Where Else Would I Go?

ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਤਜਿ ਕਤ ਲਾਗੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਬਿਨੁ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਰਾਮ ॥

so parabh taj kat laagee-ai jis bin mar jaa-ee-ai raam.

Why forsake God, and attach yourself to another? Without the Lord, you cannot even live.

ਲਾਜ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਅਗਿਆਨ ਮਤੀ ਦੁਰਜਨ ਬਿਰਮਾਈਐ ਰਾਮ ॥

laaj na aavai agi-aan matee durjan birmaa-ee-ai raam.

The ignorant fool does not feel any shame; the evil man wanders around deluded.

ਪਤਿਤ ਪਾਵਨ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਹੁ ਕਤ ਠਹਰਾਈਐ ਰਾਮ ॥

patit paavan parabh ti-aag karay kaho kat thehraa-ee-ai raam.

God is the Purifier of sinners; if he forsakes God, tell me, where he can find a place of rest?

ਨਾਨਕ ਭਗਤਿ ਭਾਉ ਕਰਿ ਦਇਆਲ ਕੀ ਜੀਵਨ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਰਾਮ ॥੨॥

naanak bhagat bhaa-o kar da-i-aal kee jeevan pad paa-ee-ai raam. ||2||

O Nanak, by loving devotional worship of the Merciful Lord, he attains the state of eternal life. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Why turn away from the One and cling to something else, when it is the One that holds my very life? Turning away just leaves me lost and unsteady.

The One welcomes everyone back and lifts up anyone — so if I let go of that, where in the world would I find rest?

Nanak says: loving the kind One with a full heart, I come into a life that is fully alive.

The One welcomes everyone back — so where else would I ever need to go?

The deeper layer

So prabh taj kat laagee-ai — why forsake the One for another. The harsh literal (the ignorant fool, the evil man) means being left lost and unsteady. Patit paavan (purifier of sinners) is the One who welcomes everyone back and lifts up anyone. Jeevan pad: the state of true, living life.

A Question to Sit With

Where do you go, or who do you turn to, when you feel lost?

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

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