Salok Sehskritee, Salok 28 — Power Is Borrowed
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The kings of the earth are enjoying the gifts of good done long before.
But Nanak says: rulers with cruel minds, who crush the people, will suffer pain for a very long time.
Power is borrowed, and those who use it to crush people bring long pain on themselves.
Kings and rulers enjoy their comfort because of good done long before. They are spending a gift. They did not make it all by themselves.
Then the verse speaks plainly. Rulers with a cruel mind who crush people will suffer for a very long time. This is a teaching about fairness. It stands on the side of people who are pushed down. Misusing power does not simply get away free.
Think of the class captain. That role is a trust, not a prize to show off. Whatever power we have, over a younger kid or a game or a group, is for lifting others up.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
Where do you have a little bit of power over someone? Are you using it to lift them up or push them down?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI