Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Before I ever took my first breath, before I could ask for anything, I was already being formed and held.
My mother and father came together, and my little body began.
Even then, in that hidden beginning, I was turned toward the One in love.
And the One was there, giving me everything I needed, watching over me with care.
The One was caring for you before you were even born.
Guru Nanak begins this shabad at the very start of a life. A mother and father come together, and a tiny body begins to form. Deep inside, before birth, the baby is already held.
UraDh liv laagee: even there, curled up in the dark, the little one is turned toward the One in love. And so parabh saaray daat karay: "that God gives it everything it needs, right there."
Think of a baby bird still inside its egg. It cannot find food or ask for help. But everything it needs is already packed around it, and a parent sits on the nest, keeping it warm.
That is the heart of the verse. Care came first. Before we could do anything or ask for anything, the Giver was already giving.
What does it feel like to know you were cared for from the very start?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI