Sri Guru Granth Sahib - An Ocean of Treasures

A few days ago opened a CD that I bought in India 2 years ago. It contained shabads and salokas of Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib and was releaed on the martydom day in 1975. Here isone of the shabads I really enjoy and I had been wanting to know the meaning of word "Bivhaar". So today, I found it out from www.srigranth.org website. I think the word "Bivhaar" is same as "vihaar" that is commonly used in Punjabi culture these days meaning "ritual or custom" like "vihar karne" during weddings, birthday parties, deaths etc. The transliteration here calls Bivhar as "diversions of life". I guess the message is that "the empty vihaars or rituals are diversions in life."

I love what the people at www.srigranth.org have done and very thankful for it. The search engine is great for allowing people like me to search for Gurbani meanings deeper. Guru Granth sahib is like an ocean, the deeper you dive, more treasures one finds. Sometiems it is cumbersome to use and search and it could be improved though in many ways. But still, much better than not having any search tools at all.

Anyways, here are two beautiful shabads of Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji:


ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੯ ॥
देवगंधारी महला ९ ॥
Ḏevganḏẖārī mėhlā 9.
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl:


ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਜੀਵਤ ਕੋ ਬਿਵਹਾਰ ॥
सभ किछु जीवत को बिवहार ॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ jīvaṯ ko bivhār.
All things are mere diversions of life:


ਮਾਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਭਾਈ ਸੁਤ ਬੰਧਪ ਅਰੁ ਫੁਨਿ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਕੀ ਨਾਰਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मात पिता भाई सुत बंधप अरु फुनि ग्रिह की नारि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Māṯ piṯā bẖā▫ī suṯ banḏẖap ar fun garih kī nār. ||1|| rahā▫o.
mother, father, siblings, children, relatives and the wife of your home. ||1||Pause||


ਤਨ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਹੋਤ ਜਬ ਨਿਆਰੇ ਟੇਰਤ ਪ੍ਰੇਤਿ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ॥
तन ते प्रान होत जब निआरे टेरत प्रेति पुकारि ॥
Ŧan ṯe parān hoṯ jab ni▫āre teraṯ pareṯ pukār.
When the soul is separated from the body, then they will cry out, calling you a ghost.


ਆਧ ਘਰੀ ਕੋਊ ਨਹਿ ਰਾਖੈ ਘਰ ਤੇ ਦੇਤ ਨਿਕਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
आध घरी कोऊ नहि राखै घर ते देत निकारि ॥१॥
Āḏẖ gẖarī ko▫ū nėh rākẖai gẖar ṯe ḏeṯ nikār. ||1||
No one will let you stay, for even half an hour; they drive you out of the house. ||1||


ਮ੍ਰਿਗ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਜਿਉ ਜਗ ਰਚਨਾ ਯਹ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਬਿਚਾਰਿ ॥
म्रिग त्रिसना जिउ जग रचना यह देखहु रिदै बिचारि ॥
Marig ṯarisnā ji▫o jag racẖnā yėh ḏekẖhu riḏai bicẖār.
The created world is like an illusion, a mirage - see this, and reflect upon it in your mind.


ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਜੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਤ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਹੋਤ ਉਧਾਰ ॥੨॥੨॥
कहु नानक भजु राम नाम नित जा ते होत उधार ॥२॥२॥
Kaho Nānak bẖaj rām nām niṯ jā ṯe hoṯ uḏẖār. ||2||2||
Says Nanak, vibrate forever the Name of the Lord, which shall deliver you. ||2||2||


ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੯ ॥
देवगंधारी महला ९ ॥
Ḏevganḏẖārī mėhlā 9.
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl:


ਜਗਤ ਮੈ ਝੂਠੀ ਦੇਖੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥
जगत मै झूठी देखी प्रीति ॥
Jagaṯ mai jẖūṯẖī ḏekẖī parīṯ.
In this world, I have seen love to be false.


ਅਪਨੇ ਹੀ ਸੁਖ ਸਿਉ ਸਭ ਲਾਗੇ ਕਿਆ ਦਾਰਾ ਕਿਆ ਮੀਤ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अपने ही सुख सिउ सभ लागे किआ दारा किआ मीत ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Apne hī sukẖ si▫o sabẖ lāge ki▫ā ḏārā ki▫ā mīṯ. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Whether they are spouses or friends, all are concerned only with their own happiness. ||1||Pause||


ਮੇਰਉ ਮੇਰਉ ਸਭੈ ਕਹਤ ਹੈ ਹਿਤ ਸਿਉ ਬਾਧਿਓ ਚੀਤ ॥
मेरउ मेरउ सभै कहत है हित सिउ बाधिओ चीत ॥
Mera▫o mera▫o sabẖai kahaṯ hai hiṯ si▫o bāḏẖi▫o cẖīṯ.
All say, "Mine, mine", and attach their consciousness to you with love.


ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਸੰਗੀ ਨਹ ਕੋਊ ਇਹ ਅਚਰਜ ਹੈ ਰੀਤਿ ॥੧॥
अंति कालि संगी नह कोऊ इह अचरज है रीति ॥१॥
Anṯ kāl sangī nah ko▫ū ih acẖraj hai rīṯ. ||1||
But at the very last moment, none shall go along with you. How strange are the ways of the world! ||1||


ਮਨ ਮੂਰਖ ਅਜਹੂ ਨਹ ਸਮਝਤ ਸਿਖ ਦੈ ਹਾਰਿਓ ਨੀਤ ॥
मन मूरख अजहू नह समझत सिख दै हारिओ नीत ॥
Man mūrakẖ ajhū nah samjẖaṯ sikẖ ḏai hāri▫o nīṯ.
The foolish mind has not yet reformed itself, although I have grown weary of continually instructing it.


ਨਾਨਕ ਭਉਜਲੁ ਪਾਰਿ ਪਰੈ ਜਉ ਗਾਵੈ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇ ਗੀਤ ॥੨॥੩॥੬॥੩੮॥੪੭॥
नानक भउजलु पारि परै जउ गावै प्रभ के गीत ॥२॥३॥६॥३८॥४७॥
Nānak bẖa▫ojal pār parai ja▫o gāvai parabẖ ke gīṯ. ||2||3||6||38||47||
O Nanak, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, singing the Songs of God. ||2||3||6||38||47||