Epic Four - Wreath of Knowledge

-One-_

(God, Himself) Manifested in the creation and then instituted air, water and fire.

(He) made the earth and sky abandon each other, but adorned them with the light from both, the sun and the moon.

Creating four (sources of) reproduction (1-through the egg, 2-mammals, 3-grown out of heat and moisture and 4-vegetation and minerals), He established eight million and four hundred thousand species.

In each cycle of life, He produced innumerable living creatures.

Among them all, the birth as a human-being is precious, and ones birth becomes worthwhile only by attaining the patronage of the Guru.

In the congregation, listen to the Word of the Guru, and, with devotion, reflect upon the Guru's knowledge.

And, thus, earn the affection of the benevolent Guru.

Among else all, the earth is subordinate, and, sacrificing itself, it remains humble.

With patience, contentment, and righteousness it endures the trampling under the feet.

With the touch of saint's feet it enhances its esteem from nought to millions.

Even one blissful nectarous shower fulfils all the earth's desires.

The humble one attains the honour, and is satiated by drinking through celestial cup.

Whatever one sows will reap, as it (earth) is imbued with variant affections.

Gurmukh, by remaining in humility, achieves the fruit of serenity.

Ashes is the human body and, in there, the tongue is a herald.

Eyes are to observe the blooming beauty, and ears to perceive the sounds of musical notes.

The nose distinguishes the flagrance as (all) the five elements are in disarray.

The lowest among all are the feet; loosing the `self', (they) attain (their) predestination.

The disease of egoism is eradicated when the Absolute Satguru medicates.

Bowing at the (pious) feet with eve-prayer (in their minds), Guru's Sikhs listen, (they) submit to the Guru's teachings,

And terminate their self, (to achieve) humble discipleship.

Although smallest is the little finger, it gets prominence with a ring.

A tiny rain drop entering the sea-shell becomes pearl.

A twig of saffron, enjoys the highest admiration on the forehead.

A pebble of touch-stone turns the (base) metals into gold.

The vertebra in the snake's brain is hidden and the people, very cautiously look for it.

The (tiny) jewel-weighing-stone comes out of mercuric-chemical but attains preciousness.

The one who loses self, makes oneself elegant.(4)

Fire is hot and water cool, why one is virtuous and the other base?

Through Guru's knowledge, ponder over why soot overlaps the temple and why water makes it clean?

The deepak, the earthen-lamp, is the lineage of fire, and magnanimous water is the ancestry of lotus.

Whereas moth loves deepak, the (black) bee sucks the lotus, and (that is how) the world goes.

Tribulation is there in fire-flame, (because) it is towering higher to inflict the damage.

But water, keeps its aptitude low, and remaining in modesty

performs benevolently.

The one remains in humility, earns Guru's affections.(5)

Reflect, why are the colours (obtained) from Majeeth (madder) and Kasubhrra (safflower) plants lasting and transient (respectively)?

Majeeth is pulled out after digging the earth and its roots are tangled,

Then it is grounded by turning around in heavy pestle and mortar.

(Thereafter) it bears the boiling over fire, attains lovely hue, and then meets its beloved (the cloth).

The safflower come out of the bulb, displays its deep colour.

But to colour (the cloth with this), citrus is put in,

(Even then) the cloth tinted with this retains (the colour) only four (a few) days.

(One who) grows humble wins but (the one who is) high up (with pride) loses.(6)

Tiny insect, amalgamating in butter-fly, becomes a butter-fly.

The spider looks small, but takes out (lot of) thread and then breaths in.

Small is the bee but its honey becomes lucky (for some).

Silk-worm is called little but the (fancy) garments made through this are taken (as gifts at the marriages).

Taking a small marble in their mouths, (the ascetics) roam around the country and abroad.

The kings (collect) small pearls and (rule over) with necklaces.

Small coagulant makes churnable yogurt.

Trodden under feet, poor grass breaths hard.

Eating that grass, poor cow, benevolently, supplies milk.

Through milk comes yoghurt, and that, in turn, provides butter and exquisite butter-milk.

With butter-oil sacrificial ceremonies are performed, and also (it is used) during happy occasions and noble feats.

(Cow) gives birth to bull, who, patiently, pulls (carts and ploughs) and carries loads on its head.

(Although) steady, with the birth of (both male and female) bovine foals, thousands of herds prevail all over.

(And, therefore), tremendous is the creation through grass.

Little sesame-seed is born and, remaining humble, does not recount itself.

Joining the company of flowers, the smell-less is endowed with fragrance.

Getting crushed in the oil-press, and then collaborating with scented-oil, (the sesame-seed) acts wondrously.

The way apostate is made pious through (celestial) trickstery, rubbing of (scented-oil) soothes the king's head.

And when (it) burns in the oil-lamp, (it) illuminates, and is termed as the support of the world.

Through oil-lamp is derived mascara which enthrals the eye(-lashes).

(In spite) of (its) magnanimous utility, (it) never claims magnanimity.

To grow in the world, cotton-seed gets itself roughed in the dust.

Sprouting through the cotton-plant, the cotton-boll flourishes happiness,

And, then, ginning through the biwheel-gin, it gets carded and combed.

The cotton-comber flaps it and, thereafter, it is prepared to get spun into yarn.

It is woven and, then, during cleaning process, it faces arduous treatment.

The scissors proceed with cutting (it into pieces) which, with the needle and thread, are sewn together,

And turn them into garments to provide the shelter.

The kernel of pomegranate becomes dust and vanishes into the dust,

And then, ultimately, it springs up into a luscious tree and bears red flowers.

Even, just, one tree bears thousands of flowers and fruits; and each one surpasses the other.

From one kernel springs thousands of fruits, and each fruit supports thousands of kernel in its body.

The way fruits are never in dearth, Gurmukhs ever enjoy the fruits of (celestial) nectar.

More the fruits are taken (apart) from the tree, more they (the trees) bloom and shower happiness.

To live in humility is the Guru's way.

Through dust comes the chemicals (salts) and from the dust come out the gold particles (as well).

Washing and refining, these grains are procured and, then, weighed into Masas (weights of roughly one gram) and Ratis (weights of about milligram).

(These grains) are melted in the crucibles, and seeing them turned into gold balls, goldsmith feels great pleasure.

(He) fashions them into sheets, which, he purifies through heat and salts, and feels satisfied.

When (gold) has attained all the twelve qualities (perfection), he puts it through tests.

Then, in the mint it is turned into coins as, going through hammer and anvil, it gains infinite lustre.

And, only the pure gold-coins get merit in the treasury.

Becoming a seed, the poppy-kernel rolls into the earth and is absorbed in it.

It grows into a congenial poppy-plant, and produces enchanting flowers of variant colours.

Contentiously and with a spirit of showing down each others, the flower-pods sprout.

They play about riding on top of the needle-like stems, and, apparently, crown them.

Turned into small pieces, they are kneaded till they accord blood-like hue to the water.

Congregating, the yogis savour the cups (of this liquid) to (practice) yoga, and (also through the same) pleasure-seekers enjoy mundane-love.

(Only) the drug-addicts come to the assemblies (of such people).

Whether it is quiet (when no wind around) or noisy (when wind is blowing), the juicy (sugar-cane) containing sweet liquid, seeks adoration.

Hearings through (sugar-canes) remains inaudible, and the visible-beings can be seen not.

When the segment (of the sugar-cane) is buried in the earth, in its eyes (linkages) it acquires the sweetness of grapes.

Putting its head down and feet up, each one segment springs up into many lovely plants.

Squeezed through biwheel-gins, it is shattered into pieces but, (as it produces sweet-juice), its quality is admired.

It is relished in the (pious) congregations (through the sacred pudding), and the sinners who drink it (maliciously) get perished.

Oh! My mind attain emancipation like the sugar-cane.

The rain drop humbly comes down from the clouds.

It goes in the sea, and accessing its vastness, sets in the mouth of a sea-shell.

Taking this in, the sea-shell immediately closes its mouth and dives down and submerges into the nether world.

The diver brings it after catching it (easily) as if, it had offered, itself, its capture for (some) good causes.

It enslaves itself to the Samaritans, but their hands split its teeth.

Intentionally or unintentionally, giving out (pearls) in charity, it does not regret.

A few, who shower benedictions, are worthy of their births.

The diamond cuts diamond and to achieve this, a piece of diamond is fixed at the tip of the brace.

Through the thread, the diamonds are strung and, then, through a very graceful rosary, they are embraced .

(Similarly) Guru's Shabd, through pious congregation, eliminates ego, and mind attains serenity.

Win over (own) mind and submit to earn (Guru's) Mantras, and, thus, the virtues prevail over the Gurmukhs,

That is, humility is realized by bowing on the feet (of the Saints) , because, not even the Kamdhain (legendry all virtuous cow) can seek equality with the Saints.

(Without the saints' shelter) it is (like) living on tasteless viands and keep on yearning for the sweet nectar.

Rare are (the people) who heed to the Guru and the Peers

The Guru's Sikh, by listening to the Guru's (sermons) on Sikhi (Sikhism), becomes astute although he may (temporally) look naive.

As he becomes conscious through the knowledge of the Shabd (Celestial Word), he heeds to, nothing but, Shabd.

Except for the vision of the True Guru in the Saintly Congregation he regard nothing, and remains concealed.

Accepting Guru's Shabd from Waheguru (the Great Guru), he quietly savours the cup of (celestial) love,

And bowing on the (guru's) feet attains humility and relishes the water made sacred through the touch of Guru's feet.

Keeping his mind absorbed towards the (Guru's) lotus (feet) like a black-bee, in the (mundane) world, he remains virtuous.

And the emancipation from (materialistic) life becomes the true living.

When ones hair are small (one is just a child), he should bow and fly-whisk the saints feet,

Wetting oneself in the pool of Guru's edification, one (when grown up) should bow and cleans at the (celestial) feet.

When black (hair) start getting grey, (one) should take this as a signal for departure.

Then, one should bow down (accept humility), and the Absolute True Guru will endow divine grace.

Although extremely lowly, crow should behave like a swan to relish pearls and, then. enable others to do the same, as well.

Guru's sikhi (sikhism) is said be delicate, and only a Guru's sikh can nurture.

Guru's sikh attains emancipation through the cup full of celestial love.

For the insect living in the banyan tree, the banyan tree is the universe.

Although from one ban tree, thousands of fruits originate, and through each (fruit) numerous are born.

Thousands of trees are born to create gardens, and through them thousands of more gardens are generated.

In each universe, there are millions of gardens, and in each body trichome, there are millions of universe.

When the All Benevolent graces, the Gurmukh enjoys at the holy congregation,

And becoming humble by going down on the feet of the Master, (he) obeys the (Godly) Will.

When the ego disappears, he is recognised.

(The legendry) (Devotee) Bhagat Dhru, meditated, became a Gurmukh and obtained the Vision.

Being an affectionate apostle, he was honoured, and humbly attained the salvation.

In the temporal world, itself, he was emancipated, and was accorded an eternal abode in the heavens above (as the Pole Star).

Three hundred and thirty million suns and moons were made to circumambulate around (him).

Vedas and the Puranas recount that, by manifesting (Dhru) thus, (the God) has shown His splendour.

God's doings are inaccessible, cannot be explained and deliberated. He grants redemption, even, to the ones who lack deliverance.

And the Gurmukh gets the reward through celestial transcription.(21)(4)