Central Gurdwara Resource Centre Newsletter August 1997

 
   
 
 
 

Jaap Sahib

 

  
   


Ik On Kaar Satgur Prasaad
The Sole Supreme Being, Realised by the Grace of the True Guru

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Glory to the Wondrous Enlightener

Jaap

Sri Mukhvaak Paatshaahee Dasveen
Hyms uttered by the Tenth Guru

Chhapai Chand. Tva Prasad
Composed in Meter Chand, By Thy Grace

Chakkr Chehan ar barn jaat ar paat naihen jeh
You have no trait, no trace whatsoever,
no colour, caste or family

Roop rang ar raykh bhaykh ko-oo na sakat keh
How to describe Your features or complexion,
the lines on Your palms or Your garb?

Achal moorat anbhao prakaas amitoj kahijjai
You are called eternal, self-illumined, of infiniate power

Kot indr indraan saaho saahaan ganijai
Supreme among countless deities, Ruler among rulers

Tribhavan maheep sur nar asur, nayt nayt ban trin kaihat
Guardian of the three worlds - gods, humans and demons,
tiny blades of grass and towering forests all proclaim Your infinity

Tav sarab naam kathai kavan, karam naam burnat sumat
Who can recount all Your names?
The wise name You from Your actions

 

This is the first pauri of Jaap - respectfully called Jaap Sahib. Jaap sahib is great poetic offering to the One Almighty Waheguru Composed by Our Tenth Master Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It consists of 199 pauris - which suggests the never-ending praises of God. The first pauri here ends telling us that no one can describe Waheguru, but the wise people can give praise by looking at Your actions. The next pauris then give wonderful salutation to God and all the different attributes, excellencies and glories. We can sum up some of the attributes here, but It is best if you can find the time to study this great hymn further:

  1. God is beyond the physical, beyond time, Eternal, Unborn, Uncreated, Self existent, and without form feature, colour or shape. Therefore, neither can He be described or depicted, not can anyone make his image or idol.
  2. God is found everywhere in His creation. Yet, he cannot be confined to any particular place, land, country, religion, race, form, body or name.
  3. God is the Creator of the Universe and the laws governing it. Never can anyone be outside the ambit of these laws nor can anyone have the power to oppose them. His Law and Justice is Righteous and Ultimate.
  4. God is pervasive in His Creation and also extends beyond it; He is thus immanent in His Creation and at the same time Transcends it.
  5. God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient; nothing, whether good or evil can happen outside of His Will; He is the Creator-Sustainer- Anuller of His Creation. He Himself is the Life of Life, the Death of death. He himself is the Darkness of darkness, the Light of light.


References:
Name of my Beloved - Nikki Guninder Kaur
Nitnaym Baanees - Santokh Singh

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