Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In my mind I hold the true teacher close and dwell on it.
It planted wisdom and the Name in me; the dear One showed me kindness.
A simple, grateful opening: the teacher held in the mind, and from that holding, two gifts "implanted" — wisdom (understanding) and "the Mantra of the Lord's Name" (the living remembrance). Guru Arjan pairs these deliberately: wisdom without the Name can be dry cleverness; the Name without wisdom can be rote repetition. Together they are the full thing — a mind that both understands and remembers. And both are "implanted" by grace ("Dear God has shown mercy"), not self-generated. The seeker's part is to hold the teacher close; the planting is done by the One.
What's the difference between understanding something and keeping it close in your heart? Why might you need both?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI