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Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 334
Verse 2 of 4

A Heart Full Enough of Love Has No Room for Fear

ਮੀਨਾ ਜਲਹੀਨ ਮੀਨਾ ਜਲਹੀਨ ਹੇ ਓਹੁ ਬਿਛੁਰਤ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਖੀਨ ਹੇ ਕਤ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਬਿਨੁ ਹੋਤ ॥
meenaa jalheen meenaa jalheen hay oh bichhurat man tan kheen hay kat jeevan pari-a bin hot.
Like a fish out of water - like a fish out of water, separated from the Lord, the mind and body perish; how can I live, without my Beloved?
ਸਨਮੁਖ ਸਹਿ ਬਾਨ ਸਨਮੁਖ ਸਹਿ ਬਾਨ ਹੇ ਮ੍ਰਿਗ ਅਰਪੇ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਹੇ ਓਹੁ ਬੇਧਿਓ ਸਹਜ ਸਰੋਤ ॥
sanmukh seh baan sanmukh seh baan hay marig arpay man tan paraan hay oh bayDhi-o sahj sarot.
Facing the arrow head-on - facing the arrow head-on, the deer surrenders his mind, body and breath of life; he is struck by the hunter's soothing music.
ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਲਾਗੀ ਮਿਲੁ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਖਿਨੁ ਰਹਨੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਤਨੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਬਿਨਾ ॥
pari-a pareet laagee mil bairaagee khin rahan Dharig tan tis binaa.
I have enshrined love for my Beloved. In order to meet Him, I have become a renunciate. Cursed is that body which remains without Him, even for an instant.
ਪਲਕਾ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਪਾਗੈ ਚਿਤਵੰਤਿ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਨਾ ॥
palkaa na laagai pari-a paraym paagai chitvant an-din parabh manaa.
My eyelids do not close, for I am absorbed in the love of my Beloved. Day and night, my mind thinks only of God.
ਸ੍ਰੀਰੰਗ ਰਾਤੇ ਨਾਮ ਮਾਤੇ ਭੈ ਭਰਮ ਦੁਤੀਆ ਸਗਲ ਖੋਤ ॥
sareerang raatay naam maatay bhai bharam dutee-aa sagal khot.
Attuned to the Lord, intoxicated with the Naam, fear, doubt and duality have all left me.
ਕਰਿ ਮਇਆ ਦਇਆ ਦਇਆਲ ਪੂਰਨ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਗਨ ਹੋਤ ॥੨॥
kar ma-i-aa da-i-aa da-i-aal pooran har paraym naanak magan hot. ||2||
Bestow Your mercy and compassion, O merciful and perfect Lord, that Nanak may be intoxicated with Your Love. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Without the One, I feel like a fish pulled out of water — I just can't be at ease.

I love so completely that I can hardly sleep; day and night my heart turns toward the One, and fear and doubt have melted away.

A heart full enough of love has no room left for fear.
The deeper layer

The Chhant pours out love through the raag's beloved similes. The fish out of water — separated from the One, mind and body perish — love as something you literally can't live without. The deer drawn by the hunter's music, surrendering everything to the sound it loves. And then the tender human detail: my eyelids do not close — so full of love the singer can't even sleep, thinking of the One day and night. This is longing at full strength — and note where it lands: fear, doubt and duality have all left me. A heart this full of love simply has no room left for fear. The sleeplessness isn't distress; it's a heart too in love to look away.

A Question to Sit With

Have you ever loved or looked forward to something so much you could barely sleep?

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

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