Sikhism·Raag Sorath·Shabad 149
Verse 59 of 87

The Only Miracle Worth Having

ਮਃ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 3.
Third Mehl:
ਸਿਧ ਸਾਧਿਕ ਨਾਵੈ ਨੋ ਸਭਿ ਖੋਜਦੇ ਥਕਿ ਰਹੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥
siDh saaDhik naavai no sabh khojday thak rahay liv laa-ay.
All the Siddhas, spiritual masters and seekers search for the Name; they have grown weary of concentrating and focusing their attention.
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥
bin satgur kinai na paa-i-o gurmukh milai milaa-ay.
Without the True Guru, no one finds the Name; the Gurmukhs unite in Union with the Lord.
ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਖਾਣੁ ਸਭੁ ਬਾਦਿ ਹੈ ਧਿਗੁ ਸਿਧੀ ਧਿਗੁ ਕਰਮਾਤਿ ॥
bin naavai painan khaan sabh baad hai Dhig siDhee Dhig karmaat.
Without the Name, all food and clothes are worthless; cursed is such spirituality, and cursed are such miraculous powers.
ਸਾ ਸਿਧਿ ਸਾ ਕਰਮਾਤਿ ਹੈ ਅਚਿੰਤੁ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਸੁ ਦਾਤਿ ॥
saa siDh saa karmaat hai achint karay jis daat.
That alone is spirituality, and that alone is miraculous power, which the Carefree Lord spontaneously bestows.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਏਹਾ ਸਿਧਿ ਏਹਾ ਕਰਮਾਤਿ ॥੨॥
naanak gurmukh har naam man vasai ayhaa siDh ayhaa karmaat. ||2||
O Nanak, the Lord's Name abides in the mind of the Gurmukh; this is spirituality, and this is miraculous power. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

All the great seekers and masters go looking for the Name — they search and search until they are worn out.

Without the Guru, no one finds it; the Guru's people are joined to the One.

Without the Naam, food and clothes and impressive powers are hollow — empty of the one thing that matters.

The wonder worth having is quieter than any trick: it is the gift the Carefree One hands you all on its own, without your even asking.

Nanak says: the Naam living in the heart of the Guru's people — that is the true power, that is the only miracle worth having.

The miracle worth having is the quiet gift you're handed without even asking.
The deeper layer

The miraculous gets a new meaning. The Siddhas strive for sidhee and karmaat, supernatural powers, and grow weary. Without the Naam, such powers are baad — empty, hollow at the centre. The beautiful turn is achint karay jis daat — the true siddhi is what the Carefree One (achint, untroubled, spontaneous) gives unasked: grace, freely given. Pauri 54 holds the same pair — the powers chased are hollow; the gift given is everything.

A Question to Sit With

If you could have one “superpower,” would you rather have a flashy trick or a quiet, steady peace inside? Why?

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

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