Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
You can read every holy book and recite every line out loud, and that can be beautiful. But reading the words is not the same as understanding what they point to.
If the meaning landed inside you, you would quietly recognize the One right there. Nanak says there is no need to shout. Understanding is calm. It does not have to be loud to be true.
Understanding finishes what reading begins, and understanding is quiet.
People read the Shaastras, the Vedas and the Puraanas, the old holy books of India, and recite them aloud. Reading is a good start. Jaa boojhai taa soojhai so-ee — when you understand, the One comes into view. Then kook na ho-ee: no shouting is needed. The same holds in every tradition. The words are a doorway, and understanding is walking through it.
What is the difference between reading words and understanding them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI