Sikhism·Raag Goojaree·Shabad 38
Verse 2 of 3

Bring the Asking to the Source, Not the Empty Buckets

ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਾਚੁ ॥
man mayray charan kamal sang raach.
O my mind, immerse yourself in the Lord's lotus feet.
ਸਗਲ ਜੀਅ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਆਰਾਧਹਿ ਤਾਹੂ ਕਉ ਤੂੰ ਜਾਚੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sagal jee-a jaa ka-o aaraaDheh taahoo ka-o tooN jaach. ||1|| rahaa-o.
Seek from Him, who is worshipped by all beings. ||1||Pause||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

My mind, sink yourself into the One's lotus feet.

Ask from the One, whom every being worships.

You ask of a hundred things all day — the counsel is simply to bring the asking to the source, not the empty buckets.
The deeper layer

The Pause line is a simple redirection of where we bring our asking. We ask constantly — of people, of circumstances, of ourselves. Here the counsel is to "seek from Him, who is worshipped by all beings" — to bring the asking to the source rather than to the intermediaries. And "immerse yourself" suggests the asking is not anxious petition but a sinking-in, a resting in the One from which the asking naturally flows. Take your needs to the well, not to the empty buckets.

A Question to Sit With

Where do you usually take your needs first? What would change about taking them 'to the well' instead?

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

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