The powerful being that remains in one state and is the controller and supporter of the world; that remains forever in one state; that being, of when, is understood, one is freed from the bondage of death. That being’s name is Karta Purakh, Akaal; the cause of all actions and effects; the timeless one. That being is the Brahm Supreme, in whose command the land remains stable; sun, fire, death and wind remain steadfast in their nature. I wish to have that Brahm Supreme residing in my heart. The secret of this Brahm cannot be understood with knowledge; but meeting the Brahm removes all doubts. Doing actions, fulfilling the Dharam and performing bhakti; the fruit is to be one with the being that continuously exists everywhere. Just as one mistakenly sees a snake instead of a rope, so is the world seen mistakenly instead of the Brahm. By discarding the ego, the Brahm is seen. The knowledge of the Brahm’s Anaad (sound created without friction) is the sun that destroys the ignorance. Sat (truth- unending existence), Chetan (consciousness), Anand (bliss), Naam (name) and Roop (form) are the five characteristics of existence. The Saint immerses in the three (Sat, Chetan, Anand) and rejects the two (Naam, Roop).
Kavi Santokh Singh ji now pays his respects to Mata Sarasvati, the power of the Brahm from which art, poetry, music and knowledge are generated.
There is a mark of sandalwood on her forehead which is unmatched for the moon. The lotus flower does not compare to her face. The Devatas (Powers of the elements and senses) sing her glories and bow to her. The one that spreads joy in the world, I bow to thee.
The hurdles that come into the way of poets are as big as waves in the ocean. You are the boat that sails the poet sailor across. You protect the reputation of the poets. You give peace to all who seek your protection. Your walk is carefree like the elephant’s walk. You hold a lotus flower in your hand and are beautiful like Ratti (the wife of Kamadeva – the Devata of Love). Your eyes are beautiful like the eyes of a deer. You remain forever youthful and never age. So is the power of Akaal Purakh’s artfulness.
Kavi Santokh Singh ji now pays respects to all the Gurus and asks for their help.
To save the Kaliyuga, Guru Nanak Dev ji had come to earth. The holy words that came from the mouth of Guru Nanak Dev ji blessed the people in Kaliyuga. The birds of the vices were scolded and destroyed by Guru Nanak Dev ji’s words. The ones who do not know the Kartar, Guru Nanak Dev ji came to bless them too. Guru Nanak Dev ji gave them Kirtan; to fill devotion and faith within the hearts of the atheists. Guru Nanak Dev ji washed the sins of the people of Kaliyuga by deconstructing false rituals. He arose like the sun in the darkness. Guru Nanak Dev ji is the most powerful and saves his servants; like a boat sails the travellers across the ocean.
Listening to the words of Guru Angad Dev ji, all hurdles are destroyed. All endeavours are successful, for whose hearts, in which Guru Angad Dev ji resides. They are happy and prosperous. The son of Pheroo is independent and free; is the master of the universe and most powerful. His eyes are like the lotus. Remembering Guru Angad Dev ji, one’s vices are destroyed. As the sun destroys darkness; Guru Angad Dev ji destroys ignorance, with his knowledge. Guru Angad Dev ji grants mukti and is the root of bliss. Guru Angad Dev ji is beautiful like the moon. I bow to you, Oh Lord Guru Angad Dev ji.
The Devatas look towards Guru Amar Das ji for support. They fight the demons with the blessings of Guru Amar Das ji. Shiv ji meditates upon Guru Amar Das ji everyday. Rishis and Munis meditate upon Guru Amar Das ji to achieve the state of Brahamgyaan. Guru Amar Das ji preached Bhakti upon this earth. Guru Amar Das ji dwells in every atom. The servants, who come for his protection, they reach Brahamgyaan easily and their pain is destroyed. Guru Amar Das ji showed his Sikhs the door to Mukti by reciting the name of Akaal Purakh. Remembering Guru Amar Das ji: grants all powers and frees one from the cycle of birth and death. Victory to Sri Guru Amar!
Guru Ram Das ji’s name destroys all hurdles. Within the hearts of the Sikhs, Guru Ram Das ji illuminates the sun of Aatamgyaan. Guru Ram Das ji makes Akaal Purakh dwell within the hearts of his Sikhs. The power destroys vices. Brahma meditates on Guru Ram Das ji and Shiv ji sings the glories of Guru Ram Das ji. Guru Ram Das ji was born in the house of Sooraj Bans, in the clans of the Sodhis. Just as the SoorajBansi Ram killed Raavan, with the army of the monkeys. In the same family Guru Ram Das ji came to the house of Hardas ji Sodhi. The deer of attachment was devoured by Guru Ram Das ji, the lion.
Guru Arjan Dev ji listens to the pleas of his Sikhs and grants them accordingly. Arjan, the Pandav, the archer, killed many enemies with his arrows but Guru Arjan Dev ji’s arrows killed greater demons such as attachment. Arjan the Pandav could not kill the attachment demon. Guru Arjan Dev ji’s words are sharp arrows. Santokh Singh sings the glories of Guru Arjan Dev ji. Wherever one travels to the world, the glories of Guru Arjan Dev ji are sung. As the Arjan tree is lush and is used to cure many ailments, Guru Arjan Dev ji is a great medicine for many illnesses. If enemies come and grab Guru Arjan Dev ji’s feet, they will be saved as well. They were freed from the cycle of birth and death. Krishan was tied to a yumlarjan tree by his mother, which he broke, saving the souls trapped in it; Guru Arjan Dev ji’s enemies were ripped in half just as so. The height of Guru Arjan Dev ji’s power cannot be measured. Such is the glory of Guru Arjan Dev ji.
Guru Hargobind Sahib ji is the warrior that picked up weapons and faced the emperor of Delhi. You are a lion that removed the pain of the Devatas. When the demons took the Vedas and the earth and hid them in the ocean, Vishnu took the incarnation of the Varaah and brought the earth back. Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, you are the saviour of the earth. You are handsome: whoever thinks of your face, that person receives Brahmgyaan and becomes wise. Guru Hargobind Sahib ji keeps a spear in his hand. Guru Hargobind Sahib ji is a lover of the battlefield. You fought 4 battles and killed 7,000 in Amritsar, 14,000 in Srihargovindpur, 34,000 in Phoolmaraaj, and 78,000 in Kartarpur. The slanderers were in pain. You are a brave warrior. Guru Hargobind ji, you are sun that removes the darkness from sinners.
Guru Har Rai Sahib ji, your sight destroys all worries. Vices run far away from your sight. Guru ji, you help your Sikhs cross the world ocean by the bridge of Kirtan. You scolded the sinners and trained the Sikhs in war. You came into the world like the King of the day: the sun. The stars vanished in front of the sun of your wisdom. The locks of our hearts were opened by the key of your sermons. Sri Guru Har Rai ji, this is how you help your Sikhs.
Sri Satguru Har Krishan Sahib ji, you are complete and all-powerful. The fire of your knowledge burnt the sins. You are Akaal Purakh. Your servant is a dark-toned person who spoke words of the Geeta. You are the cloud that waters the fields.
Guru Tegh Bahadhur ji you are omnipresent, where anyone remembers you. You are the ocean of peace and pleasure. The Devatas bow to your feet. You give your Sikhs the delicious food of knowledge. The sunrays of the vices are quenched by your cloud of knowledge. A Sikh who does not know about the history and sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadhur Sahib ji and does not know that Guru Tegh Bahadhur Sahib ji is Akaal Purakh, their life is not worthy. Whoever remembers the name of Guru Tegh Bahadhur ji, they do not fear the messengers of death.
Guru Gobind Singh ji, you protect your Sikhs and break their bondages to give them Nirvana. Your hand has a heavy bow in it and your arms are like the trunks of an elephant. You are the glory of your Sikhs and the punisher of the sinners. There is always an arrow in your hand. You are an expert horse rider. You saved the Hindus and Hindustan. You are a strong warrior with many weapons and chainmail.
Guru Gobind Singh ji makes his servants strong, like solid pillars: to withstand any storm. If the storm is too powerful, then Guru ji comes himself, and stands in the way. If the boat of his servants faces high tidal waves, Guru Gobind Singh ji becomes the boat driver. Santokh Singh Kavi writes the glories of Guru Gobind Singh ji: you are stable like the ocean. The ocean is, though, without love. You are pure love. You are the giver of kingdom and crown; you increase happiness; you protect your servants and assist the work of the poets and writers.
The ten incarnations of the Satguru are the same, one light. Seeing the ignorance and tyranny in the world, you took on powerful and beautiful incarnations and gave the world your knowledge. Many listened to your words and became Sikhs. You made the Sikhs worry-free in this world and in the next. You made the poor into Sardar Kings. I bow to the lotus feet of the Ten Gurus with all my heart and with full honesty and sincerity.
Ganesh, Shiv remove the obstacles; Brahma and others are known to give happiness; Brihaspati and others are known to give wisdom; Baalmeek and others were great poets; Vashisht is filled with knowledge; Inder gives royalty; Agust is the tapasvi; Vyaas understands the Vedas; Yudhistra is the soul of Dharam (duty and truth); Arjan is the beloved of Krishan; Ramchandra is steadfast in duty; Narsingh is the beloved of Prahalad; Krishan understands the pleasures of life and is a great artist; Sri Baaman cheated the demons; Dashrath lived up to his words; Janaka was in one state when it came to Jog and pleasures in life; He saw pain and pleasure as one; Gorakh was the Sidh; Kabeer and all of the Bhagats; Sikhs like Baba Buddha ji in the past, present and future. I bow to all of these great beings and ask them to bless me so I may write the glories of Guru ji. Guru ji, that is radiant like the sun, and cooling like the moon.
Prema Bhagats like Naarad; Sarasvati the sweet speaker; Shaishnaag the clever; Hanuman the loyal servant bhagat; I bow to all of you, putting my head to the ground. I ask you to remove all the hurdles in my way.
The glory of the Guru is vast: like the ocean, and the whole world knows this. I am trying to cross this ocean on a raft made of grass. This is how I feel, writing the glory of the Guru. It is, as a short person is trying to jump for the fruit hanging on top of a tall tree. Although, people maybe laughing at my effort, I still pursue this effort to write the history of the Guru with great enthusiasm.
The glory of the Guru is like a ruby on top of a great mountain. The mountain of Sikhi. My effort can be compared to a disabled person trying to climb that mountain. I wish to use my effort to collect the gems of the Guru’s history and make a beautiful garland out of them, for everyone else to enjoy. If I serve the feet of the Guru, day and night, I may be able to climb the mountain of Sikhi, riding the horse of the Guru’s blessings. I have faith: that my Granth will be completed, by me. The Satguru that burnt the kingdom of the Mughals and turned it into ash, will surely assist me and remove my obstacles.
Sri Nanak ji planted the seed of Sikhi into the field of the world. The nine Gurus watered this plant and nurtured it. The plant had the flower: which was the Simran of the True name, Satnam. This flower bore the fruit of Brahmgyaan. Guru Kalgidhar ji protected and nurtured this fruit by fighting battles.
To make this plant solid and strong, the Satguru gave rise to the Khalsa. The Khalsa is the Kalapbrish tree (tree that grants wishes). The Khalsa came from the root of radiance and tapp, done by the Satguru. The Sangat was at ease from the shade of the Khalsa in both worlds. The Kalapbrish Khalsa supported the entire plant of Sikhi. The Khalsa is complete, Sikhi is the treasure of the entire universe. The Satguru created the Khalsa Panth, the complete, for support. I bow to the Satguru and throw my worries away and begin writing this Granth.
I bow to the feet of Sri Kalgidhar, over and over again, who made the weak into strong and religious warriors: to fight off the tyrants that gave pain to the public and religion.
Prabhu incarnated into Narsingh to protect Prahalad. Ramchandra became Narsingh to kill Bali and protect Sugriva. He killed Ravan in the battlefield. Just as the deer runs away in fear from a lion, everyone ran away from Krishan. He killed Kans and scolded the Kauravs. Guru Gobind Singh ji was a powerful Avatar that pulled the roots of the Mughals.
Guru Gobind Singh ji is filled with the warrior spirit and gives hope to his servants. He destroys the pain and worldly bonds of his servants. He is the root of happiness and is on the side of his servants. He kills the sinners and tyrants. Sikhs that read Bani with faith and devotion: Guru Gobind Singh ji destroys their pains and sins. He happily solves all their problems. He is full of love. He has a unique and pure personality. This is how the son of Guru Tegh Bahadhur Sahib ji is.
The history of the Guru instills the mind; it gives the wealth of the true Name, everyday; it grants the devotion to Kirtan; listening to Kirtan, the ego is destroyed; it makes the heart pure and makes the heart deserving to be placed at the Guru’s feet; it cures all illnesses and is a great medicine. The history of the Guru is the cream of all creams, and is never old. The jewellery of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji’s virtues are put together in this history.
The master of the universe, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji created the Khalsa plant. The warrior spirit came through this plant and gave rise to the battle of righteousness. The battle was for the right to freedom. Amrit made this plant grow faster. This plant has the power of Akaal Purakh. Penance was its flower. The Khalsa came as the death for the sinners and tyrants.
The Khalsa Lion scared away the tyrant rulers: Pashtuns, Kabul, Afghanis, Rajputs, the corrupt Nawabs, Balochis and Mughals.
Satguru ji created the Khalsa which is the supreme, and provides peace to all. Everyone sees the Khalsa as the most beautiful, as it protects everyone’s rights and makes sure: all are treated equally. The Khalsa never touches tobacco. The Khalsa is the idol of the Satguru: whose radiance is illuminating in the world. I bow to the Khalsa and begin to write the Sri Gur Pratap Sooraj Granth.