Fifth Mehl, Gaathaa

¹Fifth Mehl, Gaat'haa:

²One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

³Camphor, flowers and perfume become contaminated, by coming into contact with the human body.

⁴O Nanak, the ignorant one is proud of his foul-smelling marrow, blood and bones. ||1||

⁵Even if the mortal could reduce himself to the size of an atom, and shoot through the ethers,

⁶Know for sure that death will come; whatever is seen is false.

⁷So chant the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; this alone shall go along with you in the end. ||3||

⁸The consciousness wanders lost in Maya, attached to friends and relatives.

⁹Vibrating and meditating on the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, O Nanak, the eternal place of rest is found. ||4||

¹⁰The lowly nim tree, growing near the sandalwood tree, becomes just like the sandalwood tree.

¹¹But the bamboo tree, also growing near it, does not pick up its fragrance; it is too tall and proud. ||5||

¹²In this Gaat'haa, the Lord's Sermon is woven; listening to it, pride is crushed.

¹³The five enemies are killed, O Nanak, by shooting the Arrow of the Lord. ||6||

¹⁴The Words of the Holy are the path of peace. They are obtained by good karma.

¹⁵The cycle of birth and death is ended, O Nanak, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||7||

¹⁶When the leaves wither and fall, they cannot be attached to the branch again.

¹⁷Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, there is misery and suffering. The mortal wanders in reincarnation day and night. ||8||

¹⁸One is blessed with love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune.

¹⁹Whoever sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, O Nanak, is not affected by the world-ocean. ||9||

²⁰This Gaat'haa is profound and infinite; how rare are those who understand it.

²¹They forsake sexual desire and worldly love, O Nanak, and praise the Lord in the Saadh Sangat. ||10||

²²The Words of the Holy are the most sublime Mantra. They eradicate millions of sinful mistakes.

²³Meditating on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, O Nanak, all one's generations are saved. ||11||

²⁴That palace is beautiful, in which the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.

²⁵Those who dwell on the Lord of the Universe are liberated. O Nanak, only the most fortunate are so blessed. ||12||

²⁶I have found the Lord, my Friend, my very Best Friend.

²⁷He shall never break my heart.

²⁸His dwelling is eternal; His weight cannot be weighed.

²⁹Nanak has made Him the Friend of his soul. ||13||

³⁰One's bad reputation is erased by a true son, Who meditates in his heart on the Guru's Mantra.

³¹who meditates in his heart on the Guru's Mantra.

¹The Beloved Eternal Lord God, O Nanak, carries us across the world-ocean. ||14||

²O Nanak, carries us across the world-ocean. ||14||

³It is death to forget the Lord of the Universe. It is life to meditate on the Name of the Lord.

⁴It is life to meditate on the Name of the Lord.

⁵The Lord is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, by pre-ordained destiny. ||15||

⁶O Nanak, by pre-ordained destiny. ||15||

⁷The snake-charmer, by his spell, neutralizes the poison and leaves the snake without fangs.

⁸Just so, the Saints remove suffering;

⁹O Nanak, they are found by good karma. ||16||

¹⁰The Lord is All-pervading everywhere; He gives Sanctuary to all living beings.

¹¹The mind is touched by His Love, O Nanak, By Guru's Grace, and the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||17||

¹²by Guru's Grace, and the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||17||

¹³My mind is pierced through by the Lord's Lotus Feet. I am blessed with total happiness.

¹⁴I am blessed with total happiness.

¹⁵Holy people have been singing this Gaat'haa, O Nanak, since the very beginning of time. ||18||

¹⁶Chanting and singing the Sublime Word of God in the Saadh Sangat, mortals are saved from the world-ocean.

¹⁷People contemplate the Vedas, Puraanas and Shaastras.

¹⁸But by enshrining in their hearts the Naam, the Name of the One and Only Creator of the Universe,

¹⁹everyone can be saved.

²⁰By great good fortune, O Nanak, a few cross over like this. ||20||

²¹Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of Lord of the Universe, all one's generations are saved.

²²It is obtained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. O Nanak, by great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is seen. ||21||

²³Abandon all your evil habits, and implant all Dharmic faith within.

²⁴The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is obtained, O Nanak, by those who have such destiny written upon their foreheads. ||22||

²⁵God was, is, and shall always be. He sustains and destroys all.

²⁶Know that these Holy people are true, O Nanak; they are in love with the Lord. ||23||

²⁷The mortal is engrossed in sweet words and transitory pleasures which shall soon fade away.

²⁸Disease, sorrow and separation afflict him; O Nanak, he never finds peace, even in dreams. ||24||