How much love is expressed in Gurbani! Gurbani does not only tells us about the path of love, it is the path itself. Singing or reading Gurbani evokes feelings of love lying dormant in our soul and grows our consciousness into more and more love. We only need to read it with a bit of attention and love.
In the below soul-stirring Shabad, Guru Sahib has captured her feelings for the lord as a bride waiting for news from her beloved husband. How much longing and love is contained in these lines! Let’s partake some of it! May Guru Sahib bless us!
ਦਹ ਦਿਸ ਛਤ੍ਰ ਮੇਘ ਘਟਾ ਘਟ ਦਾਮਨਿ ਚਮਕਿ ਡਰਾਇਓ ॥
ਸੇਜ ਇਕੇਲੀ ਨੀਦ ਨਹੁ ਨੈਨਹ ਪਿਰੁ ਪਰਦੇਸਿ ਸਿਧਾਇਓ ॥੧॥
O my mother, the clouds cover the sky like a canopy, in all the directions, and these lightning flashes, through the dark clouds, terrify me. I look at my bed and alas, see that it is empty. My husband lord has gone far away and here, I am (sitting alone and terrified) with sleepless eyes.
ਹੁਣਿ ਨਹੀ ਸੰਦੇਸਰੋ ਮਾਇਓ ॥
ਏਕ ਕੋਸਰੋ ਸਿਧਿ ਕਰਤ ਲਾਲੁ ਤਬ ਚਤੁਰ ਪਾਤਰੋ ਆਇਓ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
O mother, I haven’t received any message from my husband lord for a long time. There was a time when he would send me four letters even when he went just a mile away, but now, my mother, there is no news. (With whom should I share my pain? Why doesn’t he talk to me? O my mother, what should I do?)
ਕਿਉ ਬਿਸਰੈ ਇਹੁ ਲਾਲੁ ਪਿਆਰੋ ਸਰਬ ਗੁਣਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਇਓ ॥
ਮੰਦਰਿ ਚਰਿ ਕੈ ਪੰਥੁ ਨਿਹਾਰਉ ਨੈਨ ਨੀਰਿ ਭਰਿ ਆਇਓ ॥੨॥
How can I forget my dear beloved, the Giver of peace and all virtues? Looking for his news, I climb onto the terrace of house and gaze upon the path (lest someone may come with his news.) But finding no one, my eyes are filled with tears.
ਹਉ ਹਉ ਭੀਤਿ ਭਇਓ ਹੈ ਬੀਚੋ ਸੁਨਤ ਦੇਸਿ ਨਿਕਟਾਇਓ ॥
ਭਾਂਭੀਰੀ ਕੇ ਪਾਤ ਪਰਦੋ ਬਿਨੁ ਪੇਖੇ ਦੂਰਾਇਓ ॥੩॥
Even though my husband is nearby, this wall of egoism separates us. This wall is as thin as the wings of a butterfly, but it blocks the vision and without seeing, the lord seems far away.
ਭਇਓ ਕਿਰਪਾਲੁ ਸਰਬ ਕੋ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਸਗਰੋ ਦੂਖੁ ਮਿਟਾਇਓ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਉਮੈ ਭੀਤਿ ਗੁਰਿ ਖੋਈ ਤਉ ਦਇਆਰੁ ਬੀਠਲੋ ਪਾਇਓ ॥੪॥
Now, the Lord and Master of all has become merciful on me. He has dispelled all my sufferings. Says Nanak, when the Guru tore down the wall of egoism, then, I found my Merciful Lord and Master.
ਸਭੁ ਰਹਿਓ ਅੰਦੇਸਰੋ ਮਾਇਓ ॥
ਜੋ ਚਾਹਤ ਸੋ ਗੁਰੂ ਮਿਲਾਇਓ ॥
ਸਰਬ ਗੁਨਾ ਨਿਧਿ ਰਾਇਓ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥
Now, all my fears have been dispelled, O mother! Whom I wanted to meet, my Guru has led me to him, my lord husband. My lord is
the treasure of all virtues.