Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Make truthfulness your fast and your vow, and the pain of death will not touch you.
Through the Guru's Word, burn away your anger; dwell at the Tenth Gate, deep in stillness, and touch the philosopher's stone to gain the highest state.
Guru Nanak keeps turning outer practices inward. Here the fast becomes being truthful.
Sach barat naym — let truth be your fast and your vow. A fast means going without food on a day of prayer. A vow is a promise you keep. Guru Nanak says the best fast is truth, and the best vow is honesty. Such a person does not suffer the pain of death.
The Guru's Word, the Shabad, burns away anger. Picture dry leaves in a safe fire pit, burning down until nothing is left.
Then the soul rests at the Tenth Gate, a hidden inner doorway, in deep stillness called samaadh. And it touches the paaras, the philosopher's stone. In old stories, this stone turns plain iron into gold. The Guru is that stone. One touch, and the soul reaches the highest state.
What would it mean to make honesty itself your discipline?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI