Ang 1360

Living in the world, it is like a wild jungle. One’s relatives are like dogs, jackals and donkeys. In this difficult place, the mind is intoxicated with the wine of emotional attachment; the five unconquered thieves lurk there. The mortals wander lost in love and emotional attachment, fear and doubt; they are caught in the sharp, strong noose of egotism. The ocean of fire is terrifying and impassable. The distant shore is so far away; it cannot be reached. Vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the World, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; O Nanak, by His Grace, we are saved at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||58|| When the Lord of the Universe grants His Grace, all illnesses are cured. Nanak chants His Glorious Praises in the Saadh Sangat, in the Sanctuary of the Perfect Transcendent Lord God. ||59|| The mortal is beautiful and speaks sweet words, but in the farm of his heart, he harbors cruel vengeance. He pretends to bow in worship, but he is false. Beware of him, O friendly Saints. ||60|| The thoughtless fool does not know that each day, his breaths are being used up. His most beautiful body is wearing away; old age, the daughter of death, has seized it. He is engrossed in family play; placing his hopes in transitory things, he indulges in corrupt pleasures. Wandering lost in countless incarnations, he is exhausted. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Embodiment of Mercy. ||61|| O tongue, you love to enjoy the sweet delicacies. You are dead to the Truth, and involved in great disputes, whether to call God Gobind, or Daamodar, or Maadhav. ||62|| Those who are proud, and intoxicated with the pleasures of sex, and asserting their power over others, never contemplate the Lord’s Lotus Feet. Their lives are cursed, and as worthless as straw. You are as tiny and insignificant as an ant, but you shall become great, by the Wealth of the Lord’s Meditation. Nanak bows in humble worship, countless times, over and over again. ||63|| The blade of grass becomes a mountain, and the barren land becomes green. The drowning one swims across, and the empty is filled to overflowing. Millions of suns illuminate the darkness, prays Nanak, when the Guru, the Lord, becomes Merciful. ||64|| Associating with the Brahmin, one is saved, if his actions are perfect and God-like. Those whose souls are imbued with the world — O Nanak, their lives are fruitless. ||65|| The mortal steals the wealth of others, and makes all sorts of problems; his preaching is only for his own livelihood. His desire for this and that is not satisfied; his mind is caught in Maya, and he is acting like a pig. ||66|| Those who are intoxicated and absorbed in the Lord’s Lotus Feet are saved from the terrifying world-ocean. Countless sins are destroyed, O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; there is no doubt about this. ||67||4||

FIFTH MEHL, GAAT’HAA: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: Camphor, flowers and perfume become contaminated, by coming into contact with the human body. O Nanak, the ignorant one is proud of his foul-smelling marrow, blood and bones. ||1|| Even if the mortal could reduce himself to the size of an atom, and shoot through the ethers, worlds and realms in the blink of an eye, O Nanak, without the Holy Saint, he shall not be saved. ||2|| Know for sure that death will come; whatever is seen is false. So chant the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; this alone shall go along with you in the end. ||3|| The consciousness wanders lost in Maya, attached to friends and relatives. Vibrating and meditating on the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, O Nanak, the eternal place of rest is found. ||4|| The lowly nim tree, growing near the sandalwood tree, becomes just like the sandalwood tree. But the bamboo tree, also growing near it, does not pick up its fragrance; it is too tall and proud. ||5|| In this Gaat’haa, the Lord’s Sermon is woven; listening to it, pride is crushed. The five enemies are killed, O Nanak, by shooting the Arrow of the Lord. ||6|| The Words of the Holy are the path of peace. They are obtained by good karma. The cycle of birth and death is ended, O Nanak, singing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises. ||7|| When the leaves wither and fall, they cannot be attached to the branch again. Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, there is misery and suffering. The mortal wanders in reincarnation day and night. ||8|| One is blessed with love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune. Whoever sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord’s Name, O Nanak, is not affected by the world-ocean. ||9|| This Gaat’haa is profound and infinite; how rare are those who understand it. They forsake sexual desire and worldly love, O Nanak, and praise the Lord in the Saadh Sangat. ||10|| The Words of the Holy are the most sublime Mantra. They eradicate millions of sinful mistakes. Meditating on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, O Nanak, all one’s generations are saved. ||11|| That palace is beautiful, in which the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises are sung. Those who dwell on the Lord of the Universe are liberated. O Nanak, only the most fortunate are so blessed. ||12||

I have found the Lord, my Friend, my very Best Friend. He shall never break my heart. His dwelling is eternal; His weight cannot be weighed. Nanak has made Him the Friend of his soul. ||13|| One’s bad reputation is erased by a true son, who meditates in his heart on the Guru’s Mantra. The Beloved Eternal Lord God, O Nanak, carries us across the world-ocean. ||14|| It is death to forget the Lord of the Universe. It is life to meditate on the Name of the Lord. The Lord is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, by pre-ordained destiny. ||15|| The snake-charmer, by his spell, neutralizes the poison and leaves the snake without fangs. Just so, the Saints remove suffering; O Nanak, they are found by good karma. ||16|| The Lord is All-pervading everywhere; He gives Sanctuary to all living beings. The mind is touched by His Love, O Nanak, by Guru’s Grace, and the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||17|| My mind is pierced through by the Lord’s Lotus Feet. I am blessed with total happiness. Holy people have been singing this Gaat’haa, O Nanak, since the very beginning of time. ||18|| Chanting and singing the Sublime Word of God in the Saadh Sangat, mortals are saved from the world- ocean. O Nanak, they shall never again be consigned to reincarnation. ||19|| People contemplate the Vedas, Puraanas and Shaastras. But by enshrining in their hearts the Naam, the Name of the One and Only Creator of the Universe, everyone can be saved. By great good fortune, O Nanak, a few cross over like this. ||20|| Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of Lord of the Universe, all one’s generations are saved. It is obtained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. O Nanak, by great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is seen. ||21|| Abandon all your evil habits, and implant all Dharmic faith within. The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is obtained, O Nanak, by those who have such destiny written upon their foreheads. ||22|| God was, is, and shall always be. He sustains and destroys all. Know that these Holy people are true, O Nanak; they are in love with the Lord. ||23|| The mortal is engrossed in sweet words and transitory pleasures which shall soon fade away. Disease, sorrow and separation afflict him; O Nanak, he never finds peace, even in dreams. ||24||