qMonkqMonkSikhism
Sikhism·Raag Gauree·Shabad 295
Verse 95 of 136

Share What Lifts You, So Others Can Be Lifted

ਮਃ ੪ ॥
mehlaa 4.
Fourth Mehl:
ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਮਿਲੇ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ॥
satsangat meh har ustat hai sang saaDhoo milay pi-aari-aa.
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the Lord's Praises are sung. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Beloved Lord is met.
ਓਇ ਪੁਰਖ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਧੰਨਿ ਜਨ ਹਹਿ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰਿਆ ॥
o-ay purakh paraanee Dhan jan heh updays karahi par-upkaari-aa.
Blessed is that mortal being, who shares the Teachings for the good of others.
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੁਣਾਵਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੇ ਜਗੁ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਿਆ ॥
har naam darirhaaveh har naam sunaaveh har naamay jag nistaari-aa.
He implants the Name of the Lord, and he preaches the Name of the Lord; through the Name of the Lord, the world is saved.
ਗੁਰ ਵੇਖਣ ਕਉ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ਲੋਚੈ ਨਵ ਖੰਡ ਜਗਤਿ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਿਆ ॥
gur vaykhan ka-o sabh ko-ee lochai nav khand jagat namaskaari-aa.
Everyone longs to see the Guru; the world, and the nine continents, bow down to Him.
ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪੇ ਆਪੁ ਰਖਿਆ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਆਪੇ ਤੁਧੁ ਸਵਾਰਿਆ ॥
tuDh aapay aap rakhi-aa satgur vich gur aapay tuDh savaari-aa.
You Yourself have established the True Guru; You Yourself have adorned the Guru.
ਤੂ ਆਪੇ ਪੂਜਹਿ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਾਵਹਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਸਿਰਜਣਹਾਰਿਆ ॥
too aapay poojeh pooj karaaveh satgur ka-o sirjanhaari-aa.
You Yourself worship and adore the True Guru; You inspire others to worship Him as well, O Creator Lord.
ਕੋਈ ਵਿਛੁੜਿ ਜਾਇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਸਹੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਕਾਲਾ ਮੁਹੁ ਜਮਿ ਮਾਰਿਆ ॥
ko-ee vichhurh jaa-ay satguroo paashu tis kaalaa muhu jam maari-aa.
If someone separates himself from the True Guru, his face is blackened, and he is destroyed by the Messenger of Death.
ਤਿਸੁ ਅਗੈ ਪਿਛੈ ਢੋਈ ਨਾਹੀ ਗੁਰਸਿਖੀ ਮਨਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਿਆ ॥
tis agai pichhai dho-ee naahee gursikhee man veechaari-aa.
He shall find no shelter, here or hereafter; the GurSikhs have realized this in their minds.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਨੋ ਮਿਲੇ ਸੇਈ ਜਨ ਉਬਰੇ ਜਿਨ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਮਾਰਿਆ ॥
satguroo no milay say-ee jan ubray jin hirdai naam samaari-aa.
That humble being who meets the True Guru is saved; he cherishes the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in his heart.
ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੇ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਪੁਤਹਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿਅਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਿਆ ॥੨॥
jan naanak kay gursikh puthahu har japi-ahu har nistaari-aa. ||2||
Servant Nanak says: O GurSikhs, O my sons, meditate on the Lord; only the Lord shall save you. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

In the Sangat, the One is praised; in the Sangat, the Beloved is met.

Blessed is the person who shares the teaching for the good of others.

They plant the Name in hearts, they let others hear the Name, and through the Name the whole world is carried across.

Everyone longs to see the Guru; the whole wide world bows in respect.

You Yourself set the True Guru in place; You Yourself made the Guru shine.

You Yourself honor the True Guru, and inspire others to honor the Guru too, O Maker.

Those who meet the True Guru and hold the Name in their hearts are lifted up and carried safely home.

Nanak says: O Sikhs of the Guru, my dear children, hold the One in mind — the One alone carries you across.

The best gift you can give is to share what lifts you, so others can be lifted too — this is what makes a life blessed.
The deeper layer

The Sangat is where people share the Name for everyone's good, and the One is the source of the Guru's light.

This verse by Guru Ram Das celebrates satsangat, the Sangat — people gathered together to remember the One. That is where the One is most easily met.

Its heart is par-upkaar, doing good for others. The blessed person shares the teaching so that others can cross over too. Think of a friend who finds a shortcut through the woods and runs back to show everyone.

The verse speaks straight to putahu, "my sons," the Guru's students. Guru Ram Das keeps saying the One is the true source of the teacher's shine: "You Yourself made the teacher shine." That is humility tucked inside praise.

One line in the literal is hard. It says whoever separates from the teacher has a blackened face and meets the messenger of death. The verse's real weight falls on the bright side: those who hold the Name in their hearts are lifted up and carried safely home.

A Question to Sit With

Who has shared something with you that made your life better? How could you pass that same gift along to someone else?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 94 of 136 Love for the True One Soaks Through Like Deep Dye
Verse 96 of 136 →Ego Walks Us in Circles in the Dark
Use ← → to navigate