I was researching what a chakvi bird was as it came up in this pangtee i was reading
and i found this excellent post on birds in gurbanee.
StorkThe modern name for this creature is "lamdhing"
The stork is another bird in Gurbani that does not fare well. It is considered, much like the crane and the heron, to be a spiritual pretender, a fraud. Poor stork!
ਇਕਿਅਪਣੈਸੁਆਇਆਇਬਹਹਿਗੁਰਆਗੈਜਿਉਬਗੁਲਸਮਾਧਿਲਗਾਈਐ ॥੩॥
Some come for their own purposes, and sit before the Guru; they pretend to be in Samaadhi, like storks with their eyes closed.
The sparrow hawk.The hawk is mentioned only 5 times in Gurbani.
ਸੀਚਾਨੇਜਿਉਪੰਖੀਆਜਾਲੀਬਧਿਕਹਾਥਿ ॥
ਗੁਰਿਰਾਖੇਸੇਉਬਰੇਹੋਰਿਫਾਥੇਚੋਗੈਸਾਥਿ ॥
Think of the hawk preying on the birds, and the net in the hands of the hunter.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved; the others are caught by the bait.
The OwlThe owl is mentioned only one time by Guruji. In the Western tradition, the owl symbolizes wisdom, a keeness of sight perhaps the basis for this belief. Thus, going far back into pagan times and even today, the owl is understood to be a familiar of other planes of knowledge. An owl might be the companion of a witch, sorcerer or shaman. We say "wise as an owl."
However, in Gurbani the owl is seen quite differently. The owl is not seen as wise.
ਸੰਪਤਦੋਲਝੋਲਸੰਗਿਝੂਲਤਮਾਇਆਮਗਨਭ੍ਰਮਤਘੁਘਨਾ ॥
You swing in the swing of wealth, intoxicated with Maya, and you wander around like an owl.
In the old Punjab, to see an owl perched on the rooftop of a house or on a tree nearby was considered to be a bad omen, perhaps even predicting a death, but certainly indicating that the events of the day would come to a sad end.
The CraneThe crane stands on one leg so gingerly and with such focus and concentration. Guru Nanak Dev often compared the crane to a sidh who stood on one leg in focused meditation.
ਉਦਕਮਾਹਿਜੈਸਬਗੁਧਿਆਨੁਮਾਡੈ ॥੧॥
The heron appears to be meditating, but it is concentrating on the water.
The PeacockThe Peacock -- a member of the chatrik family -- she touches the feet of her husband lord when she greets him in the morning. Peacocks are symbol of compassion, detachment and spiritual craving in the Bhuddist tradition. In the Vedantic tradition peacocks pulled the chariot of Lord Krishna.
ਪੀਤਬਸਨਕੁੰਦਦਸਨਪ੍ਰਿਆਸਹਿਤਕੰਠਮਾਲਮੁਕਟੁਸੀਸਿਮੋਰਪੰਖਚਾਹਿਜੀਉ ॥
As Krishna, You wear yellow robes, with teeth like jasmine flowers; You dwell with Your lovers, with Your mala around Your neck, and You joyfully adorn Your head with the crown of peacock feathers.
"The peacock's beautiful and distinctive colouring is said to be a gift from the god, Indra. One day the King of Gods was doing battle with Ravana, the Demon King. The peacock, which in those days resembled his plain brown hen, took pity on Indra and raised its tail to form a blind or screen behind which Indra could hide himself. As a reward for this act of compassion, the bird was honored with the jewel-like blue-green plumage that it bears to this day....
Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu who is God-as-the-one-responding -to-devotion, is also depicted in the company of peacocks. One of Krishna's roles is as the irresistible divine suitor.
The Indian Vulture.n the United States, the species of vulture we have here is called Cathares aura or "the golden purifier." Among the aboriginal or native American peoples, the vulture is a power animal, one that uses the energy of the earth to sail in the sky and to pull away from the forces of gravity.
The vulture cleans the earth of carrion and death, and never kills to feed itself.
ਜਿਥੈਡਿਠਾਮਿਰਤਕੋਇਲਬਹਿਠੀਆਇ ॥੨॥
wherever the vulture sees a dead body, he flies down and lands.
In many other religions, the vulture is not a symbol of something disgusting. Rather it symbolizes purification. To dream of a vulture is considered a positive omen. The vulture indicates that all that is rotten in the core of the self will be eaten away.
House CrowThe house crow. In the Punjab, these crows sit in groups on the rooftops of village houses. Although a familiar sight in the villages, in Gurbani, the crow is the symbol of spiritual doubt. And Guruji often compares the crow to those spiritually lost who wander from one deserted house to another.
ਕਿਆਹੰਸੁਕਿਆਬਗੁਲਾਜਾਕਉਨਦਰਿਕਰੇਇ ॥
ਜੋਤਿਸੁਭਾਵੈਨਾਨਕਾਕਾਗਹੁਹੰਸੁਕਰੇਇ ॥੨॥
Which is the swan, and which is the crane? It is only by His Glance of Grace.
Whoever is pleasing to Him, O Nanak, is transformed from a crow into a swan.
Chatrik FamilyThe Hawk-Cuckoo, this bird is also a member of the chatrik family.
The chatriks of Gurbani are a family of songbirds that include the peafowl, nightingale, cuckoo and kohel.
Sheldrake/Chakvi DuckIn Gurbani, the chakvi duck is connected to a Hindu legend. Hindu legend says that the male and female cry all night for one another, and only become content when they meet again in the morning. This was the result of a sorcerer's curse on a princess and her forbidden lover. At night the male and female sleep apart on opposite banks of the river or pond. When the sun rises they are united.
ਕਬੀਰਚਕਈਜਉਨਿਸਿਬੀਛੁਰੈਆਇਮਿਲੈਪਰਭਾਤਿ ॥
ਅਨਿਕਸੂਖਚਕਵੀਨਹੀਚਾਹਤਅਨਦਪੂਰਨਪੇਖਿਦੇਂਹ ॥
Kabeer, the chakvi duck is separated from her love through the night, but in the morning, she meets him again.
The chakvi duck does not desire many comforts, but it is filled with bliss upon seeing the dawn
The "white" falcon of Sri Guru Gobind Singh was actually the GyrFalcon or Gray Falcon, in old Punjabi "baaj."
"Once Guru Gobind Singh Ji was in the forest and he let the baaj fly off towards a small animal scurrying about in the undergrowth. The baaj caught the animal and flew back to the Guru. It tore at the animal and fed on it. The accompanying Sikhs were taken aback by this incident and asked Guru Ji to explain. “In a previous time the baaj and this animal were friends. The one who is now dead asked for a loan and swearing on the Almightys name said that he would pay it back. He was devious and never did return it, so this is payback time.” In this incident Guru Ji enlightened his Sikhs that if you take something that is not yours or promise to return it then you will be held to that promise no matter what.
'The most significant story concerning the baaj is in 1699 when Guru Sahib Ji had created Amrit (holy nector) for the precise purpose of creating the Khalsa brotherhood. A few drops of Amrit had fallen from the iron cauldron, which were readily consumed by a few sparrows. The sparrows turned onto the baaj and repeatedly assaulted him to such an extent that he had to take flight, followed vigorously by the sparrows. This incident showed the Sikhs that the Amrit created by the Tenth Guru had immense power, after drinking a few drops a small sparrow not only had the courage to take on a bird of prey but to harassed it until it took flight and fled. Guru Gobind Singh Ji said “I will create my Khalsa of such courage and vigour that he will take on armies of the enemy, he will stand up for the poor and the downtrodden – Sava Lakh say ek ladaho (One will confront a lakh and a quarter of the enemy)”
'In 1984 amongst the turmoil and terrible fate of so many Sikhs a white baaj appeared, seen by many it circled and perched on a branch, telling the Sikhs that the Guru was with them.
'From time to time a white baaj is seen in the mountains of the Himalayas in the surrounding areas of Hemkund Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh Ji performed much hard meditation to merge with the Almighty. "
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
