Asleep in the Darkness, How Shall She Pass the Life-Night?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Asleep in the darkness of the night, how shall she pass her life-night without her Husband?
Her limbs shall burn, her body shall burn, and her mind and wealth shall burn as well.
When the Husband does not enjoy His bride, her youth passes away in vain.
The abandoned bride who sleeps through the life-night: the sleep (nindra) is the unconsciousness of forgetting — forgetting the divine, forgetting the purpose of the life-night's vigil. The burning (jal jal — burn, burn) is the consequence: limbs, body, mind, wealth all consumed.
This is the night-vigil teaching from Guru Nanak's very first Siree Raag shabad (Shabad 2), returned here in the Ashtapadee section. The sleeping bride who is supposed to be keeping vigil for her Husband Lord — her youth and life pass away in vain. The vigil is the practice; sleep is its opposite.
What parts of your life feel most like sleeping through something important — present in body but not truly awake? What would waking up look like?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI