"I Surrender My Soul, My Breath Of Life, And My Wealth, To My Lord Master"

[Ishna]

Sat Sri Akaal

The following shabad is from Ang 400, translated by Dr Sant Singh Khalsa:

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
Āsā mėhlā 5.
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:


ਜਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਹਉ ਚੇਰੁਲੀ ਸੋ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥
Jā parabẖ kī ha▫o cẖerulī so sabẖ ṯe ūcẖā.
I am God's maid-servant; He is the highest of all.


ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਕਾਂਢੀਐ ਥੋਰਾ ਅਰੁ ਮੂਚਾ ॥੧॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ ṯā kā kāʼndẖī▫ai thorā ar mūcẖā. ||1||
All things, big and small, are said to belong to Him. ||1||


ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਧਨੋ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੀ ਮਨੀਆ ॥
Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
I surrender my soul, my breath of life, and my wealth, to my Lord Master.


ਨਾਮਿ ਜਿਸੈ ਕੈ ਊਜਲੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਦਾਸੀ ਗਨੀਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Through His Name, I become radiant; I am known as His slave. ||1||Pause||


ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ਅਨੰਦ ਮੈ ਨਾਉ ਮਾਣਕ ਹੀਰਾ ॥
veparvāhu anand mai nā▫o māṇak hīrā.
You are Carefree, the Embodiment of Bliss. Your Name is a gem, a jewel.


ਰਜੀ ਧਾਈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਤੂੰ ਮੀਰਾ ॥੨॥
Rajī ḏẖā▫ī saḏā sukẖ jā kā ṯūʼn mīrā. ||2||
One who has You as her Master, is satisfied, satiated and happy forever. ||2||


ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ਸੰਗ ਕੀ ਸੁਮਤਿ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵਉ ॥
Sakẖī saherī sang kī sumaṯ ḏariṛāva▫o.
O my companions and fellow maidens, please implant that balanced understanding within me.


ਸੇਵਹੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਭਾਉ ਕਰਿ ਤਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੩॥
Sevhu sāḏẖū bẖā▫o kar ṯa▫o niḏẖ har pāva▫o. ||3||
Serve the Holy Saints lovingly, and find the treasure of the Lord. ||3||


ਸਗਲੀ ਦਾਸੀ ਠਾਕੁਰੈ ਸਭ ਕਹਤੀ ਮੇਰਾ ॥
Saglī ḏāsī ṯẖākurai sabẖ kahṯī merā.
All are servants of the Lord Master, and all call Him their own.


ਜਿਸਹਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਸੁਖਹਿ ਬਸੇਰਾ ॥੪॥੧੫॥੧੧੭॥
Jisahi sīgāre nānkā ṯis sukẖėh baserā. ||4||15||117||
She alone dwells in peace, O Nanak, whom the Lord adorns. ||4||15||117||

​

What does it mean to you, to surrender your 'soul, breath of life, and wealth' to your Master?

It's translated differently by Bhai Manmohan Singh Ji:

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
Āsā mėhlā 5.
Asa 5th Guru.


ਜਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਹਉ ਚੇਰੁਲੀ ਸੋ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥
Jā parabẖ kī ha▫o cẖerulī so sabẖ ṯe ūcẖā.
The Lord whose hand maiden I am is the highest of all.


ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਕਾਂਢੀਐ ਥੋਰਾ ਅਰੁ ਮੂਚਾ ॥੧॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ ṯā kā kāʼndẖī▫ai thorā ar mūcẖā. ||1||
All the things small and big are said to be His.


ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਧਨੋ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੀ ਮਨੀਆ ॥
Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
My soul life and wealth are accepted as the Lord's own.


ਨਾਮਿ ਜਿਸੈ ਕੈ ਊਜਲੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਦਾਸੀ ਗਨੀਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I am accounted the maid servant of Him through whose Name I have become pure. Pause.


ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ਅਨੰਦ ਮੈ ਨਾਉ ਮਾਣਕ ਹੀਰਾ ॥
veparvāhu anand mai nā▫o māṇak hīrā.
Thou art care free and embodiment of bliss Thy Name is a jewel and a gem.


ਰਜੀ ਧਾਈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਤੂੰ ਮੀਰਾ ॥੨॥
Rajī ḏẖā▫ī saḏā sukẖ jā kā ṯūʼn mīrā. ||2||
Sated satiated and ever happy is she whose Master Thou art.


ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ਸੰਗ ਕੀ ਸੁਮਤਿ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵਉ ॥
Sakẖī saherī sang kī sumaṯ ḏariṛāva▫o.
Ye friends and maids of my association implant unto me right understanding.


ਸੇਵਹੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਭਾਉ ਕਰਿ ਤਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੩॥
Sevhu sāḏẖū bẖā▫o kar ṯa▫o niḏẖ har pāva▫o. ||3||
I serve the saints with love therefore obtain God's treasure.


ਸਗਲੀ ਦਾਸੀ ਠਾਕੁਰੈ ਸਭ ਕਹਤੀ ਮੇਰਾ ॥
Saglī ḏāsī ṯẖākurai sabẖ kahṯī merā.
All are the hand maidens of the Lord and all call His their own.


ਜਿਸਹਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਸੁਖਹਿ ਬਸੇਰਾ ॥੪॥੧੫॥੧੧੭॥
Jisahi sīgāre nānkā ṯis sukẖėh baserā. ||4||15||117||
She alone whom the Lord adorns O Nanak abides in peace.

​

The first translation is a willing surrender of what one perceives to be their own soul/breath, and wealth, but the second is an acknowledgement that it already belongs to the Master.

What is your understanding?

Thank you.

 

[Taranjeet singh]

The translation as given by sahib singh ji is as follows:

ਹੇ ਸਹੇਲੀਹੋ! ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦ ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਮੇਰਾ ਧਨ-ਪਦਾਰਥ-ਇਹ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਾਲਕ-ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੋਈ ਦਾਤਿ ਮੰਨਦੀ ਹਾਂ।

Translating it, it would mean that:

'I consider my soul, breath and my wealth to be the Gift of Lord.'

The translation of Sant Singh Khalsa leaves much to be desired.The work of Sahib Singh is considered to be more reliable and trustworthy..

 

[Ishna]

Thank you Taranjeet Ji, that's a very valuable contribution and makes so much more sense than the Dr's translation.

A really big piece of the puzzle is how the Dr translates the tuk as being 'active'... "I surrender my soul... like I could choose whether to keep it for myself or to give it to You... I have of my own will decided to do this..." whereas Sahib Singh's translation is more reflective, it's a realisation and acceptance.

 

[Taranjeet singh]

Thank you Taranjeet Ji, that's a very valuable contribution and makes so much more sense than the Dr's translation.

2.A really big piece of the puzzle is how the Dr translates the tuk as being 'active'... "I surrender my soul... like I could choose whether to keep it for myself or to give it to You... I have of my own will decided to do this..." whereas Sahib Singh's translation is more reflective, it's a realisation and acceptance.

Thanks for amplifying my contribution that is gratefully acknowledged.

Regarding second part ,I do agree with you and you are right, but let us analyse the reasons for this.

It may be noted that no translation can be as accurate and precise to reflect the meaning of a ‘tuk’ as we don’t have the context of the shabd in which it was penned by Guru sahibaan. Before replying to your question I had listened to the Katha /exegesis by Gyani Thakur Singh ji. But he is also silent in regard to the context of this shabd/line under discussion.

It is the reason that we are not able to extract the meaning of the shabd/tuk at first glance. Probably, the same difficulty is faced by the translators as subjectivity creeps in due to the perceptions of meanings by individuals /translators. Hence there will always remain difference in translations of various translators; however, meanings based on grammar are likely to be more accurate than others. Sahib Singh work is based on grammar.

It is not to suggest that we should abjure the work of other translators. They have done a great service to all of us by making us English translations available to us. We rely on them and in case of doubt we refer to Sahib Singh for reference that I find slightly time consuming as certain Punjabi words employed by him are also difficult to comprehend and therefore, we have to refer to Mohan Kosh for word meaning that makes the job onerous and, sometimes, abstruse.

Once one has learnt Punjabi, it makes the job easier to read but still it is time consuming for the reasons stated above.

 

[Luckysingh]

1) Bhai Manmohan Singh-

ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਧਨੋ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੀ ਮਨੀਆ ॥
Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
My soul life and wealth are accepted as the Lord's own.

ਨਾਮਿ ਜਿਸੈ ਕੈ ਊਜਲੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਦਾਸੀ ਗਨੀਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I am accounted the maid servant of Him through whose Name I have become pure. Pause.

2) Sant Singh Khalsa-

ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਧਨੋ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੀ ਮਨੀਆ ॥
Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
I surrender my soul, my breath of life, and my wealth, to my Lord Master.

ਨਾਮਿ ਜਿਸੈ ਕੈ ਊਜਲੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਦਾਸੀ ਗਨੀਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Through His Name, I become radiant; I am known as His slave. ||1||Pause||


Looking a little deeper into the two, I don't actually see much difference. It's just a different play of words.

REMEMBER- Gurbani is ''Agam Agadh Bodh'', meaning that it is Unreachable and Limitless. A treasure of unmeasurable depth.
Therefore, as we progress, the meanings and messages differ and get deeper and deeper.

Personally, for me, I can see and confirm just how different the message was a few years ago to today.

With the above, I can try and explain how i see them both quite similar and alike- Only when they are both delved into a little deeper.........

Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
My soul life and wealth are accepted as the Lord's own. (BMSingh)
Jī▫a parān merā ḏẖano sāhib kī manī▫ā.
I surrender my soul, my breath of life, and my wealth, to my Lord Master. (SSKhalsa)


Jia= I,my soul,my jeeva...
Paran= breath
mera=mine
dhano=wealth or riches one owns....
sahib= MASTER- the use of this is what helps imply the later use of the term slave, as in slave-master, and also maid servant. Sahib is also referred to as Lord or the doer, controller...
Ki Mania= to believe it to be, to willingly accept, to Affirm...

Therefore, if my Soul, breath and life are accepted or affirmed as Belonging to Him the doer,-then it is the same as submitting them to the same master.
For he is the maker, the owner, the decider, the one in charge...etc.
Think of a master, a dog and his bone. The bone is owned by the master because he is the one that got it for the dog. The dog knows this even though it is of practical play use for the dog only. So, whether the dog surrenders it as a slave or affirms that the master is the one in charge of it.... It is still the SAME message.


Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I am accounted the maid servant of Him through whose Name I have become pure. Pause. (BMSingh)
Nām jisai kai ūjlī ṯis ḏāsī ganī▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Through His Name, I become radiant; I am known as His slave. ||1||Pause|| (SSKhalsa)

dasi= Maid servant, slave,.. in line with sahib:dasi or master:maid/servant
gania= count myself, consider self worth..,.
ujli= Radiant, alive and glowing, and Pure in the sense of worthy/recognition/reflecting virtues of truth/cleansed and glowing....


I hope I was clear in my explaining for you to understand that both interpretations have their own purpose. I know that quite naturally, we tend to pick the one that looks easier on the surface at first few glances.

 

[angrisha]

I wonder if the difference lies in the word Paran, breath can be something we do consciously or it happens automatically. So maybe here in lies the surrender? (Just pure speculation on my part, Im only just starting to read Gurmukhi)

I think both translations are valuable, taken together it can be useful. Everything we have already belongs to the lord, but understanding and letting go is something we have to consciously be aware of. So both points are equally valid, if taken with in the context of Hukam. Understanding an actual application are two different things.

 

[Luckysingh]

Breath is the Core of Hukam.
No matter what we do, whether our ego makes us think it is self will or not, it cannot be done without the Breath-which is HIS will.

The breath will always be owned and determined by him Only.
It just our Ego that makes us think at times it is ours, which is why it is ALWAYS surrendered to the owner and maker. It's not as if you can decide to surrender it.