Daily Hukamnama from Harimandir Sahib (Amritsar)

SHALOK: He grants our hearts’ desires, and fulfills all our hopes. He destroys pain and suffering; remember God in meditation, O Nanak — He is not far away. || 1 || Love Him, with whom you enjoy all pleasures. Do not forget that Lord, even for an instant; O Nanak, He fashioned this beautiful body. || 2 || PAUREE: He gave you your soul, breath of life, body and wealth; He gave you pleasures to enjoy. He gave you households, mansions, chariots and horses; He ordained your good destiny. He gave you your children, spouse, friends and servants; God is the all-powerful Great Giver. Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the body and mind are rejuvenated, and sorrow departs. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chant the Praises of the Lord, and all your sickness shall vanish. || 3 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: O Shaykh, you wander in the four directions, blown by the four winds; bring your mind back to the home of the One Lord. Renounce your petty arguments, and realize the Word of the Guru’s Shabad. Bow in humble respect before the True Guru; He is the Knower who knows everything. Burn away your hopes and desires, and live like a guest in this world. If you walk in harmony with the True Guru’s Will, then you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. O Nanak, those who do not contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord — cursed are their clothes, and cursed is their food. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: There is no end to the Lord’s Glorious Praises; His worth cannot be described. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord; they are absorbed in His Glorious Virtues. || 2 || PAUREE: The Lord has adorned the coat of the body; He has embroidered it with devotional worship. The Lord has woven His silk into it, in so many ways and fashions. How rare is that man of understanding, who understands, and deliberates within. He alone understands these deliberations, whom the Lord Himself inspires to understand. Poor servant Nanak speaks: the Gurmukhs know the Lord, the Lord is True. || 11 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

WADAHANS, THIRD MEHL: My tongue is intuitively attracted to the taste of the Lord. My mind is satisfied, meditating on the Name of the Lord. || 1 || Lasting peace is obtained, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad. I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru. || 1 || Pause || My eyes are content, lovingly focused on the One Lord. My mind is content, having forsaken the love of duality. || 2 || The frame of my body is at peace, through the Shabad, and the Name of the Lord. The fragrance of the Naam permeates my heart. || 3 || O Nanak, one who has such great destiny written upon his forehead, through the Word of the Guru’s Bani, easily and intuitively becomes free of desire. || 4 || 7 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SORAT’H, FIFTH MEHL, SECOND HOUSE, ASHTAPADEES: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath. But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism. || 1 || O Beloved, this is not the way to meet the Lord; I have performed these rituals so many times. I have collapsed, exhausted, at the Door of my Lord Master; I pray that He may grant me a discerning intellect. || Pause || One may remain silent and use his hands as begging bowls, and wander naked in the forest. He may make pilgrimages to river banks and sacred shrines all over the world, but his sense of duality will not leave him. || 2 || His mind’s desires may lead him to go and dwell at sacred places of pilgrimage, and offer his head to be sawn off; but this will not cause the filth of his mind to depart, even though he may make thousands of efforts. || 3 || He may give gifts of all sorts — gold, women, horses and elephants. He may make offerings of corn, clothes and land in abundance, but this will not lead him to the Lord’s Door. || 4 || He may remain devoted to worship and adoration, bowing his forehead to the floor, practicing the six religious rituals. He indulges in egotism and pride, and falls into entanglements, but he does not meet the Lord by these devices. || 5 || He practices the eighty-four postures of Yoga, and acquires the supernatural powers of the Siddhas, but he gets tired of practicing these. He lives a long life, but is reincarnated again and again; he has not met with the Lord. || 6 || He may enjoy princely pleasures, and regal pomp and ceremony, and issue unchallenged commands. He may lie on beautiful beds, perfumed with sandalwood oil, but this will led him only to the gates of the most horrible hell. || 7 || Singing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the highest of all actions. Says Nanak, he alone obtains it, who is pre-destined to receive it. || 8 || Your slave is intoxicated with this Love of Yours. The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful to me, and this mind is imbued with the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. || Second Pause || 1 || 3 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SHALOK THIRD MEHL: Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru, suffer in sorrow and bondage. Again and again, they are born only to die; they cannot meet their Lord. The disease of doubt does not depart, and they find only pain and more pain. O Nanak, if the Gracious Lord forgives, then one is united in Union with the Word of the Shabad. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru, shall find no place of rest or shelter. They wander around from door to door, like a woman forsaken, with a bad character and a bad reputation. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are forgiven, and united in Union with the True Guru. || 2 || PAUREE: Those who serve the True Lord, the Destroyer of ego, cross over the terrifying world-ocean. Those who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are passed over by the Messenger of Death. Those who meditate on the Lord, go to His Court in robes of honor. They alone serve You, O Lord, whom You bless with Grace. I sing continually Your Glorious Praises, O Beloved; as Gurmukh, my doubts and fears have been dispelled. || 7 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

DHANAASAREE, FIFTH MEHL: One who forgets the Lord of life, the Great Giver — know that he is most unfortunate. One whose mind is in love with the Lord’s lotus feet, obtains the pool of ambrosial nectar. || 1 || Your humble servant awakes in the Love of the Lord’s Name. All laziness has departed from his body, and his mind is attached to the Beloved Lord. || Pause || Wherever I look, the Lord is there; He is the string, upon which all hearts are strung. Drinking in the water of the Naam, servant Nanak has renounced all other loves. || 2 || 16 || 47 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SOOHEE, FIFTH MEHL: Blessed is that soul-bride, who realizes God. She obeys the Hukam of His Order, and abandons her self-conceit. Imbued with her Beloved, she celebrates in delight. || 1 || Listen, O my companions — these are the signs on the Path to meet God. Dedicate your mind and body to Him; stop living to please others. || 1 || Pause || One soul-bride counsels another, to do only that which pleases God. Such a soul-bride merges into the Being of God. || 2 || One who is in the grip of pride does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence. She regrets and repents, when her life-night passes away. The unfortunate self-willed manmukhs suffer in pain. || 3 || I pray to God, but I think that He is far away. God is imperishable and eternal; He is pervading and permeating everywhere. Servant Nanak sings of Him; I see Him Ever-present everywhere. || 4 || 3 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SORAT’H, FIFTH MEHL: I have searched and searched and searched, and found that the Lord’s Name is the most sublime reality. Contemplating it for even an instant, sins are erased; the Gurmukh is carried across and saved. || 1 || Drink in the sublime essence of the Lord’s Name, O man of spiritual wisdom. Listening to the Ambrosial Words of the Holy Saints, the mind finds absolute fulfillment and satisfaction. || Pause || Liberation, pleasures, and the true way of life are obtained from the Lord, the Giver of all peace. The Perfect Lord, the Architect of Destiny, blesses His slave with the gift of devotional worship. || 2 || Hear with your ears, and sing with your tongue, and meditate within your heart on Him. The Lord and Master is all-powerful, the Cause of causes; without Him, there is nothing at all. || 3 || By great good fortune, I have obtained the jewel of human life; have mercy on me, O Merciful Lord. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and contemplates Him forever in meditation. || 4 || 10 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

BIHAAGRAA, FIFTH MEHL: The Saints go around, searching for God, the support of their breath of life. They lose the strength of their bodies, if they do not merge with their Beloved Lord. O God, my Beloved, merge with me — bless me with Your kindness; be kind, and attach me to the hem of Your robe. Bless me with Your Name, that I may chant it, O Lord and Master; beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I live. He is almighty, perfect, eternal and unchanging, exalted, unapproachable and infinite. Prays Nanak, grant Your Grace, O Beloved of my breath of life, that I may merge with You. || 1 || I have practiced chanting, intensive meditation and fasting to see Your Feet, Lord. But still, the burning fire is not quenched, without the Sanctuary of the Lord and Master. O God, I seek Your Sanctuary — please, cut away my bonds and carry me across the world-ocean. I am helpless, forlorn and worthless — I know nothing at all; please do not count up my merits and demerits. The Lord is Merciful to the meek, the Sustainer of the world, Beloved, Almighty Cause of causes. Nanak, the song-bird, begs for the rain-drop of the Lord’s Name; meditating on the Feet of the Lord, Har, Har, he lives. || 2 || Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar from the sacred pool, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. In the Society of the Saints, one meets the Lord; meditating on Him, one’s affairs are resolved. God accomplishes everything; He is the Destroyer of pain. Never forget Him from your mind, even for an instant. He is blissful, night and day; He is forever True. All Glories are contained in the Lord in the Universe. Incalculable, lofty and infinite is the Lord and Master. His dwelling is unapproachable. Prays Nanak, my desires are fulfilled; I have met the Lord, the Greatest Lover. || 3 || The fruits of many millions of charitable feasts come to those who listen to and sing the Lord’s Praise. Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, all one’s generations are carried across. Chanting the Name of the Lord, the mortal being is beautified; what Praises of His can I chant? I shall never forget the Lord; He is as dear as my breath of life. My mind constantly yearns for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Auspicious is that day, when God, the lofty, inaccessible and infinite, hugs me close in His embrace. Prays Nanak, everything is fruitful — I have met my supremely beloved Lord God. || 4 || 3 || 6 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: How rare is the dervish, the Saintly renunciate, who understands renunciation. Cursed is the life, and cursed are the clothes, of one who wanders around, begging from door to door. But if he gives up hope and anxiety and becomes Gurmukh, and takes the Name as his charity, then Nanak washes his feet; I am a sacrifice to him. || 1 || THIRD MEHL: O Nanak, the tree has one fruit, but two birds are perched upon it. They are not seen coming or going; these birds have no wings. The soul enjoys all sorts of pleasures; through the Word of the Shabad, it remains in Nirvaanaa. Imbued with the subtle essence of the fruit of the Lord’s Name, O Nanak, it bears the True Insignia of God’s Grace. || 2 || PAUREE: He Himself is the field, and He Himself is the farmer. He Himself grows and grinds the grain. He Himself cooks it, He Himself puts the food in the dishes, and He Himself sits down to eat. He Himself is the water, He Himself gives the tooth-pick, and He Himself offers the mouthwash. He Himself calls and seats the congregation, and He Himself bids them goodbye. One whom the Lord Himself blesses with His Mercy — the Lord inspires him to obey the Hukam of His Command. || 6 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

JAITSREE, FOURTH MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, CHAU-PADAS: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: The Jewel of the Lord’s Name abides within my heart; the Guru has placed His hand on my forehead. The sins and pains of countless incarnations have been cast out. The Guru has blessed me with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and my debt has been paid off. || 1 || O my mind, vibrate the Lord’s Name, and all your affairs shall be resolved. The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord’s Name within me; without the Name, life is useless. || Pause || Without the Guru, the self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant; they are forever entangled in emotional attachment to Maya. They never serve the feet of the Holy; their lives are totally useless. || 2 || Those who serve at the feet of the Holy, the feet of the Holy, their lives are made fruitful, and they belong to the Lord. Make me the slave of the slave of the slaves of the Lord; bless me with Your Mercy, O Lord of the Universe. || 3 || I am blind, ignorant and totally without wisdom; how can I walk on the Path? I am blind — O Guru, please let me grasp the hem of Your robe, so that servant Nanak may walk in harmony with You. || 4 || 1 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

WADAHANS, THIRD MEHL: O my mind, the world comes and goes in birth and death; only the True Name shall emancipate you in the end. When the True Lord Himself grants forgiveness, then one does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again. He does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again, and he is emancipated in the end; as Gurmukh, he obtains glorious greatness. Imbued with love for the True Lord, he is intoxicated with celestial bliss, and he remains absorbed in the Celestial Lord. The True Lord is pleasing to his mind; he enshrines the True Lord in his mind. Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, he is emancipated in the end. O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, merge in the True Lord; they are not cast into the terrifying world-ocean again. || 1 || Emotional attachment to Maya is total madness; through the love of duality, one is ruined. Mother and father — all are subject to this love; in this love, they are entangled. They are entangled in this love, on account of their past actions, which no one can erase. The One who created the Universe, beholds it; no other is as great as He. The blind, self-willed manmukh is consumed by his burning rage; without the Word of the Shabad, peace does not come. O Nanak, without the Name, everyone is deluded, ruined by emotional attachment to Maya. || 2 || Seeing this world on fire, I have hurried to the Sanctuary of the Lord. I offer my prayer to the Perfect Guru: please save me, and bless me with Your glorious greatness. Preserve me in Your Sanctuary, and bless me with the glorious greatness of the Lord’s Name; there is no other Giver as great as You. Those who are engaged in serving You are very fortunate; throughout the ages, they know the One Lord. You may practice celibacy, truth, austere self-discipline and rituals, but without the Guru, you shall not be emancipated. O Nanak, he alone understands the Word of the Shabad, who goes and seeks the Lord’s Sanctuary. || 3 || That understanding, imparted by the Lord, wells up; there is no other understanding. Deep within, and beyond as well, You alone exist, O Lord; You Yourself impart this understanding. One whom He Himself blesses with this understanding, does not love any other. As Gurmukh, he tastes the subtle essence of the Lord. In the True Court, he is forever True; with love, he chants the True Word of the Shabad. Within his home, he finds the home of his own inner being; the True Guru blesses him with greatness. O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam find the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence; their understanding is true and approved. || 4 || 6 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SOOHEE, FIFTH MEHL: The Simritees, the Vedas, the Puraanas and the other holy scriptures proclaim that without the Naam, everything is false and worthless. || 1 || The infinite treasure of the Naam abides within the minds of the devotees. Birth and death, attachment and suffering, are erased in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. || 1 || Pause || Those who indulge in attachment, conflict and egotism shall surely weep and cry. Those who are separated from the Naam shall never find any peace. || 2 || Crying out, “Mine! Mine!”, he is bound in bondage. Entangled in Maya, he is reincarnated in heaven and hell. || 3 || Searching, searching, searching, I have come to understand the essence of reality. Without the Naam, there is no peace at all, and the mortal will surely fail. || 4 || Many come and go; they die, and die again, and are reincarnated. Without understanding, they are totally useless, and they wander in reincarnation. || 5 || They alone join the Saadh Sangat, unto whom the Lord becomes Merciful. They chant and meditate on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. || 6 || Uncounted millions, so many they are endless, search for Him. But only that one, who understands his own self, sees God near at hand. || 7 || Never forget me, O Great Giver — please bless me with Your Naam.To sing Your Glorious Praises day and night — O Nanak, this is my heart-felt desire. || 8 || 2 || 5 || 16 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

SHALOK: He grants our hearts’ desires, and fulfills all our hopes. He destroys pain and suffering; remember God in meditation, O Nanak — He is not far away. || 1 || Love Him, with whom you enjoy all pleasures. Do not forget that Lord, even for an instant; O Nanak, He fashioned this beautiful body. || 2 || PAUREE: He gave you your soul, breath of life, body and wealth; He gave you pleasures to enjoy. He gave you households, mansions, chariots and horses; He ordained your good destiny. He gave you your children, spouse, friends and servants; God is the all-powerful Great Giver. Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the body and mind are rejuvenated, and sorrow departs. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chant the Praises of the Lord, and all your sickness shall vanish. || 3 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com

RAAG DHANAASAREE, THE WORD OF DEVOTEE KABEER JEE: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: Remember the Lord, remember the Lord, remember the Lord in meditation, O Siblings of Destiny. Without remembering the Lord’s Name in meditation, a great many are drowned. || 1 || Pause || Your spouse, children, body, house and possessions — you think these will give you peace. But none of these shall be yours, when the time of death comes. || 1 || Ajaamal, the elephant, and the prostitute committed many sins, but still, they crossed over the world-ocean, by chanting the Lord’s Name. || 2 || You have wandered in reincarnation, as pigs and dogs — did you feel no shame? Forsaking the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, why do you eat poison? || 3 || Abandon your doubts about do’s and dont’s, and take to the Lord’s Name. By Guru’s Grace, O servant Kabeer, love the Lord. || 4 || 5 || Hukamnama from SikhNet.com