Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When a stream flows into the Ganges, the great river, it is changed.
That stream becomes the Ganges itself.
A stream that flows into the Ganges becomes the Ganges.
This shabad is by Bhagat Kabir, a poet-saint whose words are in the Guru Granth Sahib. It keeps using one word: bigree. It usually means "spoiled" or "ruined." Kabir flips it into a happy word: changed all the way through.
Gangaa kai sang salitaa bigree: when a stream meets the Ganges, a great river of India, it is changed. So salitaa gangaa ho-ay nibree: that stream becomes the Ganges itself.
Think of a single drop of water poured into a swimming pool. It isn't gone. It is part of something much bigger now. Closeness to goodness doesn't erase you. It makes you bigger.
Have you ever joined a group or friendship that made you into a better version of yourself?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI