Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 161
Verse 12 of 21

The Name Is the Master of Every Master

ਨਾਉ ਨਉਮੀ ਨਵੇ ਨਾਥ ਨਵ ਖੰਡਾ ॥ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਨਾਥੁ ਮਹਾ ਬਲਵੰਡਾ ॥
naa-o na-umee navay naath nav khanda. ghat ghat naath mahaa balvandaa.
The Ninth Day: The Name is the supreme almighty Master of the nine masters of Yoga, the nine realms of the earth, and each and every heart.
ਆਈ ਪੂਤਾ ਇਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਸਾਰਾ ॥
aa-ee pootaa ih jag saaraa.
This whole world is the child of Maya.
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਆਦੇਸੁ ਆਦਿ ਰਖਵਾਰਾ ॥
parabh aadays aad rakhvaaraa.
I bow in submission to God, my Protector from the very beginning of time.
ਆਦਿ ਜੁਗਾਦੀ ਹੈ ਭੀ ਹੋਗੁ ॥
aad jugaadee hai bhee hog.
He was in the beginning, He has been throughout the ages, He is now, and He shall always be.
ਓਹੁ ਅਪਰੰਪਰੁ ਕਰਣੈ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੧੧॥
oh aprampar karnai jog. ||11||
He is unlimited, and capable of doing everything. ||11||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

On the ninth day, remember that the Name -- the living presence of the One -- is greater than every great teacher and every realm, and it lives inside each and every heart.

The whole world we see gets born from passing appearances, always changing. But the One behind it was here at the very beginning, guarding and holding.

It was there before anything, it is here now, and it will always be. There is nothing it cannot do.

The One was here before everything and will be here after -- and it is inside you right now.
The deeper layer

naumi, the ninth day. nav naath -- the nine legendary yoga-masters; the naam is called master even of them, and present ghat ghat (in every heart). aa-ee pootaa -- the world as "child of Maya," softened here to a world born of changing appearances. The verse echoes Japji's aad sach: the One was in the beginning, is now, and shall always be -- timeless and able to do all things.

A Question to Sit With

What is one thing you are sure will always be true, no matter what changes?

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

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