Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 322
Verse 3 of 4

You Meet the Holy Through Good-Hearted People

ਹਰਿ ਦਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਿ ਸੋਹਨਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਗਤ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਰਾਮ ॥
har daray har dar sohan tayray bhagat pi-aaray raam.
The Lord's Gate - at the Lord's Gate, Your beloved devotees look beautiful.
ਵਾਰੀ ਤਿਨ ਵਾਰੀ ਜਾਵਾ ਸਦ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੇ ਰਾਮ ॥
vaaree tin vaaree jaavaa sad balihaaray raam.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, again and again a sacrifice to them.
ਸਦ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੇ ਕਰਿ ਨਮਸਕਾਰੇ ਜਿਨ ਭੇਟਤ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਤਾ ॥
sad balihaaray kar namaskaaray jin bhaytat parabh jaataa.
I am forever a sacrifice, and I humbly bow to them; meeting them, I know God.
ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਭ ਥਾਈ ਪੂਰਨ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਬਿਧਾਤਾ ॥
ghat ghat rav rahi-aa sabh thaa-ee pooran purakh biDhaataa.
The Perfect and All-powerful Lord, the Architect of Destiny, is contained in each and every heart, everywhere.
ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਜੂਐ ਜਨਮੁ ਨ ਹਾਰੇ ॥
gur pooraa paa-i-aa naam Dhi-aa-i-aa joo-ai janam na haaray.
Meeting the Perfect Guru, we meditate on the Naam, and do not lose this life in the gamble.
ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰਣਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਰਾਖੁ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰੇ ॥੩॥
binvant naanak saran tayree raakh kirpaa Dhaaray. ||3||
Prays Nanak, I seek Your Sanctuary; please, shower Your Mercy upon me, and protect me. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The good-hearted look beautiful when they stand near the One — I'd do anything to be among them.

Meeting them, I come to know the One, who lives inside every single heart.

You often meet what's holy through the good-hearted people who carry it.
The deeper layer

The verse gazes at the devotees with love — at the Lord's Gate, Your beloved devotees look beautiful — an inner radiance that shines. And it repeats the humble self-offering: I am a sacrifice to them, again and again. Why such devotion to people? Because meeting them, I know God — good company is the doorway to the One, who is contained in each and every heart. You don't usually meet the divine in the abstract; you meet it through the good-hearted people who carry it. To honor them is to draw near the One who lives in them — and in everyone.

A Question to Sit With

Has a kind person ever helped you glimpse something bigger and better than yourself?

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

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