Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Sometimes I feel like the smallest, hungriest creature, chasing after nothing more than my next meal and forgetting the bigger picture.
Nanak says: even if I have no devotion to offer, my Master's Name stays with me.
Even when we bring nothing, the One's Name stays with us.
The first line uses a rough old picture. Aytay kookar ha-o baygaanaa means "among so many dogs, I am the stray." It pictures someone barking only for their own belly, chasing the next meal. The point is not to feel bad about yourself. The point is the contrast with the last line, which is the heart of the shabad.
Bhagat heen naanak jay ho-igaa taa khasmai naa-o na jaa-ee means "even if Nanak were empty of bhagat, devotion, still the Master's Name would not leave him."
Think of a family that keeps a seat for you at the table, even on the days you come home late and grumpy. Belonging to the One is not a wage paid for good behavior. It holds even when we bring nothing.
Does it change anything to know some belonging does not depend on how well you did today?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI