Sikhism·Raag Bilaaval·Shabad 87
Verse 1 of 3

The Place Pain Used to Live

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
bilaaval mehlaa 5.
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪਨਾ ਨਾਠਾ ਦੁਖ ਠਾਉ ॥
simar simar parabh aapnaa naathaa dukh thaa-o.
Remembering, remembering my God in meditation, the house of pain is removed.
ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ਪਾਏ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਧਾਉ ॥੧॥
bisraam paa-ay mil saaDhsang taa tay bahurh na Dhaa-o. ||1||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have found peace and tranquility; I shall not wander away from there again. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Holding the One in mind again and again, the place where my pain used to live emptied out.

I found deep rest in the Sangat — and I do not want to wander away from it ever again.

The rest found in the Sangat is worth staying close to.
The deeper layer

Remembering the One empties out the place where pain used to live.

Simar simar parabh aapnaa — remembering my God again and again. Simar means to keep in mind. Naathaa dukh thaa-o — the home of pain has emptied out.

Bisraam paa-ay mil saaDhsang — meeting the Sangat, I found rest. SaaDhsang means the Sangat — people gathered together to remember the One. Taa tay bahurh na Dhaa-o — I will not wander away from there again.

Think of a room where sadness used to sit. Keep opening the window, day after day, and the air changes. One day the room simply feels light. And once you find a place that feels like home, you do not want to leave it.

A Question to Sit With

Where have you found rest you do not want to leave?

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

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