Sikhism·Raag Raamkalee·Shabad 46
Verse 1 of 5

Play Close To The One

ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
raamkalee mehlaa 5.
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
ਸੰਤ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਾਮ ਰੰਗ ਕੇਲ ॥
sant kai sang raam rang kayl.
In the Saints' Congregation, play joyfully with the Lord,
ਆਗੈ ਜਮ ਸਿਉ ਹੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਲ ॥
aagai jam si-o ho-ay na mayl.
and you will not have to meet the Messenger of Death hereafter.
ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਕਾ ਭਇਆ ਬਿਨਾਸ ॥
ahaN-buDh kaa bha-i-aa binaas.
Your egotistical intellect shall be dispelled,
ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਹੋਈ ਸਗਲੀ ਨਾਸ ॥੧॥
durmat ho-ee saglee naas. ||1||
and your evil-mindedness will be totally taken away. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

With the saints, in the Sangat, play joyfully with the One,

and in the world to come you will not have to meet death's messenger.

Your proud, know-it-all thinking is wiped away,

and every mean thought is taken right out of you.

Playing close to the One shrinks both pride and meanness.
The deeper layer

Sant kai sang raam rang kayl — in the Sangat, people gathered together to remember the One, play joyfully with the One. The word is play. Being close to the One is not meant to be grim. It can feel like a game with friends you love.

The verse says you will not have to meet jam, the messenger of death, in the world to come.

Then two things fade together. One is the proud, know-it-all part of the mind. The other is durmat, ill-will, the mean streak. They go away at the same time because they grow from one root. Pride and meanness are like two stems of the same weed. Pull the root, and both are gone.

A Question to Sit With

What brings out your kindest, least show-offy self?

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

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