Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
You might command thousands of soldiers and marching bands, and thousands of men leaping up to salute you.
Your kingdom might stretch for thousands of miles, and thousands might rise to honor you.
But if you count for nothing in the eyes of the One, all that glittering display is useless.
Guru Nanak is saying: all the power in the world counts for nothing if it does not count with the One.
He starts a long list, and every line begins with "thousands". Lakh laskar lakh vaajay nayjay — thousands of soldiers, thousands of bands and spears. Lakh means a hundred thousand, a huge number. Thousands of people jump up to salute. It is the whole big show of worldly power.
Against all of it stands one test: do you count with the One? If not, sabh niraafal kaam — all of it is fruitless. Pat is the word the verse uses for honor, and the only honor that matters is honor with the One.
Think of a stadium full of fans cheering your name, while the one referee who decides the game has not given you a single point. Power impresses the world. It means nothing in the only court that counts. A hymn in Raag Gauree tells of a beggar who dreams he is a king. Worldly power is like that dream.
What looks impressive on the outside but might be empty on the inside?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI