Dhanak Roop Raha Kartar
Siri Rag Mehla Pehla Ghar 4 - Sri Guru Granth Sahib
This divine speech was delivered by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and is recorded on page 24 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib under Rag Siri. In this profound hymn, Guru Nanak Dev Ji reveals his spiritual journey and shares the truth he realized upon meeting Supreme God Kabir Sahib, who had descended in the humble form of a Dhanak (weaver). Through deep humility and honest reflection, Guru Nanak Ji acknowledges the deceptive yet divine play of God Kabir, who hid His true identity, even from Kaal. This bani is a powerful testimony of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s realization that God Kabir is the Purna Parmatma, the Eternal Supreme Being, who alone can grant liberation through Satnaam.
ਸਿਰੀ ਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ਪਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੪॥
ਏਕੁ ਸੁਆਨੁ ਦੁਇ ਸੁਆਨੀ ਨਾਲਿ॥ ਭਲਕੇ ਭਉਕਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਬਇਆਲਿ॥ ਕੂੜੁ ਛੁਰਾ ਮੁਠਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੧॥
ਮੈ ਪਤਿ ਕੀ ਪੰਦਿ ਨ ਕਰਣੀ ਕੀ ਕਾਰ॥ ਹਉ ਬਿਗੜੈ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਬਿਕਰਾਲ॥ ਤੇਰਾ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਾਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ॥ ਮੈ ਏਹਾ ਆਸ ਏਹੋ ਆਧਾਰੁ॥ ੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ॥
ਮੁਿਖ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਆਖਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤਿ॥ ਪਰ ਘਰੁ ਜੋਹੀ ਨੀਚ ਸਨਾਤਿ॥ ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਤਨਿ ਵਸਹਿ ਚੰਡਾਲ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੨॥
ਫਾਹੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਮਲੂਕੀ ਵੇਸੁ॥ ਹਉ ਠਗਵਾੜਾ ਠਗੀ ਦੇਸੁ॥ ਖਰਾ ਸਿਆਣਾ ਬਹੁਤਾ ਭਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੩॥
ਮੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਨ ਜਾਤਾ ਹਰਾਮਖੋਰੁ॥ ਹਉ ਕਿਆ ਮੁਹੁ ਦੇਸਾ ਦੁਸਟੁ ਚੋਰੁ॥ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਕਹੈ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੪॥ ੨੯॥
Explanation
ਏਕੁ ਸੁਆਨੁ ਦੁਇ ਸੁਆਨੀ ਨਾਲਿ॥ ਭਲਕੇ ਭਉਕਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਬਇਆਲਿ॥
One dog (mind) along with two bitches (expectations and desires) is always barking, never quiet or satisfied.
Here, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is explaining that the mind is like a dog—always restless, and the two bitches with it are expectations and desires. These are constantly making noise—meaning new thoughts, desires, and ambitions keep arising, never allowing peace or focus on God. This is symbolic of the restlessness of worldly people who are controlled by mind and desires.
ਕੂੜੁ ਛੁਰਾ ਮੁਠਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੧॥
Falsehood was like a knife, stolen (illicit) dead food was my living. The Creator appeared on earth in the form of a Dhanak (weaver).
Nanak Ji says that earlier, the method of worship being followed (without Satnaam) was false—like using a knife of lies and eating stolen, impure spiritual food. But then, Supreme God Kabir Sahib, who was living in the form of a Dhanak (weaver), came to him and gave him the true way of worship.
ਮੈ ਪਤਿ ਕੀ ਪੰਦਿ ਨ ਕਰਣੀ ਕੀ ਕਾਰ॥ ਹਉ ਬਿਗੜੈ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਬਿਕਰਾਲ॥
I had no honourable way, nor was I doing any righteous deeds. I had become spiritually ugly and dreadful.
Nanak Ji admits that without the true Naam (Satnaam) and worship taught by Kabir Sahib, he had no spiritual reputation, nor was he engaged in virtuous action. He had fallen into spiritual ignorance and sins, trapped by Kaal.
ਤੇਰਾ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਾਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ॥ ਮੈ ਏਹਾ ਆਸ ਏਹੋ ਆਧਾਰੁ॥ ੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ॥
Only Your one true Naam (Satnaam) can liberate the world. This is my only hope and support. (Pause and reflect)
Nanak Ji declares that only the Naam given by Supreme God Kabir Sahib can free souls from Kaal’s trap and help them reach Satlok (eternal abode). This Satnaam is his only hope, faith, and foundation.
ਮੁਿਖ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਆਖਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤਿ॥ ਪਰ ਘਰੁ ਜੋਹੀ ਨੀਚ ਸਨਾਤਿ॥
I used to slander and speak ill day and night; I was lowly, always eyeing others' homes (worldly things).
He confesses that before meeting God Kabir, he was deeply involved in worldly thinking, full of criticism, jealousy, and ego. These are the marks of a spiritually fallen soul.
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਤਨਿ ਵਸਹਿ ਚੰਡਾਲ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੨॥
Lust and anger (evil spirits) lived within me. The Creator came in the form of a Dhanak (weaver).
His body was controlled by lust and anger, the two biggest enemies of the soul. But Supreme God Kabir, appearing in the humble form of a weaver, came to free him from these vices and show the path of salvation.
ਫਾਹੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਮਲੂਕੀ ਵੇਸੁ॥ ਹਉ ਠਗਵਾੜਾ ਠਗੀ ਦੇਸੁ॥
His appearance (surati) is extremely pleasing and divine, and He wears the attire suitable to the worldly setting He has descended into. He met me, yet no one could recognize Him—not even Kaal, whom He deceived. He appeared as a simple Dhanak (weaver), but He is the Supreme God Himself.
This line is spoken by Guru Nanak Dev Ji referring to God Kabir Sahib, who took on a humble appearance (Dhanak roop). His divine radiance (surati) was captivating, but His external clothing (vesh) was ordinary—fitting for the world He came into.
Even Kaal (Brahm) was deceived by His appearance and couldn't recognize that this simple-looking weaver was actually Purna Parmatma. This is why Nanak Ji says "He is a great deceiver who deceived the country"—not because Kabir Sahib was a deceiver in a negative sense, but because His divine play (leela) of hiding His identity is so perfect that it fools even the most powerful beings.
ਖਰਾ ਸਿਆਣਾ ਬਹੁਤਾ ਭਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੩॥
He (Kabir Sahib) is truly wise and extremely majestic (bahuta bhaar). Though He appears in the humble form of a Dhanak (weaver), He is the Creator (Kartar), the Supreme God (Purna Parmatma) Himself.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji is describing the divine play (leela) of God Kabir Sahib, who came into the world in the simple appearance of a Dhanak (weaver) to guide souls trapped by Kaal.
Though His external form appeared ordinary, He is in fact:
A thug (ठग) in the divine sense — one who conceals His identity so perfectly that even Kaal could not recognize Him.
Extremely wise and clever (kharaa siaanaa) — He plays His divine role flawlessly.
Bahutaa bhaar — meaning very great, majestic, and heavy with divine glory.
Guru Nanak Ji is acknowledging that this weaver was not an ordinary person, but none other than the Supreme God Himself, who took a lowly form to liberate trapped souls, including Nanak Ji himself.
ਮੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਨ ਜਾਤਾ ਹਰਾਮਖੋਰੁ॥ ਹਉ ਕਿਆ ਮੁਹੁ ਦੇਸਾ ਦੁਸਟੁ ਚੋਰੁ॥
I did nothing right, and lived on (spiritual) stolen food. How will I show my face, I am a wicked thief.
Nanak Ji accepts that his previous worship was wrong, and his pride in it was useless. He compares himself to a spiritual thief, one who practiced wrong methods and thought them to be high.
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਕਹੈ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ॥ ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ॥ ੪॥ ੨੯॥
Nanak, the lowly, reflects and says: The Creator lived in the form of a Dhanak (weaver).
Finally, Nanak Ji humbly accepts that God Kabir Sahib, who came as a Dhanak, is none other than the Supreme God (Purna Parmatma). He repents for not recognizing Him earlier, calling himself lowly and ignorant, and gives full respect and glory to Kabir Sahib, who saved him from the trap of Kaal.
✅ Essence / Summary:
- Supreme God Kabir Sahib came in the form of a humble weaver (Dhanak).
- Guru Nanak Dev Ji initially failed to recognize Him due to His simple appearance.
- After receiving true Naam (Satnaam) and spiritual knowledge, Nanak Ji realized Kabir Sahib is Purna Parmatma, the Creator of all.
- He repents deeply for having judged by appearance and misled others earlier.
- Only Satnaam given by God Kabir can free the soul from Kaal’s cycle of birth and death.
- This Bani is a spiritual testimony of Nanak Ji's meeting with God Kabir Sahib.
Guru of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Haka Kabir Karim Tu - Rag Tilang 721
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