Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Each of us is attached to whatever the One has joined us to.
Nanak says: this is how the One has shaped it all.
Each of us is attached to whatever the One joins us to, and the One has shaped it all.
Guru Arjan ends the shabad with a gentle turn. Tit hee laagaa jit ko laa-i-aa: each of us is attached to whatever the One has joined us to. Kaho naanak prabh banat banaa-i-aa: Nanak says, this is the shape the One has given things.
This changes how we see the closed heart from the earlier verses. Everyone lives inside a design much bigger than their own choices.
Think of a big jigsaw puzzle. You can't blame one piece for its odd shape. It was cut to fit the whole picture.
So there is no ground for looking down on anyone. The shabad ends with humility, not scorn. That leaves room for kindness toward everyone.
How does it change things to remember that no one chose their starting point?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI