Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In good company Nanak has come to understand. Singing the One's praises is his only support.
The One's servants were all set free — Naam Dayv, Trilochan, Kabir, and Ravi Daas the shoemaker.
This line shows that the equality in this shabad is real, by naming real people.
First Nanak says: saaDhsang naanak buDh paa-ee — in the company of good people, Nanak found understanding. Har keertan aaDhaaro — singing the One's praises is his support.
Then come the names. Naamday-o tarilochan kabeer daasro mukat bha-i-o chammi-aaro — Naam Dayv, Trilochan, Kabir, and Ravi Daas the chammi-aaro, the shoemaker, were set free. Naam Dayv was a cloth printer. Kabir was a weaver. The old order ranked these trades low. Here they stand with honor, just like any great sage.
The first verse said no one asks about caste anymore. Guru Arjan shows it in public by placing these humble craftsmen's words in the Guru Granth Sahib itself. Think of a school hall of fame that lists the janitor and the lunch helper right beside the principal. The truly free are the ones who loved the One.
Whose worth does the world overlook because of their job or background, that you could choose to honor?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI