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Sikhism·Closing Sections·The Closing Saloks
Verse 1 of 6

Savaiye in praise of Guru Ram Das, Verse 1 — the boat and the boatman both

ਸਿਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਭ ਊਪਰਿ ॥
siree guroo saahib sabh oopar.
The Great, Supreme Guru showered His Mercy upon all;
ਕਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਸਤਜੁਗਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਧ੍ਰੂ ਪਰਿ ॥
karee kirpaa satjug jin Dharoo par.
in the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, He blessed Dhroo.
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਭਗਤ ਉਧਰੀਅੰ ॥
saree parahlaad bhagat uDhree-aN.
He saved the devotee Prahlaad,
ਹਸ੍ਤ ਕਮਲ ਮਾਥੇ ਪਰ ਧਰੀਅੰ ॥
hast kamal maathay par Dharee-aN.
placing the Lotus of His Hand upon his forehead.
ਅਲਖ ਰੂਪ ਜੀਅ ਲਖ੍ਯ੍ਯਾ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥
alakh roop jee-a lakh-yaa na jaa-ee.
The Unseen Form of the Lord cannot be seen.
ਸਾਧਿਕ ਸਿਧ ਸਗਲ ਸਰਣਾਈ ॥
saaDhik siDh sagal sarnaa-ee.
The Siddhas and seekers all seek His Sanctuary.
ਗੁਰ ਕੇ ਬਚਨ ਸਤਿ ਜੀਅ ਧਾਰਹੁ ॥
gur kay bachan sat jee-a Dhaarahu.
True are the Words of the Guru's teachings. Enshrine them in your soul.
ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਦੇਹ ਨਿਸ੍ਤਾਰਹੁ ॥
maanas janam dayh nistaarahu.
Emancipate your body, and redeem this human incarnation.
ਗੁਰੁ ਜਹਾਜੁ ਖੇਵਟੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਤਰਿਆ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
gur jahaaj khayvat guroo gur bin tari-aa na ko-ay.
The Guru is the Boat, and the Guru is the Boatman. Without the Guru, no one can cross over.
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
gur parsaad parabh paa-ee-ai gur bin mukat na ho-ay.
By Guru's Grace, God is obtained. Without the Guru, no one is liberated.
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਬਸੈ ਬਨਵਾਰੀ ॥
gur naanak nikat basai banvaaree.
Guru Nanak dwells near the Creator Lord.
ਤਿਨਿ ਲਹਣਾ ਥਾਪਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਗਿ ਧਾਰੀ ॥
tin lahnaa thaap jot jag Dhaaree.
He established Lehnaa as Guru, and enshrined His Light in the world.
ਲਹਣੈ ਪੰਥੁ ਧਰਮ ਕਾ ਕੀਆ ॥
lahnai panth Dharam kaa kee-aa.
Lehnaa established the path of righteousness and Dharma,
ਅਮਰਦਾਸ ਭਲੇ ਕਉ ਦੀਆ ॥
amardaas bhalay ka-o dee-aa.
which He passed on to Guru Amar Daas, of the Bhalla dynasty.
ਤਿਨਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮਦਾਸੁ ਸੋਢੀ ਥਿਰੁ ਥਪ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
tin saree raamdaas sodhee thir thap-ya-o.
Then, He firmly established the Great Raam Daas of the Sodhi dynasty.
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਖੈ ਨਿਧਿ ਅਪ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
har kaa naam akhai niDh ap-ya-o.
He was blessed with the inexhaustible treasure of the Lord's Name.
ਅਪ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਖੈ ਨਿਧਿ ਚਹੁ ਜੁਗਿ ਗੁਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਿ ਫਲੁ ਲਹੀਅੰ ॥
ap-ya-o har naam akhai niDh chahu jug gur sayvaa kar fal lahee-aN.
He was blessed with the treasure of the Lord's Name; throughout the four ages, it is inexhaustible. Serving the Guru, He received His reward.
ਬੰਦਹਿ ਜੋ ਚਰਣ ਸਰਣਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕਹੀਅੰ ॥
bandeh jo charan saran sukh paavahi parmaanand gurmukh kahee-aN.
Those who bow at His Feet and seek His Sanctuary, are blessed with peace; those Gurmukhs are blessed with supreme bliss.
ਪਰਤਖਿ ਦੇਹ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਆਦਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਪੋਖਣ ਭਰਣੰ ॥
partakh dayh paarbarahm su-aamee aad roop pokhan bharnaN.
The Guru's Body is the Embodiment of the Supreme Lord God, our Lord and Master, the Form of the Primal Being, who nourishes and cherishes all.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਿ ਅਲਖ ਗਤਿ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮਦਾਸੁ ਤਾਰਣ ਤਰਣੰ ॥੧॥
satgur gur sayv alakh gat jaa kee saree raamdaas taaran tarnaN. ||1||
So serve the Guru, the True Guru; His ways and means are inscrutable. The Great Guru Raam Daas is the Boat to carry us across. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The great Guru, the Master, is above all. In the first age, the Guru showed kindness to Dhroo.

The Guru saved the devotee Prahlaad,

and rested a lotus hand on his forehead.

The Unseen One cannot be seen.

Seekers and those with great powers all come to the One's shelter.

The Guru's words are true. Keep them in your heart.

Set yourself free, and make this human life count.

The Guru is the boat, and the Guru is the boatman. Without the Guru, no one gets across.

By the Guru's grace we find the One. Without the Guru, no one is set free.

Guru Nanak lives close to the Creator.

He made Lehnaa the Guru and set his light in the world.

Lehnaa set up the path of right living,

and passed it to Amar Das of the Bhalla family.

Then Amar Das set Ram Das of the Sodhi family firmly in place.

He was given the Naam of the One, a treasure that never runs out.

He was given the Naam, a treasure that does not run out in any of the four ages. Serving the Guru, he received its fruit.

Those who bow at his feet and take his shelter find peace. Those who turn to the Guru are given the highest joy.

The Guru's body is the living form of the Highest One, the first Being, who feeds and cares for all.

So serve the true Guru, whose ways no one can know. Guru Ram Das is the boat that carries us across.

The Guru is both the boat and the one who rows it.
The deeper layer

The Guru is both the boat and the one who rows it. Without the Guru, no one gets across.

Gur jahaaj khayvat guroo means "the Guru is the ship, and the Guru is the boatman." The bard looks back to Dhroo and Prahlaad, two devotees honored in Hindu tradition, whom the One kept safe.

Then comes the whole line of Gurus as one handing-on. Guru Nanak made Lehnaa the Guru, and Lehnaa became Guru Angad. Guru Angad passed the path to Guru Amar Das, of the Bhalla family. Guru Amar Das set Guru Ram Das, of the Sodhi family, firmly in place, and he was given the Naam, a treasure that never runs out.

The bard here is Gayand, one of the bhatts, poets who sang the praise of the Gurus. His closing line, saree raamdaas taaran tarna, returns in the verses that follow: Guru Ram Das is the boat that carries us across.

A Question to Sit With

When have you been carried across something hard by someone who knew the way?

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

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← Shabad 28 Savaiye in praise of Guru Ram Das, Verse 16 — the same door open to everyone
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