Sikhism·Raag Kalyaan·Shabad 5
Verse 2 of 5

Serve The One Beyond Change

ਅਉਰ ਸਭ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਿ ਅਚੁਤ ਜੋ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਭਗਵਾਨੈ ॥
a-or sabh ti-aag sayvaa kar achut jo sabh tay ooch thaakur bhagvaanai.
So give up everything else, and serve the Imperishable; The Lord God, our Lord and Master, is the Highest of all.
ਹਰਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਤੇ ਕਾਲੁ ਜੋਹਿ ਨ ਸਾਕੈ ਚਰਨੀ ਆਇ ਪਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਨੈ ॥੧॥
har sayvaa tay kaal johi na saakai charnee aa-ay pavai har jaanai. ||1||
When you serve the Lord, Death cannot even see you. It comes and falls at the feet of those who know the Lord. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

So set everything else aside and serve the One who never perishes, the Master who is highest of all.

Serve the One, and death cannot even look at you. It comes and bows at the feet of those who know the One.

When you are rooted in what never fades, fear loses its grip.
The deeper layer

Serve the One who never changes, and even death bows before you.

Achut: the imperishable One, served above all. Kaal johi na saakai: death cannot even look at you. Charnee aa-ay pavai: it comes and falls at the feet of those who know the One. Think of a big dog that barks at strangers but lies down quietly at the feet of the family it knows. Holding on to the One who never changes quiets fear.

A Question to Sit With

What helps you feel steady when things around you keep changing?

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

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