Now the Granth, Nanak Prakash will begin.
Ekankara Satguru tih Prasaad sach hoe. Vahiguru ji ki Fatay vighan vinaashan soe.
Vahiguru is the Satguru that blesses one to immerse into the Truth. Vahiguru ji gives the victory, which destroys all obstacles.
The blessing Shakti of all three worlds, the destroyer of all three illnesses, the one that resides through the Satogun, Rajogun and Tamogun; the one who is followed in all three times, your three powers are supreme (creation, sustenance and destruction). You gave Inder his capital back; you wear the Kirpan; you are the one that gives peace and joy; you destroy the fools. I bow to the power of speech which is residing in the whole world. You live on the tongue of your servants. Victory be to you oh Chandika.
You live in all creation and are always new. Sat (truth), Chetan (consciousness) and Anand (bliss) is your form. Live in my heart forever. The conscious and unconscious forms are all your forms. Parmatma, you live in Aatambhoo (Brahma), Padma Pat (Vishnu), Panch Khatang Araati (the hater of the one that wields the five arrows of desire= Shiva. Kamadeva is said to have 5 arrows of desire). Wind, Ganesh, fire, Varun, vegetation and Inder, all stand in front of you with their hands folded. Kuber, sun, moon, stars, Jumms, human, demons, and Devatas, you support them all and are with them. I bow to you with my hands folded.
Sri Nanak is the Purshotam (the complete form), infinite, highest master of all. I bow to your two feet, placing my head on the ground.
Guru Nanak Dev ji gives the four great gifts (Dharma, sustenance, desire and Moksha); he is the root of Gyaan; he is gracious and gives everyone. He is the friend that helps all; he gives joy and destroys the darkness of ignorance. Whom he resides in, they receive everything. The net of the sins, the trap of the jumms, the effect of Kaliyuga, Guru ji saves one, instantly. The lotus flower cannot compare to Guru Nanak Dev ji’s feet because it does not have the virtues written above.
Sri Guru Angad Dev ji destroys the obstacles and his face is the house of joy. His every word comes out to be true. His feet are the support. I bow my head on his feet.
Just as there is sweet smelling pollen on top of a lotus flower, Guru Angad Dev ji has a sweet-smelling dust on it. Guru Angad Dev ji’s feet has glory. Lotus and Guru ji’s feet is soft. The lotus is above the water and never gets wet. Guru Angad Dev ji is above the Maya of the world and is not affected by it. Guru ji’s feet is above the water of the world. They are radiant above the water. Guru ji’s feet are the grantors of Mukti.
The greatest, Satguru Amar ji, his protection makes all the pain go away. He is the creator and sustainer of the world. His mind knows everything. I bow to his feet.
Guru Amardas ji’s meeting is like the sun, but Guru Amardas ji’s virtue is not burning. Ignorance is like the night; doubt is the darkness; Guru Amardas ji makes ignorance and doubt go away. The Sikh servants’ pain is dispelled by Guru Amardas ji as he makes the Sikh meet Akaal Purakh just as the pain of the Chakwi is dispelled when the sun rises. The sins (stars) are hidden by Guru Amardas ji’s radiance (sun) when meeting him. He makes the world light up with his Gyaan, every second of the day. The Kumud flower (which wilts during the day), the ignorant ones are like the Kumud, seeing Guru Amardas ji; the Gurmukhs are like the lotus, they see Guru ji and bloom. Guru ji moves by the wish of his bhagats. Guru Amardas ji is like the sun but he does not burn.
Guru Ramdas ji is the treasure of joy and peace. He makes the fear of the Sikhs go away. I bow to his feet. I come to his protection.
Just as water in a pool gives birth to a lotus flower, seeing the moon, the lotus wilts. If the water dries up in the pool, the sun burns the lotus. The stem of the lotus is filled with mud and dirt. The bees come to eat the pollen; cold also kills the lotus. The lotus flower is thus filled with many faults. The feet of Guru Ramdas ji give mukti, for this reason, the lotus cannot be compared to Guru Ramdas ji’s feet.
Sri Arjan Dev ji is the listener of pleas. He is the creator of greatness. The jumms are afraid of his name. I bow to his feet.
Seeing Guru Arjan Dev ji’s lotus feet, the Sikh’s bee-like mind is captivated by them. Those eyes who see his feet do not wish for anything else. Vices do not come near them. His Sikhs do not listen to any other songs other than the Guru’s words. The listeners forget themselves. They do not see their body anymore. They achieve a very high state of mind. They are immersed in to the sea of bliss.
Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib ji wears weapons. I think of his form. I fold my hands and bow to the handsome form that breaks the pride of Kamadeva.
Sri Hargobind ji’s feet give bliss. He is one of a kind. I cannot compare a lotus to his feet because the lotus wilts in the night. Guru ji’s feet are radiant at night as well. The Kalapbrish cannot be compared to Guru ji. The Kalapbrish can give anything except for Mukti. Guru ji’s feet give mukti. Guru ji’s toe nails are higher than the Chintamani (a philosopher’s stone) they wash away the worries of the Sikh. Guru ji is the praise and the praised.
The name of Guru Har Rai ji erases sins. I bow to his feet which give Riddhis and Siddhis.
Sri Har Rai’s feet are higher than the lotus. The lotus lives in mud. It lives above water. Its neck is in water and stands on one foot. It looks to the sun and tolerates the cold, water and rain on its head. It does a strict Tapasya but it still cannot give Mukti like Guru Har Rai ji’s feet can.
Seeing the perfect Guru Harkrishan ji, the three types of illnesses are all gone. I bow to his lovely feet that give joy to the Sikhs.
Guru Harkrishan ji’s feet are like the moon, but the moon cannot be compared to his feet. His feet are red, pure and beautiful. His toes are like diamonds. It is like stars came to the earth and rested in his feet; like Vishwakarma to Manis from Shaishnaag and made his nails. It is like Lakshmi lives there.
Guru Tegh Bahadhur ji is the flag of Dharma, who pulled the roots of the Mughals. Whoever comes to his feet are blessed. I bow to his feet.
The moon has a stain on it and so, cannot be compared to Guru Tegh Bahadhur ji. Just as there is Amrit in the moon, Guru ji’s praises are like the moonlight. His body is the house of Mukti. Guru ji makes the mukti bloom. Guru ji is illuminated within the hearts of the Sikhs. Guru ji is calm and serene like the moon. The Chakor loves the moon as the Sikh loves Guru Tegh Bahadhur ji. Guru ji is like the moon but better than the moon.
The son of the son of Guru Hargobind ji, I bow to his lotus feet. They cut the pain and are the root of joy. They gave Mukti. He saved the Hindus and made them great. The Mughal emperor was shining like stars in the night, when Guru Gobind Singh ji came out as the sun, the radiance of Aurangzeb was gone. The Pahari Rajas were like snakes and Guru ji was like Garuda. He is the most powerful, the king of Heaven, Inder, is not as strong as him.
Guru Gobind Singh ji’s feet are not within the Karma chakra, just as the lotus is not drenched by water. Guru ji’s feet are like lotus, spread out in a big way in the pond of the world. Guru ji’s feet are red and beautiful. Just as swans stay in the pond, saints stay beside Guru ji. Just as sweet pollen stays on a lotus flower, that is how grains of sand are on his feet. Just as bees have joy flying over the flowers, that is how Sikhs are mesmerized in Guru ji’s presence.
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Guru Gobind Singh ji is the giver of mukti. I do not have faith in anyone else. My mind is like the babiha looking for the Swanti drop, waiting to see Guru ji. My mind is like a kite, tied to your heart with the string of love. I am unstable, please take me into your protection. The world is a great big fire, please have mercy on me.
I pray to Guru Gobind Singh ji with both of my hands folded. Guru ji is the giver of spiritual and worldly joy. He washes the sins away. He made lions out of vultures; suns out of fireflies; elephants out of ants. He made the Panth of Mukti. He made flies into the Garuda; crows to swans; paupers to kings and made servants free. If the moon did not have a mark, it would have been compared to Guru Gobind Singh ji’s face.
Guru Gobind Singh ji: there is no one more gracious than you; no one poorer than I; no one fuller of compassion than you; no one more in pain than I; no one more ungrateful than I; no one more giving than you; I am without support. You are the supporter. I am a sinner and you are full of virtues. I have no virtues, japp, tapp or abstinence. This poet (Kavi Santokh Singh ji) seeks your sanctuary at your feet. Oh saviour, please save me by putting forth your hands.
Guru Gobind Singh ji saves his Sikhs from the noose of the Jumms. He has a bow and arrow in his hand and he is mounted on a horse, looking grand. His gracious eyes are like large petals of a lotus flower. He blesses the people of Kaliyuga by looking at them. He takes the pain away of the suffering people. The bad people, become good. He created a new Panth. I am a sacrifice to his form. I am a sacrifice to his Dastaar which has many gems on it. His Jigha and Kalgi look great. I wish to sacrifice my mind unto Guru ji.
Guru ji’s rings are shiny, which mesmerize the onlooker. He is wearing a Kachera. He has bracelets made of gold and diamonds which make the onlooker attracted to them. His chola is low and beautiful. It is pleasing to look at. The cloth is expensive. He holds a sharp arrow and spins it in his hand. Akaal Purakh has taken on human form.
Guru ji wears a kumerkassa around his waist. A sword is fastened to his waist along with a quiver full of arrows. His smile is like the lightening flashing. He wears a pearl necklace around his neck. His beard on his face looks like darkness beside the moon; like bees on top of a white lotus flower. His form resides in my mind. He turns people’s disappointment into joy.
If I have made a mistake, Guru ji, please forgive me as I am your servant. I am called a Sikh and therefore I am yours. Please recognize your greatness and keep me from falling. My mind does not stop indulging in desire and sin. Oh giver of joy and peace, you are always forgiving, you can make iron into gold, castor into sandalwood and human into Devata.
Oh punisher of sinners, you walk slowly like an elephant and have pulled the plant of the Turks with your huge trunk-like arms. Whoever came for your support, you helped them cross this world. Please show me yourself and help my boat across as well. I do not have faith in anything else but your name. Your servant has tested all the other courts and now know that only your court is supreme. Oh giver of Mukti, I fold my hands and bow to you.
Giani Sant Singh ji, the Granthi of Harmandhir Sahib ji was the teacher of Kavi Santokh Singh ji. He loved saints and had Simran in his mind constantly. He was a great, wise and patient person. He was generous. He loved Simran as a child. I (Kavi Santokh Singh ji) got a drop of his wisdom and became a house of knowledge. All my obstacles were destroyed. All my pain was gone. I served his feet which give mukti. I bow to his feet.
The true name, Satnam, Vahiguru, I bow to, repeatedly. It breaks the bonds and houses all joys. It breaks all the pains and sorrows.
The name of Vahiguru is great and beautiful. It completes all the tasks. It is the only support. In Kaliyuga, there is nothing compared to the name of Akaal Purakh. It assists one in all the worlds. All troubles run away by saying the name. The name kills all the pain in Kaliyuga. The ones who have made the Name their jewellery around their necks, who recite the name, they are blessed.
The Name gives you prosperity and joy. It destroys bad karma. Reciting it, Brahmgyaan is achieved. Jap, Tapp, fasting and rituals are useless without the Name of Akaal Purakh. Without the Name, a person wanders through different, high and low life-forms. Without the Name, the kingdoms are damned. It is shameful to be without the Name of Akaal Purakh. The ones who are without fear of Akaal Purakh and engrossed into the pleasures of the world, they will go to the realm of the Jumms.
Beautiful houses, women, and beds; will be of no use when the jumms take you. There are four types of armies: on horses, on elephants, on chariots and on foot; them being strong; are useless when the Jumms (messengers of death) come. Elephants, horses, multi-coloured chariots, gold, silver, wealth, the kings left all these behind and went bare feet. The palanquins were left behind. Without the name, they go to the Jumms.
Without the Name, a person is like he/she is without breath, they are just as a rubber pump that leaks air (lungs). The ones who recite the Name, they are grander than grand. The jumms do not come close to them.
The ones who do not recite the Name are ungrateful because they do not recognize what Akaal Purakh gave them in life. They only want to be great by gaining fame in the world. They are unwise and foolish. They fight with others trying to prove themselves right.
The Saints know about the glory of the Name. Whoever became one with Akaal Purakh, they recited the Name. The fallen people only trust money and are foolish, they do not know the greatness of the Name. Those people’s actions and motives are only towards gaining wealth. They have forgotten Vahiguru from their hearts. It is like leaving gold and precious gems; and gathering glass rocks instead.
Shaishnaag knows the greatness of the Name; the one who lifts the earth, full of mountains and jungles on his head, like flowers. Shivji knows the greatness of the Name; the one who has poison in his throat. Brahma knows the greatness of the Name very well; he created the world with the Name.
Prahalad, Baalmeek, Trilochan, Naarad, Dhroo, the four sons of Brahms (Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatana and Sanat Kumar), Jaidev, Sadhana, Ambreek, Kabeer, Puroovars, Angara, Namdev, Bibheekhan, and August uttered the Name. Ravidas, Ajamal, Oodhav, Akroor, Hanuman, Bheelani and Dhunna are great who were born in the four Yugas and earned the Name.
The radiance of the Name gave the white colour to Sharda’s body, Shaishnaag, Ganga, the horse of Surya, the tooth of Ganesh, the bow of Kamadeva, the house of Lakshmi (the lotus), the vessel of Brahma, the swans, the garland of Vishnu, the glow of the moon, the ash of Shivji, the Amrit of the Devatas, the mind of the Muni, the Satogun of the wise. They are all full of glory. They are illuminating.
People are stuck into the attachments of their father, sons, mother, friends, brothers, sisters, wife and pleasures. They are interested in elephants with care-free walks, fast horses and four types of armies. They want to hold money in their hands. They don’t know that they are not making use of their human lives. They are wasting it on things that will not last forever. Nothing will go along with them when they die. They are taking pleasures from these things. They are garbage, garbage you fool! Connect with the Name that will last forever.
Maya has been formed as an illusion by the great illusionist. The whole world has been formed in the Maya. It is all a myth. People are engrossed into the pleasures of this world; which are nothing more than a dream. When one awakens, one regrets it. It is like seeing silver in the seashell; the snake in the rope, water in the mirage; the mythical items are not reality. They are garbage, garbage you fool! Connect with the Name that will last forever.
From whose care, the fire of the womb could not harm you; you have forgotten him as soon as you were born. You got stuck into the ways of the world.
From whose generosity you received your beauty; you have fallen into the well, like a blind person. You have fallen into the Maya and thought it is real. You received all the items of pleasure from the Creator but you follow the vices and pleasures of the world.
Oh foolish mind, you do not understand that by whose love you received greatness from, you don’t remember him. Instead, you choose to follow the pleasures of the world and experience them. They will become bitter and painful in the end.
The Name has created everything: the dimensions, the universe and the body. Why do you forget the Name? Remember it everyday with patience.
The ideologies of Nirgun, Sargun and Gurmat have all identified the Name as the supreme. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji have said that: the Name is the highest. The Vedas, the Puranas, Guru Granth Sahib ji along with the saints, Pandits, poets and wise people say this as well. Oh foolish mind, you are ignoring the glory of the Name and denying this fact.
The Name is great in the Nirgun form. Prabhoo resides in all life forms. Life, animals, men and women are all existing from the one consciousness. Even though Prabhoo lives in all, everyone is in pain. When one recites the Name, one is in bliss. The consciousness pervades in all forms then.
The ones who connect to the bliss of the Name, they say the Name is bigger than the Sargun form. When the love of the Name lives in the heart, Akaal Purakh shows the real form. For this reason, the wise ones have said that: the Name is what the Form depends upon. They make the Name reside in their heart and do not let it go. They do Simran with their tongues, day and night, like a Mala around their necks.
Sri Ram Chander ji has said: the Name is bigger than me. He wrote the Name of Prabhoo on rocks and made them float in water.
The giver of Mukti, Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji, wrote the glory of the Name. He wrote it in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji which is the Name. Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is the highest.
The Omnipotent One, Prabhoo, said that the Name is greater. There is no other argument against it. Prabhoo said that the glory of Guru Granth Sahib ji is the supreme. Prabhoo gave the Gurta Ghaddi to Guru Granth Sahib ji.
Out of all the Names of Prabhoo ji’s Nirgun and Sargun forms, Vahiguru is the Sumer Mountain. It is the supreme. Do not delay to do the Simran of it.
Vahiguru is the supreme Name of the Nirgun form. “Vahi” is the reaction of the amazement of the infinite. There is nothing beyond the infinite and nothing else can describe it other than amazement. “Go” is the name given to ignorance. The darkness of ignorance and lack of knowledge is what gives rise to worry and pain. “Ro” is the consciousness that is illuminating, the destroyer of darkness. For this reason, Guru Nanak Dev ji made this Name. Hearing this Name gives Bliss.
Out of the Sargun Names, Vahiguru is the supreme as well. Doing Simran of it will wash all the sins during the time of Kaliyuga.
“Vava” was taken from Vasudev. “Haha” was taken from Hari Vishnu. “Gaga” was taken from Gobind. “Rara” was taken from Ram Chander.
The four letters were made into one word which has great rewards. Doing Simran of this Name is the same as doing Simran of all 4 names at once. One becomes wise like this.
Vahiguru is the supreme Name of all the Sargun Names. It has other meanings as well. Bhai Gurdas ji has done its translations.
It is the supreme Beejmantra, the root Mantra. It gives Ridhis, Siddhis and Mukti. It gives bliss; so do the Simran all the time.
The four letters are sweet and beautiful. It is the cream of the four Vedas. It will destroy the vices of all 4 castes. It gives peace and joy to the 4 Ashrams (Brahamachaari, Grihastha, Baanprast and Sanyasi).
They are the four doors to the 4 Muktis (Salok, Saroop, Sameep and Sayujya). It is the four arms of Vishnu. It is the wisdom of the four Chaks. It is the bliss of the 4 states of human.
These 4 letters are the generals of the army of King Vivek (Wisdom). They can defeat and kill the Mo (Attachment) demon.
They are the 4 jewelleries of Prema Bhagti, the devotion of Love. They are the 4 eyes of Gyaan, knowledge. They are the givers of the 4 Padarthas (Dharam, Arth, Kaam and Moksha). It is the result of the 4 Yagnas.
It is the necklace of the Bhagats. Its beauty illuminates all the worlds. It is the support of the Dharma of the 4 castes. One should not forget these 4 letters.
These four letters are the bridge between the Jeev (life form) and Parmatma. They are the middlemen between the customer looking for Mukti and the merchant selling it.
It is the medicine for the person sick with ego. It is the sun that rids the darkness in the heart.
The ones who are afraid of this elephant-like world, the Name is the lion. The ones who are bit by the snake-like sins, the Name is like the Garuda.
The one who is drowning in the world can be saved by the Name. It is the saving ship. There is no cost to doing Simran. It is easy to do Simran. It is blissful to do Simran.
Now I will begin the Katha of the beautiful Satguru, who is the temple of all virtue. He is the giver of bliss. I do Ardaas that this is completed without any obstacles.
This is the first part of the Katha of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. This is the conversation between Guru Angad Dev ji and Bhai Bala ji.
I will write about his birth and childhood. I write about the Modikhana and then where he left Sultanpur to visit the world.
I will write of how he preached the word of Sikhi and then came to live in Kartarpur. He tested the Sikhi of the Sikhs and made Sri Angad ji sit on the throne.
This Granth is for the glory and praise of the Guru. The followers of the Panth will read it and be in bliss. It will be a river which will give joy and take away the pain.
The shores of this river are atheism and denial. The bonds of the world are the trees growing on the shores. This Katha will erode the shores and pull the tree.
This river is for the bathing of the Gursikhs. They will be in bliss and feel joy. The slanderers and jealous people will not like it though.
This river of glory will enter the ears and live in the ocean of the heart. The Bhuddi, wisdom, will swim in this ocean and yearn for the Love.
The Swanti drop of love will make it still. It will not waiver anymore or wander around.
The deniers of Ishwar are like donkeys. They do not wish to bathe in this river. They are happier in the dirty mud of the vices and pleasures. If they are fortunate to listen to this in the Satsangat, they still fall asleep sitting there and remain ill.
Reaching the shore of this River of the Guru’s praises, if one does not hear the Katha, is not drenched in the Guru’s love, the mind is stuck in the vices, such humans are to be pitied.