Kuchajee

Kuchajee or Kuchaji is a part of raag bani. Kuchajee means a ignoble & ungraceful bride. Here the guru treats lord as husband and human as his bride who is not graceful(i.e Suchajee). This bani shows the attitude of igNoble & unGraceful women towards their husband i.e lord. It was written by Guru Nanak Dev Ji & it is written In raag Suhi. It is on page 762, starts from line 5th with one stanza.

Kuchaji, lit. an awkward, illmannered woman, is the title of one of GURU NANAK`s compositions, in measure Suhi in the Guru GRANTH Sahib. Antithetically it is followed by another of his compositions called Suchaji (lit. a woman of good manner and accomplishment). KuchaJi verses are said to have been addressed, by the Guru, to a sorceress named Nurshah, of Kamiup, who used to entice men by her magical powers. But the contents belie the conjecture. Whatever the occasion of this composition, it is a graceful poem expressing the emotions of a repentant person, who is figuratively called kuchajjihere (ku is a prefix meaning ill or contrary, chajj meaning manner or style, with 1 being the suffix of feminine singular). Speaking in the first person kuchajjl repents for being an undeserving bride of the Lord God. In SIKH hymnology, the devotee is often presented in the image of the bride, God in that of the bridegroom. The repentant devotee in Kuchaji regrets being unworthy of the Lord. She realizes that she is full of faults, unredeemed by any virtues. She has been lured all the time by material gifts, remaining completely oblivious of the Giver. What is worse, she comprehended not her shortcomings. Now recounting her faults and failures, she expresses the hope that, in spite of what she has been, the Lord God might still, in His mercy, admit her into His company. Kuchaji is the first of three compositions in a scries in measure Suhi in the Guru Granth Sahib. The other two arc Suchaji by Guru Nanak and Gunvanli by Guru ARJAN. All three are notable for their lyricism and music and for their devotional ardour.

The Bani is here under:

ਰਾਗ੝ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਕ੝ਚਜੀ
रागढ़ सूही महला १ कढ़चजी
Rĝg sūhī mehlĝ 1 kucẖjī
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Kuchajee ~ The Ungraceful Bride:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ ਪ੝ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगढ़र पढ़रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkĝr saṯgur parsĝḝ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਮੰਞ੝ ਕ੝ਚਜੀ ਅੰਮਾਵਣਿ ਡੋਸੜੇ ਹਉ ਕਿਉ ਸਹ੝ ਰਾਵਣਿ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥
मंञढ़ कढ़चजी अमावणि डोसड़े हउ किउ सहढ़ रावणि जाउ जीउ ॥
Mañ kucẖjī ammĝvaṇ dosṛė hao kio saho rĝvaṇ jĝo jīo.
I am ungraceful and ill-mannered, full of endless faults. How can I go to enjoy my Husband Lord?

ਇਕ ਦੂ ਇਕਿ ਚੜੰਦੀਆ ਕਉਣ੝ ਜਾਣੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥
इक दू इकि चड़ंदीआ कउणढ़ जाणै मेरा नाउ जीउ ॥
Ik ḝū ik cẖaṛanḝīĝ kauṇ jĝṇai mėrĝ nĝo jīo.
Each of His soul-brides is better than the rest - who even knows my name?

ਜਿਨ੝ਹ੝ਹੀ ਸਖੀ ਸਹ੝ ਰਾਵਿਆ ਸੇ ਅੰਬੀ ਛਾਵੜੀਝਹਿ ਜੀਉ ॥
जिनढ़ही सखी सहढ़ राविआ से अढ़मबी छावड़ीझहि जीउ ॥
Jinĥī sakẖī saho rĝviĝ sė ambī cẖẖĝvṛīėhi jīo.
Those brides who enjoy their Husband Lord are very blessed, resting in the shade of the mango tree.

ਸੇ ਗ੝ਣ ਮੰਞ੝ ਨ ਆਵਨੀ ਹਉ ਕੈ ਜੀ ਦੋਸ ਧਰੇਉ ਜੀਉ ॥
से गढ़ण मंञढ़ न आवनी हउ कै जी दोस धरेउ जीउ ॥
Sė guṇ mañ na ĝvnī hao kai jī ḝos ḝẖarėo jīo.
I do not have their virtue - who can I blame for this?

ਕਿਆ ਗ੝ਣ ਤੇਰੇ ਵਿਥਰਾ ਹਉ ਕਿਆ ਕਿਆ ਘਿਨਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥
किआ गढ़ण तेरे विथरा हउ किआ किआ घिना तेरा नाउ जीउ ॥
Kiĝ guṇ ṯėrė vithrĝ hao kiĝ kiĝ gẖinĝ ṯėrĝ nĝo jīo.
Which of Your Virtues, O Lord, should I speak of? Which of Your Names should I chant?

ਇਕਤ੝ ਟੋਲਿ ਨ ਅੰਬੜਾ ਹਉ ਸਦ ਕ੝ਰਬਾਣੈ ਤੇਰੈ ਜਾਉ ਜੀਉ ॥
इकतढ़ टोलि न अढ़मबड़ा हउ सद कढ़रबाणै तेरै जाउ जीउ ॥
Ikaṯ tol na ambṛĝ hao saḝ kurbĝṇai ṯėrai jĝo jīo.
I cannot even reach one of Your Virtues. I am forever a sacrifice to You.

ਸ੝ਇਨਾ ਰ੝ਪਾ ਰੰਗ੝ਲਾ ਮੋਤੀ ਤੈ ਮਾਣਿਕ੝ ਜੀਉ ॥
सढ़इना रढ़पा रंगढ़ला मोती तै माणिकढ़ जीउ ॥
Suinĝ rupĝ rangulĝ moṯī ṯai mĝṇik jīo.
Gold, silver, pearls and rubies are pleasing.

ਸੇ ਵਸਤੂ ਸਹਿ ਦਿਤੀਆ ਮੈ ਤਿਨ੝ਹ੝ਹ ਸਿਉ ਲਾਇਆ ਚਿਤ੝ ਜੀਉ ॥
से वसतू सहि दितीआ मै तिनढ़ह सिउ लाइआ चितढ़ जीउ ॥
Sė vasṯū seh ḝiṯīĝ mai ṯinĥ sio lĝiĝ cẖiṯ jīo.
My Husband Lord has blessed me with these things, and I have focused my thoughts on them.

ਮੰਦਰ ਮਿਟੀ ਸੰਦੜੇ ਪਥਰ ਕੀਤੇ ਰਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥
मंदर मिटी संदड़े पथर कीते रासि जीउ ॥
Manḝar mitī sanḝṛė pathar kīṯė rĝs jīo.
Palaces of brick and mud are built and decorated with stones;

ਹਉ ਝਨੀ ਟੋਲੀ ਭ੝ਲੀਅਸ੝ ਤਿਸ੝ ਕੰਤ ਨ ਬੈਠੀ ਪਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥
हउ झनी टोली भढ़लीअसढ़ तिसढ़ कंत न बैठी पासि जीउ ॥
Hao ėnī tolī bẖulīas ṯis kanṯ na baiṯẖī pĝs jīo.
I have been fooled by these decorations, and I do not sit near my Husband Lord.

ਅੰਬਰਿ ਕੂੰਜਾ ਕ੝ਰਲੀਆ ਬਗ ਬਹਿਠੇ ਆਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
अढ़मबरि कूंजा कढ़रलीआ बग बहिठे आइ जीउ ॥
Ambar kūnjĝ kurlīĝ bag bahiṯẖė ĝė jīo.
The cranes shriek overhead in the sky, and the herons have come to rest.

ਸਾ ਧਨ ਚਲੀ ਸਾਹ੝ਰੈ ਕਿਆ ਮ੝ਹ੝ ਦੇਸੀ ਅਗੈ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
सा धन चली साहढ़रै किआ मढ़हढ़ देसी अगै जाइ जीउ ॥
Sĝ ḝẖan cẖalī sĝhurai kiĝ muhu ḝėsī agai jĝė jīo.
The bride has gone to her father-in-law's house; in the world hereafter, what face will she show?

ਸ੝ਤੀ ਸ੝ਤੀ ਝਾਲ੝ ਥੀਆ ਭ੝ਲੀ ਵਾਟੜੀਆਸ੝ ਜੀਉ ॥
सढ़ती सढ़ती झालढ़ थीआ भढ़ली वाटड़ीआसढ़ जीउ ॥
Suṯī suṯī jẖĝl thīĝ bẖulī vĝtṛīĝs jīo.
She kept sleeping as the day dawned; she forgot all about her journey.

ਤੈ ਸਹ ਨਾਲਹ੝ ਮ੝ਤੀਅਸ੝ ਦ੝ਖਾ ਕੂੰ ਧਰੀਆਸ੝ ਜੀਉ ॥
तै सह नालहढ़ मढ़तीअसढ़ दढ़खा कूं धरीआसढ़ जीउ ॥
Ŧai sah nĝlahu muṯīas ḝukẖĝ kūʼn ḝẖarīĝs jīo.
She separated herself from her Husband Lord, and now she suffers in pain.

ਤ੝ਧ੝ ਗ੝ਣ ਮੈ ਸਭਿ ਅਵਗਣਾ ਇਕ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥
तढ़धढ़ गढ़ण मै सभि अवगणा इक नानक की अरदासि जीउ ॥
Ŧuḝẖ guṇ mai sabẖ avgaṇĝ ik Nĝnak kī arḝĝs jīo.
Virtue is in You, O Lord; I am totally without virtue. This is Nanak's only prayer:

ਸਭਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਸੋਹਾਗਣੀ ਮੈ ਡੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਕਾਈ ਰਾਤਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥
सभि राती सोहागणी मै डोहागणि काई राति जीउ ॥१॥
Sabẖ rĝṯī sohĝgaṇī mai dohĝgaṇ kĝī rĝṯ jīo. ||1||
You give all Your nights to the virtuous soul-brides. I know I am unworthy, but isn't there a night for me as well? ||1||