Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Everything I wear and everything I eat is a gift that was first given to me. So how could I let myself grow lazy or forgetful toward the Giver of it all, O mother?
This one says everything you have was first a gift, so forgetting the Giver makes no sense.
Guru Arjan starts with simple thinking. Jis kaa dee-aa painai khaa-ay — the clothes you wear and the food you eat were given to you. If life itself is a gift, then aalas makes no sense. Aalas means laziness, and here it means lazily forgetting the Giver.
Think of a friend who packs your lunch every day. You would not forget to say thank you. You would not forget their name.
He speaks to "O mother," maa-ay. Gurbani often does this. It is like thinking out loud to someone you trust. It keeps the tone warm and close, not preachy.
What is something in your life you usually take for granted that was actually given to you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI