Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Only one truly dies who dies in the Word.
The Guru has shown me to take praise and blame as one and the same; in this world, the real profit is in holding the Name.
When the ego fades, praise and blame can no longer knock you over.
This is the Rahao, the "pause" line at the center of the shabad. It holds two jewels. First: mar mu-i-aa sabday mar jaa-ay — the one who dies in the Word truly dies. This is jeevat marnaa, "dying while alive." It means letting the ego, the "me first" self, fade away in the Guru's Word. That is the one "dying" the Guru asks for.
Second, a calm steadiness follows. The Guru teaches that praise and blame are the same. Think of a tall tree. Some days the wind blows one way, some days the other, and the tree stays rooted. The soul rooted in the One is no longer pushed around by what others say. This steady ease is called sahaj. And in this world, the real profit is to repeat the One's Name.
What would change if compliments and criticism truly affected you the same way?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI