Ang 632

SORAT’H, NINTH MEHL: O mind, what evil- mindedness have you developed? You are engrossed in the pleasures of other men’s wives, and slander; you have not worshipped the Lord at all. ||1|| Pause|| You do not know the way to liberation, but you run all around chasing wealth. In the end, nothing shall go along with you; you have entrapped yourself in vain. ||1|| You have not meditated or vibrated upon the Lord; you have not served the Guru, or His humble servants; spiritual wisdom has not welled up within you. The Immaculate Lord is within your heart, and yet you search for Him in the wilderness. ||2|| Now that you have obtained this human body, meditate on the Lord’s Feet; Nanak advises with this advice. ||3||3||

SORAT’H, NINTH MEHL: O mind, contemplate the Sanctuary of God. Meditating on Him in remembrance, Ganika the prostitute was saved; enshrine His Praises within your heart. ||1|| Pause|| Meditating on Him in remembrance, Dhroo became immortal, and obtained the state of fearlessness. The Lord and Master removes suffering in this way — why have you forgotten Him? ||1|| As soon as the elephant took to the protective Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of mercy, he escaped from the crocodile. How much can I describe the Glorious Praises of the Naam? Whoever chants the Lord’s Name, his bonds are broken. ||2|| Ajaamal, known throughout the world as a sinner, was redeemed in an instant. Says Nanak, remember the Chintaamani, the jewel which fulfills all desires, and you too shall be carried across and saved. ||3||4||

SORAT’H, NINTH MEHL: What efforts should the mortal make, to attain devotional worship of the Lord, and eradicate the fear of death? ||1|| Pause|| Which actions, what sort of knowledge, and what religion — what Dharma should one practice? What Name of the Guru should one remember in meditation, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean? ||1|| In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Name of the One Lord is the treasure of mercy; chanting it, one obtains salvation. No other religion is comparable to this; so speak the Vedas. ||2|| He is beyond pain and pleasure, forever unattached; He is called the Lord of the world. He dwells deep within your inner self, O Nanak, like the image in a mirror. ||3||5||

SORAT’H, NINTH MEHL: O mother, how can I see the Lord of the world? In the utter darkness of emotional attachment and spiritual ignorance, my mind remains entangled. ||1|| Pause|| Deluded by doubt, I have wasted my whole life; I have not obtained a stable intellect. I remain under the influence of corrupting sins, night and day, and I have not renounced wickedness. ||1|| I never joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and I did not sing the Kirtan of God’s Praises. O servant Nanak, I have no virtues at all; keep me in Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||2||6||

SORAT’H, NINTH MEHL: O mother, my mind is out of control. Night and day, it runs after sin and corruption. How can I restrain it? ||1|| Pause|| He listens to the teachings of the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, but he does not enshrine them in his heart, even for an instant. Engrossed in the wealth and women of others, his life passes away uselessly. ||1|| He has gone insane with the wine of Maya, and does not understand even a bit of spiritual wisdom. Deep within his heart, the Immaculate Lord dwells, but he does not know this secret. ||2|| When I came to the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints, all my evil-mindedness was dispelled. Then, O Nanak, I remembered the Chintaamani, the jewel which fulfills all desires, and the noose of Death was snapped. ||3||7||