Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Again and again I turn to praise You, Beloved, singing to You is where my heart wants to be.
Life can feel like a wide, scary sea, and without a boat, how would anyone ever reach the far shore?
Your Name is that boat. Held by it, the crossing feels possible.
Keep praising the One, because praise is the boat that carries us across life's scary sea.
This is the rahaa-o line, the "pause" line, the center of the whole shabad. Bhee toohai salaahnaa — "still, always, I praise You." Guru Nanak keeps calling the One pi-aaray, Beloved. That warm word runs through the whole shabad.
Vin bohith bhai dubee-ai — without a boat, one sinks in the sea of fear. Here bhai means the frightening ocean of life's worries. KanDhee paa-ay kahaah — how would anyone reach the far shore?
The answer is tucked inside the question. Praise itself is the boat. Think of crossing a wide lake. Swimming alone, it feels impossible. With a sturdy boat under you, the same water feels calm.
What is something that steadies you when life feels overwhelming?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI