Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Even the gods, longing to see the One, went through pain and hunger at the holy shrines.
Yogis and those who never marry keep their strict ways. Others put on saffron robes and go off to live alone.
This one is about how, all over the world, people are reaching for the same One.
Guru Nanak paints a wide picture of the world's seekers. Dayviti-aa darsan kai taa-ee dookh bhookh tirath kee-ay — even the gods, longing for "darsan," a glimpse of the One, went through pain and hunger at holy places.
Jogee jatee jugat meh rahtay — yogis and people who stay unmarried keep their strict ways of living. Others put on orange robes and leave home to live alone.
Nanak does not make fun of them. He does not tell everyone to copy them either. He simply shows how hard so many people try to reach the One.
Think of a big city with roads coming in from every side. The roads look different, but they all lead to the same center. The many kinds of seekers are the point here: countless roads, one place they are all heading.
What are some very different ways people search for what is most real to them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI