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Sikhism·Closing Sections·The Closing Saloks
Verse 118 of 152

Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 4), Salok 118 — living inside the flow

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਮੰਨੇ ਸਹ ਕੇਰਾ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਹੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਏ ॥
gurmukh hukam mannay sah kayraa hukmay hee sukh paa-ay.
The Gurmukh obeys the Order of her Husband Lord God; through the Hukam of His Command, she finds peace.
ਹੁਕਮੋ ਸੇਵੇ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਰਾਧੇ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਸਮੈ ਸਮਾਏ ॥
hukmo sayvay hukam araaDhay hukmay samai samaa-ay.
In His Will, she serves; in His Will, she worship and adores Him.
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਵਰਤੁ ਨੇਮੁ ਸੁਚ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਮਨ ਚਿੰਦਿਆ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਏ ॥
hukam varat naym such sanjam man chindi-aa fal paa-ay.
In His Will, she merges in absorption. His Will is her fast, vow, purity and self-discipline; through it, she obtains the fruits of her mind's desires.
ਸਦਾ ਸੁਹਾਗਣਿ ਜਿ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਬੁਝੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵੈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਏ ॥
sadaa suhaagan je hukmai bujhai satgur sayvai liv laa-ay.
She is always and forever the happy, pure soul-bride, who realizes His Will; she serves the True Guru, inspired by loving absorption.
ਨਾਨਕ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਨ ਊਪਰਿ ਤਿਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਲਏ ਮਿਲਾਏ ॥੧੮॥
naanak kirpaa karay jin oopar tinaa hukmay la-ay milaa-ay. ||18||
O Nanak, those upon whom the Lord showers His Mercy, are merged and immersed in His Will. ||18||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The one who faces the Guru accepts the Hukam, the flow of life, of the Beloved, and in that flow finds peace.

In the flow she serves, in the flow she worships, and in the flow she melts into the One.

The flow is her fast, her vow, her purity and her self-control; through it, she receives what her mind wishes for.

Forever a happy bride is she who understands the flow, and serves the True Guru, lovingly tuned.

Nanak says: those the One is kind to, the One unites with Itself, through the flow.

Peace comes from living in tune with the flow of life.
The deeper layer

Living in tune with the Hukam, the flow of existence, brings peace and joins a person to the One.

Hukam is the flow of existence. Here it becomes one's varat, naym, such, sanjam — fast, vow, purity, self-control — so living in tune with the flow takes the place of outer rituals. Sadaa suhaagan, the happy bride, is the soul that bujhai, understands, the flow. Kirpaa, kindness, does the uniting.

A Question to Sit With

When have you felt more at ease by going with things instead of fighting them?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

← Verse 117 of 152 Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 4), Salok 117 — when love points the wrong way
Verse 119 of 152 →Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 4), Salok 119 — rituals that miss the heart
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