No ill-wind shall harm you.
As the sight of a boat on stormy seas
As the light of a lamp in the dark
As the warmth of fire in winter’s cold
Does prayer bring solace to the soul.
The thirst of your soul will be quenched
Your hopes fulfilled
Your mind will cease to wander
For nectar is the name of the Lord
And the friendship of godly men.
The healing balm of prayer is given only to him
To whom the Lord is gracious and grants the boon.
Those whose hearts echo the name of the Lord Hari
Their sorrow and pain, O Nanak, are banished.
* * *
Bhuj bal bir brahma sukh sagar
O Lord of Mighty Arms,
Creator of all things,
O Ocean of peace!
Take me by my hand and raise me
Who am fallen in a pit.
My ears hear not
My eyes have lost their light
I am crippled, afflicted
Like a leper I come stumbling to Your door
And cry for help.
You are the Lord of the fallen,
Above You there is no Lord
O Compassionate One,
You are my Companion, Friend, Father and Mother.
Let Nanak bear the imprint of Your feet in his heart.
Let Your saints ferry me across the fearful ocean of life.
* * *
Jeh man mai karat gumana
When man has pride in his heart
He wanders around like one possessed.
When he is like dust under the feet of others
He then knows that God is in every heart.
The reward of humility is knowledge of the gentle path
It is the gift the True Guru gave me.
When a man looks down upon others as lowly
He becomes full of fraud and deceit,
When he has no care of ‘mine’ and ’thine’
Then none bears him ill-will.
When he claims ‘this is mine’ and ’this too is mine,’
His troubles weigh heavy on him,
When he recognizes Him Who is his Creator
Then he is not burnt with envy.
When he is bound by bonds of desire
He comes and goes and is under the eyes of Yama,
When he has shaken off all delusion
God holds back no secrets from him.
If he keeps secrets from the Lord
Then for him is pain, suffering and punishment,
When he recognises Him as One, the Only One
He comprehends all he needs to know.
When he madly seeks wealth
He is neither satisfied nor is his craving lessened,
When he frees himself of such desires
Then Lakshmi, the lotus goddess of wealth, walks in his train.
If by His Grace he meets the True Guru
In the temple of his heart the lamp is lit,
When he is indifferent to victory and defeat
Then alone he knows the Truth.
He alone is the Doer, He alone makes us do
He has wisdom, thought and discretion
He is not far, He is not near
Yet He is with everyone.
Says Nanak, worship the Truth with all your heart.
* * *
Prithmai tyagi haumai rit
I discarded the love of self
And the ways of the world,
I gave up distinction between friend and foe
And was blessed with knowledge to recognise the godly.
In the cave of sahaj I sat in meditation
Saw the light, heard divine music
And pondered over the word in utter bliss.
I was the blessed bride taken by the Lord.
Nanak, your servant who has thought much about this, says:
He who listens and then acts
Lands safely on the other shore.
For him there is no more birth and death, no more coming and going.
With the Hari he is one forever.
* * *
Gun avgun mero kachu na bichario
My merits and demerits You did no reckon
Nor looked upon my face, complexion or adornment.
I knew no winsome ways nor manner of deportment
But You took me by the hand and drew me to Your bed.
Listen my friends—My Groom has become my Master
He puts his hand upon my forehead and calls me His own.
What know the foolish men of the world?
Now has my union been consummated
My Groom knows my sorrows and has dispelled them.
The moonlight shines in my courtyard
Night and day I live in ecstasy with my Love.
I glitter with jewels and garlands of flowers.
My Love looks at me and I have the wealth of the world.
I have no fear of the wicked demons.
I am eternally happy and full of joy—
I have found Truth in my home.
Says Nanak: She who has adorned herself for the Lord
Hers is the true consummation.
* * *
Jaise kirsan bovai kirsani
As a farmer sows his field
And mows it at his will
Be it green or ripe,
So does the Lord take at His will
All that is born
And dies.
Only the worshipper of Govind is immortal.
The day is followed by the night
The night passes and comes the dawn,
But the wretched sleep in maya’s delusion,
Only the rare ones are roused
By the Grace of the Guru.
O Nanak, forever sing praise of the Lord
It cleanses the heart and illumines the face.
* * *
Jan tun sahib tan bhau keha
What fear have I when You are my Master,
Who else shall I worship?
If I have You I have everything,
I look to no other.
Lord, much venom have I seen in the world,
You are my Shepherd, my Protector,
Your Name is my comfort
You know the anguish in my heart
To whom shall I tell my sorrow?
Without Your Name the world is in turmoil,
Only those who take Your Name find peace.
What shall I say? Who will listen to me?
The Lord alone can speak.
You are the Maker.
Forever and ever You are my hope,
In making me great, You magnify Your greatness,
Now and always it is You I will worship.
Nanak’ s Lord is the constant Giver of Joy.
His Name is my only strength.
* * *
Subh chintan gobin raman, nirmal sadhu sang
O Lord, grant me these: purity of thought,
Will to worship, company of godly men,
And the power never to forget You for even a moment.
The night is damp with drops of dew
Stars twinkle in the sky,
Those beloved of the Lord are risen
For those the Lord loves are ever awake.
Night and day His Name is on their lips
In their hearts rest His lotus feet
Their thoughts never stray from Him.
Abandon pride and lust, they silt the mind
And smother it in the smoke of sorrow.
Nanak says, Those that love the Lord are ever awake.
* * *
Meri sejarye adambar baniya
Upon my bed I awaited His coming,
My heart leaped with joy when I heard His footsteps.
He came to me, He Who is my Lord and Master.
My desires were fulfilled, I was w
ith joy replete.
He took me in His arms, limb to limb we lay
And my anguish was gone.
My life, my soul, my body were all refreshed.
My wishes were granted; I worshipped Him.
Blessed was the hour I met Him.
Says Nanak: I have met the Lord of Lakshmi
And joy all is mine.
My companions ask me, by what signs did I know He was my Master?
Filled with ecstasy, I could not utter a word in reply.
His goodness is profound and hidden.
Even books of wisdom know not His dimensions.
With love worship Him and meditate on His Name
And ever let your voice be raised in His praise.
Our Lord is with virtues replete, His knowledge is supreme and complete.
Says Nanak, she who is filled with His love
Goes gently to His bed to rest.
* * *
Nadi tarandri mainda khoj na khumbe
Deep the waters of the stream,
I cannot swim, my feet no foothold find.
I shall ferry across for I am full of love
On the Lord’s feet is fixed my mind.
O Nanak, my love is the Boatman.
Only them will I call my friends
At whose sight evil thoughts disappear;
I have sought them over all the world,
O Nanak, such men are very rare.
Let the Master be in your thoughts,
His worshippers have seen Him.
Keep the company of godly men
Then shall your sorrows end, your heart be clean.
The saintly break the fetters
At their sight devils scatter and hide,
They make us fall in love with Him
By Whose Will we all abide.
High is His seat, the highest of all;
It is beyond reach, there is nothing beyond it.
Day and night your hands in prayer join
With every breath bring the Lord to mind.
If He be gracious, He shall grant us the company of the godly.
* * *
Bar vidanre humas dhumas
Dense and terrifying is the forest,
Petrifying the stillness before the storm,
Screams of terror assail the wayfarers’ ears.
You are our Leader; I hold tight the rope and follow
And thus, O Nanak, traverse the wild woodland.
Those in whose company our voices rise in prayer
Are verily our true companions.
O Nanak, shun the friendship of those
Who think of nothing but themselves.
That time is auspicious when we enter the presence of the True Guru
When we befriend the godly and sorrows do not assail us
When we find blessed rest and escape the cycle of birth and death;
For then we see the One Creator wherever we turn our gaze
We know the supreme wisdom of turning our thoughts on God
We know that the best speech is the words of prayer
We know His commandments and find joy in submission.
Such the Lord treasures, for such are of the true mint.
* * *
Bajigar jaise baji pae
As a performings juggler
Acts many parts, wears many disguises
And takes off his mask when the show is done
So is our Creator one, the only One.
What forms he brings into being
And then does banish?
From whence do they come
Where do they vanish?
Countless waves rise from the waters
Many an ornament is made from gold,
Whenever a seed is sown,
It ripens into many fruits, though the seed is one.
The same Light of Heaven is reflected in water
In a hundred pitchers contained,
The pitchers may burst
But the light remains.
Maya deludes, it creates greed and desire,
When freed of delusion we see
The Creator is One.
He is immortal, He does not die.
He did not come, He will not go.
I have met the Guru
He cleansed my mind of the ego.
Says Nanak: So was I saved
Thus did I achieve supreme salvation.
* * *
Umkio hio milan prabh tain
My heart leaped up to behold the Lord
I heard of His coming, in my heart made His cot,
I went out to meet my Beloved
I wandered everywhere but saw Him not.
O poor heart, how wilt thou get peace of mind?
I will give my life if the Lord I find.
One couch is spread for the Lord and wife.
She slumbers, Her Lord awaits ever awake
But like one drunk she sleeps.
If the Lord embrace her, she too will wake.
I am without hope, many days have passed
In many lands and continents did I seek Him.
I cannot live if I clasp not His blessed feet
If He be kind, my fortune will turn and we shall meet.
He was good and gave me the company of the true
And my restless wanderings did then cease.
In my house I found my Lord
All my adornments do Him please.
Says Nanak: The Guru has lifted illusion’s veil.
Whichever way I turn, O brother, I see my Lord
The doors of ignorance are thrown asunder
The restless mind has ceased to wander.
* * *
Ghar meh thakar nadar na avai
The Master is in the home, but we do not see Him
His image in stone round our necks we wear
Deluded by maya everywhere we wander
Churn water in hope of butter, kill ourselves with
The stone that we the Master call
That stone itself will be our fall.
Sinners we are, to our Master’s salt untrue
We cannot cross in a boat that of stone is made.
Nanak met the Guru and then knew his Master
He prevades the earth, the sky and water.
* * *
Ek rup saglo pasara
He is One but does in all things pervade
He is the merchandise, His is the trade.
This truth only the rare ones learn
He is present whichever way we turn.
He has many hues, yet He is of one colour
He is the water and the wave
He is the temple and is the God therein
He is the priest, He is the prayer
He is the yogi, He is the Yoga.
The Lord of Nanak in all things you see
Yet the Lord is from all things free.
* * *
Mrit mandal jag sajiya
The world He created as a house of slaughter
Like castles of sand children make, it lasts not long
It rots as paper under the drip-drop of water.
See for yourself, in your mind weigh:
Yogis, men of action, and householders,
Have left their homes and belongings and gone their way.
As a dream at night, the world is such
And all you see must perish.
O Fool, why love you this world so much?
Open wide your eyes, see and learn:
Your friends and brothers in the shade are gone,
Some have left, others await their turn.
Only those who have served the Lord absolute
Find their places at Hari’s gates
They stand firm (and will not be turned away).
Nanak is the servant of the Lord
O destroyer of Evil, protect him.
* * *
Prabh ji tun mere pran adhare
O Lord, You are the hope of my life,
You I greet, b
efore You I prostrate myself
To You I offer salutations, to You I make sacrifice.
Seated or standing, in sleep or in waking
My thoughts ever turn to You.
My sorrows and joys, all that passes in my heart
I bring to You.
You are my support, my strength, my knowledge,
My wealth are You and all the kinsmen I have.
Says Nanak: What You do is for the best
He finds peace at the sight of Your feet.
* * *
Hamro subhao sada sad bhulan
It is in our nature ever to sin,
And in Yours to redeem us.
* * *
Kahe re man chitvahi udmu
Why dear heart are you worried about what to do
When the good Lord Himself provides sustenance for you.
Creatures among rocks and boulders He created,
Before them, their means of living He placed.
* * *
Mere madhao ji
Beloved Madhava! One who keeps company of saintly men is saved
By Your grace, above others he is placed;
As out of dead wood,
Green leaves sprout.
* * *
Janani pita lok sut banita
Mother, father, kinsmen or wife
None will abide with you all your life!
The Lord provides for all mankind
Why then harbour fear within your mind?
* * *
Ude udi aavey se kosa
As geese and swans fly hundred and hundreds of miles
Leaving their young behind!
Who feeds them? Who nurtures them?
They know and remember Him all the time.
* * *
Sabhi nidhan das asat sidhan
All nine treasures and eighteen occult powers
Are in the palms of our Lord and Master,
For Him, will Nanak sacrifice his life over and over again.
There is no end to your existence
Unmeasured forever will remain your domain.
* * *
Bhai parpati manukh dehuriya
You have been granted the human form
Now is the time to meet your Lord Govinda!
No other activity will be of any avail
In the company of the holy, sing praises of the name.
* * *
Saranjami lagu bhavjal taran kai
Prepare yourself to swim across the fearful life’s ocean
Do not waste life by dabbling in colourful illusions.
* * *
Japu tapu sanjmu dharmu na kamaiya
We have not earned merit through prayer or penance
Nor exercised control over our minds;
Nor performed sacred duties assigned to us,
Neither have we served men of God;
We are lowly, says Nanak, our acts those of sinners,
We seek refuge in you, so save our honour.
* * *
Tera keeta jaato nahi
All that you have done for me is beyond my comprehension,