Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Nobody asks about your caste, the family group you were born into. Find out where your true home is.
That is your caste and that is your honor: the karma of the deeds you do.
The pains of being born and dying are cut away. Nanak says: freedom is in the Naam.
The One never asks what family you were born into. What counts is how you live.
In his time, people were sorted by jaat, or caste. Caste means being ranked by the family you were born into. Guru Nanak sets that ranking aside. Jaat janam nah poochhee-ai means "caste and birth are not asked about." Sach ghar layho bataa-ay means "find out where your true home is."
Saa jaat saa pat hai jayhay karam kamaa-ay means "your caste and your honor are the deeds you do." Karam means actions. Think of a class project. Nobody grades you on your last name. You're graded on the work you do. Dignity comes from how you act, not where you were born.
Janam maran dukh kaatee-ai means "the pain of birth and death is cut away." Naanak chhootas naa-ay means "Nanak says, freedom is in the Name." The deep aches of coming and going ease, and freedom is found in remembering the One.
Is it fair to judge someone by where they came from? What should we look at instead?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI