Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
You may read holy books, explain the grammar of the language, and say your prayers three times a day.
But without the Word of the Guru, where is freedom, O friend? Without the Naam of the One, you stay tangled up until you die.
Study and prayer are good, but they need the inner Word to come alive.
"pustak paath bi-aakaran vakhaanai" — someone reads books of scripture and explains how the language works. They also say their prayers three times a day. These are good things, and the verse honors them.
But without the Gur Shabad, the Guru's Word, where is freedom? Without the Name, a person stays tangled up inside. Think of memorizing the map of a city you have never visited. You know every street name, yet you have never walked there. This is a gentle warning about empty habit. It is never a warning against learning or prayer.
What's the difference between knowing about someone and knowing them well?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI