Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Tell me honestly: how can I meet the One, the Keeper of the whole world?
My heart keeps chasing the very things that pull me away.
Guru Arjan asks an honest question: how can I meet the One when my heart runs after the very things that pull me away?
This is the rahao, the "pause" line. It is the center of the whole shabad. Kahhu gusaa-ee milee-ai kayh — tell me, how can I meet the Keeper of the world? Jo bibarjat tis si-o nayh — my love is fixed on bibarjat, the things to stay away from.
This is not a scolding. It is a mirror. Guru Arjan names the gap between what we say we want, the One, and where our attention actually goes, the passing things.
Think of saying you want to learn guitar, while every free hour goes to a game on your phone. The question is meant to make us pause and look, gently, at our own habits.
If you watched where your attention went all day, would it match what you say matters most?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI