Sikhism·Raag Maaroo·Shabad 120
Verse 12 of 16

Without Grace, Who Could Find You

ਕਰਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਗੁਰੁ ਭਗਤਿ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਏ ॥
karam hovai gur bhagat drirh-aa-ay.
If one is blessed with His Grace, devotional worship to the Guru is implanted within.
ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕਿਉ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਏ ॥
vin karmaa ki-o paa-i-aa jaa-ay.
Without God's Grace, how can anyone find Him?
ਆਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਕਰਾਏ ਕਰਤਾ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਚਲਾਇਦਾ ॥੧੨॥
aapay karay karaa-ay kartaa ji-o bhaavai tivai chalaa-idaa. ||12||
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires all to act; as He wills, he leads us on. ||12||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

When grace touches a heart, love for the One takes root inside it.

None of us could find the One by force alone; the Maker moves in us and leads us gently along.

Love for the One is not forced into being; grace plants it.
The deeper layer

Loving devotion grows in a heart by grace. The Maker leads us along.

Karam hovai gur bhagat drirh-aa-ay: when karam, grace, is given, devotion to the Guru is planted firmly within. Vin karmaa ki-o paa-i-aa jaa-ay: without grace, how could anyone find the One?

So even our finding starts with the One. Think of a lighthouse. A ship in the dark does not make the light. It follows a light that was already shining.

Aapay karay karaa-ay kartaa: the Maker does everything and moves us all to act, leading us on as He wills.

A Question to Sit With

When did something good grow in you that you did not plan?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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