Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I take shelter with the One who breaks all pain, and I sing the praises of the Boundless One, always.
Harm done to others hollows out the one who does it, wherever they go — while the sheltered heart stays whole and singing.
Two paths end this shabad: shelter and song, or harm that empties the one who does it.
Naanak saran pari-o dukh bhanjan — Nanak takes shelter with the One who breaks pain. Saran means shelter. Gun gaavai sadaa apaar — and he sings the praises of the Boundless One, always.
The verse also speaks of the "blackened faces" of those who speak ill of others. A blackened face is an old way of saying shame. It points to what harm does to the one who does it. It leaves them hollow inside. Think of two people in the same storm. One is indoors by the fire, singing. The other stays outside throwing stones, and gets colder and colder. The contrast is gentle and clear.
What fills you up inside, and what leaves you feeling empty?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI