Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 8
Verse 1 of 5

A Perfect Maker Made a Perfect World

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥
bilaaval mehlaa 3.
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
ਪੂਰਾ ਥਾਟੁ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਪੂਰੈ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਏਕ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥
pooraa thaat banaa-i-aa poorai vaykhhu ayk samaanaa.
The perfect Lord has fashioned the Perfect Creation. Behold the Lord pervading everywhere.
ਇਸੁ ਪਰਪੰਚ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਚੇ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਮਤੁ ਕੋ ਧਰਹੁ ਗੁਮਾਨਾ ॥੧॥
is parpanch meh saachay naam kee vadi-aa-ee mat ko Dharahu gumaanaa. ||1||
In this play of the world, is the glorious greatness of the True Name. No one should take pride in himself. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The perfect One made a whole, complete world — look closely and you will see the same One shining through all of it.

The glory hidden inside this vast play is the True Name. So no one has any reason to puff themselves up — the greatness was never ours to own.

The world is whole and the glory is the One's — leaving no ground for pride.
The deeper layer

The perfect One made a whole, good world, so there is nothing for us to brag about.

Pooraa thaat banaa-i-aa poorai means the Perfect One made a perfect arrangement. Vaykhhu ayk samaanaa means "look, the One is inside all of it."

Is parpanch meh saachay naam kee vadi-aa-ee means that in this parpanch, the big play of the world, the real greatness belongs to the True Name.

So the warning follows: mat ko dharahu gumaanaa, let no one hold on to gumaan, which means pride. Think of a kid who stands in front of a beautiful mural and says, "Look how great I am!" But someone else painted it. The world's beauty is the One's work. We get to enjoy it, not boast about it.

A Question to Sit With

When you see something beautiful in nature, who made it wonderful?

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

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