The world is in death's jaws, but the teaching is the one rescue -- and the gift worth begging for is the humble place where the heart dances in love.
The Arc
Pauri 0: show mercy so my mind may merge; the Guru's pure teaching leaves the mind enraptured. The Rahao (Pauri 1): pierced through by the One, while the world is in death's mouth, I am saved by the teaching. Pauri 2: the loveless are false and faithless, rotting in the cycle. Pauri 3: make me the slave of your slaves, so my mind may dance in your love. Pauri 4 closes: the One is the great Banker; my mind, body, and soul are all your capital.
Key Vocabulary
pierced by the One: the arrow of love, set against the world in death's jaws
the loveless cycle: the faithless caught in birth and death
the dancing slave: the humble place where the mind dances in love
capital on loan: mind, body, soul all the Banker's
Themes and Cross-Connections
The shabad sets viraha (the soul pierced by love) against the death-bound world, with the Guru's teaching as the one rescue. Its loveliest turn makes humility the seat of joy -- the slave of the slaves whose mind dances (philosophy.md, Sat Sangat) -- and seals with the merchant theology: even mind, body, and soul are the Banker's capital (philosophy.md, Hukam; Naam).
For Raag Gauree
Gauree Poorbee's devotional intensity drives this shabad. The contrast of a world in death's jaws with a heart dancing in humble love captures Guru Ram Das's characteristic movement from peril to joy.
The world is in death's jaws, but the teaching is the one rescue -- and the gift worth begging for is the humble place where the heart dances in love.
The Arc
Pauri 0: show mercy so my mind may merge; the Guru's pure teaching leaves the mind enraptured. The Rahao (Pauri 1): pierced through by the One, while the world is in death's mouth, I am saved by the teaching. Pauri 2: the loveless are false and faithless, rotting in the cycle. Pauri 3: make me the slave of your slaves, so my mind may dance in your love. Pauri 4 closes: the One is the great Banker; my mind, body, and soul are all your capital.
Key Vocabulary
Themes and Cross-Connections
The shabad sets viraha (the soul pierced by love) against the death-bound world, with the Guru's teaching as the one rescue. Its loveliest turn makes humility the seat of joy -- the slave of the slaves whose mind dances (philosophy.md, Sat Sangat) -- and seals with the merchant theology: even mind, body, and soul are the Banker's capital (philosophy.md, Hukam; Naam).
For Raag Gauree
Gauree Poorbee's devotional intensity drives this shabad. The contrast of a world in death's jaws with a heart dancing in humble love captures Guru Ram Das's characteristic movement from peril to joy.
Last updated: 2026-06-28