salok m: 1.
purkhāṁ birkhāṁ tīrathāṁ taṭāṁ meghāṁ khetāṁh. dīpāṁ loāṁ manḍalāṁ khanḍāṁ varbhanḍāṁh.
ānḍaj jeraj utbhujāṁ khāṇī setajāṁh. so miti jāṇai nānakā sarāṁ merāṁ jantāh.
nānak jant upāi kai sammāle sabhnāh. jini kartai karṇā kīā cintā bhi karṇī tāh.
so kartā cintā kare jini upāiā jagu.
tisu johārī suasti tisu tisu dībāṇu abhagu.
nānak sace nām binu kiā ṭikā kiā tagu.1.
purkhāṁ birkhāṁ tīrathāṁ taṭāṁ meghāṁ khetāṁh. dīpāṁ loāṁ manḍalāṁ khanḍāṁ varbhanḍāṁh.
ānḍaj jeraj utbhujāṁ khāṇī setajāṁh. so miti jāṇai nānakā sarāṁ merāṁ jantāh.
nānak jant upāi kai sammāle sabhnāh. jini kartai karṇā kīā cintā bhi karṇī tāh.
so kartā cintā kare jini upāiā jagu.
tisu johārī suasti tisu tisu dībāṇu abhagu.
nānak sace nām binu kiā ṭikā kiā tagu.1.
salok m: 1. |
purkhāṁ birkhāṁ tīrathāṁ taṭāṁ meghāṁ khetāṁh. dīpāṁ loāṁ manḍalāṁ khanḍāṁ varbhanḍāṁh. |
ānḍaj jeraj utbhujāṁ khāṇī setajāṁh. so miti jāṇai nānakā sarāṁ merāṁ jantāh. |
nānak jant upāi kai sammāle sabhnāh. jini kartai karṇā kīā cintā bhi karṇī tāh. |
so kartā cintā kare jini upāiā jagu. |
tisu johārī suasti tisu tisu dībāṇu abhagu. |
nānak sace nām binu kiā ṭikā kiā tagu.1. |
Guru Nanak begins by listing out and describing the different parts of creation, all the different manifestations of the 1Force (One Universal Integrative Force, the One, 1-Ness): the people, trees, clouds, islands, worlds, realms, all the parts of the cosmos, even the pilgrimage sites we have constructed on the banks of rivers, the sacred spaces we have created. All of these things that exist, even the things we cannot fathom existing or imagine in our heads, are all known to the 1Force, from the largest down to the smallest parts of all of this existence. The 1Force knows their measurement, knows their number, their count (there is not even one thing that exists outside of 1Force).
Having created all of this creation, the One (1Force) does not exist detached and overseeing, separate from all of these things that exist. Everything which is listed, including the things we cannot imagine or fathom, is both created by and taken care of by the One. These different elements are functioning as outward marks, the things that are tangible to us, the things that we can bet on because they are clear and real and accessible to all of us.
But even when we look at these tangible things all around us, we are not really in full appreciation of them. It is not that it is our responsibility to appreciate them — Guru Nanak does not use that word, or tell us it is our obligation. Instead, the question posed is this: how do we take these various outward marks, the infinite manifestations of the Infinite, and live in salutation of the Infinite (from which all things come)? How do we recognize them for what they are, acknowledge and see the connection between the 1Force and all of creation, how do we remain in awe? And what keeps us from being able to connect in that way?
Guru Nanak says that the reason we are not able to walk through the world in salutation to the 1Force is because we do not have the culture of 1-Identification, or Nam, enshrined in our hearts. And if we cannot identify all things with the One, and make that connection the same way that the sunlight is identified with the sun, we will not be able to live every day in memory of the 1Force. If we do not live in this memory, in this constant salutation of the One, then there is no use for our various outward marks (that are available only to some of us and not all of us) or rituals or symbols that identify us with our religious traditions, groups, or schools of thought. If our focus is on organizing ourselves into groups, using outward marks to create and cement distinctions, then we have lost sight of the creation around us, the most important mark of all. And it is because we are caught up in our human-made marks that we do not have a relationship with the One who has created everything, who is taking care of everything.
If the One is responsible for creating, and for worrying about or taking care of creation, then all of that worry does not belong to us. What is ours then? What is our task? It is to not create superficial marks to distinguish ourselves as belonging to a particular group, it is not to create otherness through the use of outward marks — it is to be in love with the 1-Identification, to see all of this diversity as a manifestation of 1-Ness. Guru Nanak asks us to think about ourselves on a very personal level: What use is all of this if we do not identify with the One?
Having created all of this creation, the One (1Force) does not exist detached and overseeing, separate from all of these things that exist. Everything which is listed, including the things we cannot imagine or fathom, is both created by and taken care of by the One. These different elements are functioning as outward marks, the things that are tangible to us, the things that we can bet on because they are clear and real and accessible to all of us.
But even when we look at these tangible things all around us, we are not really in full appreciation of them. It is not that it is our responsibility to appreciate them — Guru Nanak does not use that word, or tell us it is our obligation. Instead, the question posed is this: how do we take these various outward marks, the infinite manifestations of the Infinite, and live in salutation of the Infinite (from which all things come)? How do we recognize them for what they are, acknowledge and see the connection between the 1Force and all of creation, how do we remain in awe? And what keeps us from being able to connect in that way?
Guru Nanak says that the reason we are not able to walk through the world in salutation to the 1Force is because we do not have the culture of 1-Identification, or Nam, enshrined in our hearts. And if we cannot identify all things with the One, and make that connection the same way that the sunlight is identified with the sun, we will not be able to live every day in memory of the 1Force. If we do not live in this memory, in this constant salutation of the One, then there is no use for our various outward marks (that are available only to some of us and not all of us) or rituals or symbols that identify us with our religious traditions, groups, or schools of thought. If our focus is on organizing ourselves into groups, using outward marks to create and cement distinctions, then we have lost sight of the creation around us, the most important mark of all. And it is because we are caught up in our human-made marks that we do not have a relationship with the One who has created everything, who is taking care of everything.
If the One is responsible for creating, and for worrying about or taking care of creation, then all of that worry does not belong to us. What is ours then? What is our task? It is to not create superficial marks to distinguish ourselves as belonging to a particular group, it is not to create otherness through the use of outward marks — it is to be in love with the 1-Identification, to see all of this diversity as a manifestation of 1-Ness. Guru Nanak asks us to think about ourselves on a very personal level: What use is all of this if we do not identify with the One?
O Nanak! The Creator knows the count of all humans, trees, pilgrimage sites situated on the banks of rivers considered sacred, clouds, fields, islands, worlds, realms, different parts of the cosmos, universes, and creatures born from the life sources like eggs, wombs, earth, sweat, etc. and living in the lakes and mountains.
Nanak! Having created the living beings of the world, the Creator then looks after all of them; the Creator, who has created the entire world, is to also take care of its subsistence.
The Creator, who has created this world, takes care of it as well.
I salute and consider only the Creator to be the source of all auspiciousness; only the Creator’s court is eternal.
Nanak! Without true Identification (Nam) of IkOankar, in one’s heart, what is the use of the mark applied on the forehead, and the janeu worn around the neck? They are worthless without the Identification.
Note: Without enshrining Truth in the heart and leading a truthful life, mere outwardly rituals and wearing religious symbols cannot help improve or better a human being.
Nanak! Having created the living beings of the world, the Creator then looks after all of them; the Creator, who has created the entire world, is to also take care of its subsistence.
The Creator, who has created this world, takes care of it as well.
I salute and consider only the Creator to be the source of all auspiciousness; only the Creator’s court is eternal.
Nanak! Without true Identification (Nam) of IkOankar, in one’s heart, what is the use of the mark applied on the forehead, and the janeu worn around the neck? They are worthless without the Identification.
Note: Without enshrining Truth in the heart and leading a truthful life, mere outwardly rituals and wearing religious symbols cannot help improve or better a human being.
O Nanak! That (Creator) knows the count of (all) humans, trees, pilgrimage sites, river banks, clouds, fields; islands, worlds, realms, different parts of the cosmos, universes; and the creatures (born from) life sources (like) eggs, wombs, earth, sweat, etc. and (living in) the lakes and mountains.
Nanak! Having created the living beings (the Creator) takes care of everyone. The Creator who has created the world, the Same (Creator) also has to worry about it.
That Creator (by Self) worries, who has created the world.
I salute that (Creator and consider) that (Creator) to be the source of all auspiciousness; the court of that (Creator) is indestructible.
Nanak! Without the true Nam, what is the tikka and what is the tagu?
Nanak! Having created the living beings (the Creator) takes care of everyone. The Creator who has created the world, the Same (Creator) also has to worry about it.
That Creator (by Self) worries, who has created the world.
I salute that (Creator and consider) that (Creator) to be the source of all auspiciousness; the court of that (Creator) is indestructible.
Nanak! Without the true Nam, what is the tikka and what is the tagu?
The following eighteen plural words have been used in the first four lines of this salok of nine lines: ‘purkhāṁ’ (humans), ‘birkhāṁ’ (trees), ‘tīrthāṁ’ (pilgrimage sites), ‘taṭāṁ’ (river banks), ‘meghāṁ’ (clouds), ‘khetāṁh’ (fields), ‘dīpāṁ’ (islands), ‘loāṁ’ (worlds), ‘manḍalāṁ’ (realms), ‘khanḍāṁ’ (different parts of the cosmos), ‘varbhanḍāṁh’ (universes), ‘ānḍaj’ (eggs), ‘jeraj’ (wombs), ‘utbhujāṁ’ (earth), ‘khāṇī’ (sources of life), ‘setajāṁh’ (sweat), ‘sarāṁ’ (lakes), ‘merāṁ’ (mountains), ‘jantāh’ (creatures). Repeated use of the same grammatical category (noun) is evoking morphological parallelism. Additionally, there is also structural parallelism in the first three lines, because of their structural similarity. Through this literary scheme, the grandness of this world has been depicted by listing innumerable creatures, elements, creations, etc. Therefore, special rhythm and aural beauty can also be experienced here.
Allegory has been evoked by using two different statements, in the sixth and the seventh line, to convey the same message.
The three appearances of word ‘tisu’ (that) in the eighth line, evoke lexical parallelism. Through this, the eternal status, greatness of IkOankar’s stature, and devotion to IkOankar is instilled. Word ‘dībāṇu’ (court), in this line has a symbolic meaning. Just like in the court of a king, everyone is under his will and command, similarly all the creatures, elements and things of the creation are under the Will and Command of IkOankar.
The use of ‘kiā ṭikā kiā tagu’ (what is the use of the caste-mark applied on the forehead, and the janeu worn around the neck) in the ninth line is important. Here, because the word ‘kiā’ (what) has been used twice, there is lexical parallelism, and the structural repetition evokes structural parallelism.
kiā | ṭikā
------------
kiā | tagu
Words ‘ṭikā’ (caste-mark) and ‘tagu’ (janeu) do not represent their literal meaning; instead they represent the sandal/vermillion paste mark and the janeu (thread). For this reason, through satire, semantic deviation has been evoked here. In addition to that, this symbolism has been extended to represent the entire outwardly display of religiosity. From this, it is clear that without enshrining the true Nam of IkOankar within, any outwardly appearance is useless.
Allegory has been evoked by using two different statements, in the sixth and the seventh line, to convey the same message.
The three appearances of word ‘tisu’ (that) in the eighth line, evoke lexical parallelism. Through this, the eternal status, greatness of IkOankar’s stature, and devotion to IkOankar is instilled. Word ‘dībāṇu’ (court), in this line has a symbolic meaning. Just like in the court of a king, everyone is under his will and command, similarly all the creatures, elements and things of the creation are under the Will and Command of IkOankar.
The use of ‘kiā ṭikā kiā tagu’ (what is the use of the caste-mark applied on the forehead, and the janeu worn around the neck) in the ninth line is important. Here, because the word ‘kiā’ (what) has been used twice, there is lexical parallelism, and the structural repetition evokes structural parallelism.
kiā | ṭikā
------------
kiā | tagu
Words ‘ṭikā’ (caste-mark) and ‘tagu’ (janeu) do not represent their literal meaning; instead they represent the sandal/vermillion paste mark and the janeu (thread). For this reason, through satire, semantic deviation has been evoked here. In addition to that, this symbolism has been extended to represent the entire outwardly display of religiosity. From this, it is clear that without enshrining the true Nam of IkOankar within, any outwardly appearance is useless.