Sikhism·Raag Bihaagraa·Shabad 16
Verse 2 of 64

A Thankful Heart Is a Gift You Can Spend Freely

ਮਃ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 3.
Third Mehl:
ਸਿਫਤਿ ਖਜਾਨਾ ਬਖਸ ਹੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਬਖਸੈ ਸੋ ਖਰਚੈ ਖਾਇ ॥
sifat khajaanaa bakhas hai jis bakhsai so kharchai khaa-ay.
The treasure of the Lord's Praise is such a blessed gift; he alone obtains it to spend, unto whom the Lord bestows it.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਹਥਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਸਭ ਥਕੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥
satgur bin hath na aavee sabh thakay karam kamaa-ay.
Without the True Guru, it does not come to hand; all have grown weary of performing religious rituals.
ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਧਨਹੀਣੁ ਹੈ ਅਗੈ ਭੁਖਾ ਕਿ ਖਾਇ ॥੨॥
naanak manmukh jagat Dhanheen hai agai bhukhaa ke khaa-ay. ||2||
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs of the world lack this wealth; when they are hungry in the next world, what will they have to eat there? ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The treasure of a thankful, praising heart is a gift — you can spend it freely once it's given to you.

Rituals alone can leave a person tired out; what fills you is the real thing carried inside.

A thankful heart is a gift you can spend freely — and it fills you where empty rituals leave you tired.
The deeper layer

This Shalok (Third Mehl) frames the "treasure of the Lord's Praise" as daat — a gift given, not a prize earned. "Without the True Guru it does not come to hand; all have grown weary performing rituals." This is the Gurus' steady teaching that outer religious performance, done without an inner turn, exhausts rather than fills. The stern closing about the manmukh (self-turned) "hungry in the next world" is the kind of memento mori this Vaar uses; the qMonk voice keeps only the gentle kernel — a heart that never grew anything good inside can feel empty later — rather than a threat.

A Question to Sit With

What's the difference between just going through the motions and really meaning something?

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

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