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Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 303
Verse 3 of 4

The Highest Honor Is Open to Any Full Heart

ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ਤਿਸੈ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਕੁਰਬਾਣੁ ਜੀਉ ॥
jin jagat upaa-i-aa DhanDhai laa-i-aa tisai vitahu kurbaan jee-o.
He who created the world and assigned all to their tasks - unto Him I am a sacrifice.
ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸੇਵ ਕਰੀਜੈ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੀਜੈ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਾਈਐ ਮਾਣੁ ਜੀਉ ॥
taa kee sayv kareejai laahaa leejai har dargeh paa-ee-ai maan jee-o.
So serve Him, and gather profit, and you shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord.
ਹਰਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਾਨੁ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥
har dargeh maan so-ee jan paavai jo nar ayk pachhaanai.
That humble being, who recognizes the One Lord alone, obtains honor in the Court of the Lord.
ਓਹੁ ਨਵ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਵੈ ਨਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੈ ॥
oh nav niDh paavai gurmat har Dhi-aavai nit har gun aakh vakhaanai.
One who meditates on the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings, obtains the nine treasures; he chants and repeats continually the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਿਸੈ ਕਾ ਲੀਜੈ ਹਰਿ ਊਤਮੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਪਰਧਾਨੁ ਜੀਉ ॥
ahinis naam tisai kaa leejai har ootam purakh parDhaan jee-o.
Day and night, take the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the most sublime Primal Being.
ਜਿਨਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਧੰਧੈ ਲਾਇਆ ਹਉ ਤਿਸੈ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੁ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥
jin jagat upaa-i-aa DhanDhai laa-i-aa ha-o tisai vitahu kurbaan jee-o. ||3||
The One who created the world and assigned all to their tasks - I am a sacrifice to Him. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I give myself completely to the One who made the world and gave everyone their part to play.

Serve with a full heart and you gather the truest riches — and you're welcomed with honor. Day and night, keep the Name close.

The highest honor is open to anyone with a full heart — not just the clever or the important.
The deeper layer

The verse is a wave of glad devotion — balihaaree, I am a sacrifice to the One who made the world and assigned everyone their tasks. The 'profit' language runs through Aasaa: serve and gather profit, obtain honor in the Court, receive the nine treasures (an old phrase for 'every kind of wealth'). But notice what earns the honor: not cleverness or status, simply recognizing the One and keeping the Name day and night. The door to the highest honor is open to anyone with a full heart.

A Question to Sit With

What does it mean to do something with your whole heart rather than halfway?

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

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