vāje panc sabad titu ghari sabhāgai.
ghari sabhāgai sabad vāje kalā jitu ghari dhārīā.
panc dūt tudhu vasi kīte kālu kanṭaku māriā.
dhuri karami pāiā tudhu jin kaü si nāmi hari kai lāge.
kahai nānaku tah sukhu hoā titu ghari anhad vāje.5.
-Guru Granth Sahib 917
This pauri (stanza) describes an individual who made eternal Nam the support of life, and how their vices are overcome and their fear of death is eradicated. For these people, bliss and joy well up within.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the fourth pauri, the fourth step of the ladder, Guru Amardas revealed that the eternal Nam, Identification with the One, has become his pillar of support, which eradicated the pain, ushering stillness, serenity, and comfort into the mind’s realm. All other desires faded as the ultimate desire, Nam, was met. Moving on to the fifth pauri, the fifth step of this ladder, Guru Amardas says in that fortunate heart-home, the five supreme sounds have resounded. These five supreme sounds can be understood as the quintessential harmonious melodies beyond compare. These melodies grace the heart-mind dwelling where Nam stands as the anchor, making the heart-home fortunate. The heart and mind of that individual, that being, become enriched as the supreme sounds emanate from "That House." The House alluded to in the third step, a House of boundless abundance. Nam from "That House" now dwells in Guru Amardas’s body-house; Sabad (the hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom) reverberates; the artistry and power of "That House" now find their abode in the abode of Guru Amardas. Every attribute, every prowess, and every aspect of the 1-Light manifests in the being where Nam resides. It embodies true fortune. The five internal adversaries—lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride—are subdued, and the specter of death dissipates. Those graced from the Origin, Genesis, and Beginning by the One are attached to the Nam of the 1-Light. They experience ultimate comfort, unbounded joy, and unceasing bliss. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step, saying, in that heart-home, in that mind, ethereal uncomposed symphonies, untouched by human hands, resound.
We reflect on the life of Guru Amardas. We note his past as a disciplined practitioner of the Vaishnavite tradition before entering the fold of Guru Nanak’s teachings. Guru Amardas likely traversed the path of knowledge, artistry, and power attributed to the 1-Light, often accessible solely to the privileged. We delve into Hindu mythology to understand the profundity of all-encompassing artistry and power. When gods bestow their faculties and potency upon individuals, these individuals ascend to godly status. We pause. Guru Amardas points out that these qualities are inherent in all; they become visible in those who embrace Nam as their foundation. This perspective disrupts the conventional Indic hierarchy of gods and goddesses, which ranks deities based on power and influence. Guru Amardas’s framework rejects exclusivity, elitism, and privilege. Instead, everyone from the Origin is graced. How do we understand the term Origin? The Origin denotes the Genesis, the Beginning, the One, the All-Pervasive, the Fear-Eliminator, the Light, and the Illumination. It challenges existing paradigms. In established religions, intermediaries are often required for individuals to commune with the Divine. Yet, in the paradigm of Guru Amardas, no angels, gods, goddesses, or religious authorities are intermediaries. Everyone, direct from the Origin, is graced and is receiving grace. Grace transcends time, embracing the past, the present, and the future. Grace is perpetual. Grace is felt by those who embrace Nam as their support. The harmonies and symphonies resonate within their minds; their heart-minds radiate beauty and fortune, welcoming artistry and power. They conquer their internal vices, attaining mastery over their greatest suffering and fear—death. Subsequently, they encounter the utmost comfort, joy, and bliss.
We may ask ourselves: Do we aspire to achieve a divine-like state? The potential exists within us. Do we desire the influx of artistry and power into our heart-mind dwelling? Are we prepared to establish Nam as our support? Are we willing to initiate transformations within our lives?
We reflect on the life of Guru Amardas. We note his past as a disciplined practitioner of the Vaishnavite tradition before entering the fold of Guru Nanak’s teachings. Guru Amardas likely traversed the path of knowledge, artistry, and power attributed to the 1-Light, often accessible solely to the privileged. We delve into Hindu mythology to understand the profundity of all-encompassing artistry and power. When gods bestow their faculties and potency upon individuals, these individuals ascend to godly status. We pause. Guru Amardas points out that these qualities are inherent in all; they become visible in those who embrace Nam as their foundation. This perspective disrupts the conventional Indic hierarchy of gods and goddesses, which ranks deities based on power and influence. Guru Amardas’s framework rejects exclusivity, elitism, and privilege. Instead, everyone from the Origin is graced. How do we understand the term Origin? The Origin denotes the Genesis, the Beginning, the One, the All-Pervasive, the Fear-Eliminator, the Light, and the Illumination. It challenges existing paradigms. In established religions, intermediaries are often required for individuals to commune with the Divine. Yet, in the paradigm of Guru Amardas, no angels, gods, goddesses, or religious authorities are intermediaries. Everyone, direct from the Origin, is graced and is receiving grace. Grace transcends time, embracing the past, the present, and the future. Grace is perpetual. Grace is felt by those who embrace Nam as their support. The harmonies and symphonies resonate within their minds; their heart-minds radiate beauty and fortune, welcoming artistry and power. They conquer their internal vices, attaining mastery over their greatest suffering and fear—death. Subsequently, they encounter the utmost comfort, joy, and bliss.
We may ask ourselves: Do we aspire to achieve a divine-like state? The potential exists within us. Do we desire the influx of artistry and power into our heart-mind dwelling? Are we prepared to establish Nam as our support? Are we willing to initiate transformations within our lives?
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