Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Hold tight to the edge of a holy soul's robe, and you cross the rough sea of the world.
Worship the One, and your whole family is carried safely across along with you.
This short stanza gives, again, the image of rescue by holding on — now specifically to the Saint. Grasping the hem of the robe of the Holy Saint, we cross over the world-ocean. Where other verses speak of holding the hem of the Lord's robe, here it is the Saint's robe — the holy person who is already crossing, whom you can hold onto and be carried alongside. This is the deep value the tradition places on the company of the awakened: they are not only examples but handholds, robes to grip while the terrifying ocean is crossed. You need not be strong enough to swim it; you need only find a Saint and hold on.
And the rescue spreads: worship and adore the Supreme Lord God, and all your family will be saved as well. The soul that grips the Saint's robe and worships the One does not cross alone; it carries its family across with it. This is the recurring and beautiful conviction of the raag — that one genuine life lifts a whole lineage, that salvation is shared because separation was never finally real. The person who holds the Saint's hem and worships the One becomes, in turn, a robe for their own family to hold. The crossing, begun by humble holding-on, ripples outward to save those bound to you.
Whose 'robe' could you hold onto to cross what feels overwhelming — and whom might your own crossing carry along?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI