Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Sultans, chiefs, and emperors do not stay forever — no one does. When we forget the Name, life's endings feel harsh and heavy. So the Name is my one true support: however I am held, that is how I truly live.
This one says that no power lasts, and the Name holds you through every ending.
Sultaan khaan baadisaah nahee rahnaa — sultans, chiefs, and emperors will not stay. Nanak names the powerful on purpose. Their power tempts us to think they will last forever.
Naamhu bhoolai jam kaa dukh sahnaa — whoever forgets the Name bears the pain of jam, death. This speaks to how heavy an ending feels without an anchor. It is there to be honest, not to scare you.
The heart of the verse is the third line. Mai Dhar naam ji-o raakho rahnaa — the Name is my Dhar, my ground and support; as You keep me, so I live. Real safety is not a big title. It is an inner anchor, like the one that keeps a small boat steady when the waves come.
When something ends, what helps you feel steady instead of shaken?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI