āvahu sant piāriho akath kī karah kahāṇī.
karah kahāṇī akath kerī kitu duārai pāīai.
tanu manu dhanu sabhu saüpi gur kaü hukami manniai pāīai.
hukamu mannihu gurū kerā gāvahu sacī bāṇī.
kahai nānaku suṇahu santahu kathihu akath kahāṇī.9.
-Guru Granth Sahib 918
This pauri (stanza) describes how the vast IkOankar is experienced by living the teachings of the Wisdom (Guru) in thought, word, and deed.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the eighth pauri, the eighth step of the ladder, Guru Amardas revealed that the ultimate wise One, IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One), bestows the gift of bliss, and there is nothing the poor ones can do to attain it. Moving on to the ninth pauri, the ninth step of the ladder, Guru Amardas says, Come, O beloved saintly beings! Let us have a discourse on the Indescribable one. We pause. Who are the beloved saintly beings? The answer: We are the beloved saintly beings. We are the ones who do not yet know what bliss is. Guru Amardas invites us to gather together to speak, to discuss the One who is beyond description, who is ineffable and transcendent. Guru Amardas reiterates, let’s discuss the Indescribable. Why, we question? The answer: To learn the method, to find the way to the Indescribable, the giver of bliss. What is the way? The way to the Indescribable is to devote the body, mind, wealth, and everything to the Wisdom-Guru and follow the Command. The way is laid out by following the Command of the Wisdom-Guru, singing the eternal Bani (the Utterances of infinite wisdom), reflecting on the eternal Bani, and living the eternal Bani. Guru Amardas concludes this ladder step by saying, Listen, O saintly beings! Come have a discourse on the Indescribable one.
We reflect. This step of the ladder is for those poor ones—us—who are not receiving the grace and are not experiencing bliss. This step of the ladder is for those who at least want to know about bliss. What can those poor ones do? Those poor ones who are in ignorance, pain, drifting, and don’t know what bliss is, let alone acknowledge it. Are they doomed? The answer is a resounding Nay. In this step, hope and sweetness grace even the most meek, ignorant seekers—us. We, the poor ones, are being addressed as saintly beings, as in the fourth step of this ladder, where we were advised to love the Sabad (the hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom). We are asked to gather and speak about the unnarratable narrative of IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One). We pause. What does this mean? It means stop talking about other things and focus. This is the first thing we who want to know about bliss need to do—to learn how to tell the story that cannot be told. It requires effort. How do we get on that path of learning? By offering our body, physical strength, mind, intellectual and emotional capacities, wealth, and all the assets of our life to the Wisdom-Guru and following the Command. Following the Command is again emphasized. Why is that? When we are in the learning stage, there is a system, a method, and a protocol that needs to be followed. If we want to know bliss, the same principle applies—we need to follow the Command. The second thing we are asked to do is sing the eternal Bani. Why sing the Bani? Singing the Bani allows us to hear and learn about the experiences of those who know what bliss is and have experienced that bliss. It is revealed to us who don’t even know what bliss is; the experience of bliss is far away. We are again addressed as saintly beings and asked only to speak and tell that narrative that cannot be put into words, which means drown out the other stories—they are worthless. Begin developing that narrative that will take us to bliss.
We may ask ourselves: Are we willing to put the effort to know what our body and our mind need? This requires incredible work. All the Gurus, before they became Guru, did this work. This work is how to rid ourselves of everything we have accumulated for temporary joys. All knowledges, all methods, and whatever has been accumulated to date must be offered to the Wisdom-Guru. This is the only way to get to know what bliss is. Are we willing to put in the effort to do the work? Do we want the discourse on the Indescribable One?
We reflect. This step of the ladder is for those poor ones—us—who are not receiving the grace and are not experiencing bliss. This step of the ladder is for those who at least want to know about bliss. What can those poor ones do? Those poor ones who are in ignorance, pain, drifting, and don’t know what bliss is, let alone acknowledge it. Are they doomed? The answer is a resounding Nay. In this step, hope and sweetness grace even the most meek, ignorant seekers—us. We, the poor ones, are being addressed as saintly beings, as in the fourth step of this ladder, where we were advised to love the Sabad (the hymn-like stanza that exemplifies the word-sound of the Infinite Wisdom). We are asked to gather and speak about the unnarratable narrative of IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One). We pause. What does this mean? It means stop talking about other things and focus. This is the first thing we who want to know about bliss need to do—to learn how to tell the story that cannot be told. It requires effort. How do we get on that path of learning? By offering our body, physical strength, mind, intellectual and emotional capacities, wealth, and all the assets of our life to the Wisdom-Guru and following the Command. Following the Command is again emphasized. Why is that? When we are in the learning stage, there is a system, a method, and a protocol that needs to be followed. If we want to know bliss, the same principle applies—we need to follow the Command. The second thing we are asked to do is sing the eternal Bani. Why sing the Bani? Singing the Bani allows us to hear and learn about the experiences of those who know what bliss is and have experienced that bliss. It is revealed to us who don’t even know what bliss is; the experience of bliss is far away. We are again addressed as saintly beings and asked only to speak and tell that narrative that cannot be put into words, which means drown out the other stories—they are worthless. Begin developing that narrative that will take us to bliss.
We may ask ourselves: Are we willing to put the effort to know what our body and our mind need? This requires incredible work. All the Gurus, before they became Guru, did this work. This work is how to rid ourselves of everything we have accumulated for temporary joys. All knowledges, all methods, and whatever has been accumulated to date must be offered to the Wisdom-Guru. This is the only way to get to know what bliss is. Are we willing to put in the effort to do the work? Do we want the discourse on the Indescribable One?
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