Sikhism·Raag Soohee·Shabad 86
Verse 1 of 9

You Have to Taste It Yourself

ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਘਰੁ ੧ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ
raag soohee mehlaa 3 ghar 1 asatpadee-aa
Raag Soohee, Third Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਨਾਮੈ ਹੀ ਤੇ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਆ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੈ ॥
naamai hee tay sabh kichh ho-aa bin satgur naam na jaapai.
Everything comes from the Naam, the Name of the Lord; without the True Guru, the Naam is not experienced.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਮਹਾ ਰਸੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਚਾਖੇ ਸਾਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਪੈ ॥
gur kaa sabad mahaa ras meethaa bin chaakhay saad na jaapai.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sweetest and most sublime essence, but without tasting it, its flavor cannot be experienced.
ਕਉਡੀ ਬਦਲੈ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਚੀਨਸਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਆਪੈ ॥
ka-udee badlai janam gavaa-i-aa cheenas naahee aapai.
He wastes this human life in exchange for a mere shell; he does not understand his own self.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਤਾ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੁਖੁ ਨ ਸੰਤਾਪੈ ॥੧॥
gurmukh hovai taa ayko jaanai ha-umai dukh na santaapai. ||1||
But, if he becomes Gurmukh, then he comes to know the One Lord, and the disease of egotism does not afflict him. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

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.

Everything comes from the Name, the living presence of the One. Without the true Guru, the Name is not felt.

The Guru's word is the sweetest taste there is. But no one knows the flavor until they taste it.

Some people trade this precious life for a tiny shell. They never come to know their own self.

The one who turns to the Guru comes to know the One. Then the ache of the puffed-up self no longer hurts them.

No one can taste the teaching for you — you have to take the bite yourself.
The deeper layer

The Guru's word is the sweetest taste there is, but you have to taste it yourself.

This song has eight verses. It is called an ashtapadee, an "eight-step" song. It opens with Ik-onkaar satgur parsaad: there is One Creator, known by the true Guru's grace.

Naamai hee tay sabh kichh ho-aa — everything comes from the Naam, the Name, the living presence of the One. And without the true Guru, the Name is not felt.

Gur kaa sabad mahaa ras meethaa, bin chaakhay saad na jaapai — the Guru's word is the sweetest taste, but no one knows the flavor without tasting it. A friend can tell you all about a mango. You still don't know mango until you take a bite. This is about living it yourself, not just hearing about it.

Ka-udee badlai janam gavaa-i-aa — some people trade this priceless life for a ka-udee, a tiny shell that was once used as small change. They never come to know their own self. But the gurmukh, the one who faces the Guru, comes to know the One. Then ha-umai, the puffed-up "me," is like an illness that heals and no longer hurts.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you had to experience yourself before you really understood it?

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

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