Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The one who truly knows the Beloved as their very own, at the center of everything, is the truly devoted one.
That soul is welcomed with honor into the presence of the One.
Guru Arjan ends by giving the word satee its true meaning back.
Satee comes from sat, truth, what is real. The cruel custom had taken this word. Guru Arjan takes it back. The true satee, the truly devoted one, is not someone who does a terrible outward act. It is jin pari-o parmaysar kar jaani-aa: the one who knows the Beloved as the Highest One, held at the center of the heart. That soul is Dhan, blessed, and dargeh parvaani-aa, welcomed with honor in the Court of the One.
Think of someone taking back a nickname that was once used to hurt, and wearing it with pride. Guru Arjan takes a word that was used for harm and returns it to its root. True devotion is inward, and it is honored.
What does it mean to hold someone "at the center" of how you live, even when they're not right beside you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI