raam of the Raghu dynasty. In the Brass Age of Dwaapur Yuga, You were Krishna; You killed Mur the demon and saved Kans. You blessed Ugrasain with a kingdom, and You blessed Your humble devotees with fearlessness. In the Iron Age, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, You are known and accepted as Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das. The sovereign rule of the Great Guru is unchanging and permanent, according the Command of the Primal Lord God. || 7 || His Glorious Praises are sung by the devotees Ravi Daas, Jai Dayv and Trilochan. The devotees Naam Dayv and Kabeer praise Him continually, knowing Him to be even-eyed. The devotee Baynee sings His Praises; He intuitively enjoys the ecstasy of the soul. He is the Master of Yoga and meditation, and the spiritual wisdom of the Guru; He knows none other except God. Sukh Dayv and Preekhyat sing His Praises, and Gautam the rishi sings His Praise. Says Kal the poet, the ever-fresh praises of Guru Nanak are spread throughout the world. || 8 || In the nether worlds, His Praises are sung by the devotees like Shaysh-naag in serpent form. Shiva, the Yogis and the wandering hermits sing His Praises forever. Vyaas the silent sage sings His Praise, contemplating the subtleties of the Vedas. His Praises are sung by Brahma, who created the entire universe by God's Command. God fills the galaxies and realms of the universe; He is known to be the same, manifest and unmanifest. Kal chants the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Yoga. || 9 || The nine masters of Yoga sing His Praises; blessed is the Guru, who is merged into the True Lord. Maandhaataa, who called himself ruler of all the world, sings His Praises. Bal the king, dwelling in the seventh underworld, sings His Praises. Bhart'har, abiding forever with Gorakh, his guru, sings His Praises. Doorbaasaa, King Puro and Angra sing the Praises of Guru Nanak. Says Kal the poet, the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak intuitively permeate each and every heart. || 10 ||
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Blessed is the Primal Lord God, the Creator, the All-powerful Cause of causes. Blessed is the True Guru Nanak, who placed His hand upon Your forehead. When He placed His hand upon Your forehead, then the celestial nectar began to rain down in torrents; the gods and human beings, heavenly heralds and sages were drenched in its fragrance. You challenged and subdued the cruel demon of death; You restrained Your wandering mind; You overpowered the five demons and You keep them in one home. Through the Guru's Door, the Gurdwara, You have conquered the world; You play the game even-handedly. You keep the flow of your love steady for the Formless Lord. O Kal, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. || 1 || The Stream of Ambrosial Nectar from His eyes washes away the slime and filth of sins; the sight of His door dispels the darkness of ignorance. Whoever accomplishes this most difficult task of contemplating the most sublime Word of the Shabad - those people cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and cast off their loads of sin. The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is celestial and sublime; whoever remains awake and aware, contemplating the Guru, embodies humility, and is imbued forever with the Supreme Love of the Lord. O Kal, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. || 2 || You hold tight to the Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord; Your expanse is immaculate. You are the Support of the Siddhas and seekers, and the good and humble beings. You are the incarnation of King Janak; the contemplation of Your Shabad is sublime throughout the universe. You abide in the world like the lotus on the water. Like the Elyisan Tree, You cure all illnesses and take away the sufferings of the world. The three-phased soul is lovingly attuned to You alone. O Kal, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. || 3 || You were blessed with glory by the Prophet; You serve the Guru, certified by the Lord, who has subdued the snake of the mind, and who abides in the state of sublime bliss. Your Vision is like that of the Lord, Your soul is a fount of spiritual wisdom; You know the unfathomable state of the certified Guru. Your Gaze is focused upon the unmoving, unchanging place. Your Intellect is immaculate; it is focused upon the most sublime place. Wearing the armor of humility, you have overcome Maya. O Kal, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. || 4 || Casting Your Glance of Grace, you dispel the darkness, burn away evil, and destroy sin. You are the Heroic Warrior of the Shabad, the Word of God. Your Power destroys sexual desire and anger. You have overpowered greed and emotional attachment; You nurture and cherish those who seek Your Sanctuary. You gather in the joyful love of the soul; Your Words have the Potency to bring forth Ambrosial Nectar. You are appointed the True Guru, the True Guru in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; whoever is truly attached to You is carried across.
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The lion, the son of Pheru, is Guru Angad, the Guru of the World; Lehnaa practices Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. || 5 || Your mind remains lovingly attuned to the Lord forever; You do whatever you desire. Like the tree heavy with fruit, You bow in humility, and endure the pain of it; You are pure of thought. You realize this reality, that the Lord is All-pervading, Unseen and Amazing. With intuitive ease, You send forth the rays of the Ambrosial Word of power. You have risen to the state of the certified Guru; you grasp truth and contentment. Kal proclaims, that whoever attains the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of Lehnaa, meets with the Lord. || 6 || My mind has faith, that the Prophet has given You access to the Profound Lord. Your body has been purged of the deadly poison; You drink the Ambrosial Nectar deep within. Your Heart has blossomed forth in awareness of the Unseen Lord, who has infused His Power throughout the ages. O True Guru, You are intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi, with continuity and equality. You are open-minded and large-hearted, the Destroyer of poverty; seeing You, sins are afraid. Says Kal, I lovingly, continually, intuitively chant the Praises of Lehnaa with my tongue. || 7 || The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is our medicine; the Naam is our support; the Naam is the peace of Samaadhi. The Naam is the insignia which embellishes us forever. Kal is imbued with the Love of the Naam, the Naam which is the fragrance of gods and human beings. Whoever obtains the Naam, the Philosopher's Stone, becomes the embodiment of Truth, manifest and radiant throughout the world. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, it is as if one has bathed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage. || 8 || The True Name is the sacred shrine, the True Name is the cleansing bath of purification and food. The True Name is eternal love; chant the True Name, and be embellished. The True Name is obtained through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, is fragrant with the True Name. Kal the poet utters the Praises of the one whose self-discipline is the True Name, and whose fast is the True Name. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, one's life is approved and certified in the True Name. || 9 || When You bestow Your Ambrosial Glance of Grace, You eradicate all wickedness, sin and filth. Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - You have overcome all these powerful passions. Your mind is filled with peace forever; You banish the sufferings of the world. The Guru is the river of the nine treasures, washing off the dirt of our lives. So speaks Tal the poet: serve the Guru, day and night, with intuitive love and affection. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru, the pains of death and rebirth are taken away. || 10 ||
Dwell upon that Primal Being, the True Lord God; in this world, His One Name is Undeceivable. He carries His devotees across the terrifying world-ocean; meditate in remembrance on His Naam, Supreme and Sublime. Nanak delighted in the Naam; He established Lehnaa as Guru, who was imbued with all supernatural spiritual powers. So speaks Kal the poet: the glory of the wise, sublime and humble Amar Daas is spread throughout the world. His Praises radiate throughout the world, like the rays of the sun, and the branches of the tree.
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In the north, south, east and west, people proclaim Your Victory. The Guru spoke the Lord's Name with His mouth and broadcast it throughout the world, to turn the tide of the hearts of men. That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. || 1 || The gods and heavenly heralds, the Siddhas and seekers and Shiva in Samaadhi meditate in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The stars and the realms of Dhroo, and devotees like Naaraad and Prahlaad meditate on the Naam. The moon and the sun long for the Naam; it has saved even mountain ranges. That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. || 2 || Dwelling upon that Immaculate Naam, the nine Yogic masters, Shiva and Sanak and many others have been emancipated. The eighty-four Siddhas, the beings of supernatural spiritual powers, and the Buddhas are imbued with the Naam; it carried Ambreek across the terrifying world-ocean. It has erased the sinful residues of past mistakes of Oodho, Akroor, Trilochan, Naam Dayv and Kabeer, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. || 3 || The thirty-three million angels meditate, attached to the Naam; it is enshrined within the minds of the celibates and ascetics. Bhisham Pitama, the son of the Ganges, meditated on that Naam; his consciousness delighted in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Feet. The great and profound Guru has brought forth the Naam; accepting the teachings as true, the Holy Congregation has been saved. That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. || 4 || The Glory of the Naam shines forth, like the rays of the sun, and the branches of the Elysian Tree. In the countries of the north, south, east and west, the Praises of the Naam are chanted. Life is fruitful, when the Name of the Lord abides in the heart. The angelic beings, heavenly heralds, celestial singers and the six Shaastras yearn for the Naam. The son of Tayj Bhaan of the Bhalla dynasty is noble and famous; with his palms pressed together, Kal meditates on Him. The Naam takes away the fears of the devotees about the word-ocean; Guru Amar Daas has obtained it. || 5 || The thirty-one million gods meditate on the Naam, along with the Siddhas and seekers; the Naam supports solar systems and galaxies. One who meditates on the Naam in Samaadhi, endures sorrow and joy as one and the same. The Naam is the most sublime of all; the devotees remain lovingly attuned to it. Guru Amar Daas was blessed with the treasure of the Naam, by the Creator Lord, in His Pleasure. || 6 || He is the Warrior Hero of Truth, humility is His Power. His Loving Nature inspires the Congregation with deep and profound understanding; He is absorbed in the Lord, free of hate and vengeance. Patience has been His white banner since the beginning of time, planted on the bridge to heaven. The Saints meet their Beloved Guru, who is united with the Creator Lord. Serving the True Guru, they find peace; Guru Amar Daas has given them this ability. || 7 || The Naam is His cleansing bath; the Naam is the food He eats; the Naam is the taste He enjoys. With deep yearning, He chants the Sweet Bani of the Guru's Word forever. Blessed is service to the True Guru; by His Grace, the State of the Unfathomable Lord is known. All Your generations are totally saved; You dwell in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
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So speaks Kal: fruitful is the life of one who meets with Guru Amar Daas, radiant with the Light of God. || 8 || On His right hand is the sign of the lotus; the Siddhis, the supernatural spiritual powers, await His Command. On His left are worldly powers, which fascinate the three worlds. The Inexpressible Lord abides in His Heart; He alone knows this joy. Guru Amar Daas utters the words of devotion, imbued with the Love of the Lord. On His forehead is the true insignia of the Lord's Mercy; with his palms pressed together, Kal meditates on Him. Whoever meets with the Guru, the certified True Guru, has all his desires fulfilled. || 9 || Supremely fruitful are the feet which walk upon the path of Guru Amar Daas. Supremely fruitful are the hands which touch the feet of Guru Amar Daas. Supremely fruitful is the tongue which utters the praises of Guru Amar Daas. Supremely fruitful are the eyes which behold Guru Amar Daas. Supremely fruitful are the ears which hear the Praises of Guru Amar Daas. Fruitful is the heart in which Guru Amar Daas, the Father of the world, Himself abides. Fruitful is the head, says Jaalap, which bows forever before Guru Amar Daas. || 1 || 10 || They do not suffer pain or hunger, and they cannot be called poor. They do not grieve, and their limits cannot be found. They do not serve anyone else, but they give gifts to hundreds and thousands. They sit on beautiful carpets; they establish and disestablish at will. They find peace in this world, and live fearlessly amidst their enemies. They are fruitful and prosperous, says Jaalap. Guru Amar Daas is pleased with them. || 2 || 11 || You read about the One Lord, and enshrine Him in Your mind; You realize the One and Only Lord. With Your eyes and the words You speak, You dwell upon the One Lord; You do not know any other place of rest. You know the One Lord while dreaming, and the One Lord while awake. You are absorbed in the One. At the age of seventy-one, You began to march towards the Indestructible Lord. The One Lord, who takes hundreds of thousands of forms, cannot be seen. He can only be described as One. So speaks Jaalap: O Guru Amar Daas, You long for the One Lord, and believe in the One Lord alone. || 3 || 12 || The understanding which Jai Dayv grasped, the understanding which permeated Naam Dayv, the understanding which was in the consciousness of Trilochan and known by the devotee Kabeer, by which Rukmaangad constantly meditated on the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, which brought Ambreek and Prahlaad to seek the Sanctuary of the Lord of the Universe, and which brought them to salvation - that sublime understanding has brought You to renounce greed, anger and desire, and to know the way. Guru Amar Daas is the Lord's own devotee; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, one is liberated. || 4 || 13 || Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the earth is purged of its sin. The Siddhas and seekers long to meet with Guru Amar Daas. Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the mortal meditates on the Lord, and his journey comes to its end.
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Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the Fearless Lord is obtained, and the cycle of reincarnation is brought to an end. Realizing the One Lord, love of duality ceases, and one comes to accept the Sublime Mantra of the Guru. So speaks Jaalap: countless treasures are obtained, by the sight of Guru Amar Daas. || 5 || 14 || Guru Nanak gathered up the True Name of the Creator Lord, and implanted it within. Through Him, Lehnaa became manifest in the form of Guru Angad, who remained lovingly attuned to His Feet. Guru Amar Daas of that dynasty is the home of hope. How can I express His Glorious Virtues? His Virtues are unknowable and unfathomable. I do not know the limits of His Virtues. The Creator, the Architect of Destiny, has made Him a boat to carry all His generations across, along with the Sangat, the Holy Congregation. So speaks Keerat: O Guru Amar Daas, please protect me and save me; I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. || 1 || 15 || The Lord Himself wielded His Power and entered the world. The Formless Lord took form, and with His Light He illuminated the realms of the world. He is All-pervading everywhere; the Lamp of the Shabad, the Word, has been lit. Whoever gathers in the essence of the teachings shall be absorbed in the Feet of the Lord. Lehnaa, who became Guru Angad, and Guru Amar Daas, have been reincarnated into the pure house of Guru Nanak. Guru Amar Daas is our Saving Grace, who carries us across; in lifetime after lifetime, I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. || 2 || 16 || Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, the Gursikh is blessed with chanting and deep meditation, truth and contentment. Whoever seeks His Sanctuary is saved; his account is cleared in the City of Death. His heart is totally filled with loving devotion; he chants to the Creator Lord. The Guru is the river of pearls; in an instant, he carries the drowning ones across. He was reincarnated into the House of Guru Nanak; He chants the Glorious Praises of the Creator Lord. Those who serve Guru Amar Daas - their pains and poverty are taken away, far away. || 3 || 17 || I consciously pray within my consciousness, but I cannot express it in words. I place all my worries and anxieties before You; I look to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, for help. By the Hukam of Your Command, I am blessed with Your Insignia; I serve my Lord and Master. When You, O Guru, gaze at me with Your Glance of Grace, the fruit of the Naam, the Name of the Creator, is placed within my mouth. The Unfathomable and Unseen Primal Lord God, the Cause of causes - as He orders, so do I speak. O Guru Amar Daas, Doer of deeds, Cause of causes, as You keep me, I remain; as You protect me, I survive. || 4 || 18 || OF BHIKHAA: In deep meditation, and the spiritual wisdom of the Guru, one's essence merges with the essence of reality. In truth, the True Lord is recognized and realized, when one is lovingly attuned to Him, with one-pointed consciousness. Lust and anger are brought under control, when the breath does not fly around, wandering restlessly. Dwelling in the land of the Formless Lord, realizing the Hukam of His Command, His contemplative wisdom is attained. In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Guru is the Form of the Creator, the Primal Lord God; he alone knows, who has tried it. So speaks Bhikhaa: I have met the Guru. With love and intuitive affection, He has bestowed the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. || 1 || 19 || I have been searching for the Saints; I have seen so many Holy and spiritual people. The hermits, Sannyaasees, ascetics, penitents, fanatics and Pandits all speak sweetly.
