Anand Sahib Translation: Published
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.
Almost two years ago (oh my goodness – has it really been that long??), I posted a draft translation of Guru Amar Das’s Anand Sahib on my blog. Since that time, the translation has gone through a few minor tweaks, and a lengthy self-publishing process. But this summer, the translation of Guru Amar Das’s Anand Sahib made it into book form (at last.) For those of you who like the writing that I do, and who may have read the translation on-line, if you would like a copy of the publication, please visit:
www.sikhdharma.org/store/products/anand-sahib-song-bliss.
This translation is not typical. It plays with language on a deeper level. To my mind, it does not make sense that one word of Gurbani equals one word of English. Gurbani says something that the English language has never even imagined. To understand the theoretical framework behind the translation – please take a look at this essay from January of 2007. http://ekongkaar.blogspot.com/2007/01/anand-sahib-maps-of-reality-in.html
One “perk” about the actual physical publication is that there is an essay in the beginning by the late Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahiba Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji (also known as Yogi Bhajan). It is an essay where he talks about the state and psychology of Anand. It’s an essay that I listened to over and over again during the translation process – because it gave me a starting point and direction to understand what Guru Amar Das was talking about when he sung this teaching song about "Bliss." If you decide to get a copy of the book, I hope you enjoy the essay. It's quite amazing.
May you be blessed to experience the truth, reality and bliss in yourSelf. And may the Divine Light in you shine with love and grace for all to see for endless times to come.
With Divine Light, Divine Love and many blessings,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
Almost two years ago (oh my goodness – has it really been that long??), I posted a draft translation of Guru Amar Das’s Anand Sahib on my blog. Since that time, the translation has gone through a few minor tweaks, and a lengthy self-publishing process. But this summer, the translation of Guru Amar Das’s Anand Sahib made it into book form (at last.) For those of you who like the writing that I do, and who may have read the translation on-line, if you would like a copy of the publication, please visit:
www.sikhdharma.org/store/products/anand-sahib-song-bliss.
This translation is not typical. It plays with language on a deeper level. To my mind, it does not make sense that one word of Gurbani equals one word of English. Gurbani says something that the English language has never even imagined. To understand the theoretical framework behind the translation – please take a look at this essay from January of 2007. http://ekongkaar.blogspot.com/2007/01/anand-sahib-maps-of-reality-in.html
One “perk” about the actual physical publication is that there is an essay in the beginning by the late Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahiba Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji (also known as Yogi Bhajan). It is an essay where he talks about the state and psychology of Anand. It’s an essay that I listened to over and over again during the translation process – because it gave me a starting point and direction to understand what Guru Amar Das was talking about when he sung this teaching song about "Bliss." If you decide to get a copy of the book, I hope you enjoy the essay. It's quite amazing.
May you be blessed to experience the truth, reality and bliss in yourSelf. And may the Divine Light in you shine with love and grace for all to see for endless times to come.
With Divine Light, Divine Love and many blessings,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
posted by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur | 4:21 PM
3 Comments:
Wonderful, I haven't yet gotten the"book" but I have read most of the pauris and your theoretical framework.
What keeps coming to my mind in this context is the relationship of the whole to it parts.
I have heard the analogy...mul mantra is "explained" by Japji and Japji is "explained" by the entire Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Yet is the "explained" or perhaps more accurate word "experienced" the same? The same result? The same experience? In some sense it doesn't matter as the Sangat and we as individuals have a experience of each as we practice the Dharma.
What about Anand Sahib? At Gurdwara "Western" Sikh do 5 and the "Eastern" Sikh do 4 plus the last pauri. Perhaps some read the entire 40 pauri as a sadhana.
I have heard that original Gurdwaras did not only chant 5...they sang the entire 40...the 5 only was an "impossition" by the British during the colonial period. It was standard to "mess" with the practices of cultures they wanted to control; especially religion.
We accept doing 5 in Gurdwara as if we this is really a practice.
I keep wondering what would happen if as a standard practice in Gurdwara we sang all 40 pauris?
Do we change by singing all 40 or do we change and then want to sing all 40?
Dear Anonymous,
Sat Nam and many blessings to you.
Thank you for your very kind post and your questions.
What the Siri Singh Sahib used to say was this. "Everything is in the Mul Mantra. Japji Sahib explains the Mul Mantra. The Siri Guru Granth Sahib explains Japji Sahib. And the Khalsa Panth explains the Siri Guru Granth Sahib." So it is in the actions of the person who lives by his or her own inner purity and inner light that Gurbani is fully understood. In the lived action is the full fruit of the Guru's wisdom, for those who are blessed to experience it.
In the Siri Singh Sahib Legacy Gurdwaras, we do the first 5 paurees of the Anand Sahib and end it with the Shlok. This is out of respect for the the Naad of Anand Sahib. We have also heard that originally, before the British Raj, the entire Anand Sahib was recited before taking the Guru's Hukam in Gurdwara. But the British saw that the Anand Sahib gave the Sikhs their power and strength, and so there was a conspiracy to break the Bani, to break the Naad. The Anand Sahib is a teaching. It takes 40 steps to get there. You can't climb a staircase by jumping from the 4th step to the 40th. Likewise, a Sikh cannot get the full experience of Anand by chanting the first 4 paurees and then leaping to the 40th. There's a progression and all of those other 35 steps are needed for the experience.
One day, it is my sincere prayer that some adventurous and brave Gurdwara remembers the old ways and decides to recite the entire Anand Sahib before taking the Guru's Hukamnama. It would be a wonderful experiment to see what happens.
:)
All blessings and Light to you as you continue your own search, and travel upon the path of destiny that God has created for you.
With Divine Light and many blessings.
Humbly yours,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
I the siri singh sahib saying that the whole science of yoga is contained in the anand sahib.
Since then I have been trying to discover the hidden structure (could it be astrological) unsuccessfully. Has someone else been more successful ? I would be grateful for any comments.
D.S.
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