Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
No one gets to schedule the end of a life — it simply comes in its own time, not asking the day or the hour. And when it does, all the grand things a person gathered — even armies and drums and beautiful houses — are quietly left behind.
Nanak says a heap of dust becomes dust again: everything our bodies are made of returns, in time, to the earth it came from. This is not meant to frighten you; it is a gentle reminder to hold lightly to the things that do not last, and to treasure what does — the love and the goodness you carry inside.
The end of a life comes in its own time, and all the grand things we gather stay behind.
It is a shalok, a short verse, by Guru Nanak. He speaks of death gently, the way he does in his songs of mourning. Maran na moorat puchhi-aa — death does not ask the hour, the date, or the day of the week.
Some have packed up and gone. Some are getting ready. Some leave carrying a heavy load, and some leave well looked after. Armies, drums, and beautiful houses are all left behind. Dhayree chhaar kee bhee fir ho-ee chhaar — a heap of dust becomes dust again.
This is not meant to scare anyone. It is a kind call to hold loosely to what does not last and treasure what does. Think of building a sandcastle at the beach. You enjoy it, but you know the tide will come. What you take home is the fun and the friends you shared it with.
What are the things that last, that no one can leave behind?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI