Savaiye in praise of Guru Ram Das, Verse 7 — when the Guru is on your side
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When the Guru is on your side, why be proud of wealth?
When the Guru is on your side, what could a hundred thousand helpers add?
When the Guru is on your side, your wisdom and your meditation rest on no one else.
When the Guru is on your side, you live by the Word and the teaching, and you stay in the home of Truth.
The humble bard prays: whoever repeats "Guru, Guru" day and night,
whoever keeps the Guru's Naam in the heart, is free of both birth and death.
With the Guru on your side, you don't need to lean on anything else.
Jaam guroo ho-ay val means "when the Guru is on your side." The line comes back four times, like a chorus. Each time it sets something aside.
Wealth? Then why be proud of it. A hundred thousand supporters? What would they add. Wisdom and calm? You don't need to borrow them from anyone. The Word and its teaching? You settle into sachah ghar, the home of Truth.
Think of a kid who knows their family loves them. They don't need the fanciest shoes to feel okay. That kind of safety doesn't change with the weather.
The humble bard ends with a prayer. Whoever keeps the Guru's Naam in the heart, day and night, is free of both birth and death.
What makes you feel safe that could be taken away — and what makes you feel safe that cannot?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI