ਕਵਨੁ ਨਰਕੁ ਕਿਆ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ਸੰਤਨ ਦੋਊ ਰਾਦੇ ॥
kavan narak ki-aa surag bichaaraa santan do-oo raaday.
What is hell, and what is heaven? The Saints reject them both.
ਹਮ ਕਾਹੂ ਕੀ ਕਾਣਿ ਨ ਕਢਤੇ ਅਪਨੇ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੇ ॥੫॥
ham kaahoo kee kaan na kadh-tay apnay gur parsaaday. ||5||
I have no obligation to either of them, by the Grace of my Guru. ||5||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
What is hell, and what is heaven? The holy ones turn down both.
By my Guru's grace, I owe nothing to either of them.
Do good because it is good — not to win a prize or dodge a punishment.
The saints turn down both heaven and hell: they act from love, not from hoping for a reward or dreading a punishment. 'I have no obligation to either' (kaan na kadhte) is a declaration of freedom, and it comes by grace, through the Guru.
A Question to Sit With
Would you still do the right thing if no one rewarded or punished you for it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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