Sikhism·Raag Soohee·Shabad 87
Verse 8 of 9

The Whole Play Is Within

ਕਾਇਆ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸਾ ਸਭ ਓਪਤਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥
kaa-i-aa andar barahmaa bisan mahaysaa sabh opat jit sansaaraa.
Within the body, are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, from whom the whole world emanated.
ਸਚੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ਆਵਾ ਗਉਣੁ ਪਾਸਾਰਾ ॥
sachai aapnaa khayl rachaa-i-aa aavaa ga-on paasaaraa.
The True Lord has staged and contrived His own play; the expanse of the Universe comes and goes.
ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਆਪਿ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ਸਚਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਾ ॥੭॥
poorai satgur aap dikhaa-i-aa sach naam nistaaraa. ||7||
The Perfect True Guru Himself has made it clear, that emancipation comes through the True Name. ||7||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Even the great powers honored — the makers and shapers of the world — have their source in that same One living inside me.

All of life is like a grand play the One set in motion, scenes arriving and passing. And the way to see through the play, to real freedom, is the True Name.

All of life is one grand play, and the True Name is how you see through it.
The deeper layer

All of life is a play, and the One is behind every scene.

Kaa-i-aa andar barahmaa bisan mahaysaa: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are inside the body too. They are honored in Hindu tradition as the powers that create, keep, and renew the world. The verse says even they come from the one Source.

Sachai aapnaa khayl rachaa-i-aa: the True One made this khayl, this play. Aavaa ga-on paasaaraa: the whole show of coming and going.

Think of a school play. Characters come on stage and leave, but one director planned it all.

Sach naam nistaaraa: the Perfect Guru shows that freedom comes through the True Name.

A Question to Sit With

If life is a kind of play, what part do you most want to play well?

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

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