Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
He makes all sorts of efforts, but he does not sing the One's Name.
He wanders through countless lives, dying only to be born again.
As beasts, birds, stones and trees — more forms than can be counted.
As the seeds he plants, so is the fruit he eats; he receives the results of his own actions.
He loses the jewel of this human life in the gamble, and the One is not pleased.
Nanak prays: wandering in doubt, he finds no rest, not even for an instant.
This part says you can be very busy and still miss the one thing that matters.
Udam karahi anayk har naam na gaavhee — he makes all sorts of efforts, but doesn't sing the One's Name. So he keeps wandering, restless.
Then a striking picture. Ratan janam harant joo-ai — he loses the jewel of human life in a gamble. This rare, precious human life is the jewel an earlier shabad spoke of. Here it is carelessly bet away, spent on everything except what mattered.
Beej bovas bhog bhogeh — the seeds you plant are the fruit you eat. It is simple: what you sow, you reap. Think of a garden. Plant tomatoes, and you get tomatoes.
But the whole point isn't blame. It is a warning given with love: don't gamble the jewel away. This life is the one chance to gather what lasts. Khin ayk tikan na paavhee — he finds no rest, not for a moment. That restlessness is exactly what the next verse's shelter will answer.
What does it mean to be very busy but still miss what matters most? How do you make sure the 'jewel' of your time isn't gambled away on the wrong things?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI