Mul Mantra - 1 Hour by Shivpreet Singh

From the Guru Nanak's Elemental Meditation album

This is a Mool Mantra in a 18 beat cycle #GuruNanak550. It was recorded as part of a year long 550th birthday celebrations for Guru Nanak. I published this 18 beat cycle Mul Mantra in an album and just looped it to make it 1 hour long. The translation on the screen is simplistic at best; the true meaning of the Mul Mantra comes clear only through long-term meditation.

It is said that the Mul Mantar was the first composition of Guru Nanak Dev Ji - however, some say it was one of his final compositions that he did at Kartarpur. The Guru Granth Sahib has 32 occurrences of the Mool Mantra - once at the beginning, and once each at the beginning of each of the 31 raagas in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Transliteration -

Ek Oaʼnkār saṯnām karṯā purakẖ
nirbẖa▫o nirvair akāl mūraṯ
ajūnī saibẖaʼn gur parsāḏ.

एक ओँकार सतनाम करता पुरख
निरभौ निरवैर अकाल मूरत
अजूनी सैभं गुर प्रसाद ॥

Ik or Ek - There is ONE(Ik) reality, the origin and the source of everything. The creation did not come out of nothing. When there was nothing, there was ONE, Ik.

Onkaar- When Ik becomes the creative principal it becomes Onkaar. Onkaar manifests as visible and invisible phenomenon. The creative principle is not separated from the created, it is present throughout the creation in an unbroken form, 'kaar'.

Satnaam- The sustaining principle of Ik is Satnaam, the True Name, True Name.

Kartaa Purakh- Ik Onkaar is Creator and Doer (Kartaa) of everything, all the seen and unseen phenomenon. It is not just a law or a system, it is a Purakh, a Person.

Nirbhau- That Ik Onkaar is devoid of any fear, because there is nothing but itself.

Nirvair- That Ik Onkaar is devoid of any enmity because there is nothing but itself.

Akaal Moorat- That Ik Onkaar is beyond Time (Akaal) and yet it is existing. Its a Form(Moorat) which does not exist in Time.

Ajooni- That Ik Onkaar does not condense and come into any birth. All the phenomenon of birth and death of forms are within it.

Saibhang- That Ik Onkaar exists on its own, by its own. It is not caused by anything before it or beyond it.

Gurprasaad- That Ik Onkaar is expresses itself through a channel known as Guru and it is only its own Grace and Mercy (Prasaad) that this happens.


Alternative Translation -
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified.
No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying,
Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace ~

ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ
ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ

One Vibration, True Name, Ultimate Doer
Fearless, Foeless, Timeless
Constant, Self-Existent, Guru's Grace