Raag Tilang
Commentary

Raag Tilang, Fifth Mehl (Guru Arjan)

The Liberator from bondage — hold tight to the one support.

The Arc

The Pause instruction — hold the One, the Liberator from bondage (P0); the immeasurable worth of the sight of the pure Cherisher (P1); and the close, a plea and a grip — holding tight to the one support there is (P2).

Key Vocabulary

  • "Liberator from bondage" — the One who unties what binds; remembrance as loosening chains (P0).
  • immeasurable darshan — the sight of the One, beyond all pricing (P1).
  • "holds tight to Your support" — the raag's recurring final posture, a two-handed grip (P2).

Themes and Cross-Connections

"Liberator from bondage" (P0) gathers the raag's warnings about greed and pride into their remedy. "Holds tight" (P2) is a recurring Tilang close (B00C1583; compare Goojaree's "holds fast," B00C1068). The immeasurable-worth-of-darshan (P1) restates the beggar-for-the-sight longing of B00C1573.

For Raag Tilang

Arjan closes his block simply: the One unties every bondage, its sight is beyond all price — so be wise, and hold on tight.

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