Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I tried and tried so many things, in so many ways. I found this to be the best.
Joining the good and holy, Nanak sings the One's praises. He crosses the frightening ocean of life.
After trying many ways, the speaker found the best one: singing the One's praises in good company.
Karat karat anik baho bhaatee — trying and trying, in many, many ways. Neekee ih thahraa-ee — I found this one to be the good way. This is not a rule handed down. It is what the speaker learned by doing.
He did not wave away other paths without trying them. He tried them, and this is what carried him. Think of a student who tries every study trick in the book. At last they find that the plain habit of reading with a good friend works best.
The way he found is mil saaDhoo, joining the good and holy people, and har jas gaavai, singing the One's praise. With that, Nanak crosses the bhavjal, the scary ocean of life. There is a kind, humble tone here. It does not say "my way is the only way." It says "of all I tried, this is what carried me across."
After trying many approaches to something, have you ever found the simplest one worked best?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI