Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
We humans last only a breath. We do not know the hour we will leave.
Nanak prays: stay close to the One that our very soul and breath belong to.
Life is short, so hold on to what matters most.
A second shabad starts here, with a fresh heading, Dhanaasree mehlaa 1. Two shabads are bundled together in this one composition.
Ham aadmee haaN ik damee — we are people of a single breath. It is a reminder that life is short. It is not meant to scare us. It is meant to wake us up, like the bell that tells you recess is almost over, so you go play the game you care about most. Since time is short, stay close to the One. Our jee-a paraanaa, our soul and our breath, already belong to that One.
If a day were very short, what would you make sure to do in it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI