Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The teacher hands me the Name like a gift I was always meant to receive.
The Name gets planted deep, and I'm drawn to keep it on my lips and in my mind — and living that way, gently and honestly, is the truest kind of religion there is.
The Name is a gift the Guru gives, and living by it is true religion.
Naam gur dee-o hai apunai jaa kai mastak karmaa — the Guru gives the Name to those who have good karma "written on the forehead." Karma means the actions we have done and what they lead to. The forehead picture is about being ready, not about luck. It is like soil that has been prepared. When the seed comes, it is ready to grow.
Naam darirh-aavai naam japaavai — the Guru plants the Name deep inside and moves us to keep repeating it. The verse calls this living remembrance Dharma, true religion, the right way to live in this world.
What is one small daily practice that keeps something you love close to your heart?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI