ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ 

 ਪਵਣੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਣੀ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਧਰਤਿ ਮਹਤੁ ॥ ਦਿਵਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੁਇ ਦਾਈ ਦਾਇਆ ਖੇਲੈ ਸਗਲ ਜਗਤੁ ॥ ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਬੁਰਿਆਈਆ ਵਾਚੈ ਧਰਮੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਕਰਮੀ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੇ ਨੇੜੈ ਕੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥  ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

Translation in English :

This solok gives the gist of the Japji Sahib.  It tells man that he whole nature surrounding him, is the source of his birth, feeding and Gur-Updesh.

Keeping these things in mind, keep thy actions pure and truthful.  Good and evil have their own effects.  Good actions take you near the God-head (The realization of the Divine within) and evil actions take you farther away.  Therefore, do good and remain in touch with Thy source the One-in-All and the All-in-One.  But right actions only do not lead to complete freedom (At-one-ment).

Therefore, along with righteous actions in the worldly dealings, meditate on the Divine Name (at least three hours before day break), with such devotion, that God‟s name ever dwells in thy heart.  Thus your face will shine with Divine light, you will be free from birth and rebirth and lead many more to the goal of freedom.  Man is here taken as a child.

All sound is conveyed through air, and man gets his Gur-Updesh through it, so air is Guru.  Water, the agent of all creation, the father, and the earth, that produces all things which feed mankind, the mother.

Day and night are the male and female nurses.  The day makes man play his part in this drama of the world, and night like a female nurse puts him to sleep and be fresh after rest.  The good and evil actions leave their impressions instantaneously on man‟s mind. Good actions lead one near the Divine source (the Divine within) and the evil actions remove him farther away.

Those who meditate on the Divine Name with love and devotion, reach the goal of human life.  They rise above all temptations and realize the Divine within.  Their faces shine with Divine glory and they lead many more to this Divine goal, and free them from the cycle of birth and rebirth.

ਜਤੁ ਪਾਹਾਰਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਸੁਨਿਆਰੁ ॥ ਅਹਰਣਿ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਦੁ ਹਥੀਆਰੁ ॥ ਭਉ ਖਲਾ ਅਗਨਿ ਤਪ ਤਾਉ ॥ ਭਾਂਡਾ ਭਾਉ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਢਾਲਿ ॥ ਘੜੀਐ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੀ ਟਕਸਾਲ ॥ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਮੁ ਤਿਨ ਕਾਰ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥੩੮॥

Translation in English :

In this Pauri, Satguru Nanak gives the essential qualities which are required for meditation on the Divine Name and the realization of the Divine within, in the form of a simile.

A goldsmith‟s shop is here taken as a model.  Let self-control (control over all the sense organs; tongue, nose, ear, skin, etc.) be the furnace, forbearance (remaining calm and charitable under all trials) the goldsmith, reason (the power of judging right and wrong), the smithy, self-knowledge (I am not the body but the Atma) the hammer, the fear of God the bellows, penance (discarding all pleasures of flesh with a burning desire to reach the truth) the fire, heart full of Divine love, the crucible, and Elixir of the Divine name the purified gold (Gold free from all dross).

In short, by following the above given process, the pure Divine name, dwells in the human heart, and fills it with a sense of the presence of Divine Reality; both within and without (in the whole creation).

In this true mint (the company of saints and God-conscious persons) one realizes the Divine within.  The above given method is adopted by only those who acquire the grace of God by following the teachings of the Satguru in complete humility and self- abnegation (I am nothing).  O Lord, all my qualities and powers flow from Thee. Without them I cannot raise even my little finger.

Note: - In a steady mood of forbearance and toleration one has to keep self-control over all his desires and be a staunch devotee of truthfulness.  With these fundamental qualities as the basis, one has to listen to, study and act upon the teachings of the Satguru.  Then with the fear of God in the mind and a sustained and steady mood, one has to meditate on the Divine name.  In this way all the dross of selfishness is removed and the Divine within shines in its full effulgence.  Then one obtains the grace of the Guru (God conscious persons) and attains everlasting bliss.  This path is followed by those who come under the gracious shade of Sat Sang, the congregation of God conscious persons.

ਕਰਮ ਖੰਡ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜੋਰੁ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਹੋਰੁ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਜੋਧ ਮਹਾਬਲ ਸੂਰ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਸੀਤੋ ਸੀਤਾ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਮਾਹਿ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੇ ਰੂਪ ਨ ਕਥਨੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥ ਨਾ ਓਹਿ ਮਰਹਿ ਨ ਠਾਗੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥ ਜਿਨ ਕੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਵਸੈ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਭਗਤ ਵਸਹਿ ਕੇ ਲੋਅ ॥ ਕਰਹਿ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਸਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਸਚ ਖੰਡਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਖੰਡ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਰਭੰਡ ॥ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਥੈ ਤ ਅੰਤ ਨ ਅੰਤ ॥ ਤਿਥੈ ਲੋਅ  ਲੋਅ ਆਕਾਰ ॥ ਜਿਵ ਜਿਵ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਤਿਵੈ ਤਿਵ ਕਾਰ ॥ ਵੇਖੈ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਕਰਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਥਨਾ ਕਰੜਾ ਸਾਰੁ ॥੩੭॥

Translation in English :

Those who have conquered the ego become true recipients of the Divine grace. They become at-one with the Eternal Divine and their mind is filled with Divine power, which enables them to conquer all the five passions (selfishness, lust, anger, avarice, attachment to the flesh, and overwhelming pride).  Whatever they say comes to pass.

Their words and actions become forceful and radiant with spiritual power.  No ordinary person can reach that stage (enter that region of spiritual power).

There dwell those persons who have complete control over their bodies, rise above all desires of flesh, and have completely conquered their minds, by rising above all attachment.

Their hearts are filled with Divine realization.  They see God everywhere and in every created thing.  Their mind is immersed in the glory of God; it remains immersed in His praise and becomes intuned with the Infinite.  This stage of life is indescribable.  The glorious beauty of heart and soul of persons who have reached this stage of life is beyond human comprehension.  They rise above death (the idea of death finds no place in their heart) and all temptations.

Their minds are ever filled with the realization of the Eternal Divine.  They ever feel His presence within their heart.  The Bhagtas or Devotees of innumerable worlds dwell there (reach that stage of life).

They are ever immersed in unfathomable bliss, as they have realized the Divine within.  They see the Divine reality, which is above all form, alignment or colour, pervading everywhere.  He, the Eternal Reality creates the Universe.  His benign presence ever revels in its glory.  The various parts of the Earth, and the infinite other worlds with their solar systems, all find their place in the Omnipresent sphere of the One-in-All and the All-in-One.  (His Sach-Khand – the sphere of Eternal Truth, is all embracing.  The whole Creation is in Him, and He is in His Creation).  This is the final goal, the fourth stage.

In short, matter does not exist; the whole creation is the manifestation of the Divine thought.  No one can describe them, as they are infinite.  There are worlds beyond worlds and creations beyond creations.

The whole system is governed by an Eternal Law.  The Lord (Eternal Divine) dwells in His creation and revels in its glory.  Sayeth Nanak no tongue can describe it.  (The description is as hard as steel).