ਬਹੁ ਮੈਲੇ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਹੋਇਆ ਸਭ ਕਿਲਬਿਖ ਹਰਿ ਜਸਿ ਜਾਲਾ ॥
baho mailay nirmal ho-i-aa sabh kilbikh har jas jaalaa.
I was filthy, but I have become immaculate. Singing the Lord's Praises, all sins have been burnt to ashes.
ਮਨਿ ਅਨਦੁ ਭਇਆ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦਿ ਨਿਹਾਲਾ ॥੪॥੫॥
man anad bha-i-aa gur paa-i-aa jan naanak sabad nihaalaa. ||4||5||
My mind is in esctasy, having found the Guru; servant Nanak is enraptured through the Word of the Shabad. ||4||5||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I felt grimy, and now I feel bright — singing praises, the old weight burned clean away.
My mind is full of delight at finding the teacher; servant Nanak is carried away by the Word.
You can go from feeling grimy to feeling bright — nothing is stuck forever.
Mailaa (grimy) to nirmal (bright/clean): the transformation the whole shabad has been building toward. "Sins burnt to ashes" is rendered as "old weight burned clean." The closing joy — bigaas, blossoming delight — in the shabad (the Word) is the raag's signature bright note.
A Question to Sit With
When did you last go from feeling low to feeling light and glad?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate