Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
There is a fairness woven right through existence, and no one can quietly wall it off or dodge it forever — the accounts of how we live come due.
But here is the mercy, Nanak says: those who join the Sangat, and keep the One in mind, are carried safely through. Remembering, together, is what lifts you.
There is a fairness running through existence that no one can dodge forever, and the sure way through is remembering the One in the Sangat.
This Shalok names Dharam raa-ay, the traditional name for the Judge of right and wrong. The verse speaks of him beginning to tear down, dhaahan laagay, and says no one can block the way. Put simply, it is a fairness woven through existence, where the accounts of how we live come due. It is the order of Hukam, the flow of existence, not a torturer. Think of how a seed you plant always grows into its own kind of plant.
The rescue is the real point, and it is kept whole. Naanak ubray jap haree — they are carried across, those who remember the One. SaaDhsang san-banDh — those joined to the Sangat.
This Shalok comes just before the next letter's verse. Together they show the Baavan Akhree's usual one-two step. First, honesty about how things work. Then, the open door.
Why do you think being part of a good community makes it easier to live in a fair and honest way?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI