Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 135
Verse 3 of 5

Grace Holds Up a Roof With No Pillars

ਬਾਝੁ ਥੂਨੀਆ ਛਪਰਾ ਥਾਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਆ ਨੀਘਰਿਆ ਘਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਰੇ ॥
baajh thoonee-aa chhapraa thaamiH-aa neeghari-aa ghar paa-i-aa ray.
Without pillars, the roof is supported, and the homeless have found a home.
ਬਿਨੁ ਜੜੀਏ ਲੈ ਜੜਿਓ ਜੜਾਵਾ ਥੇਵਾ ਅਚਰਜੁ ਲਾਇਆ ਰੇ ॥੨॥
bin jarhee-ay lai jarhi-i jarhaavaa thayvaa achraj laa-i-aa ray. ||2||
Without the jeweller, the jewel has been set, and the wonderful stone shines forth. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Without any pillars, the roof stands; the homeless have found a home.

Without any jeweller, the jewel is set, and the wondrous stone shines out.

Grace holds up a roof with no pillars and makes the soul shine with no jeweller.
The deeper layer

This one says grace does things no one can see how to do.

Here are more wonders. Baajh thoonee-aa chhapraa thaamiH-aa — without any pillars, the roof stands up. People with no home have found a home. Without any jeweller, the jewel is set, and it shines.

Grace works with no tools we can see. It holds things up with no supports. It gives a home to those who had none. It makes the soul shine with no craftsman at work.

Think of WiFi. You cannot see it, and there are no wires, yet it carries everything to your phone. Grace is like that, only much greater.

For grace, doing the impossible is just its everyday work.

A Question to Sit With

What has held together in your life with no visible support?

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

About this shabad →
Use ← → to navigate