dūjai paharai raiṇi kai vaṇjāriā mitrā bhari jobani mai mati.
ahinisi kāmi viāpiā vaṇjāriā mitrā andhule nāmu na citi.
rām nāmu ghaṭ antari nāhī hori jāṇai ras kas mīṭhe.
giānu dhiānu guṇ sanjamu nāhī janami marhuge jhūṭhe.
tīrath varat suci sanjamu nāhī karamu dharamu nahī pūjā.
nānak bhāi bhagati nistārā dubidhā viāpai dūjā.2.
-Guru Granth Sahib 75
Guru Nanak Sahib compares night’s quarters to a life divided into four parts: infancy, youth, adulthood, and old age. The effects of these stages on the human mind and body are described here. Seekers are advised to protect their invaluable human birth from vices.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the second quarter of life, O trader-friend, in the prime of youth, you begin to search for things in your environment to satisfy your needs and desires. You are self-absorbed with the need to stay ahead of the game, so you consume more, focus on your appearance, ensure your opinions are heard, and seek relationships for personal fulfillment. Your constant need for reassurance from others makes you intoxicated with the need for self-gratification, unaware of the effect on you. Your only desire is to satisfy your own needs at this stage of life, for status, power, and independence. Occasionally when your awareness turns to your Creator-Provider, you may attend a service, visit communities of devotional practice, join a pilgrimage, participate in a detoxifying cleanse or fast. We reflect on our intentions and our awareness. Where does it genuinely rest when we engage in these activities? Do we genuinely seek to connect with our Creator-Provider from a place of loving devotion, or are we merely following practices ritually while remaining distracted by worldly pleasures? Imagine if we lovingly sought a connection to our Creator-Provider and engaged in these activities from a place of devotion. Could this connection enable us to become more attuned to our inner wisdom, essence, and love for others? Teenagers and young adults are often self-absorbed with the external world. What if they began focusing on working on what truly matters to them and the values they want to uphold. Some may contemplate world issues and devote their time and efforts to raising people’s consciousness advocating for more sustainable living, climate change, and conserving energy. At this stage of life, it is possible to become self-disciplined and initiate choices in how we trade in life. To serve others through the love we share for our Creator-Provider. O trader-friend, do we not realize that if we lovingly devote our time and energy in seeking inner wisdom, we could liberate ourselves from things that cause us pain and lead us away from experiencing our true nature?
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