Selections from the Guru Granth Sahib · 15 of 228

Raag Maajh: Shalok, First Mehl (II)

Shalok, First Mehl:

He placed the soul in the body which He had fashioned. He protects the Creation which He has created.

With their eyes, they see, and with their tongues, they speak; with their ears, they bring the mind to awareness.

With their feet, they walk, and with their hands, they work; they wear and eat whatever is given.

They do not know the One who created the Creation. The blind fools do their dark deeds.

When the pitcher of the body breaks and shatters into pieces, it cannot be re-created again.

O Nanak, without the Guru, there is no honor; without honor, no one is carried across. ||1||

Second Mehl:

They prefer the gift, instead of the Giver; such is the way of the self-willed manmukhs.

What can anyone say about their intelligence, their understanding or their cleverness?

The deeds which one commits, while sitting in one’s own home, are known far and wide, in the four directions.

One who lives righteously is known as righteous; one who commits sins is known as a sinner.

You Yourself enact the entire play, O Creator. Why should we speak of any other?

As long as Your Light is within the body, You speak through that Light. Without Your Light, who can do anything? Show me any such cleverness!

O Nanak, the Lord alone is Perfect and All-knowing; He is revealed to the Gurmukh. ||2||

Pauree:

You Yourself created the world, and You Yourself put it to work.

Administering the drug of emotional attachment, You Yourself have led the world astray.

The fire of desire is deep within; unsatisfied, people remain hungry and thirsty.

This world is an illusion; it dies and it is re-born-it comes and it goes in reincarnation.

Without the True Guru, emotional attachment is not broken. All have grown weary of performing empty rituals.

Those who follow the Guru’s Teachings meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Filled with a joyful peace, they surrender to Your Will.

They save their families and ancestors; blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them.

Section 06 - Raag Maajh - Part 046 Beautiful and sublime is the glory and the understanding of those who focus their consciousness on the Lord. ||2||

Shalok, Second Mehl:

To see without eyes; to hear without ears;

to walk without feet; to work without hands;

to speak without a tongue-like this, one remains dead while yet alive.

O Nanak, recognize the Hukam of the Lord’s Command, and merge with your Lord and Master. ||1||

Second Mehl:

He is seen, heard and known, but His subtle essence is not obtained.

How can the lame, armless and blind person run to embrace the Lord?

Let the Fear of God be your feet, and let His Love be your hands; let His Understanding be your eyes.

Says Nanak, in this way, O wise soul-bride, you shall be united with your Husband Lord. ||2||

Pauree:

Forever and ever, You are the only One; You set the play of duality in motion.

You created egotism and arrogant pride, and You placed greed within our beings.

Keep me as it pleases Your Will; everyone acts as You cause them to act.

Some are forgiven, and merge with You; through the Guru’s Teachings, we are joined to You.

Some stand and serve You; without the Name, nothing else pleases them.

Any other task would be worthless to them-You have enjoined them to Your True Service.

In the midst of children, spouse and relations, some still remain detached; they are pleasing to Your Will.

Inwardly and outwardly, they are pure, and they are absorbed in the True Name. ||3||

Shalok, First Mehl:

I may make a cave, in a mountain of gold, or in the water of the nether regions;

I may remain standing on my head, upside-down, on the earth or up in the sky;

I may totally cover my body with clothes, and wash them continually;

I may shout out loud, the white, red, yellow and black Vedas;

I may even live in dirt and filth. And yet, all this is just a product of evil-mindedness, and intellectual corruption.

I was not, I am not, and I will never be anything at all! O Nanak, I dwell only on the Word of the Shabad. ||1||

First Mehl:

They wash their clothes, and scrub their bodies, and try to practice self-discipline.

But they are not aware of the filth staining their inner being, while they try and try to wash off the outer dirt.

The blind go astray, caught by the noose of Death.

They see other people’s property as their own, and in egotism, they suffer in pain.

O Nanak, the egotism of the Gurmukhs is broken, and then, they meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

They chant the Naam, meditate on the Naam, and through the Naam, they are absorbed in peace. ||2||

Pauree:

Destiny has brought together and united the body and the soul-swan.

He who created them, also separates them.

The fools enjoy their pleasures; they must also endure all their pains.

From pleasures, arise diseases and the commission of sins.

From sinful pleasures come sorrow, separation, birth and death.

The fools try to account for their misdeeds, and argue uselessly.

The judgement is in the Hands of the True Guru, who puts an end to the argument.

Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. It cannot be changed by anyone’s efforts. ||4||