Sikhism·Raag Sorath·Shabad 1
Verse 4 of 4

Aim at the One and Grace Makes Life Glow

ਲਾਇ ਚਿਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਮੰਨਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਕੰਮੁ ॥
laa-ay chit kar chaakree man naam kar kamm.
Let your service be the focusing of your consciousness, and let your occupation be the placing of faith in the Naam.
ਬੰਨੁ ਬਦੀਆ ਕਰਿ ਧਾਵਣੀ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ ਧੰਨੁ ॥
bann badee-aa kar Dhaavnee taa ko aakhai Dhan.
Let your work be restraint from sin; only then will people call you blessed.
ਨਾਨਕ ਵੇਖੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਚੜੈ ਚਵਗਣ ਵੰਨੁ ॥੪॥੨॥
naanak vaykhai nadar kar charhai chavgan vann. ||4||2||
O Nanak, the Lord shall look upon you with His Glance of Grace, and you shall be blessed with honor four times over. ||4||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Let your service be simply this: pointing your whole attention toward the One. Let your daily job be keeping the Name in your heart.

Let your work be gently turning away from what harms — then people truly call you blessed.

And Nanak says: when grace looks upon you, your life takes on colors four times brighter than before.

Point your attention at the One, turn gently from what harms, and grace makes your life glow.
The deeper layer

This one says: point your attention at the One, gently turn from what harms, and grace makes your life glow.

The last part names the everyday practice. Chaakree, service, is simply focused attention. Kamm, your daily work, is trusting and holding the Name. And the honest labor is bann badee-aa, holding back from harmful ways. It is like gently putting down something heavy. The point is healing, not guilt.

Then comes a lovely picture: charhai chavgan vann, "you take on color four times over." Think of a white T-shirt dipped in dye again and again. Each time the color gets deeper and brighter. A true life glows like that, and people call it blessed.

The last word belongs to grace: vaykhai nadar kar, "the One looks with a kind glance." Nadar means the loving look of grace. Grace is not a paycheck you earn. It is like sunlight that pours in once you open the curtains.

The shabad ends where it began. A life cared for quietly, like a farm, becomes bright and beautiful.

A Question to Sit With

What is one harmful habit you could gently set down, not out of guilt, but to feel lighter?

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

About this shabad →
Use ← → to navigate