Sikhism·Raag Raamkalee·Shabad 69
Verse 5 of 5

Lifted Up by a Single Glance

ਜਉ ਛੂਟਉ ਤਉ ਜਾਇ ਪਇਆਲ ॥
ja-o chhoota-o ta-o jaa-ay pa-i-aal.
When I am separated from Him, then I am consigned to the nether regions.
ਜਉ ਕਾਢਿਓ ਤਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥
ja-o kaadhi-o ta-o nadar nihaal.
When He lifts me up and pulls me out, then I am enraptured by His Glance of Grace.
ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਨ ਹਮਰੈ ਵਸਿ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
paap punn hamrai vas naahi.
Vice and virtue are not under my control.
ਰਸਕਿ ਰਸਕਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਹਿ ॥੪॥੪੦॥੫੧॥
rasak rasak naanak gun gaahi. ||4||40||51||
With love and affection, Nanak sings His Glorious Praises. ||4||40||51||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

When I am cut off from the One, I fall into the lowest depths.

When the One lifts me out, a single kind glance fills me with joy.

Doing wrong and doing good are not in my control.

Nanak says: with love and delight, I sing the One's praises.

You were never meant to carry it all alone; grace does the lifting.
The deeper layer

Vice and virtue are not under my control: paap punn hamrai vas naahi. This is humility, not an excuse. Cut off, I sink; lifted by grace (nadar nihaal), I am filled with joy. What is left is love, and song.

Pa-i-aal is the underworld, the lowest depths, an old picture of how far a person sinks when cut off from the One.

A Question to Sit With

When have you felt lifted up by someone else's kindness right when you needed it?

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

About this shabad →
Use ← → to navigate