A Whole World Inside the Fort

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

pa-orhee.

Pauree:

ਕਾਇਆ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਗੜੁ ਕੋਟੁ ਹੈ ਸਭਿ ਦਿਸੰਤਰ ਦੇਸਾ ॥

kaa-i-aa andar garh kot hai sabh disantar daysaa.

Deep within the body is the fortress of the Lord, and all lands and countries.

ਆਪੇ ਤਾੜੀ ਲਾਈਅਨੁ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਪਰਵੇਸਾ ॥

aapay taarhee laa-ee-an sabh meh parvaysaa.

He Himself sits in primal, profound Samaadhi; He Himself is all-pervading.

ਆਪੇ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸਾਜੀਅਨੁ ਆਪਿ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਰਖੇਸਾ ॥

aapay sarisat saajee-an aap gupat rakhaysaa.

He Himself created the Universe, and He Himself remains hidden within it.

ਗੁਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਤੇ ਜਾਣਿਆ ਸਚੁ ਪਰਗਟੀਏਸਾ ॥

gur sayvaa tay jaani-aa sach pargatee-aysaa.

Serving the Guru, the Lord is known, and the Truth is revealed.

ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਪਾਈ ॥੧੬॥

sabh kichh sacho sach hai gur sojhee paa-ee. ||16||

He is True, the Truest of the True; the Guru has imparted this understanding. ||16||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Deep inside the body is the fortress of the One, and all lands and countries.

The One sits in the deepest, oldest stillness, and the One fills everything.

The One made the universe, and stays hidden inside it.

By serving the Guru the One is known, and Truth shows itself.

The One is True, the Truest of the True; the Guru has given this understanding.

The One made a whole universe, then tucked itself inside you.

The deeper layer

Inside the body-fort are all lands and countries, the whole universe held inside one person. The One sits there in deep Samaadhi, perfect stillness, while also filling everything, having made the universe and then hidden within it. The One is known by serving the Guru, and then the Truth, the Truest of the True, is revealed.

This is the third verse in the Vaar that pictures the body as a fortress.

A Question to Sit With

What large thing have you found hidden in a small place?

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

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