Diva mera Ek Naam dukh vich paaya telh – Raag Assa – Ang 358

SGGS Angg 358.

Raag Assa M.1

According to the janamsakhis, Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Gaya. Gaya is a famous Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist centre. The bodhi tree under which Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment is found here at Bodhgaya.

The Vishnupad temple here is said to have the footprints of Vishnu.

For the Hindus, it is also a famous site for appeasing their ancestors on the banks of the Phalgu river. According to the Ramayana, Ramchander, Sita and Lakshman came here to do pind daan i.e. the final rites upon the death of Rama’s father, Dasrath.

The pandits there told Guru Nanak Dev Ji to do the necessary rituals to appease His ancestors. Guru Ji showed no interest in the matter. They were persistent and listed many merits of such rituals and ill luck and sufferings which befall those who do not do ancestor worship.

Guru Ji replied with this Shabad.

As for sufferings, I have lighted the Lamp of One Name. It is lighted up by the oil of all my sufferings. (as the Lamp gets lighted, my sufferings are consumed as oil is consumed in lighting a lamp). As the Lamp gets lighted (i.e. I recite His Naam), the oil (sufferings) gets dried up and my meeting with the messenger of death and miseries gets erased.

“Diva mera Ek Naam dukh vich paaya telh. Unn chanan unn sokhiya chuka jamm seyo melh.”

O people do not make fun of me (do not treat Naam as trivial); thousands of wooden logs piled up together, need only a tiny flame to burn all. (even a little Naam is enough to burn away a huge load of sins/lekha).

“Loka matt ko fakarh paaye; lakh marhiya kar ekathey ek ratti le bhahe.” (rahao).

The priests will prepare pind (rice balls). In Punjabi we call them piniya and besides rice, flour and raisins are often used. These pind are normally put in a leaf used as a plate and sent out on the river water as an offering to Vishnu/Krishna (also known as Kesho). Then an elaborate ceremony is held to appease the ancestors and to ease the path of the deceased towards heaven.

Guru Ji says, the Lord is my festive dish of rice balls on leafy plates, and the True Name of the Creator Lord is my funeral ceremony.

“Pind pattal meri Kesho kiriya Sach Naam Kartar.”

Here and hereafter, in the past and in the future, this is my only Support.

“Aithey othey aage pache eh mera adhaar.”

The Ganges, especially as it passes the city of Benares is considered the most sacred of rivers. Guru Ji says the Lord’s Praise is my Ganges of Benares, and my soul takes its purifying bath there (in the Lord’s Praises).

“Gangg Benares sifat Tumari naave atam rao.”

But it is only a true bathing, if I enshrine love for You day and night.

“Sacha naavan ta thiye ja ahiniss laage bhao.”

The pinds are divided into two parts. One set is for appeasing the dev lok, i.e. the devi devas, while the other set is for appeasing the ancestors. These pinds are placed at strategic spots to enable the devas and the pitris to eat. After a ritual placing, the pinds are actually eaten by the Brahmins/Pandits.

Thus, Guru Ji says, the rice balls are offered to the gods and the ancestors, but it is the Brahmins who really eat them.

“Eik loki (i.e. dev loki – residents of dev lok, the devas), hor shamshiri (ancestors) brahman vatt pind khaaye.”

Nanak says, if one is blessed to get the Pind of His Grace, such a Pind would be inexhaustible.

“Nanak pind baksheesh ka kabhu nikhutass nahi.”

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shabad Kirtan available on YouTube