Life Is a Trading Trip; One Jewel Is Worth It All

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

aasaa mehlaa 5.

Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:

ਪਰਦੇਸੁ ਝਾਗਿ ਸਉਦੇ ਕਉ ਆਇਆ ॥

pardays jhaag sa-uday ka-o aa-i-aa.

Having wandered through foreign lands, I have come here to do business.

ਵਸਤੁ ਅਨੂਪ ਸੁਣੀ ਲਾਭਾਇਆ ॥

vasat anoop sunee laabhaa-i-aa.

I heard of the incomparable and profitable merchandise.

ਗੁਣ ਰਾਸਿ ਬੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਪਲੈ ਆਨੀ ॥

gun raas baneh palai aanee.

I have gathered in my pockets my capital of virtue, and I have brought it here with me.

ਦੇਖਿ ਰਤਨੁ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਲਪਟਾਨੀ ॥੧॥

daykh ratan ih man laptaanee. ||1||

Beholding the jewel, this mind is fascinated. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I traveled through far countries and came here to trade.

I had heard of a priceless, profitable merchandise.

I tucked my capital of good deeds into my pockets and carried it here — and the moment I saw the jewel, my mind was captivated.

Life is a trading trip — and there is one priceless jewel worth all your capital.

The deeper layer

Guru Arjan tells the soul's story as a merchant's journey: the soul has "wandered through foreign lands" (past lives, the world) and comes to trade, carrying its "capital of virtue." The merchandise it seeks is the priceless jewel of the Name, and one glimpse captivates it. Life is a trading trip, and there is only one purchase worth making (cf. Shabad 49).

A Question to Sit With

If your good deeds were money, what would you most want to buy with them?

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

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