It's not that I only have one fault in me that I can wash away and become pure. My Divine Spouse is awake and I am asleep all throughout the night. In this state of being, there is no way my Divine Spouse will be attracted to me, will love me. My Divine Spouse is awake and I am asleep all throughout the night.-------
I come and lay on the bed, full of desires, wants and unfulfilled dreams. In this state of being, will I be able to please my Divine Spouse or will I not? Dear mother. Sigh! What will become of me? I can't survive without the Spiritual (vision-like) Connection with the Divine Spouse!
I have yet to relish the Love Taste of my Divine Spouse, so my desires remain unfulfilled. My youth has passed by and now my old body aches in frustration. There is still a possibility that I may wake up from this sleep of desires and want, by becoming desireless and in a state of fulfillment.
If the Soul Bride's only decoration and makeup is the discarding of haumai, then the Divine Spouse comes and unites in the Bed of the Heart. Nanak reveals: when the Soul Bride renounces self and submerges in the ocean of Divine Will, then the Divine Spouse is immensely pleased.
I have been away from the blogging scene for quite a while. A trip to India, San Antonio (TX) for the Sidak program, busy with work, hiking trip in the Bavarian Alps last weekend, and this past weekend I was in Italy (Reggio Emilia?) for a AKJ samagam...life is quite busy.
I had prepared this transcreation of a very touching a powerful sabad. Its in Rag Asa from page 356 of Guru Granth Sahib. Interestingly it has four rahau di tuks instead of one. Each line of the sabad expresses a state of being which is the progression towards a state of 'onenes' with Vahguru. I'm still stuck at the first state, btw. And it is also quite interesting how the imagery of a young bride seeking solace and advise from her mother is portrayed. So many times when we are in a bind, the first one to call upon is Mom. Guru Nanak knew human emotions well, he relates with us.
I have a recording of Bhai Bakshish Singh who used to sing this rit of this sabad...I have heard the live version in a CD of a live Asa ki Var in Vancouver recorded in 1978. But this is a studio recording and is equally good. I will post it up here soon once I figure out how to do that. In the mean time folks can search for it (bhai bakshish singh - kya jana kya hoyega ri mai...)
Sabad is given below.
ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥
ਏਕ ਨ ਭਰੀਆ ਗੁਣ ਕਰਿ ਧੋਵਾ ॥ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਗੈ ਹਉ ਨਿਸਿ ਭਰਿ ਸੋਵਾ ॥1॥
ਇਉ ਕਿਉ ਕੰਤ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਹੋਵਾ ॥ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਗੈ ਹਉ ਨਿਸ ਭਰਿ ਸੋਵਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਆਸ ਪਿਆਸੀ ਸੇਜੈ ਆਵਾ ॥ ਆਗੈ ਸਹ ਭਾਵਾ ਕਿ ਨ ਭਾਵਾ ॥2॥
ਕਿਆ ਜਾਨਾ ਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਰੀ ਮਾਈ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨ ਬਿਨੁ ਰਹਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਨ ਚਾਖਿਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਤਿਸ ਨ ਬੁਝਾਨੀ ॥ ਗਇਆ ਸੁ ਜੋਬਨੁ ਧਨ ਪਛੁਤਾਨੀ ॥3॥
ਅਜੈ ਸੁ ਜਾਗਉ ਆਸ ਪਿਆਸੀ ॥ ਭਈਲੇ ਉਦਾਸੀ ਰਹਉ ਨਿਰਾਸੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਖੋਇ ਕਰੇ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ॥ ਤਉ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਸੇਜੈ ਰਵੈ ਭਤਾਰੁ ॥4॥
ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੰਤੈ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ ਛੋਡਿ ਵਡਾਈ ਅਪਣੇ ਖਸਮ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥26॥
Fateh ji
ReplyDeletePaji reading your blog has brought hope into my heart that authentic English writings on Sikhi imbued with the real Naam may come to the forefront and take over from the multitude of souless writings from pseudo-academics and historians we have and are still being flooded with.
This is really a benti more than anything else. I couldn't find your email address from the blog so have entered it as a blog comment - I hope you don't mind.
I was wondering whether you would be interested in writing a series of short pamphlets for the Sikh youth with the objective of trying to get across the authentic spiritual message to our generation? Pieces that are creative and infused with Naam, talking about subjects like Kesh, Seva, Love, Faith, Khalsa, Saheedi, Dignity, Gurbani, the Mool Mantar etc. etc.
I am a volunteer for an organisation that could provide funding for such a project and arrange for free-distribution of these over the UK, Canada, America at Vasakhi Nagar Kirtans/Melas etc.
Perhaps you might not have time for a series of pamphlets at this stage. In which case, we are also looking at producing posters including short text (perhaps 'transcreations on Gurbani') on Sikhi subjects to inspire and educate our youth and other non-Sikhs. The text does not necessarily have to be from your own work, it could be something from Prof Puran Singh ji or other similarly imbued Sikh writers.
We have a few graphics designers that can design the graphics if you can provide the concept and text..
This might be a bit random, but we are all One in the Guru and so I don't see you as a stranger but a dear brother.
We are also contacting various other ppl for their support. Currently Dr Nikky-Gunnider Kaur has agreed to write a short pamphlet on Japji Sahib..though it must be said she's really dragged her heels on producing it!
We would appreciate any support and assitance you can provide. In particular, pls let us know if you know anyone else that might be able to help us.
Take care paji and be in Chardi Kala with Gurus kripa.
Jagvir Singh
Amazing, how god answer most of us!
ReplyDeleteThanks
OHH BTW! I am an old Sidakian (San Antonio) too, definitely an experience it was, please share some stuff pertaining to things that they covered there!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Harkiran Kaur,
ReplyDeleteActually I taught a few classes there and did a few workshops. Yes, it was a great experience and this year's students were also very lively and dedicated. I was there last year just for a weekend guest lecture. Were you in the Language program or the College program?
And, BTW...I stayed at Harpreet Kaur and Manmeet Singh's house even while they were there in DC...Manmeet Singh hurt his back - poor guy!!
Carhdi Kala!
Jagvir Singh - sounds like you are doing a great seva. What organization do you belong to, send me you email address and we can discuss this project further. Sounds interesting and is quite needed I must say.
ReplyDeleteCarhdi Kala!
This was the first year of Sidak, I think I was in college program - bunch of high-schoolers were in it too.
ReplyDeleteWhat classes did you teach? Just wondering.
And yeah, Manmeet hurted his back here in DC, hopefully next time he'll warm up before playing Racquet ball! LOL
Harkiran Kaur,
ReplyDeleteIf you had 100 pages of reading every night, then you were in the college program. Or maybe the 1st Sidak was a different format. Last year I essentially helped out with the collge program and the students had to read the night before and then lecture/seminar the next day. Pretty intense.
This year there was only Language Program and High School program. I shared my thoughts on Sikh Sovereignty - Holistic view of Sikh Identity. Ardas and Dohre was the second lecture. These were with both groups.
In the Language course I helped out with secondary textual traditions: Janamsakhi and Parkash traditions. Then one class on Viakhia schools of thought. Also, a substitute teacher for Harinder Singh on one class on Asa ki var. I think it was pauri 18 and 19.
I sat in on the lingusitics sections of the Language class...that was pretty cool.
Its a great program and we should encourage every like minded youth to try and attend.
Carhdi Kala!