Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 1), Salok 25 — Even Heroes Sorrow
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Raam grieves at heart and gathers his armies, with great strength and command within him.
An army of monkeys serves him, and his mind and body burn to fight.
Raavan, the ten-headed one, has carried Sita away, and Lachhman has fallen under a curse to die.
Nanak says: the Creator is the Doer of all; the One makes and watches, sets up and tears down.
Even the mightiest hero grieves; the Creator alone does everything.
The salok draws on the Ramayana, the old Indian epic. Raam jhurai: Raam grieves, even as he gathers his armies with bal aDhikaar, strength and command. The monkey army serves him. Seetaa lai ga-i-aa dehsiro: the ten-headed Raavan has carried Sita off, and Lachhman is dying under a curse.
Kartaa karanhaar: the Creator is the Doer, who makes, watches, and thaap uthaap, sets up and tears down. The epic is told with respect; the point is that even heroes live inside the One's doing.
Does it comfort you or surprise you that even the strongest, most admired people still feel sorrow?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI