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Sikhism·Raag Goojaree·Shabad 57
Verse 50 of 66

A Heart Absorbed in Wonder Is Beyond Its Deepest Fear

ਮਃ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 3.
Third Mehl:
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਚੁ ਹੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ॥
vaahu vaahu saahib sach hai amrit jaa kaa naa-o.
Waaho! Waaho! is the True Lord Master; His Name is Ambrosial Nectar.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਤਿਨਿ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਹਉ ਤਿਨ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੈ ਜਾਉ ॥
jin sayvi-aa tin fal paa-i-aa ha-o tin balihaarai jaa-o.
Those who serve the Lord are blessed with the fruit; I am a sacrifice to them.
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਗੁਣੀ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਦੇਇ ਸੁ ਖਾਇ ॥
vaahu vaahu gunee niDhaan hai jis no day-ay so khaa-ay.
Waaho! Waaho! is the treasure of virtue; he alone tastes it, who is so blessed.
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਭਰਪੂਰੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
vaahu vaahu jal thal bharpoor hai gurmukh paa-i-aa jaa-ay.
Waaho! Waaho! The Lord is pervading and permeating the oceans and the land; the Gurmukh attains Him.
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਨਿਤ ਸਭ ਕਰਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਭਾਵੈ ॥
vaahu vaahu gursikh nit sabh karahu gur pooray vaahu vaahu bhaavai.
Waaho! Waaho! Let all the Gursikhs continually praise Him. Waaho! Waaho! The Perfect Guru is pleased with His Praises.
ਨਾਨਕ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਜੋ ਮਨਿ ਚਿਤਿ ਕਰੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਜਮਕੰਕਰੁ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੨॥
naanak vaahu vaahu jo man chit karay tis jamkankar nayrh na aavai. ||2||
O Nanak, one who chants Waaho! Waaho! with his heart and mind - the Messenger of Death does not approach him. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

'Wonder!' — the True Master, whose Name is nectar.

Those who serve the One are blessed; I would give anything for them. 'Wonder!' is the treasure of goodness; only the blessed taste it. 'Wonder!' — the One fills sea and land; the Gurmukh reaches it. Let all the students keep crying 'Wonder!'; the perfect teaching is pleased by its praise. Nanak says: the one who cries it heart and mind — death does not come near.

A heart genuinely absorbed in wonder has located its life beyond the reach of its deepest fear.
The deeper layer

The litany's fullest verse ties wonder to fearlessness: "the Messenger of Death does not approach him." The heart genuinely absorbed in wonder at the One has located its life beyond death's reach. And the treasure of praise is available "only to the blessed" — kept humble by grace even at its peak. Wonder, fully given, is also the safest place to stand.

A Question to Sit With

What fear loosens its grip when you're truly absorbed in something wonderful?

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

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