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Sikhism·Raag Raamkalee·Shabad 113
Verse 32 of 74

Stories That Make You Good

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੩ ॥
salok mehlaa 3.
Shalok, Third Mehl:
ਬਾਬਾਣੀਆ ਕਹਾਣੀਆ ਪੁਤ ਸਪੁਤ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
baabaanee-aa kahaanee-aa put saput karayn.
The stories of one's ancestors make the children good children.
ਜਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਮੰਨਿ ਲੈਨਿ ਸੇਈ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
je satgur bhaavai so man lain say-ee karam karayn.
They accept what is pleasing to the Will of the True Guru, and act accordingly.
ਜਾਇ ਪੁਛਹੁ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸਾਸਤ ਬਿਆਸ ਸੁਕ ਨਾਰਦ ਬਚਨ ਸਭ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਕਰੇਨਿ ॥
jaa-ay puchhahu simrit saasat bi-aas suk naarad bachan sabh sarisat karayn.
Go and consult the Simritees, the Shaastras, the writings of Vyaas, Suk Dayv, Naarad, and all those who preach to the world.
ਸਚੈ ਲਾਏ ਸਚਿ ਲਗੇ ਸਦਾ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲੇਨਿ ॥
sachai laa-ay sach lagay sadaa sach samaalayn.
Those, whom the True Lord attaches, are attached to the Truth; they contemplate the True Name forever.
ਨਾਨਕ ਆਏ ਸੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਭਏ ਜਿ ਸਗਲੇ ਕੁਲ ਤਾਰੇਨਿ ॥੧॥
naanak aa-ay say parvaan bha-ay je saglay kul taarayn. ||1||
O Nanak, their coming into the world is approved; they redeem all their ancestors. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The stories of those who came before make children into good children.

They accept what pleases the Guru, and they live that way.

Go and ask the Simritees and the Shaastras, the words of Vyaas, Suk Dayv, and Naarad, and of all who teach the world.

Those the True One attaches to Truth stay with Truth, and keep the True One in mind forever.

Nanak says: their coming into the world is approved. They carry their whole family across.

One true life lifts up everyone it came from.
The deeper layer

A shalok in praise of inherited wisdom and good example. The stories of one's ancestors shape good children, and the great sages and scriptures, Vyaas, Suk Dayv, Naarad, point the same direction. Those the One attaches stay attached to Truth. The closing idea, that one true life redeems its whole line, is a warm, family-centered note, one true heart blessing all it came from.

A Question to Sit With

Which story handed down to you has shaped who you are?

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

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