hari rāsi merī manu vaṇjārā.
hari rāsi merī manu vaṇjārā satigur te rāsi jāṇī.
hari hari nit japihu jīahu lāhā khaṭihu dihāṛī.
ehu dhanu tinā miliā jin hari āpe bhāṇā.
kahai nānaku hari rāsi merī manu hoā vaṇjārā.31.
-Guru Granth Sahib 921
In this pauri, the Nam of IkOankar (the Divine) is described as the true wealth of the being. When the being becomes aware of this wealth through the eternal Wisdom (Guru), it begins to trade in it like a merchant. The being enjoys bliss and inspires others to connect with IkOankar.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the thirtieth pauri, the thirtieth step on the ladder, Guru Amardas advised offering one’s head to the eternal Wisdom. Through this profound surrender, the inner self merges with the supreme Self, allowing the invaluable and priceless Hari, the All-Pervasive, the 1-Light, to reside in the mind. Moving on to the thirty-first pauri, the thirty-first step, Guru Amardas delivers a powerful declaration: Hari is my capital, my mind is the trader. Let’s pause to understand and connect this statement to the previous step. What is the capital in this trade? What is the wealth acquired in the prior step? The answer is clear: 1-Light is both the capital and the wealth. And who is conducting this trade? The mind is the trader engaging in transactions with this priceless wealth. This powerful statement is reiterated, ensuring emphasis and clarity and unequivocally signifying that the 1-Light, the One who is All-Pervasive and Fear-Eliminator, liberates and removes suffering. The One is the wealth. Guru Amardas instructs his mind to remember the 1-Light within its very being every day, every moment utter to earn and collect this profit daily. This is the trade; the mind has become the trader of that invaluable wealth. This invaluable wealth is not bestowed randomly; it’s a gift to those who become pleasing to the 1-Light. We question. Why haven’t we received this invaluable wealth yet? Perhaps it’s because our being doesn’t remember the 1-Light incessantly. If our very essence could reach such a state, the 1-Light would continue to bestow its gifts upon us, and we would become recipients of this invaluable wealth. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step, reaffirming that Hari is my capital, and my mind has become the trader.
We reflect: Who possesses the capacity to utter, to remember the 1-Light from within? Those who have forged a loving connection with the 1-Light. However, for those whose loving connection has faltered, remembering the 1-Light from within isn’t possible; they need to first re-establish this connection. Those who have successfully united with the 1-Light recognize its inestimable worth, and they offer everything to the Wisdom. Once this submission occurs, there’s no longer any inclination to trade in anything else. They now trade in the true wealth: the 1-Light. In fact, for them, everything is the 1-Light. Thus, the merchant and trader are the same—the mind and the capital gain, as we understand today, such as stocks and assets, is the 1-Light itself. We acknowledge that the mind, acting as the trader, learns from the eternal Wisdom rather than from an expert. Worldly experts tend to keep their secrets closely guarded, hence the term "trade secrets," as this is the nature of commercial operations. However, the mind has acquired this trading knowledge from the eternal Wisdom, which has no reason to withhold knowledge at any point in space, time, or era and continually bestows it. The eternal Wisdom imparts teachings on how to trade from within. When the eternal Wisdom imparts this knowledge of trading, no specific success is sought; instead, it’s an entry into the realm of accepting the Command from within and amassing this inner wealth. The minds of those lovingly connected with the 1-Light are engaged in this trading and accumulating this wealth. The purpose of wealth is to serve as resource sustenance for life’s journey. That’s why we collect wealth, trade, and engage in work. We all understand this physical journey of life. However, to grasp the wealth being shared in this step, we ought to step out of the world of Maya, the enchanting, alluring enticement of material possessions and transient relationships. We may struggle to comprehend this wealth if we remain entangled in our attachments to the material world and fleeting connections. The profit shared in this step is the continuous remembrance of the 1-Light, reversing the traditional concept of the mind as a trader in the material world and evolving into a profound trader dealing in the currency of the inner self. It beckons us to explore a new realm of wealth that enriches not just our minds but our very beings, offering us a connection with the invaluable that transcends material riches. Are we willing to have this type of wealth in our lives?
We may ask ourselves: What type of traders do we aspire to become, and what do we aim to amass as our capital in the life trade? Do we recognize that the 1-Light is invaluable and beyond price? Are we willing to take steps to align our actions to evolve into traders who deal in the currency of the inner self? How do we envision accumulating "profit" through the continuous remembrance of the 1-Light? How can this practice transform our daily lives?
We reflect: Who possesses the capacity to utter, to remember the 1-Light from within? Those who have forged a loving connection with the 1-Light. However, for those whose loving connection has faltered, remembering the 1-Light from within isn’t possible; they need to first re-establish this connection. Those who have successfully united with the 1-Light recognize its inestimable worth, and they offer everything to the Wisdom. Once this submission occurs, there’s no longer any inclination to trade in anything else. They now trade in the true wealth: the 1-Light. In fact, for them, everything is the 1-Light. Thus, the merchant and trader are the same—the mind and the capital gain, as we understand today, such as stocks and assets, is the 1-Light itself. We acknowledge that the mind, acting as the trader, learns from the eternal Wisdom rather than from an expert. Worldly experts tend to keep their secrets closely guarded, hence the term "trade secrets," as this is the nature of commercial operations. However, the mind has acquired this trading knowledge from the eternal Wisdom, which has no reason to withhold knowledge at any point in space, time, or era and continually bestows it. The eternal Wisdom imparts teachings on how to trade from within. When the eternal Wisdom imparts this knowledge of trading, no specific success is sought; instead, it’s an entry into the realm of accepting the Command from within and amassing this inner wealth. The minds of those lovingly connected with the 1-Light are engaged in this trading and accumulating this wealth. The purpose of wealth is to serve as resource sustenance for life’s journey. That’s why we collect wealth, trade, and engage in work. We all understand this physical journey of life. However, to grasp the wealth being shared in this step, we ought to step out of the world of Maya, the enchanting, alluring enticement of material possessions and transient relationships. We may struggle to comprehend this wealth if we remain entangled in our attachments to the material world and fleeting connections. The profit shared in this step is the continuous remembrance of the 1-Light, reversing the traditional concept of the mind as a trader in the material world and evolving into a profound trader dealing in the currency of the inner self. It beckons us to explore a new realm of wealth that enriches not just our minds but our very beings, offering us a connection with the invaluable that transcends material riches. Are we willing to have this type of wealth in our lives?
We may ask ourselves: What type of traders do we aspire to become, and what do we aim to amass as our capital in the life trade? Do we recognize that the 1-Light is invaluable and beyond price? Are we willing to take steps to align our actions to evolve into traders who deal in the currency of the inner self? How do we envision accumulating "profit" through the continuous remembrance of the 1-Light? How can this practice transform our daily lives?
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