Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In the company of the holy, the sleeping mind awakens;
and then, says Nanak, the One tastes sweet.
This one says that good company wakes up a sleepy heart.
The ending tells us what does the lifting. Saadhsang man sovat jaagay — in the Saadh Sangat, the company of good and holy people, the sleeping mind wakes up. "Sleeping" here means not paying attention to what really matters.
The unknown, the unwanted and the "useless" in this shabad are all woken up by good company. Once awake, tab prabh naanak meethay laagay — the One tastes sweet.
Think of waking up grumpy, then joining friends who are laughing. Soon you are smiling too. The Sangat, the gathering, is where the sleeper wakes and life turns sweet.
Whose company has woken you up and made life taste sweeter?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI