Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The lotus rises from the water yet stays untouched by it; just so, the Divine Light fills the water of the world.
Who is near, and who is far? I sing the praises of the One, treasure of virtue, and behold Him ever-present.
Guru Nanak gives two pictures: a lotus in the water, and a Light filling the water.
Jal meh upjai jal tay door — the lotus grows in the water, yet stays apart from it. Its leaves rest on the pond, and water just rolls off them. That is how to live in the world, with family, school, and work, and still stay clean inside. It is the purity of a householder, someone living a full everyday life.
The second picture: the One's Light fills all the water of the world. The One is right here, inside everything.
So kis nayrhai kis aakhaa door — who is near, and who is far? Distance melts away. Guru Nanak sings the praises of the One, the treasure of goodness, and sees the One always present.
How can you be fully in the world without being soaked by it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI