Theme for the Week:
One would think that no one could possibly deny that the world is a beautiful place. And yet some consider the world to be a place of torture and torment.
This week we feature five verses from Gurbani which will shed light on various aspects of the world.
We will also learn how the Gurus used metaphors to depict the world we live in.
The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape. -Bono, musician and social activist, b. 1960
ਵਾੜੀੁ (vaaṛee)
Meaning: noun: Garden, field.
Quote:
ਇਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਵਾੜੀ ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਮਾਲੀ॥ ਸਦਾ ਸਮਾਲੇ ਕੋ ਨਾਹੀ ਖਾਲੀ॥
ih jag vaaṛee meraa prabh maalee. sadaa samaale ko naahee khaalee.
This world is like a garden, and my Master is the gardener. He always takes care (of the creatures in this world-garden); no one is deprived of His care.
-Guru Amar Das, Guru Granth Sahib, 118
Message: Sweet Garden Scents…
The world is a beautiful garden of peace and tranquility where the Creator resides.
Using the metaphor of a garden and a gardener, this verse explains the Creator’s relationship with the creation.
The creation is like an orchard. The Creator is its gardener.
Just as a gardener looks after all the plants in the garden, irrespective of the different variety; the Creator takes care of all the creatures in the world, without any prejudice and bias.
No one is without His love and care.
This world garden has a variety of plants and flowers that have different fragrances, i.e., it is inhabited by disparate people who have a variety of attributes and traits.
Flowers are known by their colors and fragrance. People are known by their attributes and dispositions: some are self-willed while others are divinely inclined.
Let us be like those plants and flowers that give beautiful fragrance. Let us embellish ourselves with the fragrance of divine beauty and love. Let us be divine-spirited flowers of the beautiful Gardener.
Etymology: From Sanskrit vaaṭee/vaaṭikaa (enclosure, garden) → Pali vaaṭakaa → Prakrit vaaḍee → Sindhi vaaṛee (field of vegetables) and Punjabi vaaṛee (garden).
