Gems of Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib

Sukhmani Sahib – 12 

O merit-less and ignorant mortal (In Sikhism a mortal is known as Jeev or prani) meditate on that Lord’s Name who has brought you to this world (It is believed in the spiritual world that birth can take place only if God wills). If you remember that your birth was His Will O Nanak Lord alone will be your company.

Ashtapadi 4 begins: O mortal think of that Beauteous Lord and His excellent qualities and your origin (Birth) that gives you looks what you are and that He has done for you. He has not only adorned and bedecked you but has taken care of you in the fire of womb. When you were an infant he has provided milk for your, in your youth He has given you food, comfort and understanding and when you grow old He provides you with relations and friends who can take care of you and give food into your mouth. This merit less (nirgun) mortal does not appreciate all these goodness done to Him. Nanak says; only ‘You O Lord can pardon him so that he gets emancipated’ (pad 1).

By Whose Grace you have made your life comfortable on this earth and enjoy the company of sons, brothers, friends and wife. By whose favours you drink cool water, cool wind soothes you and you use priceless fire, by Whose favour you are enjoying all the materials of the world, Who gave you hands, feet, ears, eyes and tongue and you O mortal you forsake all these and get attracted to others and sins are clinging to you O foolish mortal that Nanak says; O Lord, You Yourself only can save him (pad 2).  

From begin of this world and till there is no end when He will be protecting you O you ignorant mortal and you don’t love Him. From Whose service you have earned the nine treasures of this world and the fool does not even apply his mind. The Immortal Lord Who is forever and ever present the blind thinks to be far away. If the mortal serves Him he can attain honour in His Court but the ignorant fool forgets Him and makes error upon error. O Nanak the Infinite Lord is the only saviour (pad 3).

Abandoning the jewel (One Primal Lord) man is engrossed with the shells (Kauri type of shell that was used as money for barter but had very low value so it was used for cheap items, whereas jewels were used for exchange of price worthy items). He renounces Truth (God is the ultimate Truth of this world according to Guru Nanak) and is pleased with falsehood (here it applies to all those who disguise as holy men to exploit people and also the multiplicity of Gods that has taken people to believe in superstitions and blind faith in belief of fate). What he has to leave  (human body) that he deems everlasting, what he has to part (wealth, riches, jewels, power, property) he toils after them. He spurns Him who may be ever with him as Helper. The donkey loves ashes and washes the sandalwood paste if applied and so is the condition of the mortal because he has fallen into the terrible blind well (of ignorance ---pad 4).