Dear Khalsa Ji,
Through this post, I share with you, my understanding of the 4th Pauri of Anand Sahib.
1. swcw nwmu myrw AwDwro ] saachaa naam mayraa aaDhaaro.
The name of ‘The Sat’ (the true name) is my base i.e. foundation of my being.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is instructing me to make me realise that all that one is, is due to the support that comes from ‘The Sat’. Truth should be the basis of my life. Guru Sahib has used Naam, because there is no word that can convey what ‘The Sat’ is.
2 swcu nwmu ADwru myrw ijin BuKw siB gvweIAw ] saach naam aDhaar mayraa jin bhukhaa sabh gavaa-ee-aa.
True Naam is my base that has quenched all desires.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is telling me that his wants and desires of this world are lost because of the Naam of ‘The Sat’ being his support.
In the earlier Pauris of Anand Sahib, Guru Sahib has already told me that my mind should be residence of the Naam i.e. my thoughts should be that of ‘The Sat’, my mind should be imbued with Naam. When this happens, all my thoughts, spoken words and physical actions, all will be pure; I will not have any hunger for the intended object of desire. The craving will be lost; I will not be attached to desires; I will become a contented person. This craving resulting for desires Guru Sahib has referred to as Bukh i.e. hunger in this Pauri.
3. kir sWiq suK min Awie visAw ijin ieCw siB pujweIAw ] kar saaNt sukh man aa-ay vasi-aa jin ichhaa sabh pujaa-ee-aa.
Having brought peace to the mind, the feeling of blissful happiness comes to mind, which quenches all the desired.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is telling me that with the disciplined mind, its flights and wandering that brings restlessness in life disappear. The resulting contentedness creates the feeling of blissful happiness (Sukh), which is so over powering that there is no desire left in the mind all desires get quenched.
4 sdw kurbwxu kIqw gurU ivthu ijs dIAw eyih vifAweIAw ] sadaa kurbaan keetaa guroo vitahu jis dee-aa ayhi vadi-aa-ee-aa.
Forever sacrifice to the Guru to whom this greatness belongs.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is overwhelmed by the greatness of the guru (The Sat) from whom he has learnt all this and says that he remains sacrificed to this great Guru. In other words Guru Sahib wants me to dedicate my life to ‘The Sat’.
I understand that the implied meaning of ‘sacrificing my life’ is that my life should pure, free from attachments, full of compassion, with genuine humility; I should mentally own nothing and desire nothing, as all that I have really belongs to ‘The Sat’ who is the only giver; I am only a temporary custodian of what ‘The Sat’ gives me; I should serve what ‘The Sat’ has created – living and non-living – with love without expecting any thing in return. All this I must do using what I earn through Kirt; I should be socially useful, give more to the society than what I draw from it. What is sacrifices is the worldly life driven by desires and attachments.
5. khY nwnku suxhu sMqhu sbid Drhu ipAwro ] kahai naanak sunhu santahu sabad Dharahu pi-aaro.
Nanak says, listen O Saints enshrine love for Shabad.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is telling me that love for all that is expression of ‘The Sat’ (Shabad) should permeate all of my being. My life should be a true expression of this state of being.
6. swcw nwmu myrw AwDwro ]4] saachaa naam mayraa aaDhaaro. ||4||
The name of ‘The Sat’ (the true name) is my base i.e. my foundation.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib is emphasising once again what he has said in the first sentence of this Pauri. Truth should be the basis of my life.
With this I close.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal
