Sikhism·Raag Dhanaasaree·Shabad 3
Verse 4 of 6

Giving Back The Soul To Its Owner

ਐਸੀ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰੈ ॥
aisee sayvak sayvaa karai.
Such is the service which the Lord's servant performs,
ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਜੀਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਧਰੈ ॥
jis kaa jee-o tis aagai Dharai.
that he dedicates his soul to the Lord, to whom it belongs.
ਸਾਹਿਬ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
saahib bhaavai so parvaan.
One who is pleasing to the Lord and Master is acceptable.
ਸੋ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਾਵੈ ਮਾਣੁ ॥੩॥
so sayvak dargeh paavai maan. ||3||
Such a servant obtains honor in the Court of the Lord. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The true helper serves like this: offering the soul back to the One it belongs to.

Whoever is dear to the One is welcomed, and that one is honored in the One's presence.

The truest service is giving yourself back to the One you came from.
The deeper layer

True service is giving yourself back to the One you came from.

Jis kaa jee-o tis aagai Dharai — a person places the soul before the One it belongs to. Serving here is not doing favors. It is returning yourself to your Source, like a library book brought back, with thanks, to the shelf it came from.

Saahib bhaavai so parvaan — whoever is dear to the One is accepted. That person dargeh paavai maan, receives honor in the One's Court. This is the honor the shabad before this one spoke of, the kind no crowd could ever give.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you were given that you would gladly give back or pass on?

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

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