Sikhism·Raag Malaar·Shabad 67
Verse 1 of 9

Turned To Gold

ਮਲਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥
malaar mehlaa 3 asatpadee-aa ghar 1.
Malaar, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਕਰਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਤਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮੈ ਪਾਇਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
karam hovai taa satgur paa-ee-ai vin karmai paa-i-aa na jaa-ay.
If it is in his karma, then he finds the True Guru; without such karma, He cannot be found.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਕੰਚਨੁ ਹੋਈਐ ਜਾਂ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਹੋਇ ਰਜਾਇ ॥੧॥
satgur mili-ai kanchan ho-ee-ai jaaN har kee ho-ay rajaa-ay. ||1||
He meets the True Guru, and he is transformed into gold, if it is the Lord's Will. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

There is only One. And the One is found by the True Guru's grace — a gift that is always here, waiting for an open heart.

When there is karma, the True Guru is found. Without it, the Guru cannot be found.

Meeting the True Guru, a person turns into gold, when that is the will of the One.

The right wisdom, met at the right time, can lift what's ordinary in you into something bright.
The deeper layer

When you meet the Guru, something in you turns to gold.

Karam here means karma, what your past actions have prepared, and the word also carries the sense of grace, a gift. The meeting comes when both are there. Kanchan is gold. Old stories tell of the paaras, a touchstone that turns plain iron into gold at a touch. Meeting the Guru works like that. Jaa(n) har kee hoe rajaa-ay — when the One wills it.

A Question to Sit With

Have you ever met someone or something that changed you for the better?

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

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