Saturday, September 15, 2007

Sakhi Series : 67 (The Entire World is Full of Pain)

The Entire World is Full of Pain

 

Guru Nanak, accompanied by Mardana, continued to travel southwards from Kanchi and reached the town Trivanmalai. The town these days falls within the district of South Arcot. In the 16th century, it was situated on the highway leading to South. On its western side were pathways passing through mountains. The word 'trivanmalai' means the sacred fire aflame on the mountain.

 

As per ancient mythology, It is said that once Shiva's consort Parvati put her hands on Shiva's eyes, thus causing darkness in the entire world. At this, Shiva got annoyed with Parvati and sent her down to the world. Trivanmalai was one of the places where she did penance. For some time, she meditated here. Then Shiva sprouted fire on the adjoining hill, thus indicating that her lapse had been condoned. Thus, the town that came into being on the foot of the hill on which fire had sprouted came to be known as Trivanmalai.

 

Guru Nanak stayed put in Trivanmalai for some time. Here stands a gurdwara in the memory of his visit. The gurdwara was managed by Mahant Narinder Nath until the 1960s. While putting up here, Guru Nanak thought that no god or goddess had been able to get free from the consequences of his or her

karmas .  Even Parvati had also to resort to penance. It is only through the Name Divine that one could escape from the effect of karma. It is believed that it was here that Guruji recited the following hymn:

 

seha(n)sar dhaan dhae ei(n)dhra roaa eiaa ||

Branded with a thousand marks of disgrace, Indra cried in shame.

 

paras raam rovai ghar aaeiaa ||

Paras Raam returned home crying.

 

ajai s rovai bheekhiaa khaae ||

Ajai cried and wept, when he was made to eat the manure he had given, pretending it was charity.

 

aisee dharageh milai sajaae ||

Such is the punishment received in the Court of the Lord.

 

rovai raam nikaalaa bhaeiaa || seethaa lakhaman vishhurr gaeiaa ||

Rama wept when he was sent into exile, and separated from Sita and Lakhshman.

 

rovai dhehasir la(n)k gavaae || jin seethaa aadhee ddouroo vaae ||

The ten-headed Raawan, who stole away Sita with the beat of his tambourine, wept when he lost Sri Lanka.

 

rovehi paa(n)ddav bheae majoor || jin kai suaamee rehath hadhoor ||

The Paandavas once lived in the Presence of the Lord; they were made slaves, and wept.

 

rovai janamaejaa khue gaeiaa || eaekee kaaran paapee bhaeiaa ||

Janmayjaa wept, that he had lost his way. One mistake, and he became a sinner.

 

rovehi saekh masaaeik peer || a(n)th kaal math laagai bheerr ||

The Shaykhs, Pirs and spiritual teachers weep; at the very last instant, they suffer in agony.

 

rovehi raajae ka(n)n parraae || ghar ghar maagehi bheekhiaa jaae ||

The kings weep - their ears are cut; they go begging from house to house.

 

rovehi kirapan sa(n)chehi dhhan jaae ||pa(n)ddith rovehi giaan gavaae ||

The miser weeps; he has to leave behind the wealth he has gathered.

The Pandit, the religious scholar, weeps when his learning is gone.

 

baalee rovai naahi bhathaar || naanak dhukheeaa sabh sa(n)saar ||

The young woman weeps because she has no husband. O Nanak, the whole world is suffering.

 

ma(n)nae naao soee jin jaae || aouree karam n laekhai laae ||1||

He alone is victorious, who believes in the Lord's Name. No other action is of any account. ||1||

-Guru Granth Sahib, pp. 953-54

 

The Guru stayed here for some time and then travelled on to the South.
 
 

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