Ponder About Life, Die While Living - Guru Nanak


Last night I was singing Guru Nanak's poem about the importance of life. He warns, Andhe Jeevana Veechaar: "O Blind one, ponder about life!" This shabad (see below) is in raag dhanasari, and dhanasri is a raag of gratitude.  Singing Dhan Sri Dhan Sri Dhan Sri one is filled with gratitude. Coincidentally this morning I continued my reading of Willam Stafford poems and came across one about a librarian. Apparently this was the local librarian that William Stafford knew well.  Anyone who knows a helpful librarian and someone who leads a joyful life will love this poem.  

Bess

Ours are the streets where Bess first met her   
cancer. She went to work every day past the   
secure houses. At her job in the library
she arranged better and better flowers, and when   
students asked for books her hand went out   
to help. In the last year of her life
she had to keep her friends from knowing   
how happy they were. She listened while they
complained about food or work or the weather.   
And the great national events danced   
their grotesque, fake importance. Always

Pain moved where she moved. She walked   
ahead; it came. She hid; it found her.   
No one ever served another so truly;   
no enemy ever meant so strong a hate.   
It was almost as if there was no room   
left for her on earth. But she remembered
where joy used to live. She straightened its flowers;   
she did not weep when she passed its houses;   
and when finally she pulled into a tiny corner   
and slipped from pain, her hand opened
again, and the streets opened, and she wished all well.

- William Stafford

Someone who is close to death recognizes the value of death.  Guru Nanak says at the end of his meditation on life (see below):"I have searched, but I have found no way to remain here; so, remain dead while yet alive." The complaints about food, work and weather are made by the blind folks who have not pondered about life. Ponder about true life; true living is one that involves not being afraid of death. But loving it with open arms. Singing with with throated voice.  The joyous ones sing.

Complete Shabad and Translation: Andhe Jeevana Veechaar

ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
धनासरी महला १ ॥
Ḏẖanāsrī mėhlā 1.
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:

ਹਮ ਆਦਮੀ ਹਾਂ ਇਕ ਦਮੀ ਮੁਹਲਤਿ ਮੁਹਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
हम आदमी हां इक दमी मुहलति मुहतु न जाणा ॥
Ham āḏmī hāʼn ik ḏamī muhlaṯ muhaṯ na jāṇā.
We are human beings of the briefest moment; we do not know the appointed time of our departure.

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬਿਨਵੈ ਤਿਸੈ ਸਰੇਵਹੁ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਜੀਅ ਪਰਾਣਾ ॥੧॥
नानकु बिनवै तिसै सरेवहु जा के जीअ पराणा ॥१॥
Nānak binvai ṯisai sarevhu jā ke jīa parāṇā. ||1||
Prays Nanak, serve the One, to whom our soul and breath of life belong. ||1||

ਅੰਧੇ ਜੀਵਨਾ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ਦੇਖਿ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੇ ਦਿਨਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अंधे जीवना वीचारि देखि केते के दिना ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Anḏẖe jīvnā vīcẖār ḏekẖ keṯe ke ḏinā. ||1|| rahāo.
You are blind - see and consider, how many days your life shall last. ||1||Pause||

ਸਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਸਭੁ ਜੀਉ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਤੂ ਮੈ ਖਰਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ॥
सासु मासु सभु जीउ तुमारा तू मै खरा पिआरा ॥
Sās mās sabẖ jīo ṯumārā ṯū mai kẖarā piārā.
My breath, my flesh and my soul are all Yours, Lord; You are so very dear to me.

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸਾਇਰੁ ਏਵ ਕਹਤੁ ਹੈ ਸਚੇ ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰਾ ॥੨॥
नानकु साइरु एव कहतु है सचे परवदगारा ॥२॥
Nānak sāir ev kahaṯ hai sacẖe parvaḏgārā. ||2||
Nanak, the poet, says this, O True Lord Cherisher. ||2||

ਜੇ ਤੂ ਕਿਸੈ ਨ ਦੇਹੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਾ ਕਿਆ ਕੋ ਕਢੈ ਗਹਣਾ ॥
जे तू किसै न देही मेरे साहिबा किआ को कढै गहणा ॥
Je ṯū kisai na ḏehī mere sāhibā kiā ko kadẖai gahṇā.
If you gave nothing, O my Lord and Master, what could anyone pledge to You?

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬਿਨਵੈ ਸੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਲਿਖੇ ਕਾ ਲਹਣਾ ॥੩॥
नानकु बिनवै सो किछु पाईऐ पुरबि लिखे का लहणा ॥३॥
Nānak binvai so kicẖẖ pāīai purab likẖe kā lahṇā. ||3||
Nanak prays, we receive that which we are pre-destined to receive. ||3||

ਨਾਮੁ ਖਸਮ ਕਾ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਕੀਆ ਕਪਟੀ ਕਪਟੁ ਕਮਾਣਾ ॥
नामु खसम का चिति न कीआ कपटी कपटु कमाणा ॥
Nām kẖasam kā cẖiṯ na kīā kaptī kapat kamāṇā.
The deceitful person does not remember the Lord's Name; he practices only deceit.

ਜਮ ਦੁਆਰਿ ਜਾ ਪਕੜਿ ਚਲਾਇਆ ਤਾ ਚਲਦਾ ਪਛੁਤਾਣਾ ॥੪॥
जम दुआरि जा पकड़ि चलाइआ ता चलदा पछुताणा ॥४॥
Jam ḏuār jā pakaṛ cẖalāiā ṯā cẖalḏā pacẖẖuṯāṇā. ||4||
When he is marched in chains to Death's door, then, he regrets his actions. ||4||

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਰਹੀਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਹੀਐ ॥
जब लगु दुनीआ रहीऐ नानक किछु सुणीऐ किछु कहीऐ ॥
Jab lag ḏunīā rahīai Nānak kicẖẖ suṇīai kicẖẖ kahīai.
As long as we are in this world, O Nanak, we should listen, and speak of the Lord.

ਭਾਲਿ ਰਹੇ ਹਮ ਰਹਣੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੀਵਤਿਆ ਮਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ॥੫॥੨॥
भालि रहे हम रहणु न पाइआ जीवतिआ मरि रहीऐ ॥५॥२॥
Bẖāl rahe ham rahaṇ na pāiā jīvṯiā mar rahīai. ||5||2||
I have searched, but I have found no way to remain here; so, remain dead while yet alive. ||5||2||

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