After All Is Said, Walk Into the Shelter and Trust

ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲ ਹੋਹੁ ਜਨ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਲੇਹੁ ਉਬਾਰੇ ॥

deen da-i-aal hohu jan oopar kar kirpaa layho ubaaray.

O Lord, Kind to the poor, please shower Your mercy upon Your humble servant, and save him.

ਨਾਨਕ ਜਨ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਾਈ ਹਰਿ ਭਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥੪॥੩॥

naanak jan har kee sarnaa-ee har bhaavai har nistaaray. ||4||3||

Servant Nanak has entered the Lord's Sanctuary; if it pleases You, Lord, please save him. ||4||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Kind One, gentle to the poor, pour your mercy on your servant and carry him across.

Nanak has walked into your shelter — if it pleases you, save him.

After all is said, the last posture is simple: walk into the shelter and trust the kindness there.

The deeper layer

The close is pure surrender, and it lands the whole shabad on mercy rather than merit. After honoring good speech, good company, and good fortune, and after the sober mirror of P3, Ram Das simply throws himself on kindness: "if it pleases You, save him." No bargaining, no list of achievements — just sanctuary and trust. The one who began by praising others' helping words ends by needing help himself, and asks for it as a child asks a parent.

A Question to Sit With

What would it feel like to stop bargaining and simply trust that you'll be taken care of?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

About this shabad →

← Verse 4 of 5 A Life Run by Appetite Grows Restless and Driven

Shabad 12 · Verse 1 →Remembering the One Is Remembering the Source of All

Use ← → to navigate