Guru Nanak spoke of the hukum, a divine order that creates, preserves, destroys and dictates everything. It is imperative to submit to that order, to live in humility and to never believe that we are in control of our destiny. Over and over, he taught that faith in that order, in the divine glance and nothing else could lead to someone being able to journey in a worthy direction.
An order undefined, gives form to all.
By this order is life, by this order greatness befalls.
By this order are high and low, by this
bliss and pain.
By this order some are pardoned and some wandering remain.
The self sows the seeds which the self later eats.
The coming and leaving, is as the order may please.
There is one Maya who runs the world, with three followers appointed:
one creates the world, one is the storekeeper, one holds the court of justice. As it pleases you, so it moves, in accordance with the order.
He who can see all but cannot be seen, this is the wondrous wonder.
Mother and father, sons and wives, none supports the other.
For each person the Lord provides, so what
does the heart need to fear?
As is written so one speaks,
as is written one eats,
as is written one walks a path,
as is written one sees,
as is written one takes a breath.
From the learned, what may I seek?
Wisdom, honour, wealth rest
in the laps of those
whose hearts have Him contained.
What more could be said in their praise,
how could more beauty be attained,
Nanak, without the glance, one revels
neither in giving nor in the name.
The order is not known by the helpless,
fools wander astray.
Minds obstinate earn deeds such,
they daily wither away.
Within them no peace arrives
nor in love
with the True One are they.
Wisdom is a bird and owing to its deeds
sometimes it is high, sometimes low.
Now on the sandal tree
now on the bough of the ak tree,
now high in love it soars.
Nanak, it is the order that moves it,
as the way of the Lord shows.
How then do mortals break the wall
and see the truth behind?
Nanak urges us to trust
in that one grand design.
You live in each element without a difference,
each life form has you.
On one hand are givers, on the other,
those who beg
in the grand play designed by you.
This strength is sung of by those who are strong.
The ones who can read the signs sing this song.
Great virtues and heights are sung about.
So is that deep knowledge, cryptic and devout.
Songs of the power that creates bodies and
turns them then to ash.
The power that as easily takes life away,
and as simply gives life back.
A form that shows itself somewhere far away,
a form that in every particle does stay.
There is no lack of those who narrate,
the story is told and retold,
the tellers don’t abate.
So much is given, the takers might tire.
Ages upon ages have consumed it entire.
Yet it all follows the one great order,
which forever expands, O Nanak,
its seamless border.
The time of the wedding is pre-ordained,
together let’s pour oil.
O friend, do bless me so, so with my lord I may join.
Of being united with the Lord,
this is the sign.
When the one true order
is realised by the mind.
Excerpted from ‘The Light In All Is One’—Life Lessions from Guru Nanak, edited by Navkirat Sodhi; publisher: Aleph Book Company