COVID 19 has shown us we cannot take anything for granted: our health, our worklife, our relationships; even macro systems that we depend upon such as governments and businesses. Everything has been shaken by this virus. Many turn to faith for protection. Others turn to science. The Siri Guru Granth Sahib does not ask us to choose between faith and reason. Bibeyk - intelligence, discernment - is part of our practice. Yes, we practice Naam Simran. We chant and meditate. Yet we also cultivate our consciousness and use the reason that our Creator gave us.
Right now, COVID 19 is still thriving in many parts of the world, but nowhere has it hit as hard as India. On a practical level, it will take vaccinations and public health policy to reign in the horror of COVID 19. But for those of us who are watching loved ones from afar, we need to remember that our prayers have power.
Chanting the shabad has an impact. Today, SikhNet is grateful to share one particular shabad that speaks directly to the issue of sickness and despair, and calls us to remember Parabrahm - the Vast, All Powerful Creator, who can see us through.
Please consider reciting this shabad to send prayers for those suffering from COVID 19, especially in India. We can add our prayers for protection and healing, even while supporting the practical efforts of many organizations doing seva on the ground.
Siri Raag, Guru Arjan Dev ji. Ang 70
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਮੁਸਕਲੁ ਅਤਿ ਬਣੈ ਢੋਈ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਦੇਇ ॥
ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋਏ ਦੁਸਮਨਾ ਸਾਕ ਭਿ ਭਜਿ ਖਲੇ ॥
ਸਭੋ ਭਜੈ ਆਸਰਾ ਚੁਕੈ ਸਭੁ ਅਸਰਾਉ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਲਗੈ ਨ ਤਤੀ ਵਾਉ ॥1॥For those who, in extreme difficulty,
Find they have no place to go.
With enemies in pursuit
And even family abandoning them where they stand.
When all reinforcements have run away,
And all support has failed,
Should the All-Encompassing Eternal One come into their awareness,
Then the blistering winds
Will not touch them. (1)ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਨਿਤਾਣਿਆ ਕਾ ਤਾਣੁ ॥
ਆਇ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਥਿਰੁ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਸਚੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥The Master is the strength of the weak
Ever-present, never departing,
Forever steadfast.
Know this Ultimate Reality
Through the wisdom of the Sound Current that cuts the ego. (1)
Pay attention.ਜੇ ਕੋ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੁਬਲਾ ਨੰਗ ਭੁਖ ਕੀ ਪੀਰ ॥
ਦਮੜਾ ਪਲੈ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਨਾ ਕੋ ਦੇਵੈ ਧੀਰ ॥
ਸੁਆਰਥੁ ਸੁਆਉ ਨ ਕੋ ਕਰੇ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਕਾਜੁ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਰਾਜੁ ॥2॥For those who are weak,
Naked and ashamed,
Trapped by hunger’s pain,
Possessing no wealth,
With no one to offer sustenance,
Unable to act on their own behalf
And none of their efforts succeed,
Should the All-Encompassing Eternal One come into their awareness,
They shall receive an immovable kingdom. (2).ਜਾ ਕਉ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਦੇਹੀ ਵਿਆਪੈ ਰੋਗੁ ॥
ਗ੍ਰਿਸਤਿ ਕੁਟੰਬਿ ਪਲੇਟਿਆ ਕਦੇ ਹਰਖੁ ਕਦੇ ਸੋਗੁ ॥
ਗਉਣੁ ਕਰੇ ਚਹੁ ਕੁੰਟ ਕਾ ਘੜੀ ਨ ਬੈਸਣੁ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥3॥For those who suffer from extreme anxiety,
With bodies consumed by disease,
Living at home with their families,
Alternating between cheer and grief,
For those who wander the four corners of the earth
Never finding a place of rest,
Should the All-Encompassing Eternal One come into their awareness,
Then relief will soothe their bodies and minds. (3).ਕਾਮਿ ਕਰੋਧਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਵਸਿ ਕੀਆ ਕਿਰਪਨ ਲੋਭਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥
ਚਾਰੇ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਉਨਿ ਅਘ ਕੀਏ ਹੋਆ ਅਸੁਰ ਸੰਘਾਰੁ ॥
ਪੋਥੀ ਗੀਤ ਕਵਿਤ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਕਰਨਿ ਧਰਿਆ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਆਵੈ ਓਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਨਿਮਖ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਤਰਿਆ ॥4॥For those who dwell in the state of anger, attachment and sensual desire,
Who live as a miser, absorbed in their greed.
Those who act in socially despicable ways,
Who become destructive as a demon,
Who never sing a sacred song,
Nor focus on a work of spiritual poetry,
Should the All-Encompassing Eternal One come into their awareness,
Then their minds will align with their Divine Identity,
And they shall instantly swim across. (4).ਸਾਸਤ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਬੇਦ ਚਾਰਿ ਮੁਖਾਗਰ ਬਿਚਰੇ ॥
ਤਪੇ ਤਪੀਸਰ ਜੋਗੀਆ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਗਵਨੁ ਕਰੇ ॥
ਖਟੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਤੇ ਦੁਗੁਣੇ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਨਾਇ ॥
ਰੰਗੁ ਨ ਲਗੀ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਤਾ ਸਰਪਰ ਨਰਕੇ ਜਾਇ ॥5॥There are those who can discuss by heart
The four great spiritual books,
Or who practice the yogic techniques
Of self-purification through the inner heat.
There are those who wander, taking sacred baths,
Who double their efforts in ritual actioni
To worship the Creator’s Identity,
Yet should they never feel a touch of love
For the All-Encompassing Eternal One,
Then their awareness will surely End up in hell. (5)
ਰਾਜ ਮਿਲਕ ਸਿਕਦਾਰੀਆ ਰਸ ਭੋਗਣ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ ॥
ਬਾਗ ਸੁਹਾਵੇ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਚਲੈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਫਾਰ ॥
ਰੰਗ ਤਮਾਸੇ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧੀ ਚਾਇ ਲਗਿ ਰਹਿਆ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਸਰਪ ਕੀ ਜੂਨਿ ਗਇਆ ॥6॥There are those who rule kingdoms of wealth,
Expansive and drenched in pleasure,
With delightful, luscious gardens,
Proudly living by their own commands,
Enjoying different spectacles,
And enchantments of many types,
Yet should the All-Encompassing
Eternal One never come into their awareness,
They will depart and assume the life of a snake. (6)ਬਹੁਤੁ ਧਨਾਢਿ ਅਚਾਰਵੰਤੁ ਸੋਭਾ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਰੀਤਿ ॥
ਮਾਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈਆ ਸਾਜਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਪਰੀਤਿ ॥
ਲਸਕਰ ਤਰਕਸ ਬੰਦ ਬੰਦ ਜੀਉ ਜੀਉ ਸਗਲੀ ਕੀਤ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਤਾ ਖੜਿ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਦੀਤ ॥7॥There are those who possess tremendous riches,
Good conduct and spotless manners,
Living affectionately in fellowship
With their mother, father, children and siblings,
There are those towards whom military platoons
All constantly pay their respects,
Yet should the All-Encompassing Eternal One never come into their awareness,
Then their consciousness will be consigned to the Underworld. (7)ਕਾਇਆ ਰੋਗੁ ਨ ਛਿਦ੍ਰੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਾੜਾ ਸੋਗੁ ॥
ਮਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਆਵੀ ਚਿਤਿ ਤਿਸੁ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਭੋਗੈ ਭੋਗੁ ॥
ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਕੀਤੋਨੁ ਆਪਣਾ ਜੀਇ ਨ ਸੰਕ ਧਰਿਆ ॥
ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਜਮਕੰਕਰ ਵਸਿ ਪਰਿਆ ॥8॥There are those who possess bodies with no blemish or disease,
Undisturbed by worry or grief, Unperturbed by death,
Indulging in revelries day and night,
Doing everything on their own with no doubts to block the way,
Yet should the All-Encompassing Eternal One Never enter their awareness,
They will fall into the abode of Death. (8)ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਸੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਾਧੂ ਸੰਗੁ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਜਿਉ ਓਹੁ ਵਧਾਈਐ ਤਿਉ ਤਿਉ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
ਦੁਹਾ ਸਿਰਿਆ ਕਾ ਖਸਮੁ ਆਪਿ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ਥਾਉ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੁਠੈ ਪਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥9॥1॥26॥Through the kindness of the All-Encompassing Eternal One,
People come into the community of those who live
By purity, grace and discipline, And as their experience of higher consciousness
Grows stronger and stronger,
Just so do they find the love of the Divine Essence.
Duality originates with the Divine Husband, Himself,
There is no other ground.
When the Teacher of Truth feels satisfied,
Naanak recognizes his Transcendent Identity. (9)
In the name of our Great Gurus who showed us how to avoid suffering, how to remember God through suffering and how to help others who are suffering, we pray for health, peace and the well-being of all.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru ji ki Fateh
