ਗਉੜੀ ਬੈਰਾਗਣਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥
ga-orhee bairaagan mehlaa 4.
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
ਜਿਉ ਜਨਨੀ ਗਰਭੁ ਪਾਲਤੀ ਸੁਤ ਕੀ ਕਰਿ ਆਸਾ ॥
ji-o jannee garabh paaltee sut kee kar aasaa.
The mother nourishes the fetus in the womb, hoping for a son,
ਵਡਾ ਹੋਇ ਧਨੁ ਖਾਟਿ ਦੇਇ ਕਰਿ ਭੋਗ ਬਿਲਾਸਾ ॥
vadaa ho-ay Dhan khaat day-ay kar bhog bilaasaa.
who will grow and earn and give her money to enjoy herself.
ਤਿਉ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਖਦਾ ਦੇ ਆਪਿ ਹਥਾਸਾ ॥੧॥
ti-o har jan pareet har raakh-daa day aap hathaasaa. ||1||
In just the same way, the humble servant of the Lord loves the Lord, who extends His Helping Hand to us. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A mother nourishes the child in her womb, hoping he will grow up, earn, and care for her. In just that way, the One's servant loves the One, who reaches out a helping hand to us.
As a mother hopes in her child, the devotee rests on the One's helping hand.
A love-simile with a realistic, even self-interested edge: the mother's hope-laden love for the child who will provide for her. Ram Das uses it not to praise calculation but to point past it -- the servant's love rests on the One who extends a helping hand without the calculation. Natural love as a pointer to divine love.
A Question to Sit With
Who has reached out a "helping hand" to you when you needed it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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