831

1Know that Yoga and sacrificial feasts are fruitless, if one forgets the Praises of God. ||1||

2One who lays aside both pride and attachment, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.

3Says Nanak, the mortal who does this is said to be 'jivan mukta' - liberated while yet alive. ||2||2||

4Bilaaval, Ninth Mehla:

5There is no meditation on the Lord within him.

6That man wastes his life uselessly - keep this in mind. ||1||Pause||

7He bathes at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and adheres to fasts, but he has no control over his mind.

8Know that such religion is useless to him. I speak the Truth for his sake. ||1||

9It's like a stone, kept immersed in water; still, the water does not penetrate it.

10So, understand it: that mortal being who lacks devotional worship is just like that. ||2||

11In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, liberation comes from the Naam. The Guru has revealed this secret.

12Says Nanak, he alone is a great man, who sings the Praises of God. ||3||3||

13Bilaaval, Ashtpadheeyaa, First Mehla, Tenth House:

14One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

15He dwells close at hand, and sees all,

16but how rare is the Gurmukh who understands this.

17Without the Fear of God, there is no devotional worship.

18Imbued with the Word of the Shabad, eternal peace is attained. ||1||

19Such is the spiritual wisdom, the treasure of the Naam;

20obtaining it, the Gurmukhs enjoy the subtle essence of this nectar. ||1||Pause||

21Everyone talks about spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge.

22Talking, talking, they argue, and suffer.

23No one can stop talking and discussing it.

24Without being imbued with the subtle essence, there is no liberation. ||2||

25Spiritual wisdom and meditation all come from the Guru.

26Through the lifestyle of Truth, the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind.

27The self-willed manmukh talks about it, but does not practice it.

28Forgetting the Name, he finds no place of rest. ||3||

29Maya has caught the mind in the trap of the whirlpool.

30Each and every heart is trapped by this bait of poison and sin.

31See that whoever has come, is subject to death.

32Your affairs shall be adjusted, if you contemplate the Lord in your heart. ||4||

33He alone is a spiritual teacher, who lovingly focuses his consciousness on the Word of the Shabad.

34The self-willed, egotistical manmukh loses his honor.

35The Creator Lord Himself inspires us to His devotional worship.

36He Himself blesses the Gurmukh with glorious greatness. ||5||

37The life-night is dark, while the Divine Light is immaculate.

38Those who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are false, filthy and untouchable.

39The Vedas preach sermons of devotional worship.

40Listening, hearing and believing, one beholds the Divine Light. ||6||

41The Shaastras and Simritees implant the Naam within.

42The Gurmukh lives in peace and tranquility, doing deeds of sublime purity.

43The self-willed manmukh suffers the pains of reincarnation.

44His bonds are broken, enshrining the Name of the One Lord. ||7||

45Believing in the Naam, one obtains true honor and adoration.

46Who should I see? There is none other than the Lord.

47I see, and I say, that He alone is pleasing to my mind.

48Says Nanak, there is no other at all. ||8||1||