In the One's shelter there is no fear or sorrow -- so set down your clever tricks; the one true comfort is keeping the teacher's teaching in mind.
The Arc
Pauri 0: the Sanctuary holds no fear or sorrow; without the One, nothing is done; I have renounced cleverness and power. The Rahao (Pauri 1): meditate with love -- at home and beyond, the One is with you. Pauri 2: keep its support, taste the Word; other efforts are useless; the One protects your honor. Pauri 3: what power does a human have? The tumult of Maya is false; the One is the sole doer and heart-knower. Pauri 4 closes: of all comforts, the true one is keeping the Guru's teaching; those who love the Name are blessed.
Key Vocabulary
Sanctuary without fear: the shelter free of fear and sorrow
the One with you: near at home and beyond
tumult of Maya is false: the world's noise unreal; the One the sole doer
the true comfort: keeping the teacher's teaching among all comforts
Themes and Cross-Connections
The shabad gathers Guru Arjan's keynotes: the fearless Sanctuary (philosophy.md, Bhau), the nearness of the One (Soul-Bride), the falseness of Maya's tumult (Sach), and the humbling of human power (no one acts but the One). It ranks the comforts and names the one durable one: keeping the teaching.
For Raag Gauree
Gauree's contemplative weight suits this meditation on refuge and comfort. Renouncing cleverness and power -- the very things the happiness-shabad unmasked -- it rests the soul in a shelter where fear and sorrow cannot enter.
In the One's shelter there is no fear or sorrow -- so set down your clever tricks; the one true comfort is keeping the teacher's teaching in mind.
The Arc
Pauri 0: the Sanctuary holds no fear or sorrow; without the One, nothing is done; I have renounced cleverness and power. The Rahao (Pauri 1): meditate with love -- at home and beyond, the One is with you. Pauri 2: keep its support, taste the Word; other efforts are useless; the One protects your honor. Pauri 3: what power does a human have? The tumult of Maya is false; the One is the sole doer and heart-knower. Pauri 4 closes: of all comforts, the true one is keeping the Guru's teaching; those who love the Name are blessed.
Key Vocabulary
Themes and Cross-Connections
The shabad gathers Guru Arjan's keynotes: the fearless Sanctuary (philosophy.md, Bhau), the nearness of the One (Soul-Bride), the falseness of Maya's tumult (Sach), and the humbling of human power (no one acts but the One). It ranks the comforts and names the one durable one: keeping the teaching.
For Raag Gauree
Gauree's contemplative weight suits this meditation on refuge and comfort. Renouncing cleverness and power -- the very things the happiness-shabad unmasked -- it rests the soul in a shelter where fear and sorrow cannot enter.
Last updated: 2026-06-28