Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
By grace the One made me its own; it broke my ropes and saved me.
I live by saying and holding the Name and the Word; servant Nanak would give anything for you.
This one says: remembering the One keeps the soul alive.
jap jap naam jeevaa — I live by repeating the Name again and again. Remembering the One keeps the soul alive, the way food keeps a body going.
Notice who breaks the ropes. It is not the seeker's hard work. It is grace: by mercy, the One made him its own and broke his bonds. And the last words are warm: naanak dhaas balihaare — servant Nanak would give anything for you. That is thankfulness spilling over from a heart that has been set free. Think of how you feel when someone untangles your kite from a tree. You want to hug them.
This shabad closes Guru Arjan's third set of six shabads in this raag. Across all six, the pattern holds. A helpless soul is met by the One's grace and patience. The outer acts of religion turn inward. And everything is sealed with love, not fear.
When someone frees you from something heavy, what naturally rises up in you toward them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI