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Sikhism·Raag Kaanraa·Shabad 70
Verse 12 of 45

The One Treasure Worth Trading For

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
pa-orhee.
Pauree:
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਰੁ ਹੈ ਊਤਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਇਕੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥
raam naam vakhar hai ootam har naa-ik purakh hamaaraa.
The Lord's Name is the most sublime and precious merchandise. The Primal Lord God is my Lord and Master.
ਹਰਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਕੀਆ ਹਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਵਰਤੈ ਸਭੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ ॥
har khayl kee-aa har aapay vartai sabh jagat kee-aa vanjaaraa.
The Lord has staged His Play, and He Himself permeates it. The whole world deals in this merchandise.
ਸਭ ਜੋਤਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਜੋਤੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਕਰਤੇ ਸਭੁ ਸਚੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਾਸਾਰਾ ॥
sabh jot tayree jotee vich kartay sabh sach tayraa paasaaraa.
Your Light is the light in all beings, O Creator. All Your Expanse is True.
ਸਭਿ ਧਿਆਵਹਿ ਤੁਧੁ ਸਫਲ ਸੇ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰਾ ॥
sabh Dhi-aavahi tuDh safal say gaavahi gurmatee har nirankaaraa.
All those who meditate on You become prosperous; through the Guru's Teachings, they sing Your Praises, O Formless Lord.
ਸਭਿ ਚਵਹੁ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਜਗੰਨਾਥੁ ਜਗੰਨਾਥੁ ਜਗਜੀਵਨੋ ਜਿਤੁ ਭਵਜਲ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰਾ ॥੪॥
sabh chavahu mukhahu jagannaath jagannaath jagjeevano jit bhavjal paar utaaraa. ||4||
Let everyone chant the Lord, the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||4||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Naam of the One is the finest goods there are to trade in. The One, the First of all, is my Master.

The One set up this whole play and moves through it, and made the whole world a trader in these goods.

Your light is the light in every being, Creator. All that You have spread out is true.

All who remember You do well; through the Guru's teaching, they sing of You, formless One.

Let everyone say it aloud: Jagannaath, Jagannaath, Lord of the World, Life of the World! Through the One we cross the frightening sea of life.

Of everything you could gather, the Name is the one thing worth keeping.
The deeper layer

Life is a big marketplace, and the Naam is the one thing worth trading in.

Vakhar means goods to trade, and vanjaaraa is a traveling trader. Picture a busy market with stalls everywhere. The Naam is the one thing in it that never loses its value. Har nirankaaraa: the One with no shape at all, yet light in every being.

Bhavjal is the frightening sea of life, wide and rough. Jagannaath, Lord of the World, is one of the names everyone sings together to cross it.

A Question to Sit With

If you could only keep one thing, what would be worth it?

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

About this shabad →
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