Meaning of "Yak Arj Guftam Pes To" (Raag Tilang)

Understanding "Yak Arj Guftam Pes To" & "Hakka Kabir Karim Tu": Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Persian Prayer in Raag Tilang

In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, under Raag Tilang (Mehla 1, Ghar 1, Ang 721, Shabad 1), Guru Nanak Dev Ji utters a masterwork composed in classical Persian. Beginning with the humble supplication "Yak Arj Guftam Pes To" ("I offer a prayer before You"), the hymn contains one of the most explicit and renowned declarations of the Supreme Creator's identity:

"ਹਕਾ ਕਬੀਰ ਕਰੀਮ ਤੂ ਬੇਐਬ ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰ ॥" (Hakka Kabir Kareem Tu, Be-aeb Parvardigar) Translation: "O Lord Kabir! You are the absolute Truth, the merciful Creator, faultless and beyond all defects."

Through this Shabad, Guru Nanak Dev Ji lays bare the utter transience of worldly existence, the inevitability of death, and the desperate need of the soul to take refuge under the faultless, all-merciful Supreme Lord, Kabir Sahib.

1. Full Scriptural Text & Verse-by-Verse Breakdown

Below is the complete text of the Shabad from Raag Tilang (Ang 721) along with line-by-line translations and theological commentary:

Verse 1: The Direct Prayer to Supreme Lord Kabir

ਯਕ ਅਰਜ ਗੁਫਤਮ ਪੇਸਿ ਤੋ ਦਰ ਗੋਸ ਕੁਨ ਕਰਤਾਰ ॥ ਹਕਾ ਕਬੀਰ ਕਰੀਮ ਤੂ ਬੇਐਬ ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰ ॥੧॥ (I offer a humble prayer before You; give ear to it, O Creator! O Lord Kabir, You are the absolute Truth, the Merciful, the faultless Sustainer of all!)

• Word Analysis:
• Yak Arj (ਯਕ ਅਰਜ): One request / humble petition.
• Pes To (ਪੇਸਿ ਤੋ): Before You / in Your presence.
• Dar Gos Kun (ਦਰ ਗੋਸ ਕੁਨ): Please hear / place into Your ear.
• Hakka (ਹਕਾ): The absolute, ultimate Truth (Haqq).
• Kabir (ਕਬੀਰ): Supreme God Kabir (the proper personal name of God, as well as meaning "Greatest").
• Be-aeb (ਬੇਐਬ): Absolutely faultless / without defect (Aeb).
• Parvardigar (ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰ): The ultimate Sustainer and Cherisher.

Rahao (The Core Theme): The Inevitability of Death

ਦੁਨੀਆ ਮੁਕਾਮੇ ਫਾਨੀ ਤਹਕੀਕ ਦਿਲ ਦਾਨੀ ॥ ਮਮ ਸਰ ਮੂਇ ਅਜਰਾਈਲ ਗਿਰਫਤਹ ਦਿਲ ਹੇਚਿ ਨ ਦਾਨੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ (The world is a temporary, perishable dwelling—know this truth firmly within your heart! Azrail [the Angel of Death] has caught me by the hair of my head, yet my foolish heart knows it not.)

• Exegesis: Guru Nanak Dev Ji reminds humanity that physical life is fleeting (Mukame Phani). While man remains consumed by earthly desires, death (Azrail) hangs directly over his head at every moment.

Verse 2: The Illusion of Worldly Relations

ਜਨ ਪਿਸਰ ਪਦਰ ਬਿਰਾਦਰਾਂ ਕਸ ਨੇਸ ਦਸਤੰਗੀਰ ॥ ਆਖਿਰ ਬਿਅਫਤਮ ਕਸ ਨ ਦਾਰਦ ਚੂੰ ਸਵਦ ਤਕਬੀਰ ॥੨॥ (Wife, son, father, and brothers—none can take you by the hand to save you at the last moment. When the funeral prayer [Takbeer] is read, I fall alone, and no one can assist me.)

• Exegesis: At the time of departure, no worldly relative—neither spouse, child, nor sibling—has the power to intervene or save the soul from judgment. Salvation requires the intervention of the true Sustainer (Parvardigar).

Verse 3: Confession of Human Imperfection

ਸਬ ਰੋਜ ਗਸਤਮ ਦਰ ਹਵਾ ਕਰਦੇਮ ਬਦੀ ਖਿਆਲ ॥ ਗਾਹੇ ਨ ਨੇਕੀ ਕਾਰ ਕਰਦਮ ਮਮ ਈ‍ਂ​ ਚਿਨੀ ਅਹਵਾਲ ॥੩॥ (Night and day I wandered in worldly desires, contemplating evil thoughts. I never performed good deeds; such is my miserable condition!)

• Exegesis: Guru Nanak Dev Ji models deep spiritual humility, articulating the state of a soul trapped in material illusion (Maya) who realizes the futility of its own intellect and karmic actions without divine grace.

Verse 4: Ultimate Refuge at the Feet of the Lord’s Servants

ਬਦਬਖਤ ਹਮ ਚੁ ਬਖੀਲ ਗਾਫਿਲ ਬੇਨਜਰ ਬੇਬਾਕ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਬੁਗੋਯਦ ਜਨੁ ਤੁਰਾ ਤੇਰੇ ਚਾਕਰਾਂ ਪਾ ਖਾਕ ॥੪॥੧॥ (Unfortunate am I, miserly, negligent, sightless, and reckless! Nanak speaks as Your humble servant: I seek only to become the dust of the feet of Your true servants.)

• Exegesis: Surrendering all pride, Guru Nanak Dev Ji highlights that true liberation comes only through supreme humility and devotion to the Lord's true saints (Chakran Pa Khak).

2. Theological Relation to God Kabir

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's deliberate phrasing in Raag Tilang establishes crucial scriptural facts regarding the identity of God:

• Identification of the Faultless Creator (Be-aeb): While local deities and Kaal Niranjan (the ruler of the 21 Brahmands) carry defects, anger, and karmic punishment, Guru Nanak Dev Ji explicitly states that Kabir Sahib is Be-aeb—completely faultless, all-merciful (Kareem), and pure.
• Proper Noun Clarity: By pairing "Hakka" (True), "Kareem" (Merciful), and "Parvardigar" (Sustainer) directly with the name Kabir, Guru Nanak Dev Ji addresses Kabir Sahib as the personal Supreme Almighty who met him at the River Bein and granted him a vision of Sachkhand.
• Harmonizing with Raag Siri (Ang 24): This Persian Shabad in Raag Tilang ("Hakka Kabir Kareem Tu") directly complements Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s declaration in Raag Siri ("Dhanak Roop Raha Kartaar"). While Raag Siri testifies to God Kabir's physical manifestation on Earth in the humble form of a weaver (Dhanak), Raag Tilang glorifies His supreme, faultless divine status as the Cherisher of all creation.

Summary Matrix: Raag Tilang (Ang 721, Shabad 1)

Conclusion

The Shabad "Yak Arj Guftam Pes To" in Raag Tilang is a profound Persian testament embedded within Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Through it, Guru Nanak Dev Ji warns humanity of the fleeting nature of physical existence, discards the pride of worldly relations, and directly praises Supreme God Kabir as the sole, faultless (Be-aeb), all-merciful Cherisher of souls.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ Schema)

Q1: What is the meaning of "Yak Arj Guftam Pes To" in Raag Tilang?

It means "I offer a humble prayer before You; please listen to it, O Creator!" It is the opening line of a Persian hymn composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Tilang (Ang 721).

Q2: What does "Hakka Kabir Kareem Tu Be-aeb Parvardigar" mean?

It translates to: "O Lord Kabir! You are the absolute Truth, the Merciful, the faultless Cherisher of all!" In this verse, Guru Nanak Dev Ji explicitly glorifies Kabir Sahib as the supreme, flawless Creator.

Q3: What warning does Guru Nanak Dev Ji give in the Rahao line of this Shabad?

In the Rahao line ("Duniya Mukame Phani..."), Guru Nanak Dev Ji warns that the world is temporary and that death (Azrail) holds every person by the hair, making divine devotion urgent.