Yogis: How have you transformed your life, good man, and to what have you attached your mind? How have you vanquished your hopes and desires, and how have you attained the eternal light? Nanak: My birth in the true Guru’s home has ended my wanderings in transmigration. Imbued with the un-struck Shabd, my mind is attuned to God. The Shabd has burnt up my hopes and desires, and through the Guru I have found the eternal light.

1. 1
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev
Introduction
Guru Nanak Dev’s well-known composition Sidh Gost is based on
his dialogues with the siddhas, who practiced a rigorous yogic
discipline called hatha yoga. Through this discipline they attained
supernatural powers (siddhis) and achieved a state of bliss through
Samadhi, a state of deep self-absorption which they believed
would ultimately lead to salvation.
According to tradition, Guru Nanak had four meetings with the
siddhas at different places. The dialogue was finally put to paper
later in Guru Nanak’s life, when he had settled in Kartarpur.
In this solemn interchange of ideas, Guru Nanak was meeting with
a group of older yogis who did not think much of him to start with
and addressed him as ‘young man’. As the dialogue progressed,
they began to realize that Nanak was no ordinary person, but a
mystic of great spiritual insight. Gone was the initial scepticism, and
they started addressing him with deep reverence.
At that time the yogis held considerable sway over the common
people, who were in awe and fear of their supernatural powers,
real or presumed. In contrast to their wandering ascetic way of life
and austere discipline of hatha yoga, Guru Nanak emphasized the
value of devotion in a balanced household life.
According to Guru Nanak it was not turning away from society and
roaming the forests, but meditation on the Shabd that brought
spiritual quality to life and opened the door to salvation. Without
mincing words the Guru opened the dialogue with a
straightforward message to the yogis (Adi Granth: 938 – 8):
ͩकआ भवीऐ सͬच सूचा होइ ॥ साच सबद ǒबनु मुकǓत न कोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

2. 2
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
Of what avail is wandering around!
Truth alone brings about purification,
And without the true Shabd no liberation is possible.
With these words, Guru Nanak touched upon the core of his
philosophy. The rest of the dialogue is an elaboration on the
philosophy of Shabd and its role in the soul’s quest for Truth.
Both Guru Nanak and the yogis acknowledged that human suffering
resulted from past deeds, and that release from the web of action
and reaction can only be achieved through the control of one’s
mind.
They considered attainment of a higher state of consciousness as
an essential prerequisite to achieving the supreme object of life,
although their methods were different.
The yogis believed in renunciation, which entails physical
withdrawal from society, whereas Guru Nanak believed in inner
detachment and a life of devotion to God’s Nam while meeting
one’s social and moral obligations and remaining part of society, as
portrayed in the following lines (Adi Granth:938 – 15, 16):
जैसे जल मǑह कमलु Ǔनरालमु मुरगाई नै साणे ॥ सुरǓत सबǑद भव सागǽ
तरȣऐ नानक नामु वखाणे ॥
रहǑह इकांǓत एको मǓन वͧसआ आसा माǑह Ǔनरासो ॥
As the lotus growing in the water and the duck swimming in the
stream remain untouched by water, one crosses the ocean of
existence, O Nanak, by repeating God’s Nam and attuning one’s
consciousness to Shabd.
Let us live detached, with only the one Lord dwelling in our minds,
and remain desire-less amid temptations.
*******

3. 3
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev
AG: 938-5
रामकलȣ महला १ ͧसध गोसǑट ੴ सǓतगुर ĤसाǑद ॥
Ramkali, First Guru, Sidh Gost
There is but one God, who is realized through the true Guru’s grace.
AG: 938-6, 7
ͧसध सभा कǐर आसͨण बैठे संत सभा जैकारो ॥ Ǔतसु आगै रहराͧस हमारȣ
साचा अपर अपारो ॥ मसतकु काǑट धरȣ Ǔतसु आगै तनु मनु आगै देउ ॥ नानक
संतु ͧमलै सचु पाईऐ सहज भाइ जसु लेउ ॥१॥
The siddhas sat in their assembly. Salutations to this congregation
of Saints1
and obeisance to the true, infinite Creator, to whom we
offer our heads and surrender our bodies and minds. On meeting a
Saint we attain the Truth, O Nanak, and spontaneously gain honour
in the divine court. [1]
AG: 938-8
ͩकआ भवीऐ सͬच सूचा होइ ॥ साच सबद ǒबनु मुकǓत न कोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ2
॥
Nanak:
Of what avail is wandering around! Truth alone brings about
purification, and without the true Shabd no liberation is possible.
[1]
Note:
1. Guru Nanak often addresses his audience as saints (santo) because of
the potential which he sees in all human beings to become true God-
realized Saints through love and devotion.
2. रहाउ: Literally, Rahaao indicates pause, rest or to be stable. Under the
Gur Shabad Kirtan tradition, Rahaao has a central and important place.
In Rahaao the Shabad has its central idea which is to get activated as a
centripetal force in the presentation of the Shabad.

4. 4
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 938-8, 9
कवन तुमे ͩकआ नाउ तुमारा कउनु मारगु कउनु सुआओ ॥
Yogis:
Who are you and what is your Name? What path do you follow and
with what objective?
AG: 938-9
साचु कहउ अरदाͧस हमारȣ हउ संत जना बͧल जाओ ॥
Nanak:
May I humbly relate the truth and submit myself to the Saints in
veneration.
AG: 938-9, 10
कह बैसहु कह रहȣऐ बाले कह आवहु कह जाहो ॥
Yogis:
Where is your seat and where do you abide, young man; where
have you come from and where are you headed?
AG: 938-10
नानकु बोलै सुͨण बैरागी ͩकआ तुमारा राहो ॥२॥
Nanak:
On hearing the siddhas’ query ‘what path do you follow?’ Nanak
explains: [2]
AG: 938-10, 11, 12
घǑट घǑट बैͧस Ǔनरंतǐर रहȣऐ चालǑह सǓतगुर भाए ॥ सहजे आए हुकͧम ͧसधाए
नानक सदा रजाए ॥ आसͨण बैसͨण ͬथǽ नाराइणु ऐसी गुरमǓत पाए ॥ गुरमुͨख
बूझै आपु पछाणै सचे सͬच समाए ॥३॥
My seat is in the eternal Lord who pervades all hearts, and I walk in
my Satguru’s will. On God’s volition I came, on his command I shall
depart and in his will, O Nanak, I always abide. Through the Guru’s
teaching I have realized that one’s refuge lies only in the eternal

5. 5
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
Lord. One who understands and realizes one’s self by the Guru’s
grace becomes the Truth and merges in the Truth. [3]
AG: 938-13
दुनीआ सागǽ दुतǽ कहȣऐ ͩकउ कǐर पाईऐ पारो ॥ चरपटु बोलै अउधू नानक
देहु सचा बीचारो ॥
Yogis:
The ocean of existence is said to be perilous; how the is one to
reach the far end? Yogi Charpat asks the recluse Nanak to explain
the truth of it.
AG: 938-14
आपे आखै आपे समझै Ǔतसु ͩकआ उतǽ दȣजै ॥ साचु कहहु तुम पारगरामी तुझु
ͩकआ बैसणु दȣजै ॥४॥
Nanak:
What can I explain to someone who knows the answer before he
poses the question? Truly, what can I explain to someone who has
already reached the far shore? [4]
AG: 938-15, 16, 17
जैसे जल मǑह कमलु Ǔनरालमु मुरगाई नै साणे ॥ सुरǓत सबǑद भव सागǽ
तरȣऐ नानक नामु वखाणे ॥ रहǑह इकांǓत एको मǓन वͧसआ आसा माǑह
Ǔनरासो ॥ अगमु अगोचǽ देͨख Ǒदखाए नानकु ता का दासो ॥५॥
As the lotus growing in the water and the duck swimming in the
stream remain untouched by water, one crosses the ocean of
existence, O Nanak, by repeating God’s Nam and attuning one’s
consciousness to Shabd.
Let us live detached, with only the one Lord dwelling in our minds,
and remain desire-less amid temptations. Nanak is a slave of the
one who not only sees, but also shows others the inaccessible,
unfathomable Lord. [5]

6. 6
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 938-17, 18
सुͨण सुआमी अरदाͧस हमारȣ पूछउ साचु बीचारो ॥ रोसु न कȧजै उतǽ दȣजै
ͩकउ पाईऐ गुर दुआरो ॥
Yogis:
Listen to our entreaty, O Master, as we ask of you your outlook on
Truth. Please take no offence, but tell us how one is to find access
to the Guru’s portal.
AG: 938-18, 19
इहु मनु चलतउ सच घǐर बैसै नानक नामु अधारो ॥ आपे मेͧल ͧमलाए करता
लागै साͬच ͪपआरो ॥६॥
Nanak:
Says Nanak: backed by the power of Nam, this restless mind will
settle itself in its true home. The Creator himself brings one in
touch with the Guru, and he becomes attached to the Truth. [6]
AG: 938-19 and AG: 939-1, 2
हाटȣ बाटȣ रहǑह Ǔनराले Ǿͨख ǒबरͨख उǑदआने ॥ कं द मूलु अहारो खाईऐ अउधू
बोलै ͬगआने ॥ तीरͬथ नाईऐ सुखु फलु पाईऐ मैलु न लागै काई ॥ गोरख पूतु
लोहारȣपा बोलै जोग जुगǓत ǒबͬध साई ॥७॥
Yogis:
We shun the clatter of the marketplace and stay clear of worldly
paths. We live among plants and trees in the woods and sustain
ourselves on roots and fruit. We bathe in holy waters, are
rewarded with peace, and not a speck of dirt sticks to us. This is the
way of our yoga, explains Loharipa, a disciple of Gorakh Nath3
. [7]
Note:
3. Gorakh Nath, one of the most prominent masters in the yogic traditions,
was a disciple of Matsyendra Nath. He lived in northern India in or about
the twelfth century, and as a yogi considered himself to be a member of
the spiritual lineage of Shiva, who is known as the first or primal (adi)
yogi. Gorakh Nath practiced siddha yoga and expounded and helped
systematize the practice of hatha yoga.

7. 7
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 939-2, 3, 4
हाटȣ बाटȣ नीद न आवै पर घǐर ͬचतु न डुलाई ॥ ǒबनु नावै मनु टेक न Ǒटकई
नानक भूख न जाई ॥ हाटु पटणु घǽ गुǾ Ǒदखाइआ सहजे सचु वापारो ॥
खंͫडत Ǔनġा अलप अहारं नानक ततु बीचारो ॥८॥
Nanak:
While working in the marketplace of life and treading worldly
paths, one should not lose sight of one’s objective, nor be allured
by another’s wealth and spouse. Without Nam, O Nanak, the mind
cannot be held still, nor are its cravings appeased. The Guru shows
a marketplace and a city within the body where one deals in Truth
with natural ease. By cutting down on food and sleep, O Nanak,
one contemplates the Essence. [8]
AG: 939-4, 5, 6
दरसनु भेख करहु जोͬगंġा मुंġा झोलȣ ͨखंथा ॥ बारह अंतǐर एकु सरेवहु खटु
दरसन इक पंथा ॥ इन ǒबͬध मनु समझाईऐ पुरखा बाहुͫड़ चोट न खाईऐ ॥
Yogis:
Adopt the yogic garb, O supreme yogi – put on earrings and carry a
begging pouch and a patched cloak. Unique among the six schools
is yoga, and you can adopt one of its twelve sects4
. This is how the
mind may be instructed, good man, so that one no longer suffers
the blows of destiny.
AG: 939-6
नानकु बोलै गुरमुͨख बूझै जोग जुगǓत इव पाईऐ ॥९॥
Nanak:
Says Nanak: only the devotee of a Guru understands the method by
which true yoga is attained. [9]
Note:
4. Yoga: Originating with sage Yajnavalkya, yoga was later codified by
Patanjli in his Yoga Sutra. It is one of the six schools of orthodox Hindu
philosophy, the other five being Sankya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimansa
and Vedanta. The twelve sects of yogis worship Shiva or his consort
Shakti, the goddess who serves as his operative power.

8. 8
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 939-6, 7, 8
अंतǐर सबदु Ǔनरंतǐर मुġा हउमै ममता दूǐर करȣ ॥ कामु Đोधु अहंकाǽ Ǔनवारै
गुर कै सबǑद सु समझ परȣ ॥ ͨखंथा झोलȣ भǐरपुǐर रǑहआ नानक तारै एकु हरȣ
॥ साचा साǑहबु साची नाई परखै गुर कȧ बात खरȣ ॥१०॥
Nanak:
Through the earrings of the Shabd that ceaselessly resounds within,
I have eradicated my ego and attachment. I have overcome lust,
anger and self-conceit and gained understanding through the
Guru’s Shabd. Awareness of the all-pervading Lord is my patched
cloak and begging pouch, O Nanak, and the one Lord will ferry me
across the ocean. True is the Lord, true is his Nam and one can
verify for oneself the soundness of the Guru’s word. [10]
AG: 939-9, 10
ऊं धउ खपǽ पंच भू टोपी ॥ कांइआ कड़ासणु मनु जागोटȣ ॥ सतु संतोखु संजमु
है नाͧल ॥ नानक गुरमुͨख नामु समाͧल ॥११॥
Nanak:
The inverted mind is my begging bowl5
and the positive nature of
the five elements my headdress6
. An alert body is my straw mat7
and a disciplined mind my loincloth. Truth, contentment and self-
restraint are my companions, and by the Guru’s grace says Nanak, I
have attained Nam. [11]
Note:
5. To invert the mind and turn it into a begging bowl is to make it receptive
to the Lord’s grace by reversing its downward tendencies and turning it
from materialistic pursuits to God-realization.
6. The five elements are earth, water, fire, air and ether. Guru Nanak
advises the yogis to adorn their lives with positive qualities of these
elements as a headdress adorns the head. Let the good earth teach us
forbearance, water bring coolness and equipoise, fire purification, air
generosity and consistency, and the sky (the ether medium) openness,
detachment and transcendence.
7. A yogi generally uses a straw mat, a deer skin or a seat made of some
other firm material in order to stay alert in meditation.

9. 9
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 939-10, 11
कवनु सु गुपता कवनु सु मुकता ॥ कवनु सु अंतǐर बाहǐर जुगता ॥
कवनु सु आवै कवनु सु जाइ ॥ कवनु सु ǒğभवͨण रǑहआ समाइ ॥१२॥
Yogis:
Who remains hidden, who is liberated and who is united, within
and without? Who comes, who goes, and who pervades the three
worlds8
?
AG: 939-11, 12
घǑट घǑट गुपता गुरमुͨख मुकता ॥ अंतǐर बाहǐर सबǑद सु जुगता ॥
मनमुͨख ǒबनसै आवै जाइ ॥ नानक गुरमुͨख साͬच समाइ ॥१३॥
Nanak:
God is hidden in all hearts, and it is the Guru’s devotee who is
liberated, for he is united with Shabd within and without. The self-
willed perish and keep coming and going in transmigration. O
Nanak, only the devotee of the Guru remains absorbed in the
Truth. [13]
AG: 939-12, 13, 14
ͩकउ कǐर बाधा सरपǓन खाधा ॥ ͩकउ कǐर खोइआ ͩकउ कǐर लाधा ॥ ͩकउ
कǐर Ǔनरमलु ͩकउ कǐर अंͬधआरा ॥ इहु ततु बीचारै सु गुǾ हमारा ॥१४॥
Yogis:
How is one bound and devoured by the serpent of maya? How does
one lose; how does one gain? How is one purified; why is one in
darkness? Whoever elucidates this point is our Master. [14]
AG: 939-14, 15
दुरमǓत बाधा सरपǓन खाधा ॥ मनमुͨख खोइआ गुरमुͨख लाधा ॥ सǓतगुǽ ͧमलै
अंधेरा जाइ ॥ नानक हउमै मेǑट समाइ ॥१५॥
Nanak:
Evil tendencies bind; then the serpent of maya devours. In egoism
one loses, in devotion to the Guru one gains. Darkness is dispelled
by meeting a true Guru, and by eliminating one’s ego, O Nanak, one
merges into the Lord. [15]

10. 10
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 939-15, 16
सुंन Ǔनरंतǐर दȣजै बंधु ॥ उडै न हंसा पड़ै न कं धु ॥ सहज गुफा घǽ जाणै साचा
॥ नानक साचे भावै साचा ॥१६॥
Nanak:
Hold your consciousness still in sunn9
– then the swan of the soul
will not fly away, nor will the wall of the body collapse10
. In his true
home in the cave of sahaj one realizes the true Lord, O Nanak, and
being attuned to Truth, is loved by the Lord.
AG: 939-16, 17, 18
ͩकसु कारͨण ͬĒहु तिजओ उदासी ॥ ͩकसु कारͨण इहु भेखु Ǔनवासी ॥ ͩकसु
वखर के तुम वणजारे ॥ ͩकउ कǐर साथु लंघावहु पारे ॥१७॥
Yogis:
Why have you renounced your home, O hermit, and dressed
yourself in this ascetic garb? What merchandise do you trade in,
and how do you plan to take your followers across the ocean of
existence.
Note:
8. Three worlds (tri bhavan / teen lok): Generally refers to the physical,
astral and causal regions. Alternatively, the three worlds can mean
heaven, earth, and the lower regions; or the sky, atmosphere and earth.
9. Sunn: a term derived from shoonya (Sanskrit): void, emptiness or
vacuum. Saints have used sunn with a variety of meanings. Here it has
been used in the context of sunn-samadhi (deep self-absorption).
10. At death the swan of the soul flies away forever, reducing the body to
dust. Guru Nanak says that when, through meditation, the soul
consciousness is elevated to a state of deep self-absorption, and the
swan of the soul current transcends the physical self but does not
completely withdraw from it. The wall of the body does not collapse, as
the sliver cord, which enlivens the body by connecting it to the Shabd,
stays intact, and the soul acquires the capability of simultaneously
operating in both the physical as well as the spiritual planes.

11. 11
Adapted from Gurbani Selections 1: Sidh Gost – Guru Nanak Dev (Pub – RSSB)
AG: 939-18, 19
गुरमुͨख खोजत भए उदासी ॥ दरसन कै ताई भेख Ǔनवासी ॥ साच वखर के
हम वणजारे ॥ नानक गुरमुͨख उतरͧस पारे ॥१८॥
Nanak:
In search of lovers of God I have turned away from the world, and
in order to meet them I have attired myself in this ascetic garb. I am
a trader in the merchandise of Truth, and it is through the Guru’s
grace, O Nanak, that one crosses the ocean of existence. [18]
AG: 939-19 and 940-1, 2
ͩकतु ǒबͬध पुरखा जनमु वटाइआ ॥ काहे कउ तुझु इहु मनु लाइआ ॥ ͩकतु
ǒबͬध आसा मनसा खाई ॥ ͩकतु ǒबͬध जोǓत Ǔनरंतǐर पाई ॥ ǒबनु दंता
ͩकउ खाईऐ साǽ ॥ नानक साचा करहु बीचाǽ ॥१९॥
Yogis:
How have you transformed your life, good man, and to what have
you attached your mind? How have you vanquished your hopes
and desires, and how have you attained the eternal light? How can
iron be chewed without teeth? Reveal your true thinking on this, O
Nanak! [19]
AG: 940-2, 3, 4
सǓतगुर कै जनमे गवनु ͧमटाइआ ॥ अनहǓत राते इहु मनु लाइआ ॥ मनसा
आसा सबǑद जलाई ॥ गुरमुͨख जोǓत Ǔनरंतǐर पाई ॥ ğै गुण मेटे खाईऐ साǽ ॥
नानक तारे तारणहाǽ ॥२०॥
Nanak:
My birth in the true Guru’s home11
has ended my wanderings in
transmigration. Imbued with the un-struck Shabd, my mind is
attuned to God. The Shabd has burnt up my hopes and desires, and
through the Guru I have found the eternal light. Overcoming the
three gunas one chews iron12
, O Nanak, and the divine helmsman
ferries the soul across. [20]
*******