Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In every age, the One creates devotees and protects their honor.
The One brought down the cruel Harnaakhash, and saved Prahlaad.
The One turned away from the proud and the slanderers, and showed His Face to Naam Dayv.
Servant Nanak has served the One in this way, and will be set free in the end.
This one says: in every age, the One stands by sincere hearts, not by rank.
"Har jug jug bhagat upaa-i-aa" — in age after age, the One creates bhagats (devotees, people who love the One) and protects their honor.
The verse points to old stories. Young Prahlaad trusted the One, even when his own father, the cruel king Harnaakhash, turned against him. The One saved Prahlaad, and the cruel king's power came to an end.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
Then comes a line about equality. The One turned away from the proud and the slanderers, and showed His Face to Naam Dayv. Naam Dayv was a devotee some people looked down on because of the family he was born into.
The message is quietly bold. The One's favor does not follow rank, money or status. It goes to the sincere heart, however humble. And it turns away from pride, however important.
Think of a teacher who does not care who is popular. She notices the kid who quietly tries hardest.
So who you are to the One is never decided by how the powerful rank you. Nanak says he has served the One in this way, and the One will set him free in the end.
Why do you think a good heart matters more than being important or high-ranking?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI