saloku m: 1.
je kari sūtaku mannīai sabh tai sūtaku hoi.
gohe atai lakaṛī andari kīṛā hoi.
jete dāṇe ann ke jīā bājhu na koi.
pahilā pāṇī jīu hai jitu hariā sabhu koi.
sūtaku kiu kari rakhīai sūtaku pavai rasoi.
nānak sūtaku ev na utrai giānu utāre dhoi.1.
je kari sūtaku mannīai sabh tai sūtaku hoi.
gohe atai lakaṛī andari kīṛā hoi.
jete dāṇe ann ke jīā bājhu na koi.
pahilā pāṇī jīu hai jitu hariā sabhu koi.
sūtaku kiu kari rakhīai sūtaku pavai rasoi.
nānak sūtaku ev na utrai giānu utāre dhoi.1.
saloku m: 1. |
je kari sūtaku mannīai sabh tai sūtaku hoi. |
gohe atai lakaṛī andari kīṛā hoi. |
jete dāṇe ann ke jīā bājhu na koi. |
pahilā pāṇī jīu hai jitu hariā sabhu koi. |
sūtaku kiu kari rakhīai sūtaku pavai rasoi. |
nānak sūtaku ev na utrai giānu utāre dhoi.1. |
Guru Nanak is describing what is popularly practiced and believed in the Hindu context, that sutak (impurity) is present even when we are born, and continues until we die, which governs ideas of what to eat when, how to cleanse and when, which rituals to perform and who must perform them. Guru Nanak goes after the very definition of sutak, and says, if the misconception of impurity is believed, then impurity will exist everywhere. Even in the cow dung and firewood used to purify a cooking square, there reside insects, which would, by the rules of sutak, mean that the cow dung and firewood are impure as well. As many seeds of food grain as there are in the cooking square, none are without living organisms. Even water is full of life. This is about impurity in the context of the Hindu worldview and caste system rules and superstitions, but it is also largely about the things we do externally, the ways we police ourselves and others, the ways we allow external physical ideas of purity to dictate our lives, all without working on the impurity residing in our minds and hearts.
So sutak cannot be avoided, or washed away, as it enters even in the kitchen thought to be made ritually pure — through the cow dung, firewood, grains and water that contain living organisms. Sutak cannot be removed by abstaining from eating and drinking, by being petrified with superstition. The Wisdom (Guru, the one who brings enlightenment-light by dispelling ignorance-darkness) alone can wash sutak away, by illuminating the mind.
So sutak cannot be avoided, or washed away, as it enters even in the kitchen thought to be made ritually pure — through the cow dung, firewood, grains and water that contain living organisms. Sutak cannot be removed by abstaining from eating and drinking, by being petrified with superstition. The Wisdom (Guru, the one who brings enlightenment-light by dispelling ignorance-darkness) alone can wash sutak away, by illuminating the mind.
If the misconception of impurity related to birth (sutak) is believed in, then impurity will exist everywhere. Even in the cow dung and firewood there are organisms, making them impure as well.
As many seeds of food grain as there are, none are without living organisms. Firstly the water is full of life, having many properties of life, by which everything is green.
How can the avoidance of sutak be observed, as it enters even the kitchen through the cow dung, firewood, grains, and water that contain living organisms. Nanak! Sutak cannot be removed by abstaining from eating and drinking. Wisdom alone can eliminate it by washing it away.
As many seeds of food grain as there are, none are without living organisms. Firstly the water is full of life, having many properties of life, by which everything is green.
How can the avoidance of sutak be observed, as it enters even the kitchen through the cow dung, firewood, grains, and water that contain living organisms. Nanak! Sutak cannot be removed by abstaining from eating and drinking. Wisdom alone can eliminate it by washing it away.
If the (superstition of) sutak is believed in, (then) sutak will be everywhere; there exists insect in the cow dung and firewood.
As many seeds of grain as there are, none is without creatures. First of all, water is life, by which everything is green.
(Then) how can the (avoidance of) sutak be observed. Sutak (even) enters the kitchen.
Nanak! Sutak does not get removed like this, (only) wisdom can eliminate it by washing it away.
As many seeds of grain as there are, none is without creatures. First of all, water is life, by which everything is green.
(Then) how can the (avoidance of) sutak be observed. Sutak (even) enters the kitchen.
Nanak! Sutak does not get removed like this, (only) wisdom can eliminate it by washing it away.
Through simple vocabulary, the salok states that if sutak is believed in, then this would mean that sutak is everywhere. There are organisms even inside the cow dung and the wood used to purify. As many seeds of grain as there are, none is without organisms inside. Before anything else, water has life in it, because of which everything is lush and green. So how can the sutak be avoided? Sutak is even in the kitchen.
As a summary, the last line of the salok states that sutak does not go way through outer physical restraint or observances. Only Wisdom (Guru) can remove it by washing it away. Here, sutak is equated with ‘dirt/filth of impurity’ which can be removed by washing it away with the ‘water of Wisdom (Guru).’ The word ‘water’ has been used for ‘Wisdom (Guru).’ This linguistic scheme is called semantic deviation.
There are six lines in this salok. The meter convention of every line is 13+11, except for the second line, which has 12+11 meters. But in its totality, this salok can be categorised under a two line verse/couplet with 13+11 characters each (doharā chand). This salok has been created by putting together three doharās.
As a summary, the last line of the salok states that sutak does not go way through outer physical restraint or observances. Only Wisdom (Guru) can remove it by washing it away. Here, sutak is equated with ‘dirt/filth of impurity’ which can be removed by washing it away with the ‘water of Wisdom (Guru).’ The word ‘water’ has been used for ‘Wisdom (Guru).’ This linguistic scheme is called semantic deviation.
There are six lines in this salok. The meter convention of every line is 13+11, except for the second line, which has 12+11 meters. But in its totality, this salok can be categorised under a two line verse/couplet with 13+11 characters each (doharā chand). This salok has been created by putting together three doharās.