Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
With every single breath, I keep the one who guides me in my heart. That teaching is the very air in my lungs; it is the truest wealth I own.
This one says the Guru is as close to me as my own breathing.
This is the Rahao line. Rahao means "pause." It is the center of the shabad. Here it comes first, right after the raag heading.
Tis gur ka-o simra-o saas saas — "I remember that Guru with every breath." Saas means breath. This is naam simran, remembering the One with love, woven into the body's most basic rhythm.
Gur mayray paraan satgur mayree raas — "the Guru is my breath of life; the True Guru is my wealth." Paraan is the breath that keeps us alive. Raas is wealth, the savings you build on. So the Guru is both what gives life and what makes life rich.
Think of breathing while you play or sleep. You don't have to remember to do it. It just goes on, keeping you alive. All the thankfulness in this song flows from this pause line.
What is something so important to you that you'd want it with you in every breath?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI