[salok] Bhagat Kabeer Jeo Kae

[lowest of the low singhni]

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

I'm going to do Salok numbers 56 and 57 at the same time, as they link together.

ਕਬੀਰ ਹਰਦੀ ਪੀਅਰੀ ਚੂੰਨਾਂ ਊਜਲ ਭਾਇ ॥

kabeer hardee pee-aree chooNnaaN oojal bhaa-ay.

Kabeer, turmeric is yelow, and lime is white.

ਰਾਮ ਸਨੇਹੀ ਤਉ ਮਿਲੈ ਦੋਨਉ ਬਰਨ ਗਵਾਇ ॥੫੬॥

raam sanayhee ta-o milai don-o baran gavaa-ay.

You shall meet the Beloved Lord, only when both colors are lost.

ਹਰਦੀ = turmeric; ਪੀਅਰੀ = yellow; ਚੂੰਨਾਂ = lime; ਊਜਲ = white; ਸਨੇਹੀ = beloved; ਦੋਨਉ = both; ਬਰਨ = colours; ਗਵਾਇ = gone.

ਕਬੀਰ ਹਰਦੀ ਪੀਰਤਨੁ ਹਰੈ ਚੂਨ ਚਿਹਨੁ ਨ ਰਹਾਇ ॥

kabeer hardee peertan harai choon chihan na rahaa-ay.

Kabeer, turmeric has lost its yellow color, and no trace of lime's whiteness remains.

ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਉ ਜਿਹ ਜਾਤਿ ਬਰਨੁ ਕੁਲੁ ਜਾਇ ॥੫੭॥

balihaaree ih pareet ka-o jih jaat baran kul jaa-ay.

I am a sacrifice to this love, by which social class and status, color and ancestry are taken away.

ਚਿਹਨੁ = trace; ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ = love; ਜਾਤਿ ਬਰਨੁ = caste/status; ਕੁਲੁ = ancestry

Bhagat Kabeer Ji uses an example of two substances - limestone powder and turmeric - being mixed. The lime is white, and the turmeric is yellow but after being mixed together, the resulting paste is red. Both the lime and turmeric lose their identities, becoming one.

Bhagat Ji is telling us that we think of each other in terms of our physical bodies, which result in our actions and words etc. We also label each other as being from different backgrounds, castes, places or jathas. But ultimately these labels are of no use, because each one of us stems from the One Akaal Purakh. All beings are from the same source, yet we find that so hard to remember when we're bashing each other through blind anger and resentment.

It's only when we see God's light in everyone that we're near to achieveing our purpose as a human. Guru Nanak Dev Ji taught us to forget about community barriers like castes. Society is still struggling with this today - the UK government puts up anti-racism adverts on billboards to try and combat the hatred that exists between different communities.

Bhagat Kabeer Ji says that when a person feels Maharaj's love in themselves and everyone around them, their worries about being inferior disappear. That person will realise that everyone truly is born equal, no matter how many barriers we create for ourselves. Financial and social status shouldn't prompt us to make judgements about others, and nor should race or skin colour. Many Sikhs are prejudiced against 'Gorre' or Muslims; they generalise because of the actions of a few. Nobody gave us the right to generalise.

None of our Guru Sahebaan ever showed anger when even the worst of things happened and they faced the worst tyrants. There was no loss of control over human emotions. Bhagat Ji tells us that the love given and received by a Gurmukh and Akaal Purakh radiates all around them, unequivocal and strong.

:umm::

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

[Ray_Of_Light]

Fateh Ji

Penji, that was brill!! :TH: Thanx for posting!! May Guru Ji bless us with such pyaar and shardaa that we may never discriminate against another, just because of their caste, skin colour etc! Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji! Rab Rakha!! Bhul Chuk Maaf!

Fateh Ji!

[Hardeep Kaur]

Thanks for posting!