Raag Nat-Naaraayan, Ashtapadee, Mehl 4 (Guru Ram Das) — closes the First Set of Six
The five animals each undone by one passion; the answer simpler than all the wise books; the peacock dancing on the mountain; and the closing plea, "save me, save me, save me."
The Arc
Pauri 0 (rahao): grace saves even the one who feels small and full of mistakes. Pauri 1: the one request — the true treasure that ends the inner hunger. Pauri 2 is the landmark — the five animals (moth, deer, bumblebee, elephant, fish) each ruined by one passion; wisdom tames our five pulls. Pauri 3: after all the wise books, the answer is simple — the Name in good company. Pauri 4: the raag's keynote — the lotus to the sun, the peacock dancing in the rain. Pauri 5 (softened): keep a healthy distance from harmful influence. Pauri 6: near the truly good, the heart blossoms like a lotus given water. Pauri 7 (softened): wisdom cuts through wild greed. Pauri 8 closes: "save me, save me, save me." Colophon ||8||6|| closes the First Set of Six.
Key Vocabulary
The five animals (P2) — moth/sight, deer/sound, bumblebee/smell, elephant/touch, fish/taste; each undone by one uncontrolled pull; we carry all five, tamed by wisdom.
The peacock dancing (P4) — the raag's keynote joy; the heart dancing when grace pours down.
The lotus given water (P6) — the heart blossoming near the truly good.
Keep a healthy distance (P5) — influence-wisdom, not contempt.
"Save me, save me, save me" (P8) — the trusting plea that closes the set.
Translation Notes
The saakat verses (P5 poison-tree, P7 "mad dogs") are rendered as influence-wisdom (keep a healthy distance from what harms; wisdom cuts through greed) — not contempt for persons — per the project's standing convention. Violent imagery softened.
Self-lowering ("great sinner") rendered as honest smallness met by grace.
Themes and Cross-Connections
The five animals parable is a beloved Gurbani teaching on the senses (Ravi Daas, Aasaa B00C1012; Jaitsree). The peacock-and-lotus keynote closes the raag as it opened (B00C2101, B00C2124) — the dance-raag's signature. "The lotus given water" is the raag's blossoming (vigaas). "Wisdom as a sword" echoes Wadahans B00C1192. "The answer simpler than the wise books" restates the Kirtan-in-Kali-Yuga theme.
For Raag Nat-Naaraayan
The five animals give a child a vivid mirror: a moth can't resist a flame, a deer a certain sound, a bumblebee a flower's scent, an elephant and a fish their own traps — each undone by one thing it can't resist. We carry all five of those strong pulls inside us — and the good news is that wisdom gently helps us master them, so they don't master us. And the raag closes as it began, dancing: when kindness pours down like monsoon rain, the heart dances for joy like a peacock on the mountain, and blossoms wide open like a lotus finally given water. The very last words are a child's truest prayer — "please keep me safe, I have no other help but You" — and the quiet trust that it is always answered.
The five animals each undone by one passion; the answer simpler than all the wise books; the peacock dancing on the mountain; and the closing plea, "save me, save me, save me."
The Arc
Pauri 0 (rahao): grace saves even the one who feels small and full of mistakes. Pauri 1: the one request — the true treasure that ends the inner hunger. Pauri 2 is the landmark — the five animals (moth, deer, bumblebee, elephant, fish) each ruined by one passion; wisdom tames our five pulls. Pauri 3: after all the wise books, the answer is simple — the Name in good company. Pauri 4: the raag's keynote — the lotus to the sun, the peacock dancing in the rain. Pauri 5 (softened): keep a healthy distance from harmful influence. Pauri 6: near the truly good, the heart blossoms like a lotus given water. Pauri 7 (softened): wisdom cuts through wild greed. Pauri 8 closes: "save me, save me, save me." Colophon ||8||6|| closes the First Set of Six.
Key Vocabulary
Translation Notes
Themes and Cross-Connections
The five animals parable is a beloved Gurbani teaching on the senses (Ravi Daas, Aasaa B00C1012; Jaitsree). The peacock-and-lotus keynote closes the raag as it opened (B00C2101, B00C2124) — the dance-raag's signature. "The lotus given water" is the raag's blossoming (vigaas). "Wisdom as a sword" echoes Wadahans B00C1192. "The answer simpler than the wise books" restates the Kirtan-in-Kali-Yuga theme.
For Raag Nat-Naaraayan
The five animals give a child a vivid mirror: a moth can't resist a flame, a deer a certain sound, a bumblebee a flower's scent, an elephant and a fish their own traps — each undone by one thing it can't resist. We carry all five of those strong pulls inside us — and the good news is that wisdom gently helps us master them, so they don't master us. And the raag closes as it began, dancing: when kindness pours down like monsoon rain, the heart dances for joy like a peacock on the mountain, and blossoms wide open like a lotus finally given water. The very last words are a child's truest prayer — "please keep me safe, I have no other help but You" — and the quiet trust that it is always answered.
Last updated: 2026-07-05