Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 173
Verse 16 of 40

The Best Thing You Can Reach For

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੩ ॥
salok mehlaa 3.
Shalok, Third Mehl:
ਪੂਰੈ ਭਾਗਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੇ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਬਖਸ ਕਰੇਇ ॥
poorai bhaag satgur paa-ee-ai jay har parabh bakhas karay-i.
By perfect destiny, one finds the True Guru, if the Lord God grants forgiveness.
ਓਪਾਵਾ ਸਿਰਿ ਓਪਾਉ ਹੈ ਨਾਉ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥
opaavaa sir opaa-o hai naa-o paraapat ho-ay.
Of all efforts, the best effort is to attain the Lord's Name.
ਅੰਦਰੁ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਹੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
andar seetal saaNt hai hirdai sadaa sukh ho-ay.
It brings a cooling, soothing tranquility deep within the heart, and eternal peace.
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਖਾਣਾ ਪੈਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਇ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥
amrit khaanaa painHnaa naanak naa-ay vadi-aa-ee ho-ay. ||1||
Then, one eats and wears the Ambrosial Nectar; O Nanak, through the Name, comes glorious greatness. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

By a lucky, ready heart, you find the Guru -- when grace opens the door.

Of everything a person could ever try to do, the best is simply to reach for the Name.

It brings a cool, calm quiet deep inside, and a steady peace in the heart.

Then the nectar becomes your food and your clothing. Nanak says: through the Naam comes a quiet greatness.

The best thing you can ever reach for is the One -- it cools and steadies everything inside.
The deeper layer

A Guru Amar Das shalok. Opaavaa sir opaa-o -- "of all efforts, the highest effort" -- names reaching for the Name as the best thing a human can aim at. The image amrit khaanaa painhnaa (the Name as food you eat and clothing you wear) is a favourite of Guru Amar Das: not a virtue practiced occasionally but the very material of daily life. Seetal saant (cool calm) is the felt result -- the settling of an anxious mind.

A Question to Sit With

If you could become good at one inner thing, what would you choose?

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

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