No One Is Too Far Gone

ਜੋ ਜੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੈ ਅਪਰਾਧੀ ਸਭਿ ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਦੋਖ ਪਰਹਰੇ ॥

jo jo naam japai apraaDhee sabh tin kay dokh parharay.

Whoever chants the Naam, all his sins and mistakes are taken away.

ਬੇਸੁਆ ਰਵਤ ਅਜਾਮਲੁ ਉਧਰਿਓ ਮੁਖਿ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਨਰਹਰੇ ॥

baysu-aa ravat ajaamal uDhaari-o mukh bolai naaraa-in narharay.

Ajaamal, who had sex with prostitites, was saved, by chanting the Name of the Lord.

ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਤ ਉਗ੍ਰਸੈਣਿ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਈ ਤੋੜਿ ਬੰਧਨ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਰੇ ॥੩॥

naam japat ugarsain gat paa-ee torh banDhan mukat karay. ||3||

Chanting the Naam, Ugar Sain obtained salvation; his bonds were broken, and he was liberated. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Whoever turns to the Name finds their mistakes lifted away.

People who had lost their way found it again the moment they spoke the Name with love; their chains loosened and they were free.

It is never too late to turn back toward what is good.

The deeper layer

No one is too far gone to come back.

Jo jo naam japai apraaDhee: "whoever remembers the Name, even someone who has done wrong." All their mistakes are taken away.

The verse points to people from old stories. Ajaamal was remembered for a life that had gone badly off track. Ugar Sain was a king who had been locked up. Both turned to the Name, and both were freed. Their chains were broken.

Think of getting lost in a big store. You might feel like you have wandered much too far. But the moment you call out, someone who loves you answers and comes to find you.

Mistakes here are not crimes to be punished forever. They are things to let go of. The door back is never locked.

A Question to Sit With

Is there a small thing you could set right today by turning toward it?

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

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