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Sikhism·Raag Maaroo·Shabad 145
Verse 24 of 92

The Play, the Thieves, and the Bubble in the Water

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
pa-orhee.
Pauree:
ਤੁਧੁ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਪਾਈਆ ॥
tuDh jag meh khayl rachaa-i-aa vich ha-umai paa-ee-aa.
You have staged this play in the world, and infused egotism into all beings.
ਏਕੁ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਪੰਚ ਚੋਰ ਹਹਿ ਨਿਤ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੁਰਿਆਈਆ ॥
ayk mandar panch chor heh nit karahi buri-aa-ee-aa.
In the one temple of the body are the five thieves, who continually misbehave.
ਦਸ ਨਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਕਰਿ ਦਸੇ ਸਾਦਿ ਲੋੁਭਾਈਆ ॥
das naaree ik purakh kar dasay saad lobhaa-ee-aa.
The ten brides, the sensory organs were created, and the one husband, the self; the ten are engrossed in flavors and tastes.
ਏਨਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਮੋਹੀਆ ਨਿਤ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਭਰਮਾਈਆ ॥
ayn maa-i-aa mohnee mohee-aa nit fireh bharmaa-ee-aa.
This Maya fascinates and entices them; they wander continually in doubt.
ਹਾਠਾ ਦੋਵੈ ਕੀਤੀਓ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਵਰਤਾਈਆ ॥
haathaa dovai keetee-o siv sakat vartaa-ee-aa.
You created both sides, spirit and matter, Shiva and Shakti.
ਸਿਵ ਅਗੈ ਸਕਤੀ ਹਾਰਿਆ ਏਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਭਾਈਆ ॥
siv agai saktee haari-aa ayvai har bhaa-ee-aa.
Matter loses out to spirit; this is pleasing to the Lord.
ਇਕਿ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਹੀ ਤੁਧੁ ਰਖਿਆ ਜੋ ਸਤਸੰਗਿ ਮਿਲਾਈਆ ॥
ik vichahu hee tuDh rakhi-aa jo satsang milaa-ee-aa.
You enshrined spirit within, which leads to merger with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
ਜਲ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਬਿੰਬੁ ਉਠਾਲਿਓ ਜਲ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਈਆ ॥੬॥
jal vichahu bimb uthaali-o jal maahi samaa-ee-aa. ||6||
Within the bubble, You formed the bubble, which shall once again merge into the water. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

You set this whole play in motion and gave every creature a sense of 'me.'

Inside the little temple of the body live five restless thieves, and the senses run after every taste and treat, wandering in confusion.

Yet You placed a bright spirit within, and it brings us into the Sangat — and, like a bubble that forms in water and slips back into water, we rise from You and melt home to You.

You are a bubble made of the very water you will return to.
The deeper layer

The inner drama has three players: haumai (the sense of a separate self), the five thieves (the pulls of anger, greed, attachment, pride, and craving), and Maya (the shimmer that distracts). Shiva and Shakti stand for spirit and matter, both made by the One. The bubble in water is one of the loveliest pictures of Ik Onkar — never separate from its source for a moment.

The spirit within leads to the satsang, the Sangat — people gathered together to remember the One.

A Question to Sit With

What are the little 'thieves' that steal your attention?

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

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