Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
All day and night, master the eight scattered pulls, and ninth, bring the body under quiet control. The real treasures aren't out in the world; they're hidden inside you, in the Name. Dig for those riches of goodness.
Those blessed with good actions praise the One; O Nanak, they make the Guru their teacher.
In the quiet of the early morning, a deep longing wakes in those blessed to feel it. They tune themselves to the river of life, the True Name on their minds and their lips. The sweet Nectar is poured out, and the ones with good behind them receive it — and their whole being turns golden, taking on the color of the spirit. Once the great Jeweler looks on such a soul with grace, it never has to go back into the fire to be re-melted.
Through the rest of the day, it is good to speak truth and sit with the wise. There, the real gets sorted from the fake, fakeness shrinks, the counterfeits are set aside and the genuine are cheered. In the end, mere talk is empty — and both our pains and our pleasures rest entirely in the One's hands.
This verse says the real treasures are inside you, in the Name. Early morning is a special time to find them, and the whole day is for truth and good company.
It's by Guru Angad. It borrows the number-language that yogis used for the body, then turns it inward to the Name. The first line is a puzzle. "Athee pahree ath khand naavaa khand sareer" — all day long, master the eight, and ninth, the body. Its meaning is clear from what comes next: calm the scattered pulls of the senses and steady the restless body. Why? "Tis vich na-o niDh naam" — inside it are the na-o niDh, the nine treasures, in the Name. Old stories told of nine great treasures. Here they aren't in some far-off vault. They're inside you. "Bhaaleh gunee gaheer" — search the depths of these good qualities. Like a treasure hunt where the map says "look in your own backpack."
Then the verse turns to "cha-uthai pahar sabaah kai," the last watch before dawn. Sikhs call these early hours amrit vaylaa, the nectar time. "Surti-aa upjai chaa-o" — a longing wakes in the heart. Such people are in tune with "the river," with "sachaa naa-o," the True Name, in their minds and on their lips. "Othai amrit vandee-ai" — there the nectar is handed out, and those blessed by grace receive it.
Then a picture of gold. "Kanchan kaa-i-aa kasee-ai" — the body becomes gold, taking on the color of the spirit. Like a jeweler turning rough metal into shining gold. "Jay hovai nadar saraaf kee bahurh na paa-ee taa-o" — if the Jeweler looks with grace, it isn't put in the fire again. Once the great Jeweler approves the gold, it doesn't go back into the furnace to be melted and tested again. That's the round of birth and death, finished.
Then back to ordinary hours. "Satee pahree sat bhalaa bahee-ai parhi-aa paas" — in the other seven watches, it's good to speak truth and sit with the wise. There, right and wrong get sorted, and falseness shrinks. "Khotay satee-ah kharay keecheh saabaas" — fake coins are set aside, and real ones are cheered. Good company is like a coin-testing shop, gently sorting the false in us from the true. Last, a humble note: "bolan faadal naankaa dukh sukh khasmai paas" — Nanak says, talk is empty; pain and joy are in the Master's hands. Our part is to look for the treasure inside, take the nectar at dawn, sit with the wise, and leave the rest to the One.
Where might you be searching outside for a treasure that the teaching says is buried within your own being?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI