By Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) |
Asar is the fourth month of Barah Maha. It is sweltering heat. The earth endures pain and suffering as the sun sucks all of the life from the defenseless vegetation.
The heat is a symbol of a human-bride, the seeker who is disconnected from IkOankar.
Follow the human-bride as she finds realization in her anxieties and the external pains in her life.
(Embark on this journey with us as we take a visual dive into the genre. If you are looking to enhance your understanding of Barah Maha, we invite you to visit The Guru Granth Sahib Project. This learning resource is incredibly insightful to readers of different experience levels.)
ਆਸਾੜੁ ਭਲਾ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਗਗਨਿ ਤਪੈ ॥
ਧਰਤੀ ਦੂਖ ਸਹੈ ਸੋਖੈ ਅਗਨਿ ਭਖੈ ॥
ਅਗਨਿ ਰਸੁ ਸੋਖੈ ਮਰੀਐ ਧੋਖੈ ਭੀ ਸੋ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਹਾਰੇ ॥
ਰਥੁ ਫਿਰੈ ਛਾਇਆ ਧਨ ਤਾਕੈ ਟੀਡੁ ਲਵੈ ਮੰਝਿ ਬਾਰੇ ॥
ਅਵਗਣ ਬਾਧਿ ਚਲੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਆਗੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਾਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਦੀਆ ਮਰਣੁ ਜੀਵਣੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਨਾਲੇ ॥੮॥
The month of Harh (mid-June to mid-July) is also auspicious, since it is in the will of IkOankar. Under this Will, the sun radiates heat from the sky.The earth suffers from the heat. The heat increases, drying up the vegetation.
The heat dries up the vegetation’s sap. Vegetation becomes lifeless because of the scorching heat. Yet the sun, in the Will, continues performing its duty.
As the sun moves, the temperature increases, and the seeker searches for shade. In the open fields, the cricket, tormented by the heat, chirps.That seeker entangled in demerits suffers pain. Only that seeker who remembers the true Identification (Nam) of IkOankar finds happiness.
At the end of the stanza, by using the signature ‘Nanak,’ Guru Nanak states that the seeker who has been graced with the mind that remembers IkOankar, lives and dies only with IkOankar. Remembering IkOankar is life, forgetting IkOankar is death.8.
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Researcher: Surender Pal Singh | Videographer: Sean J. Holden | Producer: Amanda Heck | Creative Director: Inni Kaur
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