Ang 291 · Guru Granth Sahib Ji

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥

aapan khel aap varateejaa |

He Himself has staged His own drama;

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ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥

naanak karanaihaar na doojaa |1|

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

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ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥

jab hovat prabh keval dhanee |

When there was only God the Master,

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ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥

tab bandh mukat kahu kis kau ganee |

then who was called bound or liberated?

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ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

jab ekeh har agam apaar |

When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,

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ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥

tab narak surag kahu kaun aautaar |

then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?

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ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥

jab niragun prabh sehaj subhaae |

When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,

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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?

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ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥

jab aapeh aap apanee jot dharai |

When He held His Own Light unto Himself,

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ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥

tab kavan niddar kavan kat ddarai |

then who was fearless, and who was afraid?

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ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥

aapan chalit aap karanaihaar |

He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;

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ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥੨॥

naanak tthaakur agam apaar |2|

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

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ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥

abinaasee sukh aapan aasan |

When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,

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ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥

teh janam maran kahu kahaa binaasan |

then where was birth, death and dissolution?

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ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

jab pooran karataa prabh soe |

When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,

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ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

tab jam kee traas kahahu kis hoe |

then who was afraid of death?

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ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥

jab abigat agochar prabh ekaa |

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

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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?

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ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥

jab naath niranjan agochar agaadhe |

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

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ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

tab kaun chhutte kaun bandhan baadhe |

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

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ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥

aapan aap aap hee acharajaa |

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

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ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਪਰਜਾ ॥੩॥

naanak aapan roop aap hee uparajaa |3|

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

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ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

jeh niramal purakh purakh pat hotaa |

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

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ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥

teh bin mail kahahu kiaa dhotaa |

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

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ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥

jeh niranjan nirankaar nirabaan |

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

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ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥

teh kaun kau maan kaun abhimaan |

then who was honored, and who was dishonored?

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ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥

jeh saroop keval jagadees |

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

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ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥

teh chhal chhidr lagat kahu kees |

then who was tainted by fraud and sin?

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ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥

jeh jot saroopee jot sang samaavai |

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

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ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥

teh kiseh bhookh kavan tripataavai |

then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?

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ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥

karan karaavan karanaihaar |

He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord.

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ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਹਿ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੪॥

naanak karate kaa naeh sumaar |4|

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

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ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥

jab apanee sobhaa aapan sang banaaee |

When His Glory was contained within Himself,

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ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥

tab kavan maae baap mitr sut bhaaee |

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

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ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥

jeh sarab kalaa aapeh parabeen |

When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,

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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?

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ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥

jab aapan aap aap ur dhaarai |

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

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ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥

tau sagan apasagan kahaa beechaarai |

then who considered omens to be good or bad?

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ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan aooch aapan aap neraa |

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

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ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥

teh kaun tthaakur kaun kaheeai cheraa |

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

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ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥

bisaman bisam rahe bisamaad |

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

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ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਨੀ ਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਆਪਿ ॥੫॥

naanak apanee gat jaanahu aap |5|

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

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ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥

jeh achhal achhed abhed samaaeaa |

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

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ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

aoohaa kiseh biaapat maaeaa |

then who was swayed by Maya?

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ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

aapas kau aapeh aades |

When He paid homage to Himself,

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ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥

tihu gun kaa naahee paraves |

then the three qualities were not prevailing.

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ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥

jeh ekeh ek ek bhagavantaa |

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

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ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥

teh kaun achint kis laagai chintaa |

then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?

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ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan aap aap pateeaaraa |

When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,

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ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥

teh kaun kathai kaun sunanaihaaraa |

then who spoke and who listened?

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ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

bahu beant aooch te aoochaa |

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

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ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੬॥

naanak aapas kau aapeh pahoochaa |6|

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

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ਜਹ ਆਪਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਅਕਾਰੁ ॥

jeh aap rachio parapanch akaar |

When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,

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ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥

tihu gun meh keeno bisathaar |

he made the world subject to the three dispositions.

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ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਤਹ ਭਈ ਕਹਾਵਤ ॥

paap pun teh bhee kahaavat |

Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.

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