Ang 291 · Guru Granth Sahib Ji

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥

aapan khel aap varateejaa |

He Himself has staged His own drama;

Tukk 1

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥

naanak karanaihaar na doojaa |1|

O Nanak, there is no other Creator. ||1||

Tukk 2

ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥

jab hovat prabh keval dhanee |

When there was only God the Master,

Tukk 3

ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥

tab bandh mukat kahu kis kau ganee |

then who was called bound or liberated?

Tukk 4

ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

jab ekeh har agam apaar |

When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,

Tukk 5

ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥

tab narak surag kahu kaun aautaar |

then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?

Tukk 6

ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥

jab niragun prabh sehaj subhaae |

When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,

Tukk 7

ਤਬ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਤੁ ਠਾਇ ॥

tab siv sakat kahahu kit tthaae |

then where was mind and where was matter - where was Shiva and Shakti?

Tukk 8

ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥

jab aapeh aap apanee jot dharai |

When He held His Own Light unto Himself,

Tukk 9

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥

tab kavan niddar kavan kat ddarai |

then who was fearless, and who was afraid?

Tukk 10

ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥

aapan chalit aap karanaihaar |

He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;

Tukk 11

ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥੨॥

naanak tthaakur agam apaar |2|

O Nanak, the Lord Master is Unfathomable and Infinite. ||2||

Tukk 12

ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥

abinaasee sukh aapan aasan |

When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,

Tukk 13

ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥

teh janam maran kahu kahaa binaasan |

then where was birth, death and dissolution?

Tukk 14

ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

jab pooran karataa prabh soe |

When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,

Tukk 15

ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

tab jam kee traas kahahu kis hoe |

then who was afraid of death?

Tukk 16

ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥

jab abigat agochar prabh ekaa |

When there was only the One Lord, unmanifest and incomprehensible,

Tukk 17

ਤਬ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤ ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਤ ਲੇਖਾ ॥

tab chitr gupat kis poochhat lekhaa |

then who was called to account by the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious?

Tukk 18

ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥

jab naath niranjan agochar agaadhe |

When there was only the Immaculate, Incomprehensible, Unfathomable Master,

Tukk 19

ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

tab kaun chhutte kaun bandhan baadhe |

then who was emancipated, and who was held in bondage?

Tukk 20

ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥

aapan aap aap hee acharajaa |

He Himself, in and of Himself, is the most wonderful.

Tukk 21

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਪਰਜਾ ॥੩॥

naanak aapan roop aap hee uparajaa |3|

O Nanak, He Himself created His Own Form. ||3||

Tukk 22

ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

jeh niramal purakh purakh pat hotaa |

When there was only the Immaculate Being, the Lord of beings,

Tukk 23

ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥

teh bin mail kahahu kiaa dhotaa |

there was no filth, so what was there to be washed clean?

Tukk 24

ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥

jeh niranjan nirankaar nirabaan |

When there was only the Pure, Formless Lord in Nirvaanaa,

Tukk 25

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥

teh kaun kau maan kaun abhimaan |

then who was honored, and who was dishonored?

Tukk 26

ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥

jeh saroop keval jagadees |

When there was only the Form of the Lord of the Universe,

Tukk 27

ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥

teh chhal chhidr lagat kahu kees |

then who was tainted by fraud and sin?

Tukk 28

ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥

jeh jot saroopee jot sang samaavai |

When the Embodiment of Light was immersed in His Own Light,

Tukk 29

ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥

teh kiseh bhookh kavan tripataavai |

then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?

Tukk 30

ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥

karan karaavan karanaihaar |

He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord.

Tukk 31

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਹਿ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੪॥

naanak karate kaa naeh sumaar |4|

O Nanak, the Creator is beyond calculation. ||4||

Tukk 32

ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥

jab apanee sobhaa aapan sang banaaee |

When His Glory was contained within Himself,

Tukk 33

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥

tab kavan maae baap mitr sut bhaaee |

then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling?

Tukk 34

ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥

jeh sarab kalaa aapeh parabeen |

When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,

Tukk 35

ਤਹ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਾ ਕੋਊ ਚੀਨ ॥

teh bed kateb kahaa koaoo cheen |

then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them?

Tukk 36

ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥

jab aapan aap aap ur dhaarai |

When He kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart,

Tukk 37

ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥

tau sagan apasagan kahaa beechaarai |

then who considered omens to be good or bad?

Tukk 38

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan aooch aapan aap neraa |

When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand,

Tukk 39

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥

teh kaun tthaakur kaun kaheeai cheraa |

then who was called master, and who was called disciple?

Tukk 40

ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥

bisaman bisam rahe bisamaad |

We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord.

Tukk 41

ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਨੀ ਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਆਪਿ ॥੫॥

naanak apanee gat jaanahu aap |5|

O Nanak, He alone knows His own state. ||5||

Tukk 42

ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥

jeh achhal achhed abhed samaaeaa |

When the Undeceiveable, Impenetrable, Inscrutable One was self-absorbed,

Tukk 43

ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

aoohaa kiseh biaapat maaeaa |

then who was swayed by Maya?

Tukk 44

ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

aapas kau aapeh aades |

When He paid homage to Himself,

Tukk 45

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥

tihu gun kaa naahee paraves |

then the three qualities were not prevailing.

Tukk 46

ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥

jeh ekeh ek ek bhagavantaa |

When there was only the One, the One and Only Lord God,

Tukk 47

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥

teh kaun achint kis laagai chintaa |

then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?

Tukk 48

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan aap aap pateeaaraa |

When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,

Tukk 49

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥

teh kaun kathai kaun sunanaihaaraa |

then who spoke and who listened?

Tukk 50

ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

bahu beant aooch te aoochaa |

He is vast and infinite, the highest of the high.

Tukk 51

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੬॥

naanak aapas kau aapeh pahoochaa |6|

O Nanak, He alone can reach Himself. ||6||

Tukk 52

ਜਹ ਆਪਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਅਕਾਰੁ ॥

jeh aap rachio parapanch akaar |

When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,

Tukk 53

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥

tihu gun meh keeno bisathaar |

he made the world subject to the three dispositions.

Tukk 54

ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਤਹ ਭਈ ਕਹਾਵਤ ॥

paap pun teh bhee kahaavat |

Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.

Tukk 55