ਸਫਲੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਤਾਂ ਕਾ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
safal janam taaN kaa parvaan.
Fruitful and approved is the life of one
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਣੁ ॥
paarbarahm nikat kar jaan.
who knows the Supreme Lord God to be close.
ਭਾਇ ਭਗਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀਰਤਨਿ ਲਾਗੈ ॥
bhaa-ay bhagat parabh keertan laagai.
One who is committed to loving devotional worship of God, and the Kirtan of His Praises,
ਜਨਮ ਜਨਮ ਕਾ ਸੋਇਆ ਜਾਗੈ ॥੩॥
janam janam kaa so-i-aa jaagai. ||3||
awakens from the sleep of countless incarnations. ||3||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A life truly counts, and is welcomed,
when a person knows the One as close, not far.
Turning with love toward the One and its praise,
the heart wakes up, as if from a long, deep sleep.
A worthwhile life is one where a sleeping heart finally wakes up.
Safal janam — a fruitful, worthwhile life — is defined simply: knowing the Paarbarahm nikat, the One as near. The verse's living image is waking: janam janam kaa so-i-aa jaagai — a heart asleep for ages finally wakes up. Devotion here is not effort but awakening — coming to, opening the eyes, noticing what was always right there.
A Question to Sit With
What is something you were 'asleep' to before and later really woke up to?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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