Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O my mind, take hold of the shelter of the Name — the quiet keeping of the One close in your thoughts.
With that shelter around you, the scorching, stinging winds of the world can blow all they want, and they will not reach in to burn you.
This one says: hold on to the Name, and the hot winds of life cannot burn you.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line. It is the center of the shabad, the line everything else leans on. Man mayray gahu har naam kaa olaa — O my mind, grab hold of the shelter of the Name. Olaa means shade or shelter. Tujhai na laagai taataa jholaa — the hot winds will not touch you.
The Name, Naam, is the living presence of the One, kept close in your thoughts. Here it is not a chore. It is shade on a scorching day. Think of stepping under a big tree when the playground is baking hot. The heat is still out there, but it cannot reach you.
This line is pure comfort. It also sets up the pictures of protection that come next.
What is a shelter you can carry inside you, no matter what's blowing around outside?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI