Salok Mahala 9 are the saloks by the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur which form the concluding portion of the Guru Granth Sahib. They precede Guru Arjan’s Mundavani and appear from page 1426 to 1429 of the Sikh holy Granth. This composition consists of 57 (fifty seven) saloks and span just 4 pages of Gurbani.
Salok Mahala 9 and The Pursuit for Happiness
Salok Mahala 9 is one of the final compositions in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and is one of the most relevant writings to the world we live in today. With well-paid jobs, fast cars, and Eastenders, we could almost be forgiven for thinking that we dont need anybody else-including God. Few will admit to this view, but this is evident from the way we live our lives today. From grabbing an express langar, to the performance of an emergency ardas the day before your exams, we are losing touch with the gift of Sikhi that we have been blessed with from ages past.
But if you think that this problem didnt exist in ages past you are severely mistaken. Partly to address this problem, Guru Tegh Bahadur (Brave Sword) wrote his great masterpiece, the Salok Mahala 9. At times it can seem very scary, as it warns you of the consequences of not remembering God for the life yet to come. But think of it as an admonishment that a patient teacher may give to a pupil.
dhhun dhaaraa su(n)path sugul jin apunee kar maan ||
Your wealth, spouse, and all the possessions which you claim as your own
ein mai kushh su(n)gee nehee naanuk saachee jaan ||5||
– none of these shall go along with you in the end. O Nanak, know this as true. ||5||
Many of you will think- so what? Ill become a born again Sikh when I see the white hair coming. Now is the time for me to drive around in my flashy car, and to chill with my crew. To this end, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji says-
thurunaapo eio hee gaeiou leeou juraa thun jeeth ||
Your youth has passed away like this, and old age has overtaken your body
kuhu naanuk bhuj har munaa aoudhh jaath hai beeth ||3||
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; your life is fleeting away! ||3||
We are not in control of our own destiny. We can be called upon at any moment of our lives. When you become before God, what will you say? Sorry sir, I didnt really get around to doing the charity work that I promised to do. My mates kept ringing to ask if I wanted to check out the latest Film down at Park Royal.
Serving God is not just a question of sitting down and doing paath for hours on end. Those amongst you who classify himself or herself as being non-religious may be delighted to know that perhaps without knowing it, you already are performing this service. Guru Nanak Dev Ji placed great importance on living honestly, and sharing with others by donating your time and finances to worthy causes.
Why remember God? Whats he ever done for me? Ive got my friends, family, big house, etc. I dont need anyone else!
Well, think about this one- if tomorrow you friends suddenly decided you werent cool enough for them, and then you committed an act so despicable that your family stopped talking to you, and then you lost your job and the house was repossessed, what are you going to do? Who will be there for you?
sukh mai buhu su(n)gee bheae dhukh mai su(n)g n koe ||
In good times, you have many friends, but in bad times, there is no one at all.
kuhu naanuk har bhuj munaa a(n)th sehaaee hoe ||32||
Says Nanak, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord; He shall be your only Help and Support in the end. ||32||
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done- God will always be there for you, ready to help. It doesn’t matter how long its been since you talked to the Lord, or that in fact only the last week you were using all the insults you knew to denigrate the Lord. Is there anybody else who would do this?
But thats enough of the scary stuff. Now to the next point-
Ask yourself one question. What is the most important thing you want in your life? A loving spouse, happy family, secure job? Thought of something yet? – good. Now ask yourself this question- why do you want it? This last point is extremely important.
Everything we try to do in our own lives is through our pursuit of happiness. So whether its socialising with friends, or getting hammered every Friday night in the bar (I hope these people are in the minority!), we are trying to convince both ourselves and other people of our happiness.
Guru ji is quite explicit on how this state of happiness can be achieved-
jo such ko chaahai sudhaa suran raam kee laeh ||
If you yearn for eternal peace, then seek the Sanctuary of the Lord.
God doesn’t promise you the latest Ferrari, the biggest house, or the latest Nokia handset. The Akaal Purkh (the Immortal One) promises you the reason behind all your desires- contentment.