Amrit sincho bharo kiarey tau Malhi ke hovho – Raag Basant – Ang 1170

SGGS Angg 1170.

Raag Basant M.1

The Puratan Janamsakhi states that Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana Ji met a pandit, Chatur Das at Benares. It was early in the morning. The pandit was a devotee of Vishnu, and asked Guru Ji why he was not wearing a Shaligram, nor carrying a rosary of Tulsi beads.
(Shaligram is a sacred ammonite quartz stone believed to represent Vishnu, and Tulsi is considered sacred by Hindus as she was touched by Vishnu’s foot. Tulsi – literally matchless one was the chaste wife of Jallandar. She was pious and none could shake off her husband’s power due to her chastity and piety. Vishnu disguised as Jallandar and seduced her. When she found out she had been tricked she cursed Vishnu to turn into stone due to his stone hearted act. He in turn cursed she be turned into a Tulsi (basil) plant.)

The Gurus have stressed that you become as what you serve. Thus, if you do sewa (pray) to any devi deva you become just like them i.e. with all their fallible qualities like human passions of lust, anger and greed. Guru Nanak Dev Ji tells us at Angg 223 “jaisa sevay taiso hoye.”

Thus, the Gurus preached that one should serve (pray) only to Nirankar Ji who is Everywhere, Pure, Perfect, and Niranjan i.e. beyond maya and all its fallible passions. As Japji Sahib tells us God is “Aape Aap Niranjan soye” and so is His Naam. “Aisa Naam Niranjan hoye.”
In fact His Naam is so Pure that as you lovingly enshrine Naam in your heart, it cleanses you, purifies you, and with Gur Parsad allows Darshan of God and Merger into Him.

“Charan Kamal ridh antar dharey; pargatti Jote milhe Raam Pyare.” (Ang 375).

In this Shabad, Guru Ji addresses the pandit (bipp) and tells him O pandit, you wear and worship your Shaligram (stone idol deva), and consider it good to tell upon your rosary of Tulsi beads.

“Shaligram bipp pujh manavho sokrit tulsi mala.”

(Instead), you should recite the Name of the All Pervading Lord and build your boat to carry you across, whilst pleading for His Grace.

“Raam Naam japp berha bandho dya karo Dyaala.”

In the rahao, Guru Ji says all these ritualistic prayer to anyone besides Nirankar Ji is a wasteful exercise like irrigating your dry barren alkaline body field. The walls of the body unbaked mud wall are crumbling every second (i.e. the body is aging and decaying every moment), why bother to patch it with any form of plaster? (the need is to feed the inner jeev with Naam, not the external body. Only Naam can reach the jeev. As your jeev gets rejuvenated with Naam, the radiance of Naam pours onto your body too).

“Kahe kalra sincho janam gavaavho; kachi dhaheg divaal kahe gach laavho.” (rahao).

(To irrigate your inner body, you must use the mann in tandem with your physical actions like reciting His Name, reading paath, doing vichaar, sewa).

Let your hands be the buckets strung on a chain (meaning the recitation of Naam should be continuous), internally, yoke the ox of the mind and draw up the Water (Amrit Naam); irrigate your body field with Ambrosial Nectar (from within) and you shall truly belong to the (Celestial) Gardener.

“Kar harhatt maal tindh provho tis bhittar mann jovho; Amrit sincho bharo kiarey tau Malhi ke hovho.”

As the farmer gets his field ready to plant seeds, he will dig and plough the land to remove stones, weeds, and other material which will interfere with growth of what he plants. Thus Guru Ji says O brothers, (instead of using lust and anger to commit sinful acts), that energy of lust and anger should be channeled into useful spades to dig up the dirt of your farm. The more you dig, the greater peace you will find, and your past actions cannot be erased. (Here “kirat na metiya jayee” is used in a positive sense. The more Naam and good deeds you do with Naam will always abide with you).

“Kaam krodh doye karo basoley godho dharti bhai; jio godho tio tum sukh paavho kirat na metiya jaaye.”

Always pray for His Grace in utter humility, as He can transform you in His Mercy.

The crane (pretender, dishonest person) can be transformed back into a swan (saintly person) if You so Will, O Lord; the slave of Your slaves Nanak prays, please bless me with Your Mercy O Merciful Lord.

“Baghuley te funh hansula hovay je Tu kare Dyaala; pranvatt Nanak dasaan daasa Dya karo Dyaala.”

The janamsakhi says Chatur Das fell at the feet of Guru Ji. He then asked why man is easily led astray. The sakhi says Guru Ji replied with the Shabad
“Raja balak nagri kachi dushta naal pyaro.” (Ang 1171). The mind is a childish king which rules over an unstable country (body) and makes friends with those who really are his enemies (the five vices, cohorts of maya).

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shahad Kirtan available on YouTube