Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
One glimpse of the One always bears fruit — it never goes to waste. The One is endless, without limit, immensely capable, and always, always giving. Turn toward the light, hold the living Name, and you will be carried safely across. But Nanak says: only a rare few ever truly come to know this state.
The shabad closes by gathering the One's greatness and naming the final condition. Amogh darsan — "the sight (darshan) that is amogh, unfailing, never fruitless." Whatever else in the world disappoints, a true glimpse of the One always bears fruit. Beant apaaraa — "endless, boundless." Vad samrath sadaa daataaraa — "vastly capable, forever the daataaraa (Giver)." The One is infinitely able and infinitely generous; its giving never stops and never runs dry.
Then the practice and the promise, once more through the refrain: gurmukh naam japeeai tit tareeai — "as gurmukh, repeat the Naam, and by that you are carried across (the world-ocean)." This is the whole path in one line: orientation (gurmukh) plus remembrance (japing the Naam) equals being ferried across. Nothing exotic, nothing requiring the heroics that failed in the previous shabad — just the turned face and the held Name.
But the final words add a sober, honest note: gat Naanak virlee jaatee — "this gat (state, liberation) — rare (virla) are those who truly know it." This is not discouragement but truth-telling. The path is simple, freely available, and works — yet few actually walk it, because few turn their face all the way around. Not because the gate is narrow or the One stingy (the One is sadaa daataaraa, ever-giving), but because the human heart so easily stays manmukh, turned inward on itself. The rarity is in us, not in the One. The shabad ends as both an open invitation and a gentle reckoning: the way across is right here, free, unfailing — will you actually turn toward it? Signed with the lineage's name, Nanak.
If the most important thing were also simple and free, why do you think so few people choose it? What makes it hard to just "turn toward" what matters most?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI