Sikhism·Raag Kalyaan·Shabad 21
Verse 4 of 9

Diamond Cuts Diamond

ਨਿਰਮੋਲਕੁ ਅਤਿ ਹੀਰੋ ਨੀਕੋ ਹੀਰੈ ਹੀਰੁ ਬਿਧੀਜੈ ॥
nirmolak at heero neeko heerai heer biDheejai.
Priceless and utterly sublime is the Diamond of the Lord. This Diamond pierces the diamond of the mind.
ਮਨੁ ਮੋਤੀ ਸਾਲੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਜਿਤੁ ਹੀਰਾ ਪਰਖਿ ਲਈਜੈ ॥੩॥
man motee saal hai gur sabdee jit heeraa parakh la-eejai. ||3||
The mind becomes the jeweller, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; it appraises the Diamond of the Lord. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Diamond of the One is priceless and lovely beyond words. That Diamond pierces the diamond of my mind.

Through the Guru's Word, my mind becomes a jeweller, and learns to judge the Diamond of the One.

It takes something true inside you to recognize what is true outside you.
The deeper layer

Only a diamond can cut a diamond: the true in you is what knows the true One.

The One is nirmolak at heero, the priceless, perfect diamond. Heerai heer biDheejai: diamond pierces diamond. Diamonds are the hardest stones, so jewellers use one diamond to shape another.

So the diamond of the One meets the diamond of your mind. Man motee saal: the mind becomes a jeweller's workshop. Through gur sabdee, the Guru's Word, it learns to judge the true gem.

Like knows like. The holy in you is what recognizes the Holy.

A Question to Sit With

How do you know when something — or someone — is true?

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

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