Gurbani Word Of The Day: gaheeraa

ਗਹੀਰਾ (gaheeraa)

Meaning: noun: Deep, ocean.

Quote:
ਵਡੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਾ   ਗਹਿਰ ਗੰਭੀਰਾ ਗੁਣੀ ਗਹੀਰਾ॥ 
ਕੋਇ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ   ਤੇਰਾ ਕੇਤਾ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਚੀਰਾ॥
 
ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਵੱਡੇ ਸਾਹਿਬ! ਤੂੰ ਗਹਿਰ ਗੰਭੀਰ (ਬੜਾ ਡੂੰਘਾ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਂਤ) ਗੁਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਾਗਰ ਹੈਂ। ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਣ ਸਕਦਾ ਕਿ ਤੇਰਾ ਕੁਦਰਤ -ਪਸਾਰਾ ਕਿੰਨਾ ਤੇ ਕਿੱਡਾ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਹੈ।

vaḍe mere saahibaa   gahir gaṁbheeraa guṇee gaheeraa.
koi na jaaṇai teraa   ketaa kevaḍ cheeraa.
O my great Master! You are an ocean of deep, profound virtues. No one can know how vast or big Your expanse or creation is. -Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 9

Message: In the quote, the Guru uses the ocean as a familiar example to allow the common human some frame of reference. The Creator remains indescribable in His depth and His expanse.

Explanation: Human beings can only appreciate what they can see. This limited consciousness does not allow us to experience the vastness of the Divine power, its expanse and its depth.

The hymn tells us that even the enlightened ones, the teachers cannot fully describe His expanse and His greatness. Those who contemplate on His virtues, practise attuning their minds to Him in order to expand their understanding. The appraisers try to estimate His value in worldly terms. All call Him great but have no idea of His true greatness.

Nothing on earth is achieved, no success attained without His hand in it, without His grace upon it. Nothing can be prevented or blocked either. For a human to realise this truth is also in His hands. He decides who deserves this understanding, His grace upon them.

Etymology: From Sanskrit gabheer (deep, solemn) → Pali gabheer → Prakrit gaheer → Gurbani gaheer/gaheeraa (deep, ocean).

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