Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
There is only One. And the One is found by the True Guru's grace — a gift that is always here, waiting for an open heart.
It doesn't matter what rank the world hands you at birth. When someone holds the Name with love, they rise to the highest honor there is.
Remember Bidar, the son of a servant, whom the world counted as low — yet the divine guest chose to stay in his home, not in any palace.
Whatever rank the world gives you at birth, loving the Name lifts you to the highest honor.
This is the main idea of the whole song. In Guru Ram Das's time, people were sorted by jaat, the family group you were born into. Some were called neech, "low." Neech jaat har japti-aa — when someone the world calls low remembers the One. Utam padvee paa-ay — they reach the highest place.
Then he gives an old story. Bidar was the son of a maid in the Mahabharata, a great old Indian story. When Krishna came to town, kings offered him their palaces. Krishna chose to stay in Bidar's simple home.
Think of a famous guest skipping the fancy hotel to eat dinner at a small, loving house. Love matters more than rank.
Who have you seen judged by the wrong measure — and what did they turn out to be?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI