Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Anyone who quietly turns their heart toward the One — the Keeper of the whole universe — reaches the highest, most dignified state a person can reach.
It does not matter whether you have read a thousand books or none at all. This door is open to everyone.
Anyone who turns their heart to the One reaches the highest dignity, whether they have been to school or not.
In this shabad the first verse comes before the Rahao, the "pause" line at its center. Jo paraanee govind dhi-aavai — whoever keeps Govind, the Keeper of the universe, in mind. Parhi-aa anparhi-aa param gat paavai — educated or uneducated, they reach param gat, the highest state.
Guru Arjan cuts through one of the oldest ways people rank each other: by how much they have studied. What lifts a person is not schooling. It is the turning of the heart. Think of a finish line that welcomes every runner, in fancy shoes or barefoot. This same spirit of equality runs all through Gurbani.
Have you ever felt that being "smart" or "not smart" made you more or less worthy? What does this pauri say to that feeling?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI