āsā mahalā 1.
suṇi vaḍā ākhai sabhu koi.
kevaḍu vaḍā ḍīṭhā hoi.
kīmati pāi na kahiā jāi.
kahaṇai vāle tere rahe samāi.1.
vaḍe mere sāhibā gahir gambhīrā guṇī gahīrā.
koi na jāṇai terā ketā kevaḍu cīrā.1. rahāu.
sabhi surtī mili surti kamāī.
sabh kīmati mili kīmati pāī.
giānī dhiānī gur gur hāī.
kahaṇu na jāī terī tilu vaḍiāī.2.
sabhi sat sabhi tap sabhi chaṅgiāīā.
sidhā purkhā kīā vaḍiāīā.
tudhu viṇu sidhī kinai na pāīā.
karami milai nāhī ṭhāki rahāīā.3.
ākhaṇ vālā kiā vecārā.
siphatī bhare tere bhanḍārā.
jisu tū dehi tisai kiā cārā.
nānak sacu savāraṇhārā.4.2.
-Guru Granth Sahib 9
Guru Nanak Sahib describes the profoundly deep and unknown serene ocean of virtues mesmerizingly. Instead of attempting to understand the inner workings of the creation of IkOankar (the Divine), people should enshrine the eternal Nam (Identification with IkOankar) in their hearts. This eternal Nam alone spiritually embellishes all.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
Sabad 2
In the second Sabad, we get to know who is behind That Door, That Court. Guru Nanak reveals that it is his great Sovereign behind That Door. In a poetical, lyrical, hypnotical way, the acknowledgment, the declaration is for all to hear. We hear: O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! No one knows the expanse and limits of Your domain. The Sovereign is the ocean which contains multitudes. And that the limits of 1Force’s Sovereignty cannot be ascertained. We pause as we absorb the acknowledgment of the personal relationship, which enters us into the domain of personal reflection. Are we looking for our Sovereign? Do we have the appreciation of 1Force’s sovereignty?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Repeatedly we listen to Your greatness and limitlessness. However, the depth of this greatness and limitlessness is only known if someone has seen You. So, what we are listening to is hearsay. Even though Your greatness is being told by those immersed in You, it is still their evolving experience; it is still unfolding for them. We have yet to experience this vastness and greatness. The question arises, who are we listening to? Are we listening to those on the path or those immersed in the glitter of life?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Some are working towards sharpening their consciousness. Laboring and toiling so that You may enter their consciousness. Some are working beyond knowledge towards collective wisdom to gain insights to know You. Some are studying and philosophizing to know You. Yet, the learned, the meditators, and the mentors of the mentors can describe only an iota of Your greatness, Your worthiness. We listen to the efforts that are being made and are awed. Pushed to look within, we question ourselves, what conscious efforts are we making?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! All donations, all asceticisms, all virtuosities, and the proven yogis’ greatnesses, there is no proof of any of them in Your absence, without Your grace. All the notions described above are obtained with Your grace, which is ever-flowing. The question arises: Do we really need to prove anything? Who is the proven one? Those who feel the Sovereign’s grace. They rise above the game of life. Grace is felt; it is like sunshine. Grace alone prepares the way. Grace is always present and available to all. However, we need to feel the grace. How can we feel the grace?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Who are we to explain You? We are paupers; we don’t have the richness of experience to speak of the treasures of Your greatness, nor do we have the gift of understanding. Nor can our efforts invoke the receiving of this understanding. It comes not because of us; it comes because of You. And then, Guru Nanak declares, You the eternal take care and beautify all. And we hear this, and hope fills us, and the yearning for such a relationship enters us. Are we ready to receive?
Seekers walk the path, meditate on the path, chisel themselves, go through austerities seeking to connect with the Sovereign, recognizing full well that their efforts may not yield the results desired. For it is only grace that allows experiencing the greatness of the Sovereign. May the relationship fructify, and the Sovereign become my Sovereign. Are we willing to patiently and lovingly develop this relationship?
In the second Sabad, we get to know who is behind That Door, That Court. Guru Nanak reveals that it is his great Sovereign behind That Door. In a poetical, lyrical, hypnotical way, the acknowledgment, the declaration is for all to hear. We hear: O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! No one knows the expanse and limits of Your domain. The Sovereign is the ocean which contains multitudes. And that the limits of 1Force’s Sovereignty cannot be ascertained. We pause as we absorb the acknowledgment of the personal relationship, which enters us into the domain of personal reflection. Are we looking for our Sovereign? Do we have the appreciation of 1Force’s sovereignty?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Repeatedly we listen to Your greatness and limitlessness. However, the depth of this greatness and limitlessness is only known if someone has seen You. So, what we are listening to is hearsay. Even though Your greatness is being told by those immersed in You, it is still their evolving experience; it is still unfolding for them. We have yet to experience this vastness and greatness. The question arises, who are we listening to? Are we listening to those on the path or those immersed in the glitter of life?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Some are working towards sharpening their consciousness. Laboring and toiling so that You may enter their consciousness. Some are working beyond knowledge towards collective wisdom to gain insights to know You. Some are studying and philosophizing to know You. Yet, the learned, the meditators, and the mentors of the mentors can describe only an iota of Your greatness, Your worthiness. We listen to the efforts that are being made and are awed. Pushed to look within, we question ourselves, what conscious efforts are we making?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! All donations, all asceticisms, all virtuosities, and the proven yogis’ greatnesses, there is no proof of any of them in Your absence, without Your grace. All the notions described above are obtained with Your grace, which is ever-flowing. The question arises: Do we really need to prove anything? Who is the proven one? Those who feel the Sovereign’s grace. They rise above the game of life. Grace is felt; it is like sunshine. Grace alone prepares the way. Grace is always present and available to all. However, we need to feel the grace. How can we feel the grace?
O my great Sovereign, profoundly deep and serene ocean of virtues! Who are we to explain You? We are paupers; we don’t have the richness of experience to speak of the treasures of Your greatness, nor do we have the gift of understanding. Nor can our efforts invoke the receiving of this understanding. It comes not because of us; it comes because of You. And then, Guru Nanak declares, You the eternal take care and beautify all. And we hear this, and hope fills us, and the yearning for such a relationship enters us. Are we ready to receive?
Seekers walk the path, meditate on the path, chisel themselves, go through austerities seeking to connect with the Sovereign, recognizing full well that their efforts may not yield the results desired. For it is only grace that allows experiencing the greatness of the Sovereign. May the relationship fructify, and the Sovereign become my Sovereign. Are we willing to patiently and lovingly develop this relationship?
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