Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 298
Verse 7 of 36

The One Who Runs Everything Rules by Caring

ਖਖੈ ਖੁੰਦਕਾਰੁ ਸਾਹ ਆਲਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਖਰੀਦਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਖਰਚੁ ਦੀਆ ॥
khakhai khundkaar saah aalam kar khareed jin kharach dee-aa.
Khakha: The Creator is the King of the world; He enslaves by giving nourishment.
ਬੰਧਨਿ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਬਾਧਿਆ ਅਵਰੀ ਕਾ ਨਹੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਇਆ ॥੬॥
banDhan jaa kai sabh jag baaDhi-aa avree kaa nahee hukam pa-i-aa. ||6||
By His Binding, all the world is bound; no other Command prevails. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Maker is the true King of the whole world — and the way this King rules is by feeding everyone.

Every living thing is held together by that one loving hold; there's no other rule running the show.

The One who runs everything rules by feeding and caring, not by force.
The deeper layer

The letter Khakha gives a startling picture of power: this King enslaves by giving nourishment (day aadhaar). Earthly kings rule by force; this One 'binds' the world by feeding it — the only chains here are the bonds of being cared for. And hor na kisai da hukam, no other command prevails: there aren't rival powers fighting over you. One hand, and it is a feeding hand. For a child this reframes the whole universe as held by care, not threat.

A Question to Sit With

What are all the ways you're quietly taken care of every single day?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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