Salok Vaaraan Te Vadheek (Mehl 3), Salok 87 — the thirst that finds water
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The rainbird cries, "Beloved! Beloved!" It is in love with the water, its treasure.
Meeting the Guru, I have found the cool, soothing water that takes away every pain.
My thirst is gone, and a deep, easy calm wells up. My crying and calling out are over.
Nanak says: those who face the Guru are peaceful. Keep the Naam close in your heart.
The thirst of the soul is quenched by meeting the Guru, and a deep calm rises in its place.
The rainbird of Indian poetry is said to drink only one special raindrop, ignoring all other water — a picture of the soul that longs for the One alone. Its cry, pari-o pari-o, "Beloved, Beloved," is the sound of longing. The next several saloks keep coming back to this tender picture.
Gur milay seetal jal paa-i-aa: the cool water is found by meeting the Guru. Then sahj, an easy, natural calm, wells up, and the gurmukh, the one who faces the Guru, keeps the Naam held in the heart.
What is a longing in you that ordinary things never quite satisfy?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI