Ang 291

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥

aapan khel aap varateejaa ||

He Himself has staged His own drama;

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥

naanak karanaihaar na dhoojaa ||1||

O Nanak, there is no other Creator. ||1||

ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥

jab hovat prabh keval dhanee ||

When there was only God the Master,

ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥

tab ba(n)dh mukat kahu kis kau ganee ||

then who was called bound or liberated?

ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

jab ekeh har agam apaar ||

When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,

ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥

tab narak surag kahu kaun aautaar ||

then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?

ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥

jab niragun prabh sahaj subhai ||

When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,

ਤਬ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਤੁ ਠਾਇ ॥

tab siv sakat kahahu kit Thai ||

then where was mind and where was matter - where was Shiva and Shakti?

ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥

jab aapeh aap apanee jot dharai ||

When He held His Own Light unto Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥

tab kavan niddar kavan kat ddarai ||

then who was fearless, and who was afraid?

ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥

aapan chalit aap karanaihaar ||

He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;

ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥੨॥

naanak Thaakur agam apaar ||2||

O Nanak, the Lord Master is Unfathomable and Infinite. ||2||

ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥

abinaasee sukh aapan aasan ||

When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,

ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥

teh janam maran kahu kahaa binaasan ||

then where was birth, death and dissolution?

ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

jab pooran karataa prabh soi ||

When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,

ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

tab jam kee traas kahahu kis hoi ||

then who was afraid of death?

ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥

jab abigat agochar prabh ekaa ||

When there was only the One Lord, unmanifest and incomprehensible,

ਤਬ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤ ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਤ ਲੇਖਾ ॥

tab chitr gupat kis poochhat lekhaa ||

then who was called to account by the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious?

ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥

jab naath nira(n)jan agochar agaadhe ||

When there was only the Immaculate, Incomprehensible, Unfathomable Master,

ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

tab kaun chhuTe kaun ba(n)dhan baadhe ||

then who was emancipated, and who was held in bondage?

ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥

aapan aap aap hee acharajaa ||

He Himself, in and of Himself, is the most wonderful.

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਪਰਜਾ ॥੩॥

naanak aapan roop aap hee uparajaa ||3||

O Nanak, He Himself created His Own Form. ||3||

ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

jeh niramal purakh purakh pat hotaa ||

When there was only the Immaculate Being, the Lord of beings,

ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥

teh bin mail kahahu kiaa dhotaa ||

there was no filth, so what was there to be washed clean?

ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥

jeh nira(n)jan nira(n)kaar nirabaan ||

When there was only the Pure, Formless Lord in Nirvaanaa,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥

teh kaun kau maan kaun abhimaan ||

then who was honored, and who was dishonored?

ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥

jeh saroop keval jagadhees ||

When there was only the Form of the Lord of the Universe,

ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥

teh chhal chhidhr lagat kahu kees ||

then who was tainted by fraud and sin?

ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥

jeh jot saroopee jot sa(n)g samaavai ||

When the Embodiment of Light was immersed in His Own Light,

ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥

teh kiseh bhookh kavan tirapataavai ||

then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?

ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥

karan karaavan karanaihaar ||

He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord.

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਹਿ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੪॥

naanak karate kaa naeh sumaar ||4||

O Nanak, the Creator is beyond calculation. ||4||

ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥

jab apanee sobhaa aapan sa(n)g banaiee ||

When His Glory was contained within Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥

tab kavan mai baap mitr sut bhaiee ||

then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling?

ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥

jeh sarab kalaa aapeh parabeen ||

When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,

ਤਹ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਾ ਕੋਊ ਚੀਨ ॥

teh bedh kateb kahaa kouoo cheen ||

then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them?

ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥

jab aapan aap aap ur dhaarai ||

When He kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart,

ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥

tau sagan apasagan kahaa beechaarai ||

then who considered omens to be good or bad?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan uooch aapan aap neraa ||

When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥

teh kaun Thaakur kaun kaheeaai cheraa ||

then who was called master, and who was called disciple?

ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥

bisaman bisam rahe bisamaadh ||

We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord.

ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਨੀ ਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਆਪਿ ॥੫॥

naanak apanee gat jaanahu aap ||5||

O Nanak, He alone knows His own state. ||5||

ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥

jeh achhal achhedh abhedh samaiaa ||

When the Undeceiveable, Impenetrable, Inscrutable One was self-absorbed,

ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

uoohaa kiseh biaapat maiaa ||

then who was swayed by Maya?

ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

aapas kau aapeh aadhes ||

When He paid homage to Himself,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥

tih gun kaa naahee paraves ||

then the three qualities were not prevailing.

ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥

jeh ekeh ek ek bhagava(n)taa ||

When there was only the One, the One and Only Lord God,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥

teh kaun achi(n)t kis laagai chi(n)taa ||

then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥

jeh aapan aap aap pateeaaraa ||

When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥

teh kaun kathai kaun sunanaihaaraa ||

then who spoke and who listened?

ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

bahu bea(n)t uooch te uoochaa ||

He is vast and infinite, the highest of the high.

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੬॥

naanak aapas kau aapeh pahoochaa ||6||

O Nanak, He alone can reach Himself. ||6||

ਜਹ ਆਪਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਅਕਾਰੁ ॥

jeh aap rachio parapa(n)ch akaar ||

When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥

tih gun meh keeno bisathaar ||

he made the world subject to the three dispositions.

ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਤਹ ਭਈ ਕਹਾਵਤ ॥

paap pu(n)n teh bhiee kahaavat ||

Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.