Part 30 — Japji Sahib: Pricelessness
Pauri 26: Amul — the pricelessness that breaks the bargaining mind
Where we are in Japji
Pauri 25 centred everything on the Great Giver and the highest gift: sifat-salaah — praise that keeps the mind turned toward the One.
Now Pauri 26 deepens that by repeating one word again and again:
ਅਮੁਲ / Amul — priceless, beyond valuation.
Japji is not just saying “God is great.”
It is breaking the habit of pricing Reality by worldly measures.
Full pauri (Gurmukhi + Romanisation + Ang)
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji — Ang 5–6
Gurmukhi
ਅਮੁਲ ਗੁਣ ਅਮੁਲ ਵਾਪਾਰ ॥
ਅਮੁਲ ਵਾਪਾਰੀਏ ਅਮੁਲ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥
ਅਮੁਲ ਆਵਹਿ ਅਮੁਲ ਲੈ ਜਾਹਿ ॥
ਅਮੁਲ ਭਾਇ ਅਮੁਲਾ ਸਮਾਹਿ ॥
ਅਮੁਲੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਅਮੁਲੁ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥
ਅਮੁਲੁ ਤੁਲੁ ਅਮੁਲੁ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
ਅਮੁਲੁ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਅਮੁਲੁ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥
ਅਮੁਲੁ ਕਰਮੁ ਅਮੁਲੁ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ॥
ਅਮੁਲੋ ਅਮੁਲੁ ਆਖਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਆਖਿ ਆਖਿ ਰਹੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਵੇਦ ਪਾਠ ਪੁਰਾਣ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਪੜੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਵਖਿਆਣ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਬਰਮੇ ਆਖਹਿ ਇੰਦ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਗੋਪੀ ਤੈ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਈਸਰ ਆਖਹਿ ਸਿਧ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਬੁਧ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਦਾਨਵ ਆਖਹਿ ਦੇਵ ॥
ਆਖਹਿ ਸੁਰਿ ਨਰ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨ ਸੇਵ ॥
ਕੇਤੇ ਆਖਹਿ ਆਖਣਿ ਪਾਹਿ ॥
ਕੇਤੇ ਕਹਿ ਕਹਿ ਉਠਿ ਉਠਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥
ਏਤੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਹੋਰਿ ਕਰੇਹਿ ॥
ਤਾ ਆਖਿ ਨ ਸਕਹਿ ਕੇਈ ਕੇਇ ॥
ਜੇਵਡੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤੇਵਡੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਾਣੈ ਸਾਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਜੇ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਬੋਲੁਵਿਗਾੜੁ ॥
ਤਾ ਲਿਖੀਐ ਸਿਰਿ ਗਾਵਾਰਾ ਗਾਵਾਰੁ ॥੨੬॥
Romanisation (learning aid)
amul gun amul vaapaar ||
amul vaapaariye amul bhandaar ||
amul aavahi amul lai jaahi ||
amul bhaae amulaa samaahi ||
amul dharam amul deebaan ||
amul tul amul parvaan ||
amul bakhsees amul neesaan ||
amul karam amul furmaan ||
amulo amul aakhiaa na jaai ||
aakh aakh rahe liv laai ||
aakhahi ved paath puraan ||
aakhahi parhe karahi vakhiaan ||
aakhahi barme aakhahi ind ||
aakhahi gopi tai govind ||
aakhahi eesar aakhahi sidh ||
aakhahi kete keete budh ||
aakhahi daanav aakhahi dev ||
aakhahi sur nar mun jan sev ||
kete aakhahi aakhan paahi ||
kete kahi kahi uth uth jaahi ||
ete keete hor karehi ||
taa aakh na sakahi ke-ee ke-e ||
jevad bhaavai tevad hoi ||
naanak jaanai saachaa soi ||
je ko aakhai boluvigaar ||
taa likheeai sir gaavaaraa gaavaar ||26||
Plain-English sense rendering
(A learning aid — not a “final translation.”)
The Divine virtues are priceless.
The “trade” in those virtues is priceless.
Those who come for this trade are priceless.
Those who carry it away are priceless.
Love for the One is priceless. Absorption in the One is priceless.
The Divine order is priceless.
The Divine court is priceless.
The scales and the measures are priceless.
Grace is priceless. The signs of grace are priceless.
Mercy is priceless. Command is priceless.
And still — even after saying “priceless” again and again — it cannot finally be said.
People speak of the One from every angle:
scriptures, scholars, Brahmas, Indras, Gopis, Govinds, Shiva, Siddhas, Buddhas, devas, danavas, sages, servants.
Many try to speak.
Many speak and then depart.
And even if the One created as many more as already exist,
they still would not finish describing the One.
The One is only as great as the One wills to be.
The True One alone truly knows.
And if someone claims they can fully state it —
Japji says bluntly: write them down as a fool among fools.
Learning focus
1) Stop pricing Reality by worldly logic
Japji repeats Amul until the mind’s calculating habit breaks.
What can I gain?
What is this worth?
What will I get back?
Pauri 26 says: the deepest things cannot be valued like merchandise.
2) Even the spiritual “system” is beyond price
Not only virtues and love — but also:
dharam,
the Divine court,
the scales,
grace,
mercy,
command.
Japji is telling you:
the whole field is beyond ego’s accounting.
3) Many speak — none can finish
This is not anti-learning.
It is anti-arrogance.
Texts speak. Teachers speak. Mythic figures speak. Seekers speak.
Still, the Infinite is not exhausted.
4) The final warning is against spiritual over-speaking
The line about boluvigaar is sharp on purpose.
The person who claims, “I can define it completely,” is not deep.
They are loud.
And Japji calls that what it is: folly.
Key word reminders
Amul: priceless, beyond valuation
Dharam: Divine order / law / truth-aligned reality
Deebaan: court, royal assembly, Divine court
Bakhsees: grace, blessing
Karam here: mercy / gracious giving
Furmaan: Divine command, ordinance
Boluvigaar: over-talker, loud claimant, spiritual boaster
One Anchor
What is priceless cannot be priced by my ego.
10-second practice
For ten seconds, ask:
What do I only value when it produces visible results, status, or control?
Then quietly say once:
Amul.
And choose one act today that you do:
without calculating return,
without needing to be seen,
without turning it into performance.
Verify
SGGS location: Ang 5–6 (Japji Sahib, Pauri 26)
Pauri begins: "ਅਮੁਲ ਗੁਣ ਅਮੁਲ ਵਾਪਾਰ ॥"
Pauri ends: "ਤਾ ਲਿਖੀਐ ਸਿਰਿ ਗਾਵਾਰਾ ਗਾਵਾਰੁ ॥੨੬॥"
Cross-check instruction:
Open Ang 5 and Ang 6 on two independent SGGS databases and compare the Gurmukhi character-for-character.
Confirm that:
Pauri 25 ends immediately before with ॥੨੫॥
Pauri 26 contains these twenty-six lines exactly
The pauri spans the Ang 5–6 page break (verify the exact break point against an SGPC-standard saroop)
Pauri 27 begins immediately after with "ਸੋ ਦਰੁ ਕੇਹਾ ਸੋ ਘਰੁ ਕੇਹਾ…"
If you ever spot a mismatch (Gurmukhi, Romanisation, or Ang), correct it publicly and calmly.
Next post teaser
Next is Pauri 27 (Part 31) — So Dar:
Japji turns from “priceless” to the question of the Divine Court and Dwelling —
and then opens into a great vision of cosmic praise, where all creation sings.