Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Be kind and gentle with me, You who hold my very life; I have no one else, so I come to Your shelter, God.
If I ever feel lost in the dark, reach down Your hand and steady me — I have no clever tricks of my own, only my trust in You.
When you feel lost, it is okay to say so and reach for a steady hand.
This is the Rahao, the "pause" line at the center of the shabad. Here it also opens the shabad. It is a prayer of simple trust.
Da-i-aa ma-i-aa kar paraanpat — be kind and gentle, Lord of my life. Paraanpat means the One who holds my very breath. Mohi anaath saran parabh toree — I have no one else, so I come to Your shelter. Anaath here is the trust of a small child who knows who to run to.
Andh koop meh haath day raakho — give me Your hand in the dark pit. It is the feeling of being lost in the dark, and the ask is for a steadying hand. Think of a child in a dark room reaching for a parent's hand.
Kachhoo si-aanap ukat na moree — I have no clever tricks. The whole shabad rests on this honest, empty-handed trust.
When you're stuck in the dark about something, whose hand do you reach for?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI