ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਵਾਰਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਚਲਿਆ ॥
ਸਚੀ ਦਰਗਹ ਜਾਇ ਸਚਾ ਪਿੜ ਮਲਿਆ ॥ (Bhai Gurdas)
Gurmukh janam savaar dargeh chaleyaa.
Sachhi dargeh jaaye sachha pirr maleyaa.
(The Guru-minded, upon justifying his mortal existence, crosses over to the sphere of the pious and the divine.)
There, in the Court of Truth, Justice and Righteousness, the Gurmukh earns his rightful place. Others, too, will be judged and rewarded according to their karma.
There’s nothing in our control, except for the limited Will granted by the Lord, for example, as to which foot to put forward, that is, the choice between righteousness and falsehood … whether to follow our mind (mind-orientated), or to surrender our egotism at the threshold of Satguru (Guru-orientated). But, we must remember, the Lord is in absolute control, including the free will He grants us.
ਮੇਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਤੇਰੈ ਵਸਿ ॥
ਅਸਾ ਜੋਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਜੇ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਰਿ ਹਮ ਸਾਕਹ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਬਖਸਿ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 736}
Merey har jeeou sabh ko terai vass.
Asaa joar naahee jey kichh kar hum sakah jeo bhaavai tivai bakks.
(O Lord, every being and everything (all matter) is in Your Power. It all happens under Your Will. We’ve no control or power of our own to do anything, bless us as it pleases You.)
We owe our very existence to the One. The mortal comes and goes as the One ordains:
ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 1239)
Jeyhaa cheeree likheyaa tehaa hukam kamaa.eh. Ghalley aaveh Nanakaa sadey utthee jaaeh.
(As the Lord decrees, so must we accept and comply. Beings arrive as He sends them, they depart as and when He recalls them.)
After countless cycles of life and death, the Lord grants us the precious human form. We are sent on a mission to acquit ourselves through the medium of our karma. The choice, to do good or bad, is ours, but the reward is in His Hands. The Lord is the Supreme Judge and Jury.
ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਕਰਣਾ ਕੀਓ ਕਲ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਤੈ ਧਾਰੀਐ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 474 )
Aapey hee karnnaa keeou kal aapey hee ta.ai dhaareeai.
(O Lord, You, Yourself, are the Architect of all creation and You, Yourself infused Your Light into it.)
Each mortal, within the human shell, carries the Light of the Universal Soul.
ਦੇਖਹਿ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਧਰਿ ਕਚੀ ਪਕੀ ਸਾਰੀਐ ॥
Deykheh keetaa aapnnaa dhar kachhee pakkee saareeyaa.
(O Lord, You watch over all, their interaction with truth and falsehood.)
And, when the appointed time comes:
ਜੋ ਆਇਆ ਸੋ ਚਲਸੀ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ਆਈ ਵਾਰੀਐ ॥
Jo aaeyaa so chhalsee sabh ko.ee aa.ee vaaree.ai.
(Every mortal being departs on his (her) pre-ordained turn, day and time.)
ਘਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਏਹੋ ਪਾਹੁਚਾ ਸਦੜੇ ਨਿਤ ਪਵੰਨਿ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 12}
Ghar ghar eyho paahuchhaa sadrrey nit pav.van.
(Summons are sent out to each and every home, to each and every heart do the invitations reach.)
For the fortunate, the day of the merger into the Universal Soul arrives. The celebration of the impending ‘wedding’ begins.
ਸੰਬਤਿ ਸਾਹਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਮਿਲਿ ਕਰਿ ਪਾਵਹੁ ਤੇਲੁ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 12}
Sambat saahaa likheyaa mil kar paavhu teyl.
(The preordained time of the ‘wedding’ has arrived; O friends, gather together and pour the auspicious oil over the bridal threshold.)
ਦੇਹੁ ਸਜਣ ਅਸੀਸੜੀਆ ਜਿਉ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਸਿਉ ਮੇਲੁ ॥
Deh sajjann aseesarree.aa jeou hovai sahib meyl.
(O dear ones, come, give me your blessings, that I may meet my Lord and Master.)
And, further more, Guru Ji strikes a note of warning about the inevitability of our end; to come to terms with this fact and remember the true purpose of our presence on earth.
ਸਦਣਹਾਰਾ ਸਿਮਰੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇ ਦਿਹ ਆਵੰਨਿ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 12}
Sadannhaaraa simaree.ai naanak sey deh aav.van.
(While we still have time let’s meditate upon the One who will one day summon us to His Court of Truth, Justice and Righteousness. That day is drawing nearer, with each breath we take.)
Whilst there’s still time:
ਆਪਣ ਹਥੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਕਾਜੁ ਸਵਾਰੀਐ ॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 474}
Aapann hatthee Aapannaa aapey hee kaaj savaaree.ai.
(Let us, with our own hands, resolve all our personal affairs.)
ਜਿਸ ਕੇ ਜੀਅ ਪਰਾਣ ਹਹਿ ਕਿਉ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਮਨਹੁ ਵਿਸਾਰੀਐ ॥
Jiss key jeea paraann heh keou sahib manhu visaaree.ai.
(Let’s not forsake the Lord and Master, who owns our soul and every breath we take.)
We’ve no jurisdiction to defy His Ordinance. All we can do is to pray for the departed souls. May they be accommodated in God’s Sanctuary of Peace & Bliss.
ਚਲਿਆ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਵਾਰਿ ਵਾਜਾ ਵਾਇਸੀ ॥
ਮਾਣਸੁ ਕਿਆ ਵੇਚਾਰਾ ਤਿਹੁ ਲੋਕ ਸੁਣਾਇਸੀ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 730)
Chhaleaa patt seou savaar vaajaa baa.eysee.
Mannas kyaa veychhaaraa teh loak Sunna.eysee
(The pious justify their human existence and acquit themselves with honour. Their glory is beyond the perception of mortals. It (glory) resonates in the three worlds.)
(rs ‘arshi’) 21/2/21