Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Dear One, who am I? I am small, and my hands are empty.
From what beginning did You shape me into a human being? That I am here at all is Your glory.
Feeling small can open your eyes to how much you have already been given.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad that every verse comes back to.
It starts from honest, empty hands. Anaath means without a protector. Guru Arjan says, in effect, "Who am I? I have nothing to offer."
Then it turns into wonder. Kavan mool tay maanukh kari-aa — from what beginning did You make a human being? That a person exists at all is a sign of the One's greatness.
Think of a tiny seed in your hand. It seems like nothing, yet a whole tree comes from it. Feeling small here is not a put-down. It is the humility that lets you notice how much you received before you earned anything at all.
When was the last time you felt amazed that you get to be here at all?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI