Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
My Father, my One, please give me the kind of understanding that lets me sing Your praises.
Those who tie themselves to You are lifted up. Heavy iron would sink alone. Lashed to a raft of wood, it rides safely across the water.
A heavy piece of iron will sink on its own, but tied to a wooden raft, it floats across.
Sang kaasat loh taraa — iron carried across with wood. This is the main picture of the whole shabad. Being heavy is not the problem. Being alone is. When the heart is tied to the One, like iron lashed to wood, even the heaviest heart floats.
The Guru also calls the One pitaa, Father. That keeps the prayer gentle and close, like a child asking a parent for help with something hard.
When has holding onto someone steadier than you kept you from sinking?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI