Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The dust of the feet of holy people makes me clean.
Remembering the One, the wrong turns of my mind are wiped away, and the dirt of many, many lifetimes is washed off.
Humble nearness to holy people and remembering the One wash the mind clean.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the centre of the shabad. Saadhoo dhoor puneet karee: the dust of the feet of the holy makes you pure. Dust from someone's feet is the lowest thing there is, so the image is one of deep humility.
Man kay bikaar miteh prabh simrat: remembering the One wipes away the bikaar, the wrong turns of the mind. Janam janam kee mail haree: the dirt of lifetime after lifetime is washed off, like layers of mud rinsed away by clear water.
When has being humble helped you more than trying to look impressive?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI