Sikhism·Raag Gauree·Shabad 190
Verse 6 of 6

Only the Maker Understands the Whole Design

ਜਿਨਿ ਕਿਛੁ ਕੀਆ ਸੋਈ ਜਾਨੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਇਹ ਸਭ ਬਿਧਿ ਸਾਜੀ ॥
jin kichh kee-aa so-ee jaanai jin ih sabh biDh saajee.
The One who created the thing, understands it; He has fashioned all of this.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਅਪਰੰਪਰ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਕਾਜੀ ॥੫॥੫॥੧੨੬॥
kaho naanak aprampar su-aamee keemat apunay kaajee. ||5||5||126||
Says Nanak, the Lord and Master is Infinite; He alone understands the value of His Creation. ||5||5||126||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The One who made all this is the only One who truly understands it — the One who shaped every bit of it.

The One is beyond all limits and edges; only the Maker knows the true worth of what the Maker has made.

Only the Maker fully understands the whole design — which is a reason to trust it, not judge it.
The deeper layer

The closing seal: jin kichh kee-aa so-ee jaanai — only the Maker fully knows the making. Aprampar su-aamee — the Master beyond all boundaries (aprampar, limitless). Keemat apunay kaajee — the One alone knows the value of the creation. This gently answers the whole shabad: if you cannot see why the proud and humble, wise and foolish, are all held in one design, that's because only the Maker sees the whole. The right response is not to judge the pattern but to rest, trusting the One who both made it and keeps it.

A Question to Sit With

When you can't see why things are the way they are, is it easier to trust or to worry — and why?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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