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Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 309
Verse 2 of 4

You Don't Shout at Darkness; You Light a Lamp

ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਕਲਿਜੁਗਿ ਊਤਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੀਐ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
har naam padaarath kalijug ootam har japee-ai satgur bhaa-ay jee-o.
The wealth of the Lord's Name is the most exalted in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; chant the Lord's Name according to the Way of the True Guru.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਪੜੀਐ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਤ ਸੁਣਤ ਦੁਖੁ ਜਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
gurmukh har parhee-ai gurmukh har sunee-ai har japat sunat dukh jaa-ay jee-o.
As Gurmukh, read of the Lord; as Gurmukh, hear of the Lord. Chanting and listening to the Lord's Name, pain departs.
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿਆ ਦੁਖੁ ਬਿਨਸਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਰਮ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
har har naam japi-aa dukh binsi-aa har naam param sukh paa-i-aa.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, pains are removed. Through the Name of the Lord, supreme peace is obtained.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਬਲਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਅੰਧੇਰੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
satgur gi-aan bali-aa ghat chaanan agi-aan anDhayr gavaa-i-aa.
The spiritual wisdom of the True Guru illumines the heart; this Light dispels the darkness of spiritual ignorance.
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤਿਨੀ ਆਰਾਧਿਆ ਜਿਨ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਧੁਰਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਪਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥
har har naam tinee aaraaDhi-aa jin mastak Dhur likh paa-ay jee-o.
They alone meditate on the Lord's Name, Har, Har, upon whose foreheads such destiny is written.
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਕਲਿਜੁਗਿ ਊਤਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੀਐ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
har naam padaarath kalijug ootam har japee-ai satgur bhaa-ay jee-o. ||2||
The wealth of the Lord's Name is the most exalted in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; chant the Lord's Name according to the Way of the True Guru. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Even in confusing, difficult times, the richest treasure is simple: remembering the One.

A little wisdom lights up the heart like a lamp in a dark room, and the darkness of not-knowing just melts away.

You don't fight darkness by shouting at it — you light one small lamp.
The deeper layer

The verse names the wealth of the Name as most precious in Kali Yuga — the 'dark age,' the hard and confusing times. What a comfort for a child: the best treasure isn't reserved for some golden past; it's available now, in exactly the difficult present. And wisdom is pictured as light: gian illumines the heart and dispels the darkness of ignorance. You don't fight the dark by shouting at it — you light one lamp, and it simply isn't dark anymore.

A Question to Sit With

What is one bit of understanding that lit up something confusing for you?

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

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