suṉi-ai sidh peer sur naath.
Listening–the Siddhas, the spiritual teachers, the heroic warriors,
the yogic masters.
suṉi-ai dharat dhaval aakaas.
Listening–the earth, its support and the Akaashic ethers.
suṉi-ai deep lo-a paataal.
Listening–the oceans, the lands of the world and the nether regions
of the underworld.
suṉi-ai poh(i) na sakai kaal.
Listening-Death cannot even touch you.
naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
O Naanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suṉi-ai dookh paap kaa naas.
Listening–pain and mistakes are erased.
– Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Happy New Year beloved friends! May this new year bring so many blessings of peace, prosperity and health to you. What are you hoping to bring in energetically into your heart home this year?
My prayer is to have the capacity to better listen; listen to my heart, listen to my neighbor, listen to my life, and listen to what is. It’s not about doing and accomplishing, but simply being present with what already is. I am discovering that by tuning in to what is can sometimes be painful, yet if I sit with the feelings, listen to them, and allow, they pass; and what is left is joy - pure and unhindered. Lately I have been drawn to these beautiful words of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikh faith, to guide me in this listening journey, and to a track called 'Suniai', recorded by my mother, Prabhu Nam Kaur, on her album Seasons of the Soul. It’s my mother’s tune that she composed some years ago, and that she has sung many times. I can feel her in my heart whenever I sing it now, and it helps solidify the experience of listening right in the center of my being. The above is a clip of my practice session this morning to give you a flavor of my journey. We will be singing this tune in our Mantra and Meditation class for the next few weeks. I hope you can join us!
You can listen to this tune right here! Enjoy!
I have found that these powerful words of Guru Nanak are giving me a stable and powerful experience of listening. I have included all of the words for you, along with the original language of Gurmukhi, and a word for word translation. I love to meditate on these words, and allow the sensation of them to guide me when I am singing. I invite you to do the same. May listening be yours!
suṉi-ai sidh peer sur naath.
Listening–the Siddhas, the spiritual teachers, the heroic warriors,
the yogic masters.
suṉi-ai dharat dhaval aakaas.
Listening–the earth, its support and the Akaashic ethers.
suṉi-ai deep lo-a paataal.
Listening–the oceans, the lands of the world and the nether regions
of the underworld.
suṉi-ai poh(i) na sakai kaal.
Listening-Death cannot even touch you.
naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
O Naanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suṉi-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||8||
Listening–pain and mistakes are erased. ||8||
suṉi-ai eesar baramaa ind.
Listening–Shiva, Brahma and Indra.
suṉi-ai mukh saalaahaṉ mand.
Listening–even foul-mouthed people find kind words and praise.
suṉi-ai jog jugat tan bhayd.
Listening–the technology of Yoga and the secrets of the body.
suṉi-ai saasat simrit vayd.
Listening–the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas.
naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
O Naanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suṉi-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||9||
Listening–pain and mistakes are erased. ||9||
suṉi-ai sat santokh gi-aan.
Listening–truth, contentment and spiritual wisdom.
suṉi-ai aṯhasaṯh kaa isanaan.
Listening–one takes a cleansing bath at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage.
suṉi-ai paṟ paṟ paavah(i) maan.
Listening–reading and reciting, honor is obtained.
suṉi-ai laagai sahaj dhi-aan.
Listening–one intuitively grasps the essence of meditation.
naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
O Naanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suṉi-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||10||
Listening–pain and mistakes are erased. ||10||
suṉi-ai saraa guṉaa kay gaah.
Listening–one dives deep into the ocean of virtue.
suṉi-ai saykh peer paatisaah.
Listening–the Sheiks, religious scholars, spiritual teachers and emperors.
suṉi-ai andhay paavah(i) raah(u).
Listening–even the blind find the Path.
suṉi-ai haath hovai asagaah(u).
Listening–the Unreachable comes within your grasp.
naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
O Naanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suṉi-ai dookh paap kaa naas. ||11||
Listening–pain and mistakes are erased. ||11||
suṉi-ai: listening
sidh: a term that is used widely in Indian religions and culture. It means "one who is accomplished". It refers to perfected masters who have achieved a high degree of physical as well as spiritual perfection or enlightenment.
peer: is a title for a Sufi spiritual guide.
sur: heroes
naath: masters of yoga
dharat: earth
dhaval: mythical bull which holds the earth up
aakaas: heavens
deep: oceans, light
lo-a: different realms
paataal: underworlds
poh(i): touch
na: not
sakai: can
kaal: death
naanak: Naanak
bhagataa: devotees
sadaa: always
vigaas: blooming
dookh: pains
paap: mistakes
kaa: of
naas: destroyed, erased
eesar: Shiva
baramaa: Brahma
ind: Indra
much: in the mouth
saalaahaṉ: the praise
mand: one who is filled with negativity
jog: yoga
jugat: way
tan: body
bhayd: secrets
saasat: Shastras
simrit: Simritis
vayd: Vedas
sat: truth
santokh: contentment
gi-aan: wisdom
aṯhasaṯh: 68
kaa: of
isanaan: bath
paṟ: reading
paavah(i): they obtain
maan: worldly honor
laagai: attaches
sahaj: easily
dhi-aan: one-pointed concentration
saraa: ocean
guṉaa: virtues
kay: of
gaah: extremely deep
saykh: Sheiks
peer: Sufi spiritual teacher
paatisaah: emperor
andhay: the blind ones
paavah(i): get (obtain, find)
raah(u): the path
haath: to the hand
hovai: becomes
asagaah(u): unfathomable