Raag Aasaa
Commentary

Raag Aasaa, Mehl 5 (Guru Arjan)

You are my waves and I am Your fish — my life, my support, my strength; beholding You, my heart-lotus blossoms, and night and day I chant the Name.

The Arc

Pauri 0: You are my waves, I am Your fish; I wait at Your door. The Pause (Pauri 1): You are my Creator, I Your servant, sheltered in You. Pauri 2: You are my life and support; beholding You, my heart-lotus blossoms. Pauri 3: my freedom, honor, and strength are all Yours. Pauri 4: night and day I chant the Name — Nanak's prayer.

Key Vocabulary

  • waves and fish: the soul living wholly within the One (a love-simile; cf. B00C720, B00C724)
  • the heart-lotus blossoming: the inverted heart turned upright at the Beloved's sight (Tenth Gate; vigaas)
  • all is the One's gift: freedom, honor, strength conferred, not earned
  • the Name night and day: the practice that keeps the soul in its element

Themes and Cross-Connections

The fish-and-waves continues Mehl 4's and Mehl 5's love-similes (B00C720's fish, B00C724's swan). "My heart-lotus blossoms" joins vigaas (blossoming) with the Tenth Gate's inverted-lotus-turned-upright (philosophy.md). Freedom, honor, and strength as gifts is Gurprasad.

For Raag Aasaa

Aasaa's hope is total, restful dependence — a fish at home in its water, a heart opening at the sight of the Beloved. The mood is tender and complete.


Last updated: 2026-06-28

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