Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I notice my mind gets tangled up — pulled by wanting, by flashes of anger, by grabbing, by clinging. And even so, You give to those who have nothing to offer back. So please, be kind, and let me have Your Name. For that gift I would give anything at all.
Grace is a gift, given freely even to someone with nothing to give back.
The shabad ends honestly. It names the knots: kaam kroDh lobh moh. They mean craving, anger, greed and clinging. They are not crimes to be punished. They are knots the mind gets caught in, like a tangled necklace.
Then comes a plea that melts the heart. Nirgun kay daataaray — O Giver even to the one with no good qualities. Nirgun here means someone with nothing to offer. Grace is not earned. It is given to people with empty hands. It is like a grandparent's hug: you don't have to win it.
Naanak sad balihaaray — Nanak is forever grateful, ready to give himself. It is the thanks of someone who knows the gift was never earned, only given.
What knots does your mind get caught in most — and how does it feel to know you can just ask for help untangling them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI