Raag Aasaa
Commentary

Raag Aasaa, Mehl 5 (Guru Arjan), Kaafee

I am Your purchased slave, everything Yours; You are the honor of the dishonored, and every other support is false; cleverness is useless, craving is never satisfied by doing — so the Name alone is my support.

The Arc

Pauri 0: I am Your purchased slave; all is Yours. The Pause (Pauri 1): You are the honor of the dishonored; without the True One, every support is false. Pauri 2: Your Command is infinite; meeting the Guru, one walks in the Will. Pauri 3: cleverness is useless; what You give is pleasing. Pauri 4: thousands of actions don't satisfy craving — the Name is my support.

Key Vocabulary

  • purchased slave: total, glad belonging — owning nothing oneself
  • honor of the dishonored: the One as the dignity of the shamed (cf. B00C825)
  • the infinite Command: the Hukam walked in, not mastered
  • craving never satisfied by action: only changing one's support frees (cf. B00C812)

Themes and Cross-Connections

"Purchased slave" is total surrender (B00C796). "Honor of the dishonored" is Radical Inclusivity (B00C825). "Cleverness useless" and "what You give is pleasing" join the futility of scheming (B00C730) with the sweet Hukam (B00C694). "Actions never satisfy craving" restates the insatiability of B00C812.

For Raag Aasaa

Aasaa's hope is belonging and acceptance: owned by the One, leaning on the Name, free of the craving no amount of doing could fill. The mood is settled and surrendered.


Last updated: 2026-06-28

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