Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The greatness of the Guru, who holds the One within, is a great greatness indeed.
It was given freely and fully, and no one's effort can shrink it by even a hair.
The True One is on the side of what is true, so struggling against it only wears a person out.
When people try to tarnish it, the Guru's light only grows brighter and stronger.
The more that ill-will is thrown at it, the more the greatness rises, day after day.
Nanak holds that One in mind, and sees everything, in the end, come and bow at truth's feet.
What is great cannot be made smaller, and the harder people push against it, the more it shines.
This Shalok by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru, is about how what is true stays strong. Real greatness cannot be shrunk by anyone. Ghatai naahee ik til: "not by even a sesame seed," one of the tiniest seeds there is.
The verse speaks of slanderers, people who spread lies to tear someone down, and says their "faces are blackened." That is not about shaming a person. It is a simple thing you can notice. The more force is thrown against something true, the more its strength shows. Ji-o ji-o nindak nind karahi, ti-o ti-o nit nit charhai savaa-ee: the more they slander, the higher the glory rises, day after day.
Truth is like a tree with deep roots in a storm. The wind that tries to knock it over only shows how deep the roots go. If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
Why do you think trying to tear down something good often ends up making it look even stronger?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI