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The Ungraceful Bride

Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Suhi

Wednesday
,
27
February
2019

The Ungraceful Bride

Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Suhi

Wednesday
,
27
February
2019
Connect with Sabad
Sabad of the Week
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The Ungraceful Bride

Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Suhi

Wednesday
,
27
February
2019

Sabad is Infinite; we are very finite. This is our understanding at the moment, which was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow, as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad. In this trans-creation, we have chosen to keep the repeating words in the Sabad same. We aspire to learn and retain the Divine attribute as used in the original Sabad and avoid terms like God or Lord.

1 Reality realized by Eternal Perfection’s Grace!

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

I am an unvirtuous-bride, and have a myriad of flaws.

How can I expect a pleasure-union from Husband¹?

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

One better than another.

Who even knows my virtues?

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Those girl-friends² who consummate with Husband,

bask under the shade of the mango tree.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

I don’t have those virtues.

Who do I blame it on?

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Which of Your virtues do I express?

Which quality do I describe?  

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Unattainable, is even one virtue.

I adore You eternally.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Gold, silver, pearls, and rubies

are joy-giving.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Master bestowed these things.

I attached my consciousness to these things.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

I treated houses made of clay and stones

as wealth.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

I was led astray by these assets.

I did not sit alongside my Husband.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Dark cranes have flown away.

White herons are in the sky.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

The bride is leaving for her in-laws³.

What face will she reveal upon reaching there?

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

I slept and slept, it turned into late morning,

I forgot The Path.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Then I was separated from You, my Husband.

I put myself in grief.

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

You have all virtues; I all faults.

Nanak’s one prayer:

O’ Life of life! O’ Breath of breath!

Virtuous bride-lovers enjoy all nights.

Spare a night, for this unvirtuous one.

Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Suhi | Guru Granth Sahib 762

  1. Divine
  2. Fellow-travelers. Beings that set an example.
  3. The life that we are living in this world is considered as temporary (peka - parental home). Eternal (sauhra – husband’s home) is merging with Divine existence, which is often used as an analogy for after death.

ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਕੁਚਜੀ

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ਮੰਞੁ ਕੁਚਜੀ ਅੰਮਾਵਣਿ ਡੋਸੜੇ ਹਉ ਕਿਉ ਸਹੁ ਰਾਵਣਿ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਇਕ ਦੂ ਇਕਿ ਚੜੰਦੀਆ ਕਉਣੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੁ ਰਾਵਿਆ ਸੇ ਅੰਬੀ ਛਾਵੜੀਏਹਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸੇ ਗੁਣ ਮੰਞੁ ਨ ਆਵਨੀ ਹਉ ਕੈ ਜੀ ਦੋਸ ਧਰੇਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਕਿਆ ਗੁਣ ਤੇਰੇ ਵਿਥਰਾ ਹਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਿਆ ਘਿਨਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਇਕਤੁ ਟੋਲਿ ਨ ਅੰਬੜਾ ਹਉ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਣੈ ਤੇਰੈ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸੁਇਨਾ ਰੁਪਾ ਰੰਗੁਲਾ ਮੋਤੀ ਤੈ ਮਾਣਿਕੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸੇ ਵਸਤੂ ਸਹਿ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਮੈ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਸਿਉ ਲਾਇਆ ਚਿਤੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਮੰਦਰ ਮਿਟੀ ਸੰਦੜੇ ਪਥਰ ਕੀਤੇ ਰਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਹਉ ਏਨੀ ਟੋਲੀ ਭੁਲੀਅਸੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਕੰਤ ਨ ਬੈਠੀ ਪਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਅੰਬਰਿ ਕੂੰਜਾ ਕੁਰਲੀਆ ਬਗ ਬਹਿਠੇ ਆਇ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸਾ ਧਨ ਚਲੀ ਸਾਹੁਰੈ ਕਿਆ ਮੁਹੁ ਦੇਸੀ ਅਗੈ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸੁਤੀ ਸੁਤੀ ਝਾਲੁ ਥੀਆ ਭੁਲੀ ਵਾਟੜੀਆਸੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਤੈ ਸਹ ਨਾਲਹੁ ਮੁਤੀਅਸੁ ਦੁਖਾ ਕੂੰ ਧਰੀਆਸੁ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਤੁਧੁ ਗੁਣ ਮੈ ਸਭਿ ਅਵਗਣਾ ਇਕ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

ਸਭਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਸੋਹਾਗਣੀ ਮੈ ਡੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਕਾਈ ਰਾਤਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥


Recording available on Sikhnet, sung by Parminder Singh Australia

Revised:

This Content has been made available for educational purposes only. SikhRI does not make any representation concerning the completeness of the Content. This Content is not intended to substitute research or a deeper understanding of the topic. SikhRI encourages readers to read multiple authors to gain a complete understanding of the topic.

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Written By

Creative Director

Inni Kaur is Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. 

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