ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਪੂਛੈ ਸੁਨੁ ਬੇ ਨਾਮਾ ॥
sultaan poochhai sun bay naamaa.
The Sultan said, "Listen, Naam Dayv:
ਦੇਖਉ ਰਾਮ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੇ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੧॥
daykh-a-u raam tumHaaray kaamaa. ||1||
let me see the actions of your Lord."||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The Sultan, the king, says, "Listen, Namdev.
Let me see what your Lord can do."
A dare to "prove it" often hides a quiet question: is the One I love here with me?
A powerful king dares a gentle singer to show what the One can do.
Sultaan poochhai sun bay naamaa: the Sultan, a Muslim king, calls to Bhagat Namdev, a Hindu singer and cloth-printer. Daykh-a-u raam tumHaaray kaamaa: let me see the works of your Raam. The long story-hymn begins with power testing love, asking it to perform on command. Both men are treated with dignity all the way through. The trouble in this story is pride, never anyone's faith.
A Question to Sit With
When someone doubts something you believe, does it make you want to defend it — or look at it more honestly?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate