Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some say the One is entirely beyond the world; others say it is entirely within it.
Its color can't be seen, its shape can't be traced. O my companions, tell me the truth!
The verse names the great debate precisely: is the One beyond the world, or within it? Different voices insist on each. And the One "cannot be seen or traced" — it fits no color, no shape, so how do you settle the question? Guru Arjan lets the honest bafflement stand for a moment. This is a real theological knot, and he does not pretend it isn't. The soul genuinely wants to know: where is my Beloved — out there, or in here? The verse ends still asking, holding the question open, refusing to grab a cheap answer — which is exactly the humility that makes room for the true answer to come.
Is it okay to sit with a big question honestly instead of rushing to a quick answer? What might that openness make room for?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI