Vaida vaid sovaid tu pehla rogh pehchaan – Raag Malaar – Ang 1279

SGGS Angg 1279

Raag Malaar M.2

Guru Ji tells us the qualities of an ideal doctor.
But for us to understand this Shabad, it is necessary to know which disease (rogh) Guru Ji is speaking about.

At Angg 1140, Bhairo M.5 we are told “haumai rogh manukh ko deena”
(humans are afflicted by the disease of egotism)

This haumai is a chronic disease (“dhirag rogh”), but contains its own cure (“daru bhi iss mahe”) as it takes to Naam, with the Grace of the Guru. As one takes to Naam, the obnoxious ego gets transformed into positive “dhirtaa,” “vishvaas,” “bharosa.”

Guru Ji tells the physician you can be the most competent of doctors if you are able to first recognize the disease. (conventional medicine treats the signs of disease which erupt on the physical body. It traces the source of distress on the system, and proceeds to treat on a physical level. Guru Ji tells us the physical source of distress, will have a karmic cause, which is based upon our egoistic actions, and in breach of His Hukam).

“Vaida vaid sovaid tu pehla rogh pehchaan.”

The bisraam is “Vaida, vaid sowaid tu..” i.e. O doctor amongst all vaids (doctors) you can be the best of doctors (vaid sovaid), if you are firstly able to diagnose the true cause of the ailment.

Then Guru Ji says prescribe such a remedy by which all sorts of illnesses can be cured. (only Naam has such qualities. “Sarab rogh ka aukhad Naam.”)

“Aisaa daru lorh leho jitt vanjay roga kaan.”

Administer such a medicine, which will cure the disease and allow peace to dwell in the body.

“Jitt daru rogh uthiye tann sukh vassay aaye.”

Nanak says, only when you rid yourself of disease (apna means your own. It means your aapa, your conceit/ego), can you be worthy of being called a Physician.

“Rogh gavaaiye apna ta Nanak vaid sadaaiye.”

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shahad Kirtan available on YouTube