The Guru Granth Sahib - Shalok Sehskritee
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 001
You believed that this body was permanent, but it shall turn
to dust.
Why don't you chant the Name of the Lord, you shameless
fool? ||1||
Let devotional worship of the Lord enter into
your heart, and abandon the intellectualism of your mind.
O Servant Nanak, this is the way to live in the world. ||2||4||
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being
Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond
Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Shalok Sehskritee,
First Mehl:
You study the scriptures, say your prayers and
argue;
you worship stones and sit like a crane, pretending
to meditate.
You speak lies and well-ornamented falsehood,
and recite your daily prayers three times a day.
The
mala is around your neck, and the sacred tilak mark is on your
forehead.
You wear two loin cloths, and keep your head covered.
If you know God and the nature of karma,
you know that all
these rituals and beliefs are useless.
Says Nanak, meditate
on the Lord with faith.
Without the True Guru, no one finds
the Way. ||1||
The mortal's life is fruitless, as long as
he does not know God.
Only a few, by Guru's Grace, cross
over the world-ocean.
The Creator, the Cause of causes, is
All-powerful. Thus speaks Nanak, after deep deliberation.
The Creation is under the control of the Creator. By His Power,
He sustains and supports it. ||2||
The Shabad is Yoga, the
Shabad is spiritual wisdom; the Shabad is the Vedas for the
Brahmin.
The Shabad is heroic bravery for the Khshaatriya;
the Shabad is service to others for the Soodra.
The Shabad
for all is the Shabad, the Word of the One God, for one who
knows this secret.
Nanak is the slave of the Divine, Immaculate
Lord. ||3||
The One Lord is the Divinity of all divinities.
He is the Divinity of the soul.
Nanak is the slave of that
one who knows the Secrets of the soul and the Supreme Lord God.
He is the Divine Immaculate Lord Himself. ||4||
Shalok Sehskritee
, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name.
Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The
Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Who
is the mother, and who is the father? Who is the son, and what
is the pleasure of marriage?
Who is the brother, friend,
companion and relative? Who is emotionally attached to the family?
Who is restlessly attached to beauty? It leaves, as soon as
we see it.
Only the meditative remembrance of God remains
with us. O Nanak, it brings the blessings of the Saints, the
sons of the Imperishable Lord. ||1||
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 002
Cursed is loving attachment to one's mother and father; cursed
is loving attachment to one's siblings and relatives.
Cursed
is attachment to the joys of family life with one's spouse and
children.
Cursed is attachment to household affairs.
Only
loving attachment to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
is True. Nanak dwells there in peace. ||2||
The body is false;
its power is temporary.
It grows old; its love for Maya increases
greatly.
The human is only a temporary guest in the home
of the body, but he has high hopes.
The Righteous Judge of
Dharma is relentless; he counts each and every breath.
The
human body, so difficult to obtain, has fallen into the deep
dark pit of emotional attachment. O Nanak, its only support
is God, the Essence of Reality.
O God, Lord of the World,
Lord of the Universe, Master of the Universe, please be kind
to me. ||3||
This fragile body-fortress is made up of water,
plastered with blood and wrapped in skin.
It has nine gates,
but no doors; it is supported by pillars of wind, the channels
of the breath.
The ignorant person does not meditate in remembrance
on the Lord of the Universe; he thinks that this body is permanent.
This precious body is saved and redeemed in the Sanctuary
of the Holy, O Nanak,
chanting the Name of the Lord, Har,
Har, Har, Har, Har, Haray. ||4||
O Glorious, Eternal and
Imperishable, Perfect and Abundantly Compassionate,
Profound
and Unfathomable, Lofty and Exalted, All-knowing and Infinite
Lord God.
O Lover of Your devoted servants, Your Feet are
a Sanctuary of Peace.
O Master of the masterless, Helper
of the helpless, Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||5||
Seeing
the deer, the hunter aims his weapons.
But if one is protected
by the Lord of the World, O Nanak, not a hair on his head will
be touched. ||6||
He may be surrounded on all four sides
by servants and powerful warriors;
he may dwell in a lofty
place, difficult to approach, and never even think of death.
But when the Order comes from the Primal Lord God, O Nanak,
even an ant can take away his breath of life. ||7||
To be
imbued and attuned to the Word of the Shabad; to be kind and
compassionate; to sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises - these
are the most worthwhile actions in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
In this way, one's inner doubts and emotional attachments are
dispelled.
God is pervading and permeating all places.
So obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; He dwells upon
the tongues of the Holy.
O Nanak, meditate and chant the
Name of the Beloved Lord, Har, Har, Har, Haray. ||8||
Beauty
fades away, islands fade away, the sun, moon, stars and sky
fade away.
The earth, mountains, forests and lands fade away.
One's spouse, children, siblings and loved friends fade away.
Gold and jewels and the incomparable beauty of Maya fade away.
Only the Eternal, Unchanging Lord does not fade away.
O Nanak,
only the humble Saints are steady and stable forever. ||9||
Do not delay in practicing righteousness; delay in committing
sins.
Implant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within yourself,
and abandon greed.
In the Sanctuary of the Saints, the sins
are erased. The character of righteousness is received by that
person,
O Nanak, with whom the Lord is pleased and satisfied.
||10||
The person of shallow understanding is dying in emotional
attachment; he is engrossed in pursuits of pleasure with his
wife.
With youthful beauty and golden earrings,
wondrous
mansions, decorations and clothes - this is how Maya clings
to him.
O Eternal, Unchanging, Benevolent Lord God, O Sanctuary
of the Saints, Nanak humbly bows to You. ||11||
If there
is birth, then there is death. If there is pleasure, then there
is pain. If there is enjoyment, then there is disease.
If
there is high, then there is low. If there is small, then there
is great.
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 003
If there is power, then there is pride. If there is egotistical
pride, then there will be a fall.
Engrossed in worldly ways,
one is ruined.
Meditating and vibrating on the Lord of the
Universe in the Company of the Holy, you shall become steady
and stable. Nanak vibrates and meditates on the Lord God. ||12||
By the Grace of God, genuine understanding comes to the mind.
The intellect blossoms forth, and one finds a place in the realm
of celestial bliss.
The senses are brought under control,
and pride is abandoned.
The heart is cooled and soothed,
and the wisdom of the Saints is implanted within.
Reincarnation
is ended, and the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan is obtained.
O Nanak, the musical instrument of the Word of the Shabad vibrates
and resounds within. ||13||
The Vedas preach and recount
God's Glories; people hear them by various ways and means.
The Merciful Lord, Har, Har, implants spiritual wisdom within.
Nanak begs for the Gift of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The
Guru is the Great Giver, the Lord of the World. ||14||
Do
not worry so much about your mother, father and siblings. Do
not worry so much about other people.
Do not worry about
your spouse, children and friends. You are obsessed with your
involvements in Maya.
The One Lord God is Kind and Compassionate,
O Nanak. He is the Cherisher and Nurturer of all living beings.
||15||
Wealth is temporary; conscious existence is temporary;
hopes of all sorts are temporary.
The bonds of love, attachment,
egotism, doubt, Maya and the pollution of corruption are temporary.
The mortal passes through the fire of the womb of reincarnation
countless times. He does not remember the Lord in meditation;
his understanding is polluted.
O Lord of the Universe, when
You grant Your Grace, even sinners are saved. Nanak dwells in
the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||16||
You may
drop down from the mountains, and fall into the nether regions
of the underworld, or be burnt in the blazing fire,
or swept
away by the unfathomable waves of water; but the worst pain
of all is household anxiety, which is the source of the cycle
of death and rebirth.
No matter what you do, you cannot break
its bonds, O Nanak. Man's only Support, Anchor and Mainstay
is the Word of the Shabad, and the Holy, Friendly Saints. ||17||
Excruciating pain, countless killings, reincarnation, poverty
and terrible misery
are all destroyed by meditating in remembrance
on the Lord's Name, O Nanak, just as fire reduces piles of wood
to ashes. ||18||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the
darkness is illuminated. Dwelling on His Glorious Praises, the
ugly sins are destroyed.
Enshrining the Lord deep within
the heart, and with the immaculate karma of doing good deeds,
one strikes fear into the demons.
The cycle of coming and
going in reincarnation is ended, absolute peace is obtained,
and the Fruitful Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
He is Potent
to give Protection, He is the Lover of His Saints. O Nanak,
the Lord God blesses all with bliss. ||19||
Those who were
left behind - the Lord brings them to the front. He fulfills
the hopes of the hopeless.
He makes the poor rich, and cures
the illnesses of the ill.
He blesses His devotees with devotion.
They sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord's Name.
O
Nanak, those who serve the Guru find the Supreme Lord God, the
Great Giver||20||
He gives Support to the unsupported. The
Name of the Lord is the Wealth of the poor.
The Lord of the
Universe is the Master of the masterless; the Beautiful-haired
Lord is the Power of the weak.
The Lord is Merciful to all
beings, Eternal and Unchanging, the Family of the meek and humble.
The All-knowing, Perfect, Primal Lord God is the Lover of His
devotees, the Embodiment of Mercy.
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 004
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent, Luminous Lord, dwells
in each and every heart.
Nanak begs for this blessing from
the Merciful Lord, that he may never forget Him, never forget
Him. ||21||
I have no power; I do not serve You, and I do
not love You, O Supreme Sublime Lord God.
By Your Grace,
Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Merciful Lord,
Har, Har. ||22||
The Lord feeds and sustains all living beings;
He blesses them gifts of restful peace and fine clothes.
He created the jewel of human life, with all its cleverness
and intelligence.
By His Grace, mortals abide in peace and
bliss.
O Nanak, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har,
Har, Haray,
the mortal is released from attachment to the
world. ||23||
The kings of the earth are eating up the blessings
of the good karma of their past lives.
Those cruel-minded
rulers who oppress the people, O Nanak, shall suffer in pain
for a very long time. ||24||
Those who meditate in remembrance
on the Lord in their hearts, look upon even pain as God's Grace.
The healthy person is very sick, if he does not remember the
Lord, the Embodiment of Mercy. ||25||
To sing the Kirtan
of God's Praises is the righteous duty incurred by taking birth
in this human body.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is Ambrosial
Nectar, O Nanak. The Saints drink it in, and never have enough
of it. ||26||
The Saints are tolerant and good-natured; friends
and enemies are the same to them.
O Nanak, it is all the
same to them, whether someone offers them all sorts of foods,
or slanders them, or draws weapons to kill them. ||27||
They
pay no attention to dishonor or disrespect.
They are not
bothered by gossip; the miseries of the world do not touch them.
Those who join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and
chant the Name of the Lord of the Universe - O Nanak, those
mortals abide in peace. ||28||
The Holy people are an invincible
army of spiritual warriors; their bodies are protected by the
armor of humility.
Their weapons are the Glorious Praises
of the Lord which they chant; their Shelter and Shield is the
Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The horses, chariots and elephants
they ride are their way to realize God's Path.
They walk
fearlessly through the armies of their enemies; they attack
them with the Kirtan of God's Praises.
They conquer the entire
world, O Nanak, and overpower the five thieves. ||29||
Misled
by evil-mindedness, mortals are engrossed in the mirage of the
illusory world, like the passing shade of a tree.
Emotional
attachment to family is false, so Nanak meditates in remembrance
on the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam. ||30||
I do not possess
the treasure of the wisdom of the Vedas, nor do I possess the
merits of the Praises of the Naam.
I do not have a beautiful
voice to sing jewelled melodies; I am not clever, wise or shrewd.
By destiny and hard work, the wealth of Maya is obtained. O
Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, even fools
become religious scholars. ||31||
The mala around my neck
is the chanting of the Lord's Name. The Love of the Lord is
my silent chanting.
Chanting this most Sublime Word brings
salvation and joy to the eyes. ||32||
That mortal who lacks
the Guru's Mantra - cursed and contaminated is his life.
That blockhead is just a dog, a pig, a jackass, a crow, a snake.
||33||
Whoever contemplates the Lord's Lotus Feet, and enshrines
His Name within the heart,
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 005
and sings the Kirtan of His Praises in the Saadh Sangat,
O Nanak, shall never see the Messenger of Death. ||34||
Wealth
and beauty are not so difficult to obtain. Paradise and royal
power are not so difficult to obtain.
Foods and delicacies
are not so difficult to obtain. Elegant clothes are not so difficuilt
to obtain.
Children, friends, siblings and relatives are
not so difficult to obtain. The pleasures of woman are not so
difficult to obtain.
Knowledge and wisdom are not so difficult
to obtain. Cleverness and trickery are not so difficult to obtain.
Only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is difficult to obtain.
O Nanak, it is only obtained by God's Grace, in the Saadh Sangat,
the Company of the Holy. ||35||
Wherever I look, I see the
Lord, whether in this world, in paradise, or the nether regions
of the underworld.
The Lord of the Universe is All-pervading
everywhere. O Nanak, no blame or stain sticks to Him. ||36||
Poison is transformed into nectar, and enemies into friends
and companions.
Pain is changed into pleasure, and the fearful
become fearless.
Those who have no home or place find their
place of rest in the Naam, O Nanak, when the Guru, the Lord,
becomes Merciful. ||37||
He blesses all with humility; He
has blessed me with humility as well. He purifies all, and He
has purified me as well.
The Creator of all is the Creator
of me as well. O Nanak, no blame or stain sticks to Him. ||38||
The moon-god is not cool and calm, nor is the white sandalwood
tree.
The winter season is not cool; O Nanak, only the Holy
friends, the Saints, are cool and calm. ||39||
Through the
Mantra of the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, one meditates on
the All-pervading Lord.
Those who have the wisdom to look
alike upon pleasure and pain, live the immaculate lifestyle,
free of vengeance.
They are kind to all beings; they have
overpowered the five thieves.
They take the Kirtan of the
Lord's Praise as their food; they remain untouched by Maya,
like the lotus in the water.
They share the Teachings with
friend and enemy alike; they love the devotional worship of
God.
They do not listen to slander; renouncing self-conceit,
they become the dust of all.
Whoever has these six qualities,
O Nanak, is called a Holy friend. ||40||
The goat enjoys
eating fruits and roots, but if it lives near a tiger, it is
always anxious.
This is the condition of the world, O Nanak;
it is afflicted by pleasure and pain. ||41||
Fraud, false
accusations, millions of diseases, sins and the filthy residues
of evil mistakes;
doubt, emotional attachment, pride, dishonor
and intoxication with Maya
- these lead mortals to death
and rebirth, wandering lost in hell. In spite of all sorts of
efforts, salvation is not found.
Chanting and meditating
on the Name of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of
the Holy, O Nanak, mortals become immaculate and pure.
They
continually dwell upon the Glorious Praises of God. ||42||
In the Sanctuary of the Kind-hearted Lord, our Transcendent
Lord and Master, we are carried across.
God is the Perfect,
All-powerful Cause of causes; He is the Giver of gifts.
He
gives hope to the hopeless. He is the Source of all riches.
Nanak meditates in remembrance on the Treasure of Virtue; we
are all beggars, begging at His Door. ||43||
The most difficult
place becomes easy, and the worst pain turns into pleasure.
Evil words, differences and doubts are obliterated, and even
faithless cynics and malicious gossips become good people.
They become steady and stable, whether happy or sad; their fears
are taken away, and they are fearless.
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 006
The dreadful woods become a well-populated city; such are
the merits of the righteous life of Dharma, given by God's Grace.
Chanting the Lord's Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of
the Holy, O Nanak, the Lotus Feet of the Merciful Lord are found.
||44||
O emotional attachment, you are the invincible warrior
of the battlefield of life; you totally crush and destroy even
the most powerful.
You entice and fascinate even the heavenly
heralds, celestial singers, gods, mortals, beasts and birds.
Nanak bows in humble surrender to the Lord; he seeks the Sanctuary
of the Lord of the Universe. ||45||
O sexual desire, you
lead the mortals to hell; you make them wander in reincarnation
through countless species.
You cheat the consciousness, and
pervade the three worlds. You destroy meditation, penance and
virtue.
But you give only shallow pleasure, while you make
the mortals weak and unsteady; you pervade the high and the
low.
Your fear is dispelled in the Saadh Sangat, the Company
of the Holy, O Nanak, through the Protection and Support of
the Lord. ||46||
O anger, you are the root of conflict; compassion
never rises up in you.
You take the corrupt, sinful beings
in your power, and make them dance like monkeys.
Associating
with you, mortals are debased and punished by the Messenger
of Death in so many ways.
O Destroyer of the pains of the
poor, O Merciful God, Nanak prays for You to protect all begins
from such anger. ||47||
O greed, you cling to even the great,
assaulting them with countless waves.
You cause them to run
around wildly in all directions, wobbling and wavering unsteadily.
You have no respect for friends, ideals, relations, mother or
father.
You make them do what they should not do. You make
them eat what they should not eat. You make them accomplish
what they should not accomplish.
Save me, save me - I have
come to Your Sanctuary, O my Lord and Master; Nanak prays to
the Lord. ||48||
O egotism, you are the root of birth and
death and the cycle of reincarnation; you are the very soul
of sin.
You forsake friends, and hold tight to enemies. You
spread out countless illusions of Maya.
You cause the living
beings to come and go until they are exhausted. You lead them
to experience pain and pleasure.
You lead them to wander
lost in the terrible wilderness of doubt; you lead them to contract
the most horrible, incurable diseases.
The only Physician
is the Supreme Lord, the Transcendent Lord God. Nanak worships
and adores the Lord, Har, Har, Haray. ||49||
O Lord of the
Universe, Master of the Breath of life, Treasure of Mercy, Guru
of the World.
O Destroyer of the fever of the world, Embodiment
of Compassion, please take away all my pain.
O Merciful Lord,
Potent to give Sanctuary, Master of the meek and humble, please
be kind to me.
Whether his body is healthy or sick, let Nanak
meditate in remembrance on You, Lord. ||50||
I have come
to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Lotus Feet, where I sing the
Kirtan of His Praises.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of
the Holy, Nanak is carried across the utterly terrifying, difficult
world-ocean. ||51||
The Supreme Lord God has procted my head
and forehead; the Transcendent Lord has protected my hands and
body.
God, my Lord and Master, has saved my soul; the Lord
of the Universe has saved my wealth and feet.
The Merciful
Guru has protected everything, and destroyed my fear and suffering.
God is the Lover of His devotees, the Master of the masterless.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Imperishable Primal Lord
God. ||52||
His Power supports the sky, and locks fire within
wood.
His Power supports the moon, the sun and the stars,
and infuses light and breath into the body.
Section 36 - Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl & Fifth Mehl - Part 007
His Power provides nourishment in the womb of the mother,
and does not let disease strike.
His Power holds back the
ocean, O Nanak, and does not allow the waves of water to destroy
the land. ||53||
The Lord of the World is Supremely Beautiful;
His Meditation is the Life of all.
In the Society of the
Saints, O Nanak, He is found on the path of devotional worship
of the Lord. ||54||
The mosquito pierces the stone, the ant
crosses the swamp,
the cripple crosses the ocean, and the
blind sees in the darkness,
meditating on the Lord of the
Universe in the Saadh Sangat. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the
Lord, Har, Har, Haray. ||55||
Like a Brahmin without a sacred
mark on his forehead, or a king without the power of command,
or a warrior without weapons, so is the devotee of God without
Dharmic Faith. ||56||
God has no conch-shell, no religious
mark, no paraphernalia; he does not have blue skin.
His Form
is Wondrous and Amazing. He is beyond incarnation.
The Vedas
say that He is not this, and not that.
The Lord of the Universe
is Lofty and High, Great and Infinite.
The Imperishable Lord
abides in the hearts of the Holy. He is understood, O Nanak,
by those who are very fortunate. ||57||
Living in the world,
it is like a wild jungle. One's relatives are like dogs, jackals
and donkeys.
In this difficult place, the mind is intoxicated
with the wine of emotional attachment; the five unconquered
thieves lurk there.
The mortals wander lost in love and emotional
attachment, fear and doubt; they are caught in the sharp, strong
noose of egotism.
The ocean of fire is terrifying and impassable.
The distant shore is so far away; it cannot be reached.
Vibrate
and meditate on the Lord of the World, in the Saadh Sangat,
the Company of the Holy; O Nanak, by His Grace, we are saved
at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||58||
When the Lord of the
Universe grants His Grace, all illnesses are cured.
Nanak
chants His Glorious Praises in the Saadh Sangat, in the Sanctuary
of the Perfect Transcendent Lord God. ||59||
The mortal is
beautiful and speaks sweet words, but in the farm of his heart,
he harbors cruel vengeance.
He pretends to bow in worship,
but he is false. Beware of him, O friendly Saints. ||60||
The thoughtless fool does not know that each day, his breaths
are being used up.
His most beautiful body is wearing away;
old age, the daughter of death, has seized it.
He is engrossed
in family play; placing his hopes in transitory things, he indulges
in corrupt pleasures.
Wandering lost in countless incarnations,
he is exhausted. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Embodiment
of Mercy. ||61||
O tongue, you love to enjoy the sweet delicacies.
You are dead to the Truth, and involved in great disputes. Instead,
repeat the holy words:
Gobind, Daamodar, Maadhav. ||62||
Those who are proud, and intoxicated with the pleasures of sex,
and asserting their power over others,
never contemplate
the Lord's Lotus Feet. Their lives are cursed, and as worthless
as straw.
You are as tiny and insignificant as an ant, but
you shall become great, by the Wealth of the Lord's Meditation.
Nanak bows in humble worship, countless times, over and over
again. ||63||
The blade of grass becomes a mountain, and
the barren land becomes green.
The drowning one swims across,
and the empty is filled to overflowing.
Millions of suns
illuminate the darkness,
prays Nanak, when the Guru, the
Lord, becomes Merciful. ||64||
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Guru Granth Sahib - The Holy Book Of The Sikhs
- The Sikh Religion Its Gurus, Volume 1
- The Sikh Religion Its Gurus, Life Of Guru Nanak
- Sikhism, Basic Concepts
- Guru Nanak Dev, His Life and Teachings
- The Teachings of Guru Nanak
- The Philosophy of Sikhism
- The Ten Gurus of Sikhism
- Best Websites On Sikhism
- The Idea of God in Sikhism
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays