Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The whole show — the kingdom, the dream — belongs to the One. Whoever gave us this passing world also planted the wanting for it inside us.
The One unravels and the One restores; it holds both ends. So instead of clutching, I lay it all down and simply offer a prayer.
Guru Arjan ends by saying the One holds both ends of everything, so we can stop clutching and simply pray.
Jis kaa raaj tisai kaa supnaa — the kingdom is the One's, and so is the dream. Even the trisnaa, the thirst for maya, the passing world, was placed in us by the same hand that gave the world.
Aap binaahay aap karay raas — the One undoes, and the One sets right again. Think of a potter who can squash a lump of clay and shape it into a new bowl. Both hands belong to the same potter.
So Guru Arjan's answer is not despair. It is ardaas, a heartfelt prayer. He lays the whole tangle down. What began as a warning about grabbing becomes an act of letting go.
What would it feel like to set something down instead of gripping it — and just ask for help?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI