Gaathaa, Salok 9 — buoyed above the deep water

ਭਾਵਨੀ ਸਾਧ ਸੰਗੇਣ ਲਭੰਤੰ ਬਡ ਭਾਗਣਹ ॥

bhaavnee saaDh sangayn labha^Nta^N bad bhaagnah.

One is blessed with love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune.

ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਗੁਣ ਰਮਣੰ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਸਾਗਰ ਨਹ ਬਿਆਪਣਹ ॥੯॥

har naam gun ramna^N naanak sansaar saagar nah bi-aapneh. ||9||

Whoever sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, O Nanak, is not affected by the world-ocean. ||9||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

By great good fortune, someone is given love for the Sangat.

Nanak says: whoever sings the praises of the One's Naam is not swept away by the ocean of the world.

Love of the Sangat lifts you so the deep water cannot pull you under.

The deeper layer

Love for the Sangat is a gift, and singing the Naam keeps the waves of the world from pulling you under.

Bhaavnee saaDh sangayn: love for the company of the holy. Labhanta(n) bad bhaagnah: it is found by great good fortune.

Sansaar saagar: the ocean of the world, with its waves of wanting, worry and fear. Nah bi-aapneh: it does not overwhelm the one who sings the praises of the Naam. The ocean is still there. It just does not pull that person under.

A Question to Sit With

When life feels like deep water, what helps you stay afloat?

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

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