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Sikhism·Aasaa Kee Vaar·Aasaa Kee Vaar, Pauri 1
Verse 24 of 85

No Outward Badge Matters Without Love in the Heart

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੧ ॥
salok mehlaa 1.
Shalok, First Mehl:
ਪੁਰਖਾਂ ਬਿਰਖਾਂ ਤੀਰਥਾਂ ਤਟਾਂ ਮੇਘਾਂ ਖੇਤਾਂਹ ॥
purkhaaN birkhaaN teerthaaN tataaN mayghaaN khaytaaNh.
Men, trees, sacred shrines of pilgrimage, banks of sacred rivers, clouds, fields,
ਦੀਪਾਂ ਲੋਆਂ ਮੰਡਲਾਂ ਖੰਡਾਂ ਵਰਭੰਡਾਂਹ ॥
deepaaN lo-aaN mandlaaN khandaaN varbhandaaNh.
islands, continents, worlds, solar systems, and universes;
ਅੰਡਜ ਜੇਰਜ ਉਤਭੁਜਾਂ ਖਾਣੀ ਸੇਤਜਾਂਹ ॥
andaj jayraj ut-bhujaaN khaanee saytjaaNh.
the four sources of creation - born of eggs, born of the womb, born of the earth and born of sweat;
ਸੋ ਮਿਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਰਾਂ ਮੇਰਾਂ ਜੰਤਾਹ ॥
so mit jaanai naankaa saraaN mayraaN jantaah.
oceans, mountains, and all beings - O Nanak, He alone knows their condition.
ਨਾਨਕ ਜੰਤ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਸੰਮਾਲੇ ਸਭਨਾਹ ॥
naanak jant upaa-ay kai sammaalay sabhnaah.
O Nanak, having created the living beings, He cherishes them all.
ਜਿਨਿ ਕਰਤੈ ਕਰਣਾ ਕੀਆ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਭਿ ਕਰਣੀ ਤਾਹ ॥
jin kartai karnaa kee-aa chintaa bhe karnee taah.
The Creator who created the creation, takes care of it as well.
ਸੋ ਕਰਤਾ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਨਿ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਜਗੁ ॥
so kartaa chintaa karay jin upaa-i-aa jag.
He, the Creator who formed the world, cares for it.
ਤਿਸੁ ਜੋਹਾਰੀ ਸੁਅਸਤਿ ਤਿਸੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ਅਭਗੁ ॥
tis johaaree su-asat tis tis deebaan abhag.
Unto Him I bow and offer my reverence; His Royal Court is eternal.
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੇ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਕਿਆ ਟਿਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਤਗੁ ॥੧॥
naanak sachay naam bin ki-aa tikaa ki-aa tag. ||1||
O Nanak, without the True Name, of what use is the frontal mark of the Hindus, or their sacred thread? ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Every creature there is — born from eggs, from wombs, from the earth, from moisture — the whole vast web of life, the One knows and cares for each.

The Maker who made it all looks after it all. And no outward religious badge means much without real love of the One in your heart.

The Maker knows and cares for every creature — and no outward badge matters without real love in the heart.
The deeper layer

The shalok sweeps across all of creation — people, trees, rivers, worlds, and the four ways living things are born (from eggs, wombs, the earth, and moisture) — and makes one tender claim: the Creator who made them all cherishes them all. Nothing is too small or strange to be cared for. Then it turns to a gentle critique of external religious marks — the frontal mark, the sacred thread — saying they mean little without the True Name, real love in the heart. It's the Vaar's steady theme: the badge doesn't make you holy; the love does. What matters is not the mark on your forehead but the One in your heart.

A Question to Sit With

What matters more — looking the part, or actually having a good and loving heart?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 23 of 85 Rest in a Forgiving One and Grow Forgiving
Verse 25 of 85 →You Can't Earn Being Loved; Love Comes First
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