Anand Sahib

Raga Ramkali, the composition of the Third Guru, the song of bliss.

O my mother, I have found bliss, for I have found the True Guru. With intuitive ease, I have found the True Guru, and my mind resounds with joy. The jewel-like ragas and their families have come to sing the Word. Sing the Word of the Lord, which those who have enshrined it in their minds sing. Says Nanak, I have found bliss, for I have found the True Guru.

O my mind, remain always with the Lord. If you remain with the Lord, O my mind, you will forget all sorrows. He will accept you as His own and resolve all your affairs. The Lord Master is all-powerful in all matters—why should you forget Him from your mind? Says Nanak, O my mind, remain always with the Lord.

O True Lord Master, what is not in Your home? Everything is in Your home; whoever You give to receives. I ever sing Your praises and enshrine Your Name in my mind. Those in whose minds the Name dwells—the divine Word vibrates abundantly within them. Says Nanak, O True Lord Master, what is not in Your home?

The True Name is my support. The True Name is my support; it has eradicated all my hunger.

It has brought peace and comfort to my mind, fulfilling all my desires.

I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru, who has granted me these glories.

Says Nanak, listen, O saints, love the Word. The True Name is my support.

The five primal sounds resound in that blessed home. In that blessed home the Word resounds, where the Lord has infused His almighty power. He has brought the five evil passions under Your control and slain the sting of death. Those whom You have blessed with pre-ordained grace are attached to the Lord's Name. Says Nanak, there is peace in that home, and the unstruck melody resounds there.

Without true loving devotion, the body is worthless. The body is worthless without loving devotion—what can the poor body do? Without You, there is no other almighty being; please grant Your grace, O Lord of the forest. There is no other support for this body; it is adorned only by being attached to the Word. Says Nanak, without loving devotion, what can the poor body do?

Everyone speaks of bliss, but bliss is known only through the Guru. Bliss is known eternally through the Guru, when the Beloved Lord grants His grace. By His grace, He cuts away sins and applies the ointment of spiritual wisdom. Those whose inner attachment is broken—the True One has adorned them with the Word. Says Nanak, this is bliss: bliss is known through the Guru.

O Father, that humble being alone receives whom You give. He receives whom You give; others—what can the poor creatures do? Some wander deluded in all directions, while others are adorned by being attached to the Name. By Guru's grace, the mind becomes pure for those who accept the Lord's Will. Says Nanak, O Beloved, that humble being alone receives whom You give.

Come, O beloved saints, let us tell the story of the Unutterable. To tell the story of the Unutterable, through which door may we attain it? Offer body, mind, and wealth to the Guru; by obeying His command, it is attained. Obey the Guru's command and sing the True Word. Says Nanak, listen, O saints, speak the story of the Unutterable.

O restless mind, no one has attained cleverness.

No one has attained cleverness—listen, O my mind.

This enchanting Maya has led everyone astray in delusion.

Maya is enchanting, and the Lord has created it; He has cast the spell of illusion.

I am a sacrifice to Him who has made attachment seem sweet.

Says Nanak, O restless mind, no one has attained cleverness.

O beloved mind, always contemplate the True One.

This family that you see will not go with you.

It will not go with you—why then attach your mind to it?

Never do such a deed for which you will repent in the end.

Listen to the True Guru's teaching, and it will go with you.

Says Nanak, O beloved mind, always contemplate the True One.

O Inaccessible and Incomprehensible Lord, Your limit has not been found. No one has found Your limit; You alone know Your own self. All beings and creatures are Your play—what can anyone say and describe? You speak, You behold—You are everything, for You have created the world. Says Nanak, You are ever inaccessible; Your limit has not been found.

The celestial beings, humans, and silent sages searched for the ambrosial nectar; they obtained it through the Guru. The ambrosial nectar was obtained when the Guru granted His grace, and the True One was enshrined in the mind. All beings and creatures were created by You; some came to see and touch You. Greed, attachment, and egotism have departed, for the True Guru has been pleasing. Says Nanak, he upon whom the Lord Himself is pleased obtains the ambrosial nectar through the Guru.

The way of the devotees is unique. The way of the devotees is unique—they walk on a difficult path.

They abandon greed, attachment, egotism, and desire, and speak very little.

The path is like a razor's edge or a hair's breadth—this is the way to go.

By Guru's grace, those who have renounced the self merge their desires in the Lord.

Says Nanak, the way of the devotees is unique from age to age.

As You make me walk, O Lord Master, so do I walk; what else can I know of Your virtues? As You make me walk, so do I walk, on the path where You place me. Those whom You graciously attach to Your Name ever meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. He to whom You narrate Your own story finds peace at the Guru's door. Says Nanak, O True Lord Master, as it pleases You, so do You make me walk.

This is the beautiful song of praise, the Word. The beautiful Word is ever a song of praise, which the True Guru has revealed. It dwells in the minds of those who have such pre-ordained destiny. Some wander about, talking much, but no one attains the Lord through mere talk. Says Nanak, the Word is the beautiful song of praise, which the True Guru has revealed.

Those who meditate on the Lord become pure. Meditating on the Lord, they become pure—those who, as Gurmukh, meditate on Him. Pure are the mother, father, and family along with them; pure is their entire congregation. Those who speak of Him are pure, those who hear of Him are pure, and those who enshrine Him in their minds are pure. Says Nanak, they are pure who, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har.

Through rituals, intuitive poise is not obtained; without intuitive poise, doubt does not depart. Doubt does not depart through any austerity or ritual actions. The soul is stained by doubt; how can it be washed away by any discipline? Wash your mind by being attached to the Word, and keep your consciousness focused on the Lord. Says Nanak, by Guru's grace, intuitive poise arises, and this doubt departs.

Some are filthy within yet outwardly pure. Outwardly pure yet inwardly filthy—they have lost their life in the gamble of the world. This desire is a great disease that has taken hold; they have forgotten death. They hear not the sublime Name in the Vedas, but wander like demons. Says Nanak, those who abandon truth and cling to falsehood have lost their life in the gamble.

Some are pure within and pure without. Pure without and pure within, they act according to the True Guru's teaching. The filth of falsehood does not touch them; their desires merge in Truth. Those who have earned the jewel of life are excellent traders. Says Nanak, those whose minds are pure ever remain with the Guru.

If a Sikh turns face to face with the Guru, then he becomes a true Sikh. If a Sikh turns face to face, he remains with the Guru from his heart. He meditates on the Guru's feet in his heart and contemplates them within his soul. He renounces the self and ever remains surrendered; he knows none other than the Guru. Says Nanak, listen, O saints, such a Sikh becomes face to face with the Guru.

If someone turns away from the Guru, without the True Guru he cannot attain liberation. Liberation is not attained from anywhere else—ask the discerning ones. He wanders through many births in delusion; without the True Guru, liberation is not attained. He attains liberation again by clinging to the Guru's feet, when the True Guru reveals the Word. Says Nanak, reflect and see: without the True Guru, liberation is not attained.

Come, O beloved Sikhs of the True Guru, sing the True Word. Sing the Word of the Guru—the Word is the highest of all words. Those upon whom the Lord bestows His grace and kindness—the Word abides in their hearts. Drink the ambrosial nectar, ever remain in the Lord's love, and meditate on the Lord, the Sustainer of the world. Says Nanak, ever sing this True Word.

Without the True Guru, all other words are false.

The word is false without the True Guru—other words are false.

Those who speak are false, those who hear are false, and their utterances are false.

They chant 'Har, Har' with their tongues daily, but they do not know what they say.

Their minds are stolen by Maya, and they speak only what is driven by desire.

Says Nanak, without the True Guru, all other words are false.

The Guru's Word is a jewel, a diamond set in gold. The Word is a jewel; when the mind is attached to it, it becomes one with the Lord. The mind is united with the Word, and the True One infuses love. He Himself is the diamond and the jewel; He alone bestows understanding. Says Nanak, the Word is a jewel, a diamond set in gold.

The Creator Himself created Shiva and Shakti, and Himself administers His command. He administers His command and Himself watches; He makes a rare Gurmukh understand. Their bonds are broken, they become liberated, and they enshrine the Word in their minds. He whom the Lord makes a Gurmukh—he alone attaches his love to the One. Says Nanak, the Creator Himself administers His command and makes one understand.

People deliberate on the Simritis and Shastras about virtue and vice, but they do not know the essence. Without the Guru, the essence is not known. The world is asleep in the delusion of the three modes; sleeping, the night of life passes away. By Guru's grace, those humble beings awaken in whose minds the Lord dwells and who speak the ambrosial Word. Says Nanak, he attains the essence who is ever absorbed in the Lord's love, and whose night of life passes in wakefulness.

He who nourished you in the mother's womb—why forget Him from your mind? Why forget from your mind such a great Giver, who sends food even in the fire? Nothing can harm him upon whom the Lord bestows His own love. He Himself bestows His love; as Gurmukh, we should ever cherish it. Says Nanak, why forget from your mind such a great Giver?

As is the fire in the womb, so is Maya outside.

Maya and fire are all the same—the Creator has staged this play.

When it pleased Him, the soul was born, and the family was pleasing.

The love of the Lord was lost, and desire took hold; Maya's intoxication spread.

This Maya causes one to forget the Lord, generating attachment and love for duality.

Says Nanak, by Guru's grace, those who are attached to the Lord's love find Maya within.

The Lord Himself is priceless; He cannot be bought. He cannot be bought by anyone; the people lament in vain. If such a True Guru is met, offer your head to Him, and the ego within departs. The soul merges with Him to whom it belongs, and the Lord comes to dwell in the mind. The Lord Himself is priceless; blessed are those, O Nanak, who have the Lord in their lap.

The Lord is my capital, and my mind is the trader. The Lord is my capital, and my mind is the trader; I have learned this capital from the True Guru. Meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, continually from your heart, and earn the profit day by day. This wealth is obtained by those with whom the Lord Himself is pleased. Says Nanak, the Lord is my capital, and my mind has become the trader.

O tongue, you are engrossed in other tastes, and your thirst is not quenched. The thirst is not quenched by any other means until the Lord's essence is obtained. When the Lord's essence is obtained and tasted, the thirst does not arise again. This Lord's essence is obtained by grace, when the True Guru is met. Says Nanak, all other tastes are forgotten when the Lord dwells in the mind.

O my body, the Lord placed the divine light within you, and then you came into the world. The Lord placed the divine light within you, and then you came into the world. The Lord Himself is the mother, Himself the father; He created the soul and revealed the world. By Guru's grace, I understood, and then the play was revealed; the play appeared before my eyes. Says Nanak, the Creator fashioned the universe; He placed the light within you, and then you came into the world.

My mind is filled with joy, hearing of the Lord's coming.

Sing the Lord's wedding song, O friends; my home and mansion are adorned.

Sing the Lord's wedding song ever, O friends; sorrow and pain do not touch you.

Clinging to the Guru's feet, the days become blessed, and I perceive my Beloved.

The unstruck melody is known through the Guru's Word; I enjoy the Lord's Name and essence.

Says Nanak, the Lord Himself has met me, the One who is worthy of all causes.

O my body, having come into this world, what deeds have you performed? What deeds have you performed, O body, since you came into the world? You did not enshrine in your mind the Lord who created you. By Guru's grace, the Lord dwells in the mind; I have obtained what was pre-ordained. Says Nanak, this body is approved if it has focused its consciousness on the True Guru.

O my eyes, the Lord placed the light within you; do not see anyone other than the Lord. Do not see anyone other than the Lord; behold the Lord with your sight. This poisonous world you see is the Lord's own form; the Lord's form appears before your eyes. By Guru's grace, I understand and see that the Lord alone is everywhere; there is no other without the Lord. Says Nanak, these eyes were blind, but meeting the True Guru, they received divine vision.

O my ears, you were created to hear the Truth. You were created to hear the Truth and placed in the body; listen to the True Word. Hearing it, the mind and body become green, and the tongue is absorbed in the Lord's essence. The True Lord is ineffable and wondrous; His state cannot be described. Says Nanak, listen to the ambrosial Name and be purified; you were created to hear the Truth.

The Dear Lord placed the soul in the cave of the body and played the instrument of the air. He played the instrument of the air, manifested the nine doors, and kept the tenth hidden. At the Guru's door, through love, He reveals the tenth door to some. There are countless forms, the Name, and the nine treasures; His limit cannot be found. Says Nanak, the Dear Lord placed the soul in the cave of the body and played the instrument of the air.

Sing this true song of praise in the true home. Sing the song of praise in the true home, where the True One is ever meditated upon. You meditate on the Truth when it pleases You; You cause the Gurmukhs to understand. This Truth is the Master of all; he to whom He grants it receives it. Says Nanak, sing the true song of praise in the true home.

Listen to the song of bliss, O greatly fortunate ones; all your desires are fulfilled.

You have found the Supreme Lord God; all your sorrows have departed.

Pain, disease, and suffering have left; the True Word has been heard.

The saints and friends are delighted, having known the Lord through the perfect Guru.

Those who hear are purified, those who speak are holy; the True Guru is pervading everywhere.

Nanak prays, clinging to the Guru's feet, the unstruck trumpets resound.