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If I Address You as a Leader, How is That Expressing Your Greatness?

ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥

Monday
,
5
June
2017

If I Address You as a Leader, How is That Expressing Your Greatness?

ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥

Monday
,
5
June
2017
Sabad of the Week
Guru Granth Sahib
Rag Bilaval
Guru Nanak
⟵ Back to articles

If I Address You as a Leader, How is That Expressing Your Greatness?

ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥

Monday
,
5
June
2017

In the joyful rhythm of Rag Bilaval, Guru Nanak Sahib's Sabad unfolds with a profound sense of humility, devotion, and recognition of the greatness of the One.

In the joyful rhythm of Rag Bilaval, Guru Nanak Sahib's Sabad unfolds with a profound sense of humility, devotion, and recognition of the greatness of the One. Bilaval, known for evoking happiness and determination, is the perfect musical mode to convey these deep spiritual insights.


The Sabad begins by addressing the One as the Emperor, acknowledging that any attempt to describe the Greatness of the One falls short. Guru Nanak Sahib expresses his humility, recognizing his ignorance and inability to fully capture the Majesty of the One. The Guru then makes a heartfelt plea for the grace to understand and sing the virtues of the One, aspiring to remain connected with the Eternal Source of Contentment. 


The Sabad continues by affirming that everything that happens is a manifestation of the greatness of the One. The Guru acknowledges his blindness to the limitless nature of the One, admitting his lack of intellect in the face of such grandeur. Despite the limitations of human expression, the Guru emphasizes that even attempting to speak of the Divine is an act of devotion. 


The Sabad concludes with a metaphor in which the Guru compares himself to an outcast dog who barks in an attempt to glorify the One and save himself. Guru Nanak Sahib humbly admits his shortcomings but asserts that the greatness and protection of the One remain undiminished, regardless of his inadequacies.

You are the Emperor.
If I address You as a leader,
how is that expressing Your greatness?
As You allow, so I speak, O! Divine,
I, the ignorant, don’t know how to express.  1.

Grace me with the understanding to sing Your virtue,
such that I remain with You, O! Eternal Contentment. 1. Reflect.

Whatever occurs, all is from You.
All is Your Greatness.
Your limit is unknown, my Sovereign,
I am blind—what intellect?  2.

What can I express?
Expressing and expressing, I see,
I cannot express the Inexpressible?
Whatever pleases You, I say,
it is a hint of Your greatness.  3.

There are several dogs-vices; I am the outcaste,I bark-glorify to save this body.If Nanak is without devotion even then,Divine greatness-protection doesn’t diminish. 4.
     Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Bilaval | Guru Granth Sahib 795
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
ਤੂ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਕਹਾ ਹਉ ਮੀਆ ਤੇਰੀ ਕਵਨ ਵਡਾਈ ॥
ਜੋ ਤੂ ਦੇਹਿ ਸੁ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਹਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥

ਤੇਰੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਾ ਦੇਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
ਜੈਸੇ ਸਚ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਉ ਰਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਅਸਨਾਈ ॥
ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਮੈ ਅੰਧੁਲੇ ਕਿਆ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥੨॥

ਕਿਆ ਹਉ ਕਥੀ ਕਥੇ ਕਥਿ ਦੇਖਾ ਮੈ ਅਕਥੁ ਨ ਕਥਨਾ ਜਾਈ ॥
ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਆਖਾ ਤਿਲੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥੩॥

ਏਤੇ ਕੂਕਰ ਹਉ ਬੇਗਾਨਾ ਭਉਕਾ ਇਸੁ ਤਨ ਤਾਈ ॥
ਭਗਤਿ ਹੀਣੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜੇ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਤਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਨਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥

About Sabad of the Week

We are finite; our understanding is finite. Our understanding was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad. In this trans-creation, we have chosen to keep the repeating words in the Sabad same. We aspire to learn and retain the Divine attribute used in the original Sabad and avoid terms like God or Lord.

Revised:

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Written By

Senior Fellow, Research & Policy

Harinder Singh is the Senior Fellow at the Sikh Research Institute. He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University, an MS in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas, and an MPhil from Punjab University in the linguistics of the Guru Granth Sahib. 

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Creative Director

Inni Kaur is Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. 

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