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Sidh Gosht
– Translation & Interpretation –
Sidh Gosht is one of the representative verses of Guru Nanak based on his dialogue and discussion with the contemporary Sidh Yogis held at Achal Batala on the occasion of Shivratri in the year 1539.
It is Guru Nanak's visionary treatise on the Sikh spiritual pathway laid down by him and its Gurmat theology in clear contradiction to the Sidha Yogis' pathway of renunciation and asceticism. The English translation of this seventy three stanza verse into free English verse along with its interpretation has been done by the author. We propose to publish this translated version along with its original text transliteration and interpretation in serial form in Abstracts of Sikh Studies with the publication of the first section comprising first thirteen stanzas in this issue. Reader's response is welcomed. – Editor
Before commenting upon and explaining the major issues dealt with in this verse, it would be befitting to take notice of the various encounters between Guru Nanak and the contemporary Sidh yogis at several places during and after Guru Nanak’s odysseys (Udasis) and fix the exact location and time year, place and occasion when this discussion and dialogue mentioned in this verse took place.
According to Puratan Janamsakhi, there had been four encounters between Guru Nanak and the Yogis – First at Nanak Matta (Gorakh Matta), then at Sumer (Kailash) Parbat, then at Achal Near Batala (Punjab) and finally at Gorakh Hatri near Peshawar (Pakistan). But among these four encounters, the most significant encounter took place at Achal / Batala, the monastic seat of Sidh Yogis of Guru Gorakh Nath lineage. This location and the verbal exchange of words and views which took place here finds a detailed description in the first Vaar (Poetic Ballad) Stanza/Pauri 39-40 of Bhai Gurdas especially Pauris 38 & 39. As described in this verse, Guru Nanak proceeded to Achal from his own seat of residence at Kartarpur (Pakistan) to attend the annual fair on the occasion of Shivratri (Shiva’s birthday) (February-March) at Achal. This place is located at a distance of 3 miles (5 Kms) to the south of the main township of Batala on the Dera Baba Nanak-Batala Road in Punjab (India). There is a temple dedicated to the monastic order of Gorakh Panthi Sidh Yogis here where an annual fair is held on Shivratri in February-March. Kartarpur is located across the river Ravi in Pakistan at a distance of 21 miles (34 kms) from Achal. It is during this annual fair at Achal in 1539 that the above mentioned (Sidh Gost) long dialogue and discussion took place. Guru Nanak summed up the contents of this discussion in this poetic verse later on at Kartarpur soon after his return from Multan. Sidh Gost took place at Achal in March 1539 and its gist was written by Guru Nanak in this poetic verse Sidh Gost in Sept 1539 before his demise.
Sidh Gost, a poetic verse recorded in Raag Ramkali in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (p. 938-946), contains the fundamental postulates of Guru Nanak’s spiritual gospel in clear contradistinction to the yogic philosophy of undergoing rigorous mortifying bodily exercises and meditative devices of contemporary Gorakh Nath Panthi Sidh Yogis for achieving spiritual enlighenment. These postulates consist of Guru Nanak’s realization and expression of his concept of the Supreme Divine Being both in its attributive form (Sargun) and non-attributive form (Nirgun). It also contains, his distinct spiritual pathway of God-realization through his intuitive meditative process of continuous remembrance and consciousness of Divine power and his abiding faith in the Divine Will and His (Grand) Design. It also highlights his meditative process of establishing a permanent bond with the Divine through the cultivation of a gradual, step by step God consciousness while performing all the worldly duties of a householder. This spiritual pathway stems from Guru Nanak’s firm / and unshakeable faith in the eternal existence of Divine cosmic power and the existence of an umbilical relationship of human beings and other created species with their creator and the human need to be aware of this vital relationship in order to emancipate human life from a physical, biological and mortal state to a state of eternal spiritual blissfulness and divine grace. But this pathway is to be traversed with a spontaneous urge to seek divine bliss and grace without ignoring or curbing the biological urges of the human body as well as fulfilling all the social obligations incumbent upon human beings as social entities. It is a pathway which aims to bring about a holistic development of human body, mind and soul, a simultaneous process of streamlining all the human organs and faculties and aligning the entire human self with greater Divine self and its partially scrutable Will and design. It runs counter to the yogic, especially Hatha Yogic pathway of subjecting the human body to several ascetical penances, mortifications of flesh such as undertaking long spells of fasting, keeping human body uncovered without clothing, living isolated in mountaneous caves away from human habitations in a celibate state, controlling one’s breath, developing immunity from excessive vagaries of nature like excessive heat or cold and mastering several esoteric practices called Sidhis like controlling human breath, producing or mimicking wild animals’ voices/ sounds as described in the (41) pauri of Bhai Gurdas – vaar describing Sidh yogis’ verbal encounter with Guru Nanak at Achal:
ਸਿਧ ਬੋਲਨ ਸਭ ਅਉਖਧੀਆਂ ਤੰਤ੍ਰ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਕੀ ਧੁਨੋ ਚੜ੍ਹਾਈ॥
ਰੂਪ ਵਟਾਇਆ ਜੋਗੀਆਂ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਘ ਬਹੁ ਚਲਿਤ ਦਿਖਾਈ॥
ਇਕ ਪਰ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਡਰਨ ਪੰਖੀ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਰਹੇ ਲੀਲਾਈ॥
ਇਕ ਨਾਗ ਹੋਇ ਪਵਨ ਛੋਡ ਇਕਨਾ ਵਰਖਾ ਅਗਨ ਵਸਾਈ॥
ਤਾਰੇ ਤੋੜੇ ਭੰਗ੍ਰਨਾਥ ਇਕ ਚੜ ਮਿਰਗਾਨੀ ਜਲ ਤਰ ਜਾਈ॥
ਸਿਧਾ ਅਗਨ ਨ ਬੁਝੇ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
Sidhas started producing several esoteric sounds
Which could create effects of achemy
Some Yogis started displaying miraculous feats,
By converting their bodies into tiger like postures.
Some others started flying like cruising birds,
By downing feathers on their bodies like birds
Some yogis started producing snake like kissing sounds,
While others started emitting fireballs from their mouths.
As Yogi Bhangarnath started plucking stars from the sky,
Some others started swimming on water astride sea gulls
Such a tremendous din did they create.
(Vaar 1, Pauri 41, Varan Bhai Gurdas Steek, Edited by Bhai Vir Singh, Bhai Vir Singh Sadan, New Delhi, 2012)
Before summarizing stanza wise issues raised and discussed between the Sidha yogis and Guru Nanak in this seventy three Pauris/ Stanzas poetic verse, it would be profitable to catalogue and categorize the major methodological, religious and metaphysical issues and concerns discussed in this verse and Guru Nanak’s elaboration of his distinct ideological (Gurmat) pathway in the concluding stanzas. While these three issues and concerns keep emerging alternatively without any definite sequence throughout this verse, Guru Nanak’s own distinctive ideological (Gurmat) pathway finds consistent elaboration first from Pauri/ stanza 23 to 42 and then (Pauri) from stanzas 69 –72. This whole discussion and dialogue starts in the very first stanza after extending formal courtesies due to each other between the two discussants/ participants, the group of Sidha yogis on one side and Guru Nanak on the other side. The central theme of this whole debate has been stated by Guru Nanak himself in the concluding couplet of this opening stanza:
ਕਿਆ ਭਵੀਐ ਸਚਿ ਸੂਚਾ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਾਚ ਸਬਦ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ )
ki-aa bhavee-ai sach soochaa ho-ay.
saach sabad bin mukat na ko-ay. ||1||
Guru Nanak: Pilgrimages and odeysseys are of no avail,
Purification comes through engrossment in Truth.
Without meditating upon the sacred word,
There is no deliverance possible indeed||1||Pause
– Guru Granth Sahib, p. 938
Infact, these two lines bring out the clear distinction between the yogic approach of attaining the State of perfect / complete self-realization and God realization through the practice of various bodily/ yogic exercises and going on pilgrimages and Guru Nanak’s approach of cultivation of a habit of continuous concentration/ meditation on the sacred Name/ word of the Divine without subjecting the human body to any external exercises or going on pilgrimages. Thus, while the whole burden of the spiritual pursuit undertaken by the yogis is on the forcible, coercive disciplining of the human body and stilling of the mind, the entire burden of the spiritual pursuit undertaken by Guru Nanak falls on the streamlining of the human mind through the adoption of the process of inner, intuitive, spontaneous, almost effortless, remembrance of the sacred name/ Shabad of the Divine power. The only problem this latter (Guru Nanak’s) process poses for the reader is the identification of the sacred Name or the sabad. While Guru Nanak’s own verses especially the opening line of his first verse called Mool Mantra in Sikh parlance has become a medium of meditation for his followers, for Guru Nanak himself it has been his clear recognition of eternal Divine presence or His immanence in the entire creation and Guru Nanak’s consciousness of this Divine presence and its identification or naming as Sabad repeatedly used by him in his verses There are two other words satguru and Naam frequently used in this verse by Baba Nanak which are synonymous with Sabad. In this dialogic/ conversational verse, both the participants the Sidha and Guru Nanak keep on stressing upon the efficacy of their distinct approaches. While the Sidha Yogis keep on explaining the nature and methodology of their yogic spiritual pursuit and keep on posing questions/ enquiries to Guru Nanak on the basis of their approach and eliciting answers from Guru Nanak to their questions, Guru Nanak keeps on elaborating on his own Gurmat meditative process and its holistic nature.
These philosophical enquiries made in this verse relate to the primordial state of the cosmic energy or the Divine when there was no visible creation, a state of complete existential vacuum; how the Divine Cosmic power manifested itself from its transcendental State (Nirguna) to immanent form (Sargun); how has the chasm been created between the Divine and the human, and how can the human self confined in a human body with all its attendant weaknesses of flesh and blood, establish communion with the Divine with or without renouncing the worldly and material linkages and familial bondages.
For the sake of better understanding of these major philosophical, spiritual and metaphysical issues in this verse, we have divided this verse along with its roman English, English translation and English commentary on this text into four sections as follows:
Section I Pauri / Stanza 1 to 25 Gurmukhi Text - Roman English version
English Translation and Commentary
Section II Pauri / Stanza 26 to 42 Gurmukhi Text - Roman English version
English Translation and Commentary
Section III Pauri/ Stanza 43 to 57 Gurmukhi Text - Roman English version
English Translation and Commentary
Section IV Pauri / Stanza 58 to 73 Gurmukhi Text - Roman English version
English Translation and Commentary
Note: For constraints of space, we are publishing only Pauri/stanza 1 to 13 of section I in this issue.
Original Text with Transliteration
ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ: ਸਿਧ ਸਭਾ ਕਰਿ ਆਸਣਿ ਬੈਠੇ ਸੰਤ ਸਭਾ ਜੈਕਾਰੋ॥
ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਰਹਰਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਸਾਚਾ ਅਪਰ ਅਪਾਰੋ॥
ਮਸਤਕੁ ਕਾਟਿ ਧਰੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਆਗੈ ਦੇਉ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਚੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਹਜ ਭਾਇ ਜਸੁ ਲੇਉ॥1॥
sidh sabhaa kar aasan baithay sant sabhaa jaikaaro.
tis aagai rahraas hamaaree saachaa aparapaaro.
mastak kaat Dharee tis aagai tan man aagai day-o.
naanak sant milai sach paaee-ai sahj bhaa-ay jas lay-o. ||1||
ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ: ਕਿਆ ਭਵੀਐ ਸਚਿ ਸੂਚਾ ਹੋਇ॥
ਸਾਚ ਸਬਦ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਕੋਇ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ॥
ki-aa bhavee-ai sach soochaa ho-ay.
saach sabad bin mukat na ko-ay. ||1|| rahaa-o.
ਸਿਧ/ਜੋਗੀ: ਕਵਨ ਤੁਮੇ ਕਿਆ ਨਾਉ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਕਉਨੁ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਆਓ॥
ਸਾਚੁ ਕਹਉ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਹਉ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਓ॥
ਕਹ ਬੈਸਹੁ ਕਹ ਰਹੀਐ ਬਾਲੇ ਕਹ ਆਵਹੁ ਕਹ ਜਾਹੋ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਸੁਣਿ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਕਿਆ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਰਾਹੋ॥2॥
kavan tumay ki-aa naa-o tumaara ka-un maarag ka-un su-aa-o.
saach kaha-o ardaas hamaaree ha-o sant janaa bal jaa-o.
kah baishu kah rahee-ai baalay kah aavhu kah jaaho.
naanak bolai sun bairaagee ki-aa tumaaraa raaho. ||2||
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਬੈਸਿ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਚਾਲਹਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਏ॥ ਸਹਜੇ ਆਏ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਸਿਧਾਏ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਦਾ ਰਜਾਏ॥
ਆਸਣਿ ਬੈਸਣਿ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਐਸੀ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਾਏ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝੈ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਸਚੇ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਏ॥3॥
ghat ghat bais nirantar rahee-ai chaaleh satgur bhaa-ay. sehjay aa-ay hukam siDhaa-ay naanak sadaa rajaa-ay. aasan baisan thir naaraa-in aisee gurmat paa-ay.
gurmukh boojhai aap pachhaanai sachay sach samaa-ay. ||3||
ਚਰਪਟ ਜੋਗੀ: ਦੁਨੀਆ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਦੁਤਰੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਪਾਰੋ॥ ਚਰਪਟੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਅਉਧੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਹੁ ਸਚਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੋ॥
dunee-aa saagar dutar kahee-ai ki-o kar paa-ee-ai paaro.
. charpat bolai a-oDhoo naanak dayh sachaa beechaaro.
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਆਪੇ ਆਖੈ ਆਪੇ ਸਮਝੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਕਿਆ ਉਤਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ॥ ਸਾਚੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਤੁਮ ਪਾਰਗਰਾਮੀ ਤੁਝੁ ਕਿਆ ਬੈਸਣੁ ਦੀਜੈ॥4॥
aapay aakhai aapay samjhai tis ki-aa utar deejai.
saach kahhu tum paargaraamee tujh ki-aa baisan deejai. ||4||
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਜੈਸੇ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਨਿਰਾਲਮੁ ਮੁਰਗਾਈ ਨੈ ਸਾਣੇ॥ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਭਵ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਤਰੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੇ॥ ਰਹਹਿ ਇਕਾਂਤਿ ਏਕੋ ਮਨਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਆਸਾ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰਾਸੋ॥ ਅਗਮੁ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਦਿਖਾਏ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਦਾਸੋ॥5॥
jaisay jal meh kamal niraalam murgaa-ee nai saanay.
surat sabad bhav saagar taree-ai naanak naam vakhaanay.
raheh ikaaNt ayko man vasi-aa aasaa maahi niraaso.
agam agochar daykh dikhaa-ay naanak taa kaa daaso. ||5||
ਚਰਪਟ ਜੋਗੀ: ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਪੂਛਉ ਸਾਚੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੋ॥ ਰੋਸੁ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ ਉਤਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਕਿਉ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰ ਦੁਆਰੋ॥
sun su-aamee ardaas hamaaree poochha-o saach beechaaro. ros na keejai utar deejai ki-o paa-ee-ai gurdu-aaro.
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਚਲਤਉ ਸਚ ਘਰਿ ਬੈਸੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਧਾਰੋ॥ ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ ਕਰਤਾ ਲਾਗੈ ਸਾਚਿ ਪਿਆਰੋ॥6॥
ih man chalta-o sach ghar baisai naanaknaam aDhaaro. aapay mayl milaa-ay kartaa laagai saach pi-aaro. ||6|
ਲੋਹਾਰੀਪਾ ਜੋਗੀ: ਗੋਰਖਨਾਥ ਦਾ ਚੇਲਾ
ਹਾਟੀ ਬਾਟੀ ਰਹਹਿ ਨਿਰਾਲੇ ਰੂਖਿ ਬਿਰਖਿ ਉਦਿਆਨੇ॥
ਕੰਦ ਮੂਲੁ ਅਹਾਰੋ ਖਾਈਐ ਅਉਧੂ ਬੋਲੈ ਗਿਆਨੇ॥
ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਈਐ ਸੁਖੁ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ਕਾਈ॥
ਗੋਰਖ ਪੂਤੁ ਲੋਹਾਰੀਪਾ ਬੋਲੈ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਬਿਿਧ ਸਾਈ॥7॥
haatee baatee raheh niraalay rookh birakh udi-aanay. kand mool ahaaro khaa-ee-ai a-oDhoo bolai gi-aanay. tirath naa-ee-ai sukh fal paa-ee-ai mail na laagai kaa-ee. gorakh poot lohaareepaa bolai jog jugat biDh saa-ee.||7||
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਹਾਟੀ ਬਾਟੀ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਪਰ ਘਰਿ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਡੁੋਲਾਈ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਮਨੁ ਟੇਕ ਨ ਟਿਕਈ ਨਾਨਕ ਭੂਖ ਨ ਜਾਈ॥
ਹਾਟੁ ਪਟਣੁ ਘਰੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ਸਹਜੇ ਸਚੁ ਵਾਪਾਰੋ॥
ਖੰਡਿਤ ਨਿਦ੍ਰਾ ਅਲਪ ਅਹਾਰੰ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੋ॥8॥
haatee baatee need na aavai par ghar chit na dolaa-ee.
bin naavai man tayk na tik-ee naanak bhookh na jaa-ee.
haat patan ghar guroo dikhaa-i-aa sehjay sach vaapaaro.
khandit nidraa alap ahaaran naanak tat beechaaro.||8||
ਲੋਹਾਰੀਪਾ ਸਿਧ ਜੋਗੀ:
ਦਰਸਨੁ ਭੇਖ ਕਰਹੁ ਜੋਗਿੰਦ੍ਰਾ ਮੁੰਦ੍ਰਾ ਝੋਲੀ ਖਿੰਥਾ॥
ਬਾਰਹ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਏਕੁ ਸਰੇਵਹੁ ਖਟੁ ਦਰਸਨ ਇਕ ਪੰਥਾ॥
ਇਨ ਬਿਿਧ ਮਨੁ ਸਮਝਾਈਐ ਪੁਰਖਾ ਬਾਹੁੜਿ ਚੋਟ ਨ ਖਾਈਐ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝੈ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਇਵ ਪਾਈਐ॥9॥
darsan bhaykh karahu jogindaraa mundraa jholee khinthaa. baarah antar ayk sarayvhu khat darsan ik panthaa. in bidh man samjaa-ee-ai purkhaa baahurh chot na khaa-ee-ai. naanak bolai gurmukh boojhai jog jugat iv paa-ee-ai.||9||
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਮੁਦ੍ਰਾ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਮਤਾ ਦੂਰਿ ਕਰੀ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ਼੍ਰੋਧੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਨਿਵਾਰੈ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁ ਸਮਝ ਪਰੀ॥
ਖਿੰਥਾ ਝੋਲੀ ਭਰਿਪੁਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾਰੈ ਏਕੁ ਹਰੀ॥
ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਾਚੀ ਨਾਈ ਪਰਖੈ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਤ ਖਰੀ॥10॥
antar sabad nirantar mudraa ha-umai mamtaa door karee.
kaam kroDh ahaNkaar nivaarai gur kai sabad so samajh paree.
khinthaa jholee bharipur rahi-aa naanak taarai ayk haree.
saachaa saahib saachee naa-ee parkhai gur kee baat kharee.||10||
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਊਂਧਉ ਖਪਰੁ ਪੰਚ ਭੂ ਟੋਪੀ ॥
ਕਾਂਇਆ ਕੜਾਸਣੁ ਮਨੁ ਜਾਗੋਟੀ ॥
ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਲਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਮਾਲਿ॥ 11 ॥
Aoondhau khpru pnch bhoo topee.
kaaneiaaa krhaasnu mnu jaagotee.
stu sntokhu snjmu hai naali.
naank gurmukhi naamu smaali. |11|
ਸਿਧ ਜੋਗੀ: ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥
ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥
ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਆਵੈ ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਕਵਨੁ ਸੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥12॥
kvnu su guptaa kvnu su muktaa.
kvnu su Antri baahri jugtaa.
kvnu su Aaavai kvnu su jaaEi.
kvnu su tRibhvni rhiAaa smaaei. |12|
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ: ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਗੁਪਤਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥
ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਸਮਾਇ॥13॥
ghti ghti guptaa gurmukhi muktaa.
Antri baahri sbdi su jugtaa.
mnmukhi binsai Aaavai jaaei.
naank gurmukhi saachi smaaei. |13|
English Translation and Commentary
Guru Nanak: To this august assembly of saints and sages (Sidhas),
I hail and extend my respectful greetings.
To the truth incarnate and transcendent Divine
I pray and bow my head in reverence and humility.
In complete submission to Him and His Divine Will
I offer my head, heart and body on a platter.
In the company of the sages one readily finds,
Honour, truth and tranquility, says Nanak.||1||
Guru Nanak: Pilgrimages and odeysseys are of no avail,
Purification comes through engrossment in Truth.
Without meditating upon the sacred word,
There is no deliverance possible indeed||1||Pause
Sidh Yogi: Who are you, what is your name, which religious
Pathway and its destination, do you follow?
In truthful earnest do I beseech you,
Unto to the saints am I truly beholden.
Where do you reside how do you survive?
Where do you come from? Where do you go?
Oh, Nanak, the Bairagi, listen to my entreaty,
Reveal unto me, your religious/ ideological pathway||2||
Guru Nanak: Continuously do I keep on meditating on the immanent Divine,
Satguru's revealed Pathway do I keep following.
His Divine Command do I keep following gracefully,
To His Divine Will do I submit completely.
Engrossed in His sacred Name do I remain seated,
On such a Gurmat Pathway have I been initiated.
This is how a Gurmukh achieves self-realization,
This is how he finds communion with the Divine.||3||
CharpatYogi: This world/worldly life, being an ocean of sorrow and suffering,
How can it be crossed over safely?
I beseach you Nanak, you being a detached sage,
Give your considered opinion about it.
Guru Nanak: How should I answer back to an enlightened person
Who, himself knowning the answer, is posing this question?
How can I dare to argue with a person
Who himself has truly corssed this worldly ocean?||4||
Guru Nanak: As lotus flower remains uncontaminated from the underlying water,
As the swimming duck keeps her wings unsoaked/undrenched,
So can we, human beings, cross this worldly ocean,
By remaining focused on the sacred word.
Those who remain detached amidst material aspirations,
And remain focused on the sacred word in solitude,
Those who perceive the inscrubable Divine and enlighten others,
Unto them do I (Nanak) humbly submit||5||
Charpat Yogi: O Noble and Wise Sage,
Listen to my serious humble submission/ entreaty.
Please answer without taking an offence,
How can one seek communion with the Divine Guru?
Guru Nanak: O Yogi, when one's mind is thoroughly focussed on the True Lord,
When His sacred Name becomes the bedrock of One's faith,
He himself brings about communion through His grace.
And one falls in love with the True Lord / Guru.||6||
Loharipa Sidha: A Disciple of Gorakh Nath:
We, the Yogis, keep away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
We take shelter under trees in the forested wilds.
We survive on the roots and fruits of forest trees.
Thus did the learned yogi reveal his way of life.
Through pilgrimages to sacred shrines, we seek happiness,
And cleanse ourselves of all impurities.
This is the yogic pathway of all the yogis,
Thus did Loharipa, Gorakh Nath's disciple exclaim.||7||
Guru Nanak: One should not get lost in the worldly hustle and bustle,
Nor should one feel tempted by the material attractions.
Human mind can never find peace except on the bedrock of His sacred Name,
Nor do human cravings cease to harass him.
My True Lord/ Guru has revealed His true abode,
Steadily thorough meditation does one find one's true calling,
On modest food and sleep does such a detached person survive.
This in essence is the essence of my pathway of life||8||
Loharipa / Sidh Yogi:
Nanak, one must wear the Yogic apparel,
Together with earrings, a shouldersling bag and a ragged blanket.
Adopting one of the twelve Yogic streams
And wearing of one of the six yogic costumes.
Following such a disciplinary regimen can one control one's mind,
And escape from slipping into worldly snares.
Nanak, you being a Gurmukh,3a you must understand.
This is the only way to adopt the yogic path way. ||9||
Guru Nanak: Remaining focused on Guru's Sabad amounts to wearing Earrings, (Mudra)
Thus wiping all traces of human pride and attachment,
As well as the human vices of lust, anger and arrogance
This is what one learns through meditation on Guru's Sabad.
Gaining this insight amounts to filling up of ones begging bowl (Jholi)
And getting wrapped in yogic disguise (Khintha)
This much has Nanak learnt: God (Hari) alone can liberate.
He is the true Lord and true is His sacred Name
Thus have I verified the veracity of Guru's pathway (Gurmat).||10||
Guru Nanak: Curbing worldly desires equals yogi's begging bowl turned upside down
It also amounts to imbibing the virtues of five elements.5
A Gurmukh's simplicity of living and deportment amounts to yogi's matted carpet.
And Gurmukh's disciplined conduct equal's yogi's wearing of loin cloth
Allegiance to truth and contentment are his forte,
Exercise of self-restraint and austerity are his companions
Such is Gurmukh's (Nanak's) way of life indeed
Who forever remains engrossed in sacred Name||11||
Sidh Yogi: Who is the one who is invisible,
Who is the one who is liberated/ emancipated,
Who is the one who is intergrated and,
Harmonized at the level of body and soul,
Who is the one who is born again and again
Who is the one who dies again and again
Who is the one who is immanent across,
The three regions of sky, earth and netherworld? ||12||
Guru Nanak: Divine Lord/ Guru is immanent in every object
Gurmukh (a harmonized person) is liberated/emancipated.
He (Gurmukh) is the one who is integrated with
Guru's sabad both from inside and outside
It is the ego-centric person (Manmukh) indeed
Who is subjected to be born and die again and again
It is the egoless integrated person the Gurmukh
Who gets permanently knitted with the true Lord.||13||
Interpretation and Commentary Pauri/ Stanza 1 to 13
This philosophical discussion and debate begins with Guru Nanak extending basic courtsies and making a formal request to the assembled Sidh Yogis in all humility to allow him to sit in their august company and participate in the discussion about spiritual matters with them. He also hints at his own meditative pathway of quiet meditation and reflection instead of following the nomadic life style of the Sidha yogis (Pauri / Stanza 1)
Permitting him to join their assembly, the Sidha yogis ask for the introduction about his name, his seat of residence, his religious spiritual pathway through which he has achieved a state of equipoise and tranquil disposition at such a tender age (Pauri/ Stanza 2)
ਕਵਨ ਤੁਮੇ ਕਿਆ ਨਾਉ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਕਉਨੁ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਆਓ ॥
ਸਾਚੁ ਕਹਉ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਹਉ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਓ ॥
kavan tumay ki-aa naa-o tumaaraa ka-un maarag ka-un su-aa-o.
saach kaha-o ardaas hamaaree ha-o sant janaa bal jaa-o.
Who are you, what is yur name, which religious
Pathway and its destination, do you follow?
In truthful earnest do I beseech you,
Unto to the saints am I truly beholden.
To this straight forward question, Guru Nanak answers philosophically that he exists and lives his life in accordance with the express will and design of the Divine Lord, in continuous remembrance of His sacred name without disclosing the name of his seat of residence. He further identifies his spiritual pathway by labeling it as “Gurmat” way and his own identity as “Gurmukh”. He endeavours to seek spiritual enlightenment by following the spiritual pathway of Gurmat as a devout Gurmukh. Guru Nanak continues to elaborate these two terms Gurmat and Gurmukh in the ensuing discussion throughout this poetic verse (Pauri 3/ Stanza 3)
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ: ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਬੈਸਿ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਚਾਲਹਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਏ॥
ਸਹਜੇ ਆਏ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਸਿਧਾਏ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਦਾ ਰਜਾਏ॥
ਆਸਣਿ ਬੈਸਣਿ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਐਸੀ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਾਏ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝੈ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਸਚੇ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਏ॥3॥
ghat ghat bais nirantar rahee-ai chaaleh satgur bhaa-ay.
sehjay aa-ay hukam siDhaa-ay naanak sadaa rajaa-ay.
aasan baisan thir naaraa-in aisee gurmat paa-ay.
gurmukh boojhai aap pachhaanai sachay sach samaa-ay.
Guru Nanak: Continuously do I keep on meditating on the immanent Divine,
Satguru’s1 revealed Pathway do I keep following.
His Divine Command do I keep following gracefully,
To His Divine Will do I submit completely.
Engrossed in His sacred Name do I remain seated,
On such a Gurmat Pathway have I been initiated.
This is how a Gurmukh achieves self-realization,
This is how he finds communion with the Divine.
To the next question raised in (Pauri 4): How can a human being swim across the worldly ocean consisting of family bondages and material entanglements and reach a state of spiritual enlightenment, Guru Nanak initially expresses his complacency to answer back and explain the intricacies of own his own spiritual pathway to such an enlightened Sidha Yogi and then proceeds to elaborate the underlying technique of his own spiritual pathway of Gurmat in the next stanza (Pauri 5/ Stanza 4 & 5)
Contrary to the Sidha Yogi’s way of life of renouncing the worldly and family life, Guru Nanak’s or Gurmukh’s way of life following the Gurmat spiritual pathway consists of remaining mentally and spiritually detached from the worldly entanglements even while living within the family and the world as a householder meeting all the obligations of family life and social commitments simultaneously with his spiritual pursuit. He elaborates this Gurmat principle of conscious detachment through the two images of a lotus flower with its roots in the muddy water and the Indian swan swimming and surviving on water without getting his feathery cover moistened by water:
ਜੈਸੇ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਨਿਰਾਲਮੁ ਮੁਰਗਾਈ ਨੈ ਸਾਣੇ॥
ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਭਵ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਤਰੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੇ॥
jaisay jal meh kamal niraalam murgaa-ee nai saanay.
surat sabad bhav saagar taree-ai naanak naam vakhaanay.
As lotus flower remains uncontaminated from the underlying water,
As the swimming duck keeps her wings unsoaked/undrenched,
So can we, human beings, cross this worldly ocean,
By remaining focused on the sacred word.
It is by adopting such an attitude of philosophical detachment and in expectation of God’s own grace that a devout human seeker (Gurmukh) finds communion with God (Pauri/Stanza 6)
In the next stanza/ Pauri VII, yogi named Loharipa, the disciple of Sidha Yogi Gorakh Nath explains his yogic spiritual pathway consisting of living away from the hustle and bustle of towns and cities, surviving on the raw and uncooked roots and tubers of plants, taking shelter under the forested trees and occasional goings on pilgrimages and thus making themselves uncontaminated in order to seek communion with the Divine. Contradicting this external, yogic technique of physical renunciation of worldly pleasures, Guru Nanak stresses upon the Gurmat and Gurmukh technique of internal, mental detachment towards worldly attractions and sensual temptations while surviving on a modest diet and sleep for the human body. It is through the adoption this modest living and attitude of detachment that a human being can a live holistic balanced life even while being a man of this world. (Pauri/ Stanzas 7 and 8)
Similarly, to the Sidha Yogi’s insistence on the wearing of external symbols of yogic spiritual pathway such as piercing of one’s ears with metallic / ivory rings, wrapping one’s body with a ragged sack cloth and carrying a sling shot bag, the symbolic signs of a one particular sect (the Ayee Panth) out of the twelve yogic sects as a guaranted pathway of being united with the Divine in (Pauri/Stanza 9), Guru Nanak offers his own alternative of adopting the introspective Gurmat pathway of mental conditioning / coming over the various sensuous desires and passions emanating from the human body and human bondages born of human ego. It consists of the continuous and conscious remembrance of God’s sacred word (sabad) instead of displaying / wearing outward, signs/ symbols of a yogic discipline in (Pauri/ stanza 10). Guru Nanak continues to elaborate further on his Gurmat pathway of internal streamlining and mental discipline of human faculties and bodily organs through the conscious cultivation of human values of self-restraint, contentment and truthfulness as well as the five benevolent elemental qualities of detachment, self purification, universal love of mankind, coolness of temperament, and patience and endurance symbolized by the basic five elements of sky, fire, air, water and earth as a superior process to the outward display of yogic begging bowl, straw mat, and loin cloth and sling bag of Gorakhpanthi Yogis. A devout Gurmukh following the gurmat pathway of life, cultivating these human and elemental values of nature and meditating upon the Divine sacred Name simultaneously leading a householder’s life endeavours to seek union with the Divine (Pauri/ Stanza 11)
ਊਂਧਉ ਖਪਰੁ ਪੰਚ ਭੂ ਟੋਪੀ ॥ ਕਾਂਇਆ ਕੜਾਸਣੁ ਮਨੁ ਜਾਗੋਟੀ ॥
ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਮਾਲਿ॥ 11 ॥
Aoondhau khpru pnch bhoo topee. kaaneiaaa krhaasnu mnu jaagotee.
stu sntokhu snjmu hai naali. naank gurmukhi naamu smaali. |11|
Curbing worldly desires equals yogi’s begging bowl turned upside down
It also amounts to imbibing the virtues of five elements.5
A Gurmukh’s simplicity of living and deportment amounts to yogi’s matted carpet.
And Gurmukh’s disciplined conduct equals yogi’s wearing of loin cloth
Allegiance to truth and contentment are his forte,
Exercise of self-restraint and ansterity are his companions
Such is Gurmukh’s (Nanak’s) way of life indeed
Who forever remains engrossed in sacred Name||11||
Discussion now shifts to the transcendent (Nirgun) and immanent state/ (Sargun) form of the Divine entity and the devout person (Gurmukh) in the human state who is fully aware of these two states of Divine existence and remains continuously aligned with the Divine, the lord of three worlds in Stanza 13. When the Sidha yogis ask Guru Nanak to identify such an accomplished human being, Guru Nanak declares Gurmukh as such a thoroughly streamlined and aligned person with the Divine and His sacred Name (sabad). He (Gurmukh) is aware/ conscious of both the attributive forms of the Divine, the transcendental (Nirgun) and the immanent (Sargun) and remains thoroughly synchronized with the Divine all the time. On the other hand, a self-willed, a self-centred person called Manmukh continues to wallow in his self prepared broth of petty human desires and vicious cycle of repeated births and deaths. (Stanzas 12 &13)
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