Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I hold in mind the One who is a treasure-house of kindness — and by that, I find my seat among the good.
I came empty-handed, with nothing to show, and still the One was kind to me. In that good company, the Name became mine.
Guru Arjan says grace came to him when he had nothing to show, and in good company the Name became his.
He remembers the kirpaa niDh, the treasure-house of kindness. By that, he finds a seat in the saaDhsang, the company of the good. Then: mohi nirgun ka-o parabh keenee da-i-aa, "to me, nirgun, God was kind." Nirgun here means without merit, coming empty-handed with nothing to show. It is honest, not a put-down.
Think of arriving at a friend's party without a gift, and being hugged at the door anyway. That hug was not a reward. The Name, naam la-i-aa, came to the one who had nothing to offer. That is grace, not payment.
When have you been shown kindness you didn't feel you'd earned — and how did it feel?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI