soraṭhi mahalā 9.
ih jagi mītu na dekhio koī.
sagal jagatu apnai sukhi lāgio dukh mai saṅgi na hoī.1. rahāu.
dārā mīt pūt sanbandhī sagre dhan siu lāge.
jab hī nirdhan dekhio nar kaü saṅgu chāḍi sabh bhāge.1.
kahṁu kahā yiā man baüre kaü in siu nehu lagāio.
dīnā nāth sakal bhai bhanjan jasu tā ko bisrāio.2.
suān pūch jiu bhaïo na sūdhaü bahutu jatanu mai kīnaü.
nānak lāj birad kī rākhahu nāmu tuhāraü līnaü.3.9.
-Guru Granth Sahib 633
Guru Teghbahadar Sahib explains that IkOankar (the Divine) is the only everlasting support in this world. Therefore, the being is advised to recognize fleeting earthly relationships and connect the IkOankar instead.
Commentary
Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
Calligraphy
In the ninth composition, Guru Teghbahadar makes a statement about people at large, saying, I have not seen any friend in this world. The whole world is engrossed in its own happiness; no one becomes a companion in suffering. We may tell ourselves that we are not motivated by our own happiness or our own comforts, but we also know that we are less likely to stay around those who are suffering when it comes down to it. We know that people tend not to want to be around us when we are suffering. This is a tendency we all have. Everything we do is for this underlying seeking of our own happiness or our own comfort, even if we do not want to admit it.
I have not seen any friend in this world. Everyone we know is attached to wealth and the pursuit or accumulation of it. Our spouses, friends, offspring, and relatives are all attached to the material. This is the reason we have wills and the contestation of wills and fights over the property. It is the reason why we worry about who will get what when we go, and it can cause rifts that are never mended. The Guru takes it further and reminds us that when we see those without wealth, we abandon them or actively run away from them. We do not treat those who do not have wealth with dignity. We do not treat them as worthy of companionship. We do this to the people we see asking for help on the street, those without homes. We cannot even look them in the eye. We run away from providing aid or relief, from pushing for structure and policy changes. We abandon those without wealth who are in greatest need of community, companionship, and support.
I have not seen any friend in this world. So then, what can we say to these crazy minds? To the madness of our habits? Our minds are attaching love to relationships that are conditional and temporary. We are pouring all of our time and energy, and devotion into relationships with those who are only motivated by the pursuit of their own comforts. And while we do this, we neglect to remember IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One), the Support of the downtrodden, the Destroyer of all fears. This is the One who can help us out of our attachment to the temporary and the conditional. This is the one who can rid us of our fear of being alone — the fear that causes us to pursue even the ficklest of companionship. This is the One companion who will be with us eternally.
I have not seen any friend in this world. The Guru concludes with a statement on our stubborn minds. Just like the tail of a dog, our minds are not getting straightened out, even with great effort. We might know these things about our relationships. We might have reflected on the temporariness we have rooted ourselves in. But are still unable to change anything. We are still afraid to be without these relationships. We still do not know how to center them in the eternal. So the Guru shows us how to ask for help. We can take the Nam of IkOankar or Identification of 1Force. We can fall into the sanctuary and acknowledge that we are unable to maintain our intrinsic behavior, which is to be in praise of the One, to be in companionship with the One. We can acknowledge that the world’s distractions have led us away from our nature and into temporary relationships. And we can at least ask IkOankar to fulfill IkOankar’s nature and help us.
Even when we are unable to return to our inherent nature, even when we have not pursued the companionship of the One who is always near us, we can ask for help and know that IkOankar will fulfill IkOankar’s inherent nature. IkOankar will maintain that nature even if we have not been able to maintain ours. Will we take the support of the Nam of IkOankar? Will we ask for this ultimate companionship? Will we identify with 1Force?
I have not seen any friend in this world. Everyone we know is attached to wealth and the pursuit or accumulation of it. Our spouses, friends, offspring, and relatives are all attached to the material. This is the reason we have wills and the contestation of wills and fights over the property. It is the reason why we worry about who will get what when we go, and it can cause rifts that are never mended. The Guru takes it further and reminds us that when we see those without wealth, we abandon them or actively run away from them. We do not treat those who do not have wealth with dignity. We do not treat them as worthy of companionship. We do this to the people we see asking for help on the street, those without homes. We cannot even look them in the eye. We run away from providing aid or relief, from pushing for structure and policy changes. We abandon those without wealth who are in greatest need of community, companionship, and support.
I have not seen any friend in this world. So then, what can we say to these crazy minds? To the madness of our habits? Our minds are attaching love to relationships that are conditional and temporary. We are pouring all of our time and energy, and devotion into relationships with those who are only motivated by the pursuit of their own comforts. And while we do this, we neglect to remember IkOankar (One Universal Integrative Force, 1Force, the One), the Support of the downtrodden, the Destroyer of all fears. This is the One who can help us out of our attachment to the temporary and the conditional. This is the one who can rid us of our fear of being alone — the fear that causes us to pursue even the ficklest of companionship. This is the One companion who will be with us eternally.
I have not seen any friend in this world. The Guru concludes with a statement on our stubborn minds. Just like the tail of a dog, our minds are not getting straightened out, even with great effort. We might know these things about our relationships. We might have reflected on the temporariness we have rooted ourselves in. But are still unable to change anything. We are still afraid to be without these relationships. We still do not know how to center them in the eternal. So the Guru shows us how to ask for help. We can take the Nam of IkOankar or Identification of 1Force. We can fall into the sanctuary and acknowledge that we are unable to maintain our intrinsic behavior, which is to be in praise of the One, to be in companionship with the One. We can acknowledge that the world’s distractions have led us away from our nature and into temporary relationships. And we can at least ask IkOankar to fulfill IkOankar’s nature and help us.
Even when we are unable to return to our inherent nature, even when we have not pursued the companionship of the One who is always near us, we can ask for help and know that IkOankar will fulfill IkOankar’s inherent nature. IkOankar will maintain that nature even if we have not been able to maintain ours. Will we take the support of the Nam of IkOankar? Will we ask for this ultimate companionship? Will we identify with 1Force?
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