CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 13 || 4 || 2 || BIHAAGRAA, FOURTH MEHL: In this world, the best occupation is to sing the Praises of the Naam, O my soul. Singing the Praises of the Lord, the Lord is enshrined in the mind. The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is immaculate and pure, O my soul. Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, one is saved. All sins, errors and sorrows are cut away, O my soul; the Gurmukh washes off this filth with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. By great good fortune, servant Nanak meditates on the Lord; even fools and idiots like me have been saved.

|| 1 || Those who meditate on the Name of the Lord, O my soul, overpower the five passions. The nine treasures of the Naam are within, O my soul; the Guru, the True Guru, has revealed the Unseen. The Guru has fulfilled my hopes and desires, O my soul; meeting the Lord, all hunger is satisfied. O servant Nanak, he alone sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O my soul, upon whose forehead the Lord God has inscribed such pre-ordained destiny. || 2 || I am a deceitful sinner, O my soul; I cheat others, and rob and plunder their wealth.

But by great good fortune, I have found the Guru, O my soul; through the Perfect Guru, I have found the way to salvation. The Guru has poured the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord’s Name into my mouth, O my soul, and now, my dead soul has come back to life. O servant Nanak, those who meet the True Guru, O my soul, have all of their pains taken away. || 3 || The Name of the Lord is the most sublime, O my soul; chanting it, one’s sins are washed away. The Guru, the Lord, has purified even the sinners, O my soul; now, they are famous and respected in the four directions, throughout the four ages.

The filth of egotism is totally wiped away, O my soul, by bathing in the Ambrosial Pool of the Lord’s Name. Even criminals and sinners are saved, O my soul, if they are attuned to the Lord’s Name, even for an instant, O servant Nanak. || 4 || 3 || BIHAAGRAA, FOURTH MEHL: I am a sacrifice, O my soul, to those who take the Support of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. The Guru, the True Guru, implanted the Name within me, O my soul; He has carried me across the terrifying worldocean of poison.

Those who have singlemindedly meditated on the Lord, O my soul – I proclaim the victory of those saintly beings. Nanak has found peace, meditating on the Lord, O my soul; the Lord is the Destroyer of all pain. || 1 || Blessed, blessed is that tongue, O my soul, which sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord God. Sublime and splendid are those ears, O my soul, which listen to the Kirtan of the Your Praises, O Lord. Sublime, pure and sacred is that head, O my soul, which falls at the Guru’s feet.

Nanak is a sacrifice to the Guru, O my soul, who has placed the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in my consciousness. || 2 || Blessed and approved are those eyes, O my soul, which gaze upon the Holy True Guru. Sacred and pure are those hands, O my soul, which write the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. I worship continually the feet of that humble being, O my soul, who walks on the Path of Dharma, the path of righteousness. Nanak is a sacrifice to those, O my soul, who hear of the Lord, and believe in the Lord’s Name.

|| 3 || The earth, the nether regions of the underworld, and the Akaashic ethers, O my soul, all meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Wind, water and fire, O my soul, continually sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. The woods, the meadows and the whole creation, O my soul, meditate with their mouths on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. O Nanak, one who, as Gurmukh, focuses his consciousness on the Lord’s devotional worship, O my soul, is robed in honor in the Court of the Lord.

|| 4 || 4 || BIHAAGRAA, FOURTH MEHL: Those who do not remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my soul – those self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant. Those who attach their consciousness to emotional attachment and Maya, O my soul, depart regretfully in the end. They find no place of rest in the Court of the Lord, O my soul; those self-willed manmukhs are lured by sin. O servant Nanak, those who meet the Guru are saved, O my soul; chanting the Name of the Lord, they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord.

|| 1 || Go, everyone, and meet the True Guru, O my soul; He implants the Name of the Lord, Har, har, within. Do not hesitate for an instant – meditate on the Lord, O my soul; who knows whether or not you shall draw another breath? That time, that moment, that instant, that second is so fruitful, O my soul, when the Lord comes into my consciousness. Servant Nanak has meditated on the Naam, O my soul, and now, the Messenger of Death does not even approach him.

|| 2 || The Lord continually watches and hears everything, O my soul; only those who commit sins are afraid. Those whose hearts are pure within, O my soul, cast off all their fears. Those who have faith in the Name of the Fearless Lord, O my soul – all their enemies and attackers speak against them in vain. Nanak serves the Perfect Guru, O my soul, who causes all to fall at His feet.

|| 3 || So serve such a Lord continuously, O my soul, who is the Great Lord and Master of all. Those who single-mindedly worship Him in adoration, O my soul, are not subservient to anyone. Serving the Guru, I have obtained the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence, O my soul; all the slanderers and trouble-makers bark in vain. Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, O my soul; such is the preordained destiny which the Lord has written on his forehead.

|| 4 || 5 || BIHAAGRAA, FOURTH MEHL: All beings are Yours – You permeate them all, O my Lord God; You know what they do in their hearts. The Lord is with them, inwardly and outwardly, O my soul; He sees everything, but they deny the Lord in their minds. The Lord is far away from the selfwilled manmukhs, O my soul; all their efforts are in vain. Servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, meditates, O my soul, and comes to behold the Lord ever-present. || 1 || They are devotees, and they are selfless servants, O my soul, who are pleasing to the Mind of my God.

They are robed in honor in the Court of the Lord, O my soul; night and day, they remain absorbed in the True One. In their company, one’s filth is washed away, O my soul; attuned to the Lord’s Love, one comes to bear the Mark of His Grace. Nanak prays to God, O my soul; joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he is satisfied. || 2 || O tongue, chant and meditate on the Lord of the Universe; O my soul, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, your thirst shall be quenched.

One unto whom my Supreme Lord God shows Mercy, O my soul, enshrines the Name in his mind. One who meets the Perfect True Guru, O my soul, obtains the treasure of the Lord’s wealth. By great good fortune, one joins the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, O my soul. O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. || 3 || In all places and interspaces, O my soul, the Supreme Lord God, the Great Giver, is pervading. His limits cannot be found, O my soul; He is the Perfect Architect of Destiny.

He cherishes all beings, O my soul, as the mother and father cherish their child. By thousands of clever tricks, He cannot be obtained, O my soul; servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, has come to know the Lord. || 4 || 6 || First Set of Six || BIHAAGRAA, FIFTH MEHL, CHHANT, FIRST HOUSE: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: I have seen a miracle of the Lord, O my dear beloveds – whatever He does is righteous and just. The Lord has fashioned this beautiful arena, O my dear beloveds, where all come and go.

The One who fashioned the world causes them to come and go. Some meet the True Guru – the Lord invites them into the Mansion of His Presence; others wander around, deluded by doubt. You alone know Your limits; You are contained in all. Nanak speaks the Truth – listen, Saints: the Lord dispenses even-handed justice. || 1 || Come and join with me, O my beautiful dear beloveds; let’s worship the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

Let’s serve the Perfect True Guru, O my dear beloveds, and clear away the Path of Death. Having cleared the treacherous path, as Gurmukhs we shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord. Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, lovingly focus their attention on the Lord, night and day. Egotism, possessiveness and emotional attachment are eradicated when one joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Says servant Nanak, one who contemplates the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is liberated.

|| 2 || Let’s join hands, O Saints; let’s come together, O my dear beloveds, and worship the Imperishable, Almighty Lord God. I sought Him through uncounted forms of adoration, O my dear beloveds; now, I dedicate all my mind and body to the Lord. Mind, body and wealth all belong to God; so what can anyone offer Him in worship? He alone merges in the lap of God, unto whom the Merciful Lord and Master becomes kind. One who has such pre-ordained destiny written on his forehead, comes to bear love for the Guru.

Says servant Nanak, join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and worship the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. || 3 || I wandered around, searching in the ten directions, O my dear beloveds, but I came to find the Lord in the home of my own being. The Dear Lord has fashioned the body as the temple of the Lord, O my dear beloveds; the Lord continues to dwell there. The Lord and Master Himself is pervading everywhere; He is revealed to the Gurmukh.

Darkness is dispelled, and pain is removed, when the sublime essence of the Lord’s Ambrosial Nectar trickles down. Wherever I look, the Lord and Master is there. The Supreme Lord God is everywhere. Says servant Nanak, meeting the True Guru, I have found the Lord within the home of my own being. || 4 || 1 || RAAG BIHAAGRAA, FIFTH MEHL: He is so dear to me; He fascinates my mind; the Lord is the ornament of my heart, the support of the breath of life. The Glory of the Beloved, the Merciful Lord of the Universe, is beautiful; He is infinite and unlimited.

O Compassionate Lord of the World, Beloved Lord of the Universe, please join with Your humble soul-bride. My eyes long for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; the night passes, but I cannot sleep. I have applied the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom to my eyes; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my food. These are all my decorations. Prays Nanak, meditate on the Saint, that he may unite us with our Husband Lord.

|| 1 || I endure thousands of reprimands, but still, my Lord has not met with me. I try to meet with my Lord, but nothing works. My consciousness is unsteady, and my wealth is unstable; without my Beloved, I cannot be consoled. Food, drink and decorations are useless; without my Husband Lord, how can I live? I yearn for Him, and desire Him night and day. I cannot live without Him, even for an instant. Prays Nanak: O Saint, I am Your slave; by Your Grace, I meet my Husband Lord.