What Does This Shabad Mean To You?

[ActsOfGod]

Would like to hear everyone's personal interpretations of this shabad. What does it mean to you, what does it say to you personally? Thank you everyone.


ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥(783-16)
soohee mehlaa 5
Soohee, Fifth Mehl

ਸੰਤਾ ਕੇ ਕਾਰਜਿ ਆਪਿ ਖਲੋਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਕੰਮੁ ਕਰਾਵਣਿ ਆਇਆ ਰਾਮ
santaa kay kaaraj aap khalo-i-aa har kamm karaavan aa-i-aa raam.
The Lord Himself has stood up to resolve the affairs of the Saints; He has come to complete their tasks.

ਧਰਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਵੀ ਤਾਲੁ ਸੁਹਾਵਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਜਲੁ ਛਾਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥
Dharat suhaavee taal suhaavaa vich amrit jal chhaa-i-aa raam.
The land is beautiful, and the pool is beautiful; within it is contained the Ambrosial Water.

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਜਲੁ ਛਾਇਆ ਪੂਰਨ ਸਾਜੁ ਕਰਾਇਆ ਸਗਲ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਪੂਰੇ ॥
amrit jal chhaa-i-aa pooran saaj karaa-i-aa sagal manorath pooray.
The Ambrosial Water is filling it, and my job is perfectly complete; all my desires are fulfilled.

ਜੈ ਜੈ ਕਾਰੁ ਭਇਆ ਜਗ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਲਾਥੇ ਸਗਲ ਵਿਸੂਰੇ ॥
jai jai kaar bha-i-aa jag antar laathay sagal visooray.
Congratulations are pouring in from all over the world; all my sorrows are eliminated.

ਪੂਰਨ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਚੁਤ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਜਸੁ ਵੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਣੀ ਗਾਇਆ ॥
pooran purakh achut abhinaasee jas vayd puraanee gaa-i-aa.
The Vedas and the Puraanas sing the Praises of the Perfect, Unchanging, Imperishable Primal Lord.

ਅਪਨਾ ਬਿਰਦੁ ਰਖਿਆ ਪਰਮੇਸਰਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥੧॥
apnaa birad rakhi-aa parmaysar naanak naam Dhi-aa-i-aa. ||1||
The Transcendent Lord has kept His promise, and confirmed His nature; Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||

 

[Sherdil]

The literal meaning of Amrit is the ambrosial nectar the Hindu devtas drank to achieve immortality.

Guru ji is saying that the Amrit is all around us. By grasping it, we achieve immortality and escape the cycle of birth and death.

This Amrit is given to us by the divine. He is the one who allows us to understand. It is the knowledge of the essence of reality.

 

[Ishna]

Thanks for a great topic AoG Ji!

As I read the other paurhis which go with this shabad, my thoughts went in several directions. At times it seems like Guru Arjan Sahib is talking about the physical sarovar around Harmandir Sahib, but at other times the meaning seems to be coming back to the theme of the human condition, when it's likened to a body-village, city or palace. Our own selves have this amrit pool ready to go, our Creator made it so.

Oh, and I love the way we now have our very own "Lord's Prayer" in that final paurhi.

Here are the paurhis continuing on from the OP to complete the shabad:

ਨਵ ਨਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਰਿਧਿ ਦੀਨੇ ਕਰਤੇ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਕਾਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
Nav niḏẖ siḏẖ riḏẖ ḏīne karṯe ṯot na āvai kā▫ī rām.
The Creator has given me the nine treasures, wealth and spiritual powers, and I do not lack anything.


ਖਾਤ ਖਰਚਤ ਬਿਲਛਤ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਰਤੇ ਕੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਸਵਾਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
Kẖāṯ kẖarcẖaṯ bilcẖẖaṯ sukẖ pā▫i▫ā karṯe kī ḏāṯ savā▫ī rām.
Eating, spending and enjoying, I have found peace; the gifts of the Creator Lord continually increase.

ਦਾਤਿ ਸਵਾਈ ਨਿਖੁਟਿ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Ḏāṯ savā▫ī nikẖut na jā▫ī anṯarjāmī pā▫i▫ā.
His gifts increase and shall never be exhausted; I have found the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.

ਕੋਟਿ ਬਿਘਨ ਸਗਲੇ ਉਠਿ ਨਾਠੇ ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਨੇੜੈ ਆਇਆ ॥
Kot bigẖan sagle uṯẖ nāṯẖe ḏūkẖ na neṛai ā▫i▫ā.
Millions of obstacles have all been removed, and pain does not even approach me.

ਸਾਂਤਿ ਸਹਜ ਆਨੰਦ ਘਨੇਰੇ ਬਿਨਸੀ ਭੂਖ ਸਬਾਈ ॥
Sāʼnṯ sahj ānanḏ gẖanere binsī bẖūkẖ sabā▫ī.
Tranquility, peace, poise and bliss in abundance prevail, and all my hunger is satisfied.

ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕੇ ਅਚਰਜੁ ਜਿਸੁ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਰਾਮ ॥੨॥
Nānak guṇ gāvahi su▫āmī ke acẖraj jis vadi▫ā▫ī rām. ||2||
Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of his Lord and Master, whose Glorious Greatness is wonderful and amazing. ||2||

ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਕਾਰਜੁ ਤਿਨ ਹੀ ਕੀਆ ਮਾਣਸੁ ਕਿਆ ਵੇਚਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
Jis kā kāraj ṯin hī kī▫ā māṇas ki▫ā vecẖārā rām.
It was His job, and He has done it; what can the mere mortal being do?

ਭਗਤ ਸੋਹਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਜੈਕਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
Bẖagaṯ sohan har ke guṇ gāvahi saḏā karahi jaikārā rām.
The devotees are adorned, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; they proclaim His eternal victory.

ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਅਨਦ ਉਪਜੇ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨੀ ॥
Guṇ gā▫e gobinḏ anaḏ upje sāḏẖsangaṯ sang banī.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, bliss wells up, and we are friends with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.

ਜਿਨਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਕੀਆ ਤਾਲ ਕੇਰਾ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਉਪਮਾ ਕਿਆ ਗਨੀ ॥
Jin uḏam kī▫ā ṯāl kerā ṯis kī upmā ki▫ā ganī.
He who made the effort to construct this sacred pool - how can his praises be recounted?

ਅਠਸਠਿ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੁੰਨ ਕਿਰਿਆ ਮਹਾ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਚਾਰਾ ॥
Aṯẖsaṯẖ ṯirath punn kiri▫ā mahā nirmal cẖārā.
The merits of the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, charity, good deeds and immaculate lifestyle, are found in this sacred pool.

ਪਤਿਤ ਪਾਵਨੁ ਬਿਰਦੁ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦ ਅਧਾਰਾ ॥੩॥
Paṯiṯ pāvan biraḏ su▫āmī Nānak sabaḏ aḏẖārā. ||3||
It is the natural way of the Lord and Master to purify sinners; Nanak takes the Support of the Word of the Shabad. ||3||

ਗੁਣ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਰੀਜੈ ਰਾਮ ॥
Guṇ niḏẖān merā parabẖ karṯā usṯaṯ ka▫un karījai rām.
The treasure of virtue is my God, the Creator Lord; what Praises of Yours should I sing, O Lord?

ਸੰਤਾ ਕੀ ਬੇਨੰਤੀ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਹਾ ਰਸੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਰਾਮ ॥
Sanṯā kī benanṯī su▫āmī nām mahā ras ḏījai rām.
The prayer of the Saints is, "O Lord and Master, please bless us with the supreme, sublime essence of Your Name".

ਨਾਮੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਦਾਨੁ ਕੀਜੈ ਬਿਸਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਇਕ ਖਿਨੋ ॥
Nām ḏījai ḏān kījai bisar nāhī ik kẖino.
Please, grant us Your Name, grant us this blessing, and do not forget us, even for an instant.

ਗੁਣ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਉਚਰੁ ਰਸਨਾ ਸਦਾ ਗਾਈਐ ਅਨਦਿਨੋ ॥
Guṇ gopāl ucẖar rasnā saḏā gā▫ī▫ai anḏino.
Chant the Glorious Praises of the World-Lord, O my tongue; sing them forever, night and day.

ਜਿਸੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਲਾਗੀ ਨਾਮ ਸੇਤੀ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਭੀਜੈ ॥
Jis parīṯ lāgī nām seṯī man ṯan amriṯ bẖījai.
One who enshrines love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord, his mind and body are drenched with Ambrosial Nectar.

ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਛ ਪੁੰਨੀ ਪੇਖਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਜੀਜੈ ॥੪॥੭॥੧੦॥
Binvanṯ Nānak icẖẖ punnī pekẖ ḏarsan jījai. ||4||7||10||
Prays Nanak, my desires have been fulfilled; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord, I live. ||4||7||10||

 

[Ishna]

Dwelling on the first paurhi a little bit more my stream of consciousness says this, which I'm sure is full of errors.

The task of the saints is to merge (in awareness) with the Creator.
The Creation is wonderful, and our ability to resonate with the Creator is beautiful, likened to the Amrit.
Our capacity to connect with Creator and Creation is our empty cup, filling up with love for and resonation with, Everything.
Everything in great in the state of awareness!
Everything makes sense and is connected in it's own way.
This is the way it is, when you are in tune with Reality.

 

[Luckysingh]

Substitute or incorporate the below and it should become clearer-

Dharat/land = Body
taal/pool= Mind
Jal/water=is what occupies mind.
Amrit jal= ambrosial water, that is said to be filling the mind.
ie. the jal of the mind is becoming amrit jal.

The jal of Mind only starts becoming Amrit jal when Naam is pargat.
as last line says- ''nanak naam dhiaaiaa''- meditates/pays attention towards naam.

 

[aristotle]

Tradition has it that this Shabad was the first Hukamnama from the Adi Granth Bir when it was first installed in Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar during the times of Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

 

[ActsOfGod]

Tradition has it that this Shabad was the first Hukamnama from the Adi Granth Bir when it was first installed in Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar during the times of Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

Yes, but what does this shabad mean to you personally?

 

[Ishna]

Oh Aristotle Ji! That makes it even more interesting that there is a subtle connection between the sarovar within us, and the one surrounding Harmandir Sahib!

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Gurbani is time free and place free..and is applicable everywhere....so the reference alluded to Darbar sahib Amrtisar and to our HARMANDAR ( which Guru Amardass Ji has explained very well ) is connected. Guru Amardass Ji is the frist to use the word HARMANDAR and that word was used to refer to the Human Body.