An Ode Part 3 - Fascinating story of virtues...

The final pauri of Basant ki Var is a story of fascinating realization. The rain falls, the buds start showing, its beautiful, something's there. But then, boom! The flowers bloom, the grass suddenly turns green, leaves everywhere, sunlight and pleasant weather, it fascinating. The conclusion of Basant ki var presents this fascinating progression. It begins with a series of questions that have been tickling the minds of human kind since time immemorial. What are the origins of the universe and does there exist an Almighty Power that runs the universe? The answers can be realized, the Guru says, only through the experience of simran. We Sikhs mistakenly equate simran with the chanting of words (in our case: Vahguru), either in solitary or in the congregation with accompanied music. The Guru, on the other hand, clarifies that simran is the larger package of action that encompasses three different facets:

1. vocalizing (ਕਹਨਿ) – through actions and deeds and by bringing the Guru’s revelations (bani) to life - real life by living the teachings. The essence of this action is provided in the form of Guru Nanak’s revolutionary Three Golden Rules – nam japo, kirt karo, vand chako.

2. internalizing (ਧਿਆਇਨਿ)– by really understanding bani and realizing that our lives are to be lived as Guru inspired individuals

3. listening (ਸੁਣਨਿ)– in the form of reading, listening and singing the virtues of Vahguru as bestowed to us in the form of the Guru’s revelations – gurbani.

Those that do all three of the above, they are considered bhagats - true practioners of life. Not only are they bhagats, they are beautiful bhagats (ਸੇ ਭਗਤ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ)

BTW, Notice how all of the three golden rules is in turn referring to the original subject of simran – nam japna and simran are pretty much the same thing on a higher level.

I will explain this in a later post with multi-dimensional analysis using a triangle for visual cognition. Something I learnt at the Air War College National Security Forum last year. See the pics in previous posting.

Anyway, back to Basant ki var - final pauri - with a transcreation attempt.

ਕਿਥਹੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਕਹ ਰਹੈ ਕਹ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਖਸਮ ਕੇ ਕਉਣੁ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
ਕਹਨਿ ਧਿਆਇਨਿ ਸੁਣਨਿ ਨਿਤ ਸੇ ਭਗਤ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ ॥
ਅਗਮੁ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੋ ਦੂਸਰੁ ਲਵੈ ਨ ਲਾਵੈ ॥
ਸਚੁ ਪੂਰੈ ਗੁਰਿ ਉਪਦੇਸਿਆ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੁਣਾਵੈ ॥3॥1॥

From whence did the One arrive, where does the One reside and into what does the One merge? Can any individual estimate the vastness of Vahguru? We all know that all of creation is the manifestation of the One. Everyday there are some that listen, internalize and vocalize the virtues of the One. As a result, these blessed individuals are beautified with true life. The Ultimate One is unfathomable and unapproachable through regular senses, no one is capable of equating themselves with the One. Nanak wants to share the fascinating story of the One: The True Guru is capable of making the self realize the One inside!

3rd Pauri, Ode in Basant, Nanak V