Gems of Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib - 11

 In his last phase of life Guru Nanak ji settled at Kartarpur and it is believed that he   wrote there his last composition barah maha in rag Tukhari. Traditionally barah maha is literary form of folklore nature that is sung to express the intense feelings of separated lovers and the back ground is the changing season of the year. The separation becomes unbearable in the seasons where Papiha a crested cuckoo starts calling his mate and keeps saying priye-priye and the koyal the black cuckoo starts singing to call mate in the seasons nearing rains. This folklore art has been used by Guru Nanakji to establish his love relationship with the Almighty. The shingar-ras is used to express the intense feeling and the focus here is woman as the separation from him becomes unbearable. The bara maha composed by Guru Nanak is a beautiful composition that immortalizes the love of a beloved for spouse (Almighty) and becomes inspirations to several poets to write in his style and how a popular folklore art can be used to associate spiritually. To establish relationship with Almighty the woman in form of beloved becomes figure because the emotions of pride and careless attitude that takes the beloved away from her and he stops paying attention to her and when she sees that other married realizes her folly and tries to do away with her ego and with that the desire to have her separated spouse back, she starts singing her praises for him. Ultimately there is union between her and the beloved. This composition is spread over several pages from page 1107 to 1113 in Guru Granth Sahib. We will take the verses specific to months only. Though to understand the beauty of expressions, feelings and self-understanding of follies, whole of the composition is worth reading. Nanak varse amrit bani kari kirpa ghar aveh II Nanak, when the ambrosial Gurbani rains the Lord graciously comes into my home.

Chet basant bhala bhavar suhavade II ban phule manjh baar me pir ghar bahude II pir ghar nahin aveh dhan kiyon such pave birah borodh tan chhije I

In chet the season is agreeable with beautiful bumble bees around. The forests start blooming in front of my door. May my beloved come home! The separation is withering her body.

Vaisakh bhala sakha ves kare II dhan dekhe har duar aweh daya kareh II ghar aao piyare dutar tare tud bin adh na mele II

Pleasant is vaisakh when the tree-bough adorns itself new. The bride will be thankful to see her Lord if He takes pity and come to her door. Come home my Beloved! Ferry me across the difficult world ocean. Without thee I am not worth a shell.

Maah Jeth bhala pritam kiyon visare II thal tape sar bhar sadhan binyo kare II dhan binyo karedi gun sare di gun sari prabh bhava II

Sublime is the month of Jeth. Why should I forget my beloved? The earth burns like a furnace. The bride prays to her Lord. She sings His praises by praying to Him she becomes pleasing to Him.

Asad bhala suraj gagan tape II dharti dukh sahe sokhe agan bhakhe II mariye dhokhe bhi  so kirat na haare II rath phire chhaiya teed lave manjh bare II avgun badh chali dukh aage such tin saach samale II

The month of asad is good the sun is blazing in the sky. The earth suffers sorrow and is parched and heated like furnace. The heat dries up moisture and men die in anxiety even then the sun wearies not in his task. The sun’s chariot moves on and the wife looks for shade and the grass hopper chirps in the forest. She who departs tying the bundle of sins suffers hereafter but she who remembers the true Lord comes to peace.

To continue……