- May 9, 2006
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*squints at screen... not sure if Waheguru... or Allah!*
I was reading Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji just now and noticed an interesting set of paurhis which seem to describe Akal Purakh in Abrahamical terms, starting at ang 89. I was surprised by this.
The paurhis are separated by shaloks and I can't see how they relate.
Here's ang 89 at SriGranth: http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&fb=0&Param=89
Here's the entire section in English with the paurhis highlighted. I've left the Gurmukhi out as the post will become too cumbersome otherwise. I hope that's ok. I'm not sure which comes first, shalok or paurhi, so I've kept the shaloks at the very beginning of the section and at the very end in case they are relevant.
I always thought people reaped what they sowed. I never considered Guruji as the kind of creative force which actively chose sides, wielding justice in his hand, bashing the sinners and coddling the believers. That's how this reads, a bit. What do you think?
It also frightens me to think this sentiment can be used to displace responsibility, i.e. 'she suffered because she was a sinner, even if we didn't see it, God saw it, and delivered justice in the form of this suffering'.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.
SHALOK, SECOND MEHL: Chop off that head which does not bow to the Lord. O Nanak, that human body, in which there is no pain of separation from the Lord—take that body and burn it. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Forgetting the Primal Lord, O Nanak, people are born and die, over and over again. Mistaking it for musk, they have fallen into the stinking pit of filth. || 2 || PAUREE: Meditate on that Name of the Lord, O my mind, whose Command rules over all. Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which will save you at the very last moment. Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which shall drive out all hunger and desire from your mind. Very fortunate and blessed is that Gurmukh who chants the Naam; it shall bring all slanderers and wicked enemies to fall at his feet. O Nanak, worship and adore the Naam, the Greatest Name of all, before which all come and bow. || 15 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: She may wear good clothes, but the bride is ugly and rude; her mind is false and impure. She does not walk in harmony with the Will of her Husband Lord. Instead, she foolishly gives Him orders. But she who walks in harmony with the Guru’s Will, shall be spared all pain and suffering. That destiny which was pre-ordained by the Creator cannot be erased. She must dedicate her mind and body to her Husband Lord, and enshrine love for the Word of the Shabad. Without His Name, no one has found Him; see this and reflect upon it in your heart. O Nanak, she is beautiful and graceful; the Creator Lord ravishes and enjoys her. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Attachment to Maya is an ocean of darkness; neither this shore nor the one beyond can be seen. The ignorant, self-willed manmukhs suffer in terrible pain; they forget the Lord’s Name and drown. They arise in the morning and perform all sorts of rituals, but they are caught in the love of duality. Those who serve the True Guru cross over the terrifying world-ocean. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs keep the True Name enshrined in their hearts; they are absorbed into the True One. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord pervades and permeates the water, the land and the sky; there is no other at all. The Lord Himself sits upon His Throne and administers justice. He beats and drives out the false-hearted. The Lord bestows glorious greatness upon those who are truthful. He administers righteous justice. So praise the Lord, everybody; He protects the poor and the lost souls. He honors the righteous and punishes the sinners. || 16 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: The self-willed manmukh, the foolish bride, is a filthy, rude and evil wife. Forsaking her Husband Lord and leaving her own home, she gives her love to another. Her desires are never satisfied, and she burns and cries out in pain. O Nanak, without the Name, she is ugly and ungraceful. She is abandoned and left behind by her Husband Lord. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: The happy soul-bride is attuned to the Word of the Shabad; she is in love with the True Guru. She continually enjoys and ravishes her Beloved, with true love and affection. She is such a loveable, beautiful and noble woman. O Nanak, through the Naam, the happy soul-bride unites with the Lord of Union. || 2 || PAUREE: Lord, everyone sings Your Praises. You have freed us from bondage. Lord, everyone bows in reverence to You. You have saved us from our sinful ways. Lord, You are the Honor of the dishonored. Lord, You are the Strongest of the strong. The Lord beats down the egocentrics and corrects the foolish, self-willed manmukhs. The Lord bestows glorious greatness on His devotees, the poor, and the lost souls. || 17 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: One who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru, obtains the greatest glory. The Exalted Name of the Lord abides in his mind, and no one can take it away. That person, upon whom the Lord bestows His Grace, receives His Mercy. O Nanak, creativity is under the control of the Creator; how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize this! || 1 || THIRD MEHL: O Nanak, those who worship and adore the Lord’s Name night and day, vibrate the String of the Lord’s Love. Maya, the maid-servant of our Lord and Master, serves them. The Perfect One has made them perfect; by the Hukam of His Command, they are embellished. By Guru’s Grace, they understand Him, and they find the gate of salvation. The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Lord’s Command; they are beaten down by the Messenger of Death. But the Gurmukhs, who worship and adore the Lord, cross over the terrifying world-ocean. All their demerits are erased, and replaced with merits. The Guru Himself is their Forgiver. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord’s devotees have faith in Him. The Lord knows everything. No one is as great a Knower as the Lord; the Lord administers righteous justice. Why should we feel any burning anxiety, since the Lord does not punish without just cause? True is the Master, and True is His Justice; only the sinners are defeated. O devotees, praise the Lord with your palms pressed together; the Lord saves His humble devotees. || 18 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: Oh, if only I could meet my Beloved, and keep Him enshrined deep within my heart! I praise that God forever and ever, through love and affection for the Guru. O Nanak, that one upon whom He bestows His Glance of Grace is united with Him; such a person is the true soul-bride of the Lord. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Serving the Guru, the Lord is obtained, when He bestows His Glance of Grace. They are transformed from humans into angels, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. They conquer their egotism and merge with the Lord; they are saved through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. O Nanak, they merge imperceptibly into the Lord, who has bestowed His Favor upon them. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord Himself inspires us to worship Him; He reveals His Glorious Greatness. He Himself inspires us to place our faith in Him. Thus He performs His Own Service. The Lord bestows bliss upon His devotees, and gives them a seat in the eternal home. He does not give the sinners any stability or place of rest; He consigns them to the depths of hell. The Lord blesses His devotees with His Love; He sides with them and saves them. || 19 || SHALOK, FIRST MEHL: False-mindedness is the drummer-woman; cruelty is the butcheress; slander of others in one’s heart is the cleaning-woman, and deceitful anger is the outcast-woman. What good are the ceremonial lines drawn around your kitchen, when these four are seated there with you? Make Truth your self-discipline, and make good deeds the lines you draw; make chanting the Name your cleansing bath. O Nanak, those who do not walk in the ways of sin, shall be exalted in the world hereafter. || 1 || FIRST MEHL: Which is the swan, and which is the crane? It is only by His Glance of Grace. Whoever is pleasing to Him, O Nanak, is transformed from a crow into a swan. || 2 ||
I was reading Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji just now and noticed an interesting set of paurhis which seem to describe Akal Purakh in Abrahamical terms, starting at ang 89. I was surprised by this.
The paurhis are separated by shaloks and I can't see how they relate.
Here's ang 89 at SriGranth: http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&fb=0&Param=89
Here's the entire section in English with the paurhis highlighted. I've left the Gurmukhi out as the post will become too cumbersome otherwise. I hope that's ok. I'm not sure which comes first, shalok or paurhi, so I've kept the shaloks at the very beginning of the section and at the very end in case they are relevant.
I always thought people reaped what they sowed. I never considered Guruji as the kind of creative force which actively chose sides, wielding justice in his hand, bashing the sinners and coddling the believers. That's how this reads, a bit. What do you think?
It also frightens me to think this sentiment can be used to displace responsibility, i.e. 'she suffered because she was a sinner, even if we didn't see it, God saw it, and delivered justice in the form of this suffering'.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.
SHALOK, SECOND MEHL: Chop off that head which does not bow to the Lord. O Nanak, that human body, in which there is no pain of separation from the Lord—take that body and burn it. || 1 || FIFTH MEHL: Forgetting the Primal Lord, O Nanak, people are born and die, over and over again. Mistaking it for musk, they have fallen into the stinking pit of filth. || 2 || PAUREE: Meditate on that Name of the Lord, O my mind, whose Command rules over all. Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which will save you at the very last moment. Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which shall drive out all hunger and desire from your mind. Very fortunate and blessed is that Gurmukh who chants the Naam; it shall bring all slanderers and wicked enemies to fall at his feet. O Nanak, worship and adore the Naam, the Greatest Name of all, before which all come and bow. || 15 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: She may wear good clothes, but the bride is ugly and rude; her mind is false and impure. She does not walk in harmony with the Will of her Husband Lord. Instead, she foolishly gives Him orders. But she who walks in harmony with the Guru’s Will, shall be spared all pain and suffering. That destiny which was pre-ordained by the Creator cannot be erased. She must dedicate her mind and body to her Husband Lord, and enshrine love for the Word of the Shabad. Without His Name, no one has found Him; see this and reflect upon it in your heart. O Nanak, she is beautiful and graceful; the Creator Lord ravishes and enjoys her. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Attachment to Maya is an ocean of darkness; neither this shore nor the one beyond can be seen. The ignorant, self-willed manmukhs suffer in terrible pain; they forget the Lord’s Name and drown. They arise in the morning and perform all sorts of rituals, but they are caught in the love of duality. Those who serve the True Guru cross over the terrifying world-ocean. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs keep the True Name enshrined in their hearts; they are absorbed into the True One. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord pervades and permeates the water, the land and the sky; there is no other at all. The Lord Himself sits upon His Throne and administers justice. He beats and drives out the false-hearted. The Lord bestows glorious greatness upon those who are truthful. He administers righteous justice. So praise the Lord, everybody; He protects the poor and the lost souls. He honors the righteous and punishes the sinners. || 16 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: The self-willed manmukh, the foolish bride, is a filthy, rude and evil wife. Forsaking her Husband Lord and leaving her own home, she gives her love to another. Her desires are never satisfied, and she burns and cries out in pain. O Nanak, without the Name, she is ugly and ungraceful. She is abandoned and left behind by her Husband Lord. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: The happy soul-bride is attuned to the Word of the Shabad; she is in love with the True Guru. She continually enjoys and ravishes her Beloved, with true love and affection. She is such a loveable, beautiful and noble woman. O Nanak, through the Naam, the happy soul-bride unites with the Lord of Union. || 2 || PAUREE: Lord, everyone sings Your Praises. You have freed us from bondage. Lord, everyone bows in reverence to You. You have saved us from our sinful ways. Lord, You are the Honor of the dishonored. Lord, You are the Strongest of the strong. The Lord beats down the egocentrics and corrects the foolish, self-willed manmukhs. The Lord bestows glorious greatness on His devotees, the poor, and the lost souls. || 17 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: One who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru, obtains the greatest glory. The Exalted Name of the Lord abides in his mind, and no one can take it away. That person, upon whom the Lord bestows His Grace, receives His Mercy. O Nanak, creativity is under the control of the Creator; how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize this! || 1 || THIRD MEHL: O Nanak, those who worship and adore the Lord’s Name night and day, vibrate the String of the Lord’s Love. Maya, the maid-servant of our Lord and Master, serves them. The Perfect One has made them perfect; by the Hukam of His Command, they are embellished. By Guru’s Grace, they understand Him, and they find the gate of salvation. The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Lord’s Command; they are beaten down by the Messenger of Death. But the Gurmukhs, who worship and adore the Lord, cross over the terrifying world-ocean. All their demerits are erased, and replaced with merits. The Guru Himself is their Forgiver. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord’s devotees have faith in Him. The Lord knows everything. No one is as great a Knower as the Lord; the Lord administers righteous justice. Why should we feel any burning anxiety, since the Lord does not punish without just cause? True is the Master, and True is His Justice; only the sinners are defeated. O devotees, praise the Lord with your palms pressed together; the Lord saves His humble devotees. || 18 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: Oh, if only I could meet my Beloved, and keep Him enshrined deep within my heart! I praise that God forever and ever, through love and affection for the Guru. O Nanak, that one upon whom He bestows His Glance of Grace is united with Him; such a person is the true soul-bride of the Lord. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Serving the Guru, the Lord is obtained, when He bestows His Glance of Grace. They are transformed from humans into angels, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. They conquer their egotism and merge with the Lord; they are saved through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. O Nanak, they merge imperceptibly into the Lord, who has bestowed His Favor upon them. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord Himself inspires us to worship Him; He reveals His Glorious Greatness. He Himself inspires us to place our faith in Him. Thus He performs His Own Service. The Lord bestows bliss upon His devotees, and gives them a seat in the eternal home. He does not give the sinners any stability or place of rest; He consigns them to the depths of hell. The Lord blesses His devotees with His Love; He sides with them and saves them. || 19 || SHALOK, FIRST MEHL: False-mindedness is the drummer-woman; cruelty is the butcheress; slander of others in one’s heart is the cleaning-woman, and deceitful anger is the outcast-woman. What good are the ceremonial lines drawn around your kitchen, when these four are seated there with you? Make Truth your self-discipline, and make good deeds the lines you draw; make chanting the Name your cleansing bath. O Nanak, those who do not walk in the ways of sin, shall be exalted in the world hereafter. || 1 || FIRST MEHL: Which is the swan, and which is the crane? It is only by His Glance of Grace. Whoever is pleasing to Him, O Nanak, is transformed from a crow into a swan. || 2 ||
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