Verse 4 of 4

Like a Fish Needs Water

ਗੁਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਗਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਰੰਗਿ ਭੀਨਾ ਰਾਮ ॥

gur har parabh agam drirh-aa-i-aa man tan rang bheenaa raam.

The Guru has implanted within me the Name of the Inaccessible Lord God; my mind and body are drenched with the Lord's Love.

ਭਗਤਿ ਵਛਲੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਲੀਨਾ ਰਾਮ ॥

bhagat vachhal har naam hai gurmukh har leenaa raam.

The Name of the Lord is the Lover of His devotees; the Gurmukhs attain the Lord.

ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਨ ਜੀਵਦੇ ਜਿਉ ਜਲ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੀਨਾ ਰਾਮ ॥

bin har naam na jeevday ji-o jal bin meenaa raam.

Without the Name of the Lord, they cannot even live, like the fish without water.

ਸਫਲ ਜਨਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਕੀਨਾ ਰਾਮ ॥੪॥੧॥੩॥

safal janam har paa-i-aa naanak parabh keenaa raam. ||4||1||3||

Finding the Lord, my life has become fruitful; O Nanak, the Lord God has fulfilled me. ||4||1||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Guru planted the Name of the One — who feels far beyond reach — deep inside me, and now my whole self is soaked in that love.

The One loves the ones who love back; following the Guru, they find it.

Without the Name I could not live — like a fish out of water. Nanak says: I found the One, my life bears fruit, and the One has made me whole.

I need the One the way a fish needs water.

The deeper layer

Agam (inaccessible) drirRaa-i-aa — the far-beyond-reach Name planted within. Bhagat vachhal: the One who loves those who love. The classic jal bin meenaa — fish out of water — carries the longing as sheer necessity, kept gentle. Safal janam: the fruitful life, made whole by the One.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you need so much that life feels dry without it?

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

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