ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>V&#256R S&#362H&#298 K&#298</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>V&#256R S&#362H&#298 K&#298</i>, in the measure S&#363h&#299, is one of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s' four <i>v&#257rs</i> in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. <i>S&#363h&#257</i> in Punjabi means red or scarlet, and this being the colour of a bride's dress in India, the word signifies the consecrated lives of the true devotees of the Lord. Ironically, the hypocrites also wear the same colour to appear as one with Him, though internally they live in duality. All the beings considered as womenfolk have been classified in this <i>V&#257r</i> into two broad categories ---the <i>suh&#257ga&#7751s</i>, those united with the Lord, and <i>duh&#257ga&#7751s</i>, those estranged from the Lord. The <i>duh&#257ga&#7751s</i> owing to their arrogant and contradictory character waste away their valuable human birth whereas the <i>suh&#257ga&#7751s</i> inculcate, as a result of the Gur&#363's grace, humility, self-restraint and love for the Lord and arrive at a total realization from the partial experience of human life.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The <i>V&#257r</i> comprises twenty <i>pau&#7771&#299s</i> of five lines each and forty-seven <i>&#347lokas</i> of uneven length. Stanzas seven and fifteen are preceded by four <i>&#347lokas</i> each, six, nine and nineteen by three <i>&#347lokas</i> each and others by two <i>&#347lokas</i> each. Of the total forty-seven <i>&#347lokas</i>, fifteen are by Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s, eleven by Gur&#363 A&#7749gad and the rest twenty-one by Gur&#363 N&#257nak.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Regarding the metrical features of this <i>V&#257r</i> it may be noted that its <i>pau&#7771&#299s</i> and <i>&#347lokas</i> are composed in slightly varied forms of <i>nis&#257n&#299</i> and <i>doh&#257</i> forms of metrical constructions. In the <i>&#347lokas</i>, by and large, we have twenty-four syllables in a couplet consisting of 13 syllables in the first foot and 11 in the second. Similarly, in most cases in the <i>pau&#7771&#299s</i>, the pause comes after 23 syllables followed by 23 syllables in the second line.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To revert to theme of the <i>V&#257r</i>, the almighty has created both 'pleasure' and 'pain' in this world. He grants love of his Name to those favoured by Him. This is enshrined in their minds by the grace of the Gur&#363. One who is blessed with His Name is not called upon to render a reckoning of his deeds and is emancipated from the illusory 'love' of the kith and kin. The almighty Himself is revealed through the true Gur&#363. Such a man with the single vision of his true Gur&#363 is enabled to silence the <i>m&#257y&#257</i>-- disturbance, within himself and, by treading the path of spiritual pursuit as shown by the Gur&#363, sings the praises of Him and remains rejoiced in the Divine Will. Those forsaking the Lord and wasting themselves by falling in love with what is 'others' (than God) remain enveloped in their ego. One praying with the help of his true Gur&#363 for the Almighty's bounty is blessed with the Name, the continuous reflection of which enables him to overcome the limits of his worldly being. By singing laudation of the Lord, he attains purification of the mind. He sings the glory of the Infinite, the Unfathomable Being, seeing in Him the only True Friend, who is self-dependent and is above desire.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the <i>&#347lokas</i> too, the two categories of beings in this world are rendered in the image of the scarlet-robed woman enticed by the love of the 'other', and Bride of the Lord, dyed in fast red of God's love. In the <i>&#347lokas</i>, there are also the themes of the evanescence of life and the vanity of hoarding wealth ; true worship and the false pretence of it (GG, 787); man's absorption in the things of the world and indifference to the creator (GG,788); fear of God as the basis of faith, leading to joy in God (GG,788); and beauty of form ultimately giving way to the depredations of old age (GG,788). Then, there is regret over life wasted without devotion and hope of Divine forgiveness through grace by the guidance of the Preceptor (GG,789). The external notion of purity is rejected. In a grand symbol, those resorting to holy bathing-place with minds impure, are likened to jars washed from outside, but full of poison within (GG,789). In another metaphor, the individual self deals in wares of good and evil; Dharma is the broker who marks the genuine articles. The holy Name is the approved profit in this market (GG, 789). In a <i>sloka</i> of Gur&#363 N&#257nak&#8217s composition preceding Pau&#7771&#299 XIV is a depiction of evil-doers. The evil-minded, fornicators, women of ill-repute---all are of the same ilk and are disciples of Satan (<i>shait&#257&#7749</i>). False is their spinning, false their warp and woof. In Pau&#7771&#299 XV is a prayer to the Lord to annul the seeker's egoism, lust, wrath and pride, to burn away avarice and attachment, and to grant support of the holy Name, that is ever pure, beyond the possibility of impurity. In Gur&#363 N&#257nak&#8217s words again (GG,790) is the delineation of those without joy in devotion as a guest in a deserted house, leaving disappointed; the lives of such are subject to blame and denunciation. Those studying holy texts (<i>vedas</i>) mechanically, without realization, are reprimanded. Such practices bring only ignominy (GG, 791). In Pau&#7771&#299 XX are <i>&#347lokas</i> of the composition of Gur&#363 A&#7749gad conveying in deeply touching tones the self's dependence solely on Divine Grace, and the exhortation to devotion, to find union with the Spouse.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The <i>V&#257r</i> is couched in simple Punjabi, touched by Sant Bh&#257kh&#257. Figures of speech, metaphors and similes aptly bring out the theme of the poem. Some of them from the text : "<i>badh&#257 chat&#299 jo bhare n&#257 gu&#7751u n&#257 upak&#257ru</i>-- he who pays homage under compulsion earns no merit" (GG, 787), "<i>b&#257hari dhot&#299 t&#363ma&#7771&#299 andari visu nikor</i>-- much as a gourd be washed from outside, its inner poison will not go (GG,789), and "<i>phi&#7789u iveh&#257 j&#299vi&#257 jitu kh&#257i vadh&#257i&#257 pe&#7789u</i>-- cursed is the life given to eating alone" (GG,790) have passed permanently into popular Punjabi speech.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#257hib Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib Darpa&#7751</i>. Jalandhar, 1963<BR> <li class="C1"> Bishan Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>B&#257&#299 V&#257r&#257&#7749 Sa&#7789ik</i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"><i>&#346abad&#257rth Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib</i>. Amritsar, 1964<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">&#256tam Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>