The Breath of a Living Heart

ਸਾਸ ਬਿਨਾ ਜਿਉ ਦੇਹੁਰੀ ਕਤ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਾਵੈ ॥

saas binaa ji-o dayhuree kat sobhaa paavai.

Without the breath, how can the body obtain glory and fame?

ਦਰਸ ਬਿਹੂਨਾ ਸਾਧ ਜਨੁ ਖਿਨੁ ਟਿਕਣੁ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥

daras bihoonaa saaDh jan khin tikan na aavai.

Without the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, the humble, holy person does not find peace, even for an instant.

ਹਰਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਜੋ ਰਹਣਾ ਨਰਕੁ ਸੋ ਸਹਣਾ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਮਨੁ ਬੇਧਿਆ ॥

har bin jo rahnaa narak so sahnaa charan kamal man bayDhi-aa.

Those who are without the Lord suffer in hell; my mind is pierced through with the Lord's Feet.

ਹਰਿ ਰਸਿਕ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਕਤਹੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ਨਿਖੇਧਿਆ ॥

har rasik bairaagee naam liv laagee katahu na jaa-ay nikhayDhi-aa.

The Lord is both sensual and unattached; lovingly attune yourself to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. No one can ever deny Him.

ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਜਾਇ ਮਿਲਣਾ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਰਹਣਾ ਸੋ ਸੁਖੁ ਅੰਕਿ ਨ ਮਾਵੈ ॥

har si-o jaa-ay milnaa saaDhsang rahnaa so sukh ank na maavai.

Go and meet with the Lord, and dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; no one can contain that peace within his being.

ਹੋਹੁ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਹਰਿ ਚਰਨਹ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੩॥

hohu kirpaal naanak kay su-aamee har charnah sang samaavai. ||3||

Please be kind to me, O Lord and Master of Nanak, that I may merge in You. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

A body without breath has no life in it — and a heart without the One feels just as empty, restless even for a moment.

Living cut off from the One is its own kind of darkness; so my heart has fixed itself on the beauty of the divine presence.

The One is close enough to delight in and free enough never to be trapped — always here, and no one can ever push the One away.

Go, then, and meet the One; stay in the company of those who love the One — a peace so wide your heart can barely hold it.

Be kind to me, my Master, and let me melt into that presence.

A heart tuned to the One is as alive as a body full of breath.

The deeper layer

A heart without the One is like a body without breath.

Saas binaa ji-o dayhuree: like a body without breath, it has no life and no glory. In the same way, a devoted person without a glimpse of the One cannot rest even a moment. The verse calls a life apart from the One narak, a kind of hell. Its meaning is that such a life feels empty and dark.

Then comes a lovely pair of words: har rasik bairaagee. Rasik means one who delights in things. Bairaagee means one who is free and unattached. The One enjoys creation and is also free of it. Think of a parent at a child's game, cheering every play, yet calm whether they win or lose.

The saadhsang is the company of holy people. There the peace is so wide that ank na maavai: the heart cannot hold it all.

A Question to Sit With

What makes you feel most alive and awake inside?

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

About this shabad →

← Verse 2 of 4 Like a Fish for Water

Verse 4 of 4 →Searching, and Finally Found

Use ← → to navigate