SGGS pp 641-642, Soratth M: 5, Asttpadi 3.

 

ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੨ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ   ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Soraṯẖ mėhlā 5 gẖar 2 asatpaḏī▫ā     Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.

 

Composition of the fifth Guru in Raga Soratth, (asttpadeea) of eight stanzas each, (ghar-u 2) to be sung to the second beat: Invoking the One all-pervasive Creator who may be known with the true guru’s grace:

 

Note: This Shabad points out that people perform rituals, try Yoga postures, austerities and different forms of worship to find God. However, these only provide mental satisfaction as does royal living, and being in authority. All these create a sense of false pride for being great but are not considered as credit when account of deeds is taken in the metaphoric Divine court. The way to get Divine approval is to be part of the holy congregation, contemplate Divine virtues and learn to humbly conform to them, guided by the guru.

 

ਪਾਠੁ ਪੜਿਓ ਅਰੁ ਬੇਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਓ ਨਿਵਲਿ ਭੁਅੰਗਮ ਸਾਧੇ ॥ ਪੰਚ ਜਨਾ ਸਿਉ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਛੁਟਕਿਓ ਅਧਿਕ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਬਾਧੇ ॥੧॥

Pāṯẖ paṛi▫o ar beḏ bīcẖāri▫o nival bẖu▫angam sāḏẖe.  Pancẖ janā si▫o sang na cẖẖutki▫o aḏẖik ahaʼn▫buḏẖ bāḏẖe. ||1||

 

I (paatth, parrio) read scriptures (ar-u) and (beechaario) reflected on (beyd-u) the knowledge contained in them, performed the Yogic procedures for (nival-i) cleansing the stomach and (saadhey) straightening (bhuangam = serpent) the Kundalini Naarree.

But with these I was not (chhuttkio) released from (sang-u) the company (sio) of (panch) the five (janaa) vices – of lust, anger, greed, attachment to the world-play and vanity -; in fact one (baadhey = bound) is shackled (adhik) more (ahangbudh-i) with false pride.  

 

ਪਿਆਰੇ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਮਿਲਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਮੈ ਕੀਏ ਕਰਮ ਅਨੇਕਾ ॥ ਹਾਰਿ ਪਰਿਓ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕੈ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਦੀਜੈ ਬੁਧਿ ਬਿਬੇਕਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Pi▫āre in biḏẖ milaṇ na jā▫ī mai kī▫e karam anekā.  Hār pari▫o su▫āmī kai ḏu▫ārai ḏījai buḏẖ bibekā. Rahā▫o.

 

O (piaarey) dear, (mai) I (keeay) performed (aneyka) numerous (karam) rituals – but realized that – the Master (na jaaee) cannot be (milan-u) found (in) by these (bidh-i) methods.

I (haar-i = lost) gave up performing these and (pario) placed myself (kai) at (duaarai) the gate/sanctuary of, i.e. in care and obedience of, (suaami) the Master, and supplicated to (deejai) grant me (bibeyka) a discerning (budh-i = intellect) mind.

(Rahaau) dwell on this and contemplate.

 

Note: From here on the verses describe the various types of austerities and rituals and their futility. The last two verses describe what needs to be done.

 

ਮੋਨਿ ਭਇਓ ਕਰਪਾਤੀ ਰਹਿਓ ਨਗਨ ਫਿਰਿਓ ਬਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ ਤਟ ਤੀਰਥ ਸਭ ਧਰਤੀ ਭ੍ਰਮਿਓ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਛੁਟਕੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨॥

Mon bẖa▫i▫o karpāṯī rahi▫o nagan firi▫o ban māhī.  Ŧat ṯirath sabẖ ḏẖarṯī bẖarmi▫o ḏubiḏẖā cẖẖutkai nāhī. ||2||

 

I (bhaio) remained (mon-i) silent, (rahio) used (kar-paati) hands as utensil to eat and drink, and (phirio) wandered (nagan) naked (maahee) in (ban) jungles.

I went on (teerath) pilgrimages at (tatt) river banks and (bhramio) wandered (sabh) the whole (dhartee) earth, but found that one is not (chhuttkai) rid of (dubidha) duality, i.e. wishing to find the Master but remaining caught in rituals. 2.

 

Page 642

 

ਮਨ ਕਾਮਨਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਜਾਇ ਬਸਿਓ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਵਤ ਧਰਾਏ ॥ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਜੇ ਲਖ ਜਤਨ ਕਰਾਏ ॥੩॥

Man kāmnā ṯirath jā▫e basi▫o sir karvaṯ ḏẖarā▫e.  Man kī mail na uṯrai ih biḏẖ je lakẖ jaṯan karā▫e. ||3||

 

To fulfill (kaamna) the wish to find the Almighty, one (jaaey) may go and (basio) stay at (teerath) pilgrim centers, and even have (karvat) a saw (dhraaey) placed (sir-i) on the head – to be sawed according to an old practice at Kaashi or Banaras, a major Hindu center of pilgrimage.

But (mail-u = dirt) vices (ki) of (man) the mind are not (utrai) removed (ih) this (bidh-i) way, one may (karaaey = causes to do) make (lakh = hundred thousand) any amount of such (jatan) efforts. 3.  

 

ਕਨਿਕ ਕਾਮਿਨੀ ਹੈਵਰ ਗੈਵਰ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਦਾਨੁ ਦਾਤਾਰਾ ॥ ਅੰਨ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਭੂਮਿ ਬਹੁ ਅਰਪੇ ਨਹ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥੪॥

Kanik kāminī haivar gaivar baho biḏẖ ḏān ḏāṯārā.  Ann basṯar bẖūm baho arpe nah milī▫ai har ḏu▫ārā. ||4||

 

One may be (daataara = giver) a donor and give (bah-u) many (bidh-i) types of (daan) charities like (kanik) gold, (kaaminee) wife – the Brahmins promoted this belief – , (haivar) horses and (gaivar) elephants.

Or (arpey) donate (bah-u) plenty of (ann = grain) food, (bastr) clothes and of (bhoom-i) land; but (duaara = gate) access to (har-i) the Almighty is not (mileeai) obtained with these. 4

 

ਪੂਜਾ ਅਰਚਾ ਬੰਦਨ ਡੰਡਉਤ ਖਟੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਰਤੁ ਰਹਤਾ ॥ ਹਉ ਹਉ ਕਰਤ ਬੰਧਨ ਮਹਿ ਪਰਿਆ ਨਹ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਇਹ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥੫॥

Pūjā arcẖā banḏan dand▫uṯ kẖat karmā raṯ rahṯā.  Ha▫o ha▫o karaṯ banḏẖan mėh pari▫ā nah milī▫ai ih jugṯā. ||5||

 

One may (rahta) remain (rat-u) engrossed in (pooja) worship, like (archa) offering flowers and incense etc., (bandan) paying obeisance (ddanddaut) lying like a rod, with face-down, and (karma) rituals of (khatt) six types, – impart and learn knowledge, perform and get performed Yagnas – fire sacrifice, give charity and receive charity.

But with these, s/he only (karat) becomes (hau hau) more egoistic/proud and (bandhan) bound to rituals; the Almighty is not (mileeai) found (ih) this (jugta = method) way. 5.

 

ਜੋਗ ਸਿਧ ਆਸਣ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਏ ਭੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ॥ ਵਡੀ ਆਰਜਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਨਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਗਹਿਆ ॥੬॥

Jog siḏẖ āsaṇ cẖa▫orāsīh e bẖī kar kar rahi▫ā.  vadī ārjā fir fir janmai har si▫o sang na gahi▫ā. ||6||

 

One may (bhi) also (rahiaa) keep (kar-i kar-i) performing (chauraaseeh) the eighty four (aasan) postures taught by (sidh) the accomplished teachers of (jog) Yoga – thinking they are spiritual acts.

One may have (vaddee) long (aarja) life – by Praanayaam or practice of breath-control -, but cannot (gahiaa = hold/have) obtain (sang-u = company) union with (har-i) the Master, and (janmai) is born (phir-i phir-i) repeatedly. 6.

 

ਰਾਜ ਲੀਲਾ ਰਾਜਨ ਕੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਕਰਿਆ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਫਾਰਾ ॥ ਸੇਜ ਸੋਹਨੀ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਚੋਆ ਨਰਕ ਘੋਰ ਕਾ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥੭॥

Rāj līlā rājan kī racẖnā kari▫ā hukam afārā.  Sej sohnī cẖanḏan cẖo▫ā narak gẖor kā ḏu▫ārā. ||7||

 

One may have (raaj) a royal (leela = play) way of life, (rachna = creation) establish (raajan) royal things like palaces and means of pleasure, and (kariaa) exercise (aphaara = big) unchallenged (hukam-u = commands) authority.

May have (sohnee) beautiful (seyj) beds and use (chandan) sandalwood and (choaa = distillate) scent – to satisfy desires; all this comes in way of union with the Creator and leads to (duaara) the gate of (ghor) the terrible (narak) hell – cycles of births and deaths. 7.

 

ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਹੈ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਮਨ ਕੈ ਕਰਮਾ ॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਇਓ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਜਿਸੁ ਪੁਰਬ ਲਿਖੇ ਕਾ ਲਹਨਾ ॥੮॥

Har kīraṯ sāḏẖsangaṯ hai sir karman kai karmā.  Kaho Nānak ṯis bẖa▫i▫o parāpaṯ jis purab likẖe kā lahnā. ||8||

 

(Keerat-i) praising virtues of (har-i) the Almighty – and learning to live by them – (saadhsangat-i) in holy congregation is (kai sir-i = on the head of) the most sublime (karma) act of (karman) all deeds.

It (bhaio) is (prapat-i) obtained by (tis-u) that person (jis-u) who (lahna = is owed) deserves it (ka = of) as (likhey = writing) ordained based on (purab = earlier) past deeds, says fifth Nanak. 8.

 

ਤੇਰੋ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਇਹ ਰੰਗਿ ਮਾਤਾ ॥ ਭਇਓ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲੁ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਨਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥੩॥

Ŧero sevak ih rang māṯā.  Bẖa▫i▫o kirpāl ḏīn ḏukẖ bẖanjan har har kīrṯan ih man rāṯā. Rahā▫o ḏūjā. ||1||3||

 

O Almighty, (teyro) Your (seyvak-u = servant) devotee is (maata) intoxicated with (ih) this (rang-i) love – of Your remembrance.

You, (har-i) the Almighty (bhanjan-u) destroy (dukh) distress of (deen = poor) the helpless; when You (bhaio) are (kripaal) kind, then (ihu) this human (man-u) mind is (raata = dyed) imbued (keertan-i) with praising virtues of (har-i) the Almighty.

(Rahaau dooja) second pause – to dwell and contemplate. 1. 3.

 

Note: In Gurbani, ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ (Rahaau dooja) the second pause is used to either answer a question asked in the first Rahaau, or further explains something said in the first. The latter applies to this Shabad. A request was made in the first Rahaau for a discerning intellect, i.e. what exactly to do. This has been answered in the second.