Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The One is the voice that speaks, the teacher who teaches, and the listener who hears. And the truly wise person is the one who turns around and looks honestly at their own self.
Guru Nanak says the One is the speaker, the teacher and the listener, and the wise person is the one who looks honestly at their own self.
This is the rahao, the "pause" line. It is the center of the whole shabad. It says two things at once.
First, kathtaa baktaa suntaa so-ee — the One is the one who speaks, teaches and listens. There is no second one standing apart. Second, aap beechaaray so gi-aanee ho-ee — whoever reflects on their own self is truly wise.
These two turn out to be a single task. Think of a song playing through a speaker. If you listen closely to the speaker, you hear the song. When you look honestly inside yourself, you meet the One who is already speaking through you. Knowing yourself and knowing the One become the same thing.
What is one true thing about yourself you have learned by paying close attention?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI