ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਚਉਥਾ ਚਉਪਦੇ
ga-orhee gu-aarayree mehlaa 4 cha-uthaa cha-upday
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl, Chau-Padas:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਪੰਡਿਤੁ ਸਾਸਤ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਪੜਿਆ ॥
pandit saasat simrit parhi-aa.
The Pandit - the religious scholar - recites the Shaastras and the Simritees;
ਜੋਗੀ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਕਰਿਆ ॥
jogee gorakh gorakh kari-aa.
the Yogi cries out, "Gorakh, Gorakh".
ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਪੁ ਪੜਿਆ ॥੧॥
mai moorakh har har jap parhi-aa. ||1||
But I am just a fool - I just chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The scholar recites his holy books. The yogi calls out his master's name. And me? I am just a simple fool -- I only say the One's name, over and over.
While the learned recite and the yogis call out, the simple Name is the one thing that saves.
Guru Ram Das adopts a posture of disarming humility: against the pandit (scholar) and the Yogi (calling "Gorakh," their founder), he calls himself a fool who only chants the Name. The "foolishness" is ironic -- the simple Name outdoes all the learning and discipline (Naam). Simplicity as the highest wisdom.
A Question to Sit With
When has something simple turned out to be wiser than something complicated?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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