Gurbani Word Of The Day: Dutar

ਦੁਤਰੁ (dutar)
Meaning: adjective: Difficult to cross.

Quote:
ਇਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਦੁਤਰੁ ਕਿਉ ਤਰੀਐ   ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਰਿ ਨ ਪਾਈ॥
ih jag saagar dutar kiu tareeai   bin hari gur paar na paaee.
This world-ocean is so difficult to cross: how to cross it? Without the Divine or the Guru, it cannot be successfully crossed.
– Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 355

Message: Ship across troubled waters

The ocean is peaceful to bask in at the beach. But in order to cross it on a ship there are challenges.

Similarly crossing a tumultuous river is also challenging.

According to Bhai Vir Singh the hymn, from which this verse is chosen, was uttered by Guru Nanak when he observed some swimmers swimming across the Ravi, one of the five rivers that gave Punjab its name.

They were swimming with the help of a baked clay pitcher. The Guru noted that if the pitcher was not fully baked, then it would slowly erode, and the person sitting on it may drown.

The human body is like an unbaked pot and this world is like an ocean. The temptations of the world cannot be successfully overcome without proper guidance and a sound approach.

However, our excessive worldly attachment doesn’t let us reach out to the right direction.

Right company and the Gurus teachings will help us to remove our self-centeredness and detach ourselves from unnecessary worldly attachment and desires.

We will realize that there is no better friend and support than the Divine. Pain and pleasure will seem to be in accordance with His will.

Submission to the will or laws of nature will eventually lead us to have more peace of mind.

Life is like an ocean. It can be calm and still or rough and rigid. But in the end it’s always beautiful. -Anonymous

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Etymology: From Sanskrit dustar (difficult to cross) → Pali duttar → Prakrit duttar → Hindi dootar.

Summary of the Week:
Your view of the world is shaped by the angle or perspective from which you look at it. You can look at the world or any event from different angles.

Life is a roller coaster of both joy and pain. But a life ‘well lived’ is one where you are able to deal with challenges and setbacks, cope well, and thrive.   

Imagine connecting with thousands of minds and hearts to come together to make our world a better place to live.

We need to give our future generations a better world: a world free of prejudice, hatred, and oppression, where religion, race, nationality, and gender are no hindrances in our relationships.

Help us to reach out to all kindred spirits to come together, to create such a world! We need your help.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਬੇਅੰਤੁ ਬੇਅੰਤੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ॥ ਦੁਤਰੁ ਇਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਤਰਾਇਆ॥
Nanak’s word is that, one who contemplates on the infinite Divine, the true Guru successfully carries them across this ‘difficult to cross’ world-ocean. -Guru Arjan Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 1362

 

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