Verse 4 of 5
I Am a Child, Cherished Like a Parent's Own
ਹਮ ਬਾਰਿਕ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਣਹੂ ਹਰਿ ਮਾਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਾ ॥
ham baarik kichhoo na jaanhoo har maat pitaa partipaalaa.
I am a child; I know nothing at all. The Lord cherishes me, as my mother and father.
ਕਰੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਅਗਨਿ ਨਿਤ ਮੇਲਤੇ ਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖੇ ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲਾ ॥੩॥
kar maa-i-aa agan nit mayltay gur raakhay deen da-i-aalaa. ||3||
I continually put my hands into the fire of Maya, but the Guru saves me; He is merciful to the meek. ||3||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I'm just a child; I really know nothing at all. And the One cherishes me the way a mother and father do.
Again and again I reach for shiny, distracting things that could hurt me — and again and again the gentle teacher keeps me safe.
You can be small and still be completely cherished and kept safe.
One of the tenderest images in the raag: hau baarik — "I am a child" — held by the One as maat pitaa. "Hands in the fire of Maya" becomes reaching for shiny distractions; the Guru is kripaa deen — merciful to the small — and keeps the child from harm. Pure parental tenderness.
A Question to Sit With
When have you been kept safe from something before you even understood the danger?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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