This Shabad is by Guru Ram Das and is on Ang 604/605 of Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib. A theme within the Shabad is that of the Husband Lord. We are the Soul Bride. He is the Husband Lord. In meditation and in prayer, with devotion, we prepare the marriage bed. From our mystical union with the Divine, Truth is Born. The metaphor of a mystical marriage is Guruji's way of describing the consummation of our spiritual relationship - one with the One. I feel that my own understanding of this metaphor is very shallow. What speaks so loudly to me is the image of Piaaraa, The Beloved. Guru Ram Das tells us that there is mystery to be experienced in our relationship with our Piaaraa when he says, The Beloved Himself is deep and profound and unfathomable; there is no other as great as He. There is more to understand of our Piaaraa.
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ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਚਉਥਾ ॥
sorath mehalaa 4 chouthhaa ||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
ਆਪੇ ਅੰਡਜ ਜੇਰਜ ਸੇਤਜ ਉਤਭੁਜ ਆਪੇ ਖੰਡ ਆਪੇ ਸਭ ਲੋਇ ॥
aapae anddaj jaeraj saethaj outhabhuj aapae khandd aapae sabh loe ||
He Himself is born of the egg, from the womb, from sweat and from the earth; He Himself is the continents and all the worlds.
ਆਪੇ ਸੂਤੁ ਆਪੇ ਬਹੁ ਮਣੀਆ ਕਰਿ ਸਕਤੀ ਜਗਤੁ ਪਰੋਇ ॥
aapae sooth aapae bahu maneeaa kar sakathee jagath paroe ||
He Himself is the thread, and He Himself is the many beads; through His Almighty Power, He has strung the worlds.
ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਸੂਤਧਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਸੂਤੁ ਖਿੰਚੇ ਢਹਿ ਢੇਰੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥
aapae hee soothadhhaar hai piaaraa sooth khinchae dtehi dtaeree hoe ||1||
He holds the thread, and when He withdraws the thread, the beads scatter into heaps. ||1||
ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
maerae man mai har bin avar n koe ||
O my mind, there is no other than the Lord for me.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਕਰਿ ਦਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਚੋਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sathigur vich naam nidhhaan hai piaaraa kar dhaeiaa anmrith mukh choe || rehaao ||
The treasure of the Beloved Naam is within the True Guru; in His Mercy, he pours the Ambrosial Nectar into my mouth. ||Pause||
ਆਪੇ ਜਲ ਥਲਿ ਸਭਤੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
aapae jal thhal sabhath hai piaaraa prabh aapae karae s hoe ||
The Beloved Himself is in all the oceans and lands; whatever God does, comes to pass.
ਸਭਨਾ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸਮਾਹਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
sabhanaa rijak samaahadhaa piaaraa dhoojaa avar n koe ||
The Beloved brings nourishment to all; there is no other than Him.
ਆਪੇ ਖੇਲ ਖੇਲਾਇਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
aapae khael khaelaaeidhaa piaaraa aapae karae s hoe ||2||
The Beloved Himself plays, and whatever He Himself does, comes to pass. ||2||
ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਆਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸੋਇ ॥
aapae hee aap niramalaa piaaraa aapae niramal soe ||
The Beloved Himself, all by Himself, is immaculate and pure; He Himself is immaculate and pure.
ਆਪੇ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਇਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
aapae keemath paaeidhaa piaaraa aapae karae s hoe ||
The Beloved Himself determines the value of all; whatever He does comes to pass.
ਆਪੇ ਅਲਖੁ ਨ ਲਖੀਐ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪਿ ਲਖਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥
aapae alakh n lakheeai piaaraa aap lakhaavai soe ||3||
The Beloved Himself is unseen - He cannot be seen; He Himself causes us to see. ||3||
ਆਪੇ ਗਹਿਰ ਗੰਭੀਰੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਜੇਵਡੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
aapae gehir ganbheer hai piaaraa this jaevadd avar n koe ||
The Beloved Himself is deep and profound and unfathomable; there is no other as great as He.
ਸਭਿ ਘਟ ਆਪੇ ਭੋਗਵੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਰੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਸਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥
sabh ghatt aapae bhogavai piaaraa vich naaree purakh sabh soe ||
The Beloved Himself enjoys every heart; He is contained within every woman and man.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੪॥੨॥
naanak gupath varathadhaa piaaraa guramukh paragatt hoe ||4||2||
O Nanak, the Beloved is pervading everywhere, but He is hidden; through the Guru, He is revealed. ||4||2||
sorath mehalaa 4 chouthhaa ||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
ਆਪੇ ਅੰਡਜ ਜੇਰਜ ਸੇਤਜ ਉਤਭੁਜ ਆਪੇ ਖੰਡ ਆਪੇ ਸਭ ਲੋਇ ॥
aapae anddaj jaeraj saethaj outhabhuj aapae khandd aapae sabh loe ||
He Himself is born of the egg, from the womb, from sweat and from the earth; He Himself is the continents and all the worlds.
ਆਪੇ ਸੂਤੁ ਆਪੇ ਬਹੁ ਮਣੀਆ ਕਰਿ ਸਕਤੀ ਜਗਤੁ ਪਰੋਇ ॥
aapae sooth aapae bahu maneeaa kar sakathee jagath paroe ||
He Himself is the thread, and He Himself is the many beads; through His Almighty Power, He has strung the worlds.
ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਸੂਤਧਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਸੂਤੁ ਖਿੰਚੇ ਢਹਿ ਢੇਰੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥
aapae hee soothadhhaar hai piaaraa sooth khinchae dtehi dtaeree hoe ||1||
He holds the thread, and when He withdraws the thread, the beads scatter into heaps. ||1||
ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
maerae man mai har bin avar n koe ||
O my mind, there is no other than the Lord for me.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਕਰਿ ਦਇਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਚੋਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sathigur vich naam nidhhaan hai piaaraa kar dhaeiaa anmrith mukh choe || rehaao ||
The treasure of the Beloved Naam is within the True Guru; in His Mercy, he pours the Ambrosial Nectar into my mouth. ||Pause||
ਆਪੇ ਜਲ ਥਲਿ ਸਭਤੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
aapae jal thhal sabhath hai piaaraa prabh aapae karae s hoe ||
The Beloved Himself is in all the oceans and lands; whatever God does, comes to pass.
ਸਭਨਾ ਰਿਜਕੁ ਸਮਾਹਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਦੂਜਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
sabhanaa rijak samaahadhaa piaaraa dhoojaa avar n koe ||
The Beloved brings nourishment to all; there is no other than Him.
ਆਪੇ ਖੇਲ ਖੇਲਾਇਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
aapae khael khaelaaeidhaa piaaraa aapae karae s hoe ||2||
The Beloved Himself plays, and whatever He Himself does, comes to pass. ||2||
ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਆਪਿ ਨਿਰਮਲਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸੋਇ ॥
aapae hee aap niramalaa piaaraa aapae niramal soe ||
The Beloved Himself, all by Himself, is immaculate and pure; He Himself is immaculate and pure.
ਆਪੇ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਇਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
aapae keemath paaeidhaa piaaraa aapae karae s hoe ||
The Beloved Himself determines the value of all; whatever He does comes to pass.
ਆਪੇ ਅਲਖੁ ਨ ਲਖੀਐ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਆਪਿ ਲਖਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥
aapae alakh n lakheeai piaaraa aap lakhaavai soe ||3||
The Beloved Himself is unseen - He cannot be seen; He Himself causes us to see. ||3||
ਆਪੇ ਗਹਿਰ ਗੰਭੀਰੁ ਹੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਜੇਵਡੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
aapae gehir ganbheer hai piaaraa this jaevadd avar n koe ||
The Beloved Himself is deep and profound and unfathomable; there is no other as great as He.
ਸਭਿ ਘਟ ਆਪੇ ਭੋਗਵੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਰੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਸਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥
sabh ghatt aapae bhogavai piaaraa vich naaree purakh sabh soe ||
The Beloved Himself enjoys every heart; He is contained within every woman and man.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੪॥੨॥
naanak gupath varathadhaa piaaraa guramukh paragatt hoe ||4||2||
O Nanak, the Beloved is pervading everywhere, but He is hidden; through the Guru, He is revealed. ||4||2||
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