ਆਪਨ ਖੇਲੁ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤੀਜਾ ॥

Aapan kʰél aap varṫeejaa.

He Himself has staged His own drama;

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥

Naanak karnæhaar na ḋoojaa. ||1||

O Nanak! There is no other Creator. ||1||

ਜਬ ਹੋਵਤ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇਵਲ ਧਨੀ ॥

Jab hovaṫ parabʰ kéval ḋʰanee.

When there was only God the Master,

ਤਬ ਬੰਧ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਹੁ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਗਨੀ ॥

Ṫab banḋʰ mukaṫ kaho kis ka▫o ganee.

then who was called bound or liberated?

ਜਬ ਏਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

Jab ékėh har agam apaar.

When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,

ਤਬ ਨਰਕ ਸੁਰਗ ਕਹੁ ਕਉਨ ਅਉਤਾਰ ॥

Ṫab narak surag kaho ka▫un a▫uṫaar.

then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?

ਜਬ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥

Jab nirgun parabʰ sahj subʰaa▫é.

When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,

ਤਬ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤਿ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਤੁ ਠਾਇ ॥

Ṫab siv sakaṫ kahhu kiṫ tʰaa▫é.

then where was mind and where was matter - where was Shiva and Shakti?

ਜਬ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਅਪਨੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਧਰੈ ॥

Jab aapėh aap apnee joṫ ḋʰaræ.

When He held His Own Light unto Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਨਿਡਰੁ ਕਵਨ ਕਤ ਡਰੈ ॥

Ṫab kavan nidar kavan kaṫ daræ.

then who was fearless, and who was afraid?

ਆਪਨ ਚਲਿਤ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰ ॥

Aapan chaliṫ aap karnæhaar.

He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;

ਨਾਨਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥੨॥

Naanak tʰaakur agam apaar. ||2||

O Nanak! The Lord Master is Unfathomable and Infinite. ||2||

ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਸੁਖ ਆਪਨ ਆਸਨ ॥

Abʰinaasee sukʰ aapan aasan.

When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,

ਤਹ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਾ ਬਿਨਾਸਨ ॥

Ṫah janam maran kaho kahaa binaasan.

then where was birth, death and dissolution?

ਜਬ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥

Jab pooran karṫaa parabʰ so▫é.

When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,

ਤਬ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

Ṫab jam kee ṫaraas kahhu kis ho▫é.

then who was afraid of death?

ਜਬ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਏਕਾ ॥

Jab abigaṫ agochar parabʰ ékaa.

When there was only the One Lord, unmanifest and incomprehensible,

ਤਬ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਪਤ ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਤ ਲੇਖਾ ॥

Ṫab chiṫar gupaṫ kis poochʰaṫ lékʰaa.

then who was called to account by the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious?

ਜਬ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਅਗਾਧੇ ॥

Jab naaṫʰ niranjan agochar agaaḋʰé.

When there was only the Immaculate, Incomprehensible, Unfathomable Master,

ਤਬ ਕਉਨ ਛੁਟੇ ਕਉਨ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਧੇ ॥

Ṫab ka▫un chʰuté ka▫un banḋʰan baaḋʰé.

then who was emancipated, and who was held in bondage?

ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਚਰਜਾ ॥

Aapan aap aap hee acharjaa.

He Himself, in and of Himself, is the most wonderful.

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਨ ਰੂਪ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਪਰਜਾ ॥੩॥

Naanak aapan roop aap hee uparjaa. ||3||

O Nanak! He Himself created His Own Form. ||3||

ਜਹ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਤਾ ॥

Jah nirmal purakʰ purakʰ paṫ hoṫaa.

When there was only the Immaculate Being, the Lord of beings,

ਤਹ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਧੋਤਾ ॥

Ṫah bin mæl kahhu ki▫aa ḋʰoṫaa.

there was no filth, so what was there to be washed clean?

ਜਹ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਰਬਾਨ ॥

Jah niranjan nirankaar nirbaan.

When there was only the Pure, Formless Lord in Nirvana,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਕਉ ਮਾਨ ਕਉਨ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ॥

Ṫah ka▫un ka▫o maan ka▫un abʰimaan.

then who was honored, and who was dishonored?

ਜਹ ਸਰੂਪ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥

Jah saroop kéval jagḋees.

When there was only the Form of the Lord of the Universe,

ਤਹ ਛਲ ਛਿਦ੍ਰ ਲਗਤ ਕਹੁ ਕੀਸ ॥

Ṫah chʰal chʰiḋar lagaṫ kaho kees.

then who was tainted by fraud and sin?

ਜਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥

Jah joṫ saroopee joṫ sang samaavæ.

When the Embodiment of Light was immersed in His Own Light,

ਤਹ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਭੂਖ ਕਵਨੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵੈ ॥

Ṫah kisėh bʰookʰ kavan ṫaripṫaavæ.

then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?

ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੁ ॥

Karan karaavan karnæhaar.

He is the Cause of all causes, the Creator Lord.

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਹਿ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੪॥

Naanak karṫé kaa naahi sumaar. ||4||

O Nanak! The Creator is beyond calculation. ||4||

ਜਬ ਅਪਨੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਆਪਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥

Jab apnee sobʰaa aapan sang banaa▫ee.

When His Glory was contained within Himself,

ਤਬ ਕਵਨ ਮਾਇ ਬਾਪ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਭਾਈ ॥

Ṫab kavan maa▫é baap miṫar suṫ bʰaa▫ee.

then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling?

ਜਹ ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥

Jah sarab kalaa aapėh parbeen.

When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,

ਤਹ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਾ ਕੋਊ ਚੀਨ ॥

Ṫah béḋ kaṫéb kahaa ko▫oo cheen.

then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them?

ਜਬ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥

Jab aapan aap aap ur ḋʰaaræ.

When He kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart,

ਤਉ ਸਗਨ ਅਪਸਗਨ ਕਹਾ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥

Ṫa▫o sagan apasgan kahaa beechaaræ.

then who considered omens to be good or bad?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਊਚ ਆਪਨ ਆਪਿ ਨੇਰਾ ॥

Jah aapan ooch aapan aap néraa.

When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਚੇਰਾ ॥

Ṫah ka▫un tʰaakur ka▫un kahee▫æ chéraa.

then who was called master, and who was called disciple?

ਬਿਸਮਨ ਬਿਸਮ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਸਮਾਦ ॥

Bisman bisam rahé bismaaḋ.

We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord.

ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਨੀ ਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਆਪਿ ॥੫॥

Naanak apnee gaṫ jaanhu aap. ||5||

O Nanak! He alone knows His own state. ||5||

ਜਹ ਅਛਲ ਅਛੇਦ ਅਭੇਦ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥

Jah achʰal achʰéḋ abʰéḋ samaa▫i▫aa.

When the Undeceiveable, Impenetrable, Inscrutable One was self-absorbed,

ਊਹਾ ਕਿਸਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

Oohaa kisėh bi▫aapaṫ maa▫i▫aa.

then who was swayed by Maya?

ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥

Aapas ka▫o aapėh aaḋés.

When He paid homage to Himself,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਪਰਵੇਸੁ ॥

Ṫihu guṇ kaa naahee parvés.

then the three qualities were not prevailing.

ਜਹ ਏਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਏਕ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥

Jah ékėh ék ék bʰagvanṫaa.

When there was only the One, the One and Only Lord God,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਚਿੰਤਾ ॥

Ṫah ka▫un achinṫ kis laagæ chinṫaa.

then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?

ਜਹ ਆਪਨ ਆਪੁ ਆਪਿ ਪਤੀਆਰਾ ॥

Jah aapan aap aap paṫee▫aaraa.

When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,

ਤਹ ਕਉਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਕਉਨੁ ਸੁਨਨੈਹਾਰਾ ॥

Ṫah ka▫un kaṫʰæ ka▫un sunnæhaaraa.

then who spoke and who listened?

ਬਹੁ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਊਚ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

Baho bé▫anṫ ooch ṫé oochaa.

He is vast and infinite, the highest of the high.

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਆਪਹਿ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੬॥

Naanak aapas ka▫o aapėh pahoochaa. ||6||

O Nanak! He alone can reach Himself. ||6||

ਜਹ ਆਪਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਅਕਾਰੁ ॥

Jah aap rachi▫o parpanch akaar.

When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,

ਤਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥

Ṫihu guṇ mėh keeno bisṫʰaar.

he made the world subject to the three dispositions.

ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਤਹ ਭਈ ਕਹਾਵਤ ॥

Paap punn ṫah bʰa▫ee kahaavaṫ.

Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.

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