Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 44
Verse 5 of 6

Service Is the Only Real Currency

ਜੇਤੇ ਜੀਅ ਤੇਤੇ ਸਭਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਵਿਣੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਫਲੁ ਕਿਸੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
jaytay jee-a taytay sabh tayray vin sayvaa fal kisai naahee.
As many living beings are there are, they are all Yours. Without selfless service, no one obtains any reward.
ਦੁਖੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਭਾਣਾ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਉ ਰਹੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੪॥
dukh sukh bhaanaa tayraa hovai vin naavai jee-o rahai naahee. ||4||
Pain and pleasure come by Your Will; without the Name, the soul does not even exist. ||4||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

As many beings as there are, all of them are Yours; without giving yourself in service, no one gains anything.

Pain and pleasure both come by Your Will; and without the Name, the soul does not even exist.

Service is the only real currency — and without the Name, there is no soul at all.
The deeper layer

This one says every living being belongs to the One, and serving with love is what truly counts.

Jaytay jee-a taytay sabh tayray means "as many beings as there are, all are Yours." Then comes the first big idea. Vin sayvaa fal kisai naahee means "without service, no one gains any fruit." Sayvaa is helping others with no thought of reward. It is the real money of the soul.

The second big idea is Hukam, the One's Will. Dukh sukh bhaanaa tayraa hovai means "pain and joy both come by Your Will." Think of a team where the coach decides who plays when. Some days feel great and some days feel hard. You still trust the coach.

The last line is strong. Vin naavai jee-o rahai naahee means "without the Name, the soul cannot even be." The Name is not an extra, like a phone case. It is what makes a soul a soul.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you have done purely to serve, expecting nothing back?

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

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