Who Is Your Friend?

[Only five]

RAAG SOOHEE, FIRST MEHL, CHHANT, SECOND HOUSE: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: My friends have come into my home. The True Lord has united me with them. The Lord automatically united me with them when it pleased Him; uniting with the chosen ones, I have found peace. I have obtained that thing, which my mind desired. Meeting with them, night and day, my mind is pleased; my home and mansion are beautified. The unstruck sound current of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrates and resounds; my friends have come into my home. || 1 || So come, my beloved friends, and sing the songs of joy, O sisters. Sing the true songs of joy and God will be pleased. You shall be celebrated throughout the four ages. My Husband Lord has come into my home, and my place is adorned and decorated. Through the Shabad, my affairs have been resolved. Applying the ointment, the supreme essence, of divine wisdom to my eyes, I see the Lord's form throughout the three worlds. So join with me, my sisters, and sing the songs of joy and delight; my friends have come into my home. || 2 || My mind and body are drenched with Ambrosial Nectar; deep within the nucleus of my self, is the jewel of the Lord's Love. This invaluable jewel is deep within me; I contemplate the supreme essence of reality. Living beings are mere beggars; You are the Giver of rewards; You are the Giver to each and every being. You are Wise and All-knowing, the Inner-knower; You Yourself created the creation. So listen, O my sisters the Enticer has enticed my mind. My body and mind are drenched with Nectar. || 3 || O Supreme Soul of the World, Your play is true. Your play is true, O Inaccessible and Infinite Lord; without You, who can make me understand? There are millions of Siddhas and enlightened seekers, but without You, who can call himself one? Death and rebirth drive the mind insane; only the Guru can hold it in its place. O Nanak, one who burns away his demerits and faults with the Shabad, accumulates virtue, and finds God. || 4 || 1 || 2 ||

In the above Shabad Guru Nanak Dev ji says my friends have come into my home couple of times. When he refers to friends in this shabad, who is he refering too? To my understanding it can't be a human because later on in the shabad Guru Nanak Dev ji calls them mere beggars.

So in this Shabad is the friend a metaphor for the Shabad Guru has come into my home? Or is Guru Nanak Dev ji refering to the virtues like contenment, love, faith, humility, and compassion have come into my home? Or is the friend something else here?

Can someone clear this up.

[puneetkaur]

WJKK, WJKF Ji

Which Shabad is this, on which Ang? As in, this is the English translation that you have given above, but in Gurmukhi which Shabad is this? That may help in understanding the shabad better !

Prof. Sahib Singh explains many shabads very clearly and in a simple manner on srigranth.org

[1000]

Gurbani mentions many many times, that guru is the only true friend,

'The True Guru, the Primal Being, is your Friend, who shall drive out pain and subdue your ego'

'The True Guru, the Primal Being, has led me to meet the One, my only Friend'

'My Friend, the True Guru, has been my Best Friend since I was very young.'

'Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have found the Lord, my Best Friend. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||1||'

[puneetkaur]

Another beautiful Shabad :

Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Raag Aasaa :

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਮੈ ਦੂਜਾ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ ਤੂੰ ਸਾਜਨੁ ਸੰਗੀ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਕਾਹੇ ਜੀਅ ਡਰਾਹੀ ॥੧॥

Āsā mėhlā 5. Ŧujẖ bin avar nāhī mai ḏūjā ṯūʼn mere man māhī. Ŧūʼn sājan sangī parabẖ merā kāhe jī▫a darāhī. ||1||

Asa 5th Guru. Without thee, O Lord! I have no other second. thou alone art in my mind. Thou O Lord! art my friend and comrade. Therefore why should my soul be afraid?

ਅਵਰੁ = ਹੋਰ। ਮਾਹੀ = ਵਿਚ। ਸੰਗੀ = ਸਾਥੀ। ਜੀਅ = ਹੇ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਕਾਹੇ ਡਰਾਹੀ = ਕਿਉਂ ਡਰਦੀ ਹੈਂ?।੧।

ਹੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਤੂੰ ਕਿਉਂ ਡਰਦੀ ਹੈਂ? (ਹਰ ਵੇਲੇ ਇਉਂ ਅਰਦਾਸ ਕਰਿਆ ਕਰ-) ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਤੈਥੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਕੋਈ ਹੋਰ ਸਹਾਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ, ਤੂੰ ਸਦਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਵਿਚ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਰਹੁ। ਤੂੰ ਹੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਸੱਜਣ ਹੈਂ, ਤੂੰ ਹੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਥੀ ਹੈਂ ਤੂੰ ਹੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਲਕ ਹੈਂ।੧।

ਤੁਮਰੀ ਓਟ ਤੁਮਾਰੀ ਆਸਾ ॥ ਬੈਠਤ ਊਠਤ ਸੋਵਤ ਜਾਗਤ ਵਿਸਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਤੂੰ ਸਾਸ ਗਿਰਾਸਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ŧumrī ot ṯumārī āsā. Baiṯẖaṯ ūṯẖaṯ sovaṯ jāgaṯ visar nāhī ṯūʼn sās girāsā. ||1|| rahā▫o.

Thou art my refuge and Thou art my hope. Sitting, standing, sleeping, waking, breathing or eating, may I not forget Thee, O Lord! Pause.

ਓਟ = ਆਸਰਾ। ਸਾਸ = ਸਾਹ। ਗਿਰਾਸਾ = ਗਿਰਾਹੀ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।

ਹੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ! ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੀ ਸਹਾਰਾ ਹੈ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਦੀ ਆਸ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ। (ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ) ਬੈਠਦਿਆਂ, ਉਠਦਿਆਂ, ਸੁੱਤਿਆਂ, ਜਾਗਦਿਆਂ, ਹਰੇਕ ਸਾਹ ਨਾਲ, ਹਰੇਕ ਗਿਰਾਹੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੂੰ ਕਦੇ ਭੀ ਨਾਹ ਭੁੱਲ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।

ਰਾਖੁ ਰਾਖੁ ਸਰਣਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਪਨੀ ਅਗਨਿ ਸਾਗਰ ਵਿਕਰਾਲਾ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੇ ਸੁਖਦਾਤੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਹਮ ਤੁਮਰੇ ਬਾਲ ਗੁਪਾਲਾ ॥੨॥੩੦॥

Rākẖ rākẖ saraṇ parabẖ apnī agan sāgar vikrālā. Nānak ke sukẖ▫ḏāṯe saṯgur ham ṯumre bāl gupālā. ||2||30||

Protect, protect me O Lord! I have entered thin sanctuary. Dreadful is the ocean of fire. The true Guru (God) is the giver of peace to Nanak. I am thy child, O the world Cherisher.

ਪ੍ਰਭ = ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਵਿਕਰਾਲਾ = ਡਰਾਉਣਾ। ਸਾਗਰ = ਸਮੁੰਦਰ। ਬਾਲ-ਬੱਚੇ। ਗੁਪਾਲਾ = ਹੇ ਗੋਪਾਲ!।੨।

ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਇਹ ਅੱਗ ਦਾ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ (ਸੰਸਾਰ ਬੜਾ) ਡਰਾਉਣਾ ਹੈ (ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਨ ਲਈ) ਮੈਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ ਸਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਸਦਾ ਟਿਕਾਈ ਰੱਖ। ਹੇ ਗੁਪਾਲ! ਹੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ! ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇ ਸੁਖ-ਦਾਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰਾ (ਅੰਞਾਣ) ਬੱਚਾ ਹਾਂ।੨।੩੦।

Ang. 378

[Only five]

WJKK, WJKF Ji

Which Shabad is this, on which Ang? As in, this is the English translation that you have given above, but in Gurmukhi which Shabad is this? That may help in understanding the shabad better !

Prof. Sahib Singh explains many shabads very clearly and in a simple manner on srigranth.org

Here is the Shabad in Gurmukhi

<> siqgur pRswid ] (764-5)

ik-o^Nkaar satgur parsaad.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

hm Gir swjn Awey ] (764-6, sUhI, mÚ 1)

ham ghar saajan aa-ay.

My friends have come into my home.

swcY myil imlwey ] (764-6, sUhI, mÚ 1)

saachai mayl milaa-ay.

The True Lord has united me with them.

shij imlwey hir min Bwey pMc imly suKu pwieAw ] (764-6, sUhI, mÚ 1)

sahj milaa-ay har man bhaa-ay panch milay sukh paa-i-aa.

The Lord automatically united me with them when it pleased Him; uniting with the chosen ones, I have found peace.

sweI vsqu prwpiq hoeI ijsu syqI mnu lwieAw ] (764-7, sUhI, mÚ 1)

saa-ee vasat paraapat ho-ee jis saytee man laa-i-aa.

I have obtained that thing, which my mind desired.

Anidnu mylu BieAw mnu mwinAw Gr mMdr sohwey ] (764-7, sUhI, mÚ 1)

an-din mayl bha-i-aa man maani-aa ghar mandar sohaa-ay.

Meeting with them, night and day, my mind is pleased; my home and mansion are beautified.

pMc sbd Duin Anhd vwjy hm Gir swjn Awey ]1] (764-8, sUhI, mÚ 1)

panch sabad Dhun anhad vaajay ham ghar saajan aa-ay. ||1||

The unstruck sound current of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrates and resounds; my friends have come into my home. ||1||

Awvhu mIq ipAwry ] mMgl gwvhu nwry ] (764-8, sUhI, mÚ 1)

aavhu meet pi-aaray. mangal gaavhu naaray.

So come, my beloved friends, and sing the songs of joy, O sisters.

scu mMglu gwvhu qw pRB Bwvhu soihlVw jug cwry ] (764-9, sUhI, mÚ 1)

sach mangal gaavhu taa parabh bhaavahu sohilrhaa jug chaaray.

Sing the true songs of joy and God will be pleased. You shall be celebrated throughout the four ages.

ApnY Gir AwieAw Qwin suhwieAw kwrj sbid svwry ] (764-9, sUhI, mÚ 1)

apnai ghar aa-i-aa thaan suhaa-i-aa kaaraj sabad savaaray.

My Husband Lord has come into my home, and my place is adorned and decorated. Through the Shabad, my affairs have been resolved.

igAwn mhw rsu nyqRI AMjnu iqRBvx rUpu idKwieAw ] (764-10, sUhI, mÚ 1)

gi-aan mahaa ras naytree anjan taribhavan roop dikhaa-i-aa.

Applying the ointment, the supreme essence, of divine wisdom to my eyes, I see the Lord's form throughout the three worlds.

sKI imlhu ris mMglu gwvhu hm Gir swjnu AwieAw ]2] (764-10, sUhI, mÚ 1)

sakhee milhu ras mangal gaavhu ham ghar saajan aa-i-aa. ||2||

So join with me, my sisters, and sing the songs of joy and delight; my friends have come into my home. ||2||

mnu qnu AMimRiq iBMnw ] (764-11, sUhI, mÚ 1)

man tan amrit bhinnaa.

My mind and body are drenched with Ambrosial Nectar;

AMqir pRymu rqMnw ] (764-11, sUhI, mÚ 1)

antar paraym ratannaa.

deep within the nucleus of my self, is the jewel of the Lord's Love.

AMqir rqnu pdwrQu myrY prm qqu vIcwro ] (764-11, sUhI, mÚ 1)

antar ratan padaarath mayrai param tat veechaaro.

This invaluable jewel is deep within me; I contemplate the supreme essence of reality.

jMq ByK qU sPilE dwqw isir isir dyvxhwro ] (764-12, sUhI, mÚ 1)

jant bhaykh too safli-o daataa sir sir dayvanhaaro.

Living beings are mere beggars; You are the Giver of rewards; You are the Giver to each and every being.

qU jwnu igAwnI AMqrjwmI Awpy kwrxu kInw ] (764-12, sUhI, mÚ 1)

too jaan gi-aanee antarjaamee aapay kaaran keenaa.

You are Wise and All-knowing, the Inner-knower; You Yourself created the creation.

sunhu sKI mnu mohin moihAw qnu mnu AMimRiq BInw ]3] (764-13, sUhI, mÚ 1)

sunhu sakhee man mohan mohi-aa tan man amrit bheenaa. ||3||

So listen, O my sisters - the Enticer has enticed my mind. My body and mind are drenched with Nectar. ||3||

Awqm rwmu sMswrw ] (764-14, sUhI, mÚ 1)

aatam raam sansaaraa.

O Supreme Soul of the World,

swcw Kylu qum@wrw ] (764-14, sUhI, mÚ 1)

saachaa khayl tum^Haaraa.

Your play is true.

scu Kylu qum@wrw Agm Apwrw quDu ibnu kauxu buJwey ] (764-14, sUhI, mÚ 1)

sach khayl tum^Haaraa agam apaaraa tuDh bin ka-un bujhaa-ay.

Your play is true, O Inaccessible and Infinite Lord; without You, who can make me understand?

isD swiDk isAwxy kyqy quJ ibnu kvxu khwey ] (764-15, sUhI, mÚ 1)

siDh saaDhik si-aanay kaytay tujh bin kavan kahaa-ay.

There are millions of Siddhas and enlightened seekers, but without You, who can call himself one?

kwlu ibkwlu Bey dyvwny mnu rwiKAw guir Twey ] (764-15, sUhI, mÚ 1)

kaal bikaal bha-ay dayvaanay man raakhi-aa gur thaa-ay.

Death and rebirth drive the mind insane; only the Guru can hold it in its place.

nwnk Avgx sbid jlwey gux sMgim pRBu pwey ]4]1]2] (764-16, sUhI, mÚ 1)

naanak avgan sabad jalaa-ay gun sangam parabh paa-ay. ||4||1||2||

O Nanak, one who burns away his demerits and faults with the Shabad, accumulates virtue, and finds God. ||4||1||2||

And it is on ang sung 764

[Only five]

Gurbani mentions many many times, that guru is the only true friend,

'The True Guru, the Primal Being, is your Friend, who shall drive out pain and subdue your ego'

'The True Guru, the Primal Being, has led me to meet the One, my only Friend'

'My Friend, the True Guru, has been my Best Friend since I was very young.'

'Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have found the Lord, my Best Friend. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||1||'

At first I thought Guru Nanak Dev ji was just refering to the True Guru as friend, but the word friend is plural. Like the first tuk:

hm Gir swjn Awey ] (764-6, sUhI, mÚ 1)

ham ghar saajan aa-ay.

My friends have come into my home.

Ultimately Guru Sahib is the friend (in form of formless), but here I believe Guru Nanak Dev ji is trying to get us to recongize the forms of the True Guru, like humility, compassion, love, faith, contentment, etc,etc. If you look at the next tuk, it is plural again:

swcY myil imlwey ] (764-6, sUhI, mÚ 1)

saachai mayl milaa-ay.

The True Lord has united me with them.

The 'them' is refering to the friends. And throughout the shabad Guru Sahib uses the word friend in plural form. To my understanding it can't be refering to Shabad or Guru or God because there is one shabad, one guru and One God and they are one and the same.

Anyone know exactly who the friends are here in this shabad.