Walking in the Flow

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥

salok mehlaa 3.

Shalok, Third Mehl:

ਰੈਣਾਇਰ ਮਾਹਿ ਅਨੰਤੁ ਹੈ ਕੂੜੀ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥

rainaa-ir maahi anant hai koorhee aavai jaa-ay.

In the world-ocean, the Infinite Lord abides. The false come and go in reincarnation.

ਭਾਣੈ ਚਲੈ ਆਪਣੈ ਬਹੁਤੀ ਲਹੈ ਸਜਾਇ ॥

bhaanai chalai aapnai bahutee lahai sajaa-ay.

One who walks according to his own will, suffers terrible punishment.

ਰੈਣਾਇਰ ਮਹਿ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੈ ਕਰਮੀ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥

rainaa-ir meh sabh kichh hai karmee palai paa-ay.

All things are in the world-ocean, but they are obtained only by the karma of good actions.

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੇ ਚਲੈ ਤਿਸੈ ਰਜਾਇ ॥੧॥

naanak na-o niDh paa-ee-ai jay chalai tisai rajaa-ay. ||1||

O Nanak, he alone obtains the nine treasures, who walks in the Will of the Lord. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Infinite One lives within the sea of the world. The false keep coming and going.

Whoever walks only by their own will suffers greatly.

Everything is there in the sea of the world, but it comes into your hands only through good karma.

Nanak says: you receive the nine treasures, everything worth having, when you walk in the One's Will.

Fighting the current wears you out, moving with it opens everything.

The deeper layer

Self-will stands against Hukam. The Infinite lives in the very world-ocean people fear. Walking by one's own will brings great suffering. Walking in the Will opens the nine treasures (naunidhi), the ancient shorthand for total abundance. Good actions here are the opening of the hand, not a wage.

A Question to Sit With

Where are you swimming against a current you could flow with?

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

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