Sikhism·Aasaa Kee Vaar·Aasaa Kee Vaar, Pauri 1
Verse 20 of 85

The One Is Reachable in the Light of Wisdom

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
pa-orhee.
Pauree:
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
bin satgur kinai na paa-i-o bin satgur kinai na paa-i-aa.
Without the True Guru, no one has obtained the Lord; without the True Guru, no one has obtained the Lord.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਪੁ ਰਖਿਓਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਆਖਿ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥
satgur vich aap rakhi-on kar pargat aakh sunaa-i-aa.
He has placed Himself within the True Guru; revealing Himself, He declares this openly.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਸਦਾ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥
satgur mili-ai sadaa mukat hai jin vichahu moh chukaa-i-aa.
Meeting the True Guru, eternal liberation is obtained; He has banished attachment from within.
ਉਤਮੁ ਏਹੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਚੇ ਸਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥
utam ayhu beechaar hai jin sachay si-o chit laa-i-aa.
This is the highest thought, that one's consciousness is attached to the True Lord.
ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੬॥
jagjeevan daataa paa-i-aa. ||6||
Thus the Lord of the World, the Great Giver is obtained. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

It's through true wisdom that the One becomes real to us — the One placed itself right there, in the light of the Guru.

Meeting it brings a lasting freedom, gently clearing out the heavy grip of attachment.

The One made itself reachable in the light of true wisdom — fasten your heart there, and freedom follows.
The deeper layer

The Pauree names where the One becomes findable: He has placed Himself within the True Guru, and reveals Himself openly there. The One isn't hiding; it made itself reachable, in the light of true wisdom, for anyone who comes. And what the meeting brings is eternal liberation — attachment banished from within — the loosening of the tight grip that keeps us anxious and stuck. The verse calls this the highest thought: to keep your heart attached to the True One. Simple, and the whole point: fasten your heart to what's real, and freedom follows.

A Question to Sit With

What does it feel like to be free of a tight, anxious grip on something?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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