Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The One Himself keeps the treasure safe, and the One Himself hands it out. Only a rare few, facing the light, ever trade in it. Nanak says: the one the One casts His glance of grace upon receives it — and by His mercy, it comes to live in the heart.
This verse says the One keeps the treasure and hands it out, and it comes to us by grace.
The shabad ends by making sure we know who holds the keys. The verse before said the gurmukh finds and trades in the treasure. We might start to think the gurmukh is a clever trader who earned their way in. So this verse gently sets that right: aapay vath raakhai aapay day-ay — the One keeps the treasure safe, and the One gives it out. The vault is full of jewels, yes. But the One is both its keeper and the one who hands out its riches. We do not break into the treasure room with our own skill. The One opens it and places the jewel in our hand.
That is why gurmukh vanjahi kay-ee kay-ay — only a rare few who face the Guru trade in this treasure. Not because the One is stingy. The One is the Giver, full to the brim everywhere, as the earlier verses said. It is rare because few people let the ego step aside long enough to receive what is freely offered. The rareness is on our side, in turning and opening. It is never on the One's side, who is always giving.
The last line is the bedrock of the whole raag: naanak jis nadar karay so paa-ay — the one the One looks on with nadar, a kind glance of grace, receives it. And kar kirpaa man vasaavani-aa — by His kirpaa, mercy, it comes to live in the heart. The shabad has shown a wonderful inner home: the universe within, the forever-young Beloved, the dawning light, the blooming lotus, the palace of jewels. The last word makes clear that finding all of it comes by grace. We bring our willingness to turn toward the light. The One brings the glance that opens our eyes. Think of a gift already wrapped with your name on it. You only have to open your hands.
The whole song says the treasure is within and given by grace — so what's actually left for you to "do"? What does turning toward the light and opening your hands look like in an ordinary day?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI