Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 57
Verse 1 of 5

A Life That Finally Means Something

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bilaaval mehlaa 5.
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਜੋ ਜੀਵਨਾ ਤੇਤੋ ਬਿਰਥਾਰੀ ॥
bin saaDhoo jo jeevnaa tayto birthaaree.
That life, which has no contact with the Holy, is useless.
ਮਿਲਤ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਭਿ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਮਿਟੇ ਗਤਿ ਭਈ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥੧॥
milat sang sabh bharam mitay gat bha-ee hamaaree. ||1||
Joining their congregation, all doubts are dispelled, and I am emancipated. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

A life with no holy people in it, no one to grow alongside, goes to waste — like it is missing its point.

But join them, and every doubt lifts. Something in you comes free, and life starts to mean something.

The right people can make a life feel like it finally means something.
The deeper layer

Holy people can be the turning point of a life.

Bin saadhoo jo jeevnaa tayto birthaaree — a life without the holy goes to waste. A saadhoo is a holy, good person. A life without them can feel empty, as if it is missing its point.

Milat sang sabh bharam mitay gat bha-ee hamaaree — joining them, all doubts cleared, and I was set free. Bharam means doubt, or confusion. Think of a foggy morning that clears once the sun comes up. The whole shabad rests on this idea: the people you keep close can change everything.

A Question to Sit With

Who makes your days feel fuller and more meaningful?

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

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