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Guru Ramdas Sahib describes the pervasiveness of IkOankar (the Divine) permeating all beings and places. The all-pervasive IkOankar manifests beyond human imagination and knowledge. The IkOankar, who creates all things in existence, is the infinite provider and liberator of suffering for all things. Those who contemplate with love become pleasing to IkOankar; they lead a blissful life and attain freedom. This Sabad encourages individuals to yearn for the company of devoted seekers.
rāgu  āsā  mahalā  4  so  purakhu.  
ikoaṅkār  satigur  prasādi.  
 
so  purakhu  nirañjanu      hari  purakhu  nirañjanu   hari  agamā  agam  apārā.  
sabhi  dhiāvahi    sabhi  dhiāvahi  tudhu  jī   hari  sace  sirjaṇhārā.  
sabhi  jīa  tumāre  jī   tūṁ  jīā    dātārā.  
hari  dhiāvahu  santahu  jī   sabhi  dūkh  visāraṇhārā.  
hari  āpe  thākuru    hari  āpe  sevaku  jī   kiā  nānak    jant  vicārā.1.  
tūṁ  ghaṭ  ghaṭ  antari    sarab  nirantari  jī   hari  eko  purakhu  samāṇā.  
iki  dāte    iki  bhekhārī  jī   sabhi  tere  coj  viḍāṇā.  
tūṁ  āpe  dātā    āpe  bhugatā  jī   haü  tudhu  binu  avaru  na  jāṇā.  
tūṁ  pārbrahamu  beantu  beantu  jī   tere  kiā  guṇ  ākhi  vakhāṇā.  
jo  sevahi  jo  sevahi  tudhu  jī   janu    nānaku  tin  kurbāṇā.2.  
hari  dhiāvahi    hari  dhiāvahi  tudhu  jī   se  jan  jug  mahi  sukhvāsī.  
se  mukatu    se  mukatu  bhae    jin  hari  dhiāiā  jī   tin  tūṭī  jam    phāsī.  
jin  nirbhaü    jin  hari  nirbhaü  dhiāiā  jī   tin    bhaü  sabhu  gavāsī.  
jin  seviā    jin  seviā  merā  hari  jī   te  hari  hari  rūpi  samāsī.  
se  dhannu    se  dhannu    jin  hari  dhiāiā  jī   janu    nānaku  tin  bali  jāsī.3.  
terī  bhagati    terī  bhagati  bhanḍār  jī   bhare  biant  beantā.  
tere  bhagat    tere  bhagat  salāhani  tudhu  jī   hari  anik  anek  anantā.  
terī  anik    terī  anik  karahi  hari  pūjā  jī   tapu  tāpahi  japahi  beantā.  
tere  anek    tere  anek  paṛahi  bahu  simriti  sāsat  jī   kari  kiriā  khaṭu  karam  karantā.  
se  bhagat    se  bhagat  bhale  jan  nānak  jī   jo  bhāvahi  mere  hari  bhagvantā.4.  
tūṁ  ādi  purakhu  aparamparu  kartā  jī   tudhu  jevaḍu  avaru  na  koī.  
tūṁ  jugu  jugu  eko    sadā  sadā  tūṁ  eko  jī   tūṁ  nihcalu  kartā  soī.  
tudhu  āpe  bhāvai  soī  vartai  jī   tūṁ  āpe  karahi  su  hoī.  
tudhu  āpe  srisṭi  sabh  upāī  jī   tudhu  āpe  siraji  sabh  goī.  
janu    nānaku  guṇ  gāvai  karte  ke  jī   jo  sabhsai    jāṇoī.5.1.  
-Guru  Granth  Sahib  10-11
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
Who is this mysterious being that we refer to as the One Universal Integrative Force (1Force)?

It is a seekers’ desire to relate that encourages them to contemplate who or what exists in consciousness and question their relationship to this one creative all-pervasive force, 1Force, and how to experience it. Guru Nanak in So Daru (That Court) described where the 1Force pervades in consciousness. Guru Ramdas now extends the inquiry in So Purakhu (That Being) to ask who this Sovereign Being is?

In these five stanzas, Guru Ramdas uses words of praise to identify with the infinite qualities of the Sovereign. That Sovereign Being is all-pervasive and manifests beyond our imagination and knowledge of where and how the Sovereign Being exists. The all-pervasive 1Force is boundless, exists in all and beyond. This Sovereign Being who created us and all things in existence is the infinite provider and liberator of suffering for all things created. These words of praise echo over and over again in a poetic rhythm throughout the sabad. That when hearing and reciting, one feels enchanted by the phrases used to describe the Sovereign. It is easy to feel the yearning and desire the Guru expresses to remain connected with the Sovereign.

In identifying with the seeker, Guru Ramdas asks how ordinary-beings, seekers who are contemplating the Sovereign’s nature, can ever fully describe and comprehend who this Being is? The Guru says that this all-pervading consciousness is so vast that it dwells in all places and everything in everyone and beyond. This pervading consciousness is a constancy that exists for all on this life journey. Yet, there is no way of fully grasping its infinite nature; it exists in human form and all things in nature.

Imagine standing at the ocean’s shoreline, looking out into the horizon, taking in the breathtaking views, admiring its vastness and what seems like a never-ending expanse of the water all around. Ever wonder where the ocean begins, where it ends, or how much water there could possibly be? Even though your eyes limit you to what you can see on the horizon, you know that the water extends far beyond in all directions. Similarly, in trying to relate to the infinite qualities of the Sovereign, we know that its infinite nature is far beyond what we can ever comprehend or self-realize within the limits of our human mind.

The all-pervading consciousness or 1-Ness that exists in all, says the Guru, is available to those seeking a connection. Guru Ramdas says that those sincere seekers who want a connection with the Sovereign are lovingly met at the gateway of one’s heart center. If one is truly invested in meeting the Sovereign with love and devotion, then that gateway opens, and one is freed from all afflictions to experience the Sovereign’s infinite treasures. It takes a fearless seeker who pursues this path to discover a pathway to this union. These fearless seekers are embraced by the Sovereign, and they internalize the eternal fearless nature of their Sovereign. Seekers who are human right activists, climate action advocates, and animal rights proponents, who demonstrate fearlessness in their pursuit of justice, are also exalted by the Sovereign.

The Guru appeals to all seekers on this journey of life to do their own personal reflection on how to relate to the Sovereign within the space of their own hearts. If the path towards the Sovereign is not restricted to the select-few and is available to all seekers, then how could this 1-Ness ever be exclusive to some? Who is responsible for perpetuating self-limiting biases and prescribing conditions on who is deemed acceptable to be loved by the Sovereign? Why do religious views influence who is considered worthy of the Sovereign’s attention? Why do xenophobic and gender phobic reactions accentuate why people are denied their fundamental rights to love anyone unconditionally? If these differences still prevail in religious orders and society, perhaps it only highlights how we are not accepting the 1-Ness in all.

Just like there are no limits on who can experience this Sovereign’s vastness, there are no limits to how the Sovereign can be revered. Some will connect emotionally, others perceptively through prayer, contemplation, remembrance, recitation of spiritual texts, physical practice or worship. If one cannot physically assume a posture, read scriptures, listen to praise, etc., are they restricted in their capacity to relate to their Sovereign? The Guru dispels the need for explicit ways to meet the Sovereign and instead recognizes diverse ways to establish a connection. Even though there are limitless ways, the seekers’ love and devotion delights the Sovereign, and union occurs.

In the final stanza, the Guru reveres the Sovereign as the knower of all hearts, the one who existed before the One in the here and now and will exist in the beyond. Guru Ramdas reiterates that the Sovereign, the creator of this life force, determines what happens next and how union with the creator can be achieved. It is up to the seekers to decide if they want to develop this relationship and reflect on how they will revere their Sovereign. How will you recognize the all-pervading consciousness that surrounds you, that is in you and beyond you? How will you be aware of any limitations, self-imposed or by others, that influence this relationship? What helps to strengthen this connection to experience the love of the Sovereign inherent in all beings?
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