Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A person can study every book and teach a whole roomful of others.
And still they may not notice the small fire of worry burning quietly in their own heart.
Without serving the Guru, the Naam does not come. You can read until you are worn out, and still the heart finds no peace.
Reading many words is one thing; living one truth is another.
Parh pandit avraa samjhaa-ay — the scholar reads and explains things to others. A pandit is a learned teacher. Ghar jaltay kee khabar na paa-ay — but he does not notice his own house is on fire. The fire is the quiet unease inside, a heart that studies but never settles.
The verse names a scholar, but it speaks to every tradition and every reader. It is not about one faith. Think of a kid who can recite every rule of swimming but has never gotten in the water.
Bin satgur sayvay naam na paa-ee-ai — without serving the True Guru, the Name is not found. Parh thaakay saant na aa-ee — you can read until you are tired out, and peace still does not come.
When has knowing about something been different from understanding it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI