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Sikhism·Sidh Gosht·Shabad 112
Verse 67 of 74

Before There Was a World

ਜਾ ਇਹੁ ਹਿਰਦਾ ਦੇਹ ਨ ਹੋਤੀ ਤਉ ਮਨੁ ਕੈਠੈ ਰਹਤਾ ॥
jaa ih hirdaa dayh na hotee ta-o man kaithai rahtaa.
"When this heart and body did not exist, where did the mind reside?
ਨਾਭਿ ਕਮਲ ਅਸਥੰਭੁ ਨ ਹੋਤੋ ਤਾ ਪਵਨੁ ਕਵਨ ਘਰਿ ਸਹਤਾ ॥
naabh kamal asthambh na hoto taa pavan kavan ghar sahtaa.
When there was no support of the navel lotus, then in which home did the breath reside?
ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਹੋਤੋ ਰੇਖ ਨ ਕਾਈ ਤਾ ਸਬਦਿ ਕਹਾ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਈ ॥
roop na hoto raykh na kaa-ee taa sabad kahaa liv laa-ee.
When there was no form or shape, then how could anyone lovingly focus on the Shabad?
ਰਕਤੁ ਬਿੰਦੁ ਕੀ ਮੜੀ ਨ ਹੋਤੀ ਮਿਤਿ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਈ ॥
rakat bind kee marhee na hotee mit keemat nahee paa-ee.
When there was no dungeon formed from egg and sperm, who could measure the Lord's value and extent?
ਵਰਨੁ ਭੇਖੁ ਅਸਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੀ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਪਸਿ ਸਾਚਾ ॥
varan bhaykh asroop na jaapee ki-o kar jaapas saachaa.
When color, dress and form could not be seen, how could the True Lord be known?"
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮਿ ਰਤੇ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਇਬ ਤਬ ਸਾਚੋ ਸਾਚਾ ॥੬੬॥
naanak naam ratay bairaagee ib tab saacho saachaa. ||66||
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are detached. Then and now, they see the Truest of the True. ||66||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

"When this heart and body did not exist, where did the mind live?

When there was no lotus at the navel to lean on, in which home did the breath live?

When there was no form or shape, where could anyone fix their love on the Word?

When there was no little house of blood and seed, the body, who could measure the One's worth and size?

When color, dress and form could not be seen, how could the True One be known?"

Nanak says: those dyed in the Naam are free of clinging; then and now, they see the Truest of the True.

Some questions reach back before the world, and the answer is still: the One.
The deeper layer

Even before there was a world, the answer is the True One, seen by those dyed in the Naam.

The Siddhas ask what was there before creation. Rakat bind kee marhee, the hut of blood and seed, is the body, pictured as a small house we live in for a while. Bairaagee, free of clinging, are those who see the True One then and now.

A Question to Sit With

Have you ever wondered what there was before anything at all?

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

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