The Great Ones Who Studied the Scriptures Said: Turn Your Heart
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The great and wise ones studied all the sacred books. They all came to the same conclusion:
without turning the heart toward the One, nothing truly sets a person free. And no one has ever found lasting peace that way.
This one says the wise who studied the great books reached one conclusion: turn your heart to the One.
saasat simrit bayd beechaaray mahaa purkhan i-o kahi-aa — the great ones studied the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas, and said this. These are revered Hindu scriptures. Guru Arjan names them with respect.
Their own conclusion was bin har bhajan naahee nistaaraa — without loving remembrance of the One, there is no way across. Bhajan means remembering the One with love.
Think of a student who reads every cookbook but never cooks. They know a lot about food. They are still hungry.
This is not a dismissal of scripture. It points to scripture's own deepest teaching. Study alone, without the heart turning, does not finish the journey.
Is there something you can know all about in your head but still need to feel in your heart?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI