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Sikhism·Dakhnee Onkaar·Shabad 111
Verse 44 of 55

Whom Shall I Call My Friend?

ਜੋ ਆਵਹਿ ਸੇ ਜਾਹਿ ਫੁਨਿ ਆਇ ਗਏ ਪਛੁਤਾਹਿ ॥
jo aavahi say jaahi fun aa-ay ga-ay pachhutaahi.
Those who come, must go in the end; they come and go, regretting and repenting.
ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਮੇਦਨੀ ਘਟੈ ਨ ਵਧੈ ਉਤਾਹਿ ॥
lakh cha-oraaseeh maydnee ghatai na vaDhai utaahi.
They will pass through 8.4 millions species; this number does not decrease or rise.
ਸੇ ਜਨ ਉਬਰੇ ਜਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਭਾਇਆ ॥
say jan ubray jin har bhaa-i-aa.
They alone are saved, who love the Lord.
ਧੰਧਾ ਮੁਆ ਵਿਗੂਤੀ ਮਾਇਆ ॥
DhanDhaa mu-aa vigootee maa-i-aa.
Their worldly entanglements are ended, and Maya is conquered.
ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਚਾਲਸੀ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਮੀਤੁ ਕਰੇਉ ॥
jo deesai so chaalsee kis ka-o meet karay-o.
Whoever is seen, shall depart; who should I make my friend?
ਜੀਉ ਸਮਪਉ ਆਪਣਾ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਆਗੈ ਦੇਉ ॥
jee-o sampa-o aapnaa tan man aagai day-o.
I dedicate my soul, and place my body and mind in offering before Him.
ਅਸਥਿਰੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਤੂ ਧਣੀ ਤਿਸ ਹੀ ਕੀ ਮੈ ਓਟ ॥
asthir kartaa too Dhanee tis hee kee mai ot.
You are eternally stable, O Creator, Lord and Master; I lean on Your Support.
ਗੁਣ ਕੀ ਮਾਰੀ ਹਉ ਮੁਈ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਤੀ ਮਨਿ ਚੋਟ ॥੪੩॥
gun kee maaree ha-o mu-ee sabad ratee man chot. ||43||
Conquered by virtue, egotism is killed; imbued with the Word of the Shabad, the mind rejects the world. ||43||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Everyone who comes here will go; they come and go, and are sorry.

They pass through the 8.4 million kinds of life — a number that never grows or shrinks.

Only those who love the One are lifted out; their busy tangles end, and Maya is beaten.

Everything I can see will pass — whom should I make my friend?

I give my soul, and lay my body and mind before the One.

You are the steady Creator, my Master; I lean on You alone.

Won over by goodness, my ego dies; dyed in the Word, my mind turns away from the world.

Everything you can see will pass — so choose the friend who doesn't.
The deeper layer

All beings pass: the 8.4 million kinds of life (lakh chauraaseeh) are the old count of every form a life can take. Jo deesai so chaalsee — all seen things pass, so the only lasting friend is the unchanging One (asthir kartaa). Gun kee maaree hao mu-ee — the ego dissolved by virtue. Those who love are ubray, carried across.

A Question to Sit With

What's one friendship or bond you want to keep for a whole lifetime?

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

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