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.
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.
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.
What is something you had to experience yourself before you really understood it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI