सलोक महला 9 · Salok Mahalla 9
The voice of Guru Tegh Bahadur. This is the last voice heard just before Guru Gobind Singh, and across the final pages of the granth it repeats a single truth: all of this will pass, and the only thing that stays with you is the Name.
First, a word
These are the closing pages of the granth. The whole journey that began with Japji arrives here at its final turn, and the voice we hear belongs to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru. He composed these saloks, and Guru Gobind Singh, completing the compilation of the granth in 1706, set them in this place. So this is the voice that stands just before the tenth Guru, in a sense the closing note of the entire line of Gurus.
Tegh Bahadur spent much of his life in solitude and travel, along the roads of Assam and Bihar. In 1675, by the order of Aurangzeb, he was martyred in the Chandni Chowk of Delhi while defending the faith of the Kashmiri Pandits. On that spot stands the Sis Ganj Gurudwara today. Keep this background in mind, because the words that follow were spoken from the ground between life and death, by a man with everything at stake.
There are 57 saloks, each a short couplet of two lines. A single thread runs through all of them: the world is fleeting, the body will pass, wealth and family will not follow you, and the one thing that lasts is the Name of Hari. The very first salok says the whole of it, and the remaining 56 touch that one note from different corners. Come, let us walk through them together.
How to read this
Slowly, pausing at each salok. These couplets are small, yet each is complete in itself, and to read one in a hurry is to cheat it of its due. Feel one lovely thing as you go: the same refrain returns again and again, “कहु नानक भजु हरि मना”, Nanak says, O mind, sing of Hari. Hear it as a steady beat that runs through the whole reading. And the last saloks, 53 through 57, catch a different tune, from the story of the elephant and the crocodile to “राम नामु उर मै गहिओ”; here the voice turns from counsel into prayer.
The beginning · Salok 1
The fleeting nature of the world is the central thread of Tegh Bahadur’s voice, and in the very first line he puts a plain question: if you have never once sung the praises of the Divine, then you have wasted this rare human birth. Alongside it comes a beautiful image, make Hari the support of your life the way a fish makes water its own.
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
सलोक महला 9 ॥
गुन गोबिंद गाइओ नही जनमु अकारथ कीनु ॥
कहु नानक हरि भजु मना जिह बिधि जल कउ मीनु ॥1॥
Salok 2 · 3
The next question is gentler still. Why stay so sunk in the pleasures of the senses that the mind will not lift away from them even for a moment? Singing of Hari is the armor that keeps the noose of death from falling around your neck. Then comes the reminder of time: youth passed in carelessness, old age has conquered the body, and the span of your life keeps slipping away.
बिखिअन सिउ काहे रचिओ निमख न होहि उदासु ॥
कहु नानक भजु हरि मना परै न जम की फास ॥2॥
तरनापो इउ ही गइओ लीओ जरा तनु जीति ॥
कहु नानक भजु हरि मना अउध जातु है बीति ॥3॥
Salok 4 · 5
Old age has arrived, death has reached your head, and still understanding does not come, so the Guru chides you with great love: O foolish one, why even now do you not sing of Hari? And here is the truth that forms the spine of the whole collection, this wealth, this wife, all this property, not one of them will go with you to the end. Take this as the plain truth.
बिरधि भइओ सूझै नही कालु पहूचिओ आनि ॥
कहु नानक नर बावरे किउ न भजै भगवानु ॥4॥
धनु दारा संपति सगल जिनि अपुनी करि मानि ॥
इन मै कछु संगी नही नानक साची जानि ॥5॥
Salok 6 · 7
Now the direction shifts, and a consolation arrives. That Lord lifts the fallen across, takes away every fear, is the master of the masterless, and he dwells always at your side. Then a reproach, you never gave your love to the one who gave you your body and your wealth, so why do you now wander about frightened and forlorn?
पतित उधारन भै हरन हरि अनाथ के नाथ ॥
कहु नानक तिह जानीऐ सदा बसतु तुम साथि ॥6॥
तनु धनु जिह तो कउ दीओ तां सिउ नेहु न कीन ॥
कहु नानक नर बावरे अब किउ डोलत दीन ॥7॥
Salok 8 · 9
He gave you your body, your wealth, your property, your comforts, your fine home, everything, so why do you not hold him in remembrance? Then a certainty, the giver of all joys is Ram alone, there is no second equal to him, and in remembering him the higher state of the soul comes of its own accord.
तनु धनु संपै सुख दीओ अरु जिह नीके धाम ॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना सिमरत काहि न रामु ॥8॥
सभ सुख दाता रामु है दूसर नाहिन कोइ ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना तिह सिमरत गति होइ ॥9॥
Salok 10 · 11
The same refrain returns, sing of the one whose remembrance grants the higher state, for your years grow fewer by the day. Then a deeper reminder, O clever one, O wise one, this body is made of the five elements, and it will dissolve back into those same elements, so why, caught in false attachment to it, do you forget to remember him?
जिह सिमरत गति पाईऐ तिह भजु रे तै मीत ॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना अउध घटत है नीत ॥10॥
पांच तत को तनु रचिओ जानहु चतुर सुजान ॥
जिह ते उपजिओ नानका लीन ताहि मै मानु ॥11॥
Salok 12 · 13
The saints have called out and told you, the Divine dwells in every body, sing of that one, and you will cross over the ocean of the world. Then a beautiful definition, the one whom pleasure and pain cannot touch, whom greed, attachment, and pride cannot reach, that person is the very form of God.
घट घट मै हरि जू बसै संतन कहिओ पुकारि ॥
कहु नानक तिह भजु मना भउ निधि उतरहि पारि ॥12॥
सुखु दुखु जिह परसै नही लोभु मोहु अभिमानु ॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना सो मूरति भगवान ॥13॥
Salok 14 · 15
Here comes a paired salok, two forms of a single deep truth. The one to whom praise and blame feel the same, to whom gold and iron look alike, know that this one has won release from attachment. And the one in whose heart joy and grief cannot press their weight, to whom enemy and friend seem the same, that one is truly free.
उसतति निंदिआ नाहि जिहि कंचन लोह समानि ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना मुकति ताहि तै जानि ॥14॥
हरखु सोगु जा कै नही बैरी मीत समानि ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना मुकति ताहि तै जानि ॥15॥
Salok 16 · 17
A beautiful test of fearlessness, the one who frightens no one and fears no one, know that one as the true wise soul. And then the real test of detachment, the one who has given up all of maya and taken on the garb of the renunciate, know that true fortune has woken on that one’s brow.
भै काहू कउ देत नहि नहि भै मानत आन ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना गिआनी ताहि बखानि ॥16॥
जिहि बिखिआ सगली तजी लीओ भेख बैराग ॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना तिह नर माथै भागु ॥17॥
Salok 18 · 19
The one who has let go of attachment to maya and turned away from all corruptions, in that one’s heart the Divine itself comes to dwell. And the one who has formed a deep bond with the Creator and cast off the pride within, take this as truth, that person is free.
जिहि माइआ ममता तजी सभ ते भइओ उदासु ॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना तिह घटि ब्रहम निवासु ॥18॥
जिहि प्रानी हउमै तजी करता रामु पछानि ॥
कहु नानक वहु मुकति नरु इह मन साची मानु ॥19॥
Salok 20 · 21
In this world full of afflictions, it is the Name of Hari that destroys every fear and drives away the crooked mind, and for the one who chants it night and day all works come to fruit. Then a plain piece of counsel, sing the praises of Gobind with your tongue, hear the Name of Hari with your ears, and then you will not fall into the house of death.
भै नासन दुरमति हरन कलि मै हरि को नामु ॥
निसि दिनु जो नानक भजै सफल होहि तिह काम ॥20॥
जिहबा गुन गोबिंद भजहु करन सुनहु हरि नामु ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना परहि न जम कै धाम ॥21॥
Salok 22 · 23
The one who drives out possessiveness, greed, attachment, and pride crosses over himself and carries others to safety as well. Then the same old reminder in new words, this world is like a dream and a passing spectacle, and within it nothing is a true companion except the Name of God.
जो प्रानी ममता तजै लोभ मोह अहंकार ॥
कहु नानक आपन तरै अउरन लेत उधार ॥22॥
जिउ सुपना अरु पेखना ऐसे जग कउ जानि ॥
इन मै कछु साचो नही नानक बिनु भगवान ॥23॥
Salok 24 · 25
For the sake of maya a person wanders night and day, and among tens of millions only a rare one keeps Narayan settled in the mind. Then a very gentle image, as a bubble rises from water and dissolves again, so this whole creation of the world has been made, listen, friend.
निसि दिनु माइआ कारने प्रानी डोलत नीत ॥
कोटन मै नानक कोऊ नाराइनु जिह चीति ॥24॥
जैसे जल ते बुदबुदा उपजै बिनसै नीत ॥
जग रचना तैसे रची कहु नानक सुनि मीत ॥25॥
Salok 26 · 27
Blinded by the intoxication of maya, a person thinks of nothing, and without singing of the Lord the nooses of death stay laid upon him. Then a sweet piece of counsel, if you want lasting joy, take the shelter of Ram, for this human body is won only with great difficulty, so do not throw it away for nothing.
प्रानी कछू न चेतई मदि माइआ कै अंधु ॥
कहु नानक बिनु हरि भजन परत ताहि जम फंध ॥26॥
जउ सुख कउ चाहै सदा सरनि राम की लेह ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना दुरलभ मानुख देह ॥27॥
Salok 28 · 29
Foolish, unknowing people keep running after nothing but maya, and without singing of the Lord their birth passes in vain. Then salok 29, which spreads across two angs (pages of the granth), the one who sings of Hari night and day, know that one as the very form of Ram, and take it as truth that there is no difference between the servant of Hari and Hari.
माइआ कारनि धावही मूरख लोग अजान ॥
कहु नानक बिनु हरि भजन बिरथा जनमु सिरान ॥28॥
जो प्रानी निसि दिनु भजै रूप राम तिह जानु ॥
हरि जन हरि अंतरु नही नानक साची मानु ॥29॥
Salok 30 · 31
The one whose mind stays trapped in maya and who has forgotten the Name of Gobind, what use is his living? Then the same warning returns doubled, blinded by the intoxication of maya, the one who does not remember Ram keeps the nooses of death around his neck for lack of singing the Lord’s praise.
मनु माइआ मै फधि रहिओ बिसरिओ गोबिंद नामु ॥
कहु नानक बिनु हरि भजन जीवन कउने काम ॥30॥
प्रानी रामु न चेतई मदि माइआ कै अंधु ॥
कहु नानक हरि भजन बिनु परत ताहि जम फंध ॥31॥
Salok 32 · 33
A truth of the world, in comfort many gather as companions, and in sorrow none of them stays with you, so sing of that Hari who keeps you company even at the final hour. Then a prayer, through the wandering of many births the fear of death has still not gone, so now sing of the one in whom, once you dwell, no fear can touch you.
सुख मै बहु संगी भए दुख मै संगि न कोइ ॥
कहु नानक हरि भजु मना अंति सहाई होइ ॥32॥
जनम जनम भरमत फिरिओ मिटिओ न जम को त्रासु ॥
कहु नानक हरि भजु मना निरभै पावहि बासु ॥33॥
Salok 34 · 35
Here the voice changes and turns inward for the first time, O God, I have made many efforts, yet the pride of my mind has not left, it clings to the crooked ways of thought, so now you yourself must protect me. Then the three stages of life, childhood, youth, and old age, without singing of the Lord they all pass in vain.
जतन बहुतु मै करि रहिओ मिटिओ न मन को मानु ॥
दुरमति सिउ नानक फधिओ राखि लेहु भगवान ॥34॥
बाल जुआनी अरु बिरधि फुनि तीनि अवसथा जानि ॥
कहु नानक हरि भजन बिनु बिरथा सभ ही मानु ॥35॥
Salok 36 · 37
A harsh but honest glimpse, what you should have done you left undone, you stayed caught in the snare of greed, the time has passed, so what use is weeping now? And a memorable image, the mind that has become absorbed in maya cannot pull itself free of it, the way a picture painted on a wall never leaves the wall.
करणो हुतो सु ना कीओ परिओ लोभ कै फंध ॥
नानक समिओ रमि गइओ अब किउ रोवत अंध ॥36॥
मनु माइआ मै रमि रहिओ निकसत नाहिन मीत ॥
नानक मूरति चित्र जिउ छाडित नाहिन भीति ॥37॥
Salok 38 · 39
A person wants one thing, and by the divine will something else altogether comes to pass, he plots to cheat others, and the noose falls around his own neck instead. Then a deep admission, for comfort we make many efforts, and for sorrow not a single one, yet what pleases Hari is what happens.
नर चाहत कछु अउर अउरै की अउरै भई ॥
चितवत रहिओ ठगउर नानक फासी गलि परी ॥38॥
जतन बहुत सुख के कीए दुख को कीओ न कोइ ॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना हरि भावै सो होइ ॥39॥
Salok 40 · 41
The whole world wanders about as a beggar, forgetting that the giver is Ram alone, remember him, and all your works will be fulfilled. Then the same reminder, why take pride in a false world? Understand the world as a dream, none of it is yours, and Nanak is saying this openly.
जगतु भिखारी फिरतु है सभ को दाता रामु ॥
कहु नानक मन सिमरु तिह पूरन होवहि काम ॥40॥
झूठै मानु कहा करै जगु सुपने जिउ जानु ॥
इन मै कछु तेरो नही नानक कहिओ बखानि ॥41॥
Salok 42 · 43
The body you take such pride in is destroyed in an instant, yet the one who sang the glory of Hari has conquered the whole world. Then the same certainty, know the one in whose heart Ram is remembered to be free, and take it as truth that there is no difference between that person and Hari.
गरबु करतु है देह को बिनसै छिन मै मीत ॥
जिहि प्रानी हरि जसु कहिओ नानक तिहि जगु जीति ॥42॥
जिह घटि सिमरनु राम को सो नरु मुकता जानु ॥
तिहि नर हरि अंतरु नही नानक साची मानु ॥43॥
Salok 44 · 45
The one in whose mind there is no devotion to God, know his body to be like the body of a pig or a dog, this image of the Guru’s is harsh, and it is meant to wake you. Then the same image of the dog turned around into a lesson, as a dog never leaves its master’s door, so with a single mind and a single heart sing of Hari.
एक भगति भगवान जिह प्रानी कै नाहि मनि ॥
जैसे सूकर सुआन नानक मानो ताहि तनु ॥44॥
सुआमी को ग्रिहु जिउ सदा सुआन तजत नही नित ॥
नानक इह बिधि हरि भजउ इक मनि हुइ इक चिति ॥45॥
Salok 46 · 47
If you fill your mind with pride after making pilgrimages, keeping fasts, and giving charity, then all of it is as useless as the bathing of an elephant (once it has bathed, an elephant throws dust back over itself). Then a poignant picture of old age, the head has begun to shake, the legs to totter, the light of the eyes has gone, and still the person does not lose himself in the rasa of Hari.
तीरथ बरत अरु दान करि मन मै धरै गुमानु ॥
नानक निहफल जात तिह जिउ कुंचर इसनानु ॥46॥
सिरु कंपिओ पग डगमगे नैन जोति ते हीन ॥
कहु नानक इह बिधि भई तऊ न हरि रसि लीन ॥47॥
Salok 48 · 49
You kept looking on the world as your own, yet here no one belongs to anyone forever, the one thing that lasts is devotion to Hari, so thread it into your heart. Then a memorable line, all this creation of the world is false, know it, friend, it does not hold together, like a wall of sand.
निज करि देखिओ जगतु मै को काहू को नाहि ॥
नानक थिरु हरि भगति है तिह राखो मन माहि ॥48॥
जग रचना सभ झूठ है जानि लेहु रे मीत ॥
कहि नानक थिरु ना रहै जिउ बालू की भीति ॥49॥
Salok 50 · 51
Ram departed, Ravana with his vast family departed too, nothing here stands firm, the world is like a dream. Then a deep thought, worry would make sense over something that could never happen, and here the way of the world is precisely that nothing remains forever.
रामु गइओ रावनु गइओ जा कउ बहु परवारु ॥
कहु नानक थिरु कछु नही सुपने जिउ संसारु ॥50॥
चिंता ता की कीजीऐ जो अनहोनी होइ ॥
इहु मारगु संसार को नानक थिरु नही कोइ ॥51॥
Salok 52 · 53 · Dohra
Whatever has come into being will be destroyed, today or tomorrow everyone must march on, so leave all your entanglements behind and sing the praises of Hari. Then comes a couplet where the voice becomes direct prayer, my strength has slipped away, the bonds have closed in, no remedy works anymore, and now, O Hari, your support is all I have, as you once saved the elephant, so come to my aid.
जो उपजिओ सो बिनसि है परो आजु कै कालि ॥
नानक हरि गुन गाइ ले छाडि सगल जंजाल ॥52॥
दोहरा ॥
बलु छुटकिओ बंधन परे कछू न होत उपाइ ॥
कहु नानक अब ओट हरि गज जिउ होहु सहाइ ॥53॥
Salok 54 · 55
Then that same prayer finds its answer, strength has come, the bonds have broken, every remedy has worked, because everything is in your hands and you alone are the helper. Then that hour of loneliness, when all your companions leave and no one keeps you company, and in that calamity the only support left is Raghunath alone.
बलु होआ बंधन छुटे सभु किछु होत उपाइ ॥
नानक सभु किछु तुमरै हाथ मै तुम ही होत सहाइ ॥54॥
संग सखा सभि तजि गए कोऊ न निबहिओ साथि ॥
कहु नानक इह बिपति मै टेक एक रघुनाथ ॥55॥
The close · Salok 56 · 57
And the truth the whole collection had been moving toward now opens up, at the final hour the one who has settled the Guru’s mantra within himself keeps the Name at his side, keeps the company of the holy, keeps Guru and Gobind. And the last salok rests on a prayer, the one who has grasped in his heart that Name of Ram which has no equal, at whose remembrance every crisis dissolves, receives your darshan.
नामु रहिओ साधू रहिओ रहिओ गुरु गोबिंदु ॥
कहु नानक इह जगत मै किन जपिओ गुर मंतु ॥56॥
राम नामु उर मै गहिओ जा कै सम नही कोइ ॥
जिह सिमरत संकट मिटै दरसु तुहारो होइ ॥57॥1॥
Where to go from here
On this same site: Japji SahibHindi, Guru Nanak’s morning prayer, the first page of the granth. Japji is the doorway into the journey and Salok Mahalla 9 is its closing note, read the two together, and the beginning and the end of the whole tradition are bound into a single thread.
And keep one small practice in your pocket. Tegh Bahadur says the same thing again and again, why grow attached to what will not go with you? Today, look at one thing you hold very tightly, believing it to be your own, and for a single moment loosen your grip and see how it feels.
Read alongside · Companion Texts
- Japji SahibHindi A composition of M1, the opening gate of the granth.
- Sukhmani SahibHindi The magnum opus of M5, peace of mind.
- Angs 1426 to 1429Hindi The original ang text, with the meaning in Hindi.