Baba man matvaro Naam rass pivhe sahaj rang rach rehiya – Raag Assa – Ang 360

SGGS Angg 360.

Raag Assa M.1.

The Meherban Janam Sakhi says during His second Udasi, Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited Ujjain. There Guru Ji met yogi Bharthari.

Hindu records show Bharthari was born more than 2000 years ago. His brother was King Bikramditya. The Indian calendar, known as the Bikrami calendar, is named after him.

Bharthari was a famous yogi and had acquired great ridhi sidhis by yogic exercises, penances and rituals. It is most likely that Guru Ji met the yogi who sat on the gurgaddi of Bharthari when Guru Ji visited Ujjain. Succeeding yogis who sat on the gurgaddi of the founder, used to call themselves Bharthari also.

There is a gurdwara at Ujjain marking Guru Ji’s visit there. The tamarind (imli) tree under which Guru Ji sat and used to do His prayers still exists.

There are 5 Shabads in SGGS Ji where Bharthar yogi is addressed or mentioned. (Addressed in Angg 223, 411 and 2 Shabads at Angg 360. Bharthari is mentioned at Angg 953).

The yogis used breathing exercises, pranayams and asanas extensively. As a final uplift, they used generous snorts of alcohol to get a feeling of ecstacy. Guru Ji did not agree with their rituals nor accept the use of alcohol as a means of getting Anand.

In this Shabad addressed to Bharthari, Guru Ji uses the backdrop of the entire distilling process of home made alcohol to explain the permanent inner Divine intoxication which comes from Naam.

To brew alcohol, molasses, scented flowers and herbs are used. Guru Ji says, let spiritual wisdom be your molasses, meditation your scented flowers, and good kind deeds your herbs.

“Gurh kar gyan dhyan kar dhavhe kar karni kass paaiyeh.”

To brew the mixture you need a fire. A system of funnels to capture the steam, a damp cloth to run outside the funnels, so the steam condenses and trickles into a beaker/cup with the distilled alcohol.

Let your devotional faith be the distilling fire, and your love be the cooling cloth for condensation, and let the sweet nectar  (of Amrit Naam) trickle down.

“Bhathi bhavan prem ka pocha eit rass amioh chuaaiyeh.”

Baba, (respected elder), let the mind be intoxicated with Naam, drink in the Essence, and be peacefully absorbed in the Lord’s Love; as you remain absorbed night and day in the Love of God, the inner Unstruck music of the Shabads begins to resound.

“Baba man matvaro Naam rass pivhe sahaj rang rach rehiya; ahiniss beni prem liv lagee Shabad Anahad gehiya.” (rahao).

This Pure intoxication does not come as of right. He lets you quaff It in His Grace.

The Perfect Lord naturally gives the Cup of Truth to the one, upon whom, He casts His Glance of Grace; one who trades in this Nectar, how could he ever love the dross wines of the world?

“Pura Sach Pyala sahajey tisse piaayeh ja ko Nadar karey; Amrit ka vaparee hovay kya madh shushey bhao dharey.”

The Teachings of the Guru are Amrit Bani, as you drink in this Bani (not wine), you become acceptable (in His Court); one who is smitten by Love for the Lord’s Court, and yearns for His Darshan, to such a one, of what use is liberation or paradise?

“Gur ki Sakhi Amrit Bani peevat hi Parvaan bheyaa; Dar Darshan ka preetam hovay mukat baikunthey karey kyaa.”

Drenched with the Lord’s Praises one becomes a true bairagee (detached from the world and attached to God), and he does not lose his life in any gamble; Nanak says, listen O Bharthar yogi, remain intoxicated with the flow of inner Nectar.

“Siftee rataa sadh bairagee juvey janam na haarey; kaho Nanak sun Bharthar yogi khiva Amrit dharey.”

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shabad Kirtan available on YouTube