[Transcribed Notes from Audio Recording which took place in Gurdwara Sahib Boston, Mass. in July 2005.]

“This is one of the original compositions, original tunes, of the Guru’s time. This shabad is compiled in ??? ???? ????? ????? ??/Siri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, under the subtitle of, “????? / Parrtaal“. All of the shabads that have the subtitle of ?????/Parrtaal, are very unique, and are very different from the rest of ???????/Gurbani. Their style of poetry is different. Thier style of singing is different. One thing that we must not forget is that ???????/Gurbani was sung first, written later. All the shabads which has “??? / Raag” on them, they were sung, and then written. So, when ???? ?????/Guru Sahib compiles Bani with the title of ????? / Parrtaal, as the name ?????/Parrtaal suggests, that the rhythm pattern changes within the composition. A Certain portion of that composition are in certain rhythm pattern. Even if we want to change it, we cannot change it because it will not fit in it. There is a natural rhythm of every poetry, and in the shabad of ????? / Parrtaal, we have to follow the natural rhythm of the Bani. That is what ???? ??? ??? ??/Guru Raam Daas Jee has introduced to mankind for the first time. You will not find ???????/Parrtaals of ???? ???? ??? ??/Guru Nanak Dev Jee, ???? ???? ??? ??/Guru Angad Dev Jee, ???? ??? ??? ??/Guru Amar Daas Jee… This was introduced by ???? ??? ??? ??/Guru Raam Daas Jee Maharaj. Then, you will also find Bani in Parrtaal, with the ????? / Parrtaal title, written by Guru Arjan Dev Jee also.

So, it is unique. It’s a different kind of poetry. It is all, rhythm. They are generally long sentences, of the shabad’s veechaar, under ????? / Parrtaal. But every sentence, every long sentence has got small portions which have thier own rhythm.

This is the ????? / Parrtaal of Raag Kanaaraa. Taal is Ada-chau Taalaa, 14 beats. And, there is a unique way of playing ????/Jori on this as well – it is OPEN-handed ????/Jori. Why I’m saying “????/Jori”, not “????/Tabla”, because, the main difference between ????/Jori and ????/Tablais the bigger drum. Tabla has got a duggi with black ink on it, and this [????/Jori] has a ?????/Dhaamaa, which has got ???/aataa (dough) put on it. It gives you a sound of ?????/Pakhawaj, which was originally used in the Guru’s time. So ????/Jori was the instrument that was introduced by Guru Sahib.

So let’s enjoy this ‘????? ?? ?????/Kannarray Kee Parrtaal’ – ??? ??? ????? ????? ?/ Har Jas Gaavoh Bhagvaan.”

- ??? 1297; ???? ??? ??? ??

Kaanraa, Fourth Mehla:
Sing the Praises of the Lord God.
Singing His Praises, sins are washed away.
Through the Word of the Guru’s Teachings, listen to His Praises with your ears.
The Lord shall be Merciful to you. ||1||Pause||
Your humble servants focus their consciousness and meditate on You with one-pointed mind;
those Holy beings find peace, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Treasure of Bliss.
They sing Your Praises, God, meeting with the Holy, the Holy people, and the Guru, the True Guru, O Lord God. ||1||
They alone obtain the fruit of peace, within whose hearts You, O my Lord and Master, abide.
They cross over the terrifying world-ocean – they are known as the Lord’s devotees.
Please enjoin me to their service, Lord, please enjoin me to their service.
O Lord God, You, You, You, You, You are the Lord of servant Nanak. ||2||6||12||

- ??? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ???? (Bhai Kultar Singh Avtar Singh Ragi)