A Story Of Betrayal And Faithfulness (Bara Maha by Fifth Nanak)

The most of mortals take refuge in the power of the Creator they visualize to believe in; however, most of the time, their dealing with the Creator remains business type. Dealing with the Creator is not a two-way road; instead it is one way. It is like walking to a path to reach to Him by leaving everything one is attached to behind. First of all, the connection with Him must be secured. And that connection is to believe in the infinite power of the Creator before whom all the lives are literally nothing. The second step is to desire Him in the everyday life while working and dealing in the world. In the bani named “Bara Maha (A composition on twelfth months period)”, fifth Nanak addresses the story of those who believe in Him but without loving Him and of those who live in His love; it is on 133, 134, 135 and 136, SGGS:

ਬਾਰਹ ਮਾਹਾ ਮਾਂਝ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੪

Bārah māhā māʼnjẖ mėhlā 5 gẖar 4

Bara Maha Maajh, the bani of Fifth Nanak, house fourth.

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Ik-oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.

There is only One all pervading Creator, who is known with the blessings of the Satiguru.

ਕਿਰਤਿ ਕਰਮ ਕੇ ਵੀਛੁੜੇ ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਰਾਮ ॥

ਚਾਰਿ ਕੁੰਟ ਦਹ ਦਿਸ ਭ੍ਰਮੇ ਥਕਿ ਆਏ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਸਾਮ ॥

ਧੇਨੁ ਦੁਧੈ ਤੇ ਬਾਹਰੀ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਕਾਮ ॥

ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਾਖ ਕੁਮਲਾਵਤੀ ਉਪਜਹਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਦਾਮ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਨਾਹ ਨ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਸਾਜਨੈ ਕਤ ਪਾਈਐ ਬਿਸਰਾਮ ॥

ਜਿਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੰਤੁ ਨ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਈ ਭਠਿ ਨਗਰ ਸੇ ਗ੍ਰਾਮ ॥

ਸ੍ਰਬ ਸੀਗਾਰ ਤੰਬੋਲ ਰਸ ਸਣੁ ਦੇਹੀ ਸਭ ਖਾਮ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕੰਤ ਵਿਹੂਣੀਆ ਮੀਤ ਸਜਣ ਸਭਿ ਜਾਮ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਬੇਨੰਤੀਆ ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਦੀਜੈ ਨਾਮੁ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸੰਗਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਨਿਹਚਲ ਧਾਮ ॥੧॥

Kiraṯ karam ke vīcẖẖuṛe kar kirpā melhu rām.

Cẖār kunt ḏah ḏis bẖarame thak ā-e parabẖ kī sām.

Ḏẖen ḏuḏẖai ṯe bāhrī kiṯai na āvai kām.

Jal bin sākẖ kumlāvaṯī upjahi nāhī ḏām.

Har nāh na milī-ai sājnai kaṯ pā-ī-ai bisrām.

Jiṯ gẖar har kanṯ na pargata-ī bẖaṯẖ nagar se garām.

Sarab sīgār ṯambol ras saṇ ḏehī sabẖ kẖām.

Parabẖ su-āmī kanṯ vihūṇī-ā mīṯ sajaṇ sabẖ jām.

Nānak kī bananṯī-ā kar kirpā ḏījai nām.

Har melhu su-āmī sang parabẖ jis kā nihcẖal ḏẖām. ||1||

In essence: Oh Ekankar! We are separated from you because of our deeds; kindly bestow your grace and unite us with you. After wandering through all directions, we have come to your refuge. (Just as) A cow, without the milk is of no use; without water, the crop withers, and it has no value (we are of no use without you); without meeting our friend and master Ekankar, how can we obtain peace? Those houses or towns (hearts) where Ekankar doesn’t manifest are like furnace. (Without Him) All decorations, betel, and dainties along with the bodies are temporary. All friends are like an enemy without our Spouse (takes away from Him). Nanak supplicates to you. Oh Ekankar! Give me your name as a gift. Unite me with you.

ਚੇਤਿ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਅਰਾਧੀਐ ਹੋਵੈ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਘਣਾ ॥ 

ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਰਸਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਭਣਾ ॥

ਜਿਨਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਏ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਗਣਾ ॥

ਇਕੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਬਿਨੁ ਜੀਵਣਾ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਜਣਾ ॥

ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਮਹੀਅਲਿ ਪੂਰਿਆ ਰਵਿਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਵਣਾ ॥

ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਕਿਤੜਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਗਣਾ ॥

ਜਿਨੀ ਰਾਵਿਆ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਤਿੰਨਾ ਭਾਗੁ ਮਣਾ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੰਉ ਮਨੁ ਲੋਚਦਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਿਆਸ ਮਨਾ ॥

ਚੇਤਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਤਿਸ ਕੈ ਪਾਇ ਲਗਾ ॥੨॥

Cẖeṯ govinḏ arāḏẖī-ai hovai anand gẖaṇā.

Sanṯ janā mil pā-ī-ai rasnā nām bẖaṇā.

Jin pā-i-ā parabẖ āpṇā ā-e ṯisėh gaṇā.

Ik kẖin ṯis bin jīvṇā birthā janam jaṇā.

Jal thal mahī-al pūri-ā ravi-ā vicẖ vaṇā.

So parabẖ cẖiṯ na āvī kiṯ-ṛā ḏukẖ gaṇā.

Jinī rāvi-ā so parabẖū ṯinnā bẖāg maṇā.

Har ḏarsan kaʼn-u man locẖḏā Nānak pi-ās manā.

Cẖeṯ milā-e so parabẖū ṯis kai pā-e lagā. ||2||

In essence: In the month of Chet, if we contemplate Akalpurakh, we can enjoy great bliss. By meeting His devotees, we get the gift of His name praise. The lives of those persons, who have obtained Akalpurakh, are truly valuable. Living without Akalpurakh for a moment is wastage of life. The pain cannot be measured of those people, who don’t remember the Creator, who is pervading everywhere the water, the land, forests, and the sky; however, those ones, who contemplate Akalpurakh, have great luck. Oh Nanak say: Oh Akalpurakh! My mind longs to have your glimpse and I am thirsty for it. I bow to that person, who unites me with Akalpurakh in this month of Chet.

   Now we see the seeker’s longing for the Creator increasing as the month, Chet, starts; it is a good month only if one loves Him while performing one’s worldly duties; however, those who forget Him while indulging in the Mundane affairs walk on the mines of miseries triggered by Maya in absence of His love.

CONTINUES:..