Savaiye in praise of Guru Ram Das, Verse 6 — the first Wahe-guru in the Guru Granth Sahib — wonder itself
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Wahe-guru, Wahe-guru, Wahe-guru, Wahe jee-o. Wonderful Guru, wonderful, wonderful, dear One.
You are lotus-eyed and sweet-voiced, shining among millions of companions. As Krishna, Your mother Yashoda calls You to eat the sweet rice.
Seeing Your lovely form and hearing Your little silver bells ring as You play, she is filled with delight.
The pen of death and the command are in Your hands. Tell me, who can erase what You write? Even Shiva and Brahma long to hold Your wisdom in their hearts.
You are forever true, the home of all goodness, the first Being. Wahe-guru, Wahe-guru, Wahe-guru, Wahe jee-o.
Vaahiguroo is a cry of wonder at the Guru who brings light, and here it rings out at the start and the end.
This is one of the first uses of vaahiguroo in the Guru Granth Sahib. Vaah is "wow"; guroo is the one who brings light.
Between the two cries comes a tender picture of Krishna from Hindu tradition: lotus-eyed, sweet-voiced, his mother Yashoda calling him to eat, his little silver bells ringing. Then comes the One beyond every form, sat saach, forever true.
Kaal kalam hukam haath means the pen of death and the command are in the One's hands. No one can erase what is written there. Even Shiva and Brahma long to hold this wisdom.
When was the last time something took your breath away? What was it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI