Raag Jaijawanti/Sehskritee Slok – Ang 1352-1360

Slok Sahaskriti M.1
Slok Sahaskriti M.5.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji has 4 Sloks. Sikh history states that Guru Ji went to Benares. Benares was the hotspot of Hindu learning.

One senior Pandit, Gopal Dutt met Guru Ji and as was the habit of most Pandits, wanted to debate with Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Guru Ji did not debate. He expressed 4 Shabads in Seheskriti (a language Gopal Dutt thought only Brahmins knew). Gopal Dutt fell at Guru Ji’s Feet and asked to be accepted as a Sikh.

Gopal Dutt wrote and reverently preserved the 4 Shabads expressed by Guru Ji.

Many years later, two of Gopal Dutts grandchildren went to Amritsar. They were Pandits too, and very proud of their learning.

They carried the 4 Shabads handed to them by their ancestor.

These two Pandits, Hari Lal and Krishan Lal met Guru Ji and tried to show off their learning to Guru Ji and the sanggat.

In their minds they felt the young Guru could hardly match them. They also expressed aloud how a person so young (Guru Ji was barely 30 years of age then), could occupy the Gurgaddi of Guru Nanak.

Guru Arjun Dev Ji started expressing the 67 Sahaskriti Sloks in a calm soft voice. The sanggat was not surprised but was spellbound as they knew the Satguru was “Partakh Har.”

The two Pandits were astounded. They were humbled and bowed quietly before Guru Arjun Dev Ji.

The 4 Shabads by Guru Nanak Dev Ji stress the futility of rituals and external show.

The Sloks by Guru Arjun Dev Ji speak of the fragility of human life and the temporary nature of all worldly relationships. Naam is emphasised repeatedly as the only pathway to salvation.

Anggs 1353 – 1360.