Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਉ ॥

By the Guru’s grace, may I perform such deeds by which I may attain Naam,

ਨਾਮੇ ਰਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਉ ॥੫॥

and imbued with Naam, may I sing God’s praise.

ਗੁਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਤੇ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਤਾ ॥

One who has understood his inner self by following the Guru’s teachings,

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸਿਆ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ॥

has realized the peace giving ambrosial Naam in his heart.

ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਾਮੇ ਰਾਤਾ ॥੬॥

By singing God’s praises he always remains imbued with the love of Naam. ||6|

ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਲਾਏ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਲਾਗੈ ॥

When my God blesses someone to Naam,

ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਰੇ ਸਬਦੇ ਜਾਗੈ ॥

only then is that person becomes imbued with Naam.

ਐਥੈ ਓਥੈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਆਗੈ ॥੭॥

and by eradicating ego through the Guru’s word, he remains alert to his ego. Then he enjoys lasting peace both here and hereafter.

ਮਨੁ ਚੰਚਲੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ ॥

The fickle mind does not know the way to eradicate his ego.

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੈਲਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥

A self conceited person’s mind always remains filthy from the dirt of vices; it does not understand and follow the Guru’s teachings.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੈ ॥੮॥

A Guru’s follower always meditates on Naam and remains immaculate.

ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਆਗੈ ਕਰੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ॥

I pray to the reverend God,

ਸਾਧੂ ਜਨ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥

that I may always dwell in the congregation of saintly persons,

ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਦੁਖ ਕਾਟੇ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੁ ॥੯॥

and God’s Name may become manifest in my heart, which may eradicate my sins and sufferings.

ਕਰਿ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਆਚਾਰੁ ਪਰਾਤਾ ॥

One who deliberates on the Guru’s word understands the value of good conduct,

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਤਾ ॥

and by following the true Guru’s word realizes God,

ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਿ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ॥੧੦॥੭॥

O’ Nanak, his mind is imbued with God’s Name. ||10

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥

Raag Aasaa, First Guru:

ਮਨੁ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਸਾਕਤੁ ਦੇਵਾਨਾ ॥

The mind of the faithless cynic is like a crazy elephant.

ਬਨ ਖੰਡਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਹੈਰਾਨਾ ॥

Distracted by the love for Maya, it keeps wandering in the world like an untamed elephant wandering in the forest

ਇਤ ਉਤ ਜਾਹਿ ਕਾਲ ਕੇ ਚਾਪੇ ॥

Hounded by the fear of death, it wanders here and there.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਖੋਜਿ ਲਹੈ ਘਰੁ ਆਪੇ ॥੧॥

But the Guru’s follower seeks and realizes God within his heart .

ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੈ ਮਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਠਉਰਾ ॥

The mind does not stop wandering without focusing on the Guru’s word.

ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਤਿ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਅਵਰ ਤਿਆਗਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਉਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Therefore, meditate on the immaculate God’s Name and renounce all other bitter worldly relishes which enhance ego. ||1|| Pause||

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਉ ਰਹਸੀ ॥

Tell me, how can this foolish mind remain stable?

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਮਝੇ ਜਮ ਕਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਸਹਸੀ ॥

Without understanding its true nature, it would suffer the pain of death.

ਆਪੇ ਬਖਸੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਲੈ ॥

One on whom God showers His grace, He unites that one with the true Guru.

ਕਾਲੁ ਕੰਟਕੁ ਮਾਰੇ ਸਚੁ ਪੇਲੈ ॥੨॥

The Guru eradicates his painful fear of death by coaxing him towards God.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਧਰਮਾ ॥

This mind engages in faith rituals and religious deeds.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਪੰਚ ਤਤੁ ਤੇ ਜਨਮਾ ॥

This mind is born of the five elements (earth, ether, air, fire, and water).

ਸਾਕਤੁ ਲੋਭੀ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਮੂੜਾ ॥

This foolish mind becomes greedy and worshipper of Maya.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੈ ਮਨੁ ਰੂੜਾ ॥੩॥

But, the mind of a person becomes spiritually elevated who follows the Guru’s teachings and meditates on Naam.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮਨੁ ਅਸਥਾਨੇ ਸੋਈ ॥

A true follower of the Guru’s teachings keeps his mind focused on God.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਈ ॥

The Guru’s follower gains the knowledge about all three worlds.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਜੋਗੀ ਭੋਗੀ ਤਪੁ ਤਾਪੈ ॥

Sometimes this mind becomes a yogi; sometimes an enjoyer of worldly comforts and at other times it suffers the pains of penance.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚੀਨੈੑ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪੈ ॥੪॥

But the Guru’s follower realizes God within himself.

ਮਨੁ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਹਉਮੈ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥

Each and every heart is afflicted with duality and worldly desires,

ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਮਨਸਾ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਲਾਗੀ ॥

but at times it renounces ego and becomes detached from the world.

ਰਾਮ ਰਸਾਇਣੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚਾਖੈ ॥

One who follows the Guru’s teachings and tastes the divine elixir,

ਦਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਮਹਲੀ ਹਰਿ ਪਤਿ ਰਾਖੈ ॥੫॥

the Master-God preserves his honor everywhere.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਜਾ ਸੂਰ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਾਮਿ ॥

This mind becomes a brave king in the battle against its evil passions (lust, anger, greed, worldly attachments and ego).

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮਿ ॥

when it becomes fearless by meditating on Naam through the Guru’s teachings.

ਮਾਰੇ ਪੰਚ ਅਪੁਨੈ ਵਸਿ ਕੀਏ ॥

The mind subdues the five evil passions and brings them under control,

ਹਉਮੈ ਗ੍ਰਾਸਿ ਇਕਤੁ ਥਾਇ ਕੀਏ ॥੬॥

After eradicating ego, it controls the vices.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਾਗ ਸੁਆਦ ਅਨ ਤਿਆਗੇ ॥

The follower of the Guru‘s teachings renounces all worldly pleasures which take him away from God.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਭਗਤੀ ਜਾਗੇ ॥

By engaging in devotional worship the mind of the Guru’s follower remains alert to the onslaught of Maya.

ਅਨਹਦ ਸੁਣਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

By reflecting on the Guru’s word and listening to the continuous divine melody,

ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨਿੑ ਭਏ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੀ ॥੭॥

his mind gets satiated, and by reflecting on the inner self, he becomes the embodiment of the formless God.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਦਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਸੋਈ ॥

When the mind becomes pure, it sees the same God both within himself and in the universe.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਭਗਤਿ ਭਾਉ ਧੁਨਿ ਹੋਈ ॥

Then loving adoration of God wells up in this Guru’s follower.

ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

By the Guru’s grace he always keeps singing God’s praises.

ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਦਿ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ॥੮॥

A Guru’s follower sees God in all hearts, who has been pervading even before all ages and will remain there after the end of all ages.

ਰਾਮ ਰਸਾਇਣਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਤਾ ॥

The mind becomes engrossed with the sublime elixir of God’s Name,

ਸਰਬ ਰਸਾਇਣੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਾਤਾ ॥

By following the Guru’s teachings, when one comes to realize God-the source sublime elixir.

ਭਗਤਿ ਹੇਤੁ ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥

Love for devotional worship wells up in the mind when it so obediently follows the Guru’s teachings, as if it is residing at the Guru’s feet.

ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਕੇ ਦਾਸਨਿ ਦਾਸਾ ॥੯॥੮॥

O’ Nanak, then it becomes the humble servant of God’s devotees. ||9