Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
My dear one, it is good, it is better, it is best of all, to ask for the One.
Look around you with open eyes and listen to the words of holy people. Keep the One who gives life in your heart, and remember that every living thing is passing through.
Sweet scents and pleasures, and the small unkind shortcuts we sometimes take — see how thin and flavorless they all are. Only the Name of the One who holds the world nourishes, as holy people say.
It is easy to call our body and belongings our very own, and forget to turn toward the One even for a moment. But look closely: none of our things travel with us in the end.
Of all the things to ask for, the Name of the One is the best.
This is the Rahao, the "pause" line at the center of the shabad. Mayray laal bhalo ray bhalo ray bhalo har mangnaa — my dear one, it is good, better, best to ask for the One. The word bhalo, good, comes three times, the way we say "really, really, really."
The heart of the verse is aykai gobid ko naam neeko — the one Name of the One is truly good. Gobid is a name for the One who cares for the world. Beside it, the pleasures of life look feekay, flavorless. Think of a warm home-cooked meal next to a packet of plain crackers.
Sagal hai marnaa — everything is passing. This is a gentle reminder to treasure what lasts. It is not a threat.
If you could ask for one thing that would still matter a hundred years from now, what would it be?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI