Gurbani Word Of The Day: sadhnaa

ਸਧਨਾ (sadhnaa)

Meaning: noun: Sadhna, a 13th Century saint-poet, whose single hymn is present in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Quote:
ਤਵ ਗੁਨ ਕਹਾ  ਜਗਤ ਗੁਰਾ   ਜਉ ਕਰਮੁ ਨ ਨਾਸੈ॥
ਹੇ ਜਗਤ ਦੇ ਗੁਰੂ, ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ਰ ਜੀ! ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੀ ਗੁਣ ਹੋਏ (ਭਾਵ, ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਸ਼ਰਣ ਵਿਚ ਆਉਣ ਦਾ ਕੀ ਲਾਭ ਹੋਇਆ), ਜੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾੜਾ ਕਰਮ-ਸੰਸਕਾਰ ਨਾਸ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਣਾ?

tav gun kahaa  jagat guraa   jau karam na naasai.
O Master of the world! What good are Your attributes if my evil karma is not destroyed (even after coming to Your sanctuary)? -Bhagat Sadhna, Guru Granth Sahib, 858

Message: Here Bhagat Sadhna laments that time is running out for him and the Divine, despite His good attributes has not emancipated him from his transgressions or failings. 

The message by implication is that the state of liberation can be attained in this life itself. However, one has to completely surrender to the Divine and follow divine teachings conscientiously in order to be spiritually exalted.

Explanation: Bhagat Sadhna was born in Sindh, Pakistan, and was a butcher by trade. He is considered to be a contemporary of Bhagat Namdev, another medieval saint.

Sadhna’s spiritual quest led him to travel around preaching the love of the Divine. He died at Sirhind, in Punjab, where a tomb stands in his memory.

None of his hymns is found except a very inspiring hymn preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib in Raag Bilaval.

In this hymn, he feels that the time is running out for him and the Divine should not delay giving him divine realisation and liberate him.

He pleads that the Divine has protected the honour of even bigger transgressors than him.

What good is seeking the Divine protection when one has to live in fear?

What use will liberation be after death if one has passed whole life sinking in vices and suffering?

Sadhna is now restless like the rain-bird dying for the drops of rain. He says the life-force is getting tired and exhausted. Now is the time to save him and protect his honour.

He further pleads: I am nothing and nothing belongs to me. It is all Yours only and You have to protect the honour of Your devotee.

Like Bhagat Sadhna, we also question the Divine if our needs are not met. However, Gurbani is explicit that if we lead our lives according to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, we shall obtain liberation while living on this planet.  

You can listen to the hymn here

 

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