ਭੈਰਉ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bhairo mehlaa 5.
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
ਅਪਣੇ ਦਾਸ ਕਉ ਕੰਠਿ ਲਗਾਵੈ ॥
apnay daas ka-o kanth lagaavai.
God hugs His slave close in His Embrace.
ਨਿੰਦਕ ਕਉ ਅਗਨਿ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੧॥
nindak ka-o agan meh paavai. ||1||
He throws the slanderer into the fire. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The One hugs the One's own servant close, like a big warm hug you never want to end.
And the one who speaks badly of others, the One throws into the fire.
The One holds its own close, and harm circles back to its sender.
The One holds close those who love the One.
Apnay daas ka-o kanth lagaavai: the One hugs the daas, the devoted servant, close. Kanth means neck, so this is a warm hug around the neck. Picture a parent scooping up a child who has run home.
The second line is a hard one. It uses a fierce picture of fire for the nindak, the one who speaks badly of others. Harm sent out at others comes back to where it started. The warm hug is the heart of this verse.
A Question to Sit With
What is the warmest kind of welcome you have ever felt?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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