Gems of Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib

Sukhmani Sahib   54

Ashtapadi 23 continues…He, Himself is Truth and true is all that He has made. From this True Lord the whole world (His entire Creation) has originated. When it pleases Him, he expands the Creation and when it pleases Him, He becomes One again. Manifold are His powers which cannot be fathomed. He unites with Himself whomsoever He pleases. Who is near and who is far distant from Him cannot be said (this is to deny the claim of certain so called Saints and holy men or priests who say they are closer to God or have direct communication with Him). He is all by Himself, He is fully pervading everywhere. Nanak says God alone causes that understanding in man to know that He is within Him, without His instructions it does not become clear (Pad 5).

Amongst all the living forms He expresses Himself, from their eyes He sees everything. The whole creation is His Body. He even listens to His own praises. Coming and going in this world is like a play to Him, He has made illusions subservient to Himself, yet He remains unattached. Whatever has to be said He does it His own ways. He orders man to come and orders Him to go again. Nanak says when it pleases Him, He blends the mortal with Himself (pad 6).

Whatever comes from Him cannot be bad. He alone does everything, say, has anyone else done anything? He Himself is good and better is His acts. He alone knows what goes in His mind. He Himself is True and True are all things that He has stationed in this world. He has merged Himself like warp and woof in this world and we cannot even know His extent and condition. If there were another like Him then we could guess. Whatever He does shall be accepted as it is, to this conclusion Nanak has come by the grace of Guru (pad 7).

He who knows Him obtains eternal peace. The Lord blends him with Himself. He in whose Illustrious God abides becomes wealthy, of high family, honourable and obtains salvation in this life. Blessed, blessed, blessed is the advent of Lord’s serf by whose grace the entire world is saved. The object of advent of Lord’s serf is this that in His Company the Lord’s Name shall be remembered. He, himself is emancipated and emancipates the whole world. To this slave of Lord, Nanak pays his obeisance (pad 8).

 (I don’t know about the opinion of other historians or experts but I have a very strong feeling that Guru Arjun Devji has written the above pad in honour of Guru Nanak Devji).