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Sikhism·Closing Sections·The Closing Saloks
Verse 442 of 450

Savaiye Sri Mukhbak (Mehl 5), Verse 11 — Remember, even for a single breath

ਕੀਰਤਿ ਕਰਨ ਸਰਨ ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਜੋਹਨ ਪਾਪ ਬਿਦਾਰਨ ਕਉ ॥
keerat karan saran manmohan johan paap bidaaran ka-o.
The Praises of the Creator, the Enticer of the mind, are potent to destroy sins.
ਹਰਿ ਤਾਰਨ ਤਰਨ ਸਮਰਥ ਸਭੈ ਬਿਧਿ ਕੁਲਹ ਸਮੂਹ ਉਧਾਰਨ ਸਉ ॥
har taaran taran samrath sabhai biDh kulah samooh uDhaaran sa-o.
The All-powerful Lord is the boat, to carry us across; He saves all our generations.
ਚਿਤ ਚੇਤਿ ਅਚੇਤ ਜਾਨਿ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਰਮ ਅੰਧੇਰ ਮੋਹਿਓ ਕਤ ਧਂਉ ॥
chit chayt achayt jaan satsangat bharam anDhayr mohi-o kat DhaN-u.
O my unconscious mind, contemplate and remember Him in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Why are you wandering around, enticed by the darkness of doubt?
ਮੂਰਤ ਘਰੀ ਚਸਾ ਪਲੁ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਸਨਾ ਸੰਗਿ ਲਉ ॥
moorat gharee chasaa pal simran raam naam rasnaa sang la-o.
Remember Him in meditation, for an hour, for a moment, even for an instant. Chant the Name of the Lord with your tongue.
ਹੋਛਉ ਕਾਜੁ ਅਲਪ ਸੁਖ ਬੰਧਨ ਕੋਟਿ ਜਨੰਮ ਕਹਾ ਦੁਖ ਭਂਉ ॥
hochha-o kaaj alap sukh banDhan kot jannam kahaa dukh bhaN-u.
You are bound to worthless deeds and shallow pleasures; why do you spend millions of lifetimes wandering in such pain?
ਸਿਖ੍ਯ੍ਯਾ ਸੰਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਭਜੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਮ ਰੰਗਿ ਆਤਮ ਸਿਉ ਰਂਉ ॥੨॥
sikh-yaa sant naam bhaj naanak raam rang aatam si-o raN-u. ||2||
Chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, through the Teachings of the Saints. Meditate on the Lord with love in your soul. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Singing the praises of the Creator, who charms the mind, has the power to destroy wrongs.

The all-powerful One is the boat that carries us across, and saves our whole family line.

O sleepy mind, think of the One and remember the One in the Sangat. Why do you wander around, charmed by the darkness of doubt?

Remember the One for an hour, a moment, even an instant; take the Naam of Raam on your tongue.

You are tied to worthless deeds and small pleasures; why wander through millions of lives in such pain?

Nanak says: through the saints' teaching, sing the Naam, and love Raam with your whole soul.

Remember the One even for an instant — it is the boat across.
The deeper layer

Even a moment of remembering the One is a boat across, while small pleasures keep a person going round in pain.

Taaran taran: the boat that carries across. Kulah samooh uDhaaran: lifting the whole family line. Chit chayt achayt: wake up and remember, O sleepy mind. Satsangat here is the Sangat.

Moorat gharee chasaa pal: an hour, a moment, an instant, the smallest bits of time. Alap sukh: thin, short pleasure. Think of a sugar rush that is gone in ten minutes, next to a good meal that keeps you going all day. Raam is one of the names Gurbani uses for the One.

A Question to Sit With

What is something that feels great for a minute but leaves you empty, versus something that stays with you?

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

← Verse 441 of 450 Savaiye Sri Mukhbak (Mehl 5), Verse 10 — I come just as I am
Verse 443 of 450 →Savaiye Sri Mukhbak (Mehl 5), Verse 12 — A rare and precious life
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