Poured Through the Guru's Hands to Many

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

The shabad closes by showing how the treasure spreads — through the Guru, to the many. Har ikas hath aaiaa — "the One came into the hath (hands) of the one [the Guru]." The infinite, unreachable One has, as it were, placed itself in the Guru's hands — entrusted itself to the Guru to give away. And then the abundance: varsaane bahutere — "bahutere (very many) were varsaane (showered, rained upon, blessed)." From the single source flowing through the Guru, a flood of blessing reaches countless souls. Tis lag mukat bhae ghanere — "ghanere (a great many) were mukat (liberated, freed) by holding on (lag) to [the Guru]."

This is a beautiful picture of how grace multiplies. The One pours into the Guru, and the Guru becomes a fountain from which many drink. You do not each have to reach the infinite alone; you reach it by holding on to the one in whose hands it has been placed. The image tis lag — "attached to, clinging to" — is the practical posture: grab hold of the Guru, and you are carried into the flood of liberation that flows through the Guru.

Then the now-familiar pairing of openness and rarity: naam nidhaanaa gurmukh paaeeai — "the treasure of the Name is found by the gurmukh, the one whose face is turned toward the light." And yet kaho Naanak virlee deethaa — "says Nanak, virla (rare) is the one who truly sees (deethaa) it." We saw this same honest note in Shabad 11: the way is open, the Guru's hands are full, bahutere are blessed — and yet few actually turn to see. The rarity is not in the One's stinginess (the blessing rains on many) but in how few orient themselves to receive. The shabad ends, like the section often does, as both invitation and gentle reckoning: the sweetest taste, the treasure that satisfies and steadies and frees, is placed in the Guru's hands and freely poured — will you turn toward it and see? Signed with the lineage's name, Nanak.