Sikhism·Raag Bhairao·Shabad 88
Verse 1 of 3

When Fear Itself Grows Afraid

ਭੈਰਉ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bhairo mehlaa 5.
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
ਭੈ ਕਉ ਭਉ ਪੜਿਆ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ॥
bhai ka-o bha-o parhi-aa simrat har naam.
Fear itself becomes afraid, when the mortal remembers the Lord's Name in meditation.
ਸਗਲ ਬਿਆਧਿ ਮਿਟੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਕੀ ਦਾਸ ਕੇ ਹੋਏ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਾਮ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sagal bi-aaDh mitee tarihu gun kee daas kay ho-ay pooran kaam. ||1|| rahaa-o.
All the diseases of the three gunas - the three qualities - are cured, and tasks of the Lord's slaves are perfectly accomplished. ||1||Pause||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Remembering the Naam of the One, fear itself becomes afraid.

Every sickness of the three restless pulls of the mind is cured, and the tasks of the One's servants are done, whole and complete.

Remember the One, and even fear itself loses its nerve.
The deeper layer

Remember the Naam, and even fear grows afraid of you.

This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad, the part everything else leans on.

Bhai ka-o bha-o parhi-aa: fear itself becomes afraid. When we remember the Naam, fear gets scared and runs off.

Think of a room that feels scary in the dark. Flip on the light, and the scary shapes are just a coat and a chair.

Sagal bi-aadh mitee trihu gun kee: all the sickness of the three gun is cured. The three gun are three pulls that keep the mind restless.

Daas kay ho-ay pooran kaam: the tasks of the One's servants come out whole and complete.

A Question to Sit With

What is a fear that got smaller once you looked straight at it?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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