Verse 1 of 5

The Deepest Wisdom Starts by Humbly Asking

ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ik-o^Nkaar satnaam kartaa purakh nirbha-o nirvair akaal moorat ajoonee saibha^N gurparsaad.

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:

ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਗਤਾ ਕੀ ॥

raag aasaa banee bhagtaa kee.

Raag Aasaa, The Word Of The Devotees:

ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਜੀਉ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀਉ ॥

kabeer jee-o naamday-o jee-o ravidaas jee-o.

Kabir, Naam Dayv And Ravi Daas.

ਆਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ॥

aasaa saree kabeer jee-o.

Aasaa, Kabir Jee:

ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣ ਲਾਗਿ ਹਮ ਬਿਨਵਤਾ ਪੂਛਤ ਕਹ ਜੀਉ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

gur charan laag ham binvataa poochhat kah jee-o paa-i-aa.

Falling at the Feet of the Guru, I pray, and ask Him, "Why was man created?

ਕਵਨ ਕਾਜਿ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਕਹਹੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਸਮਝਾਇਆ ॥੧॥

kavan kaaj jag upjai binsai kahhu mohi samjhaa-i-aa. ||1||

What deeds cause the world to come into being, and be destroyed? Tell me, that I may understand."||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I bow at my teacher's feet and ask the big questions: Why were we made? What makes the whole world come and go?

Please help me understand.

The deepest wisdom starts not with pretending to know, but with humbly asking the big questions.

The deeper layer

The Bhagat section of Raag Aasaa opens with the voice of Bhagat Kabir — a weaver, born Muslim, who became one of the greatest devotional poets of India, blunt and fearless and tender by turns. He begins not with an answer but with the biggest questions a child ever asks: why was I made? why does everything come into being and pass away? And notice how he asks — falling at the Guru's feet, humbly. It's the perfect opening: the deepest wisdom starts not with pretending to know, but with kneeling down and honestly asking.

A Question to Sit With

What's a big question about life you'd really love to understand?

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

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