musalmaanaa sifat saree-at parh parh karahi beechaar.
The Muslims praise the Islamic law; they read and reflect upon it.
ਬੰਦੇ ਸੇ ਜਿ ਪਵਹਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਬੰਦੀ ਵੇਖਣ ਕਉ ਦੀਦਾਰੁ ॥
banday say je paveh vich bandee vaykhan ka-o deedaar.
The Lord's bound servants are those who bind themselves to see the Lord's Vision.
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਾਲਾਹਨਿ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥
hindoo saalaahee saalaahan darsan roop apaar.
The Hindus praise the Praiseworthy Lord; the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, His form is incomparable.
ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਵਹਿ ਅਰਚਾ ਪੂਜਾ ਅਗਰ ਵਾਸੁ ਬਹਕਾਰੁ ॥
tirath naaveh archaa poojaa agar vaas behkaar.
They bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, making offerings of flowers, and burning incense before idols.
ਜੋਗੀ ਸੁੰਨਿ ਧਿਆਵਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਜੇਤੇ ਅਲਖ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥
jogee sunn Dhi-aavniH jaytay alakh naam kartaar.
The Yogis meditate on the absolute Lord there; they call the Creator the Unseen Lord.
ਸੂਖਮ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਕਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥
sookham moorat naam niranjan kaa-i-aa kaa aakaar.
But to the subtle image of the Immaculate Name, they apply the form of a body.
ਸਤੀਆ ਮਨਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਦੇਣੈ ਕੈ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥
satee-aa man santokh upjai daynai kai veechaar.
In the minds of the virtuous, contentment is produced, thinking about their giving.
ਦੇ ਦੇ ਮੰਗਹਿ ਸਹਸਾ ਗੂਣਾ ਸੋਭ ਕਰੇ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥
day day mangeh sahsaa goonaa sobh karay sansaar.
They give and give, but ask a thousand-fold more, and hope that the world will honor them.
ਚੋਰਾ ਜਾਰਾ ਤੈ ਕੂੜਿਆਰਾ ਖਾਰਾਬਾ ਵੇਕਾਰ ॥
choraa jaaraa tai koorhi-aaraa khaaraabaa vaykaar.
The thieves, adulterers, perjurers, evil-doers and sinners
ਇਕਿ ਹੋਦਾ ਖਾਇ ਚਲਹਿ ਐਥਾਊ ਤਿਨਾ ਭਿ ਕਾਈ ਕਾਰ ॥
ik hodaa khaa-ay chaleh aithaa-oo tinaa bhe kaa-ee kaar.
- after using up what good karma they had, they depart; have they done any good deeds here at all?
ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਜੀਆ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਲੋਆ ਆਕਾਰਾ ਆਕਾਰ ॥
jal thal jee-aa puree-aa lo-aa aakaaraa aakaar.
There are beings and creatures in the water and on the land, in the worlds and universes, form upon form.
ਓਇ ਜਿ ਆਖਹਿ ਸੁ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਤਿਨਾ ਭਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਾਰ ॥
o-ay je aakhahi so tooNhai jaaneh tinaa bhe tayree saar.
Whatever they say, You know; You care for them all.
ਨਾਨਕ ਭਗਤਾ ਭੁਖ ਸਾਲਾਹਣੁ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥
naanak bhagtaa bhukh saalaahan sach naam aaDhaar.
O Nanak, the hunger of the devotees is to praise You; the True Name is their only support.
ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੁਣਵੰਤਿਆ ਪਾ ਛਾਰੁ ॥੧॥
sadaa anand raheh din raatee gunvanti-aa paa chhaar. ||1||
They live in eternal bliss, day and night; they are the dust of the feet of the virtuous. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In plain words
The Muslims honor their sacred law. The Hindus honor their worship and holy places. The Yogis honor their deep meditation. Each reaches toward the One in their own way.
Some give and give, but hope for a thousand times more, and for the world to praise them. Some do wrong, and leave having done no good at all.
Creatures in water and on land, form upon form: whatever they say, You know, and You care for them all.
But the truest heart, whatever its tradition, simply hungers to love and praise the One. It finds its whole joy and support in that.
Different faiths reach toward the One in different ways — and the sincere heart of every one of them simply longs to love the One.
The deeper layer
Guru Nanak looks at people of several faiths, speaks of each with respect, and finds the same longing in every sincere heart.
He describes each path fairly. Musalmaanaa sifat saree-at — Muslims praise their sacred law, the Shariat, and study it closely. Hindus praise the One whose form has no equal. They bathe at holy places and make offerings. Yogis sit in deep stillness and call the Creator the Unseen One. Each is named as a real way of reaching.
The verse also notes, gently, that any path can go wrong. Some give and give, but hope for a thousand times more, and for the world to praise them. Some do wrong and leave having done no good. That failing belongs to people, never to one faith.
And the One knows and cares for every creature, on land and in water, whatever they say.
Then it lands on what joins the sincere of every path. Naanak bhagtaa bhukh saalaahan — the devotees' hunger is to praise the One. The True Name holds them up, and they live in joy day and night.
Think of many languages all saying "thank you." The words sound different. The heart is the same. For a child growing up among many faiths, this teaches respect for all of them, and points to the shared heart underneath: sincere love of the One.
A Question to Sit With
How can people of very different religions all be reaching toward the same One?
