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The stork does not fare well in Gurbani. All the Gurus who sing of the stork compare the bird to a fraud, someone making a pretense of meditation and samadhi. So sitting like a stork within the Congregation of the Holy is something of a joke for Guruji. ਇਕਿ ਅਪਣੈ ਸੁਆਇ ਆਇ ਬਹਹਿ ਗੁਰ ਆਗੈ ਜਿਉ ਬਗੁਲ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਈਐ ॥੩॥ eik apanai suaae aae behehi gur aagai jio bagul samaadhh lagaaeeai ||3|| Some come for their own purposes, and sit before the Guru; they pretend to be in Samaadhi, like storks with their eyes closed. ||3||
The sparrow hawk. The hawk is mentioned only 5 times in Gurbani. There are two different ways that the hawk is understood. Here is one way: ਸੀਚਾਨੇ ਜਿਉ ਪੰਖੀਆ ਜਾਲੀ ਬਧਿਕ ਹਾਥਿ ॥ seechaanae jio pankheeaa jaalee badhhik haathh || Think of the hawk preying on the birds, and the net in the hands of the hunter. ਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖੇ ਸੇ ਉਬਰੇ ਹੋਰਿ ਫਾਥੇ ਚੋਗੈ ਸਾਥਿ ॥ gur raakhae sae oubarae hor faathhae chogai saathh || Those who are protected by the Guru are saved; the others are caught by the bait. And this is the other vision of the hawk, from Sheik Farid: ਫਰੀਦਾ ਦਰੀਆਵੈ ਕੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਬਗੁਲਾ ਬੈਠਾ ਕੇਲ ਕਰੇ ॥ fareedhaa dhareeaavai kannhai bagulaa baithaa kael karae || Fareed, the crane perches on the river bank, playing joyfully. ਕੇਲ ਕਰੇਦੇ ਹੰਝ ਨੋ ਅਚਿੰਤੇ ਬਾਜ ਪਏ ॥ kael karaedhae hanjh no achinthae baaj peae || While it is playing, a hawk suddenly pounces on it. ਬਾਜ ਪਏ ਤਿਸੁ ਰਬ ਦੇ ਕੇਲਾਂ ਵਿਸਰੀਆਂ ॥ baaj peae this rab dhae kaelaan visareeaaan || When the Hawk of God attacks, playful sport is forgotten. ਜੋ ਮਨਿ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਚੇਤੇ ਸਨਿ ਸੋ ਗਾਲੀ ਰਬ ਕੀਆਂ ॥੯੯॥ jo man chith n chaethae san so gaalee rab keeaaan ||99|| God does what is not expected or even considered. ||99||
The owl is mentioned only one time by Guruji. In the Western tradition, the owl symbolizes wisdom, a keeness of sight perhaps the basis for this belief. Thus, going far back into pagan times and even today, the owl is understood to be a familiar of other planes of knowledge. An owl might be the companion of a witch, sorcerer or shaman. We say "wise as an owl." However, in Gurbani the owl is seen quite differently. The owl is not seen as wise. ਸੰਪਤ ਦੋਲ ਝੋਲ ਸੰਗਿ ਝੂਲਤ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਗਨ ਭ੍ਰਮਤ ਘੁਘਨਾ ॥ sanpath dhol jhol sang jhoolath maaeiaa magan bhramath ghughanaa || You swing in the swing of wealth, intoxicated with Maya, and you wander around like an owl. In the old Punjab, to see an owl perched on the rooftop of a house or on a tree nearby was considered to be a bad omen, perhaps even predicting a death, but certainly indicating that the events of the day would come to a sad end.
ਚਕਵੀ ਸੂਰ ਸਨੇਹੁ ਚਿਤਵੈ ਆਸ ਘਣੀ ਕਦਿ ਦਿਨੀਅਰੁ ਦੇਖੀਐ ॥ chakavee soor sanaehu chithavai aas ghanee kadh dhineear dhaekheeai || The chakvi bird is in love with the sun, and thinks of it constantly; her greatest longing is to behold the dawn.
The stork does not fare well in Gurbani. All the Gurus who sing of the stork compare the bird to a fraud, someone making a pretense of meditation and samadhi. So sitting like a stork within the Congregation of the Holy is something of a joke for Guruji. ਇਕਿ ਅਪਣੈ ਸੁਆਇ ਆਇ ਬਹਹਿ ਗੁਰ ਆਗੈ ਜਿਉ ਬਗੁਲ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਈਐ ॥੩॥ eik apanai suaae aae behehi gur aagai jio bagul samaadhh lagaaeeai ||3|| Some come for their own purposes, and sit before the Guru; they pretend to be in Samaadhi, like storks with their eyes closed. ||3||
The cuckoo, member of the family of chatriks, whose photo was taken in the Haryana National Park. ਆਨ ਜਲਾ ਸਿਉ ਕਾਜੁ ਨ ਕਛੂਐ ਹਰਿ ਬੂੰਦ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕ ਕਉ ਦੀਜੈ ॥੧॥ aan jalaa sio kaaj n kashhooai har boondh chaathrik ko dheejai ||1|| I am not concerned with any other water; please bless this songbird with a Drop of Your Water, Lord. ||1||
ਸਰਵਰ ਮਹਿ ਹੰਸੁ ਪ੍ਰਾਨਪਤਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੧॥ saravar mehi hans praanapath paavai ||1|| Within this pool, the swans find their Lord, the Lord of their souls. ||1||
The crane stands on one leg so gingerly and with such focus and concentration. Guru Nanak Dev often compared the crane to a sidh who stood on one leg in focused meditation. ਉਦਕ ਮਾਹਿ ਜੈਸੇ ਬਗੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਮਾਡੈ ॥੧॥ oudhak maahi jaisae bag dhhiaan maaddai ||1|| The heron appears to be meditating, but it is concentrating on the water. ||1||
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The stork does not fare well in Gurbani. All the Gurus who sing of the stork compare the bird to a fraud, someone making a pretense of meditation and samadhi. So sitting like a stork within the Congregation of the Holy is something of a joke for Guruji. ਇਕਿ ਅਪਣੈ ਸੁਆਇ ਆਇ ਬਹਹਿ ਗੁਰ ਆਗੈ ਜਿਉ ਬਗੁਲ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਲਗਾਈਐ ॥੩॥ eik apanai suaae aae behehi gur aagai jio bagul samaadhh lagaaeeai ||3|| Some come for their own purposes, and sit before the Guru; they pretend to be in Samaadhi, like storks with their eyes closed. ||3||

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