| ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥ |
| jab hovath prabh kaeval dhhanee || |
| When there was only God the Master, |
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| ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥ |
| thab bandhh mukath kahu kis ko ganee || |
| then who was called bound or liberated? |
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| ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥ |
| jab eaekehi har agam apaar || |
| When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite, |
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| ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥ |
| thab narak surag kahu koun aouthaar || |
| then who entered hell, and who entered heaven? |
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| ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥ |
| jab niragun prabh sehaj subhaae || |
| When God was without attributes, in absolute poise, |
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| ਤਬ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਤੁ ਠਾਇ ॥ |
| thab siv sakath kehahu kith thaae || |
| then where was mind and where was matter - where was Shiva and Shakti? |
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| ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥ |
| jab aapehi aap apanee joth dhharai || |
| When He held His Own Light unto Himself, |
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| ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥ |
| thab kavan niddar kavan kath ddarai || |
| then who was fearless, and who was afraid? |
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| ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥ |
| aapan chalith aap karanaihaar || |
| He Himself is the Performer in His own plays; |
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| ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥੨॥ |
| naanak thaakur agam apaar ||2|| |
| O Nanak, the Lord Master is Unfathomable and Infinite. ||2|| |
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| ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥ |
| abinaasee sukh aapan aasan || |
| When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease, |
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| ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥ |
| theh janam maran kahu kehaa binaasan || |
| then where was birth, death and dissolution? |
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| ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥ |
| jab pooran karathaa prabh soe || |
| When there was only God, the Perfect Creator, |
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| ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ |
| thab jam kee thraas kehahu kis hoe || |
| then who was afraid of death? |
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| ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥ |
| jab abigath agochar prabh eaekaa || |
| When there was only the One Lord, unmanifest and incomprehensible, |
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| ਤਬ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤ ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਤ ਲੇਖਾ ॥ |
| thab chithr gupath kis pooshhath laekhaa || |
| then who was called to account by the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious? |
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| ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥ |
| jab naathh niranjan agochar agaadhhae || |
| When there was only the Immaculate, Incomprehensible, Unfathomable Master, |
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| ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥ |
| thab koun shhuttae koun bandhhan baadhhae || |
| then who was emancipated, and who was held in bondage? |
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| ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥ |
| aapan aap aap hee acharajaa || |
| He Himself, in and of Himself, is the most wonderful. |
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| ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਪਰਜਾ ॥੩॥ |
| naanak aapan roop aap hee ouparajaa ||3|| |
| O Nanak, He Himself created His Own Form. ||3|| |
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| ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥ |
| jeh niramal purakh purakh path hothaa || |
| When there was only the Immaculate Being, the Lord of beings, |
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| ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥ |
| theh bin mail kehahu kiaa dhhothaa || |
| there was no filth, so what was there to be washed clean? |
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| ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥ |
| jeh niranjan nirankaar nirabaan || |
| When there was only the Pure, Formless Lord in Nirvaanaa, |
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| ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥ |
| theh koun ko maan koun abhimaan || |
| then who was honored, and who was dishonored? |
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| ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥ |
| jeh saroop kaeval jagadhees || |
| When there was only the Form of the Lord of the Universe, |
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| ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥ |
| theh shhal shhidhr lagath kahu kees || |
| then who was tainted by fraud and sin? |
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| ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥ |
| jeh joth saroopee joth sang samaavai || |
| When the Embodiment of Light was immersed in His Own Light, |
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| ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥ |
| theh kisehi bhookh kavan thripathaavai || |
| then who was hungry, and who was satisfied? |
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| ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥ |
| karan karaavan karanaihaar || |
| He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord. |
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| ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਹਿ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੪॥ |
| naanak karathae kaa naahi sumaar ||4|| |
| O Nanak, the Creator is beyond calculation. ||4|| |
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| ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥ |
| jab apanee sobhaa aapan sang banaaee || |
| When His Glory was contained within Himself, |
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| ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥ |
| thab kavan maae baap mithr suth bhaaee || |
| then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling? |
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| ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥ |
| jeh sarab kalaa aapehi parabeen || |
| When all power and wisdom was latent within Him, |
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| ਤਹ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਾ ਕੋਊ ਚੀਨ ॥ |
| theh baedh kathaeb kehaa kooo cheen || |
| then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them? |
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| ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥ |
| jab aapan aap aap our dhhaarai || |
| When He kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart, |
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| ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥ |
| tho sagan apasagan kehaa beechaarai || |
| then who considered omens to be good or bad? |
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| ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥ |
| jeh aapan ooch aapan aap naeraa || |
| When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand, |
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| ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥ |
| theh koun thaakur koun keheeai chaeraa || |
| then who was called master, and who was called disciple? |
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| ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥ |
| bisaman bisam rehae bisamaadh || |
| We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord. |
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| ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਨੀ ਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਆਪਿ ॥੫॥ |
| naanak apanee gath jaanahu aap ||5|| |
| O Nanak, He alone knows His own state. ||5|| |
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| ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥ |
| jeh ashhal ashhaedh abhaedh samaaeiaa || |
| When the Undeceiveable, Impenetrable, Inscrutable One was self-absorbed, |
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| ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥ |
| oohaa kisehi biaapath maaeiaa || |
| then who was swayed by Maya? |
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| ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥ |
| aapas ko aapehi aadhaes || |
| When He paid homage to Himself, |
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| ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥ |
| thihu gun kaa naahee paravaes || |
| then the three qualities were not prevailing. |
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| ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥ |
| jeh eaekehi eaek eaek bhagavanthaa || |
| When there was only the One, the One and Only Lord God, |
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| ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥ |
| theh koun achinth kis laagai chinthaa || |
| then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety? |
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| ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥ |
| jeh aapan aap aap patheeaaraa || |
| When He Himself was satisfied with Himself, |
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| ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥ |
| theh koun kathhai koun sunanaihaaraa || |
| then who spoke and who listened? |
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| ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥ |
| bahu baeanth ooch thae oochaa || |
| He is vast and infinite, the highest of the high. |
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| ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੬॥ |
| naanak aapas ko aapehi pehoochaa ||6|| |
| O Nanak, He alone can reach Himself. ||6|| |
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