ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
maaroo mehlaa 1.
Maaroo, First Mehl:
ਸਚੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਸਚੈ ਘਰਿ ਰਹਣਾ ॥
sach kahhu sachai ghar rahnaa.
Speak the Truth, and remain in the home of Truth.
ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਹੁ ਭਵਜਲੁ ਜਗੁ ਤਰਣਾ ॥
jeevat marahu bhavjal jag tarnaa.
Remain dead while yet alive, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
ਗੁਰੁ ਬੋਹਿਥੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਬੇੜੀ ਤੁਲਹਾ ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
gur bohith gur bayrhee tulhaa man har jap paar langhaa-i-aa. ||1||
The Guru is the boat, the ship, the raft; meditating on the Lord in your mind, you shall be carried across to the other side. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Speak what is true, and make your home in what is true.
Let the small, grasping self grow quiet even while you live; that is how you cross the great waters.
The Guru is the boat and the raft; holding the One in mind, you are carried safely to the far shore.
Letting the grasping self grow quiet is how you cross life's big waters.
Jeevat marahu, to die while living, means letting the small, grasping self grow quiet, an inner loosening. The world-ocean (bhavjal) is the great waters, and the Guru is the boat (bohith) that carries a person across.
A Question to Sit With
What does it feel like to let go of needing to be right or first?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate