Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Holding to the One is the boat across the wide, deep ocean.
Keeping the Name in mind, the endless coming and going ends.
Singing the One's praises, you walk free, with no dark road to dread.
Reflecting deeply on the One, the five inner troubles are tamed.
The Guru says that holding on to the One is like a boat that carries you over a huge, scary ocean.
Bhav saagar bohith har charan — the One's feet are the boat across the world-ocean. Bhav saagar means the wide ocean of life, with its big waves of worry and want. Bohith is a strong ship.
The next lines say that remembering the Name ends the round of dying again and again. Singing the One's praise means there is no dark road to fear. The point is freedom from dread. Think of a dark hallway at night. Once the light is on, it is just a hallway.
The last line names panch doot, the five troublemakers inside us. They are lust, anger, greed, clinging, and pride. Mahaa beechaar means deep thinking about the One. That is what tames them. It works through quiet reflection, not through a big fight.
When your thoughts churn, what helps you feel steady, like being on a boat instead of in the waves?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI