The Door to Meeting Is Opened, Not Forced

ਜੈਤਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਛੰਤ ਘਰੁ ੧

jaitsaree mehlaa 5 chhant ghar 1

Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, First House:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ik-o^Nkaar satgur parsaad.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਸਲੋਕ ॥

salok.

Shalok:

ਦਰਸਨ ਪਿਆਸੀ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਚਿਤਵਉ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨੀਤ ॥

darsan pi-aasee dinas raat chitva-o an-din neet.

I am thirsty for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, day and night; I yearn for Him constantly, night and day.

ਖੋਲਿ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਕਪਟ ਗੁਰਿ ਮੇਲੀਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਮੀਤ ॥੧॥

kholi^H kapat gur maylee-aa naanak har sang meet. ||1||

Opening the door, O Nanak, the Guru has led me to meet with the Lord, my Friend. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I am thirsty for the sight of the One, day and night; I long for it constantly.

Opening the door, Nanak, the teacher has led me to meet the One, my Friend.

The soul thirsts for the One day and night — and the door to meeting doesn't get forced open by effort; it is opened for her. Longing, and then a door opened by kindness: that's the whole journey.

The deeper layer

This opening Shalok sets the key for a whole Chhant (a longer, song-like devotional poem) built on the soul-bride's longing and reunion. The thirst is total — "day and night... constantly" — the ache of viraha. And the resolution is an opened door: the teacher "opened the door and led me to meet my Friend." Notice the seeker did not force the door or find it herself; it was opened for her. The whole long poem to come will trace this arc — from thirst, through the pain of feeling unworthy, to the door opening and the Beloved coming home.

A Question to Sit With

What are you thirsty for, deep down? What would it feel like to have the door to it simply opened for you?

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

About this shabad →

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