ਬਦਨੁ (badan)
Meaning: noun: Face or body?
Quote:
ਮਾਇਆ ਖੋਟੀ ਰਾਸਿ ਹੈ ਏਕ ਚਸੇ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਜੁ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਇ॥
ਹਥਹੁ ਛੁੜਕੀ ਤਨੁ ਸਿਆਹੁ ਹੋਇ ਬਦਨੁ ਜਾਇ ਕੁਮਲਾਇ॥
maaiaa khoṭee raas hai ek chase mahi paaj lahi jaai.
hathahu chhuṛkee tan siaah hoi badan jaai kumlaai.
Maya is false capital; its false covering falls off in an instant. When it slips from one’s hand, the body turns black, and face withers away. – Guru Amar Das, Guru Granth Sahib, Page 510
Message: Though a weak foundation of a building gives temporary stature, yet when afflicted by the storms all is destroyed within it. The false grandeur takes away with it the lives of those stuck within. Only dust remains. We need to construct more solid foundations in our life so that we can weather the storms that come our way and remain steadfast.
Looking for happiness in temporary assets will not completely satisfy us, nor protect us. The world and its trappings are like false capital. Its false covering falls off very quickly. When it slips from our hand our body turns numb and our face pale. However, those, whose fundamentals are based on the Guru’s advice, cherish true wealth in their hearts, and become oblivious to the nature of worldly pleasure and show. They remain in the loving grace of divine guidance and maintain their peace.
In modern Hindi/Punjabi, its meaning has totally changed, from face to body, which seems to be influenced by Arabic badan (body).
Etymology: From Sanskrit vadan (speaking; mouth, face) from vad (to speak) → Pali vadan (speaking) → Prakrit vayaṇ(speech; mouth, face) → Assamese bayan (face) → Gurbani badan (face, mouth, speech).
Summary of the Week:
Yes, all things change. Like the spinning earth and the revolving planets nothing stays still. From the smallest to the largest objects, everything is in a state of flux. Time and tide waits for no one.
Languages too are evolving social tools of communication.
Analysis of different languages shows that languages, like humans, change with the times through adaptation, changing contexts and different audiences. The Gurus spoke to different historical audiences and the language employed at that time may have been different from how we use it today.
We must change and adapt to an ever-changing world. Learn, unlearn, and relearn with a sincere and devoted mind. When we become true seekers and we instruct our mind through the Guru’s teachings, our road of change will bring us to sweet peace and inner satisfaction.
A change in perspective is worth 80 IQ points. -Alan Kay, computer scientist, b. 1940
