First Step:

Source of unending joy

Rag Gaudi Deepki

The word ‘rag’ denotes the musical measure.  Almost the whole Gurbani is in the verse form in various rags then prevalent in Indian music.  The word/s following the word ‘rag’ indicate/s the name of the rag of the succeeding Gurbani.

Mahla 1

The word ‘Mahla’ literally means body.  All the Sikh Gurus whose writings have been included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib have written in the name of ‘Nanak’.  It was Light-form of Guru Nanak himself which continued in the succeeding nine Gurus and thereafter continues in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.  Thus the word ‘Mahla’ indicates embodiment of Guru Nanak.  The numerical number following the word ‘Mahla’ represents the successive Guru who is the author of the rendering that follows the title viz. Mahla 1 means Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Mahla 4 means Guru Ram Das Ji and Mahla 5 means Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

Guru Sahib first of all gives the description of Almighty that He is one, ‘Om’ is his unstruck sound and He is uniformly present everywhere. 

One,

Om (the primal sound,

the) All-Pervasive.

            It is difficult to have total comprehension of The Almighty.  This can only be attempted with the assistance of Guru.

(Perception can be had as),

True Guru’s prasad.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji commenting on the human way of life, states that pious is the person whose disposition is one of reverence towards Almighty.  One ought to engage himself in singing praises of all actions of The Almighty and live in ever-remembrance of Him:

Ghar where praises (are) uttered,

(And) contemplations are of (the) Creator.

 (In) that ghar sing (the) Sohila (and)

Ruminate (Name of the real) Originator. ll 1 ll

            Every individual must spend as much time as possible in singing of the virtues of Almighty:

You (all) sing,

(The) Sohila of my Fearless (Lord).

This methodology is the prime and original source of happiness for which any price paid would not only be less but negligible:

I (am prepared to) sacrifice (myself,

for the) Sohila (by) which,

Prevails happiness forever. ll 1 ll Pause.