Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O mortal, turn toward the Guru and remember the Naam.
Pulled two ways, you are wasting this priceless human life. You trade it away for a seashell.
Your life is priceless, so remember the Naam and keep it whole.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad. Paraanee gurmukh naam Dhi-aa-ay means, "Dear one, face the Guru and keep the Naam in mind."
Janam padaarath means the treasure of a human life. It is priceless. DubiDhaa means being of two minds, pulled two ways at once. That split wastes the treasure. Ka-udee badlai jaa-ay: it gets traded for a ka-udee, a tiny seashell once used as the smallest coin.
Imagine swapping a brand-new bike for one sticker. That is the picture.
What is something priceless in your life that is easy to take for granted?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI