Breath by breath, in every posture of an ordinary day.
The Arc
Guru Arjan's second Kaanraa shabad. The rahau adores the One, my very own, with every breath and in every posture. The couplets follow: the Name comes as a gift to dwell in an open heart; deep peace settles through the Guru's word; true wisdom in all powers flows from the seed-words of the Name; and a glad self-offering to those who find the Name even in forgetful, difficult times.
Key Vocabulary
saas saas — breath by breath; remembrance woven into the whole day.
basi-o naam / daan — the Name dwelling in the heart, given as a gift.
saaNt — deep, settling peace.
naam mantar — the seed-words of the Name.
Themes and Cross-Connections
The breath-by-breath remembrance (saas saas) and the framing of the Name as pure gift (daan) are central to Guru Arjan's devotion. sarab kalaa (all powers flowing from the Name) reframes true capability as something received, not achieved.
For Raag Kaanraa
This shabad closes Batch One's Kaanraa in Guru Arjan's intimate register: the raag's longing dissolved into constant, breath-by-breath nearness, and a blessing on those who keep the light in a dim age.
Translation Notes
kalijug (the Dark Age of Kali Yuga) is rendered as forgetful, difficult times, keeping the sense of a hard era while removing frightening framing and glossing lightly for a child.
Breath by breath, in every posture of an ordinary day.
The Arc
Guru Arjan's second Kaanraa shabad. The rahau adores the One, my very own, with every breath and in every posture. The couplets follow: the Name comes as a gift to dwell in an open heart; deep peace settles through the Guru's word; true wisdom in all powers flows from the seed-words of the Name; and a glad self-offering to those who find the Name even in forgetful, difficult times.
Key Vocabulary
Themes and Cross-Connections
The breath-by-breath remembrance (saas saas) and the framing of the Name as pure gift (daan) are central to Guru Arjan's devotion. sarab kalaa (all powers flowing from the Name) reframes true capability as something received, not achieved.
For Raag Kaanraa
This shabad closes Batch One's Kaanraa in Guru Arjan's intimate register: the raag's longing dissolved into constant, breath-by-breath nearness, and a blessing on those who keep the light in a dim age.
Translation Notes
kalijug (the Dark Age of Kali Yuga) is rendered as forgetful, difficult times, keeping the sense of a hard era while removing frightening framing and glossing lightly for a child.