Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
True, true, true, true, true is the Divine Guru.
False, false, false, false is every other service.
The Divine Guru is true and lasting, and whatever you serve in its place fades.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad. Sat sat sat sat sat gurdayv: true, true, true, true, true is the Divine Guru. Saying "true" five times is like a drumbeat. Sat, or sach, means what is true and lasting.
Jhooth jhooth jhooth jhooth aan sabh sayv: false, false, false, false is all other service. Jhooth means what fades, like cheap paint that washes off in the rain.
This is no scorn for other ways of worship. The contrast is between what holds and what fades. The Guru's light lasts. Anything chased in its place washes away.
What in your life feels lasting, more than just exciting for a while?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI