ਹਮਰੈ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਦਾਗੁ ਦਗਾਨਾ ਹਮ ਕਰਜ ਗੁਰੂ ਬਹੁ ਸਾਢੇ ॥
hamrai mastak daag dagaanaa ham karaj guroo baho saadhay.
My forehead has been branded with His brand; I owe such a great debt to the Guru.
ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਬਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਭਉ ਦੁਤਰੁ ਤਾਰਿ ਪਰਾਢੇ ॥੨॥
par-upkaar punn baho kee-aa bha-o dutar taar paraadhay. ||2||
He has been so generous and kind to me; He has carried me across the treacherous and terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
My forehead is marked as his own; I owe the teacher more than I could ever repay. He has been so generous and kind -- he carried me across the treacherous, terrifying ocean.
The teacher carries you across a debt you could never repay -- so you simply belong to him.
The brand marks the soul as the Guru's own -- belonging stamped on it. The debt to the Guru is unpayable, and the Guru carries the soul across the world-ocean (cf. the boat). Gratitude beyond repayment.
A Question to Sit With
Who has given you something you could never fully pay back?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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