The Longing for Life and the Fear of Death — Japji Sahib (Paurī 7)

Based on Maskeen Ji’s Discourse on Japji Sahib

Introduction — The Human Longing for Life

In the seventh pauri of Japji Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev Ji uncovers one of the deepest truths about human existence: the primal longing to live and the equally powerful fear of death. These two — longing for life and fear of death — are inseparable. They are like two sides of the same coin. The greater the attachment to life, the more intense the fear of death.

Guru Ji begins by presenting a vision of the human condition — what man truly desires in his heart: long life, fame, recognition, and worldly glory. But then Guru Ji shows how, without the Divine glance of grace, all these desires are ultimately meaningless.

Translation and Commentary on Pauri 7

je jug cāre ārjā hor dasūṇī hoi ||
Even if one’s lifespan were equal to the four ages (yugas), and even ten times longer,

Guru Nanak begins by addressing the first and most basic desire: longevity. Man wishes to live long. When elders bless a child, they say: “May you live for thousands of years.” Yet, Guru Ji reminds us that simply living long is not a true blessing.

There are trees on earth that have existed for thousands of years. Certain serpents like the python are said to live for centuries. In the oceans, some fish live for 500 years or more. Longevity alone does not make life meaningful. What matters is not how long one lives, but how well one lives.

Even an old man, reduced to a skeleton of bones, unable to walk, hear, or think, still clings to life. Even a patient suffering lifelong pain still wishes to live. This reveals how deeply ingrained the longing for life is within the human soul. And with this longing comes its shadow: fear of death.

navā khaṇḍā vic jāṇīai nāl calai sabh koi ||
And if one’s fame spreads across the nine continents, with everyone following him,

The second primal desire in human beings is not just to live long, but to be known, admired, and followed. Every human heart yearns for recognition and fame. Some are known only within their homes, others in their neighborhoods. Some gain recognition in their towns, some in their nations, and a rare few in the entire world.

Guru Ji says: Imagine a person whose fame spreads across all nine continents, whose every word is followed, whose every step is copied by society, whose popularity is unquestioned, and who carries the whole world along with him. This is the second great desire: the thirst for glory and universal acceptance.

caṅgā nāu rakhāi kai jas kīrat jag lei ||
And if one earns a great name, and his glory is sung by the world,

Here Guru Ji describes the height of worldly achievement: to have a good name, to be praised by all tongues, to have one’s reputation celebrated far and wide. This is the dream of kings, leaders, poets, and conquerors alike. It is the hunger for immortality through fame.

Maskeen Ji beautifully explains: many people spend their entire lives just to be remembered, to be praised, to have their names engraved in the memory of society. But Guru Ji warns that even if one achieves all this — the praise of the world, universal fame, and a spotless reputation — it still does not guarantee true fulfillment.

je tis nadar na āvaī ta vāt na puchai ke ||
Yet, if he does not receive the Divine Glance of Grace, then none of it matters; no one will ask about him.

This is the heart of the pauri. Guru Nanak Dev Ji says that without the nadar (Divine glance of grace), all worldly achievements are worthless. One may rise in the eyes of humanity, but unless one rises in the eyes of the Divine, life remains empty.

It is easy to climb in the opinion of men, but difficult to come under the Divine gaze. And the truth is: worldly achievements do not carry us into eternity. Only God’s grace gives true meaning and value to life.

kīṭā andar kīṭ kar dosī dos dhare ||
He is counted as a worm among worms, condemned and blamed.

Guru Ji uses a stark image: without Divine grace, even the most celebrated human becomes like a worm among worms. Among worms, the most despised is the one that lives in filth. So too, the man who gains the world but loses Divine connection is reduced to nothingness, like the worm of waste.

Maskeen Ji explains: there are noble worms too — like the silkworm that spins silk from mulberry leaves. But the worm that eats and dwells in filth is despised. A human who chases false honor and ignores Divine grace becomes like that worm, condemned and blamed.

nānak nirguṇ guṇ kare guṇvaṅtiā guṇ de ||
O Nanak, the Virtuous One bestows virtues upon the unworthy, and gives even more virtues to the virtuous.

Here Guru Ji offers hope. God is such a giver that He grants virtues even to the unworthy. Those who already possess virtues, He increases their treasures even more. Just as all light on earth comes from the sun, so too, all virtues in this world come from God.

Qualities like patience, forgiveness, contentment, self-restraint, and bliss cannot be purchased in any marketplace. They are freely given by the Divine to those who seek sincerely.

Maskeen Ji notes: God is so generous that He gives even unasked. We received our body, our senses, air, sunlight, and family without even asking. He is the one giver who never tires of giving. It is only humans who tire of receiving.

tehā koi na sujhaī ji tis guṇ koi kare ||7||
There is no one else like Him; none other can bestow such virtues.

Guru Nanak concludes: there is none like the Divine Giver. No king, no prophet, no human being can give what God gives. He alone is the fountain of virtues, the true source of all blessings.

The Deeper Spiritual Message — Longing and Fear

Maskeen Ji highlights the profound psychology of Guru Nanak’s teaching. The intense longing for life and the fear of death reveal that man has not yet attained spiritual completeness. The day one realizes the Divine, life’s longing ends, and the fear of death vanishes.

All fear is essentially fear of death. When we fear a snake or a lion, it is because we see death hidden within them. Even different kinds of “deaths” — economic, political, social, intellectual, or spiritual — strike fear because they represent an ending, a loss of existence.

But the saints show a different vision. Bhagat Kabir Ji declared: “That death which the world fears brings bliss to me. For through death, supreme joy is found.” Why? Because for the one who has attained God, life’s purpose is fulfilled. There is no more clinging, no more fear. Death becomes a homecoming, not a threat.

The Search for Immortality — Human Efforts

Throughout history, humans have tried to extend life — searching for the immortal fruit, the water of life (āb-e-hayāt), or medicines to prolong years. Yogis attempted to extend life by controlling breath. People consumed herbs and performed austerities in the hope of defeating death.

But Guru Nanak Dev Ji reveals the futility: even if one lived the span of four yugas multiplied tenfold, even if the whole world chanted one’s praises, it would still be meaningless without the Divine glance.

The True Death — Forgetting God

Guru Arjan Dev Ji said: “To forget God is death.” Spiritual death is worse than physical death. A man may be alive bodily and mentally, but if he does not remember God, he is spiritually dead.

This is why saints call the remembrance of God the true life. Without it, all achievements are hollow.

Divine Giving — Beyond Measure

The most comforting message of this pauri is that God never closes His door. No matter how late, if a person knocks sincerely, the door will open.

He gives virtues to those without them, and increases virtues in those who already have them. He fills the lap of His devotees with treasures beyond worldly measure. He grants peace, contentment, forgiveness, and bliss — things that no market can sell and no wealth can buy.

Conclusion — Rising Above Longing and Fear

The true path of dharma, says Maskeen Ji, stands on two pillars:

1. Rising above the longing for life.
2. Being free from the fear of death.

When one attains God, these two disappear. The longing for life ends because the destination is reached. The fear of death ends because death becomes a return to the Beloved.

Thus, Guru Nanak Dev Ji shows us that all worldly achievements — longevity, fame, recognition — are worthless without Divine grace. True greatness lies not in how long or how widely we are known, but in whether we have received the glance of the Divine.

The seventh pauri of Japji Sahib therefore gives us a profound key: turn to God, seek His grace, and He will fill your lap with virtues beyond measure.