Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 24
Verse 1 of 5

The Maker Behind It All

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bilaaval mehlaa 5.
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
ਆਪਿ ਉਪਾਵਨ ਆਪਿ ਸਧਰਨਾ ॥
aap upaavan aap saDharnaa.
He Himself creates, and He Himself supports.
ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਦੋਸੁ ਨ ਲੈਨਾ ॥੧॥
aap karaavan dos na lainaa. ||1||
He Himself causes all to act; He takes no blame Himself. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The One makes everything and then holds it up, like a builder who is also the ground the building stands on.

The One sets everything in motion — and yet stays free and clear, never tangled up in blame. It moves all things without being caught by any of them.

The One moves everything yet stays free and clear, never caught in any of it.
The deeper layer

The One makes everything, holds it up, and moves it, yet stays free.

Aap upaavan aap saDharnaa — the One creates, and the One supports. Think of a builder who is also the ground the house stands on. Aap karaavan dos na lainaa — the One makes everything happen, yet takes no blame. The One stays alipt: untangled, not stuck to anything.

Picture a river's current. It carries every leaf and stick along. Nobody scolds the water for flowing. The One works through everything like that. The One is the cause of it all, without getting caught up in it.

A Question to Sit With

Can you think of something that makes many things happen but stays calm itself — like the sun, or the wind?

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

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