Second Nanak literally learned about Guru Nanak’s mission after living with him for a while; before that, he had been a devotee of a Hindu Devi; his writings clearly state that he, after becoming one with Guru Nanak, prefers the Universal Creator to the rest of all those who were worshipped in his or before his time. Let us know how he shares his divine knowledge with his followers. His slokas on 1239, SGGS explicitly point out that only the Creator deserves all the praise:

ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿਆ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਕਰੇ ਸੋਇ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੀ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਦਾਤਾ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

Mėhlā 2. Kīṯā ki-ā salāhī-ai kare so-e sālāhi.

Nānak ekī bāhrā ḏūjā ḏāṯā nāhi.

Second Nanak.

In essence: Why to praise the created one; praise the Creator, who creates. Oh Nanak! There is only One Beneficent Creator, there is none other.

Except the all-pervading Creator, rest what we see is His creation; therefore, He is above the Creation and should be praised.  

ਕਰਤਾ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਤਾ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਦਾਤਾ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿ ਸਭਸੈ ਦੇ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥

Karṯā so salāhī-ai jin kīṯā ākār. Ḏāṯā so salāhī-ai jė sabẖsai ḏe āḏẖār.

That Creator, who has fashioned the creation, should be praised. That Beneficent Creator, who supports all the lives, should be praised.

The universal Creator is the source of all that we see; in our minds, His praise must be imprinted.

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਿ ਸਦੀਵ ਹੈ ਪੂਰਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੁ ॥ ਵਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਰਾਵਾਰੁ ॥2॥

   Nānak āp saḏīv hai pūrā jis bẖandār. Vadā kar salāhī-ai anṯ na pārāvār. ||2||

Oh Nanak! Prabh is eternal and brimful are His treasures; deeming Him as the greatest, praise Him, who is beyond limits.

Thus, His treasures are perfect and He is forever. He should be praised.

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥  ਤਿਸੁ ਸਿਉ ਕੈਸਾ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਜਿ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਜਾਣੁ ॥

ਚੀਰੀ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਨਾ ਫਿਰੈ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥  ਚੀਰੀ ਜਿਸ ਕੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਮੀਰ ਮਲਕ ਸਲਾਰ ॥

ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥  ਜਿਨ੍ਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਚਲਣਾ ਹਥਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਉਠੀ ਕਰਲੈ ਪਾਹਿ ॥  ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥

ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥1॥

Salok mėhlā 2.  Ŧis si-o kaisā bolṇā jė āpe jāṇai jāṇ.

Cẖīrī jā kī nā firai sāhib so parvāṇ.  Cẖīrī jis kī cẖalṇā mīr malak salār.

Jo ṯis bẖāvai nānkā sā-ī bẖalī kār.  Jinĥā cẖīrī cẖalṇā hath ṯinĥā kicẖẖ nāhi.

Sāhib kā furmāṇ ho-e uṯẖī karlai pāhi.  Jehā cẖīrī likẖi-ā ṯehā hukam kamāhi.

Gẖale āvahi nānkā saḏe uṯẖī jāhi. ||1||

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: What to say to Akalpurakh, who himself knows everything? Only that Master is worthy to be Master whose order cannot be challenged. All kings, nobles, and commanders are subject to His ordnance. Oh Nanak! Only that deed is good, which pleases Akalpurakh. Those persons who are subject to His (about death) ordinance have nothing in their hands. As per the Master’s ordinance, the people take the road and as per His ordinance, they act. Oh Nanak! The mortals come here when Akalpurakh sends them and they depart as He calls them back.

In this sloka, the Guru stresses that we all including the powerful rulers live under His ordinance, which is unquestionable. Our destiny is under His ordinance; He sends us here, and as he calls us back, we go. No one can challenge His authority.

ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥  ਸਿਫਤਿ ਜਿਨਾ ਕਉ ਬਖਸੀਐ ਸੇਈ ਪੋਤੇਦਾਰ ॥

ਕੁੰਜੀ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਮਿਲੇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥

   Mėhlā 2.  Sifaṯ jinā ka-o bakẖsī-ai se-ī poṯeḏār.

Kunjī jin ka-o ḏiṯī-ā ṯinĥā mile bẖandār.

Second Nanak.

In essence: Those persons whom Akalpurakh blesses with His praise become treasurers. Those persons who are blessed with the key of the treasures (His name) get the treasure (His name).

One can praise Him only if one is blessed to do so; thus, a blessed one involves in His name praise.

ਜਹ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਹੂ ਗੁਣ ਨਿਕਲਹਿ ਤੇ ਕੀਅਹਿ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥

ਨਦਰਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਾ ਕਉ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਿਨ੍ਾ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥2॥

Jah bẖandārī hū guṇ niklahi ṯe kī-ah parvāṇ.

Naḏar ṯinĥā ka-o nānkā nām jinĥā nīsāṇ. ||2||

Those persons in whose treasures are virtues are called the accepted devotees. Oh Nanak! Har’s grace is on those persons, who are blessed with His name-pass.

In the above Slok, the Guru now makes it clear that as we must praise Him, but we also gather virtues to be worthy of praising Him. The virtues we have make us accepted in His court. So, those whom He blesses obtains His name entry to be with Him.

Wishes

G. Singh

https://www.gursoch.com

Second Nanak while expressing his views on the worldly affairs, guides his followers to get indulge in the Creator’s praise. All the slokas given below address almost the same ideas. They are on “SGGS 1238. First, he says that the Creator has set up this world in which people get involved seriously; however, they behave under His ordinance only:

 ਸਭਨਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਵੇਖੈ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇ ॥

ਕਿਸੈ ਥੋੜਾ ਕਿਸੈ ਅਗਲਾ ਖਾਲੀ ਕੋਈ ਨਾਹਿ ॥

Sabẖnā sāhib ek hai vekẖai ḏẖanḏẖai lā-e.

Kisai thoṛā kisai aglā kẖālī ko-ī nāhi.

He is the Master of all; by assigning them to different tasks, He watches them. He has assigned tasks to all, to some a little and to some a lot.

And the worldly game goes on:

ਆਵਹਿ ਨੰਗੇ ਜਾਹਿ ਨੰਗੇ ਵਿਚੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਵਿਥਾਰ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਅਗੈ ਕਾਈ ਕਾਰ ॥1॥

Āvahi nange jāhi nange vicẖe karahi vithār. 

Nānak hukam na jāṇī-ai agai kā-ī kār. ||1||

The mortals come naked (with nothing) and depart with nothing, but still, they keep expanding the worldly establishments. Oh Nanak! It is not known what kind of task one will be assigned hereafter as per His ordinance?

As people get wealth, they build big houses and businesses as if they would live here forever by being unaware what will be the next stop; eventually they depart from this world empty handed.  They go from here as per His ordinance, but if one understands His ordinance, one holds on to Him:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥

ਸਾਹ ਚਲੇ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਦੇਵੈ ਨਾਲਿ ॥

ਲਿਖੇ ਉਪਰਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੋਇ ਲਈਐ ਵਸਤੁ ਸਮ੍ਾਲਿ ॥

Salok mėhlā 2.

Sāh cẖale vaṇjāri-ā likẖi-ā ḏevai nāl.

Likẖe upar hukam ho-e la-ī-ai vasaṯ samĥāl.

Slok of Second Nanak.

The traders who came here have departed from here as per the destiny. As per the destiny, Ekankar’s Will prevails; therefore, His name should be enshrined in the heart.

So some people hold on to Him but many don’t; however, those who do profit from this life and the rest of them lose this life chance:

ਵਸਤੁ ਲਈ ਵਣਜਾਰਈ ਵਖਰੁ ਬਧਾ ਪਾਇ ॥

ਕੇਈ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੈ ਚਲੇ ਇਕਿ ਚਲੇ ਮੂਲੁ ਗਵਾਇ ॥

Vasaṯ la-ī vaṇjāra-ī vakẖar baḏẖā pā-e.

Ke-ī lāhā lai cẖale ik cẖale mūl gavā-e.

(Thus) Those persons who deal in His name hold on to it. This way, some people profit from it and some others lose even the given capital (the given life-chance is lost). 

Thus, Guru stresses on keeping the Creator’s in the mind while living the given life.

Wishes

G.Singh

www.gursoch.com

The spring season represents happiness through blooming, taking it as a symbol, Second Nanak tells the followers to keep the memory of the universal Creator in their minds to remain in a state of mind in which the mind stays calm in happiness. The following 2 slokas of the Guru explain this; these slokas are on SGGS 791

ਮਹਲਾ 2 ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਨਾ ਬਸੰਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਘਰਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਕੰਤੁ ॥

 ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਕੰਤ ਦਿਸਾਪੁਰੀ ਸੇ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਜਲੰਤ ॥2॥

Mėhlā 2. Nānak ṯinā basanṯ hai jinĥ gẖar vasiā kanṯ.

Jin ke kanṯ ḏisāpurī se ahinis firėh jalanṯ. ||2||9  (791)

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: Oh Nanak! Those persons, in whose hearts dwells their Spouse, Prabh, are enjoying the spring. Those ones whose spouse (Prabh) is far away burn day and night.

The presence of the Creator within, elevates one’s mind, and one understands that everything is in His Ordinance. The one who doesn’t keep His memory within gets hurts with the Maya influences.

In the following slok, the Guru suggests the followers further:

ਮਃ 2 ॥ ਪਹਿਲ ਬਸੰਤੈ ਆਗਮਨਿ ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਸੋ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿ ਸਭਸੈ ਦੇ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥2॥

Mėhlā 2. Pahil basanṯai āgman ṯis kā karahu bīcẖār.

Nānak so salāhī-ai jė sabẖsai ḏe āḏẖār. ||2|| (791 )

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: Akalpurakh, who has been here before the spring, reflect on Him. Oh Nanak! Akalpurakh who makes blossom all should be praised.

 Now the Guru reminds that the Creator who was here before the spring should be remembered and praised. It is He who is source of all and it is He who makes the nature bloom for your happiness.

Wishes.

G Singh

www.gursoch.com

There are many people who define the bani according to their understanding, but bottom line is to express what the Guru wants from his followers. The following two slokas are about getting attached to the Creator truly. People have set up their own techniques to be with the Creator, but the most important point is that one needs to be in love with the Creator. Here on 787, SGGS a sloka of the Second Guru makes this point very clear. Will the followers listen to the Guru, it is up to them:

ਮਃ 2 ॥ ਮਨਹਠਿ ਤਰਫ ਨ ਜਿਪਈ ਜੇ ਬਹੁਤਾ ਘਾਲੇ ॥

ਤਰਫ ਜਿਣੈ ਸਤ ਭਾਉ ਦੇ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੇ ॥4॥

Mėhlā 2. Manhaṯẖ ṯaraf na jip-ī je bahuṯā gẖāle.

Ŧaraf jiṇai saṯ bẖā-o ḏe jan Nānak sabaḏ vīcẖāre. ||4||

Slok of Second Nanak.

In essence: Through obstinacy, if one utters Prabh’s name and works hard in this way, Prabh is not pleased. Oh Nanak! If one remembers Him and utters His name with sincerity and love, one can win Prabh’s favor.

When the followers ponder over the Guru’s given knowledge, they start loving the Creator. For loving Him, no conceit or greed or lust or attachment or anger should be in their minds, because these feelings do not let them succeed in loving Him. For it, only one needs to love the Creator and fear from Him while living and doing things, as under His fear, one remains truthful and content: As one fears others, one remains enveloped in many other kinds of fears.

On 594, SGGS the First Guru says :

ਮਃ 1 ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਾਲੀ ਕੂੜੀਆ ਬਾਝੁ ਪਰੀਤਿ ਕਰੇਇ ॥

ਤਿਚਰੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਭਲਾ ਕਰਿ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਲੇਵੈ ਦੇਇ ॥2॥

Mėhlā 1. Nānak gālī kūṛī-ā bājẖ parīṯ kare-i.

Ŧicẖar jāṇai bẖalā kar jicẖar levai ḏe-e. ||2||

First Nanak.

In essence: Oh Nanak! Without loving Akalpurakh, all the talk about Him is false (why?), because as long as Akalpurakh keeps giving something good to the mortals, they remain happy to receive and they deem His given gifts as good (when they don’t get what they ask from Him, they change or they give negative comments or complain).

Thus, any one who wants to be with the Creator in this life must fall in love with Him. And falling in love with Him enlightens the devotees.

Wishes!

G. Singh

www.gursoch.com