Savaiye in Praise of Guru Amar Das (by the bard Jall), Verse 13 — one wisdom, handed along
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The wisdom Jaidev held, the wisdom that filled Namdev,
the wisdom in the heart of Trilochan, the wisdom the devotee Kabir knew,
the wisdom by which Rukmangad remembered Raam, the One, every day, O brothers and sisters,
the wisdom that brought Ambreek and Prahlaad to the shelter of the Lord of the Universe and set them free:
Jall says, that same wisdom has led you to let go of greed, anger and endless wanting, and to know the way.
Guru Amar Das is the One's own devotee. Seeing him, a person is set free.
One wisdom has passed from devotee to devotee, like a torch handed along, and it lives in Guru Amar Das.
The poet is Jall, a bhatt, a bard who sang praise. He names people who held this mat, this understanding. Jaidev, Namdev, Trilochan, and Kabir were devotees whose songs are in the Guru Granth Sahib. Rukmangad, Ambreek, and Prahlaad come from older stories. Some came from humble families. The wisdom never cared about that.
Jall says the same understanding helped Guru Amar Das let go of lobh, greed, krodh, anger, and tarisnaa, endless wanting.
Think of a relay race. The baton changes hands, but it is the same baton the whole way. Daykh daras paava-o mukat — seeing the one who carries it, you are set free.
What is a piece of wisdom someone older passed to you that still helps?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI