Ik Oankar

Every time I hear ‘Ik Onkar’, it gives me peace and total calmness. These lines have so much within them that even when I had not understood the meaning of it, I used to listen to it atleast 10 times a day. But now when I do understand, I would like to share some facts about this Sikh Mantra. The ‘Mool Mantra’ sums up Sikh beliefs about God, and is said to be Guru Nanak’s first teaching. Translated from the Gurmukhi script, it says, ‘There is only one god. His name is truth. Present in all beings, creator of everything, he is without fear or hate. He is timeless, beyond birth and death. Self-existent, he is known by the Guru’s grace’.

Ik Oankar (God is only One)

Sat Naam (His name is True)

Kartaa Purakh (He is the Creator)

Nirbhao (He is without fear)

Nirvair (He is inimical to none)

Akaal Moorat (He never dies)

Ajoonee (He is beyond births and deaths)

Saibhang (He is self illuminated)

Gur prasaad (He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru)

Jap (Repeat His Name)

Aad sachch jugaad sachch (He was True in the beginning. He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True)

Hai bhee sachch naanak hosee bhi sachch (He is also True now. Nanak says that he will certainly be True in the future)

Sochai soch na hovae-ee sochee lakkh var (Mortals cannot comprehend God by pondering over Him for thousands of times)

Chuppai chupp na hovae-ee, jae laa-e rahaa liv taar (Mortals may remain silent and absorbed in the meditation of God and His love, yet peace of mind will not be achieved)

Bhukkhe-aa bhukkh na utree, jay bannhaa puree-aa bhaar (Yearning of hungry mortals will never end by keeping fasts, or by collecting loads of worldly riches)

Saihas si-aanpaa lakkh hohe ta ik na chalai naal (Mortal may possess thousands of clever thoughts or the biggest wisdom, yet not even one wise thought will accompany him to the next world)

Kiv sache-aaraa ho-ee-ai, kiv koorai tutte paal (How can the mortal become True? How can the barrier of falsehood be smashed?)

Hukum rajaa-ee chalnaa, naanak likheaa naal (Nanak replies that this can be achieved by obeying the pre-ordained Command and Will of God recorded for Man)

One should listen to the ‘Rang De Basanti’ version of this song sung by Harshdeep Kaur. Her voice and AR Rehman’s music has done total justice to this wonderful peaceful song.