Sikhism·Raag Maaroo·Shabad 144
Verse 51 of 69

Without the Name, the World Stays Poor

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
pa-orhee.
Pauree:
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਜਗਤੁ ਹੈ ਨਿਰਧਨੁ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
har naam binaa jagat hai nirDhan bin naavai taripat naahee.
Without the Lord's Name, the world is poor. Without the Name, no one is satisfied.
ਦੂਜੈ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਹੀ ॥
doojai bharam bhulaa-i-aa ha-umai dukh paahee.
He is deluded by duality and doubt. In egotism, he suffers in pain.
ਬਿਨੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੇ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਲੋਚਾਹੀ ॥
bin karmaa kichhoo na paa-ee-ai jay bahut lochaahee.
Without good karma, he does not obtain anything, no matter how much he may wish for it.
ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ਜੰਮੈ ਮਰੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਛੁਟਾਹੀ ॥
aavai jaa-ay jammai marai gur sabad chhutaahee.
Coming and going in reincarnation, and birth and death are ended, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
ਆਪਿ ਕਰੈ ਕਿਸੁ ਆਖੀਐ ਦੂਜਾ ਕੋ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੧੬॥
aap karai kis aakhee-ai doojaa ko naahee. ||16||
He Himself acts, so unto whom should we complain? There is no other at all. ||16||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Without the Name, even a full world feels poor, and nothing quite satisfies.

Duality and doubt confuse a heart, and pride keeps it aching.

Good actions plant good fruit, and the endless circling ends through the Guru's Word. The One does everything, so whom would we complain to? There is no other at all.

A heart without the Name is poor no matter how much it holds.
The deeper layer

The sixteenth Pauree (||16||). Without the Name, no amount of having brings contentment. Good karma matters, and the Guru's Word ends the circling of birth and death. In the end the whole question rests in the One: 'He Himself acts, so unto whom should we complain? There is no other at all.' Blame gives way to acceptance.

A Question to Sit With

Have you noticed that more stuff does not always mean more contentment?

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

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