Gurbani Word Of The Day: gaau

ਗਾਉ (gaau)

Meaning: noun: Village.

Quote:
ਬਾਬਾ  ਅਬ ਨ ਬਸਉ ਇਹ ਗਾਉ॥ ਘਰੀ ਘਰੀ ਕਾ ਲੇਖਾ ਮਾਗੈ   ਕਾਇਥੁ ਚੇਤੂ ਨਾਉ॥
ਹੇ ਬਾਬਾ! ਹੁਣ ਮੈਂ ਇਸ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿਚ ਨਹੀਂ ਵੱਸਣਾ (ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਇਥੇ) ਚਿਤ੍ਰ-ਗੁਪਤ ਨਾਮ ਵਾਲਾ ਕਾਇਸਥ (ਮੁਨਸ਼ੀ) ਹਰੇਕ ਘੜੀ ਦਾ ਲੇਖਾ ਮੰਗਦਾ ਹੈ।

baabaa  ab na basau ih gaau.
gharee gharee kaa lekhaa maagai   kaaith chetoo naau.
O Baba! Now I don’t not want live in this village (because here) the accountant namely ‘Chitragupta’ ask for an account of each and every moment. -Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib, 1104

Message: Bhagat Kabir gives us a different message from the above quote in the sense that he says that he doesn’t want to live in the village–physical body–anymore as the sensory organs–our eyes, nose, ears, tongue and skin are not doing the right things. He doesn’t want to dwell in the body because he knows that he is being held to account for his actions all the time.

The above utterance by Bhagat Kabir clearly shows that he is very vigilant and very aware or mindful of all that is going in his mind and body. So should we be: always mindful of our thoughts, words and actions.

You can read more here about Chitragupta, a god in Hindu Mythology, assigned with the task of keeping records of actions of human beings on the earth. However, the use of the term by Bhagat Kabir in the above verse is symbolic only, for the purpose of conveying his message.

Etymology: From Sanskrit gramPunjabi gaav→ Hindi gaanv (village, hamlet, suburb).

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here