Raga Maru

Raga Maru

This Raga appears from pages 989 to 1107 and covers 118 pages of Holy Granth Sahib. Maru is an old raga seldom heard in modern concerts. Some theorists equate it with Maruva or Marva. In the Ragmala it is putra (son) of Malkaunsa. It is found in other classifications from 14^th to early 19^th century. It was used by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Amar Das Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Bhagat Kabir Ji, Bhagat Namdev Ji, Bhagat Jai Dev Ji, and Bhagat Ravidas Ji. It was traditionally sung on the battlefield in preparation for war. Maru has an aggressive nature that creates an inner strength and power to express and emphasis the truth, regardless of the consequences. Maru’s nature conveys the fearlessness and strength that ensures the truth is spoken, no matter what the cost. Its Aroh is Sa, Ga, Ma, Pa, Ni, Sa and Avroh is Sa, Ni, Dha, Pa, Dha, Ma, Pa, Ga,Ma, Re, Sa and Pakar is Pa, Dha,Ni, Dha, Pa, Ma,Pa, Ma, Ga, Pa,Dha, Pa,Ga, Re, Ga, Re, Sa. Its vadi is Pa while its samvadi is Ni. Some compositions in this raga are:

Guru Nanak Dev Ji

The union of the father and mother brings the body into being.

And our Creator-Lord Inscribes in each body the Writ of His Will.

And the Blessed Writ is of Light and Glory.

But contaminated by Maya, we lose the sense of Discrimination.

Guru Angad Dev Ji

Infinite is God, the Creator-Lord, who Manifests Himself through His Power.

O, the created one is helpless before Him.

He Creates all beings,and Feeds all and His writ is over the heads of all.

Guru Amar Das Ji

Cease one’s comings and goings and one abides in one’s Self,

If the Lord Blesses one with the Treasure of Truth; but God alone knows (whom He Blesses)

O mind, Cherish your Lord, ridding yourself of Evil:

Yea, Contemplate Him, through the Guru’s Word, that you are Dedicated to Truth – Pause.

Guru Ram Das Ji

Gather you the Treasure of God’s Name; yea, through the Guru’s word your Lord Blesses you with the Glory (of His Name).

And lo, it goes along with you both here and hereafter,and your God releases you in the end.

And where mazy and uneven are the Paths, there too your Lord will come to your rescue.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji

I’ve wandered incessantly in a myriad ways for the sake of riches:

But all the deeds I did, lured by Ego, all went in vain,

O’ God, yoke me to naught else( but Your Love)

And Bless me only with the days when I Sing Your Praise.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

What can I do now, O Mother ?

For my life has been wasted away by Vice, and I’ve not Dwelt upon God. Pause

Now, when the Yama has cast his noose around my neck,I’ve lost all sense of Being.

And save for the Lord’s Name, there is no one to succour me in this distress.

The possessions which I thought were mine, became strangers unto me in a moment.

Says Nanak; “ I now regret my past why I didn’t Praise my God”.

Bhagat Kabir Ji

Him, the Detached One, who has ever Seen Intuitively? Nay, no one has seen.

It is when one becomes fear-free that Intuition awakens within one.

Yea, if one Sees the Presence of the Lord, one is Blessed with His Fear.

And one Realises the (Lord’s) Will, and one becomes fear-free.

Bhagat Namdev Ji

When I sought the Refuge of my Lord,my Spouse, I attained the four kinds of Emancipation.

And, lo being Emancipated,I am known through the four Yugas, and I am acclaimed and a canopy waves over my head.

Bhagat Jaidev Ji

The breath is turned in through the moon channel and retained in Sushmana and turned out through the Sun channel uttering sixteen times ( God’s Nam).

And l, the (evil) potency of mind is broken, and cease its outgoings; and its wildness is tamed and one in drinks ( the God’s ) Nectar.

Bhagat Ravidas Ji

O Love, who is it that can do it but You ? Yea, the poor are embellished only through You O my Lord and Master, over whose Head waves the Canopy ( of His Grace). Pause

He, whose touch defiles others, on whom too is Your Mercy, O God.

You make the low, high and mighty, and fear naught.