SATGUR AVYAA KAAI AAPNE DOOVAAR

BY PEER SHAMSH

eji satgur aavyaa kaai aapne doovaar
    re aapne kem re karine paaye laagiye hoji.....................1

doovaar - doorstep paaye laagiye - to bow down at one's feet

The True Guide has come to our doorstep How can we bow down (submit ourselves) to Him?

eji satiye toddyo motiddaa no haar
    re tenaa moti veraanaa chandan chok maa.......................2

sati - pious woman - refers to sati Emnabai
chandan - sandlewood - also is the name of a "chok"
chok - courtyard or a marketplace

The pious woman broke a pearl necklace The pearls (from the necklace) spread all over the "Chandan chok"

eji moti vinantaa kaai laagi chhe vaar
    re aapne em re kari ne paaye laagiye hoji.....................3

It has taken some time to gather all the pearls This is how (by bending down to collect the beads of pearls), we can bow down (submit ourselves) to our Lord.

The above three verses refer to the incident of sati Emnabaai intentionally breaking her necklace, so that she could bow down at the Peer's feet by pretending to collect the beads from the broken necklace. She could not bow to the Peer in public.

eji jaajo jaajo samudariyaa ni laher
     re maaraa man naa manelaa moti laavjo hoji...................4

samudar - sea, ocean
laher - wave
man naa manelaa - which are the mind's desires or likes

(The Peer is asking us to) go to the (bottom of the) ocean, past the waves (and the currents), and to bring those pearls which He desires (for us to have, i.e knowledge and wisdom)

eji moti laavyaa kaai laakho i laakh
    re maaraa man naa manelaa moti nahi malyaa hoji...............5

(The Peer says) hundreds of thousands of pearls were brought but the pearls which He desires (for us) were not found Verses 4 & 5 refer to the diving into the ocean of the worldly existence to obtain the spiritually uplifting benefits (pearls), and in particular Divine knowledge and wisdom.

eji maakar maakar kaai noograa no sang
    re te to noogare jaaliyo taaro chheddlo hoji..................6

maakar - do not do
noogra - the ones without a Guide
sang - relationship, company jaaliyo - held
chheddlo - end, border, end part of a "saari"

Do not maintain any meaningful relationship with those who are without the Guide(do not follow the path of those who have gone astray). They are clinging by yourside in order to lead you astray at the right moment.

eji vaari vaari hiraliyaa ni gaanth 
    re te to toote pan re chhoote nahi hoji.......................7

vaari - to tie
hir - a very fine thread of silk; love, divinity
toote - breaks chhoote - to free, undo

A knot of silk has been tied( in such a way that) the thread may be broken but the knot cannot be undone.

eji paaddi paaddi patodde bhaat
    re te to faate pan re fite nahi hoji..........................8

paaddi - to draw
patodde - a silk or wollen cloth worn by women
bhaat - floral design or print
faate - tears out fite - to erase, to get rid of

A design has been imprinted upon a cloth (in such a way that) the cloth may tear but the design will not rub out or fade away.

Verses 7 & 8 refer to the deep, solid love which a true momin has for Haazar Imaam - a love which is never given up, even if one has to die as a result of it.

eji bolyaa bolyaa peer shamsh chott
    re maaraa moman bhaai tame amraa poori paamsho hoji...........9

chott - title of Peer Shamsh. It means one who is at the top. One who is pre-eminent, one who has excelled. amraa poori - comes from the words "amar"(eternal) and "poori" (abode) - eternal abode

Peer Shamsh continually says: my momin brothers, you will attain the eternal abode(if you follow the guidance outlined above).

[list of ginans]