Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Nanak says: without grace, nothing at all is gained; the one the One glances upon with kindness, gains the One.
By the teaching, greatness is given, and the Word of the true teaching shines out through that person.
This line brings everything back to grace, so no one gets proud.
Naanak vin nadree kichhoo na paa-ee-ai — Nanak says, without the One's kind glance, nadar, nothing at all is gained. The one the One looks upon with kindness finds the One.
This keeps the magic-stone person from earlier in the shabad (hymn) humble. They did not make themselves precious. They were looked upon with love. Day vadi-aa-ee — greatness is given. Even the gift of lifting others up is a gift, not a badge they earned.
The verse ends with the One's Word, the Shabad, shining out through that person. Think of a clean window on a sunny morning. The window does not make the light. It just lets the sun shine through. That is what a graced person is: not the source, just a clear window for the source to show.
How does remembering that your best gifts were *given* change the way you'd use them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI