Lyrics

JAPJEE SAHIB

Ek Oankaar ….. Gur prasaad

God is One. His Name is True. He is the Creator, without fear, without hate. He is Formless, Infinite, without beginning or end. Omnipresent. Self-existent. Realized through the grace of the Guru.

Jap aad such….. Hosee bhee such

Meditate upon the Supreme Being who was True when Time began is True now and will ever be True, says Nanak.

PAURI –1

Sochaye Soch na …… Chalna nanak likhia naal II I II

How can Man realize God and his Godhead? Not through asceticism of the body, or sharp intellect and austerities of the mind. Not through riches and erudition. God can be understood only through obedience and submission to His Devine Will – Nanak further writes.

PAURI –2

Hukmee hovan aakaar…..Haumaye kahaye na koye

He s the Creator and it is His immutable Will that governs the world, encompassing all. All ego and sense of self is lost when Man comprehends this.

PAURI –3

Gaavaye ko taann ….haadra hadoor

Countless are the ways and the people who have sung in praise of Him and His manifold attributes-yet He and His Glories are beyond description. He is the Omnipotent Lord-both the Creator and Destroyer.

Kathna kathee na…..vayparvaahoo

An Infinite, Bountiful God bestows His abundant gifts an graces continuously, with boundless cheer, over unending ages to humanity who tires of receiving it, but He tires not in the giving.

PAURI –4

Saachaa sahib… aapay suchiaar

How then do we reach Him, how do we please Him? He, who is the Truth, the Continuing Reality, the Giver of all things, Nanak answers – by contemplation and mediation of is Divine Name, His Greatness an Omniscience- in the hours before down. Salvation is attainable only through this.

PAURI –5

Thaapia na jaaye……. Gurmukh reheya samaai

Uncreated yet Self-existent. Formless yet all encompassing. Invisible yet the bedrock of the universe. Pay heed to the guru- the teacher, who imparts this wisdom to you- whose words come from the Divine. Sing is praise of Him- and experience His hidden presence in your heart.

Gur eesar gur…. Vissar na jaee

God resides in the guru. The guru is All- he is Brahma , Shiva, Vishnu, Parvati. The guru counsels thus – The Lord of all is beyond description. Forget Him not- the Supreme Creator.

PAURI –6

Teerath naava jay….. vissar na jaee

Practice only those rites an rituals that pleas Him. However, realize that the treasure trove of our minds wherein lie virtues more precios than jewels can only be unlocked if you pay heed to the teachings of the guru. Forget not Him – the Creator of all.

PAURI –7

Je jugg charey …… gunn koye karay

A life spanning aeons and more, glory, fame, limitless wealth- all would be worthless if the loving benevolence of the Lord was denied. One would be treated as the lowest amongst the low. The Lord grants virtue to all. Can anyone favour Him in return.

PAURI –8

Suniy sidh peer…. Dookh paap kaa naas

Those who listen to the Scriptures achieve contentment and purity of mind. They acquire knowledge to apprehend the mysteries of the Universe. To comprehend that the Spirit is everlasting is to lose the fear of death and obtain deliverance from sin and sorrow.

PAURI –9

Suniay eesar….. paap ka naas

Listening to the word of God itself imparts wisdom and the secret knowledge of Divinity in the heart. Says Nanak – the truly devout enjoy eternal bliss and riddance from suffering and sin.

PAURI –10

Suniay sutt …… dookh paap ka naas

By listening to the scriptures, there is a realization of contentment, compassion and wisdom. Meditation of the name of the Lord is worth more than any ritual and leads to absolute bliss unmarred by suffering an wickedness, says Nanak.

PAURI –11

Suniay saraa ….. dook paap kaa naas

Comprehension of the Word brings virtue, wisdom, piety and nobility. The scales of blindness fall from the eyes and the path of righteousness and glory is made visible. The unfathomable is fathomed. Eternal bliss is attained, atainted by suffering and evil. Says Nanak.

PAURI –12

Manney kee gat…. Jaaney man koye

The state of mind of te true believer cannot be described. His thoughts and actions cannot be understood by any philosophizing, nor put down in writing. The wondrous nature of the immaculate Name is known only to those who hold it in their hearts.

PAURI –13

Manney surat hovey….. man jaaney man koi

The true believer acquires knowledge and understanding of the cosmos and the way of His Will. The believer agitates not about death but lives with serene tranquility in his heart.

PAURI –14

Manney marag thaak……. Jaaney man koye

The path of the believer is clear and straight. He travels with unwavering belief straight to the court of the Divine without straying right or left, committed t the name of the Lord.

PAURI –15

Manney paavaih…..mann jaaney man koye

Secure in his faith the true believer attains salvation not only for himself but brings for his family, friends and followers, deliverance from the cycle of birth and birth.

PAURI –16

Panch parvaan …… rakhia jin soot

Those who believe in, meditate upon His Word, and try to understand the magnitude of His creation are the elite who are accorded honour, respect and approval in the house of God. They are blessed with unwavering faith, sympathy, understanding and happiness.

Jay ko bujjhey hovey ……..laykha likhiaa keyta hoye

The believer, whilst acknowledging the boundless, astounding diversity of the Cosmos, whose creation seems so effortless and yet so mystifying, reflects in his heart that same Divinity, and yet knows not whose Eternal Finger hath Writ these features.

Kayta taan …… salaamat nirankaar

Luminous, beautiful, bounteous, immeasurable,- there are not words enough to describe the plentitude and diversity of His creation and the power radiating from the Primordial Energy. Salutations are accorded to the Formless, Eternal One. I bow before thee and acknowledge that only that which pleases You is good- says nanak.

PAURI –17

Asankh jap….. asankh daataar

There are a myriad ways to worship the Almighty-whether they be through rituals, self-abnegation, the practice of austerities, exaltation or contemplation. Limitless are scriptures and their elucidations. Numerous are the devotees and their ways to attain self – realization.

Asankh soor….. sadaa salaamat nirankaar

Countless worship the Creator by going into contemplative silence. Numerous by fighting battles extolling His glory. I have no power to even praise Thy might. O formless, Eternal One what you do benefits all, says Nanak.

PAURI –18

Asankh moorakh…..kurhiar kurhey firaahe

Numerous fools who are willfully blind, numerous thieves, countless tyrants and despots, so many murderers, so much sin. So many transgressors, so much transgression – there is no end to the number of wrongdoers.

Countless scorn, derides, spurn and vilify the very existence of the Lord. Nanak, who is too insignificant to even offer himself as a sacrifice to the Lord, wonders, in all humility, what can be offered to the Ever-benevolent, immutable, Self-existent Reality.

PAURI –19

Asankh naav…. Sir sanjog vakhaann

Innumerable are the manifestations; names, habitations, realms and worlds of the Creator-they defy comprehension and expression. He has bestowed upon us the gift of words as a means to write His Name, worship Him and extol His Glories.

Jin eyhi likhay…. Salamat nirankaar

People try to use these words in innumerable ways to communicate their limited understanding of the Lord. Yet how can words even begin to depict Him when His Creation itself is the substance of His word. Nanak, who is too insignificant to even offer himself as a sacrifice to the Lord, wonders, in all humility, what can be offered to the Ever-benevolent, Immutable, Self-existent Reality.

PAURI –20

Bhariaye hath…. Naavai kay rung

Our material body, when dirty, is washed clean with water and clothing, when soiled, cleaned with soap. When the spirit is sullied by sinful thoughts, it can be purified only through prayer and recitation of God’s Name.

Punee Paapee …… hukmee aavo jah

Actions and not words are recorded in the Book of Fate. Our Destiny lies in our own hands and what we do decides whether we undergo continuous transmigration or attain salvation.

PAURI –21

Teerath tapp…. Bhagat na hoye

Merit gained from pilgrimages, austerities, kindness, charity is as little as a sesame seed. Listen to the voice of the inner spirit and reflect under the scriptures. Remember without His blessings you posses nothing, not even virtue. Devote yourself to the adoration of the supreme One.

Suast aath….. ji likhan laykh kuraan

The Primal Creator is All. He is Beauty, joy Truth, The Word, The World. When was Creation created? The day, the date, the month, the season? The answer is known to neither qazi nor pandit nor ascetic nor scholar.

Thit vaar na jogee…….agey gaia na sohey

None comprehends the origin of Creation. The only one who knows this is the Almighty whose blessing we must seek- the God whose unfathomable powers are beyond comprehension, beyond elucidation, beyond the flux of Time. The Lord, who we do not even know how to address and who defies description, says Nanak.

PAURI –22

Paataala paataal…. Aapey janey aap

The nether worlds, our world and worlds above – the vastness of the Universe created by the Almighty is known only to Him. The Word-written or spoken –has not been able to capture even an infinitesimal part of the magnitude of His creation.

PAURI –23

Saalahe saalah aytee….. manhu na veesreh

As the many rivers flow into the ocean and know not its depth, thus do the extollers heap abundant praise upon The Lord and know not His Infinite Nature. The wealthiest king is less than the little ant who keeps the Name of the Lord in its’ heart.

PAURI –24

Antt na siftee…. Na paaye jaah

His Infinity is Infinite-the creations and riches of the physical world, the talents of the mind and heart Many have striven to fathom the perpetual inscrutability of the universe but have failed.

Ayh antt na …. Nadree karmee data

The senses cannot comprehend and the brain cannot realize the vastness of His Creation. Only someone greater than Him could, yet there is none such. He alone knows his own Greatness, exalted and paramount as He is. Words cannot describe Him-the Lord whose grace we must all seek.

PAURI –25

Bahutaa karam…. Bhookh sadd maar

He is ever generous and munificent. He gives unceasingly to all without expectation. We hunger constantly and yet when our appetites are fed by Him we offer him nothing in return. Some even deny Him wallowing in sorrow. Greed and perpetual discord.

Ayh bhi data teri….. nanak paatsaahee paatsaah

This too is His Will, as is the gift of liberation from the bonds of endless reincarnations. The Almighty is the sole arbiter on whom He bestows His blessings and the priceless Grace of Understanding, and such a one is as a king.

PAURI –26

Amul gunn amul….. tul amul parvaan

His Goodness, being consummate cannot be measured or valued. His devotees beyond compare. He is the Supreme Law-Maker and Administrator and his dealings faultless and fair. He is justice personified and His Laws are Perfection.

Amul bakhsees amul….parhey karaih vakhian

His House is filled with treasures which are dispensed according to His laws and His decree. That is worth is inestimable and beyond description is stated by all scriptures, including the Vedas and the puranas and those who read and try to explain are lost in silent contemplation.

His Greatness has been proclaimed by the gods-Brahma and Indra, by Krishna and his Gopis, by Shiva and Saivites, by the Buddhas- by sages and mystics- and even by the demons.

Kaytey aakhaih….. sir gaavara gavaar

Seer and saint having discoursed and discussed have departed. If God created as many more as there are today and they tried to articulate the extent of His power, not one could do so adequately. He is as great as He wishes to be, says nanak and any mortal who claims to be able to explain His Divinity is deserving of being called a fool.

PAURI –27

So dar keha….. haram veecharey

What manner of portal allows access to the mansion of the Creator wherein He sits and watches His creation? Herein He sits surrounded by music and harmony Divine, where Nature itself with all its’ elements sings. Here also sit Chitra and Gupta, recording individual karma and Dharamraj who dispenses Justice, chanting His Name.

Gaavaih eesar barmaa ……… jugg jugg veyda naley.

Radiant in the splendour bestowed by the Lord upon them sit Shiva, Brahma, Indra and the goddess Devi- singing His praise. There sit, also, holy men, ascetics and warriors brave, men of peace who have found harmony and men of learning who all raise their voices in praise of the Almighty.

Gaavaih mohaneea…… kar kar rakhey dharey

The learned intellectual a the scholar of the scriptures, the captivating maiden who enchants, the inhabitants of the celestial, nether and extra – terrestrial worlds, one and all sing in praise of the Lord. As does the wealth of the earth and all life forms on it.

Sayee tudhuno gaavaih….. sachaa saachee naee

All things that He has created and sustains sing in praise of His nam and Greatness. He allows only those who please Him to extol an eulogize him. Nanak ponders and then says that there must be many more who sing in Divine Praise but their numbers cannot be estimated. He is the Eternal Creator. He is forever True.

Hai bhee hosee jaai …. Nanak rehen rajai

The Supreme Lord was, is and ever will Be. He has created the diverse worlds, the infinite variety of creatures that inhabit these worlds. He enjoys His own creation and does with it as He pleases. To enter the Kingdom of Heaven there must be a complete acceptance of His laws and submission to His will.

PAURI –28

Mundha santokh…… jugat dandaa parteet

Go to God as a mendicant wearing the earrings of contentment, with the begging bowl of modesty, and body smeared with the penitential ashes of meditation. Knowledge of death should be the cloak you wear, purity and faith your staff.

Aaiyee panthee….. jugg jugg eyko vaise

Let universal brotherhood be thy creed. Whosoever tames his wayward mind and prevails over earthly desire, subjugates the world. Salute Him and take refuge in Him, He – who is the Primal Being, changeless, formless, eternal, the One god- the only Reality in the world.

PAURI –29

Bhugat giaan…. Jugg jugg eyko vaise

With the knowledge of the Divine comes compassion, and the heartstrings resonate with celestial music. Know also that the Lord is the One who controls the cycle of the world which is an endless sequence of meeting and parting, sorrow and happiness. Learn the wisdom of His rule. Surrender to the Will of the One God, the Primal, Untainted, Immutable Being.

PAURI –30

Eyka maee jugat….. Jugg jugg eyko vaise

Maya, the Primal Mother gave birth to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Sustainer and Shiva, the arbiter of Man’s fate-the three forces said to control the world This, is but a delusion. The One Supreme God controls all – all goes as He decrees. He is the Pure, Primal, Infinite, eternal One – constant throughout the ages.

PAURI –31

Aasann loye loye…….Jugg jugg eyko ves

God is the Creator and the Father of all things in this world. He sustains and nourishes what he has created apportioning sufficient forall time an all creatures. Nanak says that the deeds of the Master who is Truth incarnate are also ture. Salute Him and Honour Him – the One Reality.

PAURI –32

Ik doo jeebhau…… koorhi koorhey these

The way to union with the Lord is by reciting the name of the One God endlessly. This is the path that will lead to that heavenly mansion. Repetition of His name would cause the divine melodies of heaven to be sounded-the celestial song fill our souls and we lowly creatures would desire to soar high. This only is true all else s false.

PAURI –33

Aakhann jor chupey…… uttam neech na koi

Articulacy or silence, giving or taking, life or death, riches, wealth, and status, a contemplative and enquiring mind, a plan to escape the endless cycle of life and death-none of this is within your power to acquire. Nothing is yours. All power lies with Him and He makes no distinction between high or low when He imparts His grace, says Nanak.

PAURI –34

Raatti rutti thitee….. sachaa aap sachaa darbaar

He designed Time- days, night, seasons and dates. He then created the elements-air, fire, water an the nether would and in their midst placed this earth bound by its own laws. In it, he placed countless creatures of infinite variety. All are judged by their actions by Him-The True One- whose Court is True.

Tithey sohan….. gaya jaapey jaye

This court is adorned by the noble, the good and those elite who have been blessed by His Grace. Here are judged all actions and deeds. God Himself accords esteem to those who have attained this honour.

PAURI –35

Dharma khand ka…… kaytey kaytey mandal des

In the realm o justice we learn to know God through the varied would of His creation and the laws that rule it. In the domain of knowledge- we learn to know Him through the elements, the gods, the suns, moons an stars. We realize Him through the diversity of the world and the vastness of the cosmos.

Kaytey sidh buddh….. nanak antt na antt

There is no end to the multiplicity of His creations-worlds, gods, goddesses, demons, suns, moons, forms of life, languages and forms of speech. There have also been through the ages numerous spiritually superior being who have attained knowledge of the Divinity of go and who worship Him.

PAURI –36

Gian khand meh….. suraa sidha kee suddh

In the sphere of knowledge, wisdom reigns supreme and here exist joy, celestial music and complete contentment. After this is the realm of Beauty where all is wondrous and dazzling, so much so that words fail to describe the unmatched splendour of this stage of the journey of the spirit towards the Supreme.

PAURI –37

Karam khand….. roop na kathney jaah

In the realm of Grace, action and effort are supreme. This is earned through unshakeable faith, complete devotion and the blessings of the Almighty. Te dwellers of this realm are saints, heroes and maidens of angelic form, from wom emanates a marvelos luminosity and brilliance.

Na ohh mareh…….. vaykhey nadar nihaal

The dwellers of the realm of Grace can neither die nor be enticed, for God Himself in their hearts resides. Here also dwell congregations of holy men who sing His praises and rejoice for it is here that the Formless One resides and watches over His creaton and is content with it.

Tithey khand mandal….. kathna kararha saar

In the realm of eternal truth, where God watches and contemplates, are contained several worlds in several forms. These many spheres, all function under His rule of law and in accordance with his wishes but descriptions of these are impossible as the creations themselves are infinite.

PAURI –38

Jatt pahara dheeraj….. nadree nadar nihaal

To reach the Holiest of Holies, do as the goldsmith does. In the furnace of self-restraint, upon the anvil of learning, using wisdom and patience, make the bellows blow with the fear of God. Set aflame the fire of austerity with prayer and supplication. Let devotion be the crucible, into which you must cast your spirit and mould it into the gold of the ambrosial Name of the Lord. Only those who are blessed with His Grace can achieve this ecstasy, states Nanak.

SALOK

Pavan guru pani….. kaytee chhutee naal

To sustain what He has created He has gifted to his Creation, air as a guru, water as a father and earth as the mother. Day and night are the nursemaids. Nanak says- know this – it is by your deeds that you will be judged and granted or denied admission inside the Celestial Gates. Those who have worshipped the One True God will be filled with a divine radiance and will attain eternal salvation for themselves, as well as for others.