Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some hearts stay clouded and forgetful; others keep the One held close and stay clear inside.
Nanak says: listen, friends -- serve the Guru, and the film of ego washes away.
When a mind is asleep in wanting-two-things, it doesn't wake, and stays tangled in the pull of things.
To leave the Name unremembered is to let a precious life slip past.
So stay awake, keep the One in mind, weigh the Word -- and a whole life opens up.
The third shalok of the set (Guru Amar Das). Its contrast runs between forgetting and remembering: manmukh mailay -- the self-turned heart, clouded and asleep -- and gurmukh nirmal -- the heart turned toward the Guru, clear and awake. The closing figure of the Messenger of Death is left aside here, so that only the call remains. Soo-tay kabahu na jaageh -- "asleep, never waking" -- becomes the gentle call to wake up, not a threat. The teaching kept, the fear removed.
What helps you stay “awake” to the things that matter most, instead of drifting?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI