Sikhism·Raag Raamkalee·Shabad 88
Verse 9 of 13

Only the Name Goes With You

ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਕਿਛੁ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਚਾਲੈ ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸਭੁ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਮਇਆ ॥
ant kaal kichh saath na chaalai jo deesai sabh tiseh ma-i-aa.
At the very last instant, nothing goes along with you; all is visible only by His Mercy.
ਆਦਿ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਪਰੰਪਰੁ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਲੈ ਪਾਰਿ ਪਇਆ ॥੮॥
aad purakh aprampar so parabh har naam ridai lai paar pa-i-aa. ||8||
God is our Primal and Infinite Lord; enshrining the Lord's Name in the heart, one crosses over. ||8||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

At the very last moment, nothing goes along with you. Everything you see is here by the One's kindness.

The One is the first, the endless Master. Keep the Naam of the One in your heart, and you cross over.

Of everything you gather, only what you carry in your heart goes with you.
The deeper layer

Nothing we own goes with us at the end; the Naam kept in the heart carries us across.

Ant kaal is the final moment of a life. Kichh saath na chaalai — nothing goes along. You can leave a birthday party with a happy heart, but you cannot take the house with you. Everything we see is here by the One's ma-i-aa, kindness. Aad purakh aprampar means the first Being, without any end. Har naam ridai lai paar pa-i-aa — keeping the Naam in the heart, a person crosses over, like a boat carrying someone across a wide river.

A Question to Sit With

If only one thing could go with you, what would you want it to be?

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

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