III
Barahmaha by Guru Arjan Dev Ji
It is Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s calendar poem in the measure Magh included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (pp. 133-136). It was composed at the behest of Sikh Sangat when they approached him and requested to rewrite it as Guru Nanak Dev ji’s composition in Tukhari Rag is too difficult for a lay man to comprehend. The opening verse of composition presents the primary theme of the poem of the factual situation of separation of human soul from Almighty Lord ( The Oversoul). Bound by our deeds are we separated from You and crave for union with Him through Guru, by His mercy and grace. Torn as under from her Immaculate origin,she suffers in the month of Asar that burns for her who does not have her Divine Spouse close to her in her home. These individuals are tortured by duality. They see themselves apart from the Eternal One. Thus they remain victim of Yama, the Lord of Death and keep migrating from one birth to another.
This existing tragedy is attributed to Karma or the past deeds which are referred to as filth that a person has accumulated through successive births and one month passes into nest. The Bikrami year begins with the month of Chet or Chetra and concludes with Phagun only to begin again with Chet. As one sows so shall one reap. With good deeds this gap can be filled. These twelve months offer opportunities to unite with the Timeless one (God). But these conditions apply first initiative on the part of individual in form of an intense longing, keeping company of the Holy, reciting the Divine Name, singing the praise of Infinite Lord, and realising that He is indeed with the Self an dthe favour and grace of Lord Divine. Throughout the composition Guru Arjan Dev Ji beseeches Him for His mercy. His benevolent one glance( nadar) can unite him with Lord and liberate his soul from the cycle of life and death taking a person to the state of Timelessness and Eternal State of Bliss.
Excluding the opening prologue and concluding epilogue each of the stanza begins with the name of the month, beginning with Chet. By cherishing the Lord in this month one attains abundant bliss. Baisakh becomes gladsome only if one meets the Lord’s devotees who help him end his duality. Asar is searching for those separated from the Spouse and Savan is blessed for such of the united wives as cherish in their hearts the Name Divine. However, man’s own forgetfulness of God is the cause of his sufferings. All duality and pangs end as one by excelling good fortune attains union with the Lord. In the month of Magh man must bathe in the dust of the feet of holy sages and remember His name. That is the only way to wash off the filth of past deeds. This composition concludes with the statement that for him on whom rests the Lord’s grace all months, days and time are auspicious. It is alone benevolent grace coupled with individual’s own initiative that helps him to break the cycle of transmigration and win acceptance in Lord’s portal.
Text Twelve Months
Majh- The Fifth Guru
Prologue
There is but one God. By the favour of the True Guru He is obtained. O’ omnipresent Lord, show mercy and unite us with You, who on the account of deeds done are separated from You. Getting tired of wandering in four corners and ten directions we have come to Your sanctuary O’Lord. A cow sans milk is worthless, a crop without water withers, and does not fetch any price. If we don’t meet Lord, the Spouse our friend how can we get peace and rest. Those houses, villages and towns where the God – the Husband is not manifest burns like a furnace. All decorations, betel, and dainties along with the body are futile. Without the Lord Groom all the friends and relatives are like death’s myrmidon. Nanak’s request is show Your Bendiction and grant Your name. O’God,the Lord Master eternal is His mansion, unite me with Thee.
Chet
By remembering the Master of the Universe in the month of Chet great rejoicings emanate. By meeting the pious people and uttering His Name with the tongue Lord is attained. In this world advent of only those is of account who have obtained the God. Vain is deemed to be life of him, who live without Him even for an instant. The Lord is fully pervading in water, dry land, the earth and firmament and in forests too. How much pain befall a person who does not remember that Lord. Very great is the fortune of those who repeat the Name of the Lord ceaselessly. For God’s sight O’ Nanak my soul craves and my mind is thirsty. I touch the feet of him who becomes the medium to unite me with that Master Lord in the month of Chetra.
Vaisakh
In the month of Vaisakh, how can the separated who suffer pangs of separation from their Beloved(God) have patience. They forget Lord God, the friend and are attached to deceitful wealth. The son, the wife and the wealth does not go with the mortal man but that imperishable God’s name does. Being entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world has perished. Without the Name of One God one’s future is ruined. By forgetting Lord the mortal is ruined as without Lord there is none other. Pure is the fame of those who are attached to the feet of the Beloved. Nanak makes supplication before the Lord and requests Him to come and merge him into Him. Only then the month of Vaisakh becomes adorable when the saints become the medium to meet the God.
Jeth
In the month of Jeth,a man ought to unite with Him before whom all bow. No one can keep him in bondage who is attached to the skirt of God-the Friend. Lord’s Name is precious like a pearl and gems that cannot be stolen by anybody. In the Primal Being are all the delights that fascinates the mind. The very thing the creatures do is willed by God. They whom the Lord has made His own are fortunate ones. If by them unaccomplished man could meet Lord then why should they cry in separation. Meeting God , through the society of saints O’ Nanak, the pious persons enjoy celestial bliss. In Jeth, the playful Lord Master meets him,on whose forehead good fortune is recorded.
Asar
The month of Asar (Har) seems searching to them who are not near the God-their Spouse. The forsake God, the life of the world and rely on man’s hope. Through love for the another man is ruined and wears the death’s halter around his neck. Whatever is recorded on man’s brow and what he sows so shall he reap. When the night of human life passes away the man repents and departs without any hope. They who meet His saints are exonerated in God’s court. Show Your mercy unto me O’Lord that I may long for Your kind and gracious glance. Nanak makes a supplication, without You there is none other. Asar is pleasant for him in whose heart abide God’s Lotus Feet.
Savan
In the month of Savan, happy is the bride who enshrines love for Lord’s Lotus Feet. Her mind and body are imbued with the love of True One and His Name is her lone support. The sinful pleasures are false. All that is apparent turns to ashes. Beautiful are the drops of God’s Nectar Words. One quaffs then after meeting Saint Guru. The forest and grass blades are refreshed with the love of the omnipotent, all pervading and Infinite Lord. My mind yearns to meet Him and through Guru’s grace He is attained. The fellow maids who have obtained the Lord, I am sacrifice for ever unto them. Nanak, when venerable Lord shows mercy He adorns the mortal with His name. Savan is delightful for those happy wives whose mind is bedecked with the Name of all pervading God.
Bhadon
In Bhadon, she who cherishes love for another( duality) is always led astray in doubt. Though she make lakh of decorations yet she is not of any worth if she is not pleasing to her True Lord. When the body perishes people call her ghost. The couriers of death and seize and despatch the soul and do not open any secret. They with whom man is in love leave him in an instant and stand aside. He wrings his hands, his body reels in pain and changes from dark to white( bloodless). As the man sows, so shall he reap, such is the field of action. Nanak has sought the Lord’s protection. The Master has given him the boat of His feet to ferry across the terrible ocean of the world. The who enshrine affection for the Saviour Guru are not consigned to hell in Bhadon.
Assau
In Assau the Lord’s love is overflowing from within me. How shall I go and meet God ?. Within my mind and body is the great thirst for Lord’s Sight. The saints are my helpers in Divine Love in my love march. I bow before them and fall at their feet. Let some one come and help me to meet Him, O’Mother, without Lord peace cannot be obtained. They who have tasted the ambrosia of love remain sated, satiated and contented. Stilling their ego they make supplication; O’ Lord, attach us to Your Skirt. They whom God, the Spouse has united with Himself, neither separate nor go astray. Without the Lord there is none other. Nanak has entered God’s Sanctuary. In Assau they dwell in peace who get the grace of Lord.
Katak
In Katak do good deeds. It is not good to blame others. By forgetting the Supreme Lord, all the maladies cling to man. The non-believers in the Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent Lord suffer pangs of separation from Him, birth after birth. In an instant all the pleasures of wealth get bitter. For them Name of the Lord can play as an intermediary. Before whom they shall bewail daily. Nothing can be done by man’s doing. In the very beginning the destiny is recorded. Through the greatest good fortune I meet my God and all the pangs of separation breaks and departs. You protect Nanak O’ my Lord Master- the Emancipator and fetter cutter. In Kartik by getting into society of saints all the anxieties of the mortal will vanish.
Maghar
In Maghar beautiful are they who sit with their Beloved God. How can their glory be fathomed whom the Lord blends with Himself. The body and mind of those who have companionship of saints bloom with the pervading God. They who are without the society of pious people dwell all alone. Their pain never departs and they fall under the clutches of death’s minister. They who have enjoyed their Lord are ever seen standing in His service. Their neck is decorated with jewels, emerald, and rubies of God’s Name. Nanak seeks the dust of the feet of those who have fallen for shelter at His door. They who meditate on the Master in the month of Maghar are not born again.
Poh
In Poh cold does not affect them who are embraced by God into His Bosom. They whose soul is pierced through with His lotus feet remain attached to Sovereign Lord’s sight. Seel the refuge of the King God, who is the Master of the World and Cherisher of the Universe. The Lord’s service is profitable. On meeting the saints, sing the praises of God and sin will not touch you. Being absorbed in True Love, the soul gets blended with what it has sprung from. She whom the Supreme Lord has clasped by hand does not separate again. A hundred thousand times I am a sacrifice unto Him- the unapproachable and unfathomable Lord. Nanak has fallen at the door of the Primal Being and He will preserve the honour of one lying at His door, Poh is beautiful and giver of peace for those who are pardoned by Carefree God.
Magh
In Magh consider the bath in the dust of the saints congregation as ablutions at holy shrines. Remember and hear God’s Name and bestow it as alms unto all. So shall your filth of evil deeds of many births would be removed and ego will vanish from your heart. Lust and wrath will not be able to diminish you and dog of avarice will be destroyed. The world praises those who walk along the path of truth. To take pity on sentient beings is more acceptable than bathing at sixty eight holy shrines and giving alms. He on whom God mercifully bestows this virtue is a wise man. Nanak is a sacrifice unto them who have met their Lord. In Magh they to whom the Perfect Guru is merciful are called the Pure.
Phagun
In Phagun they alone get happiness unto whom the Lord the friend has become manifest. The saints who render man assistance with all pervading Lord have mercifully united me with Him. My couch is beautiful and I possess all the comforts and now there is no room for sorrows. My desire has been fulfilled and I am exceedingly lucky and fortunate in having God-the Monarch as my Spouse. Meeting together, my fellow maids sing songs of rejoicing and utter the sermons of world’s Lord. Like God, I perceive none. None is equal to Him. He has embellished my this world and the next one and has given me a permanent place in His palace. He has rescued me from the terrible world ocean of life and I shall not have to run again through many births. I have only one tongue and manifold are Thine Excellences. Nanak is rescued by falling at His feet. In Phagun always praise Him who has not even an iota of avarice.
Epilogue
The affairs of those, who have meditated on the Name have been accommodated. They contemplate over God incarnate Perfect Guru who are judged as true and genuine in His court. God’s feet are the treasure of all comforts. Through them a man crosses the dreadful world ocean of life. They obtain love and devotion and do not burn in mortal sins. The falsehood has disappeared, love for duality has ended and they are perfectly brimful with bliss and truth. They serve the Supreme Lord Master and place the Unique One in their hearts. The months, days and moments are auspicious, for then on whom God casts His merciful glance. Nanak asks for the boon of Your Benediction on Him.
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