Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Without the Word, the world neither hears nor sees — deaf and blind, it wanders on.
Without the Name it reaps only sorrow; and the Name is received by His Will.
Without the Word, the world has eyes and ears but still cannot truly see or hear.
Guru Amar Das now speaks about the whole world. Jag bolaa anHaa bharmaa-ay — the world wanders around deaf and blind. This is not an insult. It is an honest description. The world has plenty of eyes and ears. What it is missing without the Word is what eyes and ears are for. That is hearing that reaches the meaning, and seeing that reaches what is real.
Think of hearing a song in a language you do not know. The sounds reach your ears, but the meaning does not. Sound without the Word is just noise. Light without the Word is just glare.
The last line is humble. Naam milai tisai rajaa-ay — the Name, which gives back our true hearing and seeing, comes by the One's own Will, as a gift. Even our hearing has to be given its hearing.
What do you look at every day without really seeing — and what might help you see it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI