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Sikhism·Sidh Gosht·Shabad 112
Verse 68 of 74

All Held in the One

ਹਿਰਦਾ ਦੇਹ ਨ ਹੋਤੀ ਅਉਧੂ ਤਉ ਮਨੁ ਸੁੰਨਿ ਰਹੈ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ॥
hirdaa dayh na hotee a-oDhoo ta-o man sunn rahai bairaagee.
When the heart and the body did not exist, O hermit, then the mind resided in the absolute, detached Lord.
ਨਾਭਿ ਕਮਲੁ ਅਸਥੰਭੁ ਨ ਹੋਤੋ ਤਾ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਬਸਤਉ ਪਵਨੁ ਅਨਰਾਗੀ ॥
naabh kamal asthambh na hoto taa nij ghar basta-o pavan anraagee.
When there was no support of the lotus of the navel, the breath remained in its own home, attuned to the Lord's Love.
ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਰੇਖਿਆ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਤੀ ਤਉ ਅਕੁਲੀਣਿ ਰਹਤਉ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁ ਸਾਰੁ ॥
roop na raykh-i-aa jaat na hotee ta-o akuleen rahta-o sabad so saar.
When there was no form or shape or social class, then the Shabad, in its essence, resided in the unmanifest Lord.
ਗਉਨੁ ਗਗਨੁ ਜਬ ਤਬਹਿ ਨ ਹੋਤਉ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਜੋਤਿ ਆਪੇ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
ga-un gagan jab tabeh na hota-o taribhavan jot aapay nirankaar.
When the world and the sky did not even exist, the Light of the Formless Lord filled the three worlds.
ਵਰਨੁ ਭੇਖੁ ਅਸਰੂਪੁ ਸੁ ਏਕੋ ਏਕੋ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਿਡਾਣੀ ॥
varan bhaykh asroop so ayko ayko sabad vidaanee.
Color, dress and form were contained in the One Lord; the Shabad was contained in the One, Wondrous Lord.
ਸਾਚ ਬਿਨਾ ਸੂਚਾ ਕੋ ਨਾਹੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਅਕਥ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥੬੭॥
saach binaa soochaa ko naahee naanak akath kahaanee. ||67||
Without the True Name, no one can become pure; O Nanak, this is the Unspoken Speech. ||67||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

When there was no heart or body, O hermit, the mind lived in the still, free One.

When there was no navel lotus to lean on, the breath lived in its own home, in love with the One.

When there was no form, no shape, no social class, the Word, in its essence, lived in the unshown One.

When there was no world and no sky, the light of the Formless One filled the three worlds.

Color, dress and form were all held in the One; the Word was held in the One, the Wondrous.

Without the True One, no one is pure; Nanak says: this is the story that cannot be told.

At the root of everything there was no rank or class, only the One.
The deeper layer

At the root of everything there was no rank or class, only the One.

This answers the questions about what came before creation. Akuleen, jaat na hotee: there was no family rank, no caste, at the source. Birth-rank comes later and is never the deepest truth about anyone. Everything, color and form alike, was held in the One (ayko sabad vidaanee).

A Question to Sit With

If everyone came from the same source, what does that say about ranking people?

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

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