ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥

He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities; He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Samaadhi.

ਜਬ ਅਕਾਰੁ ਇਹੁ ਕਛੁ ਨ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟੇਤਾ ॥

When this world had not yet appeared in any form,

ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਨ ਤਬ ਕਹ ਤੇ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

who then committed sins and performed good deeds?

ਜਬ ਧਾਰੀ ਆਪਨ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ॥

When the Lord Himself was in Profound Samaadhi,

ਤਬ ਬੈਰ ਬਿਰੋਧ ਕਿਸੁ ਸੰਗਿ ਕਮਾਤਿ ॥

then against whom were hate and jealousy directed?

ਜਬ ਇਸ ਕਾ ਬਰਨੁ ਚਿਹਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਪਤ ॥

When there was no color or shape to be seen,

ਤਬ ਹਰਖ ਸੋਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ॥

then who experienced joy and sorrow?

ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪਿ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥

When the Supreme Lord Himself was Himself All-in-all,

ਤਬ ਮੋਹ ਕਹਾ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਵਤ ਭਰਮ ॥

then where was emotional attachment, and who had doubts?

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥

He Himself has staged His own drama;

ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥

When there was only God the Master,

ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥

then who was called bound or liberated?

ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,

ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥

then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?

ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥

When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,

ਤਬ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਤੁ ਠਾਇ ॥

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

ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥

When He held His Own Light unto Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥

then who was fearless, and who was afraid?

ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥

He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;

ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥

When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,

ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥

then where was birth, death and dissolution?

ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,

ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

then who was afraid of death?

ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥

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

ਤਬ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤ ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਤ ਲੇਖਾ ॥

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

ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥

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

ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

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

ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥

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

ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥

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

ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥

then who was honored, and who was dishonored?

ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥

then who was tainted by fraud and sin?

ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥

then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?

ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥

He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord.

ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥

When His Glory was contained within Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥

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

ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥

When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,

ਤਹ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਾ ਕੋਊ ਚੀਨ ॥

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

ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥

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

ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥

then who considered omens to be good or bad?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥

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

ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥

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

ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥

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

ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

then who was swayed by Maya?

ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

When He paid homage to Himself,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥

then the three qualities were not prevailing.

ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥

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

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥

then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥

When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥

then who spoke and who listened?

ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

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

ਜਹ ਆਪਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਅਕਾਰੁ ॥

When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥

he made the world subject to the three dispositions.

ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਤਹ ਭਈ ਕਹਾਵਤ ॥

Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.

ਕੋਊ ਨਰਕ ਕੋਊ ਸੁਰਗ ਬੰਛਾਵਤ ॥

Some have gone to hell, and some yearn for paradise.

ਆਲ ਜਾਲ ਮਾਇਆ ਜੰਜਾਲ ॥

Worldly snares and entanglements of Maya,

ਹਉਮੈ ਮੋਹ ਭਰਮ ਭੈ ਭਾਰ ॥

egotism, attachment, doubt and loads of fear;

ਦੂਖ ਸੂਖ ਮਾਨ ਅਪਮਾਨ ॥

pain and pleasure, honor and dishonor

ਅਨਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਕੀਓ ਬਖੵਾਨ ॥

these came to be described in various ways.

ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖੈ ॥

He Himself creates and beholds His own drama.

ਜਹ ਅਬਿਗਤੁ ਭਗਤੁ ਤਹ ਆਪਿ ॥

Wherever the Eternal Lord's devotee is, He Himself is there.

ਜਹ ਪਸਰੈ ਪਾਸਾਰੁ ਸੰਤ ਪਰਤਾਪਿ ॥

He unfolds the expanse of His creation for the glory of His Saint.

ਦੁਹੂ ਪਾਖ ਕਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਧਨੀ ॥

He Himself is the Master of both worlds.

ਉਨ ਕੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਉਨਹੂ ਬਨੀ ॥

His Praise is to Himself alone.

ਆਪਹਿ ਕਉਤਕ ਕਰੈ ਅਨਦ ਚੋਜ ॥

He Himself performs and plays His amusements and games.

ਆਪਹਿ ਰਸ ਭੋਗਨ ਨਿਰਜੋਗ ॥

He Himself enjoys pleasures, and yet He is unaffected and untouched.

ਜਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਪਨ ਨਾਇ ਲਾਵੈ ॥

He attaches whomever He pleases to His Name.

ਜਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਖੇਲ ਖਿਲਾਵੈ ॥

He causes whomever He pleases to play in His play.

ਬੇਸੁਮਾਰ ਅਥਾਹ ਅਗਨਤ ਅਤੋਲੈ ॥

He is beyond calculation, beyond measure, uncountable and unfathomable.