ਮੇਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਲੇਖੁ ਲਿਖਾਇਆ ਧੁਰਿ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਪੂਰਾ ॥
mayrai har parabh laykh likhaa-i-aa Dhur mastak pooraa.
My Lord God inscribed the full pre-ordained destiny upon the forehead.
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਭੇਟਿਆ ਗੁਰੁ ਸੂਰਾ ॥
har har naam Dhi-aa-i-aa bhayti-aa gur sooraa.
When one meets the Great and Courageous Guru, one meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
ਮੇਰਾ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਬੰਧਪੁ ਬੀਰਾ ॥
mayraa pitaa maataa har naam hai har banDhap beeraa.
The Lord's Name is my mother and father; the Lord is my relative and brother.
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਬਖਸਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕੀਰਾ ॥੪॥੩॥੧੭॥੩੭॥
har har bakhas milaa-ay parabh jan naanak keeraa. ||4||3||17||37||
O Lord, Har, Har, please forgive me and unite me with Yourself. Servant Nanak is a lowly worm. ||4||3||17||37||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The One has written each soul's destiny. When you meet the great, brave teacher, you keep the Name in mind. The Name is my mother and my father, my relative and my brother. O One, forgive me and join me to yourself -- I am only a humble worm.
The Name becomes your whole family -- mother, father, kin -- when you let it.
The close gathers Amar Das's themes: destiny written, the Guru as the turning point, and the Name as family (cf. wisdom as mother elsewhere) -- the Name replaces every relation. The final humility -- a lowly worm begging forgiveness and union -- is the posture grace meets. Note the Forgiver theme again.
A Question to Sit With
What relationships feel most like "home" to you? Could a practice ever feel like that?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate