Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 169
Verse 1 of 4

The Court Where No Sorrow Reaches

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bilaaval mehlaa 5.
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
ਭਾਗ ਸੁਲਖਣਾ ਹਰਿ ਕੰਤੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
bhaag sulakh-naa har kant hamaaraa raam.
By blessed destiny, I have found my Husband Lord.
ਅਨਹਦ ਬਾਜਿਤ੍ਰਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਧੁਨਿ ਦਰਬਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
anhad baajitraa tis Dhun darbaaraa raam.
The unstruck sound current vibrates and resounds in the Court of the Lord.
ਆਨੰਦ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਵਜਹਿ ਵਾਜੇ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਰੈਣਿ ਉਮਾਹਾ ॥
aanand an-din vajeh vaajay dinas rain omaahaa.
Night and day, the sounds of ecstasy resound and resonate; day and night, I am enraptured.
ਤਹ ਰੋਗ ਸੋਗ ਨ ਦੂਖੁ ਬਿਆਪੈ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਤਾਹਾ ॥
tah rog sog na dookh bi-aapai janam maran na taahaa.
Disease, sorrow and suffering do not afflict anyone there; there is no birth or death there.
ਰਿਧਿ ਸਿਧਿ ਸੁਧਾ ਰਸੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਭਗਤਿ ਭਰੇ ਭੰਡਾਰਾ ॥
riDh siDh suDhaa ras amrit bhagat bharay bhandaaraa.
There are treasures overflowing there - wealth, miraculous powers, ambrosial nectar and devotional worship.
ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਲਿਹਾਰਿ ਵੰਞਾ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਅਧਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
binvant naanak balihaar vanjaa paarbarahm paraan aDhaaraa. ||1||
Prays Nanak, I am a sacrifice, devoted to the Supreme Lord God, the Support of the breath of life. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

By great good fortune I have found the One I love, and inside there is a music playing that no hand ever struck.

Day and night that joy sounds, and every moment feels lit up. In that place, sickness and sorrow and pain do not reach; there is no fear of endings there.

It overflows with every good thing — riches, wonders, sweetness, and love. Nanak prays: I give my whole glad self to the One who holds up the very breath of life.

There is a place inside — found in the One — where sorrow and fear simply do not reach.
The deeper layer

Bhaag sulakhna — blessed destiny. Anhad baajitraa: the unstruck sound-current, the inner music. The literal tah rog sog na dookh, janam maran na taahaa (no disease, sorrow or birth-and-death there) pictures a place fear and pain do not reach: a place of safety. RiDh siDh, sudhaa ras, amrit: overflowing treasures. Paraan aDhaaraa: the support of the breath of life.

A Question to Sit With

Where or when do you feel most safe, like nothing bad can touch you?

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

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