Japuji: Pauree 4

ਸਾਚਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਾਚੁ ਨਾਇ ਭਾਖਿਆ ਭਾਉ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥
Sācẖā sāhib sācẖ nā▫e bẖākẖi▫ā bẖā▫o apār.

ਆਖਹਿ ਮੰਗਹਿ ਦੇਹਿ ਦੇਹਿ ਦਾਤਿ ਕਰੇ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ॥
Ākẖahi mangahi ḏehi ḏehi ḏāṯ kare ḏāṯār.

ਫੇਰਿ ਕਿ ਅਗੈ ਰਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਦਿਸੈ ਦਰਬਾਰੁ ॥
Fer kė agai rakẖī▫ai jiṯ ḏisai ḏarbār.

ਮੁਹੌ ਕਿ ਬੋਲਣੁ ਬੋਲੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੁਣਿ ਧਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥
Muhou kė bolaṇ bolī▫ai jiṯ suṇ ḏẖare pi▫ār.

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਵੇਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਉ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
Amriṯ velā sacẖ nā▫o vadi▫ā▫ī vīcẖār.

ਕਰਮੀ ਆਵੈ ਕਪੜਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
Karmī āvai kapṛā naḏrī mokẖ ḏu▫ār.

ਨਾਨਕ ਏਵੈ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਸਭੁ ਆਪੇ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥੪॥
Nānak evai jāṇī▫ai sabẖ āpe sacẖiār. ||4||


Nanak says that he (god/nature/lord/parmatma) is the real lord and his name is the only truth. Nanak means that in this world of uncertainities and doubts, the only certain thing is him, the true being. Nanak suggests to meditate upon this name with infinite love and conviction!!

nanak then describes the inherent nature of humans where all that we have is needs, needs and then some more. We always keep asking for more and more and what does the great giver do, he keeps on giving. But this is a never ending cycle, cause we never stop asking. Once fulfilled wish is just the beginning of another higher demand. Then Nanak says that when everything that we have has been provided to us by the supreme, what scope is there for us to offer something back to him. Nanak thereby discards the tradition of offering materialistic things as a gift to the supreme lord as an attempt to please him and in the process to attain salvation. Salvation, Nanak says is not going to come in this way!!

Then Nanak asks how can we evoke love of the lord? What words can we speak that he is pleased? Well, one thing Nanak says how that can be done is by waking up in the early hours of morning and meditating on his name and contemplating his greatness!!

Why does one need to evoke his love? why does one need to meditate on his name? Nanak says that it is the action of our deeds that we attain this physical existence on earth, and it would only be through his grace that we can find the door to salvation and be saved from birth and rebirth!!

Because the one thing worth knowing, Nanak says, is that he (the supreme) is everything!! Nothing is beyond him!!