Salok Sehskritee, Salok 44 — Six Marks of a Holy Friend
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
With the mantra of the Naam, "Raam, Raam," they meditate on the One who fills everything.
They have the wisdom to see joy and pain alike. They live a clean life, with no wish for revenge.
They are kind to every living being, and they have overcome the five thieves inside — selfish wanting, anger, greed, clinging and ego.
Singing the praise of the Lord of the World is their food. The pull of maya, the things that do not last, barely touches them, like a lotus that stays dry on the water.
They share the teaching with friend and enemy alike, and they love to worship the One.
They do not listen to people putting others down. They let go of pride and become like the dust under everyone's feet.
Nanak says: whoever has these six marks is called a holy friend.
A holy friend, a saadh, is steady, kind, untouched by greed, generous with what they know, and humble.
The marks, one by one. One: they stay steady in good times and bad. Two: they are kind to every living thing. Three: they have mastered the five inner thieves, like greed and anger. Four: praise of the One is their food, and they stay untouched by maya, the pull of things that do not last. They are like a lotus that sits on water and stays dry.
Five: they share what they know with friend and enemy alike. Six: they do not listen to gossip. They let go of pride and become "the dust of all." That means deep humility, like the ground everyone walks on. It does not mean thinking badly of yourself.
These are not a list for perfect people. They are habits, like skills in a sport. Anyone can practice them, one at a time.
Which of these six — staying steady, being kind, not grabbing, sharing, no gossip, staying humble — could you practice most this week?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI