Sikhism·Raag Goojaree·Shabad 14
Verse 2 of 5

Be Hungry for the Message, Not Picky About the Messenger

ਭਾਈ ਰੇ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕੋਈ ਆਇ ਮਿਲੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵੈ ॥
bhaa-ee ray mo ka-o ko-ee aa-ay milai har naam darirh-aavai.
O Siblings of Destiny, let anyone who can implant the Lord's Name within me, come and meet with me.
ਮੇਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਸਭੁ ਦੇਵਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਹਰਿ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਨਾਵੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
mayray pareetam paraan man tan sabh dayvaa mayray har parabh kee har kathaa sunaavai. ||1|| rahaa-o.
Unto my Beloved, I give my mind and body, and my very breath of life. He speaks to me of the sermon of my Lord God. ||1||Pause||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

My family of the heart — anyone who can plant the One's name in me, come, let's meet.

To that one I'd give my mind, my body, my very breath, for speaking to me of the One.

Be hungry for the message, not picky about the messenger — whoever brings you the good is welcome.
The deeper layer

The Pause line is a wide-open invitation: whoever can "implant the Lord's Name" — from anywhere, of any station — is welcome, and Ram Das would give them everything for the gift of good words about the One. Notice how much he values simply being spoken to of the One — conversation as sacrament. The seeker isn't picky about the messenger; he is hungry only for the message. This is the raag's fellowship-hunger at full stretch.

A Question to Sit With

Have you ever missed a good message because you were fussy about who was delivering it?

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

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