‘This is the way, sister, to reach the Bridegroom.’
4 If you lose your ego, then you gain the Groom,
no other cleverness will do.
When the Bridegroom casts the loving Gaze, that day is
recorded, and the woman wins the nine treasures.
Loved by her Bridegroom, she is the true bride,
and she is the true sister of her brothers.
She is coloured by her Beloved,
immersed in tranquillity,
saturated with love day and night,
She is beautiful, she is radiant, she is brilliant,
and she is called wise.
Suhi Mahalla 1
1 Which scales, which weights,
which goldsmith should I call to assay You?
Which Guru should instruct me?
Whom should I approach to assess You?
My Beloved, I do not know your limits,
You pervade the earth, waters and the air above,
You are ever present in all.
2 If I were to use the scales of my mind,
the weights of my consciousness,
and the goldsmith of my service,
If I were to weigh You within myself,
then could I hold my consciousness in balance.
3 You are the indicator, You are the weight,
You are the scales, and You are the assessor.
You observe, You recognize,
and You are the dealer.
4 The mind is ignorant, base and alienated,
it flits from here to there.
Nanak lives in such company,
how can this fool ever find You?
Rag Bilaval Mahalla 1
1 It is no compliment if I call You a chief
when You are our Sultan.
I address You just as You direct me, my Guide,
I am ignorant and do not know what to say.
Grant me the wisdom to sing Your glory
and to abide in Truth, as is Your Will.
2 Whatever happens is of Your doing,
and all is known to You.
I do not know Your limits, my Sovereign,
I am ignorant, what cleverness have I?
3 What can I say?
Whenever I try, I fail to express the Inexpressible.
I can only say what pleases You,
a sesame seed before Your greatness.
4 There are so many dogs and I am a stray one,
I bark to appease the hunger of this body.
Nanak may lack devotion,
but this cannot diminish the Husband’s Name.
Bilaval Mahalla 1
1 If I make of my mind a temple,
and of my body a hermit’s robe,
if I bathe in the fount of myself,
If the One Word dwells in my breath,
I will not return to the circle of life.
Mother, my mind is pierced
with love for the Compassionate One.
But who can know another’s pain?
The Divine is my only concern.
2 You who are unfathomable, unknowable,
ineffable, infinite, do watch over us.
You pervade the waters and the lands and the air above,
Your Light shines in each and every heart.
3 All teaching, all wisdom, all enlightenment is Yours,
all temples and shelters are Yours.
My Sovereign, I know no one else but You,
and I sing your glory forever.
4 All creatures seek refuge in Your lap,
responsibility for all rests with You.
Whatever pleases You is good,
This is all Nanak has to say.
MORNING
Jaap
JAAP (with a long a) is a poetic offering to the Ultimate Reality. It is the obeisance to the Transcendent One by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and is from the Dasam Granth (Book of the Tenth Guru). In 199 verses, it is a marvellous profusion of divine attributes that flashed on the Guru’s artistic consciousness. He ends at verse 199 rather than at a round figure to signify that there is no culminating point. The outpouring of words saluting the Infinite Reality is dynamic, the rhythm most speedy, and so this morning prayer of the Sikhs becomes an important aesthetic medium for contemplating the Ultimate Reality.
1 You have no trait, no trace whatsoever,
no colour, caste or family.
How to describe Your features or complexion,
the lines on Your palms or Your garb?
You are called eternal, self-illumined, of infinite power,
Supreme among countless deities, Ruler among rulers,
Guardian of the three worlds—gods, humans and
demons, tiny blades of grass and towering forests
all proclaim Your infinity.
Who can recount all Your names?
The wise name You from Your actions.
2 Salutations to You, the Timeless
Salutations to You, the Merciful
Salutations to You, the Formless
Salutations to You, the Incomparable
3 Salutations to You, the Unattired
Salutations to You, the Inexpressible
Salutations to You, the Bodiless
Salutations to You, the Unborn
4 Salutations to You, the Invincible
Salutations to You, the Indestructible
Salutations to You, the Nameless
Salutations to You, the Placeless
5 Salutations to You who are beyond all deeds
Salutations to You who are beyond all duties
Salutations to You who are beyond all names
Salutations to You who are beyond all places
6 Salutations to You, the Unbeatable
Salutations to You, the Fearless
Salutations to You, the Unyielding
Salutations to You, the Indomitable
7 Salutations to You, the Formless
Salutations to You, the Timeless
Salutations to You, the Impenetrable
Salutations to You, the Unfathomable
8 Salutations to You, the Invincible
Salutations to You, the Invulnerable
Salutations to You, the Generous
Salutations to You, the Boundless
9 Salutations to You, the Absolutely Single
Salutations to You, the Infinitely Countless
Salutations to You who are beyond the five elements
Salutations to You who are free of all entanglements
10 Salutations to You who are free of action
Salutations to You who are free of delusion
Salutations to You who are free of place
Salutations to You who are free of garb
11 Salutations to You, the Nameless
Salutations to You, the Desireless
Salutations to You, the Immaterial
Salutations to You, the Inviolable
12 Salutations to You, the Immovable
Salutations to You, the Insubstantial
Salutations to You, the Invisible
Salutations to You, the Unworried
13 Salutations to You who are beyond all suffering
Salutations to You who are beyond all depiction
Salutations to You who are honoured in the three worlds
Salutations to You who are our true Treasure
14 Salutations to You, the Unfathomable
Salutations to You, the Unshakeable
Salutations to You, the All-encompassing
Salutations to You, the Unborn
15 Salutations to You, the Enjoyer of everything
Salutations to You, the Pervader of everyone
Salutations to You, the Colourless
Salutations to You, the Absolute
16 Salutations to You, the Incomprehensible
Salutations to You, the Beautiful
Salutations to You, the Supporter of oceans
Salutations to Y
ou, the Unsupported
17 Salutations to You, the Casteless
Salutations to You, the Kinless
Salutations to You, the Sectless
Salutations to You, the Wonderful
18 Homage to You who have no country
Salutations to You who have no vesture
Salutations to You who have no dwelling
Salutations to You, the Unborn
19 Salutations to You who bring death to all
Salutations to You who grant mercy to all
Salutations to You who permeate all
Salutations to You who rule us all
20 Salutations to You, our Annihilator
Salutations to You, our Creator
Salutations to You, our Destroyer
Salutations to You, our Sustainer
21 Salutations to You, the Luminous
Salutations to You, the Mysterious
Salutations to You, the Eternal
Salutations to You, the Most Beautiful
22 Salutations to You who have access to all
Salutations to You who exist everywhere
Salutations to You who contain all colours
Salutations to You who shatter all forms
23 Salutations to You, the Death of death
Salutations to You, the Compassionate
Salutations to You, the Colourless
Salutations to You, the Immortal
24 Salutations to You, the Ageless
Salutations to You, the Maker of all
Salutations to You, the Activator
Salutations to You, the Free
25 Salutations to You who have no kin
Salutations to You who fear no one
Salutations to You, the Merciful
Salutations to You, the Compassionate
26 Salutations to You, the Infinite
Salutations to You, the Greatest of all
Salutations to You, the Embodiment of Love
Salutations to You, the Most Fortunate
27 Salutations to the Annihilator
Salutations to the Nurturer
Salutations to the Creator
Salutations to the Destroyer
28 Salutations to the supreme Ascetic
Salutations to the supreme Reveller
Salutations to the Benevolent
Salutations to the Sustainer of all
29 Formless
Incomparable
Immovable
Transcendent
30 Without description
Without attire
Without name
Without desire
31 Inconceivable
Mysterious
Unassailable
Fearless
32 You are exalted in all three worlds
You are the precious Treasure
You encompass all three goals of life
You were never born
33 Infinite
No beginning
Invincible
No origin
34 Beyond birth
Beyond caste
Beyond matter
Beyond fetters
35 Unconquered
Unbreakable
Unchallenged
Unshakeable
36 Deep You are
Friend You are
Unencumbered
Utterly free
37 Enigmatic
Unknowable
Immortal
Unbound
38 Traceless
Placeless
Infinite
The Greatest
39 Without limits
Without kin
Totally independent
Utterly unknowable
40 Unreachable
Unborn
Insubstantial
Intangible
41 Beyond our vision
Above all worries
Beyond all actions
Above all superstitions
42 Unconquerable
Fearless
Firm as the mountains
Deep as the ocean
43 Immeasurable
Supreme Treasure
Of countless forms
Yet One
44 Salutations to the One revered by all
Salutations to the Treasure of all
Salutations to the God of gods
Salutations to the formless Mystery
45 Salutations to the Destroyer of death
Salutations to the Preserver of all life
Salutations to the One with access to all
Salutations to the One present everywhere
46 Sovereign, You have no body
Vanquisher, You need no ally
Salutations to the Sun of suns
Salutations to the Glory of glories
47 Salutations to the Moon of moons
Salutations to the Sun of suns
Salutations to the Song of songs
Salutations to the Tune of tunes
48 Salutations to the Dance of dances
Salutations to the Sound of sounds
Salutations to the Hand of hands
Salutations to the Reason of reason
49 Formless, nameless
The beautiful universal Form
Destroyer of all tyrants
Bestower of all wealth and joy
50 Stainless
Immaculate
Salutations to the Ruler of rulers
To the supreme Form
51 Salutations to the Yogi of yogis
To the greatest Siddha
Salutations to the King of kings
To the Greatest of the great
52 Salutations to the Wielder of weapons
Salutations to the Hurler of missiles
Salutations to the Knower of all
Salutations to the Mother of the cosmos
53 Without form, without doubts
Not seduced by senses, not weakened by temptation
Salutations to You, the Yogi of yogis
Salutations to the highest Way
54 Salutations to You, our constant Protector
To the undaunted Vanquisher of evil-doers
Salutations to You, the Sustainer of gods and demons
To the most Righteous
55 Salutations to the Dispeller of disease
Salutations to the Incarnation of love
Salutations to the Merchant of merchants
Salutations to the Emperor of emperors
56 Salutations to the most Beneficent
Salutations to the most Revered
Salutations to the Dispeller of disease
Salutations to You, the Bestower of purity
57 Salutations to You, the Sound of sounds
Salutations to You, the Image of images
Salutations to You, the Ground of our faith
Salutations to You, the System of systems
58 Ultimate Truth, Consciousness and Bliss
Extinguisher of all
Incomparable, formless
Immanent in all
59 Giver of spiritual energy, Giver of mental power
Cause of all success
Pervader of the underworld, the earth and skies above
Destroyer of hosts of sins
60 Highest of the high
Unseen Giver of all we own
Power behind us all
Compassionate Giver
61 Impervious, impenetrable
Nameless, desireless
Conquerer of all
Present everywhere
62 In water
On land
Fearless
So mysterious
63 Almighty
Immutable
Without country
Without garb
64 Unfathomable, unboundable
Embodiment of bliss
Salutations to You who are honoured by all
Salutations to You who are the treasure of all
65 Salutations to You, the absolu
te Commander
Salutations to You, the supreme Conqueror
Salutations to You, the Invincible
Salutations to You, the Indestructible
66 Salutations to You, the Timeless
Salutations to You, the Autonomous
Salutations to the One present in every land
Salutations to the One present in every garb
67 Salutations to the King of kings
Salutations to the Designer of designers
Salutations to the Ruler of rulers
Salutations to the Moon of moons
68 Salutations to the Song of songs
Salutations to the Love of love
Salutations to the Fury of furies
Salutations to the Fire of fires
69 Salutations to the Inflicter of disease
Salutations to the Enjoyer of everything
Salutations to the Conqueror of all
Salutations to the Terrifier of all
70 Salutations to the Omniscient
Salutations to the Omnipotent
Salutations to the supreme Sound
Salutations to the supreme Image
71 Salutations to the One who watches us all
Salutations to the One who attracts us all
Salutations to the One who contains all colours
Formless, Annihilator of the three worlds
72 Salutations to the Life of all lives
Salutations to the Primal Seed
Serene and undaunting
Showering us all with gifts
73 Embodiment of compassion
Annuller of vice
Always and ever You remain
The source of spiritual energy
74 Whose work is immortal
Hymns of the Sikh Gurus Page 7