Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
All the great old stories and scriptures, the epics, the Puranas, the Vedas, are woven out of letters.
They use the very same letters we all speak with.
Vyaasa, the wise sage, thought it all through and spoke the highest truth: nothing is equal to the Name of the One.
All the great old books are made of letters, and nothing equals the Name.
Naanaa khi-aan puraan bayd — the many epics, the Puranas, and the Vedas. These are the great holy books of Hindu tradition. Cha-utees achhar maahee — they are all made from the thirty-four letters of the alphabet.
Bi-aas is Vyaasa, the great sage said to have gathered these books. After careful thought, he spoke the highest truth. Raam naam sar naahee — nothing equals the Name.
The verse is fair and kind. It honors these books. It does not set the Name against them. Think of a recipe book and the meal itself. The book is precious, but the point is the meal. The scriptures are respected, and the living Name is what they point to.
What is the one thing you'd keep if you had to let everything else go?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI