Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The one who tears others down breaks apart halfway across.
The Master Himself watches over His people; the one who turns away from the Guru is left with no shelter when death comes.
Tearing others down makes a life come apart, but the One shelters everyone who leans on it.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad.
The verse says the slanderer breaks aDh beech, halfway across. Think of a rope bridge with frayed ropes. It looks fine at first, then snaps in the middle. A life built on tearing others down comes apart from the inside like that.
Baymukh means someone who has turned their face away. The verse says death overtakes them. It is best heard as the quiet unraveling of a life with no roots, the lost feeling of having no shelter. It is not a final sentence.
Jan kaa raakhaa aap su-aamee — the Master Himself protects His people. The One is the shelter of all who lean on it.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
Have you noticed how a person who is always putting others down often ends up alone?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI