Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
He alone receives it who is destined to; he takes refuge at the Saints' Feet.
I hold the sacred stone of the One in my hands. Says Nanak: the Guru has given me this gift.
This one says the truest holy stone is a gift you receive, not something you carve.
Guru Arjan says this inner worship comes to the one it is meant for. That person comes for shelter to the feet of the saints, the good and holy people.
Then he says: I hold the Lord's saalgiraam in my hands. That is the sacred stone again. But his "stone" is Har — the One Himself — not a carved rock. Kaho naanak gur keeno daan — Nanak says, the Guru gave me this gift.
Think of a friendship. You cannot build a friend in a workshop. Friendship is given, and you receive it. In the same way, the One held in the heart is a gift of kindness, found among good people.
What sacred reality might you be able to carry within, needing no object at all?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI