Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Let her make the One her ring. Let her wrap the Boundless One around her like silk.
Let her braid patience into her hair. Let her wear the lotion of the Great Lover.
Even the smallest details of how the bride dresses become ways to carry the One.
Guru Nanak goes all the way down to the finest touches: a ring, silk clothes, braided hair, a sweet-smelling oil. Each one becomes the One or one of the One's virtues. Her ring is madhusoodan, a name for the One who defeats evil. Her silk is parmaysar, the Highest One, wrapped all around her.
Then comes a lovely line. Dheeraj Dharhee banDhaavai kaaman — the bride braids dheeraj, patience, into her hair. Picture someone carefully braiding hair, one strand at a time. That takes patience too.
Nothing about her beauty is left only on the surface. Every layer, right down to the scented oil, is turned into love and goodness.
Which quiet virtue would you most like to "wear" every day?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI