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Sikhism·Raag Goojaree·Shabad 57
Verse 53 of 66

You Must Turn, and the Turning Itself Is Graced

ਮਃ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 3.
Third Mehl:
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੇ ਸਾਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਦੂਜੀ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਾਇ ॥
bin satgur sayvay saat na aavee doojee naahee jaa-ay.
Without serving the True Guru, peace is not obtained, and the sense of duality does not depart.
ਜੇ ਬਹੁਤੇਰਾ ਲੋਚੀਐ ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
jay bahutayraa lochee-ai vin karmai na paa-i-aa jaa-ay.
No matter how much one may wish, without the Lord's Grace, He is not found.
ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਲੋਭ ਵਿਕਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਖੁਆਇ ॥
jinHaa antar lobh vikaar hai doojai bhaa-ay khu-aa-ay.
Those who are filled with greed and corruption are ruined by the love of duality.
ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਚੁਕਈ ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇ ॥
jaman maran na chuk-ee ha-umai vich dukh paa-ay.
They cannot escape birth and death, and with egotism within them, they suffer in misery.
ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਿਉ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ਸੁ ਖਾਲੀ ਕੋਈ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
jinHaa satgur si-o chit laa-i-aa so khaalee ko-ee naahi.
Those who center their consciousness on the True Guru, never go empty-handed.
ਤਿਨ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਤਲਬ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਨਾ ਓਇ ਦੁਖ ਸਹਾਹਿ ॥
tin jam kee talab na hova-ee naa o-ay dukh sahaahi.
They are not summoned by the Messenger of Death, and they do not suffer in pain.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਉਬਰੇ ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਮਾਹਿ ॥੨॥
naanak gurmukh ubray sachai sabad samaahi. ||2||
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved; they merge in the True Lord. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Without serving the teaching there's no peace, and the split-in-two feeling won't leave.

However much you wish, without grace the One isn't found. The greedy and corrupt are ruined by loving a second; they can't escape the circling, and ache with ego inside. But those who rest on the teaching never leave empty-handed; death does not summon them, and they don't suffer. Nanak says: the Gurmukhs are saved, merged in the True One.

Wishing hard isn't enough, and turning is still required — you must turn, and the turning itself is graced.
The deeper layer

The Shalok balances effort and grace once more: serving the teaching is necessary, yet "without the Lord's Grace, He is not found" "no matter how much one may wish." Wishing hard is not enough; grace is required. But those who lean on the teaching "never go empty-handed" — the turning is met. The Vaar keeps holding both truths: you must turn, and the turning is graced.

A Question to Sit With

Where are you 'wishing hard' for something that might ask for a turning, and for grace, instead?

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

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