Sikhism·Raag Gauree·Shabad 29
Verse 3 of 5

Now Hidden, Now Shown, the One Wakes Us

ਸਹਜਿ ਭਵੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸਭਨੀ ਥਾਈ ॥
sahj bhavai parabh sabhnee thaa-ee.
God is naturally pervading all places.
ਕਹਾ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਟੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਬਣਤ ਬਣਾਈ ॥
kahaa gupat pargat parabh banat banaa-ee.
Sometimes He is hidden, and sometimes He is revealed; thus God has made the world of His making.
ਆਪੇ ਸੁਤਿਆ ਦੇਇ ਜਗਾਈ ॥੨॥
aapay suti-aa day-ay jagaa-ee. ||2||
He Himself wakes us from sleep. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The One is naturally present everywhere. Sometimes it is hidden, sometimes it shows itself; this is the world it has made. And it is the One that wakes us out of our sleep.

The One is everywhere, now hidden, now shown -- and it is the One who wakes us up.
The deeper layer

The One is everywhere, sometimes hidden and sometimes shown, and it is the One who wakes us up.

Sahj bhavai parabh sabhnee thaa-ee — easily and naturally, the One moves through every place. Sahj means natural ease.

Kahaa gupat pargat parabh banat banaa-ee — sometimes hidden, sometimes shown: this is how the One has made the world. Creation is like a game of hide-and-seek, and the One made the game.

Then the most important line. Aapay suti-aa day-ay jagaa-ee — the One wakes up those who are asleep. Here "sleep" means going through life without noticing the One. Think of being gently woken by a parent on a school morning. We do not wake ourselves from this kind of sleep. The waking is grace.

A Question to Sit With

When has something suddenly become "visible" to you that was there all along?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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