Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The truest rhythm of all is praising the One.
Every other dance gives only a thrill that fades by morning.
Praising the One is the beat that never fades.
This is the Rahao, the "pause" line at the center of the shabad. Pooray taal jaanai saalaah — know that the perfect beat is saalaah, praise of the One. Hor nachnaa khusee-aa man maah — other dances give only a happy feeling in the mind for a while.
Guru Nanak does not scold the other dances. He just sees them clearly: a thrill that wears off. Think of the sugar rush from a party that is gone by the next morning, and compare it with a friendship that lasts for years. The difference is lasting versus fading. It is like rang, a dye that holds its color wash after wash.
What gives you a thrill that fades — and what gives you a joy that lasts?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI