Sikhism·Raag Saarang·Shabad 23
Verse 2 of 5

Two Kinds Of Places

ਜਹਾਂ ਬੀਸਰੈ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਪਿਆਰੋ ਤਹਾਂ ਦੂਖ ਸਭ ਆਪਦ ॥
jahaaN beesrai thaakur pi-aaro tahaaN dookh sabh aapad.
Wherever my Beloved Lord and Master is forgotten - all misery and misfortune is there.
ਜਹ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਇ ਆਨੰਦ ਮੰਗਲ ਰੂਪ ਤਹਾਂ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖ ਸੰਪਦ ॥੧॥
jah gun gaa-ay aanand mangal roop tahaaN sadaa sukh sampad. ||1||
Where the Praises of my Lord, the Embodiment of Bliss and Joy are sung - eternal peace and wealth are there. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Where the One is forgotten, troubles gather. Everything feels heavier, harder, emptier.

But where the One is remembered and sung about with joy, a lasting peace settles in. A richness comes too, one that has nothing to do with money.

Forgetting the One makes room for trouble; remembering makes room for peace.
The deeper layer

Two places sit side by side: one where the One is forgotten, and one where the One is sung about with joy.

Beesrai means forgotten. Where the heart forgets the One, dookh sabh aapad, troubles gather. Where praise is sung, there is sadaa sukh sampad, lasting peace and real riches.

It is not that some places are cursed. It is that when a heart forgets where it comes from, trouble has room to grow. Think of a plant moved away from the window. Nothing attacks it, but it slowly droops.

The good news is that the fix is always close. You can turn back toward remembering at any moment.

A Question to Sit With

How does your mood change depending on what you are paying attention to?

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

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