Jewel of peace in more detail
This article is part of the series on the "Message of Gurbani"
ਸਖਮਨੀ ਸਖ ਅੰਮਰਿਤ ਪਰਭ ਨਾਮ ॥ ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾ ਕੈ ਮਨਿ ਬਿਸਰਾਮ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ |
Sukẖmanī sukẖ amriṯ parabẖ nĝm. Bẖagaṯ janĝ kai man bisrĝm. rahĝo. |
Sukhmani: peace through the nectar of the Lord's Name; the resting place for the devotee's mind. (pause) |
- Main article: Jewel of peace
The Sukhmani sahib is probably the greatest single composition of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan. This Gurbani in raga Gauri Sukhmani in the Guru Granth Sahib is a lengthy composition which spans a total of 35 pages from page 262 to page 296 of the sacred Granth (holy Book) of the Sikhs.
Its lyrical beauty apart, Sukhmani is a profoundly significant scriptural text for all devotees of the Sikh faith and indeed for all of humanity.
The composition is written in fairly simple Punjabi for a formal religious text and most native readers will be able to understand it to a large extent; a few passages are a little challenging but these have many valuable translations in various languages.
Further the verses are divided into neat small coherent packages which are a delight for the reader. the reader is able to clearly savour the love of the writer and the love expressed by the fifth Guru.
- Please read Jewel of peace for an introduction to this Bani, Sukhmani sahib
"Jewel of bliss," in more detail
Sukhmani Sahib - The essence: by Manjit K. Jheeta
Astpadi | Message of the Bani in this Astpadi |
---|---|
1. | Salute the Creator, the Greatest, the Supreme Power |
By meditating on His name, worry and anguish are replaced by peace and joy.
By His grace, all hopes are fulfilled. He pervades the universe Sing His glorious praises day and night Dedicate yourself to your Master Then, you shall gain knowledge and spiritual wisdom. Then, you shall experience the radiance of his love. | |
2. | He is the destroyer of pain and suffering. He lives in every heart. He is your protector. Seek his sanctuary. |
When there is no one for you, the Lord will be there to help and support you
Impress God by being good – not by rituals You shall obtain honour and dignity When misfortunes threaten you, He will rescue you, When there is darkness, His name will be the light, When there is a blazing heat, He will give you shade When no one wants to know you, He will recognise you, When there is thirst, His name will rain on you By chanting His name, you will get the courage to face the obstacles of life Keep the company of holy congregation and receive His blessings. | |
3. | Even the wisdom of holy books does not explain the Lord’s greatness. My lord is a precious jewel. |
Meaningless rituals do not give you spiritual wisdom
Washing your body with holy water does not cleanse your polluted mind Wearing religious robes does not get rid of ego Seek the sanctuary of Lord’s feet To be humble is to be great Learn to accept pain and pleasure in the same way. | |
4. | Acknowledge god’s presence in all. He created you so he will always be with
you . |
The best religion is to meditate on the name of God
The best ritual is to wash away ego in the company of good people The best effort is to keep the love of God in your heart The best words are singing the praises of God The best place is your heart where God resides. | |
5. | Lord is your provider. If you forget this, then you lose your honour |
Thank the lord for the perfect body and mind he has granted us
Thank the lord for the loving care and guidance Lord, You are My master. You are my Saviour I am your slave and forever indebted to you. | |
6. | Desire, anger, greed and ego can only be destroyed by seeking help from God |
We humans are greedy and ignorant
We take things for granted We get disappointed with God when things do not work out the way we want We are surrounded by ego, arrogance, anger and greed We seek false sense of security in these things TRUST GOD LOVE HIM UNCONDITIONALLY ONLY THEN WILL YOU FIND PEACE | |
7. | Whoever loves the Lord shall be liberated from the traps of materialistic
world |
By His Grace, we are granted the gift of life
By His Grace, we receive all the pleasures of beautiful body We adorn the body with beautiful things and rub it with fragrances By His Grace, our hearts will blossom with Love for god Then we will feel God in our hearts. | |
8. | A truthful and pure heart, a radiant face and a compassionate heart. Such are the qualities of a good holy person. |
Keep the company of good honest people who will influence your thinking
Their values and habits will imprint on you Thus you will gain spiritual wisdom You will learn to become a humble, loving and caring You will become a faithful and devoted servant of God So, Sit in holy congregation and sing His praises. Enrich your soul with a wealth that has no match | |
9. | He who loves God sees His image in all. Such a person becomes humble and performs good deeds without ego. |
Do not speak evil of others; do not corrupt your mind
Do not fall into traps of desires and passions Do not hear words that pollute your mind Control your thoughts by meditation Focus your mind on goodness Beg forgiveness Beg guidance Beg spiritual wisdom God’s love is the only cure for a broken heart By His grace, you shall be saved | |
10. | The whole universe is the Lord’s creation. In it survive millions of different forms of life. |
In this universe, so many different forms exist
Many show wisdom, greatness, compassion, kindness and devotion Many show ignorance, greed, conceit, self-importance and foolishness Some give charity and some steal from others So how can both extremes live in same environment? For all creation, God appears in different forms to guide them to the truth It is up to an individual to take the chance that is offered to him by the Lord. Trust in Him and you will recognise him among yourself. | |
11. | My Lord is the creator. He pervades the waters, the lands,
the skies and all the space. |
God is an all powerful force
Everything happens as He wishes We, helpless beings are subject to his command When we love him,we feel Him in our hearts Our body and soul belong to Him Show your devotion to him by complete surrender Then you will merge into Him, just as water merges with water. | |
12. | Humble people enjoy peace and harmony; Arrogant, proud simply rot away |
A foolish person lives in a house made of arrogance and pride
In his ignorance, he gives charity with ego He makes sure that he is praised for his acts He thrives on ego, he enjoys playing God, he loves no one but himself Such a foolish man, however, cannot deceive God When he faces judgement, he will crumble like ashes He will never be accepted by God He will fall into cycle of births and deaths Love God; meditate in his name Break away from the worldly traps. Be humble and honestOnly then will you find peace. | |
13. | Those who seek sanctuary of the Lord are saved. Those who slander His name fall into the cycle of births and death |
Do not slander and gossip about good people,
For you are slandering God himself Then you shall fall; your happiness will vanish Your intellect is clouded and your reputation is tainted You will live the lowly life of snakes and worms You will never find peace You will rot in sickness Gossip is the worst form of sins It makes your mind and soul dirty and impure By focussing on God, gossip is replaced by love and tolerance Lord, have mercy on us So that our tongues speak no evil | |
14. | Give up self importance; remember the lord always then all the pain and fear will depart from your heart |
Let meditation be your occupation
Let your tongue sing His praises Let your eyes see the beauty of His creation Let your feet walk to His house Let your sins be washed away by doing good deeds Let your mind experience the peace by focussing on His greatness Let your soul be free of pain, doubt and fear For God is glorious and He is always with you. | |
15. | God has the power to read our thoughts. By His grace, all your prayers will be answered |
God loves all those who love him
He will mend your broken heart Do not take beauty, wealth and health for granted Thank Him sincerely for these gifts with a humble heart Lord, we ask you to cure us of illnesses and diseases of ego Enlighten our dark minds with your wisdom Show us the right path of truthfulness Grant us your guidance so that we live with honesty and integrity. | |
16. | God has no form, no shape and no colour; Only those who are blessed understand this divine power |
God is the supreme power
To question Him about His beginning is like a child asking about his father’s birth Those who serve him will attain good sense and spiritual wisdom He will appear in many different forms He will be recognised by those who love Him He is all around us His existence is the ultimate truth. | |
17. | God is the beginning , is the present and will be there forever. |
Be humble, touch the lord’s feet and pray for guidance and wisdom
Seek comfort in Him; Let all the fears leave your mind Have faith in him; Let him preserve your honour Remember Him in every breath you take Do not despair – Do not lose heart with anxiety He protects all who come to him No harm shall come to you as long as He is there for you Devote yourself to good deeds Thus you will become a good and humble just like Him | |
18. | A person who lives a truthful living is a reflection of God. Seek the friendship and guidance from such good people |
Lord loves his devotee and will infuse His powers into good people
Such person is very fortunate for he becomes a part of God Then, this devotee obeys every command of his master He performs selfless service without expecting rewards. He accepts God’s will without any doubts His mind is content and soul enriched He becomes a part of everlasting power He loses fear of death Doubt, pain and sorrows fade away He is forever saved by God’s grace. | |
19. | Nothing goes with you when you leave this world. The only wealth that you can take is your devotion to God |
Gather the wealth of Lord’s name and be fortunate
Replace doubt with faith Replace hate with love Replace pride with humbleness Replace pain with comfort of His love No harm shall come to you No obstacles stand in your way Your broken heart will be mended with soothing love Remember Him in meditation and obtain everlasting peace | |
20. | Lord, I wander aimlessly after materialistic things. I fall at your feet; Save me, accept me; guide me to a truthful living |
Lord, You are merciful and I am a humble servant
Bless me so that I perform devotional worship everyday You are my shelter, my pillar of support By God’s grace my wishes will be granted Lord is forever kind and rewarding Why forget Him, who has given us everything? Why forget Him, who has given us the gift of life? Why forget Him, who saves us from disasters? Meditating on His name gives us peace of mind He is kind, forgiving and loving to all By His Grace, all those who believe in Him Will enjoy the glory and wealth of heavens | |
21. | My lord possesses all qualities. He created this world with perfection |
God set up the world like a stage
On this stage He is the producer of His own plays He controls the performers with perfection He chooses everyone’s roles and destiny His presence will be felt by all those who believe in Him He is beyond calculation, beyond measure, uncountable and unfathomable He controls his creation with perfection | |
22. | He is the master and pervades everywhere |
He creates and destroys as it pleases Him
He is the ocean of excellence. Infinite and endless Sing his praises and blend your soul with Him Listen to guru’s teachings and enlighten your mind Harbour his love and trust in your heart And feel anxiety and fear fade away No harm shall come to you under Lord’s protection | |
23. | Lord’s name is like an ointment that heals the mind. It dispels ignorance and enlightens the mind with spiritual wisdom |
In the company of holy people, you will find God
His image is securely placed in the human body He exists deep within each heart He will protect you from all evil He will stabilise your rocky boat called life He will answer your prayers Do not be impatient Have faith in Him He will always be there for you. | |
24. | Worship and adore the perfect god. Sing his glorious praises |
Follow Guru’s teachings and abandon selfishness and conceit
Focus your conscience on the Lord He is the creator, sustainers and destroyer He is kind to the hurt, merciful to the poor and forgiving to the sinner Those who love God become just like Him Such a noble person saves other from drowning His life is prosperous, his mind drenched in love He is at peace and knows no hatred SUKHMANI is the prayer of peace and the Glory of god When you recite it, your mind becomes rich Your wishes are fulfilled; You gain respect and honour You enjoy wisdom, peace and tranquillity Your human form becomes worthwhile Sorrow, sickness, fear and doubt leave you body Such a person is called THE HOLY ONE Whose actions and thoughts are pure and immaculate |
Descendant of Baba Farid, transliterates Sukhmani Sahib
Pak minister transliterates Sukhmani Sahib
by Varinder Walia Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1, 2007
Law minister of Pakistan Syed Afzal Haider, a descendant of Baba Farid, has transliterated Sukhmani Sahib in five scripts, including those in Persian, Roman, Shahmukhi and Gurmukhi.
Sukhmani Sahib is the name given to the set of hymns divided into 24 sections appearing in Guru Granth Sahib.
President of the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) Pritpal Singh told The Tribune about the scriptures after a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Mohammedmian Soomro at his office in Islamabad. He said it was the sole efforts of Haider to complete this gigantic task, which had been praised by the Sikhs currently on a pilgrimage in Pakistan in connection with the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Meanwhile, the AGPC chief said Soomro assured the Sikh delegation, comprising Manmohan Singh, Avtar Singh Sanghera, Amrik Singh Vochhoa, Kuldip Singh Chaheru and Harbhajan Singh Matharoo, that his government would make efforts to open a visa centre in Lahore. However, Soomro asked the Sikh delegates to take up with the Indian government the issue of opening a visa centre in Amritsar.
See also
- Jewel of peace
- Bani
- Guru Granth Sahib
- Guru Arjan
- Sukhmani sahib
- Gurudwara Ramsar place where Guru Arjan composed Sukhmani sahib
- Brahm Giani
External Links
- Sukhmani Sahib in original Gurmukhi, Roman transliteration and English translation.
- Concepts In Sikhism - Edited by Dr. Surinder Singh Sodhi
- Pak minister transliterates Sukhmani Sahib into Persian & Shahmukhi
- sikhworld.co.uk
- allaboutsikhs.com
- Download pdf file - Sukhmani Sahib - The essence
- Download pdf file - Happiness
- sikhsangat.com Sukhmani and Naam Simran
- sikhphilosophy.net Sikh forum
Video
Audio
- Guriqbal Singh (Gurdwara Mata Kaulan Amritsar Wale) - Sri Sukhmani Sahib Ji Diyan Visheshtaian
- Giani Thakur Singh (Patiala Wale Damdami Taksal) - Katha Sukhmani Sahib
- Dya Singh (Australia) - Sukhmani Simren
- Gurdial Singh Paras - Sukhmani Sahib
- Harbans Singh (Jagadhari Wale) - Sukhmani Keertan
- Jarnail Singh (Damdami Taksal Wale) - Sri Sukhmani Sahib
References
Gallery
Bibliography
- 1. Sabadarth Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Amritsar, 1975
- 2. Sahib Singh, Sukhmani Sahib Satik. Amritsar, 1939
- 3. Narain Singh, Giani, Sukhmani Sahib. Amritsar, n. d.
- 4. Sodhi, Teja Singh, Katha Dip Sagar (Sukhmani Sahib) Satik. Amritsar, 1959
- 5. Arshi, Sahib Singh, Sukhmani da Alochanatmak Adhyan. Jind, 1973
- 6. Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors.
Oxford, 1909
- 7. Teja Singh, The Psalm of Peace.